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An early recording from Puccini's Tosca, sung by French tenor Lucien Muratore.

Tosca - Le ciel luisait d'etoiles

 
Company Pathé Frères Phonograph Company
Cylinder # 3728 (3½" diameter)
Category Tenor
Title Tosca - Le ciel luisait d'etoiles
Performed by Lucien Muratore
Circa 1903
Announcement "Air de La Tosca - Le ciel luisait d'etoiles - chanté par Monsieur Muratore de l'opéra."

("Air from La Tosca - And the stars were shining - sung by Mr. Muratore of the opera.")

 

Based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French play, Giacomo Puccini's 3-act Italian opera premiered in Rome in 1900 – just 3 years before this recording was made.

Tenor Lucien Muratore (1872-1954) who recorded for Pathé for nearly thirty years, also recorded cylinders for both Edison and Columbia.   On this unusual format 3½" diameter "salon" cylinder we hear, in one of his earliest sessions with Pathé, a youthful Muratore as Tosca's doomed lover, Mario Cavaradossi, singing a French version of "and the stars were shining" from the opera's final act.

As usual, I always appreciate assistance getting the announcement and translation right!

To hear Tosca - Le ciel luisait d'etoiles  —

 
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Interested in hearing and learning more about other Pathé 3½" diameter salon wax cylinder recordings?

Key Title Category Performed by Circa
10/2002 Ange si pur from La Favorite Tenor Agustarello Affre 1903
07/2007 Benediction des Poignards from Les Huguenots Bass-baritone Jean-Francisque Delmas 1902
10/2003 (The Magic Flute) La Flute Enchantée Duet Jane Mérey & Albert Piccaluga 1903-1905
10/2004 La Mattchiche Orchestra Pathé Frères Orchestre 1905-1906
05/2011 Mireille - Valse Soprano Aline Vallandri 1906

                             

To hear other examples of wax cylinders, see the