Un Ballo in Maschera

Distinguished soprano Zinka Milanov brought out the emotion and drama of Verdi’s sweeping vocal lines like few others. She’s heard here as Amelia, a woman accused of betraying her husband, Renato (Josef Metternich), with his best friend Riccardo, the country’s ruler (Richard Tucker). Seeking a way out of her hopeless situation she follows the advice of the fortuneteller Ulrica (Jean Madeira)—only to set in motion a series of events that lead to death and tragedy. A young Roberta Peters sings the page Oscar and Dimitri Mitropoulos conducts.