Renata Tebaldi Essentials

When EMI had Maria Callas as their prima donna, Decca had Tebaldi; where Callas was worshipped for the intensity of her vocal acting, Tebaldi possessed the more immediately beautiful voice. She recorded many of the great lyric and dramatic soprano roles with Mimì, Butterfly, Minnie (Fanciulla del West), Aida, Tosca, and Liù (Turandot) among her finest performances. Her voice had power and dramatic truth, and she was a much-loved artist at La Scala and the Met. With the benefit of hindsight, any age that accommodated both Callas and Tebaldi was a golden one.