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Don Carlo, opera
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra & Chorus
with Luigi Roni, Stefania Malagu, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Jose Carreras, Piero Cappuccilli, Antonio Savastano, Francesca Caldera, Gianfranco Manganotti, Yelena Obraztsova, Mirella Freni, Luigi De Corato
Conducted by Claudio Abbado
Verdi: Don Carlo (Complete Opera) / Carreras,Giuseppe Verdi,Claudio Abbado,La Scala Theater Orchestra & Chorus,Antonio Savastano,Francesca Caldera,Gianfranco Manganotti,José Carreras,Luigi De Corato,Luigi Roni,Mirella Freni,Nicolai Ghiaurov,Piero Cappuccilli,Stefania Malagu,Yelena Obraztsova,Jose Carreras,Freni,Elena Obraztsova,Piero Cappuccilli,Legato Classics,Classical,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio
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The Most Famous Opera Duets
Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000002SCA Release Date: 1994-04-12 |
Tracks:
- Les Peurs des perles Act 1 - Au fond du temple saint
- Madama Butterfly Act 1- Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino
- Le Nozze di Figaro Act III - Sull'aria - Le Nozze di Figaro
- La Traviata Act I - Un di, felice, eterea
- Lucia Di Lammermoor Act I - Ah! Verranna a te sull'aure
- Tristan und Isolde Act II - O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe
- Carmen Act I - Parle-moi de m
- Die ZauberflAct I - Bei Mern, welche Liebe F
- Lakmct I - Viens, Mallika
- Rigoletto Act I - il sol dell'anima
- Der Rosenkavalier Act II - Mir ist die Ehre wilderfahren
- Don Giovanni Act I - Li darem la mano
- La Boh Act IV - O Mimi, tu pi torni
- Il Trovatore Act IV - Miserere...Quel suon, quelle preci
Amazon.com
This is a misnomer--not all of these duets are all that famous--but it's a fine compilation nonetheless. You'll hear selections from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Nicolai Gedda and Ernest Blanc at their most elegant French), Madama Butterfly (Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Scotto--an impassioned pair), Lucia di Lammermoor (a classy Alfredo Kraus and Edita Gruberova), the lovely Lakme duet, The Presentation of the Silver Rose from Der Rosenkavalier (with the earnest Christa Ludwig and the other-worldly Teresa Stich-Randall), and a fine Trovatore "Miserere" (with Leontyne Price and Franco Bonisolli singing up a storm). There are many others, too--a veritable cornucopia of couplings--and a treat for the opera lover. --Robert LevineCustomer Reviews:
Can't go wrong.......2007-07-14
Most Famous???.......2007-05-14
Only one song knew well.......2007-05-14
The Most Famous Opera Duets.......2007-01-05
Thanks again!!!!!
Good selection of opera highlights.......2006-11-04
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Verdi: Requiem & Operatic Choruses
Manufacturer: Telarc ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
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 LibbeyCustomer Reviews:
A memorable album by Robert Shaw.......2007-04-16
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
Superb.......2005-10-20
Don't miss the final track on the second disk!
Brings back memories.......2001-05-04
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
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Verdi - Don Carlo / Domingo · Caballé · Raimondi · Milnes · Verrett · Estes · Giulini
Giuseppe Verdi , Carlo Maria Giulini , Plácido Domingo , Montserrat Caballé , Ruggero Raimondi , Sherrill Milnes , Shirley Verrett , Giovanni Foiani , Simon Estes , Ryland Davies , and Ambrosian Opera Chorus Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00004VVZP Release Date: 2000-08-15 |
Tracks:
- Don Carlo: Act One - I: Introduzione - Coro di cacciatori - Su, cacciator! pronti o la belva (Coro)
- Don Carlo: Act One - II: Scena e romanza - Fontainebleu! Foresta immensa e solitaria!
- Don Carlo: Act One - II: Scena e romanza - Io la vidi e al suo srriso (Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act One - III: Scene e duetto - Il suon del corno alfin nel bosco tace (Carlo, Tebaldo, Elisabetta)
- Don Carlo: Act One - III: Scene e duetto - Al mio pie', perche?
- Don Carlo: Act One - III: Scene e duetto - Di quale amor, di quanto ardor (Elisabetta, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act One - III: Scene e duetto - Al fedel ch'ora viene, o signora (Tebaldo, Elisabetta, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act One - III: Scene e duetto - L'ora fatale e suonata! (Elisabetta, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act One - IV: Coro, scena e finale primo - Inni di festa lieti echeggiate (Coro, Elisabetta, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act One - IV: Coro, scena e finale primo - Il glorioso Re di Francia (Lerna, Coro, Elisabetta)
- Don Carlo: Act One - IV: Coro, scena e finale primo - Vi benedica, Iddio dal ciel! (Coro, Elisabetta, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene One - I: Preludio, Introduzione, scena del frate e duetto (Don Carlo-Rodrigo) - Preludio (Orchestra)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene One - I: Preludio, Introduzione, scena del frate e duetto (Don Carlo-Rodrigo) - Carlo il sommo Imperatore (Coro, Un frate)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene One - I: Preludio, Introduzione, scena del frate e duetto (Don Carlo-Rodrigo) - Al chiostro di San Giusto (Carlo, Un frate)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene One - I: Preludio, Introduzione, scena del frate e duetto (Don Carlo-Rodrigo) - E lui! desso! l'Infante!
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene One - I: Preludio, Introduzione, scena del frate e duetto (Don Carlo-Rodrigo) - Questo arcano dal Re non fu sorpreso ancora? (Rodrigo, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene One - I: Preludio, Introduzione, scena del frate e duetto (Don Carlo-Rodrigo) - Dio, che nell'alma infondere amor (Carlo, Rodrigo, Coro, Un frate)
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - II: Coro e scena (Canzona del velo) - Sotto ai folti, immensi abeti (Coro di donne, Tebaldo)
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - II: Coro e scena (Canzona del velo) - Tra queste mura pie la Regina di Spagna
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - II: Coro e scena (Canzona del velo) - Nei giardin del bello saracin ostello (Ebloi, Tebaldo, Coro di donne)
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - III: Scena terzetto et dialogato (Romanza di Rodrigo) - La Regina!...Un'arcana mestizia (Coro di donne, Eboli, Elisabetta, Tebaldo, Rodrigo)
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - III: Scena terzetto et dialogato (Romanza di Rodrigo) - Che mai si fa nel suol francese
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - III: Scena terzetto et dialogato (Romanza di Rodrigo) - Carlo, ch'e sol il nostro amore (Eboli, Rodrigo, Elisabetta)
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - IV: Gran scena e duetto - Il vengo a domandar
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - IV: Gran scena e duetto - Perduto ben, mio sol tesor
- Don Carlo: Act Two - Scene Two - IV: Gran scena e duetto - Oh! Carlo! Oh! Carlo! (Carlo, Elisabetta)
Tracks:
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene Two - V: Scena e romanza - Il Re!...Perche sola e la Regina? (Tebaldo, Filippo, Coro)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene Two - V: Scena e romanza - Non pianger, mia compagna (Elisabetta, Rodrigo, Coro, Filippo)
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene Two - VI: Scena e duetto - Restate! Al mio regal cospetto
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene Two - VI: Scena e duetto - O Signor, di Fiandra arrivo
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene Two - VI: Scena e duetto - Quest'e la pace che voi date al mondo?
- Don Carlo: Act Two, Scene Two - VI: Scena e duetto - Oso lo sguardo tuo penetrar il mio soglio (Filippo, Rodrigo)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VII: Preludio - Preludio (Orchestra)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - A mezzanotte, ai giardin della Regina
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - Ciel! non e la Regina! (Carlo, Eboli)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - Che disse mai? (Rodrigo, Eboli)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - Al mio furor, sfuggite invano
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - Ed io, che tremava al suo aspetto!
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - Trema per te, falso figliuolo (Eboli, Rodrigo, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene One - VIII: Scena, duetto e terzetto - Carlo! se mai su te fogli importanti serbi (Rodrigo, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - Spuntato ecco il di d'esultanza (Coro)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - Il corteggio resale (Orchestra, Coro)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - Schiusa or sia la porta del tempio! (L'araldo, Coro)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - Nel Posar sul mio capo la corona (Filippo, Coro, Elisabetta, Rodrigo, Carlo, Deputati)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - A Dio voi foste infidi, infidi al vostro Re (Filippo, Coro, Elisabetta, Tebaldo, Carlo, Rodrigo, Deputati)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - Sire! egli e tempo ch'io viva! (Carlo, Filippo, Elisabetta, Rodrigo, Tebaldo, Coro)
- Don Carlo: Act Three, Scene Two - IX: Gran finale - O ciel! Tu! Rodrigo! (Carlo, Coro, Eboli, Elisabetta, Filippo, Una voce dal cielo, Deputati)
Tracks:
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - X: Introduzione e scena - Introduzione (Orchestra)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - X: Introduzione e scena - Ella giammai m'amo!
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - X: Introduzione e scena - Dormiro sol nel manto mio regal (Filippo)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XI: Scena - Il Grand'Inquisitor! (Lerma, L'Inquisitore, Filippo)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XI: Scena - Nell'ispano suol mai l'eresia domino
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XI: Scena - Mio padre, che tra noi la pace alberghi ancor (L'Inquisitore, Filippo)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XII: Scena e quartetto - Giustizia, giustizia, Sire! (Elisabetta, Filippo)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XII: Scena e quartetto - Ardita troppo voi favellate!
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XII: Scena e quartetto - Ah! sii maledetto, sospetto fatale (Filippo, Elisabetta, Eboli, Rodrigo)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XIII: Scena ed aria - Pieta! Pieta! perdon! (Eboli, Elisabetta)
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XIII: Scena ed aria - Ah! piu non vedro la Regina! O don fatale, o don crudel
- Don Carlo: Act Four, Scene One - XIII: Scena ed aria - O mia Regina, io t'immolai (Eboli)
- Don Carlo: Act Frou, Scene Two - XIV: Morte di Rodrigo e sommossa - Son io, mio Carlo (Rodrigo, Carlo)
- Don Carlo: Act Frou, Scene Two - XIV: Morte di Rodrigo e sommossa - Per me giunto e il di supremo (Rodrigo)
- Don Carlo: Act Frou, Scene Two - XIV: Morte di Rodrigo e sommossa - Che parli tu di morte? (Carlo, Rodrigo)
- Don Carlo: Act Frou, Scene Two - XIV: Morte di Rodrigo e sommossa - O Carlo, ascolta, la madre t'aspetta
- Don Carlo: Act Frou, Scene Two - XIV: Morte di Rodrigo e sommossa - Ah! io morro, ma lieto in core (Rodrigo)
- Don Carlo: Act Frou, Scene Two - XIV: Morte di Rodrigo e sommossa - Mio Carlo, a te la spada io rendo (Filippo, Carlo, Coro, Lerma, Eboli, L'Inquisitore)
- Don Carlo: Act Five - XV: Scena ed aria - Introduzione (Orchestra)
- Don Carlo: Act Five - XV: Scena ed aria - Tu che le vanita
- Don Carlo: Act Five - XV: Scena ed aria - Carlo qui verra! Si!
- Don Carlo: Act Five - XV: Scena ed aria - Addio! Addio, bei sogni d'or
- Don Carlo: Act Five - XV: Scena ed aria - Tu che le vanita (Elisabetta)
- Don Carlo: Act Five - Scena, duetto d'addio e finale - E dessa!...Un detto, un sol
- Don Carlo: Act Five - Scena, duetto d'addio e finale - Vago sogno m'arrise!
- Don Carlo: Act Five - Scena, duetto d'addio e finale - Ma lassu ci vedremo (Carlo, Elisabetta)
- Don Carlo: Act Five - Scena, duetto d'addio e finale - Si, per sempre! (Filippo, L'Inquisitore, Elisabetta, Carlo, Un frate, Familiari)
Amazon.com
Politics, love, and family conflict make a heady brew in Verdi's masterpiece, originally set to a French text for Paris in 1867. In 1882, the composer made an Italian version with big cuts, lopping off the entire first act, which here is restored by Giulini. His pointed, nuanced conducting makes this recording the best available. An ideal Don Carlo requires the unattainable: five great singers and an expert Verdi conductor. This 1970 set has glorious voices that don't dig deep enough for this multilayered drama. The young Domingo sounds fresh, but lacks the free top that the part needs. Milnes has the voice for Rodrigo but, like Domingo and Caballé, is too generalized. Raimondi is too light-voiced for Philip, and the confrontation scene consequently lacks the chilling tension that Tito Gobbi and Boris Christoff bring to it on an earlier EMI cut led by Gabriele Santini. Rival recordings have bigger flaws and few of the virtues that are displayed here, such as Caballé's extraordinarily beautiful if detached singing. True Verdians also will want Pappano's French version, also on EMI, which features Alagna as the hapless prince. --Dan DavisCustomer Reviews:
Marvelous performance by the whole lot........2007-05-31
This is the definitive recording of Don Carlo!!!.......2006-01-02
Italian Opera Sung By two Spaniards, an Italian and two Americans.......2005-11-05
Likewise, Montserrat Caballe has what it takes to essay the role of Queen Elisabeth Di Valois. Not only does she color her voice so that she is both singing with melancholy sweetness (with those ravishing pianissimi she is so famous for) but she is able to make the Queen sound tormented behind a mask of pride and aristocratic bearing. With Verdi, Caballe did not have to tra-la-la her way through phrases as she did with Puccini. She knew Verdi very well and excelled in Verdi opera perhaps because Verdi's operas are influenced in part by bel canto, which Caballe was the reigning interpretor of in the 60's. This is Caballe's best work on recording, and that's considering she sang superbly as Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia and Bellini's Norma. Her "rival" the seductive and scheming Princess Eboli is sung by the well-endowed mezzo soprano Shirley Verrett, an African-American. Born in America to a Seventh-Day Adventist, Shirley Verrett's rich, dark voice is thrilling and elegant. She makes the character of Eboli appear majestic in her own terms, though perhaps not as sympathetic in portrayal as Grace Bumbry's interpretation. Still Verrett has the right stuff to pull ito ff. Eboli is among her greatest mezzo roles and already hinted at here is her high soprano voice which she would use later in the 70's to essay the roles of Bellini's Norma, Aida and Puccini's Tosca. Another American in the cast is baritone Sherill Milnes, who is also involved in baseball. Milnes makes the role of the Inquisitornearly as charismatic as Domingo's Carlo. Their duets and scenes alone are worth the price of this recording. Milnes worked well with Domingo and it shows, especially here. This is his best work for I find that his Count Di Luna and Scarpia are static. Here, though, he delivers!! The only Italian in the bunch is Ruggero Raimondi singing one devilishly, and cool-sounding King Phillip. He makes the King sound like Don Giovanni! And that's actually good in this case because the King has some big flaws. Giulini is doing a fine job with the score, treating it with a kind of epic grandeur worthy of Wagner. This is still the best Don Carlo out there. The only other I recommend is the original French version starring Domingo, Ricciarelli, Valentini Terrani and Nicolai Ghiurov who sing in the most glorious French voices for this opera fit for the Paris Opera that adored historical spectacles.
TAKING SOUNDINGS.......2005-08-26
When recommending a Don Carlo on disc I therefore focus mainly on the musical side. In any case there is no possible risk that if this music is sung properly it will come across as a concert - Verdi sees to that. He was a dramatist to the marrow of his bones, and the listener at home has only to follow the words in order to be caught up in the grand sombre tragedy that Verdi has burned into music. The best performance on disc, for me, will be the performance that most consistently conveys both power and beauty, because this opera is about tormented human emotions at the mercy of ruthless political power in addition to their own tragic fallibility. None of that needs any staging when conveyed in music like this. It would be a tall order to expect any performance of this outsize opera to be perfect. It is not a perfect work itself, on any showing. Even by Verdi's standards it went through an enormous amount of rethinking and revision, and it has surely the most peculiar and unconvincing conclusion there can ever have been in a work of its stature. A worthy performance has to convey total and absolute belief and commitment, but the focus has to be on beauty as well, more than would be so in the opera house, because sound is all we have.
One doesn't have to get far into the first act to realise that this Don Carlo is going to score quite exceptionally highly in point of beauty. Domingo is in superb voice, and Caballe surpasses herself. As the work goes on I suppose it might be fair to say that her lower register is not the equal of her higher, but this is Verdi and not Wagner. Wagner pitches his solo parts reasonably so as not to put strain on the voices, Verdi exploits the upper range of every voice except the bass with remorseless partiality, and Caballe rises to his monstrous demands magnificently. Eboli is a mezzo role, but the challenge Verrett has to overcome is hardly less in that respect, and her confession of the theft of the jewel-box is perhaps the final solo gem in a performance that is a jewel-box itself. Not everyone is absolutely right - the Grand Inquisitor's voice is too youthful, but I have very little criticism indeed to make of any of the major roles. Raimondi as the king seems perfectly good to me, and Milnes delivers a fine rendering of the part of Posa, combining power and inwardness, sometimes at one and the same time. If there is a high spot to the entire performance it is surely the quartet in act IV, a sublime outpouring of beautiful sound from all the principals together.
In the last analysis this Don Carlo surpasses any other I have ever heard for its combination of sheer beauty with wholehearted power. Giulini was born to conduct it, and I doubt I have a single criticism of anything he does from start to finish. The recording is now 35 years old, but you might not be able to tell. Now only weeks from Giulini's passing I am especially glad to be able to give such an unqualified endorsement to what I believe to be one of his finest achievements, indeed one of the finest opera recordings I know. It's only to be expected that there are details that one prefers in other accounts, but for sheer consistent quality at the highest level I would say your search can safely end here.
A masterpiece of conducting.......2004-07-11
The vocal parts aren't as demanding as others in any register. Yet, the length and the profound impact that the orchestra has in this opera and the complex turns and situations the opera encompasses make me believe that a succesful Don Carlo is first of all a problem of conducting. And I think that this is why everybody turns to this recordnig when they have to name the best recording of Don Carlo.
For any of the vocals here you can find someone better. I personally prefer Corelli over all the others, including Domingo which here is in a very good shape and delivers a very involved and careful rendition of Don Carlo. Martti Talvela is indeed unsurpassed in the role of Grande Inquisitor, but Estes here does a very fine job. Ghiaurov's Filip is indeed overwhelming and I love him as much as the others do. But I have to say that I found Raimondi to be a revelation. Maybe his voice is a little lighter but the sensibility and expresivity Raimondi is capable of, deliver a very refreshing and rewarding contribution to this key role. Milnes is also very good. The first Don Carlo I heard had Bastianini singing Posa. Both him and Gobbi are more rewarding in terms of tone and interpretation. But Milnes comes really close and he makes a very convincing case especially in the duos with Domingo or King Filip (a real miscast was Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, in Solti's recording). The ladies are as god as those on other recordings if not better. I really enjoy what Caballe does in the role of Elisabeta and Verrett is a very capable pair.
In conclusion the roles in this recording are handled extremely well and I can't help thinking that the star singers of some of these roles (mentioned above) were sacrificed for the unity of the cast, a good performing team.
So, in the end, everything comes to conducting. And here I think this recording is unsurpassed. The extraordinary sense of tempo that works wonders elsewhere is displayed here by Giulini in full power. And such, the opera unwraps in front of you with a "life-like" quality. Nothing is exagerated for the sake of a particular temporary effect. But when the development of the drama asks for it power and intensity are there to deliver the goods. As usual with Giulini the orchestra is so dedicated to its conductor and you can hear inner voices inside the orchestra that you won't hear anywhere else. The characters, entirely supported by the orchestra, evolve naturally in the same right atmosphere with flawless inner logic. It is the only recording of Don Carlo which has a sense of unity and of a "single piece".
To wrap up things imagine this: you listen to a performance wich always tells you where you are and how did you get there, you follow the evolution of both characters and intrigue without any bumpss or missed points, you hear very beautiful voices in distinguished performances supported by a very beautifully sounding and highly expressive orchestra. There is no wonder that you come back to this recording when somebody asks you which one is the best recording of Verdi's Don Carlo.
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Essential Verdi
Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
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
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
Incredible.......2002-06-05
Just Stunning!.......2002-01-26
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Artists Of The Century - Jussi Bjorling, The Ultimate Collection
Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
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 EislerCustomer Reviews:
Excellent older music.......2007-04-05
A Golden Voice!.......2006-07-31
(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
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
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
A total disappointment. I recommend Gigli and Del Monaco instead.
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Amore II ~ Great Italian Love Arias
Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00004C4MX Release Date: 2000-02-01 |
Tracks:
- Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
- La rondine: Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
- La Boheme: Quando m'en vo
- La Boheme: Mi chiamano Mimi
- La Boheme: Che gelida manina
- TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
- Madama Butterfly: Un bel di
- Madama Butterfly: Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia
- Turandot: Tu, che di gel sei cinta
- Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
- Rigoletto: Caro nome
- La Traviata: Lunge da lei...De miei bollenti spiriti...oh mio rimorso
- Aida: Celeste Aida
- L'Elisir d'Amore: Prendi, per me sei libero
- L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
- Don Pasquale: Quel guardo il cavaliere
- Fedora: Amor ti vieta
- Turandot: Nessun dorma
Customer Reviews:
heywhattsamattayou.......2007-06-12
full of passion and love.......2007-03-31
Absolutely Beautiful!.......2002-03-02
Where is Amore I?.......2001-02-16
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Jerry Hadley and Thomas Hampson - Famous Opera Duets (Tenor/Bass)
Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000000SEV Release Date: 1993-10-05 |
Tracks:
- La Boheme: 'O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni'
- Belisario: 'Leberi Siete, Addio!'
- Les Vepres siciliennes: 'Quel Est Ton Nom?'...'Henri'
- Don Carlos: 'Le Voila! C'est l'Infant!'
- Les Pecheurs De Perles: 'Au Fond Du Temple Saint'
- L'Elisir D' Amore: 'Venti Scudi'
- Lucia Di Lammermoor: 'Orrida E Questa Notte'
- Dinorah: 'Quand L'heure Sonnera'
- Die Fledermaus: 'Komm Mit Mir Zum Souper'
Customer Reviews:
Hampson: One of the sexiest voices in opera today........2006-02-06
radiant.......2001-02-01
Beautiful. Two fine singers create a special CD.......2000-07-26
I acquired this CD also on auction. Listening to it one thought came to mind. Sometimes two = better than one. The interplay and synergy displayed by tenor Hadley and baritone Hampson is marvelous. This CD represents a case where two voices = a four-power recording. The works should all be savoured.
Which of the nine tracks do I enjoy the most? All nine is not an acceptable answer. I admire the opening Puccini excerpt from La Boheme. Bizet's selection from Les Pecheurs de peries can stand with any. My favorite has to be the Strauss selection from Die Fledermous. Hadley and Hampson are more Broadway-type opera singers. Their duet in Die Fledermous may only be 3.36. You might put this track alone on repeat.
I highly recommend the CD. Maybe you will find other tracks more desirable than #1 (Pucinni), #5 (Bizet) and #9 (Johann Strauss). Try this. Maybe I will have to re-listen. That would be such sweet joy. It is going to be my next CD played (again and again). Enjoy.
Simply Stunning!! Hadley/Hampson are among the best ever........1998-11-07
Hadley & Hampson blend beautifully........1998-09-11
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The "Pearl Fishers" Duet
Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
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 VernierCustomer Reviews:
Superb singing by my favorite tenor.......2006-12-29
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
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
Notes on a classic.......2006-06-04
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
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The Very Best of Régine Crespin
Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B0006VYEJQ Release Date: 2005-04-26 |
Tracks:
- Ils S'Eloignent Enfin...Sombre Foret
- D'Amour L'Ardente Flamme
- Les Grecs Ont Disparu...Malheureux Roi!
- Nous Avons Vu Finir...Chers Tyriens
- Je Vais Mourir...Adieu, Fiere Cite
- Ah! Salome! Dans Ce Palais...Il Est Doux, Il Est Bon
- Je Souffre
- Mes Cheres Filles, J'Ai Encore A Vous Dire
- Soir
- Le Secret
- Apres Un Reve
- Clair De Lune
- Lo Fiolaire
- Lou Coucut
- Coeur En Peril
- Berceuse Creole
Tracks:
- Einsam In Truben Tagen
- Euch Luften, Die Mein Klagen
- Eine Waffe Lass Mich Dir Weisen...Der Manner Sippe
- Ich Sah Das Kind
- I. Der Engel
- II. Stehe Still!
- III. Im Treibhaus
- IV. Schmerzen
- V. Traume
- I. In Der Fremde
- II. Intermezzo
- III. Waldesgesprach
- Timor Di Me?...D'Amor Sull'Ali Rosee
- Ecco L'Orrido Campo...Ma Dall'Arido Stelo Divulsa
- Tu Che Le Vanita
- D'Art Et D'Amour
Album Description
Details TBA. EMI. 2005.Customer Reviews:
Sensuality Personified!.......2005-04-27
It is by now, very difficult to imagine anyone singing "Il est doux" with more apt expression of the line than La Crespin. Wagner's Wesendonk lieder is simply sublime from start to finish and the Faure takes on new meaning. That she is comical, melancholy, fun and happy by turns singles her out. This collection captures all her awesome talent. Underneath it all seems to be a very, if I may, sexual energy.
Crespin must be heard to be believed and the miracle lies in that even her softest tones are really enveloping, never thin. All tones are open and this is why there are enough colors in Regine Crespin's delicious voice to paint the world a thousand times, but it may also be why she infamous for being short and edgy on top but I remind, never here is she such. She is a relaxed singer in superb voice, comfortable in her own olive skin and makes the most out of every word those poets wrote.
The whole collection is unique in pace, style, and voice. It is Regine Crespin...in a nutshell fabulous!
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Opera's Greatest Duets
Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD |