Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli was a leading Italian opera conductor of the 20th century. He studied piano and composition in Bologna, and continued these studies at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, adding conducting studies with Bernardino Molinari (no apparent relation). He graduated in 1938. His first performances were as an orchestral concert conductor. His first operatic performance was a production of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore, a production that traveled to Bologna, Bergamo, and Brescia.
He built a reputation during the war years that enabled him to debut at La Scala in 1946, the year it reopened after its bombing. He quickly became known as a reliable opera conductor capable of strong leadership, ability to accompany the greatest stars on the opera stage, and creator of exciting performances (although not always possessing great individuality or new insight).
He debuted at Covent Garden in London in 1956, leading Tosca with Tebaldi in the title role, and returned in 1960 to lead Verdi's Macbeth, a performance that contributed to a rising interest in Verdi's lesser-heard operas.
He debuted in San Francisco in 1957 and was much in demand there; one of his most memorable performances was a Turandot in 1964 with Birgit Nilsson in the title role. His Vienna debut was at the Staatsoper in 1959, and his first performance at the Metropolitan was in 1966. He returned to that house often during the next two decades.
He also maintained his skills as a pianist, delighting in taking breaks from the standardized nature of the Italian operatic repertory by playing little known pieces. He was also appreciated as a vocal recital accompanist. His recording in that capacity in songs of Rossini with Suzanne Danco attained legendary status. His Turandot performance with Nilsson is one of the three or four top recordings of the opera, and he accompanied some performances on disc by Maria Callas. In 1966, a record of his, Prima Donna with Leontyne Price, won the Grammy Award for Best Classical Vocal Soloist Performance (With or Without Orchestra). He died in his hometown of Bologna four days after his 85th birthday.
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Verdi: La Forza del Destino
Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Ettore Bastianini, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Puccini: Tosca
Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, George London, Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 30 apr. 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore
Hilde Güden, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Renato Capecchi, Fernando Corena, Orchestre du Mai Musical Florentin , Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Art Of The Prima Donna
Dame Joan Sutherland, Royal Opera House Orchestra, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 1960
Stereophile: Record To Die For24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Puccini: Turandot
Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli, Renata Scotto, Bonaldo Giaiotti, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
Opera - Released by Warner Classics on 1 jan. 1966
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 14 mrt. 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: La traviata (highlights)
Renata Tebaldi, Gianni Poggi, Aldo Protti, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 16 okt. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Puccini: Tosca (highlights)
Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, George London, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Coro dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 1959
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore
Hilde Güden, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Renato Capecchi, Fernando Corena, Orchestre du Mai Musical Florentin , Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Klassiek - Released by Decca Music Group Ltd. on 1 jan. 1955
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore, Excerpts (Mono Version)
Giuseppe Di Stefano, Hilde Gueden, Orchestre du Mai Musical Florentin , Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
La traviata Highlights
Renata Tebaldi, Gianni Poggi, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Opera - Released by The Digital Gramophone on 30 nov. 2013
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi · la forza del destino
Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia
Klassiek - Released by G.O.P. on 31 jan. 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rossini: 4 Ouvertures célèbres (Mono Version)
Wiener Symphoniker, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: La force du destin, extraits (Mono Version)
Renata Tebaldi, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale Di Santa Cecilia, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1958
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: Rigoletto - Opera in three acts
Klassiek - Released by Warner Classics on 3 sep. 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pergolesi: Salve regina in C Minor & Stabat mater (Mono Version)
Bruna Rizzoli, Orchestra da camera del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Verdi: Rigoletto, Extracts (Stereo Version)
Renato Capecchi, Gianna d' Angelo, Orchestra Del Teatro San Carlo Di Napoli, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Divers - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Puccini: Tosca, Extracts (Stereo Version)
Orchestra Dell'Academia Di Santa Cecilia Di Roma, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, Renata Tebaldi
Klassiek - Released by BNF Collection on 1 jan. 1962
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
La Bohème (Intégrale)
Volledige opera's - Released by Myto Historical on 1 feb. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Cetra Verdi Collection: Simon Boccanegra
Opera - Released by WMI Italy on 1 jan. 1952
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo