Gounod - Romeo & Juliette / Gheorghiu · Alagna

Roméo et Juliette, opera Allons! jeunes gens! Allons! belles dames!
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Alain Fondary
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Mab, la reine des mensonges
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Simon Keenlyside
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Non! non! je ne veux pas t'écouter plus longtemps...Ah! Je veux vivre dans le rêve
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera De grâce, demeurez!...Ange adorable
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Entr'acte
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera L'amour! l'amour!...Ah! lève-toi, soleil!
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Ô nuit divine!...Ah! ne fuis pas encore!...Adieu mille fois!...Va! repose en paix!
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Roméo! tu choisis Juliette pour femme?...Ô pur bonheur!
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu, Claire Larcher, Jose Van Dam, Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Que fais-tu, blance tourterelle
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Marie-Ange Todorovitch
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Ah! jour de deuil et d'horreur et d'alarmes
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Alain Vernhes, Marie-Ange Todorovitch, Alain Fondary, Guy Flechter, Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Va! je t'ai pardonné...Nuit d'hymnénée...Roméo! qu'as-tu donc?1
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Buvez donc ce breuvage...Bientôt une pâleur livide effacera...Hésitez-vous?
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Jose Van Dam
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera Dieu! quel frisson court dans mes veines?...Amour ranime mon courage
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera C'est là!...Salut! tombeau! sombre et silencieux!...Ô ma femme! ô ma bien-aimée
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson
Roméo et Juliette, opera À toi, ma Juliette!...Console-toi, pauvre âme
Composed by Charles Gounod
Performed by Toulouse Orchestra
with Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna
Conducted by Michel Plasson

Gounod - Romeo & Juliette / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Plasson [Highlights],Charles Gounod,Michel Plasson,Angela Gheorghiu,Roberto Alagna,Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse,Alain Fondary,José van Dam,Marie-Ange Todorovitch,Guy Flechter,Simon Keenlyside,Angel Records,Classical,Classical Music,French Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio,Opera/Operetta

Average customer rating:

Great for kids!
Mediocre Sound Quality
I was pleased
The Most Famous Opera Arias
Okay But.... - a review of "The Most Famous Opera Arias"

The Most Famous Opera Arias

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Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...

ASIN: B000002SCE
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Rigoletto: Act I - Caro nome
Rigoletto: Act III - La donna e mobile
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Carmen: Act I - Habanera: La voila...L'amour est oiseau rebelle
Orfeo ed Euridice: Act III - Che faro senz Euridice
Madama Butterfly: Act III - Un bel di, vedremo
Romeo et Juliette: Act I - Ah! je veux vivre
Le nozze di Figaro: Act II - Voi che sapete che cosa e amor
Samson et Dalila: Act II - Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix
Tosca:: Act II - Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore
Aida: Act I-Celeste Aida
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Act I-Una voce poco fa
Lakme: Act II - Ou va la jeune indoue?
La Wally: Act I - Ebben? Ne andro lontano
La Boheme: Act I - Che gelida manina
Die Zauberflote: Act II-Die Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen

Customer Reviews:

Great for kids!.......2007-06-27

I'm generally not a fan of music "samplers," but opera can be tough to introduce to children. And hey--even adults played cards, ate, and talked through the recitative sections of the early operas while they waited for the next aria! So I feel that getting kids hooked on opera through great arias probably can't hurt (the next 10 years or so will determine whether I'm right or not). My 4-year-old loves this CD; it's a delight to watch her imitate Anna Moffo (the sincerest form of flattery, for sure). Highly recommended resource for introducing young kids to opera. More top picks: Siberell's Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera, and the Black Dog Opera Library CDs.

Mediocre Sound Quality.......2007-03-31

If you note the album was released in 1994, and includes selections from many years prior, you will understand that the quality of the sound engineering is not going to dazzle your ear.

It's a very nice collection to hum along to, but don't expect shivers down your spine as the sound quality is not sufficient to reproduce the dynamic range of these voices.

I was pleased.......2007-02-18

I am by no means an opera expert, but found this to be a wonderful CD. Along with the songs I already knew I liked (such as a song from Carmen,) I found many others I enjoyed. In fact, Samson et Dahlila turned out to be my favorite. If you are just getting started or at any point in your adventure of opera, I would recommend this one.

The Most Famous Opera Arias.......2007-01-05

I was completely surprised in the product as well as the time in which it was delivered.

I would not only refer this seller but I will come back myself.

Okay But.... - a review of "The Most Famous Opera Arias".......2006-08-18

My daughter (6 y.o.) and I like opera; but sitting for two hours to watch Turandot is just not within the realm of possibilities for my 4 year old son right now... so I was looking for an opera CD for the car. He will sit and listen to short arias.

This was the first we purchased and it is okay but not great.

Problem #1 - where is Wagner. No Wagner?
Problem#2 - Elena Obraztsova - she sounds like Carmen's grandmother. Rather matronly for a vixen (imho--lol)

Three Stars. [C+] Great Price and good sound quality for the car. The operatic styles of some of the performers are antiquated and frilly sounding, but I would probably buy this CD again.

Note: We purchased and really preferred "The # 1 Opera Album". It has more selections and better artists in our opinion. Also it's a two CD set. Just something to consider.

Average customer rating:

GORGEOUS!
Wonderful intro To MEHDl ...
great
The Complete Wedding Album
Almost the compete wedding album

The Complete Wedding Album

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Classical Wedding
25 Wedding Favorites
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ASIN: B000006ONZ
Release Date: 1998-04-28

Tracks:

Rigaudon - Empire Brass
Sinfonia - Michael Murray
Toccata - Michael Murray
Wedding March - Michael Murray
The Prince Of Denmark's March - Michael Murray
Trumpet Tune In D Major - Michael Murray
Te Deum - Michael Murray
Ave Maria - Michael Murray
Canon In D Major - Yolanda Kondonassis
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Yolanda Kondonassis
Prelude No. 1 In C Major - Yolanda Kondonassis
Entrance Of The Queen Of Sheba - Keith Clark
Air - Orchestra Of St. Luke's
Hornpipe - Orchestra Of St. Luke's
Rondeau - Empire Brass
Unchained Melody - Erich Kunzel
Through The Eyes Of Love - William Tritt
Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet - William Tritt
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Dodi Li - Shira Kammen

Tracks:

Rondeau - Michael Murray
Sheep May Safely Graze - Michael Murray
Ave Maria - Michael Murray
Gymnopedie No. 1 - Michael Chertock
Clair De Lune - Michael Chertock
Adagio Sostenuto - Michael Chertock
Largo - Angel Romero
Largo - Larry Cooperman
Largo - Keith Clark
Allegro - Boston Symphony Orchestra
Adagio In G Minor For Strings - Keith Clark
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Leonard Slatkin
Adagio For Strings - Erich Kunzel
'Treulich Gefuart,' Bridal Chorus - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Wedding March - Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

GORGEOUS!.......2007-06-13

I wish this CD had been around when I was planning my wedding as it would have been great for helping the bride to select music! Still, it's wonderful to listen to now.

Wonderful intro To MEHDl ..........2006-06-08

I've always enjoyed Great Wedding music and this album is no exception, but while reading some of the customer recommendations posted on this site I discovered a group by the name of MEHDl (pronounced medie). After an online search I found their site (S00THINGMUSIC,C0M) and listened to the samples...
I was instantly blown away by the quality of this music and so I gave it a try and now that I have listened to these CDs several times I really must say that although I'm still a Tomaso Albinoni fan of, I find MEHDl to be a great addition to this CD. I had them both in my multi-disc CD player during the wedding and love the way they compliment each other. I highly recommend that you give this artist a try or atleast just go listen to the samples, I have a feeling you'll be glad you did.

great.......2006-02-19

Highly recommended. Even has suggestions for pre-ceremony, processional, ceremony, and recessional inside. 2 different versions of Midsummer Night's Dream march included - one with trumpet and organ and one with a full orchestra. Lots of great selections, well recorded.

The Complete Wedding Album.......2005-08-05

This album has a lot of great wedding music. It had all of the songs I was looking for. There also is great background music for the ceremony. Glad I purchased it

Almost the compete wedding album.......2004-05-07

I used this cd to help me plan which songs I wanted to use for each part of the wedding. This cd helps you suggest the placement for the prelude, processional, ceremony and recessional. The cd mainly has classical songs, but it does have a few of "today's" songs. There could have been a few more songs they could have added. But overall, its a good cd.

Average customer rating:

Glorious Renee
One of Miss Fleming's absolute bests!
An amazing cd and a great introduction into the world of opera
The New La Divina
Gorgeous

Renée Fleming
Giacomo Puccini , Jules Massenet , Georges Bizet , Alfredo Catalani , Ruggero Leoncavallo , Francesco Cilea , Charles Gounod , Giuseppe Verdi , Vincenzo Bellini , London Philharmonic Orchestra , Sir Charles Mackerras , Renée Fleming , and London Voices
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Sacred Songs

ASIN: B00004YLU5
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

Puccini: O mio babbino caro - Gianni Schicchi
Puccini: Un bel di vedremo - Madame Butterfly
Puccini: Quando men vo - Musetta's waltz - La Boheme
Puccini compl. Alfano: Signore, ascolta - Turandot
Leoncavallo: Stridono lassu - I Pagliacci
Cilea: Io son l'umile ancella - Adriana Lecouvreur
Catalani: Ebben? Ne adnro lontana - La Wally
Massenet: Je suis encore etourdie - Manon
Massenet: Adieu notre petite table - Manon
Bizet: Micaela's aria - Carmen
Gounod: Je veux vivre - Romeo & Juliette
Verdi: come in quest'ora bruna - Simon Boccanegra
Bellini: Casta Diva - Norma
Verdi: Bolero - Les Vepres Siciliennes

Amazon.com essential recording

Surely, Renée Fleming has one of the most beautiful voices to be heard anywhere today. It combines velvety warmth, creamy richness, soaring radiance, and flawless purity, and seems to flow out without effort, every tone impeccably centered and in tune, capable of almost too much variety of color and nuance. Fleming's breath control is incredible; she can spin out long, arching phrases and build up climaxes with thrilling intensity. The program of this recital displays Fleming's vocal and dramatic gifts to full advantage, and includes both familiar and lesser-known arias from Italian and French operas. Although some of these are not in her repertoire, she clearly feels close to them. The three opening Puccini favorites from Gianni Schicchi, Madama Butterfly, and La Bohème are a bit fussy and over-inflected, hardly suited to the characters' simplicity; but, from then on, Fleming seems completely at one with both her tragic and her lighthearted heroines. She captures their warm inwardness, rapture, passion, ecstasy, and desperation; darkening and lightening her voice at will. Her top notes soar gloriously, her trills laugh. The orchestra is splendid, supporting her all the way and sounding wonderful. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Glorious Renee.......2007-03-28

I just love Renee Fleming's voice. It reminds me so much of the fabulous Anna Moffo - my personal favorite since childhood. My mother played Anna Moffo records for me while I was a tiny bit in my crib. So try to reprogram oneself after hearing such loveliness in the universe. Both ladies have a creamy voice, elegant phrasing and classical beauty. I agree with the prior reviewer that every soprano should record "O mio babbino caro". And if Renee did not record it, well then we'd be missing her version.
The more that I listen to Renee's music or see her in recitals, the more I adore the lady. The standouts on this disc are "Casta diva", "Lo son l'umile ancella", "Je suis encor tout etourdie", and "Ah! Je veux vivre", "Signore ascolta", etc.

One of Miss Fleming's absolute bests!.......2006-05-09

This is definitely one of my all-time favorite Renee Fleming albums if not THE favorite! Her voice totally shines in every single aria on here, and she seems can totally drag you into the world of each of the characters. What can I say? Ms. Fleming just never fails to impress me. Everything that she sings she seems to be able to bring something unique to it.

An amazing cd and a great introduction into the world of opera.......2006-04-20

I recommend this cd for those who want to get into opera but don't know where to start. Fleming tackles a diverse range of styles and never disappoints. Her Un bel di vedremo ranks up there with the best sopranos and is the standout track for me.

The New La Divina.......2005-11-22

Renee Fleming is the most sheerly beautiful voice in opera since Montserrat Caballe. Her Casta Diva is stunning, and the high note at the end of Merci jeune amies is pure virtuoso. I love her Puccini, Massenet and Verdi as well. Fleming said that she doesn't class herself amongst "the greats", but I do!

Gorgeous.......2005-09-30

This album says soprano standard repertoire all over it, but Renee will knock your socks off with her interpretations of these standard hits. Although she doesn't sing much Puccini, her Puccini arias are to die for. Her "Un bel di vedremo" (Madama Butterfly) gives me chills everytime I hear it. Her French arias are also breathtakingly gorgeous. Micaela's aria is so warm and beautiful, as is Juliette's. This is a fabulous recording, and I recommend it to everyone.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful i recommend it
Landmark Soprano. An essential work for opera listeners.
Terrific introduction to the art of Callas
Callas was the greatest
Great starter CD

Maria Callas - La Divina
Giacomo Puccini , Vincenzo Bellini , Georges Bizet , Gioachino Rossini , Alfredo Catalani , Camille Saint-Saëns , Giuseppe Verdi , Charles Gounod , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Pietro Mascagni , Amilcare Ponchielli , Tullio Serafin , Georges Prêtre , Nicola Rescigno , Franco Ghione , Antonino Votto , Maria Callas , Alfredo Kraus , Ebe Ticozzi , Giuseppe di Stefano , London Philharmonia Orchestra , Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala , Orchestre National de la R.D.F. , Conservatory Concert Society Orchestra , and Lisbon Orquesta Sinfonica del Teatro Nacional de San Carlos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002RT6
Release Date: 1993-09-14

Tracks:

Madama Butterfly: Un bel di, vedremo (Atto ll)
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) (Acte l)
La Wally: Ebben? ne andro lontana (Atto l)
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa (Atto l)
Norma: Casta Diva (Atto l)
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Acte ll)
Rigoletto: Caro nome (Atto l)
La Traviata: Sempre libera (Atto l)
Romeo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans ce reve (Acte l)
La Boheme: Si, mi chiamano Mimi (Atto l)
Don Giovanni: Mi tradi quell'alma ingrata (Atto ll)
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete, o mamma
La Gioconda: Suicidio! (Atto lV)
Gianni Schicchi1: O mio babbino caro
Turandot: In questa reggia (Atto ll)
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore (Atto ll)

Amazon.com

If you want to know the reason behind all the fuss about Maria Callas, buy this CD. Callas's great gift was not purity of tone or emission, reliability, or sheer loveliness; it was, rather, her ability to change her vocal color and style to suit not only particular periods of opera but to get under the skin of the individual characters she portrayed. Here you will hear the 18-year-old Butterfly imagining the return of her beloved; the sultry, adult Carmen seducing all around her; the youthful Wally telling her cruel father that she will go off into the cold wilderness rather than give up her boyfriend; the sly Rosina planning to outfox her guardian; the priestess Norma performing a sacred rite; Dalila wrapping Samson around her little finger and more; Gioconda contemplating suicide when all hope is gone; Gilda recalling the name of the boy she's just fallen for; and the icy princess Turandot reliving the rape of her ancestor and swearing that no man will possess her. And you'll believe them all. At times Callas's vocalism is a bit wiry (Juliette sounds stressed, for instance); but, in all, this is like a visit with 16 women, all of them interesting, and all of them great singers! --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful i recommend it.......2007-08-01

This cd is in my car changer and i play it daily. A wonderful introduction Madame Callas.

Landmark Soprano. An essential work for opera listeners........2007-05-26

Maria Callas may be the only female 'superstar' working in my lifetime. In the 1950s and early 1960's, she had all the star power and paparrazi draw of Jackie and Marilyn, far outstripping the fame to the world at large of her primary rival, Renita Tibaldi. I am not an expert, or even an experienced amateur at evaluating operatic sopranos; however I've listened to several of the modern crop, and while the newbies probably do a better job of keeping on key, none of them can match the drama emoted by Ms. Callas on any given aria. All three releases are especially good buys, as they all run to over 72 minutes; however the recording quality does show its early (pre-multitrack, pre-digital) recording technology. Each is as good as the next regarding content, but 2 and 3 are a bit better in sound quality.

Terrific introduction to the art of Callas.......2007-04-24

This album is entitled "Divina," not to be confused with "Divina 2," itself a very nice example of Callas at her best. This CD samples a variety of her roles, indicating the range of her art. A few examples. . . .

"Un bel di" from Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" is very well done. She displays a rich voice and a passionate rendering of this aria. At greater volume, her voice remains under control and attractive sounding (something that does not always occur as her career developed further).

The "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen" is normally a mezzo soprano work. However, Callas features a good lower tone, and it works pretty well here. She shows nice breath control, too. The orchestral backing is exceptional.

"Sempre libera," from Verdi's "La Traviata," is a soprano's dream. Here, though, Callas' voice is not as attractive as in other cuts. There is some harshness with higher notes. Alfredo Kraus' singing, by the way, is most attractive. There is some unpleasantness with Callas technique in this work, although there is a nice characterization as well (this is the price you pay for Callas). She shows off some nice runs, but zero in the way of trills (some other sopranos display nice trills in this piece).

Finally, a very well done version of "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" from Puccini's "La Boheme." Sweet sounds at the outset. She seems to capture the character well. Smooth singing, done well.

Thus, a good introduction to the art of Maria Callas. There are cuts here that feature some of the wondrous nature of her work. There are other cuts where one hears some unattractive aspects of her singing and one wonders about her technique. But, in the end, this is a good representation of the work of Callas.

Callas was the greatest.......2007-02-06

It's amazing how the anti-Callas claquers continue to thrive. I'll side with Leonard Bernstein, who labeled Callas "The Bible of Opera," and who described her 1952 performance of La Sonnambula under his baton as "pure electricity." Unfortunately, recordings don't do justice to any artist, given the lack of spontaneity and a full audience, as well as a host of other reasons. Even Callas withheld many recordings from release because she was her own worst critic and they did not meet her high standards. I've been listening to opera for over 30 years and although I can appreciate the artistry of Tebaldi, Sutherland, Sills, Freni, Carteri, Moffo, Price, etc., some of whom had better pure voices, there was none that could match Maria's intensity, passion, range, personality, acting ability and pure emotion. Callas could sing bel canto colaratura but drop down to a near-mezzo voice that included many dramatic roles.

The Callas bashers will always be with us, but thankfully they will always be in the tiny minority. True connossiers of opera know there never has been and never will be as great a singer as La Divina.

Great starter CD.......2005-11-24

As simplistic as this sounds, this is a perfect CD if you know you like opera, but don't know exactly what you want to hear. You'll definitely recognize some of the more popular arias, and will grow to love the others.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Collection of Songs
A Legend in all.....La Callas.
Excellent compilation of La Divina's arias
Some people have no business reviewing this
BELLA BELLA BELLA!

Maria Callas, the Voice of the Century

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000631B
Release Date: 1998-03-17

Tracks:

Norma: Casta Diva (Atto I): Norma
La Sonnambula: Compagne, teneri amici...Come per me sereno (Atto I): La Sonnambula
Il Barbieri Di Siviglia: Una Voce poco fa (Atto I): Il barbiere di Siviglia
Lucia di Lammermoor: Regnava nel silenzio...Quando, rapito in estasi (Atto I): Lucia di Siviglia
Rigoletto: Gualtier Mald...Caro Nome (Atto I): Rigoletto
La Traviata: E Strano!...Ah, Fors'e lui...Sempre libera (Atto I): La traviata
La Boheme: Si, Mi chiamo Mimi (Atto I): La boheme
La Boheme: Donde Lieta Usci (Atto III) (Mimi's Farewell): La boheme
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel di Vedremo (Atto II): Madama Butterfly
TOSCA: Vissi D'arte (Atto II): tosca
Turandot: In questa reggia (Atto II): Turandot
La Wally: Ebben? ne andro lontana (Atto I): La Wally
Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta (Atto III): Andrea Chenier

Tracks:

Orphee et Eurydice: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice (Acte V)
Alceste: Divinites du Styx (Acte I)
Dinorah: Ombra leggiera (Atto II) (Shadow Song)
Romeo et Juliette: Ah! Je veux vivre (Acte I) (Waltz Song)
Faust: Les grand seigneurs...Ah! je ris (Acte III)
Lakme: Dov'e l'indiana bruna? (Atto II) (Bell Song)
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence (Acte I)
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Acte II)
Les Pecheurs De Perles: Me voila seule...Comme autrefois (Acte II)
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera)(Acte I)
Carmen: Les tringles des sistre tintaient (Acte II)
Le Cid: De cet affreux combat...Pleurez mes yeux! (Acte III)
Manon: Je ne suis que faiblesse...Adieu, notre petite table (Acte II)
Louise: Depuis le jour (Acte III)

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Collection of Songs.......2006-07-15

I have listened samples of 5 Callas CDs before buying this one. This one has a very beautiful collection of songs on just 2 CDs. he sings with so much expression. Most the recordings are from the fifties and early sixties when her voice was very young and lovely. I'll try to get her on DVD so I can see her sing.

A Legend in all.....La Callas........2005-04-24

I would just like to refer to an article that was published by a German Newspaper in 1959, mentioned on the Callas Edition (CED:100342)
'...her voice is of unparalleled beauty, having an inimitable, completely own timbre of sopranos and altos...a performance of superior musical quality..a phenomenon amongst contemporary singers'
' ...One of the most spectacular Verdi arias, of Elizabeth from Don Carlo, and one, In Germany tottaly unknown, terrific scene from Bellini's opera Il Pirata were enough to enchant huge numers of television viewers, who can say at her next performance: 'we have seen La Callas''(Hamburg concert 1959)
'- from the contra-alt-f to the f - thats Callas' voice range, spanning over 37 half-tones. Callas herself has drawn the range of her voice. In her concert repertoire the contra-alt-f can be found in e.g. the aria from I Vespri Siciliani. In an aria from Rossini's opera Armida she reaches the 'F'. five half-tones above the high C. Normal voices couldnt possibly even whistle this high F. Though there are other singers, whose voices contain these three octaves - Erna Sack with her coloratura soprano, the lyrical singer Ema Berger and the dramatical singer Zinka Milanov from the New York Metropolitan Opera - simple fact is that the phenomenon Meneghini-Callas lies in her fabulous vocal versatility. She is a coloratura singer, drama-player and lyrist in one person - and an exceptionally talented ac-tress at that.'
Excuse from a journalist of the German Newspaper for the Diva :

Article Title : 'I am sorry!'

'I owe Maria Callas an apology. She is a unique vocal talent, a great artist. She is a primadonna. And she has her moods. Moods for which i ask her to forgive me. Because i misunderstood them - and many others too. That much i gathered from her latest television concert. Even in the flickering of the screen this woman's nervousness and enormous effort were visible.
La Callas is a fragile, rather shy person. Her moods are fear of failure. The moloch audience expects her to always go to any lenght, show the brilliance others just dont have. She is not allowed to get weak. Decent country singers are not decapitated for a false note. La Callas, on the other hand, is the identifying mark of the extraordinary. Even the slightest hint of a mistake would cost her her uniqueness, her stardom....a perverse triumph for all bathtube singers.
That explains her inhibitation to perform when she isnt well, her cancellations when she is not in the right mood. I understand them now. If she werent moody, she wouldnt be a primadonna, would not be La Callas.
Stars like her do not fit in our world of standards and programmed data. They pay dearly for their moods, have to put up fights and, undoubtedly, shed many a tear. So one more, my apologies, Maria Callas'
(Hans im Bild)
That's all folks!:D

Excellent compilation of La Divina's arias.......2005-03-21

This is one of the best compilations EMI has ever made for Maria Callas' arias. Each and every aria lets us listen to the best of her voice from each period of her career. An excellent collection!

Holly Mathews doesn't know how to appreciate art. Kathleen Battle and Renee Fleming themselves have admitted to the supremacy of Callas' singing over theirs, even if their voices seem more beautiful than La Divina. Why else would Callas be a legend and they wouldn't? They are equally good in their own right, but none of them would surpass the accuracy of La Divina's singing and phrasing. Holly Mathews' left side of the brain must be made of clay or foam, dead material that couldn't absorb any beauty.

Some people have no business reviewing this.......2005-01-25

My goodness, what is a non-musical person like Holly Mathews doing in this board? Do you know what other album she has reviewed? Hayley Westenra! And she's not even an opera singer! She obviously doesn't know her business! Disgraceful review! Ignore it! It obviously was not based on good judgement. I'm sure she is a pop fan who just likes tender music. Oh, her insulting language! What an ignorant Maria basher!

Anyway, this is an excellent compilation of SOME of Maria Callas' greatest arias. Although I do wish some arias like Pace Pace Mio Dio were included here, I do think it is a very good compilation all in all. Although she has many detractors, they still have to admit that Callas is the sheer embodiment of singing and drama. She was an actress...a panther on the stage. Listen to her La Mamma Morta and her Suicidio...those brought chills to my spine when I listened to them. Maria is the only singer in the history of opera besides the great Caruso-tenor Franco Corelli who touched me, moved me even. This is probably the reason why I love Maria Callas' music so much. If you want to hear Medea's anger and Norma's anguish and Butterfly's hopeful blindness, listen to Maria Callas. If you just want a golden voice, then go to Renata Tebaldi or Joan Sutherland. And don't even compare her with Charlotte Church or Hayley Westenra! The distaste of some people!

BELLA BELLA BELLA!.......2004-11-23

THIS WAS THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT FEATURING ANY OPERATIC SOPRANO. I WAS 15 AND WAS GIVEN MY VERY FIRST CLASSICAL PIECE "CARO MIO BEN" WHICH WAS NOT AN OPERA ARIA BUT DUE TOTHIS SONG I WAS SUDDENLY IN LOVE WITH OPERA. I HAD HEAR OF HER A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST BUT MY IDEA OF A GOOD SOPRANO AT THE TIME WAS SARAH BIRGHTMAN (YES I KNOW I KNOW!!!BUT I WAS YOUNG!)BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO REALIZE HOW WRONG I WAS!! THIS CALLAS RECORDING HAD THE MOST PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME WHICH LED TO MY OBSESSION WITH MY OWN OPERATIC ASPIRATIONS. IT WAS STRANGE AS SHE DID NOT SOUND LIKE A FAT WOMAN SCREAMING HER HEAD OFF IN FULL BODY ARMOR. YES YES...I AND MANY MANY SAD AMERICANS HAVE THOUGH OF THIS WHEN GIVEN THE WORD OPERA. (NOW NOW, WE ALL FELT LIKE THAT AT SOME POINT) I NEVER REALIZED THAT THERE COULD BE SUCH PASSION. HER NORMA WAS IS SO BEAUTIFUL IN IT'S SIMPLICITY AND UNDERLINING STRENGTH. HER TAKE ON "COME OER ME SERENO" AND "UNA VOCE POCO FA" WERE SWEET AND APPROPRIATELY INNOCENT. HER BEL CANTO ROLES WHICH INCLUDED HER FANTASTIC LUCIA (ALTHOUGH LATER I WOULD PREFER SUTHERLAND) AND GILDA JUST THRILLED ME. I HAD NO IDEA SOMEONE COULD ACTUALLY SING THOSE PIECES! OF COURSE UP UNTIL THIS POINT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OPERA COULD SOUND LIKE THAT!! (SILLY ME!) I WAS SURPRISED TO REALIZED I KNEW THE ARIAS SHE SUNG FROM LA BOHEME, LA TRAVIATA, AND MADAME BUTTERFLY. THEY DIDN'T MAKE A HUGE IMPRESSION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE FIREWORKS I WAS LOOKING FOR BUT I STILL FOUND THEM TO BE BEAUTIFUL. AFTER ALL OF THIS I LANDED ON CALLAS' TAKE OF TOSCA'S "VISSI D'ARTE". IT WAS AND HAS BEEN THE ONLY TIME I'VE BEEN SO MOVED BY A PERFORMER THAT I CRIED. IT WAS SO PURE BUT THE PAIN WAS SO EVIDENT THAT IT JUST CHILLED ME. I MUST HAVE LISTENED TO IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND STILL HAVE YET TO HEAR A MORE STIRRING RENDITION. DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING FIRST CD I MUST ADMIT I KIND OF IGNORED THE SECOND HALF. EVENTUALLY I DID GET TO IT AND FOUND WHAT I FELT WAS THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN. MY WHOLE BEING LIVED FOR LAKME'S BELL SONG. AFTER LISTENING TO HER I WAS CONVINCED THIS WOMAN WAS MAGICAL BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW SHE OR ANY HUMAN COULD SING LIKE THAT! HER SECOND DISC WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WENT FROM WHITE HOT COLORATURA TO MEZZO? AAHHH BUT YES SHE WENT THERE. INTO THE INTENSITY OF SAMSON ET DELILA. I THOUGHT THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL!!! OF COURSE I KNOW PREFER MARILYN HORNE TO CALLAS ON THOSE SONGS....BUT IT SHOWED ME THAT NOT EVERY SONG HAS TO BE HIGH TO BE BEAUTIFUL. I LOVED AND STILL DUE LOVE THIS COLLECTION....IN FACT I HAVE BOUGHT IT THREE TIMES AS MINE DETERIORATED QUICKLY 'CAS I PLAYED THEM SO MUCH! AND I'VE GIVEN THIS COLLECTION TO COUNTLESS FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THIS IS THE BEST COLLECTION OF CALLAS' WORK AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE AND ANYONE! VIVA LA DIVA!

Average customer rating:

La Stupenda is stupendous on this recording. Don't miss it!
Sutherland is Amazing
A Phenomenal Historic Recording Newly Minted
Canary in the silver mine
Bel Canto from an angelic voice

The Art of the Prima Donna

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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La Stupenda ~ The Supreme Voice of Joan Sutherland
Joan Sutherland - The Greatest Hits
The Art of Joan Sutherland
Very Best of
Joan Sutherland: BBC-Recitals 1958, 1960, 1961

ASIN: B00004XQ8G
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Artaxerxes: The Soldier Tir'd
Samson: Let The Bright Seraphim
Norma: Sediziose voci ... Casta diva ... Ah! bello a me ritorna
I Puritani: Son vergin vezzosa (Polonaise)
Semiramide: Bel raggio lusinghier
I Puritani: O rendetemi la speme ... Qui la voce ... Vien, diletto
La Sonnambula: Care compagne ... Come per me sereno ... Sovra il sen
Faust: O Dieu! que de bijoux ... Ah! je ris de me voir

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette: Ah! Je veux vivre
Otello: Mia madre aveva una povera ancella ... Piangea cantando
Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Martern aller Arten
La Traviata: E' strano ... Ah, fors'e lui ... Sempre libera
Hamlet: A vos jeux, mes amis
Lakme: Ah! Ou va la jeune Indue
Les Huguenots: O beau pays de la Touraine!
Rigoletto: Gualtier Malde ... Caro nome

Amazon.com

In February 1959, an unknown (well, comparatively) Australian singer appeared at Covent Garden in Franco Zeffirelli's new production of Lucia di Lammermoor and took the world by storm. The following year, Joan Sutherland went into the studio to record this reissued tribute to prima donnas of previous generations, illustrating along the way the bel canto tradition of which she was to become a leading exponent. The 16 excerpts on this digitally remastered double CD include several roles she had already sung or was on the verge of singing, from Gilda in Rigoletto, which she had sung at Covent Garden before her Lucia debut, to Norma. What a performance! The voice is fresh, remarkable in its beauty, and she makes it all sound so effortless, tossing off Handel's "Let the bright Seraphim" or the Jewel aria from Gounod's Faust as if they're the easiest things in the world. This sparkling selection of glorious singing demonstrates just why Sutherland was to remain at the top of her profession for the next 30 years and join those to whom she here pays tribute as one of the great singers of all time. --Richard Fawkes

Customer Reviews:

La Stupenda is stupendous on this recording. Don't miss it!.......2007-01-05

I originally bought "The Art of the Prima Donna" in 1963, when I was just a kid, after seeing Dame Joan's debut in "Norma" with the Vancouver Opera in October of that year, and I was completely bowled over by both her live performances and her recording. She made me an opera fan for life. I've worn out and replaced that miraculous recording since then, and now have a third version on CD.

I completely disagree with those who believe that Sutherland lost the gleam on her voice after 1961. It's true that she suffered for several years with intermittently poor diction and rhythmic lapses, but these were due to terrible medical problems and the results of serious operations that were required to restore her health. Later she recovered most of her vocal lustre and all of her enthusiasm for performing, and her diction steadily improved. Her fabulous technique remained intact until her retirement in 1990.

No singers sound as fresh at 50 as they do at 30. Just listen to how Callas sounded in her later years, when her voice had almost completely deteriorated, and her career was far shorter than Sutherland's. The fact is that Sutherland sang in public for forty years, without amplification and often in barnlike theatres, and yet she still sounded formidable when she retired. Just listen to her performance of the final aria from "Lucrezia Borgia" on YouTube. I heard her debut in that role, again in Vancouver, shortly before that Covent Garden performance, and can attest that she was still in fabulous voice at the age of 53 and her coloratura remained spectacular.

What "The Art of the Prima Donna" gives us is the memory of an unparalleled vocal phenomenon in her glorious youth, before her physical disabilities briefly interrupted her career. No singer since has created a recording that exhibits anything like the range, vocal beauty and versatility that Sutherland displayed on this historic recording--not Callas, nor Caballe, nor Sills, nor any of their recent imitators. The title of this recording was not an exaggeration. This is singing that truly revived "The Age of Bel Canto," to quote the title of another Sutherland recording. "The Art of the Prima Donna" and Sutherland's earlier recordings, if you can get them, constitute an invaluable legacy from an artist who truly restored the golden age of singing.

Sutherland is Amazing.......2006-06-29

The first thing I ever heard by Sutherland was the Bel Raggio and I was floored. The voice sounded huge but I wondered if it was a technicians trick. I heard her on stage many times. Recordings do NO JUSTICE to the hugeness of the voice. Her diction was weak and her line sometimes droopy but the warm, huge, fexible voice was amazing. I don't think she or anyone else was the Voice or Singer of the century- no voice or singer could sing every role in the repetoire. Sutherland could no more sing Brunnhilde than Flagstad could sing Lucia.

In her repertoire, JS was one of the greatest voices with an incredible technique and style that ever made recordings. This is a great CD - but some others which were issued on vinyl but to my knowledge not on CD help round out the Sutherland greatnes, viz., Command Performance, The Age of Bel Canto and the French Opera Album. She did a 2 disc set called "A Festival of Baroque Operas- There is an aria called "Barbaro, Barbaro" which is mind boggling for the speed and clarity of its coloratura. Even in 1977 at 51 yrs old her video performance of Lucrezia Borgia is amazing - it is one of the greatest performances she ever did- exciting, tender and again with that huge voice and flexibility. The last scene is amazing.

Flawless-NO Unique-WITHOUT A DOUBT!!!!!

A Phenomenal Historic Recording Newly Minted.......2005-10-08

There is not much to add to the encomiums of previous reviews. This is one of the most astounding vocal recitals, if not THE most astounding, ever recorded. It caught one of history's greatest singers in her absolute prime, before the well-known defects - mushy diction, cloudy tone, sliding into notes, enervated rhythmic sense - began to compromise her singing. (Well, ok, the diction here is not crystal clear, but mostly quite acceptable and MUCH better than it later became.)

One wonders if any other soprano in history ever sang so fast, so high and so loud while always preserving such a full, golden, round sound. Sutherland was a genuine vocal phenomenon, and even those who don't generally care for her singing surely must find their jaws on the floor repeatedly during this recital. Every selection has something treasurable. My personal favorites: "A soldier tir'd," "Bel raggio lusinghier," "Qui la voce," "Come per me sereno," the "Hamlet" Mad Scene, the Bell Song, and "O beau pays."

The remastering is superb, enabling us to hear Sutherland's voice in all its pristine glory. The engineers have even managed to mitigate the rumble of Underground trains (the Picadilly Line?) that were a perpetual problem in Kingsway Hall, although I was glad to hear that the loud yell in the distance one hears during the "Croce e delizia" section of "Ah, fors'e lui" is still there; by now it is an old friend, and I would miss it.

Canary in the silver mine .......2005-09-20

This is a good compilation, and Sutherland was captured at the right time, before she went completely mushy dictionwise and lost her vocal sheen. The remastered sound is very good, too, spectacular for a recording from the 1960s.
However, after digesting this CD for several weeks, I still have a mixed response to all these Stupendous vocalistics.
The beginning is the main sour note- Arne is tired, with often imprecise, behind the beat coloratura, quite unlike the rest of Sutherland's output, and Let the Bright Seraphim is unbelievably leaden- the orchestra in particular sounds awful, and clunky. I can't comment on ornamentation here because I didn't detect any. This is a poor man's Seraphim, only impressive if you never heard any other versions, and Sutherland's voice is wasted in this piece.
This CD really picks up with Casta Diva, a dazzling showcase for Sutherland's voice. I was very impressed with Sutherland's performance as Norma in this recording- what happened to her in later years, when her "acting" was limited to, as she herself described it, wearing a "generally pained expression" and singing without much color or feeling?
Pieces from I Puritani are great, then we get excellent Rossini, wonderful Jewel Song, and then sparkling Juliet and very effective, beautiful and dramatically involved Desdemona.
And then- another fly in the ointment, Marten Aller Arten. This is one of my favourite arias and I can be very unforgiving when it comes to its performance, plus I like Konstanze to be really angry and wired, which is sort of opposite of what Joan does. This is a pretty, chirpy Marten, and she works hard on her German- way too hard actually, she seems to be slowing down trying to pronounce it, and still "Ich verlache" and "mich" turn into "Ich ve-ayee" and "meeeh", plus she does not sound as secure on top as I would expect, with a metallic high C. She picks up at the very end, putting some feeling into the sound, then topples again... This is a hit and miss one.
Fortunately the rest of the CD is filled with sparklers more in Sutherland's vein. Violetta is really great, with a fantastic high E, Ophelia is nice, Lakme is vocally one of the best I have ever heard, the dull Meyerbeer aria is made interesting and shimmery- that fabulous trill is finally put to work after many tracks of underuse- and then it all ends with a most charming Gilda.
It's not the greatest vocal performance ever put on vinyl/plastic/megabites, but overall, a good, historical set to add to your collection of opera recitals and soprano specials.

Bel Canto from an angelic voice.......2005-04-19

There are only a few soprano-recitals that are absolutely essential and must be in every opera collector's collection. The art of the primadonna, does it qualify? Oh yes indeed and here's why. Joan Sutherland had one of the most brilliant and beautiful voices in recorded history, combine that with an excellent technique, high notes that sparkle like stars and coloratura of angelic quality and you get what Joan Sutherland was in 1961. To describe only a few favourites:

2. Samson, oratorio, HWV 57 Let the bright Seraphim
Composed by George Frideric Handel
with Joan Sutherland

A sparkling and intense interpretation of this well known yet hardly ever magnificently performed piece. Lucid, beautiful and technically impeccable.

3. Norma, opera Sediziose voci... Casta diva... Ah! bello
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
with Joan Sutherland

Surely her best studio-recording of this killer-aria. She is one of the few Normas who masters the recitativo without cracking or sounding strained, yet full of authority and intelligent drama. The Casta Diva itself is fluent, the make-or-break coloratura wonderfully executed. As for the cabaletta, not since young Callas in 1949 have I heard this piece sung so beautifully! Amazing high notes crown a cabaletta that broke more than one famous Norma before.

6. I Puritani, opera O rendetemi la speme... Qui la voce... Vien, diletto
Composed by Vincenzo Bellini

A Bellinian madscene at its finest. Once again only Callas in 1949 can be compared to this wonder of a recording. Callas too found darker colours and more intensity. (Dolore e passione as described in the score) Sutherland may lack these but she sings it with her own sense for drama which is uniquely sublime.

10. Otello, opera Mia madre aveva una povera ancella... Piangea cantando
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Joan Sutherland

An interesting and excellent choice. There are pictures of Joan Sutherland as Desdemona and what a pity that no complete recording of her performances survived. I find her Desdemona to be far more convincing than Tebaldi because she sounds more fragile and elegant, plus she has that silvery tone of innocence that I don't hear in Tebaldi's golden, sensual voice. Excellent in the floating lines, beautiful and tender in the cantabile.

16. Rigoletto, opera Gualtier Maldè... Caro nome
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Joan Sutherland

This can be compared to Maria Callas' live-performance of this piece and, being in excellent sound, might be preferred. (Callas was excellent in the studio as well, yet in 1955 she was less daring and defying) Stunningly intense in the cantabile and brilliant in the coloratura-passages. Far better than her famous performance with Pavarotti where she had lost the youthful, silvery sound that made her earlier Gilda so loveable.

I do not adore her as much in French opera and La Traviata or anything German but that doesn't mean that her singing was anything but amazing, just a personal preference. In short: Buy it and discover why Joan Sutherland is indeed La Stupenda!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Soundtrack
A True Gem
miscast Roméo
gorgeous recording
Corelli and Freni make it all worthwhile

Gounod: Romeo Et Juliette
Alain Lombard , Charles Gounod , Franco Corelli , and Mirella Freni
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Freni, Mirella | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Weber: Der Freischütz
Gounod - Roméo et Juliette / Domingo, Swenson, Miles, Ollmann, Graham, Vernhes, Slatkin
Gounod - Romeo et Juliette / Mackerras, Alagna, Vaduva, Royal Opera Covent Garden
Gounod: Faust (Complete Opera); Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov, Allen, Pretre
Verdi: Il Trovatore

ASIN: B000002S5T
Release Date: 1994-09-13

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette: Ouverture (Orchestre)
Romeo et Juliette: Prologue - Verone vit jadis deux familles rivales (Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - L'heure s'envole (Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Eh bien! cher Paris
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Ah! qu'elle est belle! (Choeur, Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Allons! jeunes gens! Allons! belles dames! (Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Enfin la place est libre, amis! (Romeo, Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Mab, reine des mensonges
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Eh bien! ... que l'avertissement (Romeo, Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Voyons, nourrice, on m'attend! parle vite! (Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Je veux vivre dans ce reve (Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Le nom de cette belle enfant? (Romeo, Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Ange adorable, ma main coupable (Romeo, Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - Quelqu'un!..C'est mon cousin Tybalt (Romeo, Juliette, Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - O nuit! sous tes ailes obscures abrite-moi! (Romeo, Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - L'amour, l'amour! . . . Ah! leve-toi soleil! (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - Helas! moi, le hair! (Juliette, Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - oute! . . . on vient! (Juliette, Choeur)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - De qui parlez-vous donc? (Choeur, Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - O nuit divine! Je t'emplore (Romeo, Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene One - Entracte (Orchestre)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene One - Mon pere! Dieu vous garde! (Romeo, Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene One - Dieu que fis l'homme a ton image! (Juliette, Romeo)

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Depuis hier je cherche en vain mon maitre!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Que fais-tu, blanche tourterelle
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Ah! ah! voici nos gens! (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Allons!... tu ne me connais pas, Tybalt (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Que le diable soit de vos deux maisons! (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Il meurt!... Reviens a toi!.. O jour de deuil! (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - Le Duc! Le Duc! (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - Va! Je t'ai pardonne, Tybalt voulait ta mort
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - Romeo! qu'as tu donc? (Juliette, Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - Juliette!... Ah! le ciel soit loue (Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - Que l'hymne nuptial succede aux cris d'alarmes! (Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - Mon pere! tout m'accable!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - Buvez donc ce breuvage (Juliette)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene Two - Ma fille, cede aux voeux du fiance
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - 'Le Sommeil de Juliette'
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - C'est la!... Salut! tombeau! sombre et silencieux! (Romeo)
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - A toi, ma Juliette!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - Console-toi, pauvre ame (Romeo, Juliette)

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Soundtrack.......2006-11-10

Gounod is my all-time favorite opera composer, and this soundtrack is a great representation of his abilities. The music is so passionate and expressive that you can still follow the story without actually watching the opera. I would definately recommend this to any classical music fan, as well as Gounod's Faust.

A True Gem.......2006-04-27

GOUNOD was a contemporary of Wagner and Verdi, and at times more popular than these two venerable giants. He was almost the Andrew Lloyd Webber of his day and his many works were loved and revered. Today only two are performed with any regularity; FAUST and ROMEO ET JULIETTE and even these two great works seem to only be staged on the larger opera houses. Both are considered somewhat old fashioned, but when one digs out a set of the two great works and listens to the music, it's beauty can still carry a listener away and while it may not be as sophisticated as Verdi's treatment of Shakespeare in MACBETH or OTELLO or as intense as the epic operas of Wagner, the music is pure enjoyment and an opera lover's delight.

This EMI recording of ROMEO ET JULIETTE is just about as good as opera can get. Franco Corelli and Mirella Freni are cast as the star crossed lovers. Ms. Freni's voice has a youthful innocence to it which makes it perfect for the role of Julliette. She performs the role somewhat carefully. We see this in her Juliette's famous aria "Ah! Je Veux Vivre" where Freni is more methodical than showy but she sings to perfection. Corelli's Romeo is confident and powerful with the bravado called for in this role. Their duets, particularly the beloved "Va Je Ta'i Pardonne" from Act IV is in and of itself worth the price of the recording.

Freni and Corelli carry the set, but the supporting performers are also well cast. The chorus is spectacular and the Paris Opera Theater Orchestra under the direction of Alain Lombard captures the magic of Gounod's music. This is a set that will bring much enjoyment to anyone who purchases it and belongs in the collection of anyone who loves to put on an opera set and be dazzled and entertained.

miscast Roméo .......2006-02-13

Why cast two italians in the leads in this otherwise all french
production is mind-boggling. I am a big fan of Franco Corelli
but he is not in his element here. No doubt he casted a dashing
figure on stage in the role of Romeo but without the visual
aspect his portrayal comes across more bully than romantic
young man - for all his effort at delicacy his voice and style
are simply wrong for the role. Mirella Freni as Juliette fares
much better although italianate in style she at least captures
the ingenuousness of the characther and the voice is truly
ravishing. The rest of the cast is excellent and of course
idiomatic. Gounod's beautiful music shimmers in the hands of
Alain Lombard's conducting and the recorded sound is splendid.
In sum despite some reservation there is a lot to savour and
admire in this set but one can only dream of what it would
have been with Nicolai Gedda as Romeo or even better Alain
Vanzo and Mady Mesplé as the two young lovers !!!

gorgeous recording.......2006-01-05

This recording is the gold standard for this opera. It certainly is not perfect- Corelli's voice is a little big for this role, but stunningly beautiful. Freni leaves out some high notes and does not choose to sing the poison aria (which is unfortunately frequently omitted). However, her voice is beautiful and expessive- far beyond others I have heard in this role.

Corelli and Freni make it all worthwhile.......2005-11-28

Source: Studio recording made in June and July 1968 at Salle Wagram, Paris.

Sound: Good EMI analog stereo, digitally remasterd in 1994.

Cast: Romeo - Franco Corelli; Juliette - Mirella Freni; Le Compte Capulet - Claude Cales; Mercutio - Henri Gui; Gertrude (Nurse) - Michele Vilma; Tybalt - Robert Cardona; Stephano - Eliane Lublin; Fr?ere Laurent - Xavier Depraz; Le Compte Paris - Christos Grigoriou; Benvolio - Maurice Auzeville; Le Duc de Verone - Pierre Thau. Conductor - Alain Lombard, with Orchestre et Choeurs du Theatre National de l'Opera de Paris.

Documentation: Libretto in French and English. Track list that displays characters singing and provides timings. Summary of the plot tied to the track listings. Unusually fat-headed essay of the history of the opera by Robert T. Jones who informs us that Gounod's "years of theological study had made him a remarkably well-read, cultured person," and that the love music of "Faust" and "Romeo" "takes on a floating, transfigured quality that is immensely convincing." Jones defends Gounod's rather battered reputation by saying, "Since in junking Shakespeare's niceties, he had made it perfectly plain that he was interested not in trying to produce a work on Shakespeare's own level but in creating a successful operatic display piece to soprano and tenor, it seems that critics may have been needlessly harsh on him." With such friends, who needs enemies?

I am taking the contrarian side by saying that Barbier and Carre's libretto for "Romeo et Juliette" isn't bad at all. I refer to its structure, of course, not its language, for I (like most of the residents of the western half of officially bi-lingual Canada) am among the least reliable judges of what constitutes good French speech. Barbier and Carre were, at the very least, workmanlike and respectful to the Shakespearean play. Unlike the benighted hack Romani, who dismembered the story for Bellini, they did not cast out most of the characters and half the plot. Unlike the too-self-confident Berlioz, they did not willfully distort the story or add a useless character as he did in his ruthless assault on the poor, innocent text of "Much Ado About Nothing."

Barbier and Carre actually offer most of the highlights of the play in a more or less coherent manner: the opening chorus (set by Gounod for the entire cast), Romeo's puppy love for Rosaline, the Queen Mab speech, the ball of the Capulets, the meeting of the two lovers, the recognition by Tybalt, the balcony scene (in a fair approximation), the duel between Mercutio and Tybalt, the death of Mercutio (including "a plague on both your houses" but not "not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door"), Romeo's revenge on Tybalt, Romeo's exile, the parting of the lovers, the announcement of the forthcoming marriage to Paris, the plot with Friar Laurence, the false death of Juliet, and the tomb, they are all there. There is one addition, a final duet before the young lovers expire. The major omissions are the murder of well-meaning, hard-luck Paris and the final scene of shocked and weeping reconciliation between the warring Capulets and Montagus.

All in all, Barbier and Carre were more faithful to Shakespeare than Boito was in either "Otello" or "Falstaff." If "Romeo et Juliette" is less successful than Verdi's masterpieces, the fault lies not with the librettists. The fault is Charles Gounod's. Robert T. Jones has been kind enough to tell us why: Gounod wanted to create "a successful operatic display piece to soprano and tenor". And, no, the critics have NOT been too harsh on him! In too many places, he turned blazing dramatic genius into tinkling musical treacle. Nevertheless, in its own way and at its own level, "Romeo et Juliette" is pleasing. It really is in the forefront of the B-list operas, perhaps even higher in their ranks than Gounod's "Faust."

With just two exceptions, this is essentially a French recording: French opera, French recording venue, French supporting cast, French conductor, French orchestra and, alas, French chorus. It probably yields as much of the authentic French performing style as could still be found in the summer of 1968, when--as you might recall--interesting and exciting things were taking place on the streets of France outside the recording hall.

The two exceptions are Mirella Freni and Franco Corelli, and they are what this performance is all about. I am confident that I could make the case that they are wrong for the opera. They are Italian. Corelli's French, in particular, is questionable, to say the least. (Even I, a Pacific Coast Canuck, can tell that!) Their singing styles are Italian to their very essence, wholly un-French. They are too powerful, too self-confident to be convincing as tremulous teen-agers. All of this is true. And all of this is irrelevant. Corelli and Freni are great as Romeo and Juliette! THAT is what is relevant. This is a performance for which to kick back and just let the glorious sound roll over you, while you idly wonder how such markedly lesser talents as Alagna and Gheorghiu were chosen to record the opera in our time.

I have no reasonable expectation of hearing a better recording of "Romeo et Juliette" in high quality sound during this lifetime, so I gladly join with the previous four Amazon reviewers in assigning five stars to this one.

Average customer rating:

I can name that tune in three notes
A Fabulous CD
Mega-Sampler! This really does have 99 tracks!
Fun Sampler
Useful.

Idiot's Guide to Classical Music

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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Scott Joplin: Greatest Hits
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Classical Music
Classical Guitar, Vol. 2
Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B000003FPT
Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

Adagio
Air on the G String: Air on the G String, Excerpt
Brandenburg Concerto: Third Movement, Excerpt
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring: Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, Excerpt
Tocatta & Fugue: Excerpt
Adagio for Strings: Excerpt
Synphony No. 5: First Movement, Excerpt
Symphony No. 9: Fourth Movement, Excerpt
Fse: Excerpt
Turkish March: Turkish March, Excerpt
Moonlight Sonata: Excerpt
Symphonie Fantastique: March Ot the Scaffold, Excerpt
Damnation of Faust: Excerpt
Carmen - Habanera: Habanera, Excerpt
Toreador Song [From Carmen]
Minuet: Minuet, Excerpt
Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dance No 17, Excerpt
Hungarian Dance No. 5: No 5, Excerpt
Lullaby: No 4, Lullaby, Excerpt
"Minute" Waltz: Excerpt
Grande Valse Brillante: Excerpt
Marche Fune: Marche Fune
Appalachian Spring: Excerpt
Fanfare for the Common Man: Excerpt
Clair de Lune: Excerpt
Prelude to the Afternoon: Excerpt
Lakm Flower Duet: Flower Duet, Excerpt
Symphony No. 9 "New World": Second Movement, "Going Home" Theme, ...
The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Excerpt
Pomp & Circumstance: Excerpt
El Amor Brujo
Pavane: Excerpt
Rhapsody in Blue: Excerpt
American in Paris: Excerpt
Funeral March of Marionette: Excerpt
Piano Concerto in a Minor: Excerpt
Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 - Morning: Morning, Excerpt
Messiah - Hallelujah Chorus: Hallelujah Chorus, Excerpt
Water Music - Hornpipe: Hornpipe, Excerpt
Symphony No. 94 "Surprise": Second Movement, Excerpt
The Planets - Mars: Mars, Excerpt
Sabre Dance: Sabre Dance, Excerpt
Pagliacci: Vesti la Giubba, Excerpt
Hungarian Rhapsody
Liebestraum No. 3: No 3, Excerpt
Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo: Intermezzo, Excerpt
Midsummer Night's Dream - Wedding March: Wedding March, Excerpt
Symphony No. 4 "Italian": Fourth Movement, Excerpt
Rondeau: No 1, Rondeau
Piano Concerto No. 21: Andante, Excerpt
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik: First Movement, Excerpt
The Marriage of Figaro - Overture: Overture, Excerpt
Sonata in A - Rondo Alla Turca: Rondo Alla Turca, Excerpt
Symphony No. 40: First Movement, Excerpt
Night on Bald Mountain: Excerpt
Pictures at an Exhibition - Great Cave of Kiev: Great Gate of ...
Barcarolle: Barcarolle, Excerpt
Orpheus in Hades - Theme II: Excerpt (Theme)
Carmina Burana - O Fortuna: O Fortuna, Excerpt
Canon: Canon, Excerpt
Romeo & Juliet - Montagues & Capulets: Montagues & Capulets, Excerpt
Lt. Kije's Wedding: Lt. Kije's Wedding, Excerpt
Turandot - Nessun Dorma: Nessun Dorma, Excerpt
Piano Concerto No. 2: Second Movement, Excerpt
Symphony No. 2: Third Movement, Opening, Excerpt
Rhapsody on a Theme: Variation 18, Excerpt
Bolero
Flight of the Bumblebee
Concierto de Aranjuez - Adagio: Adagio, Excerpt
The Barber of Seville - Overture: Excerpt
The Barber of Sville - Largo Al Factotum: Largo Al Factotum, Excerpt
William Tell Overture - Theme II: Excerpt
Danse Macabre: Excerpt
Gymnope No. 1
Symphony N0. 8 "Unfinished": Excerpt
Ave Maria: Excerpt
Finlandia [Finale: Finale, Excerpt]
Valse Triste: No 1, Valse Triste, Excerpt
Stars & Stripes Forever: Excerpt
Semper Fidelis: Excerpt
Blue Danube Waltz: Excerpt
Tales from the Vienna Woods: Excerpt
Also Sprach Zarathustra: Fanfare, Excerpt
Firebird - Infernal Dance & Main Theme: Infernal Dance & Main ...
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers: Waltz of the Flowers, Excerpt
Swan Lake - Waltz: Waltz, Excerpt
Sleeping Beauty -: Waltz, Excerpt
Romeo & Juliet - Theme II: Theme LL, Excerpt
Piano Concerto No. 1 - Opening: Opening, Excerpt
1812 Overture - Finale: Finale, Excerpt
Fantasia on "Greensleeves": Excerpt
Alda - Grand March: Grand March, Excerpt
Il Trovatore - Anvil Chorus: Anvil Chorus, Excerpt
Requiem - Dies Irae: Dies Irae, Excerpt
Rigoletto - La Donna Mobile: La Donna Mobile, Excerpt
The Four Seasons "Spring" - Allegro: Allegro, Excerpt
The Four Season "Winter" - Largo: Largo, Excerpt
Lohengrin - Bridal Chorus: Bridal Chorus, Excerpt
Die WalkRide of the Valkyries: Ride of the Valkyries, Excerpt

Customer Reviews:

I can name that tune in three notes.......2005-02-19

My family likes to put this disc in on shuffle and play name that tune. I wish they made more discs like this, only with more obscure works.

A Fabulous CD.......2004-10-14

The Idiot's Guide to Calssical Music is an awesome Cd for those people who want to have a tiny sample of all the great classical compositions. Track 61 and 63 are my favorite.

Mega-Sampler! This really does have 99 tracks!.......2002-03-20

Yes, this CD really does have 99 tracks. How do they do it? Each is about a minuet long. Some are longer, some are shorter, but you get the micro-essential moments of the music.

If you like burning your own CDs, then this is a great source for intra-track fillers, along the lines of They Might Be Giants' "Apollo 18" album, which has all of those short tracks on the end. The idea is to put your CD player on shuffle, so the short tracks get mixed in with the bona fide songs. The result being a very unusual album.

The booklet gives an explanation of the track, where you heard it (i.e. the Warner Brother's Cartoons, or on famous films), and where you can get the full piece of music. So it's a mega sampler CD.

I can honestly say that this CD is a great gift for the friend who has everything.

Fun Sampler.......2001-11-09

For the beginner. You will be surprised at how many of the 99 themes you recognize here. It is an easy introduction to classical music. Nice booklet too.

Useful........1999-03-22

Take it for what it is, a clever and useful GUIDE to classical music. No, it is NOT an uncut rendition of Beethoven's 9th symphony. It IS a cd that will jog your memory. You have heard many of the tunes presented here, but not always knowing what the work was. This is your chance to catch up with all the great classical music you have been exposed to. Cheap too.

James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala

Average customer rating:

BRAVO
James Levine's 25th Anniversary Met Opera Gala
Passing the acid test
Great cd
Great variety of fantastic singers!

James Levine's 25th Anniversary Metropolitan Opera Gala
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Giuseppe Verdi , Georges Bizet , Franz Lehár , Charles Gounod , Gustave Charpentier , Johann Strauss II , Jules Massenet , Camille Saint-Saëns , Richard Wagner , Jacques Offenbach , Richard Strauss , Metropolitan Opera Orchestra , James Levine , Plácido Domingo , Renée Fleming , Birgit Nilsson , Bryn Terfel , Roberto Alagna , Anne Sofie von Otter , Samuel Ramey , Ileana Cotrubas , Dolora Zajick , Jerry Hadley , Hei-Kyung Hong , Kiri Te Kanawa , Ruth Ann Swenson , Hakan Hagegard , Karita Mattila , Alfredo Kraus , Grace Bumbry , and Deborah Voigt
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Metropolitan Opera Gala
Metropolitan Opera Gala Honoring Sir Rudolf Bing [Highlights]
Eileen Farrell in New Orleans
Rapture: Opera's Most Heavenly Moments
Bryn Terfel - Opera Arias / MET, Levine

ASIN: B000001GRR
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

Les Pecheurs De Perles: 'Au Fond Du Temple Saint'
Louise: 'Depuis Le Jour'
Faust: Duet From Act I
Giuditta: 'Meine Lippen Sie Kuessen So Heiss'
Don Carlo: 'O Don Fatale!'
Don Giovanni: Sextet From Act II
Romeo et Juliette: Juliet's Waltz ('Je Veux Vivre')
Die Fledermaus: Watch Duet ('Dieser Anstand, So Manierlich')
Werther: 'Pourquoi Me Reveiller'
Samson et Dalila: 'Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix'
Tannhauser: 'Dich, Teure Halle'
La Perichole: 'Ah, Quel Diner'
Der Rosenkavalier: Trio From Act III
A Tribute To James Levine

Customer Reviews:

BRAVO.......2007-07-25

This is a must have disc. Maestro Levine has made an historic difference at the Met and now expects to completely revitalize the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is a rare talent, as evidenced by the willingness of so many great musicians to honor him on this occasion/

James Levine's 25th Anniversary Met Opera Gala.......2006-08-14

It is an incredibly beautiful album. As with any album I like some pieces better than the next but overall it is beautiful and soothing. I keep it in the car and listen to it in horrid traffic time. It helps!

Passing the acid test.......2004-07-04

My acid test is whether I leave the CD in the player for repeated (and repeated) playings. This one makes my cut. Every track is not as marvelous as some, but each has its charms. The whole adds up to a delicious opera excursion.

I saw this live and was completely captivated. Without the visuals, it is just as wonderful. I too wish they would release the rest of this marathon extravaganza. It deserves to be memorialized.

Great cd.......2003-08-13

i recommend this cd it's great to listen to while walking the dog.Opera makes fluffy happy.

Great variety of fantastic singers!.......2002-01-07

This is as good as it gets. An awesome roster of international stars singing some of the best (but not the most well known) selections in all of opera, and of course James Levine, the man they are all celebrating. It almost goes without saying that Levine's conducting is without comparison throughout the recording. He is truly one of the best conductors of the last thirty years, and he has molded the Met Orchestra into the best in the world. This celebration perfectly captures the incredibly broad repertoire that he is familiar for. It starts out with a well-rounded performance of the famous duet from The Pearl Fishers by Bryn Terfel and Roberto Alagana. When I bought the CD I had never heard the incredible melody that forms the theme of the duet, but it is one of the best in all of opera. Renee Flemming gives a performance of "Despuis le jour" that would be hard to match for sheer vocal beauty. Her final pianisimo is stunning. Domingo and Ramey sing a typically excellent performance of the Faust duet, while Ileana Cotrubas, in a Lehar excerpt shows why she was one of the best lyric sopranos of the last 25 years. "O don fatale" as sung by Dolora Zajick is the thrilling experience it should be. She nails the top notes perfectly and still maintains the warm fullness of the bottom of her register. The 'bravas' start almost before she finishes her final note. The sextet from Don Giovanni is given a world class performance (I have never heard it done better). Ruth Ann Swenson displays awesome coluratura ability in Juliet's lively waltz song, soaring to a high D in the final cadenza. I am not a big fan of Die Fledermaus, but if you are you will surely love the included duet. I was also never a big Alfredo Kraus fan, and I think he sounds more than a bit strained while singing the famous aria from Werther. Not so Grace Bumbry, who's seductive performance of Delila's music should be the standard for this aria. Deborah Voight's Tannhauser is impeccable, while Frederica von Stade sounds a little shrill in her aria. To round out the program is possibly the most exquisite performance ever of some of the most gorgeous music ever written; the final trio from Die Rosenkavalier. It will make a Strauss convert out of anyone.
There are no problems with the live sound, which is crisp, clean and sounds like it could have come from a recording studio. My only complaint is the lack of an overture or other orchestral number that would showcae the Met orchetra. Overall a CD well worth your money. Hopefully DG will release another CD soon with the rest of the concert. You won't find these selections anywhere else so every minute of it will be new and fresh. Fantastic for hard core opera fans or beginners. Highly Recommended!

Gounod - Roméo et Juliette / Domingo, Swenson, Miles, Ollmann, Graham, Vernhes, Slatkin

Average customer rating:

A Too Long Neglected Opera
A Romantic Opera With Beautiful Voices
fabulous performances in a lovely opera
The Opera Of Tragic Romance Does Shakespeare Justice
Expressive sweetness

Gounod - Roméo et Juliette / Domingo, Swenson, Miles, Ollmann, Graham, Vernhes, Slatkin
Charles Gounod , Plácido Domingo , Ruth Ann Swenson , Leonard Slatkin , Münchner Rundfunkorchester , Alastair Miles , Kurt Ollmann , Susan Graham , and Alain Vernhes
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Gounod: Faust (Complete Opera); Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov, Allen, Pretre
Gounod: Romeo Et Juliette
Gounod - Romeo et Juliette / Mackerras, Alagna, Vaduva, Royal Opera Covent Garden
Romeo And Juliet (Opera Score, French and English) (Vocal Score, French and English)
Verdi - Un ballo in maschera / Arroyo · Domingo · Cappuccilli · Cossotto · Grist · NPO · Muti

ASIN: B000003G1G
Release Date: 1996-04-16

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette: Ouverture - Prologue: Verone vit jadis deux familles rivales...
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.1 - Introduction: L'heure s'envole...
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.1bis - Recitatif: Enfin la place est libre, amis!
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.2 - Ballade de la reine Mab: Mab, la reine des mensonges...
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.2bis - Recitatif & Scene: Eh bien! que l'avertissement me vienne de Mab...
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.2 - Ariette: Ah! Je veux vivre dans le reve...
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.3bis - Recitatif: Le nom de cette belle enfant?
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.4 - Madrigal: Ange adorable...
Romeo et Juliette: Act One - No.5 - Finale: Quelqu'un!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - No.6 - Entracte & Choeur: O nuit! sous tes ailes obscures...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - No.7 - Cavatine: L'amour, l'amour! Oui, son ardeur a trouble...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - No.8 - Scene & Choeurs: Helas: moi, le hair!...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Two - No.9 - Duo: O nuit divine! je t'implore!...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene One: No.10 - Entracte & Scene: Mon pere! Dieu vous garde!...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene One: No.11 - Trio & Quatuor: Dieu qui fis l'homme a ton image!

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - No.12 - Chanson: Depuis hier je cherche en vain mon maitre!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - No.13 - Finale: Ah! Ah! voici nos gens!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Three - Scene Two - No.13bis - Finale des duels: Que le diable...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - No.14 - Duo: Va! je t'ai pardonne...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - No.15 - Quatuor: Ah! le ciel soit loue!...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - No.16 - Scene: Mon pere! Tout m'accable!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene One - No.17 - Scene & Air: Dieu! Quel frisson court dans mes veines!
Romeo et Juliette: Act Four - Scene Two - No.18 - Finale: Ma fille, cede aux voeux...
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - No.19 - Entracte
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - No.19bis - Scene: Eh! bien! ma lettre a Romeo?
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - No.20 - Le sommeil de Juliette
Romeo et Juliette: Act Five - No.21 - Scene & Duo: C'est la... Salut! tombeau sombre et silencieux!

Customer Reviews:

A Too Long Neglected Opera.......2005-02-19

Charles Gounod is best known for his FAUST that is in the repertoire of every major opera house while his equally beautiful and dramatically stirring ROMEO ET JULIETTE finds performances mainly in Europe. Hopefully, with this excellent recording, the public demand will be alerted to another treasure and we will be hearing this work more frequently.

Gounod's adaptation of the Shakespeare play is one of the finest in opera: Bellini's 'I Capuleti et i Montecchi' is a lovely work but is more a showcase for two sopranos than a rendering of the passion of doomed lovers. Yes, there are known arias - especially Juliette's Waltz - but for the most part this opera is drama driven with lyrical writing for both demanding roles of the two lovers. To be credible on stage these artists must have not only agile and bravura vocal powers, but be physically believable as teenage lovers. Yes, thankfully it is possible to have it all, as this season's LA Opera production starring Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko proves: I cannot imagine there being two finer interpreters of this score than those embodied in the physically beautiful and radiantly young Villazon and Netrebko. They are magical and memorable in every way.

Thanks to the recording studio these two teenage lovers have been successfully captured by Placido Domingo and Ruth Ann Swenson. This is consummate singing with a sense of urgency rarely found on a recording. The smaller roles are well sung by Susan Graham (a handsome Stephano), Alastair Miles (a perfect Fr. Lawrence) and the remainder of the cast. The chorus is full-bodied and if they don't sound quintessentially French..well, no bother. Leonard Slatkin has a fine sense of the drama and the doom that inevitably ends this love story. He is able to coax fine playing from the Munich Radio Orchestra, being especially careful to lean into the refrains from the balcony scene that resurface in the tomb scene, passages that show the greatness of the writing of this work.

Hopefully Villazon and Netrebko will record this opera before long: they seem committed to the work. Meanwhile this version serves us well. Recommended. Grady Harp, February 2005

A Romantic Opera With Beautiful Voices.......2004-09-28

This is a romantic opera that will make you cry in the end, full of beautiful and dramatic moments, sung to perfection by Placido Domingo and Ruth Ann Swenson, conducted faithfully to the score by Leonard Slatkin guiding the Munich Radio Orchestra/ Bavarian Radio Chorus. The cover alone is precious enough to entice you to buy the album- Domingo's face like a phantom over the beautiful white-clad Juliet at what appears to be a Gothic church or catacomb tombs. Recorded in 1995, Placido Domingo at this time is much older and past his prime but delivers an electrifying performance, and it is as if he is still a young tenor and nothing has changed for him. Surprisingly, Domingo is perhaps the tenor who has held out the longest. Luciano Pavoratti, who never sung Romeo or any of the French repertoire, is retiring after years of singing the mainstream Italian operas. Pavoratti did not hold out as long as Domingo, who is still singing. Current roles for Domingo have been Germann from Tchaikovsky's Russian opera The Queen of Spades and as Mozart's hero Idomeneo, a role which he sang to great acclaim at the Los Angeles Opera.

Romeo fits Placido Domingo like a glove. If anything, Domingo is legendary for one romantic role after another, crossing the language barriers. Ruth Ann Swenson makes a beautiful Juliet, with high and soaring top register, though the coloratura is minimal. The Waltz Song Je Voux Vivre is slowed down from the upbeat, festive waltz it ought to be. Mezzo soprano Susan Graham delivers a funny and lyrical performance as Stephano, a trouser role. The deep and spiritual bass voice of Alastair Miles is right on target for the role of Friar Lawrence, who conveys peace and reason in an opera about passionate, unthinking young love. His greatest moment in the opera comes when he marries Romeo and Juliet in secret at the church. Sarah Walker has a dramatic voice which seems to work for the role of Gertrude, the Nurse. Alain Vernhes as Mercutio, particulary in his Queen Mab aria is hilarious and witty. Paul Charles Clarke as Tybalt makes a nasty villain and David Pittman Jennings as the Duke is a bass role that rings with dignity and majesty. This is a much better recording of the more famous Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu set, which was also televised and is on DVD. Angela Gheorghiu's voice is too heavy for the role of Juliet which is supposed to be lyric-coloratura. Gheorghiu and Alagna, opera's power couple, seems to sing opera only to look sexy on stage or screen and never seem to bring out the emotional, dramatic content at the core of the opera. This is the one to get!!!

fabulous performances in a lovely opera.......2004-09-27

Though not as familiar as "Faust", Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" is almost as dramatic, passionate and melodic, and this 2 CD set has an ideal cast. Placido Domingo (who has also recorded a magnificent "Faust") was 54 at the time, but he sounds extremely youthful and tenderly in love, with a vibrant vigor in his voice that makes him a believable Romeo, and as Juliette, Ruth Ann Swenson is extraordinary, with sweetness in her tone, high notes that seem to float in the air, clear trills, and exquisite pianissimos.

Written eight years after "Faust", "Romeo et Juliette" has some thematic similarities, and as the liner notes explain, Gounod was looking for a composition to be as successful as his earlier opera for the Paris Exposition of 1867; out of the two, I still prefer "Faust", but this is a terrific opera, and Gounod received much acclaim for it in its debut at the Theatre-Lyric, even though it was getting some stiff competition at the nearby Opera, which was premiering Verdi's "Don Carlo".
One cannot imagine a finer performance then the one captured on these 2 discs; Leonard Slatkin keeps the tempos flowing, and rounding out the cast are Susan Graham, marvelous in the "trouser" or "castrato" role of Stephano (a character not part of Shakespeare's play), Sarah Walker as Gertrude, Alastair Miles as Friar Lawrence, and Paul Charles Clarke as Tybalt, among the many wonderful singers.

The insert booklet is in 4 languages (French/English/German/Italian), and along with the liner notes has bios of the stars, synopsis, and libretto.
Recorded in Munich in 1995, the sound is excellent and total playing time is: Disc 1, 76'44, and Disc 2, 79'15.

The Opera Of Tragic Romance Does Shakespeare Justice.......2003-03-18

William Shakespeare's plays have long inspired literature and music, and never was this more true than in the Romantic movement of the 19th century. Tchaikovsky composed Hamlet Overture and Romeo and Juliet overture, Ambrose Thomas composed Hamlet as an opera, while Hector Berlioz composed his own version of the tragic "Romeo and Juliet" as an opera. But Charles Gounod did an incredible work of art and did justice to the Bard's most romantic and tragic play. As a French opera, Romeo and Juliet is unbelievably romantic, emotional and deeply moving. The lyrics and the lush voices, particularily in this recording, is the definition of drama, good taste and opera.

Placido Domingo portrays the love-struck Romeo, and with tremendous success. His dark, handsome looks fit the role perfectly, his rich, powerful, but contained, romantic and lyric tenor voice is so convincing and so captivating, we realize that he is not only singing, but acting and doing a really great performance. Placido Domingo was the perfect choice for the lead role of Romeo and the tragic deat at the end is well delivered. Placido's French diction is superb, he sings with grace and style

Ruth Ann Swenson, an American soprano, is beautiful, charismatic, elegant and the perfect Juliet. She sings all her arias and duets with Domingo with magnificent lyricism, control and dramatic flair. This opera, above all others, is truly the best showcase for the tenor/soprano love scenes- a total of four duets together. Even alone, in her first aria "Je Veux Vivre", sung in ecstasy to a waltz-like beat at the party in which she meets Romeo, is striking, melodic and vibrant, a portrait of a young woman at the peak of her romantic power and beholding love at first sight. Ruth Ann Swenson was a great singer and one of the few Americans whose talent has been matched. Of late, only Renee Fleming comes closest to Ruth's legacy.

The all too familiar story is back in opera form, full of rousing choruses, such as the opening chorus expressin the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, full of funeral chords toward the end in the death of the lovers and full of romantic and inspiring drama in the midsection- Romeo and Juliet in the balcony scene, their secret marriage and the duel between Romeo and Tybalt. Charles Gounod captured audiences in Paris at the time of this opera's production and does so even to this day- for those with ears that appreciate great opera as drama. Leonard Slatkin conducts and a great job by all the cast members.

Look no further for the perfect recording of Romeo and Juliet. This is the one to have by Charles Gounod. For Hector Berlioz' version, which I am yet to hear, I really can't say. Always go for your favorite soprano and tenor, for after all, Romeo and Juliet are the best showcases for the romantic duo.

Expressive sweetness.......2000-03-29

This set has lots of terrific things going for it. Ruth Ann Swenson is a creamy voiced Juliette. She sings with expressive sweetness and is particularly touching in the final scene. Domingo is a bit dark-voiced for the role of young Romeo but he makes up for it in the sheer beauty of his phrasing and in his passionate portrayal. Susan Graham's blithe Stephano is a pure delight. The duets between the ill-fated lovers are meltingly lovely. A gorgeously sung recording of Gounod's masterpiece.

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