Giuseppe Verdi: Otello

Otello, opera Act 1. Esultate!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 1. Roderigo, Ebben, Che Pensi?
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Michel Senechal
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 1. Fuoco Di Gioia...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 1. Roderigo, Beviam!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 1. Qua, Ragazzi, Del Vino!...Chi All'Esca Ha Mo
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Aldo Bottion, Michel Senechal
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 1. Capitano, V'Attende La Fazione Al Baluardi
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin State Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Peter Glossop, Michel Senechal, Mario Machi, Aldo Bottion
Conducted by Walter Hagen-Groll, Herbert von Karajan
Otello, opera Act 1. Abbasso Le Spade!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin State Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Peter Glossop, Mario Machi, Aldo Bottion, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Walter Hagen-Groll, Herbert von Karajan
Otello, opera Act 1. Già Nella Notte Densa
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 1. Quando Narravi L'Esule Tua Vita...Ed Io Vede
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Non Ti Crucciar
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Aldo Bottion
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Credo In Un Dio Crudel...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Eccola...Cassio...A Te...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Ciò M'Accora
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Dove Guardi Splendono Raggi, Avvampan Cuori
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. D'Un Uom Che Geme Sotto Il Tuo Disdegno
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Se Inconscia Contro Te, Sposo...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin State Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Peter Glossop, Stefania Malagu, Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Walter Hagen-Groll, Herbert von Karajan
Otello, opera Act 2. Desdemona Rea!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Ed Ora!...Ed Ora...Ora E Per Sempre Addio,
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Era La Notte, Cassio Dormia...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 2. Sì, Pel Ciel Marmoreo Giuro!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. La Vedetta Del Porto Ha Segnalato
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Dio Ti Giocondi...Esterrefatta Fisso Lo Sg
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Dio! Mio Potevi Scagliar...Ah! Dannazione!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Vieni, L'Aula È Deserta
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Questa È Una Ragna
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Aldo Bottion, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Come La Ucciderò?
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Viva! Evviva! Viva Il Leon Di San Marco
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers, Jose Van Dam, Stefania Malagu, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 3. Messeri! Il Doge...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin State Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Peter Glossop, Jose Van Dam, Michel Senechal, Aldo Bottion, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Walter Hagen-Groll, Herbert von Karajan
Otello, opera Act 3. A Terra...Sì...Nel Livido Fango
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin State Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Peter Glossop, Jose Van Dam, Michel Senechal, Stefania Malagu, Aldo Bottion, Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Walter Hagen-Groll, Herbert von Karajan
Otello, opera Act 3. Fuggirmi Io Sol Non So...Sangue!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Peter Glossop, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 4. Era Più Calma?
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 4. Mia Madre Avea Una Provera Ancella...Piange
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Stefania Malagu, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 4. Ave Maria...
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 4. Chi È Là? Otello?
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Jon Vickers, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 4. Aprite! Aprite!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Jon Vickers, Stefania Malagu, Mirella Freni
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll
Otello, opera Act 4. Quai Grida! Orrore! Orror!
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin State Opera Chorus, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
with Peter Glossop, Jose Van Dam, Stefania Malagu, Mario Machi, Aldo Bottion, Jon Vickers
Conducted by Walter Hagen-Groll, Herbert von Karajan
Otello, opera Act 4. Niun Mi Tema
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus
with Aldo Bottion, Jon Vickers, Jose Van Dam, Mario Machi
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Walter Hagen-Groll

Giuseppe Verdi: Otello,Peter Glossop,José Van Dam,Mario Machi,Giuseppe Verdi,Herbert von Karajan,Walter Hagen-Groll,Berliner Philharmoniker,Deutschen Staatsopernchor Berlin,Mirella Freni,Aldo Bottion,Jon Vickers,Michel Sénéchal,Stefania Malagu,Capitol,Classical,Classical Composers,Classical Music,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

A memorable album by Robert Shaw
Great version
Superb
Brings back memories
Apologies to Puccini.

Verdi: Requiem & Operatic Choruses

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) / Auger, Stilwell, Atlanta SO, Robert Shaw
Fauré · Duruflé - Requiem / J. Blegen · J. Morris · Atlanta SO · Shaw
Bach: Mass in B minor / McNair, Ziegler, Simpson, Aler, Stone, Paul; Shaw
Mozart: Requiem / McNair, Watkinson, Araiza, Lloyd; Marriner
Mozart - Requiem / Augér, Bartoli, Cole, Pape, Wiener Phil., Solti

ASIN: B000003CUH
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Requiem: 1. Requiem & Kyrie
Requiem: 2. Dies Irae
Requiem: 3. Offertory
Requiem: 4. Sanctus

Tracks:

Requiem: 5. Agnus Dei
Requiem: 6. Lux Aeterna
Requiem: 7. Libera Me - 1. Libera Me - 2. Dies Irae - 3. Requiem Aeternam - 4. Libera Me
Requiem: Spuntato Ecco
Requiem: Patria Oppressa!
Requiem: Fuoco Di Gioia
Requiem: Va Pensiero
Requiem: Gloria All'Egitto

Amazon.com

Robert Shaw learned from Arturo Toscanini, and in his stupendous 1987 recording for Telarc he managed to surpass the master on some points. He is unerring in his pacing and staging of climaxes, and draws phrasing and dynamics from the chorus that other conductors can only dream of. Points are made with exhilarating effect throughout the account: never has the bass drum in the Dies irae been as splendidly hammered as here, and the whooping brass in the Tuba mirum is breathtaking. The all-American solo quartet sounds a bit driven, especially the light-voiced Susan Dunn and Jerry Hadley, but their contribution is a strong one nonetheless. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

A memorable album by Robert Shaw.......2007-04-16

I sometimes wonder why any top choral conductor would want to conduct, least of all record, a piece where the soloists invariably command center stage at the expense of the chorus.

Robert Shaw (1916 - 1999), of course, is practically a god in the choral world. And while he has done well as an orchestral conductor, his claim to fame to most will always be his work with choruses.

So here we have an operatic requiem written by one of history's greatest opera composers, conducted by one of history's greatest choral conductors. How does it turn out?

The Atlanta Symphony Chorus is very, very good. Their sumptuous sound becomes even more memorable thanks to the stunning reverberation of Atlanta Symphony Hall. Their Libera Me fugue was literally a wall of sound that seemed for a moment to encompass your entire world. The Dum Veneris passage following that was the best I'd ever heard: all four parts were distinct and incredibly powerful.

The four soloists, however, really stole the show for me. Susan Dunn and Diane Curry displayed a lot of passion in Recordare. They also created a wonderfully blended sound through their Agnus Dei duet, probably the best blend I'd ever heard so far.

Jerry Hadley is definitely one of my all-time favorite Verdi Requiem tenors. He reminded me of Richard Tucker in his commanding Kyrie entrance. His Ingemisco possessed a ringing power that left me breathless.

Paul Plishka was probably the "weakest" of the four. In Confutatis, it sounded like he was punching his voice. However, he sounded very good in the Offertorio.

And speaking of Offertorio, that was truly a soloist high point for me. The four singers literally turned into a mini-opera; it was quite dramatic hearing their voices trade back and forth.

The sound of the orchestra was truly a pleasure to hear. This music demands power and virtuosity, and the Atlantans provided both in spades. And drum lovers will be quite satisfied with the almost violent sound of the bass drum in Dies Irae.

The album also features five popular choruses from Verdi's operas. If, like me, you got carried away listening to the Requiem soloists, here's your chance to hear this remarkable chorus without any soloist distraction. The "Don Carlos" chorus (sung in Italian not French) was a rousing affair. "Patria oppressa" was appropriately subdued and melancholy. Fuoco di gioia proved the virtuosity of these choral masters. "Va pensiero" was smooth and rich. "Gloria all'Egitto" featured the chorus in all its mighty grandeur. The orchestra provides excellent accompaniment throughout. You will thoroughly enjoy listening to these choruses.

The recorded sound is absolutely fabulous. The four sections of the chorus are much more evenly miked than on most CDs. The great engineering makes the orchestra an audiophile's dream.

The liner notes contain texts and translations. However, a previous reviewer has found that the "Hostias" paragraph is missing the words "Fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam."

The tracks use an index system which I suspect is not available on most DVD players, the result being that the Dies Irae is put on a single 36 minute track.

This CD was recorded in April 1987 in Atlanta Symphony Hall, Atlanta, GA. The Requiem duration is 84'23", so the tempos are about average for this piece.

Great version.......2007-02-26

There are version of Verdi's Requiems in that market. I consider this to be onre the best ones I have heard. What adds to this perfomance is the quality of the manufacturer's transfer.

Superb.......2005-10-20

I don't have anything to add to the excellent reviews, I just want to chime in with my vote. This was rated as the top recording of this piece when I bought it on recomendation of a tenor friend back in 1990 or so and it is probably the best sustained operatic performace I have found thus far. The power and the majesty of this piece needs to be heard to be believed. So... Buy it, make sure the neighbors are out, turn the lights out, it in your best listening spot, turn up the volume and press play.

Don't miss the final track on the second disk!

Brings back memories.......2001-05-04

How could I possibly top the splendid review by Dominic Grant below? And his later graceful apology for a mere typo? Well, I just cannot. But I'd like to share my own thoughts, anyway.

With all the flap over the recently released Gergiev recording of the Verdi Requiem on Philips, with its unfortunate choice of Andrea Bocelli - a pop singer masquerading as an operatic singer - as tenor soloist, it is once again - and always - a pleasure to turn to a truly definitive recorded performance, that of Robert Shaw. As points of reference whenever I turn to this performance, I always have in mind earlier recordings by Giulini and Solti, among others. (I include a truly visceral one by Karel Ancerl and the Czech Philharmonic, featuring Galina Vishnevskaya with a "Libera me" to die for, and the type of Slavic excitement that Gergiev tries for but fails.)

Verdi's Requiem is, without doubt, the most operatic of such works as have become part of the liturgical canon. But it doesn't necessarily follow from this that the best recordings are the ones which utilize operatic superstars. Were that the case, Solti's recording, with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Luciano Pavarotti and Martti Talvela, would be unchallenged (particularly when one throws in the Vienna Philharmonic, as well as the typically excellent mid-60's sound that Decca was so good at). But, true to form, Solti just couldn't find the proper sensitivity and balance to make his performance the definitive one.

Shaw does what Solti could not do. In a work that requires efforts of equal quality by orchestra, soloists and chorus, there simply is no better chorus than a Shaw chorus. Shaw's four soloists, while perhaps not of the marquee value of the ones on the Solti recording, are outstanding. A previous customer reviewer certainly got it right when he said that Susan Dunn was a Verdi soprano to be reckoned with. And Diane Curry, Jerry Hadley and Paul Plishka are equally excellent. (Plishka, as I mention later, is one of my "memories.") Moreover, in a work which demands that the cataclysms of the Dies Irae and the tenderly supplicant closing pages of the Libera me be captured in proper proportions, none are better than Telarc at this challenge.

The personal friendship between Robert Shaw and the Cleveland-based Telarc team of Bob Woods and Jack Renner goes back to the days when Shaw was George Szell's assistant at the Cleveland Orchestra. Thus it was, when Woods and Renner introduced the "all-digital" Telarc label in the late 70's, that they turned to Shaw and his Atlantans as an enduring source for the recording of choral masterpieces. With the passing of Shaw some two years ago, it is now time that someone sum up his recorded legacy, which, under the aegis of Telarc, exceeds three dozen recordings. In my humble opinion, he will be remembered for a long, long time for three works that Telarc recorded with his forces: The Bach B Minor Mass, the Brahms German Requiem, and this Verdi Requiem.

Oh! The memories! For several years, at a time when Shaw's Atlanta forces were as good as they were to get, in the early 80's, I was fortunate to live in the Atlanta area, and to attend many of his concerts. And, in the fall of 1965, when Paul Plishka had just won a "young artist" award that was to lead to his Metropolitan Opera career, I was fortunate to have been a member of an amateur chorus which performed this work with a semi-pro orchestra and four young soloists. The names of the other three soloists were long ago relegated to the dustbin of history. But the bass soloist at that 1965 performance was none other than Paul Plishka. He's still banging the boards at the Met. One durable dude!

Once again, kudos to Mr. Grant for his superb review, and for his reminding me that I had some "unfinished business" to attend to.

Bob Zeidler

Apologies to Puccini........2000-12-04

Further to my review of the 18th of June below,it's just been brought to my attention by a kind reader that I have inadvertently ascribed the composition of the famous aria,"Nessun Dorma" from Turandot to Verdi himself.First of all,my sincere apologies to Puccini (probably still revolving in his grave !),and my apologies to you for grossly offending your musical sensibilities as you pass this way.That will teach me to spend a little longer editing my reviews before submitting them !

Average customer rating:

OKAY, TAKE ME AWAY.
Great music...stunning recording quality
Incredible
Just Stunning!

Essential Verdi

Manufacturer: Decca
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Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Famous Opera Duets
The #1 Opera Album

ASIN: B000056JSW
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Rigoletto: La donna e mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Nabucco: Va pesiero - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
La forza del destino: Overture - Kirov Orchestra
La Traviata: Un di felice - Joan Sutherland
I Vespri Siciliani: Merce dilette amiche - Maria Chiara
La Traviata: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Joan Sutherland
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira - Jose Carreras
Il Trovatore: Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Il Trovatore: Stride la vampa! - Stefania Toczyska
Aida: Ritorna vincitor! - Leontyne Price
Don Carlo: Dio che nell'alma infondere - Carlo Bergonzi
La Traviata: Prelude - Orchestra E Coro Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Rigoletto: Caro nome - Joan Sutherland
Don Carlo: O don fatale - Olga Borodina
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi! Celeste Aida - Carlo Bergonzi
Emani: Ernani! Ernani involami - Joan Sutherland
Un Ballo in Maschera: Di tu se fedele - Jussi Bjorling
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro ma prima in grazia - Margaret Price
Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido - Luciano Pavarotti
Aida: Gloria all'Egitto - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies irae - Wiener Philharmoniker
La forza del destino: Pace pace mio Dio - Angela Gheorghiu
Rigoletto: Questa o quella - Carlo Bergonzi
Rigoletto: Bella figlia dell'amore - Luciano Pavarotti
Otello: Ave Maria - Renee Fleming
La Traviata: Parigi o cara - Frank Lopardo
Macbeth: Ah la paterna mano - Luciano Pavarotti
Il Trovatore: Squilli echeggi la tromba guerriera - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Don Carlo: O Carlo ascolta - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Requiem: Ingemisco - Luciano Pavarotti
Simon Baccanegra: Come in quest'ora bruna - Kiri Te Kanawa
Macbeth: Salve o Re! Si colmi il calice - Lucia Aliberti
Aida: O patria mia - Leontyne Price
I lombardi: La mia letizia infondere - Placido Domingo
Aida: Lo sguardo avea degli angeli - Montserrat Caballe
La forza del destino: Solenne in quest'ora - Nikolai Putilin
Macbeth: Patria opressa - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Il Trovatore: Tacea la notte - Katia Ricciarelli
I due Foscari: Dal piu remoto esilio - Odio solo ed odio atroce - Jose Carreras
Don Carlo: Spuntato ecco il di esultanza - Orchestra E Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milano

Customer Reviews:

OKAY, TAKE ME AWAY........2006-01-20

I don't know opera.

Last summer we had an incredible 20th anniversary trip to Italy. As a side trip from Venice, we planned a night in Verona. Neither my wife or I had been to an opera.

Is this how its supposed to be...

...an incredible star filled night with a three quarter moon, the largest stage and outdoor theatrical production on the planet, all taking place in a roman colleseum (arena) built in 180 a.d., an incredible colorful set and production with a full symphony orchestra and voices that don't come easy. Aida.

Now I know what all the hpye is as you opera fans sure are lucky to have such a beautiful setting for all your productions.

Okay, we got spoiled. But I also found myself getting spoiled on the Italian composer Verdi.

For me, this set is not only a "take me back to Verona" trip, but a great introduction to Verdi's other works. With some of the biggest names in the opera world in starring roles, I listened to both discs twice the first night they arrived.

And, of course, we are planning a return trip to Verona in the very near future to see some more Verdi...perhaps Nabucco or Otello or Macbeth...I'll even settle for Aida again. It was such a magical experience and a superb introduction to opera and Verdi.

This set continues that magical moment for us and provides a great introduction to a master of the opera...Verdi.

Great music...stunning recording quality.......2002-11-01

This is a marvelous compendium of Verdi's opera works that even the serious opera fan wouldn't turn his nose up at. These are the top contemporary soloists singing with first tier orchestras. When I saw the Decca label, I expected reasonable quality, but this disk is stunningly well engineered. Most of the vocals match the best jazz cds for immediacy and intimacy, and the orchestras are equally well done.

Incredible.......2002-06-05

I don't say incredible about too many things, but Verdi was the zenith of Italian Opera and Solti and the Chicago Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic are the quintessential ensembles for modern classical performance. Not to mention that most of the voices showcased have their own lines of CDs (Pavarotti, etc.) This CD is the best Verdi album available, and it has EVERYTHING. BUY THIS CD!

Just Stunning!.......2002-01-26

In my opinion this recording is stunning. I am not usually a fan of compilations in classical music, as they're usually watered down representations made under the presumption that the listener would find the full-blown version intimidating or boring. This one, however, is not only an exception in my view, but a recording that deserves a high place of honor in every serious listener's collection. The representation of artists, both vocal and orchestral, is breathtaking and impressive for the span of years. A great big thank you to the people at Decca responsible for putting this collection together, as it is obvious to this listener that a great deal of thought and care went into looking for the most beautiful version of every piece on here. I have purchased two copies, one for home and one for the office, and have gotten two friends similarly hooked. I am also feverishly searching for more pairings of Joan Sutherland and Carlo Bergonzi. In the meantime, I'm on to Essential Puccini!!

Artists Of The Century - Jussi Bjorling, The Ultimate Collection

Average customer rating:

Excellent older music
A Golden Voice!
Heaven
The Ultimate Tenor Anthology
The biggest hype I've ever seen or heard

Artists Of The Century - Jussi Bjorling, The Ultimate Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
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ASIN: B00000J911
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

Aida: Se quel guerriero io fossi; Celete Aida
Manon Lescaut - Donna non vida mai
Rigoletto - La Donna ? mobile
Rigoletto - Ella mi fu rapita; Parmi veder le lagrime
Cavalleria Rusticana - Siciliana: O Lola - Frederick Schauwecker
Faust - Salut, demeure chaste et pure - Robert Merrill
Pagliacci - Vesti la guibba
La Boh?me - Che gelida manini - Licia Albanese
Prince Igor - Vladimir's Recitative and Cavatina
Andrea Cher - Come un bel di di maggio
Martha - M'apparutt'amor
L'elisir d'amore - Una furtiva lagrima
Eugene Onegin - F, f (Lensky's aria)
Turandot - Nessun Dorma
Tosca - Recondita armonia
Tosca - E lucevan le stelle
Tosca - O dolci mani
The Trout (Die Forelle)
An Silvia: Was ist Silvia?
Stchen D. 957/4

Tracks:

The Pearl Fishers - Au fond du temple saint
Tosca - Mario, Mario, Mario!
Don Carlo - lo l'ho perduta!; Dio, che nell'alma infondere
Manon Lescaut - Oh, sar pila!; Tu, tu, amore? Tu?
La Boh - In un coup Mimtu pitorni
La Forza Del Destina - Solenne in quest'ora
Aida - La fatal pietra; O terra addio
Turandot - Signore, escaolta!; Non piangere, Li
Otello - Oh! monstruosa colpa!; Si, pel ciel marmorea giuro!
A Dream
Turandot - Nessun Dorma
Zeignung, Op 10, No. 1/Dedica

Amazon.com

Surely Björling was one of the greatest tenors of his or any other time, not only for the clarion ring, the purity, and the melting lyricism of his voice, but for his effortless lightness, impeccable intonation, endless breath control, and natural phrasing and line, enhanced by old-fashioned but wonderfully expressive scoops and slides. On this generous two-disc set, he is heard in a huge selection of arias and some duets with distinguished colleagues; most of them were recorded separately, and a few are excerpted from complete opera recordings--unfortunately not very skillfully, stopping abruptly in mid-phrase if not mid-note. No matter; the miraculous thing is that Björling, whether singing an entire role or a single aria, can instantly create a character and bring him to vibrant life. He sings everything in the original keys--his high B-flats, B's, and C's are thrilling--and almost everything in the original language, including a few songs by Schubert, Strauss, and Grieg. Recorded live in recital, they are delightful--only one is too operatic. Among his partners, soprano Zinka Milanov and baritone Robert Merrill stand out. This recording presents an incomparable artist at his incomparable best. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Excellent older music.......2007-04-05

He is obviously one of the best of his time and puts to shame some of the newer singers. You get alot for your money on this CD too. I highly recommend it for a Sunday morning to enjoy your coffee, newspaper, and scones :}

A Golden Voice!.......2006-07-31

In opera circles everyone knows about Jussi Bjorling. But, I am writing this for the many people who never heard of him. He died in 1960 at the age of 49 so he hasn't been around for 46 years. Thus, the younger generation have only heard of Pavarotti, Domingo, Correras and some newer fellows. Believe me, the sweet, honeyed, golden voice of Bjorling will impress you. His voice..his "instrument".....is...is....what can I say, it's "beautiful". If you haven't heard him before you have an enormous treat ahead of you! If you love the beautiful sound of a "trained" voice, you'll love this guy! Enjoy!
(Some guy below is comparing Bjorling to DeStefano and Corelli and some others and was critical of Bjorling. The guy who wrote that must be suffering from hearing loss! ALL the tenors he mentioned are/were great artists. DON'T BELIEVE HIM...BELIEVE ME! :o) Email:boland7214@aol.

Heaven.......2004-12-13

I used to buy two separate CDs for people I was introducing to Bjoerling - the Pearl Fishers one, and the one with the Nessun dorma on it... So I was delighted when this 2 CD set came out.

To me, NO other tenor I've ever heard matches Bjoerling. His voice is one of the few that reduce me to tears just trying to EXPLAIN it to people. I've loved classical music since childhood but was never able to get into opera until I heard Jussi ... all the tenors alive today - feh, sorry, but to me they just sound like guys taking deep breaths and singing loud, not like "the voice of God" ...

The Ultimate Tenor Anthology.......2003-10-26

For anyone who has for some reason fallen in love with some other tenor voice, the discovery of Jussi Bjoerlings voice may be heartbreaking. This is not a tenor who can only sing superbly in lyric opera or only in dramatic opera, or only in song and lieder. This singer can sing whatever he wants and more; he does it equally brilliant whatever to the vocal demands may be. That, more than anything makes him absolutely unique in the record history.
In the opening selection of this compilation; "Celeste Aida", this essentially lyric voice demonstrates for every heroic and dramatic tenor how to sing dramatic opera. It is a sheer singing lesson. In the strenuous recitative, he does not shout or use other non-musical effects, but shows that true dramatic expression is characterized by tonal intensiy and not by volume, although he had plenty enough of that. The beautiful and incredibly free flow of lyric tones in the Pearlfishers duet, the Faust cavatina and in the gorgeous "Che gelida manina" is absolutely exemplary. Yet, who could replicate the beauty of those effortless high C`s? I cannot think of anyone.
The only thing that could better this and give the set 5 stars in the book, is a compilation of the same selections, transferred from the original tapes and not excessively remastered as on this occasion. The sound is at times overly bright and the voice sounds thin and even sharp. But the singing is so far unmatched.

The biggest hype I've ever seen or heard.......2003-07-27

This tenor is a tiny patch if compare to Corelli or Del Monaco, not to even mention Pavarotti. His high notes are strain to the max and he sounds like he's singing in half falsetto.
A total disappointment. I recommend Gigli and Del Monaco instead.

The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias

Average customer rating:

Great to hear the Great Tenor
A childhood memory
Great collection.

The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Match Point
Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings
Great Caruso
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli
Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World

ASIN: B000003EOH
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
L'africana: O paradiso
La Juive: Rachel, quand du Seigneur
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi; Celeste Aida
Andrea Chenier: Come un bel di di maggio
La Favorita: Romanza: Spirto gentil, ne' sogni miei
La forza del destino: O tu che in seno agli angeli
Otello: Ora e per sempre addio
Les pecheurs de perles: Je crois entendre encore
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
Faust: Salut, demeure chaste et pure
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Martha: M'appari tutt'amor
Serse: Ombra mai fu (Largo)
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira

Amazon.com

There's a plethora of single-disc Caruso collections, but this one's the preferred choice for opera fans who treasure this golden- voiced epitome of Golden Age singing. It's a Greatest Hits collection to beat all Greatest Hits collections. Selections span Caruso's career, from the lyric effusions of 1906-7 to the darker-voiced later recordings, including one of his last records, the 1920 La Juive aria, "Rachel, quand du Seigneur," which he invests with a heartbreaking poignancy that hasn't been bettered. Caruso shines brightest in the Italian repertory, capturing the pathos of Vesti la Giubba, the insouciance of the Duke's Rigoletto arias, and the hero's dilemma in Celeste Aida, among much else. But everything here is wonderful--great music, great singing. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Great to hear the Great Tenor.......2007-04-11

I am impressed how well these almost 100 year old recordings have been transfered to CD. Of course they aren't perfect but considering their age it is still a miracle. It is nice to hear Caruso in his prime and not on a scratchy vinyl. I would recommend this to any lover of Caruso's singing.

A childhood memory.......2006-05-28

I do not really know Opera. I am writing this review because I remember hearing Caruso's voice coming from a seventy- eight on an old Victor gramophone in my paternal grandparents house. The power and lyric quality of the voice struck me so strongly especially in 'Pagliacci'. The phrase has been with me, and comes back occasionally through all the years.
Caruso was then, and I believe still is considered at the very top of operatic singers. And it is a remarkable experience to hear so many years later , and in a stronger and clearer way sounds which one heard long ago in childhood, and have for years only lived in the mind.

Great collection........2000-11-04

This CD is an older RCA release, but still one of the best! A great introduction to Caruso.

Average customer rating:

Superb singing by my favorite tenor
exceptional recording of Bizet, Verdi and Puccini
The Kiss of Jussi
Notes on a classic
Pearl Fishers Duet

The "Pearl Fishers" Duet

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Artists Of The Century - Jussi Bjorling, The Ultimate Collection
The Most Famous Opera Duets
Bizet: The Pearl Fishers (Complete opera); Hendricks, Aler, Plasson, Capitole de Toulouse
Jussi Björling Rediscovered
Jussi Bjorling: Opera Arias

ASIN: B000003ERE
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Pearl Fishers: Au Fond Du Temple Saint
Tosca: Mario, Mario, Mario! - Zinka Milanov
Don Carlo: Io L' Ho Perduta!, Dio, Che Nell' Alma Infondere
Manon Lescaut: Tu, Tu, Amore? Tu? - Licia Albanese
La Boheme: O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni
La Forza Del Destino: Solenne In Quest' Ora
Aida: La Fatal Pietra; Oterra Addio - Zinka Milanov
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta!; Non Piangere, Liu - Renata Tebaldi
Otello: Si, Pel Ciel Marmoreo Giuro!

Amazon.com

This disc is essential for Jussi Bjoerling fans--doesn't that include almost everyone?--and for anyone who wants a distinctive sampling from recorded opera's most eloquent age. Best are Bjoerling's duets with baritone Robert Merrill--especially the classic "Au fond du temple saint" from The Pearl Fishers--and the scene with Renata Tebaldi, "Signore, ascolta; non piangere, Liu," from Turandot. Although the sound is variable--and sometimes disappointingly, annoyingly glitch-ridden in these recordings made between 1950 and 1959--the voice, the style, and the passion of the inimitable Bjoerling more than make up for it. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Superb singing by my favorite tenor.......2006-12-29

I can hardly tell you how much I loved this CD when musicologist David St. George gave
gave me a copy of it. Each time I hear the CD, Bjoerling's singing astounds me, because
depsite his age, he was in excellent voice when he recorded the "Pearl Fishers Duet."
My only complaint about Bjoerling is that a year before my birth, he died. :)

exceptional recording of Bizet, Verdi and Puccini.......2006-10-23

The beautiful main duet from Bizet's "The Pearlfishers" ("Au fond du temple saint") is the centerpiece of this disc, that also features pieces from "Aida", "Tosca", "Turandot" and "Otello", amongst others by Puccini and Verdi.

Legendary opera stars Robert Merrill, Zinka Milanov, Licia Albanese and Renata Tebaldi have the kind of voices that one rarely hears these days in opera. It's such a pleasure to know that these singers have received immortality thanks to CD reissues like this one. As other reviewers have noted, these recordings have great historical value but don't expect miracles with the overall sound quality.

[RCA/BMG Classics GD87799]

The Kiss of Jussi.......2006-08-23

Bjoerling never misses his pitch, never struggles with any note in his repertoire, never runs out of breath, and most importantly, never fails to makes any note perfectly beautiful. Bjoerling's supporting cast are immortalized by their association with this incomparable singer. Every track in this album is historically as well as artistically precious.

Notes on a classic.......2006-06-04

I'm prompted to comment only because a reviewer below offers no criticism of this famous duets recording exceept for the Manon Lescaut excerpt with Licia Albanese. As it happens, the only weakness in the cuts with Bjorling and Merrill is the workaday conducting by Renato Cellini (and the boxy sound that deserves the same miraculous remastering BMG has recently given to Toscanini). The Met was a singers' house and often fell short on conducting, saddling Golden Age voices with less than stellar maestros like Cillini, Fausto Cleva, and Leinsdorf (who actually does a very good job, for him, in Turandot, Bjorling's last opera recording before he died).

But the RCA Manon Lescaut from Rome was a wonderful exception. It is arguably the most satisfying collaboration in Bjorling's career, thanks to Jonel Perlea and the inspired Licia Albanese. Others might argue for the Aida with Milanov or the famous La Boheme with de los Angeles under Beecham. But for me the dramatic intensity of this Manon Lescaut is unparalleled. It's true that Albanese doesn't sound like a lush, full-voiced Puccini soprano, but she inhabits the role of Manon with astonishing realism and passion.

Pearl Fishers Duet.......2006-03-18

The Pearl Fishers Duet by Georges Bizet is well presented and delightfully sung. There are several additional duets on this CD which, whilst sung correctly and well, do not come over with the same lightness and flow. They would not be the best of their genre.

Average customer rating:

beautiful beautiful
Ave Maria
Ave Maria - penetrating hymns
the Ave Maria Album
My Dad used to sing this while shaving

The Ave Maria Album

Manufacturer: RCA
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Ave Maria
The Fabulous Danny Boy Album
The Ultimate Sacred Christmas Album ~ Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Sacred Classics - Messiah, Ave Maria, Pie Jesu, Zadok the Priest, L'enfance du Christ

ASIN: B000007QGY
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

Ave Maria - Choir Of Men And Boys Of St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Ave Maria - Helmuth Froschauer
Ave Maria - Munich Radio Orchestra
Ave Maria - George Stoll
Ave Maria - Orchestra
Ave Maria - The Ave Maria Album
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria

Customer Reviews:

beautiful beautiful.......2007-06-27

This CD was a gift for someone who loves the classic Ave Maria, and it delivers an assortment of the most beautiful recordings of the hymn ever made. Just lovely!

Ave Maria.......2007-05-30

Some very good renditions of various versions, but some were rerecordings and not remastered, so were grainy and sounded like old 33.3 RPM recordings. I was disapppointed in those, but most were excellent for my purpose in becoming familiar with the music.

Ave Maria - penetrating hymns.......2006-01-26

Other CD's have various versions of Ave Maria, as does this one. What distinguishes this CD is the quality of the recordings, the reverent tone of the vocalists, and the impressive blending of the singers and orchestras. Some versions inpsire an awesome silence, attracting our focus on these hymns and their solemnity. Ave Maria continually provides a respite from the world--it is so intense. These Ave Maria hymns are captivating enough by their music alone. The meaning adds the intended spiritual dimension. This album comes highly recommended.

the Ave Maria Album.......2005-10-03

My husband and I listen to this all the time .. whatever
version is your preference, you can probably find it on this
album. Excellent.

My Dad used to sing this while shaving.......2005-06-11

This beautiful aria is interpreted 16 ways by several renown singers and composers, so I'm sure you'll find your own personal favorites among the different versions. Each rendition has its own descriptor, and I found myself thinking "riveting", "exhilerating", "captivating", "evocative", "inspiring", or even "heartbreaking" for the same compelling music. To me, even the old fashioned, ragged recordings herein had a certain charm, and I don't mind the 'scratchiness' at all. I believe my Dad would sing Franz Schubert's 'Ave Maria' as interpreted by tenor Jerry Hadley -- I swear it literally brought tears to my eyes when I first heard it. As a child, I remember the delight I took in hearing my Dad sing with all the passion and drama of an artiste -- and you know, for a man who didn't even know all the lyrics, he sounded pretty darn good in our old bathroom! Seriously, this is a wonderful collection, even without the reminiscent sentimentality. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

I am in love with Anna
simple stunning
Ok but not a bel canto singer
Having It All
Talented singer, but should she choose her reportoire better?

Sempre Libera
Giacomo Puccini , Giuseppe Verdi , Claudio Abbado , Sascha Reckert , Sara Mingardo , Mahler Chamber Orchestra , and Saimir Pirgu
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Anna Netrebko: Opera Arias
Russian Album
Violetta: Arias and Duets from Verdi's La Traviata [Includes DVD]
Anna Netrebko - The Woman, The Voice
Verdi - La Traviata

ASIN: B000295TXC
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

E strano! - "Ah, fors'ui"
Sempre libera
Ah! Se una volta sola
Ah, non credea mirarti
Ah! non giunge uman pensiero
O rendetemi le speme...Qui la voce
Ah! tu sorridi
Vien, diletto, n ciel la luna
O giusto cielo! (Act 2)
OihmSorge il tremendo
Ardon gli incensi... (Act 2)
Spargi d'amaro pianto (Act 2)
Era pimo?
Piangea cantando nell'erma landa...
Ave Maria, piena di grazia
O mio babbino caro

Amazon.com

Anna Netrebko's second CD is even more impressive than her first. She still may not be an absolutely polished, finished artist, but she's working at it and presents here a very satisfying---even thrilling---program. She doesn't quite have the stature or insights for Verdi's Violetta yet, but aside from some smudged coloratura in low-lying passages she sings the first act scene quite well (capped with a well-placed, big E-flat). She's close to ideal in the Sonnambula and Puritani excerpts, where her girlishness is entirely right, her coloratura dazzling, and her ability to sound tearful really impressive. The Lucia Mad Scene (also notable here for its use of the glass harmonica for which it was composed in place of the usual flute) is quite wonderful, even if the runs are sometimes not as well-delineated as they should be. And although she's not vocally suited to Desdemona's Willow Song and Ave Maria, she does manage to darken her voice to fit the character and presents a very moving portrait. The CD ends with an utterly charming "O mio babbino caro." Artistry and everything else aside, her voice is just beautiful. Claudio Abbado's leadership is ideal. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

I am in love with Anna.......2007-05-15

Did you see her in the Met's big screen broadcast of I Puritani? Then you know what I mean. Here is a just stunningly, impossibly gorgeous woman with a voice of liquid fire and gold who can sing with passion and precision while she's bending over and crawling around on the floor! If she weren't real I would guess she was the invention of the overinflamed imagination of a heterosexual opera queen (if such a being exists).

If you love getting great voice, buy this.

simple stunning.......2007-05-10

having just found this young womans CD in our local speciality store I was transformed from the mundaine life to the peak of ecstasy with her wonderful voice and the intense colours created by her own intensity.Here is a woman who can fill the heart with words that are pure gold and like velvet on the mind ,a truly wonderful voice and a stunning person to go with it .Here at last is a worthy successor to Dame Joan and others who gave opera to the world ,now we have in Anna Netrebko someone to give the passion and drama of opera to a new audience with the fire and fun of the pleasure this style of music can give.It is great to at last have an opera singer of this caliber who is unafraid to be herself and to let her own warmth and passion come through LONG May she continue to be the standard for others to attain.May she never change her love of singing and life

Ok but not a bel canto singer.......2007-03-21

Anna Netrebko's I Puritani selections are way below the art and skill of Callas, Sills, Sutherland, Caballe, and Gencer. She has no passion, no trills, no high notes that are deep and rich. Her best is in the Russian repertoire and possibley some undemanding Mozart.

Her broadcast from the Met Live of the I Puritani was alright, but scooping, avoidance of repetitions, running through passages like a locomotive, and an ending that would have brought the wrath of most opera houses in the world..scooping again, and a tight awful sounding high note. The same tentativenes is also here on this CD.She should know this. Her beauty and acting and allure are what interest the masses, not the voice, which is forgiven everything.

Too bad; she could be a lovely Tatyana some day.Also too, the Traviata is not that great; Anna Moffo , Renee Fleming, M. Caballe, and of course Maria Callas..Listen to these and hear the difference.

Having It All.......2007-01-22

This is a remarkable CD by the current "it" soprano. Anna Netrebko has it all. She is a wonderful singer, and a beautiful woman. Any star on the rise, particularly one with this much physical beauty and commercial promise, will always fall victim to criticisms that are more or less trivial. Believe me, I get it. When I first saw Anna, I wanted to be judgemental. After all, maybe she was just another pretty face being pushed by a record company. Then I heard her "Sempre libera" and became a fan.

There are criticisms of her trill, or her lack of a trill. Renee Fleming doesn't have a trill, and she has been the acclaimed queen for some time. Because of Anna's trill issues, she's criticized as lacking something that a coloratura should have. Well, she's not a coloratura. A good bel canto singer does not have to be a coloratura. There are criticisms of Anna's repertoire choices. You know why she picked this interesting melange for this CD? Because these are difficult scenes and arias, and she can do them. The only aria I didn't think "fit" is the "O mio babbino caro". She does it well, I just can't figure out what it's doing on this CD.

The "La Traviata" scene that starts the CD is absolutely magnificent. She is a wonderful Violetta, and sings this demanding scene with panache. She does the high E-flat at the end. Of course, she was coached by Scotto on this aria. Nice coaching if you can get it. No less remarkable are her scenes from "La sonnambula" and "I puritani". Her "Qui la voce" was beautiful. To listen to that gorgeous singing, and only focus on whether or not she has a trill is to miss the point of the music. I can definitely see why the Met is giving her the "Puritani" this season. Her scenes from "Lucia di Lammermoor" were technically perfect, and her mad scene very well done. The "Otello" scenes were amazing, particularly the floated pianos and pianissimos in the "Ave Maria". Abbado and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra are wonderful collaborators.

Ignore the criticisms and buy this CD! You'll be glad that you did. Highly recommended.

Talented singer, but should she choose her reportoire better?.......2007-01-10

Anna Netrebko has an attractive voice and a pleasing personality in this recording. But her performance also raises some questions.

First, she has a Callas-like habit (not a great compliment) when she ups her volume on higher notes of producing a rather unpleasant sound. In "Sempre libera," from "La Traviata," this is manifest. I compare this with the silky smooth lyric voice of Anna Moffo, from the 1960s and 1970s, who essayed this same piece in a manner much more attractive to the ear. Second, I could not hear a single trill on this CD (although maybe I missed something). In the colorature/bel canto repertoire, this is not a trifle. A trill is a standard part of a coloratura soprano's armamentorium. In that, again, she is like Callas, who scarcely issued forth a trill. "Spargi d'amaro pianto" is one of the classic cabalettas for coloratura sopranos. Sung without trills, it is not very satisfying. Some who have recorded the pyrotechnics of the "Mad Scene" have only displayed adequate trills (e.g., Anna Moffo or Angela Gheorghiu). Others, of course, have deployed wondrous effects, such as Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills. Just so, the cabalettas in "La Sonnambula" and "I Puritani."

Certainly, Netrebko also exhibits considerable strengths. Other ornamentation is fine; she has an agile voice; she can hit all the notes, including the high ones. Her vocal sound is most attractive (outside the one example noted earlier of a certain harshness). Her singing in the pieces from "Otello" and "Gianni Schicchi" are very well done.

So, all in all, a nice CD, but one that does not seem to feature Anna Netrebko at her best.

Average customer rating:

What an incredible disc
Rossini tenors
Exceptional Tenor!
Worth a listen
Impressed, but not moved...

Juan Diego Florez ~ Rossini Arias
Gioachino Rossini , Riccardo Chailly , Juan Diego Florez , and Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Milano Giuseppe Verdi
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Una Furtiva Lagrima
Great Tenor Arias
Sentimiento Latino
Sentimiento Latino
Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera

ASIN: B00005UT5H
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Ah Dov'e, Dov'e El Cimento
Che Ascolto!
Cessa Di Piu Resistere
Vieni Fra Queste Braccia
Concedi, Amor Pietoso
Terra Amica
Oh Fiamma Soave
Si, Ritrovarla Io Giuro

Amazon.com

This disc by the rising young Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez is a winner. He has a light lyric tenor of quality, stunning coloratura technique, and a real feeling for the Rossini style. He shines in these bravura arias, scattering high Cs and Ds with abandon. There aren't many tenors these days who can fearlessly negotiate the perils of arias like "Cessa di piu resistere" from The Barber of Seville with such aplomb. Nor are there many who can capture both the pathos and the fevered intensity of "Oh fiamma souave" from La donna del lago. Even those who might wish for a warmer, sweeter sound in the bel canto repertory than Flórez's brighter, more brilliant tones should welcome this auspicious solo debut. He's helped by the sure hand of Riccardo Chailly at the helm, ensuring stylistically sympathetic performances. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

What an incredible disc.......2006-03-04

This was my first Juan Diego Florez CD and I was just amazed for what I heard the very first time. Such an elegance while singing, bright and powerfull performance and above all a full respect for what rossini wrote. This is a masterpice and every single collector should have it. Juan Diego Florez sing as no one can: he is the number one. These selection of Rossini arias are among the most difficul ones for the tenor voice and Florez is able to sort them with no apparent effort. By the way if you have not yet bought his last disc, and if you have some affection for Latin America, go for it. That disc, "Sentimiento Latino" is full of the most representative songs from Latin America and Florez manages to master them all as no one has done before. What a great artist.

Rossini tenors.......2005-08-26

At last a real Rossini tenor, as rare as hens teeth! Mr Florez has all the right vocal technique and a stunnning head tone to produce the high, light tenor sound needed for these impossible to sing Rossini arias. I hope he continues to sing roles suited for his fabulous voice and avoids the heavy Verdi and Puccini roles. Juan Diego Florez is the real deal.

Exceptional Tenor!.......2005-01-30

Theo made a very good point when describing Juan Diego Florez. He indeed is all the talents of these legendary tenors combined, along with the exemplary skills of the old school of Italian music. Sure, he doesn't possess the warmth of a Domingo or a Gigli, but what would you expect of a Rossinian tenor? Heavy voice that goes up up up? That is quite uncommon for such a beautiful voice of this timbre. Now if there were indeed a tenor with a dark voice who could tackle such material and do just about anything that the operatic repertoire requires of him, yet maintain a limber quality about his voice when tackling the challenging bel canto repertoire, then we would have Callas reincarnated in the tenor voice (LOL!!). But truly, this is a gem of a recital. No other tenor nowadays can perform such challenging material without resorting to unconventional means of singing. He truly revived the real bel canto voice--fresh, light, yet invigorating in drama. Drama, I say, is exemplified here not through the typical verismo style we are acquainted to nowadays. It is rather inflicted upon the soul in the traditional bel canto manner--through embellishments and dramatic singing without sobs or such and so. He does it with grace. His florid lines will astound, amaze, and astonish you. His high notes are chesty yet beautiful. Take my word for it, this is a tenor you will be very sorry to miss if you don't sample the many delicacies he has to offer.

Worth a listen .......2004-10-10

As you may have determined from the other reviews of this CD, Juan Diego Florez is a controversial artist. With a high tessitura, athletic vocal agility, and penetrating vibrato, Mr. Florez's voice might find more fans in Europe than in the US (where the dramatic arias of Verdi, Puccini and Wagner are more popular than the jaw-dropping vocal fireworks that made Rossini famous). For opera fans who were introduced to Rossini's difficult and now rarely-heard music in the 1980s through such great artists as the Mexican tenor Francisco Araiza (e.g., through the opera film 'La Cenerentola' by Jean Pierre Ponnelle), Florez may be a shock. Mr. Araiza's voice was deeper, darker, and more 'masculine' than Florez's voice yet possessed the same amazing agility and range. However, Juan Diego Florez is worthy of praise and recognition. He has an 'easy top' much like Pavarotti, and high notes that avoid the bone-grating 'slide' up to the high Cs and Db's that other tenors have used in Rossini operas. Being young (barely 30), Mr. Florez will have time to grow into his powerful voice. We should all hope that his talent will be recognized by a wider audience and lead to new, more authentic recordings of Rossini's rare and difficult operas such as Semiramide, Tancredi, and Ermione.

Impressed, but not moved..........2003-06-20

I am sorry, but I only feel I can give this cd three stars. Juan Diego Florez pulls off some very diffcult roulades. His voice is definitely more beautiful in some ways than many of the tenore di grazia's to come before him. However, every note of the arias seems to sound the same. Maybe it is only my personal preference, but I have always enjoyed a bit more text painting. Although he has a solid technique, I think this cd set leaves me completely unsatisfied emotionally and I must admit that I do not particularly care for the shrillness of the high notes. I am impressed, but not moved. I recommend buying this cd just to hear a tenor that may be the best of the young tenors that are out there today(technically). However, I like to be reeled in emotionally and really feel connected to the text due to the singer's interpretive skill. Florez does this for me at no point. The singing is not effortless by any stretch of the imagination, but seems to show that a great deal of hard work was put into attaining the high level of technical achievement. Hopefully, he will continue to improve and blow me away with his next album release.

Renée Fleming - Signatures ~ Great Opera Scenes / Sir Georg Solti

Average customer rating:

what a voice....
Amazing!!
Renee Fleming - Signatures-Great Oper Scenes
BEAUTIFUL CROSS SECTION OF STYLES
Renee Fleming's greatest recital ever!

Renée Fleming - Signatures ~ Great Opera Scenes / Sir Georg Solti
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Antonin Dvorak , Giuseppe Verdi , Benjamin Britten , Richard Strauss , London Symphony Orchestra , Sir Georg Solti , Renée Fleming , Larissa Diadkova , and Jonathan Summers
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000042HU
Release Date: 1997-09-09

Tracks:

Le nozze di Figaro: Porgi, Amor
Le nozze di Figaro: E Susanna Non Vien!...Dove Sono I Bei Momenti
Eugene Onegin: Nu, Zaboltalas Ya!...Puskai Pogibnu Ya (Letter Scene)
Rusalka: Mesicku Na Nebi Hlubokem (O Silver Moon)
Otello: Era Piu Calmo?...'Piangea Cantando Nell Erma Landa'... Ave Maria
Peter Grimes: Peter Seems To Have Disappeared...Embroidery In Childhood Was A Luxury Of Idleness
Daphne: Ich Komme - Ich Komme (Transformation Scene)

Amazon.com essential recording

As the possessor of one of the great lyric soprano voices of our time, soprano Renée Fleming is in demand in the world's great opera houses. (It doesn't hurt that she's also lovely and a fine actress.) This album is an outstanding collection of great arias, ravishingly sung. It shows something of Fleming's range, including as it does music by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Dvorák (the sumptuous "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka, the best part of the entire opera, and sung here in definitive fashion), Verdi, Britten (an effective "Embroidery Scene" from Peter Grimes), and Richard Strauss. This disc is a good starting point for someone seeking to learn more about operatic singing, and a valuable addition to the library of anyone already converted. Fleming is given strong support by mezzo-soprano Larissa Diadkova, baritone Jonathan Summers, and by the late Sir Georg Solti in one of his last recordings. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews:

what a voice...........2006-09-14

I love this recital which is my first introduction to a solo album by Fleming.
Her voice , with its richness and dusky timbre and beautiful, strong higher notes is a treat to hear.
She did sound expressive too but has not yet touched a chord in me when it comes to emotion and feeling.
Call me a helpless Callas fan, but I couldn't help but wonder how La Divina would sound if she sang Russian and played Tatyana in the "Letter" scene; what a great vehicle for acting!
But it does take voices a while to grow on me and that might be it.
I do plan on buying more of her CDs.

Amazing!!.......2005-09-28

This may be one of my favorite albums of all time. Renee Fleming is of course amazing with Mozart...but there are other gems on this album. The scene from Otello is truly astounding!! My personal favorite on this album is the Embroidery Scene from Peter Grimes by Benjamin Britten...WOW!!! And of course we all know that the Song to the Moon from Dvorak's Rusalka is amazing. The Tchaikovsky is so wonderful!! The scene from R. Strauss's Daphne is awesome! Brava Renee!!!

Renee Fleming - Signatures-Great Oper Scenes.......2005-08-11

I gave this item as gift so I cannot review it.

BEAUTIFUL CROSS SECTION OF STYLES.......2004-11-22

I really loved this CD, mainly however due to "Mesicku Na Nebi Hlubokem" as it was the first version I had ever heard. Her phrasing, emotion, and tone were a perfect match for Dvorak's lone mermaid. I was also surprised to find Richard Strauss's Daphne here. It is not a common opera or aria so it was all I could do to listen to the beauty of the music that was not a real aria as it was vocal renderings controlled by the orchestra. It may not ever be common but it shows Richard Strauss in a more lyrical way verses his usual more heavy and harsh operas including "Salome" and "Elektra". Now if only we could get Fleming to record "Daphne" in it's entirety. Her other pieces were rich and warm as I have always adored her in the Countess road and she has always does Desdemona proud even if it is just a literary character. This CD is Renee Fleming at her best!

Renee Fleming's greatest recital ever!.......2004-04-16

What can I say that hasn't been said already? The great Solti (Who adored Fleming btw) and Renee Fleming made magic here. One of the greatest recitals in operatic history. Brava Renee!

Average customer rating:

Story Of Verdi In Words And Music

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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