FEATURE
In honor of the late, great Renata Scotto:
Tanisha's Favorite Opera Decoded
Most people ask me “What is your favorite opera?” When I reply, I usually get a puzzled look because some people don’t know about Il Tabarro. The opera is the first installment of Puccini’s trilogy, Il Trittico. It premiered at the MET in 1908. I first listened to it via CD from the library. One recording featured Leontyne Price, Sherrill Milnes and Placido Domingo.
The other recording featured Renata Scotto with Tito Gobbi. While I was intrigued by the suspense that I heard, nothing prepared me for the DVD. It was a night in late August that I’d never forget. When I watched the artistry of Renata Scotto playing a jilted wife who wanted out of a marriage with a vulnerable older man, I was sold! Her acting allowed the soul of the character to reach out of the television and wrap around you. At that moment, I understood the weight of wanting to get away from something that seemed to never end. Her castmates: Cornell MacNeil and Vasile Moldoveanu were the perfect colleagues to bring about this unforgettable plot. If you don’t watch any other opera for Halloween, please watch this. You’ll never forget it.
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