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The 1952 Classic RCA Complete Recording of Il Trovatore

This exciting new release of this acclaimed recording is now available in time for the holidays!  Remastered by John H. Haley, Harmony Restorations, LLC, this  recording is exclusive to the Jussi Björling Societies, and is being prepared through High Definition Tape Transfers (HDTT), a Canadian label, sourced on a very rare reel-to-reel tape release of this recording, which John has restored. The tape source appears to be much closer to the master tape than all other releases through the years, and it has extraordinary sound quality, such that this new release will sound substantially better than any prior release of this classic recording. 

This recording was made between February 21 to March 16, 1952 at Manhattan Center, New York City. The cast includes Jussi Björling in his vocal prime in the title role, Zinka Milanov, Fedora Barbieri, Leonard Warren and Nicola Moscona, with Renato Cellini conducting the RCA Victor Orchestra, and the Robert Shaw Chorale. It is one of the most celebrated recordings of this opera ever made, which many opera lovers have regarded as the ultimate for this dynamic Verdi opera. 

According to John Haley, this “celebrated 1952 recording of Verdi’s Il trovatore will undoubtedly be on every knowledgeable opera lover’s list of the greatest recordings of this opera, often at or near the top. Of course the combination of five seasoned performers who inhabit their roles with a superior level of suitability, musical authority and vocal glory is a big factor, but one cannot overlook the fact that the “greatest among equals” in this regard is Björling’s matchless Manrico, in his only commercial recording of one of his greatest roles … [his] combination of youthfulness, vocal power, lyrical phrasing, and sheer beauty of tone, combined with the highest level of artistry, makes him arguably the best equipped tenor for this role that we can find on recordings.”

The new version in preparation, which is being restored in a very high definition format (24 bit, 352.8 kHz sampling rate) offers a startling improvement in sound quality that provides a new level of enjoyment for this classic 70 year old recorded performance. All the voices emerge with far greater clarity and presence than has been heard previously.  

INCLUDES FANTASY TROVATORE BONUS TRACK:  From John Haley:  “In the bonus excerpt, beginning with the “Miserere” and continuing to the end of that scene, I have taken a 1951 live recording of Callas from Naples … and removed her tenor throughout, then dubbed in Björling from a radio performance of the same music after extracting his voice from it…Though inspired by it, this is NOT from the long-lost Chicago performance, and I hope my little fantasy will be enjoyed in the spirit of fun in which it is offered.”