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Stage

Opera Tampa conductor Coppola has hit with diva

By JOHN FLEMING
Published April 28, 2005

Opera Tampa conductor Anton Coppola, 88, is enjoying a late-in-life hit with the recently released EMI recording of Puccini arias by Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu. Coppola conducted the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano in the recording session last August.

Gheorghiu, one of opera's most celebrated singers, asked Coppola to conduct because of his vast experience with Puccini's music. He studied with Franco Alfano, the composer who completed Puccini's last opera, Turandot, and was in its U.S. premiere as part of the children's chorus at the Metropolitan Opera in 1927.

"It was a connection I couldn't ignore," Gheorghiu said in the CD liner notes. "It brought me within the circle of Puccini's artistic family."

On the disc, Gheorghiu sings arias of most of Puccini's heroines: Mimi and Musetta of La Boheme; Liu and the Princess of Turandot; the title roles of Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut and Suor Angelica; Magda of La Rodine, Mimi of La Fanciulla del West and Lauretta of Gianni Schicchi. Also included are arias from a pair of Puccini rarities, Edgar and Le Villi.

"She had never sung Edgar and Le Villi, so in those she was relying very much on my interpretation," said Coppola, who has conducted both operas.

Gheorghiu is something of a throwback to opera's golden age, a flamboyant diva known for her temperament. But Coppola had no problems.

"She's supposed to be difficult to work with," he said. "With me, she was a pussycat."

[Last modified April 27, 2005, 10:13:08]