Though scarcely a 'classic' account of Madama Butterfly, this recording deserves issue on CD on account of its three central performances. Neither Moffo, Valletti nor Cesari have big voices, but all three make virtues of necessities and demonstrate how much of Puccini's language is accessible to a light voice, lightly used. The beefy tenore robusto who sings Pinkerton's Act 1 solos ''Dovunque al mondo'' and ''Amore o grillo'' with arrogantly ringing tone has already undermined the drama: obviously the man is a male chauvinist bull in a china-shop. Ringing tone is scarcely the strongest weapon in Valletti's armoury. He sings instead with winning charm and a touch of almost boyish elegance: despite the odious sentiments he is expressing we rather like him, and can understand Butterfly's infatuation. Moffo, too, is good at all those things that tend to be a shade unconvincing when a true dramatic soprano (whose stamina the role ideally needs, in a stage performance at least) impersonates Butterfly: her touching description of Pinkerton's departure, her eagerness as Sharpless reads the fatal letter, her reaction immediately afterwards to his question ''What would you do if he never came back?'' (it is as though he had turned and struck her). She is good in ''Un bel di'', stretched a bit by ''Tu? Tu? Piccolo Iddio'' (just as Valletti can make nothing especially convincing of ''Addio, fiorito asil'') but with Cesari's concerned softly-spoken, gentlemanly Sharpless and a reliable supporting cast this is still a Butterfly that can give much pleasure, and it is truer to the spirit of Puccini's score than some of its more glamorously cast, more vociferous rivals.
There are two drawbacks. Leinsdorf's crisply dapper approach to the score sometimes veers well over the border of abruptness or restlessness (the Act 1 duet only settles to a comfortable tempo for the singers at ''Vogliatemi bene''). Much more seriously the recording has not survived digital remastering at all well. The sound is now very acid, the orchestra congested and skinny, while the close focus on the soloists (although unnatural this was once quite welcome, since it enabled them to sing as quietly as they pleased) now gives them such a harshness that the recording sounds much older than it is. The Callas/Credda/Karajan (EMI—released last October) and Freni/Pavarotti/Karajan (Decca—released in June last year)—the latter extravagantly spread over three discs—are the main CD contenders at full price. They would be nudged aside somewhat if EMI were to reissue the Scotto/Bergonzi/Barbirolli or los Angeles/Gedda/Santini versions in this medium. But in its present condition the RCA offers no real competition at all. '