I remember watching this on TV, and being so thrilled with it that I rigged up a way to record the sound off the TV speaker when it was rerun a few months later. (Unfortunately, I no longer have that tape!)
My God, Leontyne Price, and Cesare Siepi! I think Leporello was played by James Pease, but I'm not sure. Note that they performed the piece in English, in front of live cameras, in a studio. There could be no second takes, a fact that was brought home by the Donna Elvira miscounting a couple of phrases in her first aria. Siepi's English was as perfect as his singing and acting. Around the same time, he recorded an LP of Cole Porter songs which was beyond praise -- he would have been the ideal casting in "Kiss Me, Kate"!
Anyway, wouldn't it be great if the videotape of this production could be found and resuscitated?
My God, Leontyne Price, and Cesare Siepi! I think Leporello was played by James Pease, but I'm not sure. Note that they performed the piece in English, in front of live cameras, in a studio. There could be no second takes, a fact that was brought home by the Donna Elvira miscounting a couple of phrases in her first aria. Siepi's English was as perfect as his singing and acting. Around the same time, he recorded an LP of Cole Porter songs which was beyond praise -- he would have been the ideal casting in "Kiss Me, Kate"!
Anyway, wouldn't it be great if the videotape of this production could be found and resuscitated?
