This by now and long-legendary 1953 live recording of Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore features a cast, conductor and orchestra that makes it difficult to imagine better. Led by Maria Callas and Carlo Tagliabue as Leonora and Count di Luna, the cast also features Ebe Stignani, Gino Penno and Giuseppe Modesti, among others. The legendary conductor Antonino Votto, often partnered with Ms. Callas, in this period, leads the Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, Milan, in this gripping, ever-popular operatic drama.

La Favorita is, among Donizetti's operas, the most difficult in terms of reference editions. In fact, besides the original French version, there are several chances also in Italian. This high quality edition from 1955 is one fo the best recordings to date. Beyond the magical detail in the recording, this is one of the most beautiful discographic edition for its vocal and interpretative cast. Raimondi is here, caught in its best period - the voice color and the ability to involve the mezzo-soprano Fedora Barbieri, the only one, before Cossotto to play the role of Leonora, Carlo Tagliabue, the legendary baritone of the thirties and finally the presence of Giuio Neric, a deep bass quite unusual in the panorama of those years. All of these details make this version of Favorita a reference recording with an already small reference discography.