Verismo, meaning “realism,” was a late-19th-century movement in Italian opera that shifted the focus from kings and myths to ordinary people living vivid, emotionally charged lives. These operas confront love, jealousy, betrayal, and longing with unfiltered immediacy. The arias on this album are direct, lyrical, and often explosive: demanding a singer who can deliver both technical brilliance and raw human truth.
Originally released in 1971, this reissue comes with new remastered HD audio for the first time. These were taken freshly from the pre-master tapes in the Decca vaults and bring a fresh and beautiful perspective to these historic recordings. 

Tracklisting:
Side A
1. Giordano: Fedora: "Amor ti vieta"

Boito: Mefistofele
2. "Dai campi, dai prati"
3. Act 4: "Ogni mortal mister...Giunto sui passo estremo"

Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur
4. Act 1: "La dolcissima effigie sorridente"
5. Act 2: "L'anima ho stanca, e la meta è lontana"

6. Mascagni: Iris, Act 1: "Apri la tua finestra!"
7. Meyerbeer: L'Africaine, Act 4: "Mi batte il cor... O Paradiso!"
8. Massenet: Werther: "Pourquoi me réveiller, ô souffle du printemps?"

Side B
Giordano: Andrea Chénier
1. Act 1: "Colpito qui m'avete ... Un dì all'azzura spazio"
2. Act 4: "Come un bel dì di maggio"
3. Act 3: "Sì, fui soldato .. Passa la vita mia"

4. Puccini: La fanciulla del West, Act III: Ch'ella mi creda 

Puccini: Manon Lescaut, Act I
5. Ma se vi talenta – Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde
6. Donna non vidi mai

Act III
7. Ah! Non v'avvicinate!... No! no! Pazzo son!