Rosa Raisa
The Complete Recordings

COMPLETE TRACK LISTING
LINER NOTES

Paul Hume, critic for the Washington Post said Rosa Raisa's was the greatest voice he had ever heard. Raisa, best known as the creator of Turandot, possessed a huge voice with wonderful warmth and color.
This three disc set is the first time Rosa Raisa is complete on CD and is the most complete Raisa compilation ever assembled. It includes six alternate takes, and previously unreleased material. A 1959 interview with Studs Terkel is also included. The notes are lovingly rendered by Charles Mintzer, arguably the greatest authority on Raisa. Although Raisa was never satisfied with her own recordings, transfer engineer Ward Marston has captured the quality and beauty that has made Raisa a legend.

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Track Listing
CD 1 (76:30)
 
PATHÉ PAPER-LABEL DISCS
New York -1917
1. ANDREA CHENIER: La mamma morta (Giordano) 3:32
(66077) 60062
2. AIDA: O patria mia (Verdi) 3:24
(66086) 60070
3. L'AFRICANA: In grembo a me (Meyerbeer) 3:29
(66087) 60055
4. AIDA: Ritorna vincitor (Verdi) 3:58
(66128) 60054
5. NORMA: Casta Diva....Ah, bello a me ritorna (Bellini) 3:27
(66149) 60055
6. Capelli d'oro (Stornello) 2:19
(66223) 60062
7. IL TROVATORE: D'amor sull'ali rosee (Verdi) 3:04
(66257) 60070
8. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Voi lo sapete (Mascagni) 3:38
(matrix number unknown) 60054
 
AEOLIAN VOCALION: Hill & Dale Recordings
New York -1918
9. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Voi lo sapete (Mascagni) 3:49
(A667) 30010
10. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Voi lo sapete (Mascagni) 3:47
(A668) 30010
11. IL TROVATORE: Timor di me...D'amor sull 'ali rosee (Verdi) 5:07
(A669) 54007
12. Eili, Eili (Traditional; arranged by Josef Bonime) 3:08
(A692) 30011
13. LA GIOCONDA: Suicidio (Ponchielli) 4:07
(1855) 54027
 
VOCALION: Lateral Recordings
New York- 1920-1923
14. Eili, Eili (Traditional; arranged by Josef Bonime) 2:53
(5505) 30101
15. NORMA: Casta diva (Bellini) 4:13
(5508) 55001
17. I VESPRI SICILIANI: Mercè, dilette amiche {Bolero} (Verdi) 3:24
(5781) 30115
18. I VESPRI SICILIANI: Mercè, dilette amiche {Bolero} (Verdi) 3:22
(5782) 30115
19. DON GIOVANNI: Là ci darem la mano (Mozart) 3:14
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
(5810) 30108
20. DON GIOVANNI: Là ci darem la mano (Mozart) 3:17
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
(5811) 30108
21. IL TROVATORE: Miserere (Verdi) 3:51
with Giulio Crimi, tenor
(5813) 55007
22. LA GIOCONDA: Suicidio (Ponchielli) 4:06
(5850) 70034

 

CD 2 (76:02)
1. Kalinka (Russian Folk Song) 2:17
(7033) 30160
2. Night (Russian Folk Song) 2:53
(7039) 30165
3. None But the Lonely Heart (Tchaikovsky) 3:03
(7093) 30134
4. OTELLO: Ave Maria (Verdi) 3:46
(7098) 52007
5. AIDA: La fatal pietra (Verdi) 4:19
with Giulio Crimi, tenor
(7104) 52023
6. AIDA: O terra addio (Verdi) 4:19
with Giulio Crimi, tenor
(7106) 52043
7. Le Crucifix (Jean-Baptiste Faure) 3:13
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
(7143) 52031
8. LA FORZA DEL DESTINO: Pace, pace, mio dio (Verdi) 4:30
(7163) 52013
9. LA FORZA DEL DESTINO: Pace, pace, mio dio (Verdi) 4:03
(7164) 52013
10. TOSCA: Vissi d'arte (Puccini) 2:48
(8636) 30155
11. TOSCA: Vissi d'arte (Puccini) 2:46
(8637) 30155
12. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Voi lo sapete (Mascagni) 3:43
(10984) 52048
13. La paloma (Yradier) 4:13
(10996) 52051
14. AIDA: Ritorna vincitor (Verdi) 4:26
(11511) 70007
15. AIDA: O patria mia (Verdi) 4:17
(11035) 70007
16. IL TROVATORE: Miserere (Verdi) 4:09
with Armand Tokatyan, tenor
(11189) 55010
17. IL TROVATORE: Mira d'acerbe lagrime (Verdi) 3:43
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
(11095) 70039
18. MEFISTOFELE: L'altra notte (Boito) 4:00
(11157) 70036
19. MADAMA BUTTERFLY: Un bel dì vedremo (Puccini) 4:02
(11190) 70036
20. ERNANI: Surta è la notte..Ernani! Ernani, involami (Verdi) 4:20
(11192) 70039
All tracks are recorded with orchestral accompaniment
Tracks 12,14,15, and 17-20 accompanied by orchestra conducted by Gennaro Papi
Languages: Italian [4-6, 8-12, and 14-20]; Russian [1-3]; French [7]; and Spanish [13]

 

CD 3 (74:46)
 
BRUNSWICK RECORDS
Chicago
1. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Turridu mi tolse l'onore (Mascagni) 3:55
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
1928; (matrix number unknown) 90004
2. IL TROVATORE: Mira d'acerbe lagrime (Verdi) 4:01
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
1928; (matrix number unknown) 90004
3. DON GIOVANNI: Là ci darem la mano (Mozart) 2:44
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
1928; (matrix number unknown) 15131
4. IL FLAUTO MAGICO: La dove prende (Mozart) 2:35
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
1928; (matrix number unknown) 15131
5. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Voi lo sapete (Mascagni) 3:01
1929; (matrix number unknown) 15174
6. ERNANI: Ernani! Ernani, involami (Verdi) 2:28
1929; (matrix number unknown) 15174
7. NORMA: Ah, bello a me ritorna (Bellini) 3:07
1929; (XE 29236 B) Unpublished
 
VOCE DEL PADRONE
Milan- May 1933
8. TOSCA: Vissi d'arte (Puccini) 3:21
(2M 1442-2) DB2122
9. CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA: Voi lo sapete (Mascagni) 3:47
(2M 1443-1) DB2123
10. LA GIOCONDA: Suicidio (Ponchielli) 4:36
(2M 1445-2) DB2122
11. ANDREA CHENIER: La mamma morta (Giordano) 4:18
(2M 1446-2) DB2123
 
VITAPHONE SOUNDTRACKS
New York- 1926
12. IL TROVATORE: Mira d'acerbe lagrime (Verdi) 8:03
with Giacomo Rimini, baritone
13. Plaisir d'amour (Martini) 4:26
14. La paloma (Yradier) 3:53
15. Excerpts from a Rosa Raisa interview with Studs Terkel 19:33
November 1959
Tracks 1-12 are recorded with orchestral accompaniment
Tracks 8-11 accompanied by La Scala Orchestra conducted by Franco Ghione
Tracks 13-14 recorded with piano accompaniment
Languages: Italian [1-12]; English [15]; French [13]; and Spanish [14]

Photographs: Charles Mintzer

Producer: Charles Mintzer

Audio Conservation: Ward Marston

Booklet Design: Takeshi Takahashi

Marston would like to thank Richard Bebb, Dan Hladik, Lawrence F. Holdridge, Andrew Karzas, Peter Lack, Norbeck and Peters, LLC, and Studs Terkel for their help in the production of this CD release