It was the first opera I purchased. (Well, the truth is my father paid for it.) I remember growing up listening to my father’s Beniamino Gigli records and adoring the honeyed tones and the passionate, crystal clear text delivery of this great tenor. His Pinkerton remains my golden standard for the role. But, I was not prepared for the little emotional tornado that was the outstanding lyric coloratura Toti Dal Monte. She completely embodies the role of Cio-Cio San from beginning to end. If she does not break your heart, I believe nothing will.

In the final scene, which I have chosen, listen to what she does with “e dove, dove,” “non ditemi nulla,” “tutto è finito,” and “il figlio mio.” Her reading of the words on her father’s knife is up there with Muzio’s reading of Giorgio Germont’s letter in Traviata. A bit like Welitsch, she sounds young, but the laser squillo of her voice cuts through Puccini’s rapturous orchestration. Warning: Like Scotto, Dal Monte has a dash of balsamic vinegar in her voice that some don’t like. Give her a chance to cast her spell. Sadly, on the day of the recording, the great Grunowa was indisposed. Her good friend Vittoria Palombini stepped in for a wonderful Suzuki. Mario Basiola is the compassionate Sharpless. The wonderful Oliviero De Fabritiis is the conductor. I believe this is Puccini’s greatest score. And Cio-Cio San is Norma’s verismo sister. Butterfly always brings back warm memories of my youth and my lifelong love of opera.