Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Caballé · Carreras · Ramey

Lucia di Lammermoor, opera
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
Performed by New Philharmonia Orchestra
with Vicente Sardinero, Samuel Ramey, Montserrat Caballe
Conducted by Ed Spanjaard, Jesus Lopez-Cobos

Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Caballé · Carreras · Ramey · Lopez Cobos,Gaetano Donizetti,Jesus Lopez Cobos,Montserrat Caballé,José Carreras,Samuel Ramey,Vincenzo Bello,Claes-Haakan Ahnsjö,Ann Murray,John McCarthy,Vicente Sardinero,New Philharmonia Orchestra,Ambrosian Opera Chorus,Polygram Records,Classical,Classical Music,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio,Opera/Operetta

Average customer rating:

This is the liveliest Lucia
Please Don't Bash A Great Artist: For Caballe fans only
Perplexing!
The authentic version of Lucia
Caballe Kills this Lucia

Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Caballé · Carreras · Ramey · Lopez Cobos
Gaetano Donizetti , Jesus Lopez Cobos , Montserrat Caballé , José Carreras , Samuel Ramey , Vincenzo Bello , Claes-Haakan Ahnsjö , Ann Murray , John McCarthy , Vicente Sardinero , New Philharmonia Orchestra , and Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Caballe, Montserrat | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000041D1
Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: preludio
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e Cavatina: Tu sei turbato
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor -- Act 1: Scena e Cavatina: Cruda, funesta smania
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e Cavatina: Il tuo dubbio
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e Cavatina: Ancor non giunse
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e Cavatina: Regnava nel silenzio
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e Cavatina: Quando, rapito in estasi
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e duetto Finale 1: Egli s'avanza
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e duetto Finale 1: Sulla tomba che rinserra
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 1: Scena e duetto Finale 1: Verranno a te sull'aure
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena: Lucia fra poco a te verra
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Duetto: Appressati Lucia
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Duetto: Soffriva nel pianto
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Duetto: Che fia
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Duetto: Se tradirmi tu potrai
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena et aria: Ebben? Di tua speranza
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena et aria: Ah! cedi, cedi
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena et aria: Al ben de' tuoi qual vittima

Tracks:

Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Finale II
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena e quartetto
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena e quartetto
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Scena e quartetto
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Seguito e stretta del finale II
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Seguito e stretta del finale II
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 2: Seguito e stretta del finale II
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Uragano, Scena e duetto
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Coro
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Gran scena con cori
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena ed aria
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena ed aria
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena ed aria
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena ed aria
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena finale
Lucia di Lammermoor: Lucia di Lammermoor - Act 3: Scena finale

Customer Reviews:

This is the liveliest Lucia.......2007-04-07

This is the Lucia I prefer over either the Sills or the Sutherland/Pavarattti. The reason: the male voices, the orchestra, and the chorus are superb, and the musicallity of maestro Lopez-Cobos is simply wonderful. It's true that the role is not just right for Caballe, but the opera is not just a few set pieces, it's a rousing musical feast. Dare one say it: Donizetti is not the deepest or most mournful of composers. He demands a production that bears you along with a fundamental joyousness -- despite the obigatory tragedy of the story line. This recording -- though one could wish for more suppleness from Caballe -- is a joy throughout.

Please Don't Bash A Great Artist: For Caballe fans only.......2006-01-08

This recording on the Phillips label is only for the most loyal devotees of soprano Montserrat Caballe, or for fans of tenor Jose Carrerras, or even for those who like bass-baritone Samuel Ramey who sings the role of Enrico. Now, regarding the diva. Montserrat Caballe brings her own stamp to the role. Her is not a delicate, light voice that could have made Lucia appropriately vulnerable and tragic. Instead, hers is a Lucia that strives to resemble the dark, dramatic Lucia of Maria Callas. Caballe sings beautifully, majestically but many are turned off by the size of her voice and the approach to the role. Her Lucia is not like the lighter voices of Beverly Sills, Anna Moffo or Roberta Peters. Her voice is as big as Callas and Sutherland, but hers is a voice entirely different than both of them, too. I can't explain it. There is a haunting quality to her singing but it's too "healthy" sounding and people prefer to hear a mentally deranged or vulnerable Lucia. But you have to be a big fan of Caballe to own this recording. Jose Carrerras sings a superb Edgardo, with robust voice, masculinity, romantic expressive lyricism and unending dramatic thrills. Ramey's Enrico is fatherly but purely villainous. His is a voice that is perfect for bel canto and is a pleasure to hear. SAMUEL RAMEY HAS NEVER SUNG A BETTER ROLE! TOO BAD IT'S A SMALL PART. It's absolutely great. Please, at least check out Samuel Ramey in this recording. And he's young and his lung power is terrific. Spanish conductor Jesus Lopez Cobos is outstanding and the music is brilliant.

Perplexing!.......2003-09-16

I agree with the general view throughout the reviews which I read - only about 7 of them at the top of the pile - that overall this is an interesting production and that the cast is good. Only Caballe causes problems. I don't agree that her voice is in bad condition; she sings very well, though the voice is darkening and taking on a generally more "dramatic" colour. But she's certainly in command of her voice. It's the interpretation that doesn't win me over. Not because her voice is dark at times or heavy [the pre-1954 Callas voice was vastly more dark than Caballe ever is in this recording], but because the overall "feel" doesn't match the character of Lucy [nor is the characterisation consistent throughout]. Caballe doesn't convey the necessary fragility of mind that might lead to the Mad Scene. Her Lucy is simply too study a lass to go to pieces like that. More likely she'd have hopped on a horse with Edgar and ridden off in Act 1 and left her brother to muck out his own life. That said, when we *do* come to the Mad Scene, she is very affecting. Despite a few notes that occasionally are out of character with the overall feel of the scene, she is convincing. Admittedly somewhat forthright in confronting her brother, her anger nevertheless immediately falls back into hopelessness and thus illustrates why she might have gone mad to begin with. But the Lucy we meet here isn't the Lucy we've encountered previously. That Lucy, had she let herself get this far, would have tied Arthur, securely gagged, to the bedpost, donned his clothes and scampered down the back stairs to find Edgar. ["La Fanciulla del Golden Scotia"?] No, it simply won't do. She's vocally secure; the darkness of timbre isn't the problem; the edition is perfectly fair to the composer. The problem is that she sounds more as though she had just been in rehearsal for "Norma" and the mood had leaked through into poor Miss Ashton's psyche until Act 3. No, no - this girl just wouldn't crack like that; so the central dilemma of the drama is vitiated. And this is sad, because the rest of the production is so good and because Carreras is exceptional. So now what? Bottom line: it's a well sung oddity. Don't expect "Lucia" and you'll then find much to enjoy from everyone, including Caballe. And Carreras really *is* worth the price of admission. [And for a comment on the Mad Scene in general, see my review of the Studer/Domingo "Lucia".]

The authentic version of Lucia.......2003-04-15

One of the things that makes this recording interesting is the fact that it was produced to reflect the original score of Donizetti. The idea was to be faithful to the author's with an uncut reading, as well as removing what had become traditional add-ons and extra ornamentation.
Caballé sings gorgeously every single note in the original score, although by removing ornamentations, we miss some of the acrobatic coloratura that we might be used to find in Lucia. This makes the mad scene far less vibrant and spectacular than with Callas' or Sutherland's performances.
Carreras is an ardent Edgardo, comparable, if not superior, to any other Edgardo in the discography.
For opera lovers this is an enjoyable set to complete the personal opera CD collection, since it provides a deeper understanding of Donizetti's work. And it has a very good price...
Probably this is not the choice in case it is the first Lucia in your shelf. For a first set, if you can afford it, I would go for Sutherland-Pavarotti-Bonynge. Extraordinary beautiful singing. If you find it expensive, go to Callas-Tagliavini-Serafin. This is the first stereo studio recording of Callas' Lucia. It will not disappoint you.

Caballe Kills this Lucia.......2002-12-18

Though I've never been a huge fan of Monserrat Caballe, I approach all her recordings with an open mind and do truly enjoy some of them (she's a terrific Norma!). But this one leaves me scratching my head in disbelief!
There is no beauty or agility to her Lucia. The mad scene is cut beyond all recognition, and the voice wobbles worse than Callas on a bad night. While I admire Caballe for attempting the role (one of so many in her repetoire!) and recording it, I think she misses the mark entirely. I'll stick with Callas, Peters or Sutherland.
What a shame, because if Caballe is not at her best, a young Jose Carreras is. This is an amazing performance, full of youthful, passionate singing, that finds Carreras at the short lived peak of his career. He almost makes this recording worth buying, but, alas, the opera is called LUCIA, not EDGARDO.
Strong support comes from baritone Vincente Sardinero and the great bass, Samuel Ramey, heard here at the dawn of a major career.

Sadly, none of this compensates for Caballe's lackluster Lucia. By this CD only if you are a diehard Caballe fan or you can skip over all the parts she sings.

Meditation Music:

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Ogden's Nut Gone Flake [Import]

El Madrid de Chueca, Zarzuela Orchestral Arrangements

CORBETTA: La Guitarre Royalle - William Carter

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Catalogue: Live in East Germany [Live]

Coração, Voa! [Import]

Fiend Presents Can I Burn? [Explicit Lyrics]

Kroo'se Fik'shen

Soldier's Hymn