Land of Smiles [Soundtrack]

Das Land des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles), operetta in 3 acts (revision of "Die gelbe Jacke")
Composed by Franz Lehar
with Hella Kurty, Richard Tauber, Mary Lossef
Conducted by Paul Dessau

Land of Smiles,Franz Lehar,Paul Dessau,Hella Kurty,Mary Lossef,Richard Tauber,Koch Schwann (Germ.),Austria,Classical,Classical Music,German/Austrian Operetta,Opera,Romantic,Soundtracks & Film Scores

Average customer rating:

Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works
Don't...!!!
Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality
Great Music......Horrible Mastering
Surely I am proud to be an Italian-American!!

Pavarotti: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000042HZ
Release Date: 1997-09-30

Tracks:

Turandot: Nessun dorma
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
La Traviata: Brindisi
Aida: Se quel guerrier io foss ... Celeste Aida
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
Martha: M'appari
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Fedora: Amor ti vieta
Pagliaccci: Recitar!... Vesti la guibba
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
L'africana: Mi batte il cuor ... O paradiso
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
Manon Lescaut: Ma se vi talenta ... Tra voi, belle
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
La Favorita: Spirito gentil
II torvatore: Di quella pira
L'amico Fritz: Suzel, buon di

Tracks:

O sole mio
Torna a Surriento
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Core 'ngrato
Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna: Funiculi Funicul
Notte 'e piscatore
O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel)
Panis angelicus
Ave Marie: Ave Maria
Mattinata
La danza
Caro mio ben
Caruso
My Way
Santa Lucia
Tu che m'hai preso il cuor
Mamma
La mai canzone al vento: La mia canzone al vento
Volare
Passione
Granda: Granada

Customer Reviews:

Cornucopia of Pavarotti's works.......2007-03-01

This is a "Super hits" CD, with over forty different cuts (quite a few of which have appeared elsewhere, of course). For those who are aficionados of Pavarotti, this is what might be called "hog heaven."

Disc 1 features estimable works such as "Nessun dorma" (well done, with his voice showing to good effect), "Che gelida manina" (excellently done, with good characterization), ""Celeste Aida" (elegantly sung), "Di quella pira" (a much better than average version), "E lucevan le stelle" (Pavarotti does a nice job in the Puccini-Verdi repertoire), "La donna e mobile" (sung with aplomb), "Recondita armonia" (the other aria from Tosca, which also shows Pavarotti's voice off to good effect), and so on.

Disc 2 is especially interesting, because it features a more popular set of works, from the redoubtable "O sole mio" (richly orchestrated and nicely sung, not overpowered by Pavarotti's operatic voice), "Core n'grato" (compare with Caruso's version), "Oh, holy night," "La danza" (spritely sung with excellent breath control in a treacherous song), "Santa Lucia" (again, smoothly sung), "Ave Maria" (seemingly sung with respect and affection).

A cornucopia of Pavarottiana. For those fans of Pavarotti, this "greatest hits" collection will be welcome. For those who may not be aware of this tenor when his voice was still fresh, this is a fine entrée to his work.

Don't...!!!.......2005-01-24

To combine a voice as beautiful as Pavarotti's with some of the world's greatest music and outstanding orchestras, and end up with this...`thing'...is unforgivable. After buying and listening to it, it brought to mind those painful words "A fool, a fool. I saw a fool today. I saw him in the mirror."

R. J. Rogers

Great Tenor - Poor CD Quality.......2004-10-11

I have never been a huge fan of Maestro Pavarotti but I must admit that this compilation is a masterful collection of his operatic highlights.

I particularily enjoy the first disc which contains just about all the major tenor arias. The singing is superb and listening to this CD it becomes obvious what the fuss over the pre-3 Tenors Pavarotti was all about - the man really did have one of the greatest tenor voices of all time.
His diction was flawless, his line perfect and his interpretation in keeping with the greatest of the Italian tenors of days gone by.

The second disc is interesting in that it is a bit uneven. It contains a few neapolitan standards, a x-mas song, a duet with Frank Sinatra and some other random selections.

Overall this is a 5 star CD but due to the extremely low volume, particularily on the first and most important disc I can only give it a 4 star rating.

On a final note, anyone puzzeled by the current hype over the now againg and commercially over-blown Pavarotti should purchase this CD. This is the great tenor in his prime and as such a CD well worth having...even if you're not a Pavarotti fan.
I'm still not, but I recognize greatness when I hear it.

Great Music......Horrible Mastering.......2004-07-24

Pavarotti has a voice that can take hold of you and change your entire mood...even if you don't know Italian. The problem with this set is the mastering (mastering evens out the volumes and signal to noise ratio on an album). The first CD in this collection is so quiet that you literally have to crank your player to get any kind of volume. For a professional CD this is absolutely unacceptable.
The song choices are good with the exception of "My Way" with Frank Sinatra. Both singers sound ....ummm...let's just say less than their best on the recording. It sits out like a boil on a pretty girl's face.

Surely I am proud to be an Italian-American!!.......2004-06-26

With his wondrous soaring vocals and the humble demeanor within his strong body, Pavarotti is an inspiration to Italian- Americans everywhere - Italian-Americans like me. My family plays his beautiful operas on vinyl nearly every day in me Papa's little wine and cheese shop on 18th and Broadway. The customers compliment the music with glee, pinching my plump cheeks with merriment and wishing me well on their way out the door. Ah, how I love this land of America!!

Oops, I am sorry, Nana.

My Nana has shushed me to "pipe down, little bambino."

I must go down to the dark cellar to count our day's earnings, for it is almost night, and stern Papa will be back soon to close shop and make sure all is well.

Very Best of
Average customer rating:

A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo

This is really the best.

If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD.

Rare And Great Domingo Classics

A real Bobby Dazzler

Very Best of
Placido Domingo
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Perhaps Love

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ASIN: B000083GOJ
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

Ill Mio Tesoro
Un'aura Amorosa
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
La Ci Darem La Mano
Vani Sono I Lamenti...Svegliatevi Nel Core
Pays Merveilleux...O Paradis
Quel Trouble Inconnu Me Penetre...Salut ! Demeure Chaste Et Pure (Faust, Act III)
Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere (Le Cid, Act III)
None But The Lonley Heart
Lensky's Aria
Donna, Non Vidi Mai (Manon Lescauy Act, II)
Ah, Manon, Mi Tradisce
Dammi I Colori...Recondita Armonia
E Lucevan Le Stelle (Tosca, Act III)
Ch'ella Mi Creda (La Fanciulla Del West, Act III)
Dai Campi, Dai Prati (Mefistofele, Act I)
Virgini Muse...Quando Al Soave Anelito
O Sink Hernieder, Nacht Der Liebe
Was Am Besten Er Kann...Hoho! Hohei!

Tracks:

Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
Su, Profetessa...Di Tu Se Fedele
Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
Su, Cacciator...Fontainebleau!...
Niun Mi Tema
Ach, Wie So Herrlich Zu Schau'n
Sckenkt Man Sich Rosen In Tirol
Gern Hab'ich Die Frau'n Gekusst
O Vaterland...Da Geh'ich Zu Maxim
Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz
Mi Aldea
Cancion Del Sembrador
No Puede Ser
Serenata
Copillas De Belen
Coplas Del Pastor Enamorado
En Aranjues Con Tu Amor
Jealousy Tango
La Golondina

Amazon.com

Placido Domingo is a phenomenon, and every aspect of his artistry is on display in this 2-CD compilation, which includes arias from his signature roles in Italian, French, German, and Russian operas, and songs from Viennese and Spanish operettas. The original recordings range from the early 1970s to the present and show that though over the years his bright golden voice has taken on a darker, more burnished glow, it has retained the melting lyricism, the heroic ring, the thrilling top notes, and the focused intensity that make it instantly recognizable. (Comparing the Verdi arias included here with their counterparts of later vintage in the all-Verdi set The Tenor Arias bears this out.) The program demonstrates his stylistic and expressive versatility and his ability to instantly establish character and mood, from Lenski's sorrow (in Eugene Onegin), Cavaradossi's heart-rending despair (in Tosca), Otello's shattering agony, to Tristan's passion, Siegfried's exuberance, Faust's ardor (first in French by Gounod, then in Italian by Boito). In three Mozart arias, Domingo spins endless, perfectly shaped phrases with incredible breath control, then adds an oddity: the famous duet between Zerlina and Don Giovanni, a role he has not performed. Five Viennese operetta songs, one of which he also conducts, are delightful; there is a smile of pleasure in his voice, but not a hint of kitsch. By contrast, Tchaikovsky's "None but the Lonely Heart" is spoiled by an orchestration that is pure Hollywood. In the final Spanish group, he is on home ground and incomparable. This is a glorious record, a must for all lovers of great singing. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo.......2007-07-04

Placido Domingo, of course, is one of the finest tenors of the latter part of the 20th century. This 2 CD set well captures his talent, showing the range of his singing. We hear cuts from Puccini and Verdi to Tchaikovsky and Wagner to Strauss and Handel. And even a traditional Spanish sung and some operetta thrown in for good measure!

This is a wonderful introduction to his artistry, and shows that he can sing well across a variety of styles and eras. Let's sample some cuts:

"Il mio Tesoro" (from Mozart's Don Giovanni) is a difficult aria to sing well. And Domingo is up to the challenge. He displays a smooth and rich voice. His is one of those distinctive tenor voices, like Tucker's or Pavarotti's, that is quickly recognizable. This is, as noted, a challenging piece and Domingo handles it well, showing off considerable vocal agility in the process.

From the same opera, "La ci darem la mano," a sweet duet with, in this instance, soprano Susan Graham. This seductive work is sung well by both parties and is a ravishing version.

From Puccini's "Tosca," "Recondita armonia." At the close, his voice rises above orchestra and chorus. Overall, well and richly sung.

And now for something very different. . . The "Forging Scene" from Siegfried. One may not think of Domingo as a heldentenor, but he does a serviceable job here. His voice sometimes appears a bit light, but, overall, he does estimable work. He catches Siegfried's spirit as he forges the shattered remains of his father's sword, "Nothung." When he sings the name of his sword at the close, with the leitmotif ringing out from the orchestra, it is an affecting moment.

Then, "Celeste Aida" (from Verdi's opera). A stentorian voice well deployed to meet the challenges of this wonderful aria. Some tenors scoop as they move from those lower to the higher notes; Domingo's voice is well controlled here. The final high note is well hit.

Strauss (Junior's) "Ach, wie so herrlich zu schau'n" is a romp! A fun piece and well sung by Domingo. He demonstrates, as before, excellent vocal agility.

Lehar's "O Vaterland" is also fun. It is a sprightly tune sprightly sung.

Finally, he ends the second CD with a traditional Spanish tune--"La Golondrina." He does not overpower this work with operatic technique. He sings it well and affectingly.

So, all in all, if one wants a good introduction to Placido Domingo's vocal oeuvre, this is a very strong starting point.

This is really the best........2007-05-16

I have many of Mr. Domingo's recordings but I really love this one. He seems to get better with age. Some of the songs are on some of my other recordings but they seem new and fresh on this CD. I really think this is the best of Placido Domingo.

If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD........2005-04-06

Placido Domingo has been around for so long, it is easy to take this great artist for granted. I totally agree with the previous reviews of this album; I can also say that I had the opportunity to hear him live in concert on April 2, 2005 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and his voice is still stunning. His opening aria that night was the prayer from El Cid, "O Souverain," which he dedicated to the memory of Pope John Paul II. This piece is the 8th selection on CD 1, and is from a 1997 live recording. His thrilling finish blew me away when I listened to it the first time, and and the crowd on the recording reacts the same way the Mississippi audience did when we heard him. That aria alone is worth the price of this CD set.

Rare And Great Domingo Classics.......2005-03-08

EMI's "The Very Best Of" series is a wonderful way for the opera lover/novice or even connoisseur in training to get acquainted with the great singers of opera in the 20th century. It is possible that in a few years, the great singers of today (from the 90's up to now and further into the future) will grace the album covers of The Very Best Of...The Very Best Of Renee Fleming, The Very Best Of Salvatore Licitra, etc. This is not exactly the best of Domingo. It is more of a collection of rare and wonderfully expressive arias from operas that range all over the map- Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Meyerbeer, Gounod, Massenet. Now, here's the reason why so many people adore Domingo, myself included - Domingo is a Renaissance Opera Tenor. He has sung almost every tenor role in the opera universe. Even if he is, to some, the "tenor who sang with Pavoratti in the three tenors" he proves he's the strongest of the bunch, the most dedicated, the most prolific and most artistic. Domingo has a beautiful voice, with secure high register and dark, masculine middle chest voice and exciting dramatic electricity! He's sung more than 50 operas, in addition operetta and Spanish Zarzuela (the Spanish equivalent to musicals or operetta which is where he got started and his parents sung in Zarzuela) and he has also recorded Spanish mainstream love songs for Latin audiences. A winner of Grammies, an actor in movies about operas that he starred in (Tosca, La Traviata, Otello) and the most active tenor on tv broadcasts, he is just incredible and powerful.
He is a great force in opera.

Even in his old age, he does'nt seem to be slowing down or call it quits. Recent performances (2000-2005) include Eugene Onegin, the lead in Queen of Spades, Rasputin in Debra Dratell's Nicolas and Alexandra, Idomeneo and his next role Parsifal. He is the singular tenor who mastered every repertoire- Mozart (Don Ottavio, Tamino...unfortunately Domingo as Don Giovanni is a miscast because he is too noble and romantic and GOOD to be a bad guy)..to Puccini heros (Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Dick Johnson in Fanciualla Del West, Rodolfo in Boheme, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Calaf in Turandot) Verdi heroes (Radames in Aida, Don Carlos, Stiffelio, etc) to the French repertoire...Gounod (Faust, Romeo) Meyerbeer heroes, Massenet hero (Des Grieux, Le Cid) and Saint Saens (Samson) the list goes on and on. When this man dies, an era will die with him. His legend will live on because he will leave behind dozens of albums, movies and memories......

A real Bobby Dazzler.......2004-02-19

Fans of Mr. Domingo would be lucky to find a selection of music that more profoundly explores and exhibits the diversity of his vocal ability and interpretation than is offered on these two discs. Delicious displays of Mozart, ringing renditions of the most challenging high Italian roles, powerfully rounded accounts of some of the heavy German/Russian repetoir, and some noticably nostalgic songs from the light Spannish tradition provide an impressive catalogue of the great man's rich, focussed, technically impecable and singularly beguiling vocal talent. Those who are yet to form an opinion on any particular genre of the operatic spectrum would do well to start here, so eclectic is this album. Also, you might be reassured to know that, should you become an admirer of P.D.'s talent as a result of listening to this compilation, (it is difficult to resist), you will have no trouble finding other recordings by him. A record-breaker with more than 110 roles to his repetoir (40 is a respected total for an opera singer), he is the most recorded tenor in history, leaving more than 80 complete accounts to date of operas in the Italian, French, German and Russian traditions.

Average customer rating:

Handel: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00062FLI8
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Franz Lehar: The Land of Smiles / Gustafson, Hadley, Itami, Atkinson; Bonynge [in English]

Average customer rating:

Fantastic Recording by Lehar

Franz Lehar: The Land of Smiles / Gustafson, Hadley, Itami, Atkinson; Bonynge [in English]
Franz Lehár , Richard Bonynge , Nancy Gustafson , Jerry Hadley , English Chamber Orchestra , Naomi Itami , and Lynton Atkinson
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000003D1M
Release Date: 1996-06-25

Tracks:

Overture
Introduction And Entrance: Three Cheers For Lisa! - Chorus
This Isn't The Only Time
I Tremble Whenever I Enter This Room
Now Will You Join Me In A Little Cup Of Tea
Before The Window Of My Beloved
We Are Alone
Prelude
Entrance Of Sou Chong
Ah, Who Has Given Us Our Dreams Come True?
In Pagodas 'Cross The Nation
'Love' For Me, And 'Love' For You
My Heart Belongs To You
I Long For My Homeland, So Far Away
Chinese Wedding Procession
I Forbid You To Go!
Love Cannot Fail
Zig, Zig, Zig
It's Strange How Happiness So Quickly Fades
The Sun Which Shines Here

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Recording by Lehar.......2001-04-20

i would highly recommend hearing the recording by Franz Lehar. It is by far a very phenomenal piece of music! This Austrian Hungarian composer is very gifted and the recording by Elizabeth Schwarzkpof is very nice to listen too. It is truly a work of art!

Average customer rating:

Light Opera Gems

Manufacturer: Opera D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000A1HNZ
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Tracks:

Largo Al Factotum - Gino Bechi
Udite, Udite O Rustici - Ezio Pinza
Im Heimlichen Dammer - Maria Reining
Mag Der Himmel Euch Vergeben - Helge Roswaenge
Ach So Fromm - Richard Tauber
The Last Rose Of Summer - Amelita Galli-Curci
Non So Piu - Amelita Galli-Curci
You Are My Heart's Delight - Lauritz Melchior
Voices Of Spring - Ada Sari
Drinking Song & Golden Days - Robert Merrill
You And You - Robert Merrill
I'll Follow My Secret Heart - Lily Pons
The White Dove - Lawrence Tibbett
Deep In My Heart - Lauritz Melchior
Merry Widow Waltz - Helen Traubel
Serenade - Lauritz Melchior
Stout-Hearted Man - Helen Traubel
Russian Song - Lawrence Tibbett
Wanting You - Lawrence Tibbett
Oh What A Beautiful Morning - Helen Traubel
Una Voce Poco Fa - Luisa Tetrazzini

Tracks:

Wer Uns Getraut - Jussi Bjorling
The Blue Danube - Lily Pons
Ich, Hab' Kein Geld, Bin Vogelfrei - Jussi Bjorling
My Hero - Rosa Ponselle
Kiss Me Again - Rosa Ponselle
When You Walk In The Room - Robert Merrill
Song Of The Vagabonds - Robert Merrill
O Luce Di Quest'Anima - Toti Dal Monte
Dans Le Service D'Autriche - Hyppolite Belhomme
Tales From The Vienna Woods - Marcella Sembrich
Per Viver Vicino - John McCormack
Charmant Oiseau - Amelita Galli-Curci
Cancion De La Espada - Miguel Fleta
De Espana Vengo - Conchita Supervia
Aimons, Il Faut Aimer - Hyppolite Belhomme
Com'e Gentil - Chorus
Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere - Amelita Galli-Curci
Tornami A Dir Che M'Ami - Tito Schipa
Im Mohrenland Gefangen War - Peter Anders
Oh, Wie Will Ich Triumphieren - Wilhelm Hesch
Modern Travel, An Opera Parody On Donizetti, Gounod, Verdi, Bizet & Dvorak - Lauritz Melchior

Average customer rating:

A Great Pleasure
Operetta recording lyrics
Great intro to Viennese operettas
A Great Introduction to Operetta
Terrific value!

The Best of Operetta, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000014CF
Release Date: 1997-02-04

Tracks:

Der Ziegeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron): Overture
Giuditta: Freunde, das Leben ist lebenswert!
Giuditta: Meine Lippen, sie kussen so heiss
Freiderike: O Madchen, mein Madchen
Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron): Wer uns getraut
Der Zigeunerbaron (The Gypsy Baron): Als flotter Geist
Fruhlingsstimmen(Voices Of Spring), Walzer
Das Land des Lachelns (The Land Of Smiles): Dein ist mein ganzes Herz
Das Land des Lachelns (The Land Of Smiles): Wer hat die Liebe uns ins Herz gesenkt?
Das Land des Lachelns (The Land Of Smiles): Immer nur lacheln
Das Land des Lachelns (The Land Of Smiles): Von Apfelbluten einen Kranz
Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow): Lippen schweigen
Eine Nacht in Vendig (A Night in Venice): Komm in die Gondel
Grafin Mariza (Countess Mariza): Komm mit nach Varasdin

Customer Reviews:

A Great Pleasure.......2007-07-28

Treat yourself to these wonderful records (this one, plus the other two volumes). It's the best collection of Viennese operetta I know. The voices aren't the best--the tenor especially can be squally at times. No, this isn't Tauber or Schwarzkopf, but enjoy it for what it is: three hours of sheer pleasure.

Operetta recording lyrics.......2007-01-23

I need the lyrics word to the CD I purchasedGreat Operetta REcordings,Viennese operettas Gems 8.110292 , Naxos
Let me know of the purchase price so that I can receive the lyhrics now Thank you Irving Korr

Great intro to Viennese operettas.......2007-01-09

The quality of this recording is superlative, the voices are romantic and strong. This is a delightful introduction to the world of Viennese operettas.

A Great Introduction to Operetta.......2004-03-29

An analogy describing operetta music could be as follows: operetta is to serious classical music as bubble gum pop tunes are to the music of the Beatles. While many opera fans enjoy operetta, it is not seen as all that serious, yet the musicianship that is required to perform many of the showpieces of operetta is the same as that of more serious opera. For this reason, when a full orchestra with competent singers performs operetta music, it is usually worth listening to, and this disc is certainly well worth listening to over and over again.

The disc contains showpieces from many of the great operettas including Strauss' GYPSY BARON, Lehar's GUIDETTA, THE LAND OF SMILES, and MERRY WIDOW, and Kalman's GRAFIN MARIZA among others. The Hungarian Operetta Orchestra is conducted by Laszlo Kovacs and the soloists are sopranos Ingrid Kertesi, Zsuzsu Csonka and tenor Janos Berkes. Perhaps the best pieces on the recording are "Fruhlingsstimmen", "Dein ist mein ganzes Herz" and the duet from Grafin Mariza. The disc does not give credit to the individual performers, so it we do not know which soprano is performing, but in all cases the voices are strong and beautiful. Berkes' tracks are well performed, but "O Madchen mein Madchen" is not as strong as other pieces he performs, but then again, he has great competition from other tenor greats who have attempted many of these pieces. In most cases, he performs admirably.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of this disc is the authenticity. Many operetta recordings include excerpts from studio recordings of the entire work. This recording seems to be a studio recording where the pieces are performed individually, but the listener would not know this from the overall quality. The disc also contains liner notes that provide the lyrics of the pieces performed, which is an added benefit to this disc.

Terrific value!.......2000-01-15

I bought all three discs in this series and heartily recommend them. At the price, you can't go wrong. My favorite is the first volume--after the opening waltz and two OK numbers, you'll find one lovely tune after another. I listen to this in my car and it shortens my perception of the commute.The recording is very good and the artists are pleasing to listen to. I don't care as much for the Fledermaus songs in the third volume, as the voices don't stand up to the caliber of Kiri Te Kanawa and others on the Previn Fledermaus disc--but they are still nice renditions.

Léhar: The Land of Smiles; The Merry Widow; The Count of Luxembourg (Highlights)

Average customer rating:

Arguably "The Best" English "Merry Widow "

Léhar: The Land of Smiles; The Merry Widow; The Count of Luxembourg (Highlights)

Manufacturer: Class. for Pleas. Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Johann Strauss II: Die Fledermaus; The Gypsy Baron (Highlights)
Offenbach: La Belle Helene; Orpheus in the Underworld; La Vie Parisienne (Highlights)
Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld / Burgess, Watson, etc (Highlights)
The Best of Operetta, Vol. 3
The Best of Operetta, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00009KHY2
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Customer Reviews:

Arguably "The Best" English "Merry Widow ".......2006-09-12

This is the "Merry Widow" with English translation by Christopher Hassel sung by June Bronhill. I loved this rendition ever since I first heard it in about 1960. What's to love? First the translation is the best I've heard. The language doesn't sound "stilted" as some others. And, you can understand almost every word sung. Plus, the famous song, "Vilja" has some wording that moves me every time I hear it: The soprano sings, "Love me and I'll DIE for you!" with the word "die" somewhat emphasized. I don't know, there's just something "powerful" about someone saying they'd "die" for love! AND, at the end of "Vilja" the chorus and soprano raise to a crescendo hitting a high note together. In many renditions the chorus is heard but not the soprano on the final high note. In THIS version, the soprano, June Bronhill, can be heard rising to the final high note with an incressing crescendo and fortissimo louder than the chorus and holding the final high note---which gives a very thrilling effect as she holds that final note, I assure you!

The "problem" is that this June Bronhill, Reid, and Hassel version is hard to find on CD. For example, this CD is made in Holland and "there is one left" so it says on Amazon. But, if you can find it, I think it would be very much worth a listen. Then, after hearing it, if you think there's a "better" Merry Widow, please let ME know! Thanks. Email:boland7214@aol.

Average customer rating:

Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg

Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Music of Sigmund Romberg
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Songs of Victor Herbert
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Deep in My Heart
The Desert Song / The New Moon

ASIN: B000000X26
Release Date: 1992-06-12

Tracks:

The Desert Song: It
Maytime: Waltz Medley
Girl Of The Golden West: Who Are We To Say?
The New Moon: Introduction - Stout Hearted Men - Lover Come Back To Me - Girl On The Prow - Try Her Out At Dances - Wanting You - Softly As In A Morning Sunrise - One Kiss - Finale
Nina Rosa: The Gaucho March
The Desert Song: Waltz
Viennese Nights: Introduction - I Bring You A Love Song - Here We Are - You Will Remember Vienna - Regimental March
Blossom Time: Song Of Love
My Maryland: Introduction - Dixie - Boys In Grey - Mother - Silver Moon - Your Land Is My Land
Bimbo: In Old Granada
The Desert Song: Introduction - Riff Song - One Flower In Your Garden - Waltz - The Foreign Legion - Romance - One Alone
Maytime: Farewell To Dreams
Nina Rosa: Your Smiles, Your Tears
The New Moon: Marienne
The New Moon: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
Nina Rosa: My First Love, My Last Love
Viennese Nights: I Bring A Love Song
The Night Is Young: When I Grow Too Old To Dream
The Student Prince: Intorduction - Arrival Of The Prince - Serenade - Deep In My Heart, Dear - Drinking Song - Just We Two - Students' March Song

Customer Reviews:

Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg.......2007-01-04

Excellent audio product, especially considering its age and the state of technology.

Average customer rating:

no texts -- shame on you EMI
Very Best of Fritz Wunderlich
Wunderlich.. ah what might have been,but glory in what was..
Elegant collection though everything...auf Deutsch!

Very Best of
Fritz Wunderlich
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000083GOM
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

Nur Ihrem Frieden - Berliner Symphoniker
Folget Der Heissgeliebten (Il Mio tesoro) - Berliner Symphoniker
Konstanze, Dich Wiederzusehen - Berliner Symphoniker
Der Odem Der Liebe (Un' Aura Amorosa) - Berliner Symphoniker
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon - Berliner Symphoniker
Ombra Mai Fu - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Ach, So Fromm - Berliner Symphoniker
Mit Gewitter Und Sturm - Orchester Der Staatsoper Berlin
So Leb' Ich Noch...Vor Deinem Fenster - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Lebe Wohl, Mein Flandrisch' Madchen - Berliner Symphoniker
Selig Sind, Die Verfolgung Leiden - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Horch, Die Lerche Singt Im Hain - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Fenton! Mein Madchen - Edith Mathis
Armer Narr...Es Muss Gelingen - N/A
So Find' Ich Dich...Mein Lieber Schatz, Nun Aufgepasst - Bamberger Symphoniker
Wohin Bist Du Entschwunden (Lensky's Aria) - Berliner Symphoniker

Tracks:

Leb' Wohl, Mignon (Adieu, Mignon) - Berliner Symphoniker
Ich Schloss Die Augen (En Ferment Les Yeux) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Komm, O Holde Dame (Viens, Gentille Dame) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Welche Huld Und Welche Reize (Quanto E Bella) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Wohl Drang Aus Ihrem Herzen (Una Furtiva Lagrima) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Komm In Die Gondel - N/A
Ach, Wie So Herrlich Zu Schau'n - Berliner Symphoniker
Durch Diesen Kuss Sei Unser Bund Geweiht - Berliner Symphoniker
Freunde, Das Leben Ist Lebenswert - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Von Apfelbluten Einen Kranz - N/A
Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz - Symphonie - Orchester
Allein! Wieder Allein! (Wolgalied) - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Zwei Marchenaugen - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Wenn Es Abend Wird... Grub Mir Mein Wien - N/A
Auch Ich Was Ein Feiner Csardaskavalier...Komm, Zigany - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Kleinen Kindern...O Frag Mich Nicht - Symphonie - Orchester Graunke
Man Sagt Uns Nach...O Rose Von Stambul - N/A
Zwei Augen - Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Der Rattenfanger - FFB Orchester

Amazon.com

Fritz Wunderlich is one of those singers whose voice, while you are listening to it, seems to eclipse all others. Ravishingly beautiful, perfectly produced, radiant, even, mellow, it flows out with effortless ease like a golden stream. His breath is endless, and there is nothing that he cannot do. On these two very generous discs he sings arias ranging from Handel to Viennese operettas and sounds equally at home in all of them, vocally and stylistically. Mozart was one of his specialties, and the five arias opening the program have a beguiling, caressing lyricism that melts the heart. The selection includes familiar arias by Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Donizetti, Smetana (including a duet with Pilar Lorengar), as well as several by composers whose operas were popular in the 1960s, when the records were made, but have now fallen into oblivion, such as Lortzing, Flotow, Cornelius, Kienzl, Nicolai, Thomas, Boieledieu. Wunderlich sings them all with the same seriousness and commitment, making the lesser ones sound better than they are, and creating real characters with color, nuance and expression. In keeping with the European tradition of performing opera in the local language, he sings everything in German, except the famous "Ombra mai fu" from Handel's Serse, which must have escaped the translators. Choosing from the best operettas by Lehár, Johann Strauss, Millöcker, Kálmán and Fall, he captures their smiling, tongue-in-cheek lightness and never lets the catchy tunes become corny or sentimental. (Listen also to his two very different, but equally wonderful recordings of Mahler's Song of the Earth under Schmidt-Isserstedt on BellaVoce and Klemperer.) In 1966, aged 36, at the peak of his artistry and his career, Wunderlich died after a fall, a month before he was to make his debut at the Metropolitan Opera. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

no texts -- shame on you EMI.......2007-02-11

This is not a gripe about Wunderlich, one of the greatest IMHO. It is about the EMI folks, who obviously think that song texts are irrelevant. Well, how do you know if the singing does justice to the text? And if you think that these texts are easily available elsewhere, I would be most thankful if you would share with me Lehar's "Das Land des L"achelns" Kalman's "die Zirkusprinzessin" or Neuendorff's "Der Rattenf"anger".

Very Best of Fritz Wunderlich.......2007-01-09

Fritz Wunderlich is still one of the Best. This CD is very good value for money, such a variety of songs, excellent tone quality.

Wunderlich.. ah what might have been,but glory in what was.........2004-12-29

Fritz Wunderlich died at the tragically young age of 36, just weeks before his scheduled Metropolitan Opera debut. I have no doubt that he would have been THE tenor of the 1960s and 70s. This collection is a compendium of some of Wunderlich's finest stuff (although his lieder are not represented here). Among the highlights, Granada.
I know, it's a Spanish song, and as the previous reviewer said, everything here is in German, which can get a little annoying with the Italian opera.. but for sheer vocal glory, Granada will make you want to stand up and shout, what a voice!!
If you don't know Wunderlich, get this disc.

Elegant collection though everything...auf Deutsch!.......2004-05-03

Among the lyric tenors, Wunderlich had one of the most handsome voices and a strength not usually related to this type of tenors. One melancholically wonders how much his repertoire could have expanded, had he lived longer.

This new VERY BEST collection has arias of some of his trademark Mozart roles, songs and arias of less popular composers as well as some famous arias of the Italian repertoire. He sings them all with memorable style, unparalleled beauty of tone and - where needed - the right vigour. I only wish he'd escaped the tradition of those decades and recorded the Italian and French arias in their original language and not in German. Only "Ombra mai fu" is sung in Italian and it doesn't reveal any bad Italian accent. Listening for example to his lovely "Una furtiva lagrima" in German is unique for sure but I prefer the Italian version.

Tracks:

Madama Butterfly: Addio fiorito asil
Turandot: Signore, ascolta!
Turandot: Non piangere, Liu!
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
La Boheme: Si. Mi chiamano Mimi
La Boheme: O soave fanciulla
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo
Cavalleria Rusticana: Mamma, quel vino e generoso (Addio alla madre)
Carmen: Seguidilla: Pres des remparts de Seville
L'amico Fritz: Suzel, buon di
Die lustige Witwe: Vilja
Il paese del sorriso/Das Land des Lachelns: Tu che m'hai preso il cuor (Dein ist mein ganzes Herz/You Are My Heart's Delight)
Porgy And Bess: My Man's Gone Now
Granada
Manon Lescaut: Tra voi, belle
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Porgy And Bess: Summertime
La mia canzone al vento
'O sole mio
La Traviata: Brindisi

Customer Reviews:

decent collection, good for the car.......2007-05-28

Live concert of chestnuts with Pavarotti and Nuccia Focile. I prefer the Pavarotti from the 1970's with his sweeter voice, but he's OK here.

Nuccia Focile gave a simply knockout solo recital in 2006 that I was so fortunate to attend. The best recital I've ever attended. She brought tears to my eyes. Unfortunately, her in person commitment to the music doesn't travel that well here. She's decent on the recording, but other singers do it better.

I listen to this a lot in the car.

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