Puccini: Tosca/Verdi: La Forza Del Destino

Tosca, opera
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
with Gino Beloni, Renata Tebaldi, Anselmo Colzani, Cesare Masini Sperti, Pierluigi Latinucci, Franco Corelli
Conducted by Mario Parenti
La forza del destino, opera Taci...lo non amarlo?...Me pellegrina ed orfana
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Renata Tebaldi, Anna di Stasio
Conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
La forza del destino, opera Ah, per sempre, o mio bell'angiol
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Renata Tebaldi, Franco Corelli
Conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
La forza del destino, opera Son giunta!...Madre, pietosa Vergine
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Renata Tebaldi
Conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
La forza del destino, opera La vita è inferno...Oh, tu che in seno agli angeli
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Franco Corelli
Conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
La forza del destino, opera Pace, pace, mio Dio
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Renata Tebaldi
Conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
La forza del destino, opera A confortar correte un uom che muor
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Renata Tebaldi, Boris Christoff, Franco Corelli
Conducted by Francesco Molinari-Pradelli

Puccini: Tosca/Verdi: La Forza Del Destino,Giacomo Puccini,Giuseppe Verdi,Francesco Molinari-Pradelli,Mario Parenti,Anna di Stasio,Anselmo Colzani,Boris Christoff,Cesare Masini Sperti,Franco Corelli,Gino Beloni,Pierluigi Latinucci,Renata Tebaldi,Legato Classics,Classical,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera

Average customer rating:

Audio beauty and magnificence, Maria Callas
sublime
Good "Best Of"
The Very Best of Maria Callas
Classic Callas

The Very Best Of Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Maria Callas, the Voice of the Century
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Best of Italian Opera
The Most Famous Opera Duets
The #1 Opera Album

ASIN: B00005Y1YQ
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Carmen: L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro
La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana
Samson Et Dalila: Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Tosca: Vissi D'arte, Vissi D'amore
Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Porgi Amor
Orphee Et Eurydice: J'ai Perdu Mon Eurydice
Aida: Ritorna Vincitor!
Adriana Lecouvreur: Respiro Appena... Lo So L'Umile Ancella
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo
Norma: Casta Diva
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta!
Louise: Depuis Le Jour
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi
La Gioconda: Suicidio
La Forza Del Destino: Pace, Pace Mio Dio!

Customer Reviews:

Audio beauty and magnificence, Maria Callas.......2007-03-31

There are moments on this recording that are virtually audio heaven.
Ms. Callas' voice goes beyond the normal concept of beauty.

sublime.......2007-02-14

she is an angel , a voice without parallel , a collection very interesting of arias from different masters.

Good "Best Of".......2007-02-09

Maira Callas was never a favorite of mine, but she is notable as a passionate, (but sometime shrill to my ears) performer. This collection is a good single record tribute to her operatic legacy.

The Very Best of Maria Callas.......2006-08-20

Second on my list for CDs that should be recommended for people who want to start on a long trail of Callas to the Carmen with Gedda and Prétre. This has perhaps the best excerpts of all time from Maria Callas. The 'Ritorna vincitor' and 'Una voce poco fa' are to be treasured. Any long-time Callas fan will find this CD of little to no interest, because anything they haven't heard before, there's a better, low-audio-quality version of somewhere. 4 stars for that reason.

Classic Callas.......2006-07-11

Countless assessments of Maria Callas' life and career, as well as re-issues of some of her definitive recorded performances have been fueled by the 25th anniversaary of her tragic and prophetic death alone in her Paris flat on September 16, 1977. One of those such discs, this 17 track retrospective compilation from the archives of EMI is among the best. Every character she portrays is bought to life by her incomparible ability both vocally and emotionally. Enjoy!

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
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jussi Björling Rediscovered
The "Pearl Fishers" Duet
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli
Jussi Bjorling: Opera Arias
The Very Best of Franco Corelli

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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Similar Items:

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:

Fabulous Intro!
A Great Introduction To The World's Greatest Tenor

Great Caruso

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias
Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World
Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings
Prima Voce - Caruso
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli

ASIN: B000001HK8
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

Vesti La Giubba
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Chiudo Gli Occhi (Dream Song)
Cielo E Mar!
M'Appari Tutt' Amor
Solenne In Quest'Ora
Che Gelida Manina
O Soave Fanciulla (Love Duet )
Del Tempoi Al Limitar
Celeste Aida
Se M'Ami Ancor...Al Nostri Monti Ritorneremo
Recondita Armonia
La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee
Mamma! Quel Vino E Generoso!
Oh! Mostruosa Colpa!...Si, Pel Ciel
Libiamo Ne'Leiti Calici
O Figli...Ah, La Paterna Mano
Mia Piccirella
Pimpinella
For You Alone
Trusting Eyes
Luna D'Estate
'O Sole Mio

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous Intro!.......2004-05-04

You just gotta buy this one! It's fabulous! Made me a fan!!!

A Great Introduction To The World's Greatest Tenor.......2003-05-31

The transfers of the original accoutic 78's are very good and the selection gives you a great slice of the arias and songs that made him the benchmark for all tenors that have followed. This is a great introduction to his art and will make you want to get one of the complete sets.

Average customer rating:

Verdi is rolling in his grave
Nice sound, but an all time great?
Oh dear oh dear...
You're kidding, right?
The New Pavarotti

Salvatore Licitra - The Debut
Giuseppe Verdi , and Carlo Rizzi
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Forbidden Love
Duetto
Marcelo Álvarez - Bel Canto / Y. Huang, WNO, Rizzi
The Man Who Cried
The Tenor's Passion

ASIN: B000068TL8
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Tracks:

Puccini: Tosca: E lucevan le stelle
Puccini: Turandot: Nessun dorma
Puccini: La Fanciulla Del West: Ch'ella mi creda
Puccini: Tosca: Recondita armonia
Puccini: Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Puccini: Madama Butterfly: Addio fiorito asil
Verdi: Aida: Celeste Aida
Verdi: La Forza Del Destino: La vita e inferno...Oh tu che in seno
Verdi: Simon Boccanegra: Sento avvampar nell'anima
Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera: Baccarole: Di tu se fedele
Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera: Forse la soglia attinse
Verdi: Macbeth: Ah! La paterna mano
Verdi: Il Trovatore: Manrico? Che?...Di quella pira

Amazon.com

Tenor Salvatore Licitra recently made headlines when he stepped in at the last moment for the, sad to say, probably finished Luciano Pavarotti at the Metropolitan Opera's final Toscas of the season. In fact, there's little Licitra could have done wrong under the circumstances, but he was a great success, and judging from his recent Trovatore and this recital CD, he will be most welcome. The good-sized, somewhat dark-hued voice is appealing--and truly Italian--with an innate caressing quality and sense of line, even from top to bottom (he takes the very low option in the Ballo Barcarolle, which most tenors take up an octave), and nice and free on top. He has no trouble sustaining the high tessitura (or big sound and broad phrases) of Alvaro's aria from Forza; he sounds sincerely regretful as the caddish Pinkerton, and might even be the Dick Johnson (in Fanciulla) we've been looking for. This is an impressive debut recital, recommended for those who have been waiting for Italian opera to fall back into the hands of an Italian tenor. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Verdi is rolling in his grave.......2007-02-24

Untrained, flat singing. Crap! Anyone who thinks this man can sing better than Luciano Pavarotti needs hearing aids and needs to go back and listen to tenors starting with Caruso and all the great tenors who came after him
As a voice teacher, conductor and tenor I can tell you that he CAN NOT SING!!!!

Nice sound, but an all time great?.......2007-01-09

I am hardly an expert, but I have mixed reactions to this CD. First, I think that Licitra's voice has a nice smooth sound to it. But it is also overmatched by some of the music.

I always love hearing tenors take a shot at Verdi's "Di quella pira" from "Il Trovatore." Once, in a moment of madness, I taped 10-15 tenors, back to back, singing this. What a range of singers! Caruso, Tucker, Corelli, and so on, and so on. Some great, some not so great, some poor. But you can really divide up the singers by listening to one after the other (ad nauseam). Truthfully, Licitra can't handle this work, compared with the greatest of those luminaries. His light voice is overwhelmed at the end by the orchestra and chorus. While his technique seems okay, he just doesn't have the voice to make this memorable. A Franco Corelli or Richard Tucker or Mario del Monaco just soars over the orchestra and chorus.

I thought he did much better in "Nessun Dorma" and the two Tosca arias, "E Lucevan le stella" and "Recondita armonia," and others. To me, his voice seemed to fit those more compellingly.

Again, keep in mind that I am not an expert, but his "Celeste Aida" featured (is this the right term?) scooping as he went from "celeste" to "Aida." I have a clear memory of listening to Richard Tucker singing this (I can't get my hands on the tape right now) where he went from one note to the other without a scoop. Same with "forma divina," if I understand aright.

All in all, "Debut" is a nice work, a promising start to a career, but we all ought to hold off on any comparisons with the greats until Licitra has a chance to grow and earn such accolades.

Oh dear oh dear..........2006-10-29

It gives me no pleasure at all to say that anyone with half an ear for good singing can tell within a few seconds that this is a voice going nowhere -as the last few years since this debut recital album have proved. This makes the previous rave reviews even more inexplicable; where do these people keep their ears? Licitra's technique is fundamentally faulty: he has a slow wobble even in the lower reaches of the voice and as he goes up the tone becomes cloudy and throaty - real problems around the so-called "passaggio" where a tenor can easily crack into the falsetto. The overall effect is of an ugly, unharmonious, effortful sound made by an improperly registered voice. He needs to start from scratch and listen to some better voices -as there are virtually no teachers who can help. That's how Del Monaco and Corelli got it right. Robert Levine is usually a very reliable critic - but his mind cannot have been focused on the job in hand if he truly believed what he wrote in the official Amazon review; NJ Keith, on the other hand, is spot on.

You're kidding, right?.......2006-08-22

I'm sorry, but those of you swooning over Licitra simply cannot have heard recordings from the true greats. If your idea of the pinnacle of operatic tenors begins and ends with Bocelli, may I introduce you to the likes of Franco Corelli, Mario Del Monaco, Jussi Bjoerling, Luciano Pavarotti (though not my favorite, still heads and shoulders above what's out there now), and Giuseppe DiStefano. These men were at the top of their profession when their profession was filled with talent, unlike today where any hack with more than one useful octave and a decent tone are considered "star material". It's a very sad commentary to the level of talent today that this man is considered a star.

The New Pavarotti.......2005-10-13

It's fair to say that today's reigning tenor is Salvatore Licitra from Sicily. He won instant, overnight fame when he subbed for Luciano Pavarotti, who, to the dismay of fans who regard him as a god, is way past his prime and can't sing or record full length operas anymore in the thrilling freshness of his youth. As Pavarotti's star faded, Licitra's ascended. He has already sung the great tenor roles in various American opera houses and his debut as the Met as Cavaradossi in Tosca was a relevation. This is debut album and already he has gone above and beyond. It is pretty amazing for a first album. He sings jucity tenor roles that have been the staple arias for Pavoratti, Domingo and Carreras. This is however not the first time his voice has been recorded. There is a full-length studio recording of Verdi's Trovatore in which he sins opposite Dolora Zajick. That Verdi is phenomenal and all fans of Licitra should own it.

Licitra opens the album with a stunning "E Lucevan La Stelle" from Tosca, still the opera he is most famous for interepreting. His Cavaradossi is a welcome change from past interpretors, though Licitra is more along the lines of Pavarotti's lyric bravura and razzle-dazzle than the more cerebral portrayals of Corelli, Domingo or Carrerras. Other impressive arias on here include "Di Quella Pira" from Trovatore, another successful Verdi venture of his. He has the right tone for Manrico's bravura and even passion. I foresee that this tenor's career will be composed of Verdi, Puccini, (perhaps Wagner if he trains hard for it) and certainly he has the voice for Mozart and French repertoire (possibly Hoffman is in his future or Romeo or Des Grieux if he hasnt already sung Des Grieux). His Calaf from Turandot is outstanding. He is more like Franco Corelli in some respects but his biggest influence is Pavarotti, no doubt about it. It's possible he will parallel the career of Roberto Alagna but any comparisons would be unfair since both singers bring in something different to the table. Let's hope the press doesn't pull the wool over our eyes and have Licitra and Alagna portrayed as rivals. If youre a fan of Licitra, this recording is a must have. I highly recommend it. It's gorgeous and he has a sexy, strong presence on stage. His eyes are the handsomest blue I have ever seen. He is the new Pavoratti and better too.

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The Very Best of Giuseppe di Stefano

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Carlo Bergonzi - The Sublime Voice ~ 40 Tracks from the Legendary Tenor
The Very Best of Nicolai Gedda

ASIN: B0000A5BXQ
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Addio, Mignon
Ah! Non Credevi Tu
Io Son Solo...Ah! Dispar, Vision
E La Solita Storia (Lamento Di Federico)
Lunge Da Lei...De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'Ali
Son Gia Lontani!...Corre A Valle
Intanto Amici Qua...Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante
Mamma, Quel Vino E Generoso
Recondita Armonia
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Dovunque Al Mondo
Addio, Fiorito Asil
Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba
La Vita E Inferno...O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
Una Parola Sola...Or Son Sei Mesi
Ch'ella Mi Creda Libero
Avete Torto!...Firenze E Come Albero
Non Piangere, Liu
Nessun Dorma

Tracks:

Questa O Quella
Ella Mi Fu Rapita!...Parmi Veder Le Lagrime
La Donna E Mobile
Ah Si, Ben Mio
Di Quella Pira
Di' Tu Se Fedele
Teco Io Sto...Non Sai Tu Che Se L'Anima Mia...Oh, Qual Soave Brivido - Maria Callas
Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
Che Gelida Manina
In Un Coupe?...O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni - Rolando Panerai
Donna Non Vidi Mai
Oh, Saro La Piu Bella - Maria Callas
No! Pazzo Son! Guardate!
A La Barcillunisa
Cantu A Timuni
'O Sole Mio
Marechiare
Core 'Ngrato
Torna A Surriento

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Painless and Pleasant

Opera for People Who Hate Opera

Manufacturer: Intersound Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music
Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto

ASIN: B000003QWI
Release Date: 1994-06-09

Tracks:

Ride Of The Valkyries - San Diego Symphony Orchestra
Vesti La Giubba - Jose Perez
Intermezzo - London Festival Orchestra
Overture - London Festival Orchestra
Prelude - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
Aragonaise - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
Seguedille - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
Bohemian Dance - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
The Toreador Song - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
Polovstian Dances 8 And 17 - Ljubljana Radio Symphony Orchestra
Pace, Pace Mio Dio - Leontyne Price
Overture - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Barcarolle - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Gypsy Chorus - Bavarian Festival Orchestra And Chorus
Royal Hunt And Storm - Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Ljiljan Molnar-Talajic

Tracks:

Overture - Utah Symphony Orchestra
Questo A Quella - Jose Perez
Un Bei Di - Vanda Gerlovic
Che Gelida Manina - Jose Perez
Overture - Utah Symphony Orchestra
Ach, So Fromm - Jose Perez
Overture And Prelude - Ljubljana Radio Symphony Orchestra
Visi D'arte - Leontyne Price
Celeste, Aida - Jose Perez
Triumphal March - Jose Perez
Ballet Music - Jose Perez
The Viennese Musical Clock - Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Overture - London Symphony Orchestra
We Sail The Ocean - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
I'm Called Little Buttercup - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
When I Was A Lad - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Never Mind The Why And Wherefore - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus

Tracks:

La Donna E Mobile - Jose Perez
Prelude - Slavonic Philharmonic Orchestra
Servantsd Chorus - Ljubljana Radio Chorus
Mon Coer S' Ouvre A Ta Voix - Marijana Radev
Waltz - Vienna Folk Opera Orchestra
A Wand'ring Minstrel, I - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Three Little Maids - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Here's A How-De-Do - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Beauty In The Bellow - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
He's Gone And Married Yum-Yum - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Overture - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
Waltz - Houston Symphony Orchestra
Peasants' Chorus - Nuremberg Symphony Chorus
Overture - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London
E Strano E Strano - Biserka Cvejic
Overture - Philharmonia Orchestra Of London

Tracks:

Overture - Utah Symphony Orchestra
Bridal Chorus - Ljubljana Radio Symphony Chorus
Overture - London Festival Orchestra
Pour, O Pour The Pirate Sherry - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Oh, Better Far To Live And Die - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
I Am The Very Model Of A Modern Major General - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
When The Foeman Bares His Steel - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
With Cat-Like Tread - Rochester Philharmonic Chorus
Summertime - Leontyne Price
Overture - London Festival Orchestra
Contro Un Cor - Rita Noel
Overture - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Customer Reviews:

Painless and Pleasant.......2000-08-19

It's not that I hate opera, it's rather that I cannot handle and entire opera without nodding off. This 4 disc CD provides highlights from the most famous and recognizable arias, i.e., Pagliacci, Carmen, Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, La Boheme, The Mikado, and H.M.S. Pinafore -- just to mention a few. I appreciate the ability to enjoy select arias from some of the most beautiful and and exceptional operas in the world, and played by first class orchestras, without having to sit through the entire opera.

Average customer rating:

The Incomparable LEONTYNE PRICE: "The Stradivarius of Singers"!!
Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection
The true prima donna asoluta
Fabulous singing, Overblown orchestras
Fabulous!

Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Price, Leontyne | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Verdi: Aida/Il trovatore/Puccini: Madama Butterfly/La Rondine/Tosca/Turandot
In Concert

ASIN: B00000J912
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

Aida: Ritorna vincitor
Turandot: Signore, ascolta
Le nozze di Figaro: Porgi amor
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di
Manon: Adieu, notre petite table
Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide
Dido & Aeneas: Thy hand...when I am laid
Il Trovatore: Che piu... Tacea la notte ...Di tale amor
Les Nuits D'ete: Sur les lagunes
Porgy & Bess: Summertime
La rondine: Chi il bel sogno
Carmen: Habanera
La forza del destino: Son giunta...Madre.
Vier letzte Lieder: Im Abendrot
Ariadne auf Naxos: Es gibt ein Reich

Tracks:

Aida: O Patria Mia
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
Turandot: Tu che di gel cinta
Le nozze di Figaro: Susanna
Il Trovatore: Siam giunti
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro ma prima in grazia
Carmen: Sequidille
Il re pastore: L'amero
Don Carlo: Tu che la vanita
Suor Angelica: Senza Mama
Anthony and Cleopatra: Give me my robe
Madame Butterfly: Tu? tu?
La forza del destino: Pace, pace mio Dio

Customer Reviews:

The Incomparable LEONTYNE PRICE: "The Stradivarius of Singers"!!.......2006-08-14

This collection is a wonderful, affordable, and welcome overview of one of Opera's greatest and beloved aritsts:the phenomenal American Superstar soprano LEONTYNE PRICE.

For those Opera-lovers who first encountered Ms. Price's magical vocalism from the recording studio, this collection includes the the entire legendary "Blue Album" which many operaphile consider to be one of the finest recordings ever. The selections gathered here vividly demonstrate the reason why Leontyne Price is regarded as the supreme VERDI soprano of her generation (30 years to date) a renowned PUCCINI specialist, and one of the greatest artists of all time. Recorded in the early 60's, Ms. Price's instrument was, in her own words "a juicy lyric". The intrinsic lyricism of her voice was aligned to warm, lustrous tone that pulsated in the middle voice, yielded a dark, uniquely sensuous sound in the lower regions, and gleamed with a distinctive, fast, liquid vibrato in the upper voice. That unique vibrato was elemental to this diva's ability to infuse Verdi and Puccini's most dramatic phrases with surging power (without pushing), and still produce lovely pianos in alt - soaring there with an ease that was singular to her, and that continued to her retirement in the 2002. Elsewhere the listener is treated to the rewards of Ms. Price's natural vocal evolution, wherein her voice developed into a full spinto with the middle throbbing, creamy, and lush, the low voice alternately chesty or breathy, slightly weaker -but retaining its smoky quality. It is in her upper voice, already superb, however, that Ms. Price revealed the rewards of maturation. The upper voice became rounder, less vibrant perhaps but refulgent with greater strength at the top, meeting the out-sized demands of STRAUSS and WAGNER (missing in this compilation) amongst others, while spinning out soft, exquisite pianos, and luxuriating in the long phrases of any number of composers, not the least of which were MOZART, VERDI and PUCCINI.

Leontyne Price recorded arias and scenas from every standard repertory VERDI opera with few exceptions (Nabucco/Luisa Miller/Vespri/Falstaff) in superlative fashion. Her onstage roles included the "Il Trovatore" Leonora, the role of her sensational MET debut (that resulted in a record 42 minute ovation), thrice recorded by her, and a signature role throughout her career. The selections on this recording were culled from her first complete recording of the opera. Here Ms. Price soars effortlessly to the heights repeatedly in "Tacea la notte", and sings the cabaletta fluently. "D'amor sull ali rosee" (once the sole property of Ms. Price's Verdian predecessor Zinka Milanov) is enhanced by the soprano's expert trills, musical nuances, and the glorious vibrato that carries her gossamer tones to the floated high C in alt. She was also the leading interpreter of Verdi's other Leonora -di Vargas- in "La Forza del Destino" which the diva recorded twice. There is also a Live MET performance available on DVD, recorded when the diva was nearing her retirement from Opera. (The two selections here also hail from her first complete recording of this work) "Son giunta!...Madre pietosa Vergine" is one of Verdi's most demanding scenas for soprano, but THIS soprano was a mistress of Verdian sweep, and supplies a wealth of dynamic shadings that illustrate the desperation of the hapless Leonora. Ms. Price produces silvery, vibrant, pulsing tone with amplitude that rises to the forte climaxes, riding them without overpowering the orchestra. This role was one of her most riveting potrayals from a dramatic viewpoint. The second "Forza" aria is the great lament "Pace, pace mio Dio" and is synonymous with Leontyne Price to this day. The diva sang this aria onstage more often than any other Verdi aria throughout her long career. Here she infuses the music with sorrow and despair, her voice in service to the text, and caps the aria with her stirring cries of "Maledizione!!" on a sustained forte high Bflat. Ms. Price's successful outings as Amelia are represented by the Act II aria "Morro, ma prima in grazia" from her stellar complete recording of "Un Ballo in Maschera". She sings the aria in a hushed, somber manner, climaxing on a brilliant high C, and with a lovely diminuendo at its end. One of the several operatic roles Ms. Price sadly did not assume onstage was Queen Elisabetta from "Don Carlo". We must be grateful for her warm, glowing, majesterial account of "Tu che le vanita", replete with burnished, opulent tone throughout. The leading newspaper of Italy said of Ms. Price that "..our great Verdi would have her the ideal Aida" and that sentiment has been adopted the world over. The "Aida" selections here are the first ones recorded by the American diva, and remains a revelation. In "Ritorna vincitor" the soprano's lyric instrument is indeed "juicy", declaiming her fierce opposition to the Egyptian invaders of her Ethiopian homeland with energetic and powerful vocalism. She then masterfully delineates the young princess' dilemma with fervent and youthful passion, ending with a prayerful "Numi pieta" suffused by warm, sable-colored tone. "O Patria mia" is another of Ms. Price's most revered performances, indeed the aria that garnered her a (5) five minute ovation on live television at her "farewell to Opera" performance in the same opera. The soprano injects Aida's farewell to her homeland with rich, smoky, plangent tones that rise effortlessly to a shining high C that bedeviled some of her most illustrous rivals, and would be bettered in the future only by the wonderful Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe - and Ms. Price herself!!

Leontyne Price performed the veristic music of PUCCINI onstage in a number of his operas that included "Manon Lescaut"/"Tosca"/Madama Butterfly"/"La Faniculla del West"/"Il Tabarro"/ and "Turandot", albeit with less frequency than with Verdi. She brought a luminous, womanly quality to all of the composer's music. Here, she sings with particular intensity and emotion as the geisha girl Cio-Cio San (her favorite Puccini role)and offers limpid, melting tone as the fiery Roman prima donna Floria Tosca -the complete opera twice-recorded and highly-acclaimed. Puccini's music for the doomed Chinese slave-girl Liu are exquisitely sung, while "In quelle trine morbide" and "Senza mamma" benefit from the voluptuous, sensuous vocalism of the more mature Price. The most outstanding qualities of this diva in Puccini's music was a femininity and humanity, inherent in all of her singing, but most pronounced with this composer. She also fearlessly sang his highest phrases with a vocal splendor and freedom unrivalled by anyone, nowhere more than as the tragic Butterfly. However, until she retired from public singing, one aria remained a trademark for this diva: Chi bel sogno di Doretta" from Puccini's rarely performed operetta "La Rondine". The performance here was her first recording of it, and is a classic in its own right. Ms. Price's voice shimmers throughout, singing the high C with astonishing purity, and caressing, velvety tone elsewhere.

MOZART's operas also brought deserved glory to Ms. Price. Her plush-toned voice was considered to be almost too rich for some early in her career. This was amply belied by the rapturous reception her onstage performances brought her, most notably as Donna Anna, the leading lady of "Don Giovanni", ironically not included in this collection. Another aria Ms. Price enjoyed singing in concert, "Come scoglio" ("Cosi Fan Tutte") is missing here as well, though she performed the role of Fiordiligi at the MET. The soprano never performed in "Le Nozze di Figaro", but sang the scena "Dove sono" often in her live concerts, understandably, because of the smooth, elegant vocalism she lavished on this music. It is truly a pity that she didn't either record or perform the entire role. "Porgi amor" (also from Le Nozze) and "L'amero" (Il Re Pastore) were extracted from a Mozart aria recording, and are well-sung, if not as memorably as other Mozarteans.

It is good that RCA included several French selections, for Ms. Price's talents were marvellously well-suited to the Gallic idiom. Leontyne Price sang the leading role of Madame Lidoine in the American premiere of POULENC's "Dialogues des Carmelites", a few performances of MASSENET's "Thais" onstage (both sadly missing from this compilation) in addition to her celebrated recordings of BIZET's "Carmen" and BERLIOZ's song cycle "Nuits D'ete". She lent a deliciously silken tone to the more nuanced passions of the French repertoire. The "Carmen" excerpts are exceptionally vivid in Price's hands, successfully capturing the earthy, sultry qualities of one of Opera's more mercurial creatures. Ms. Price's lower register is richly displayed in the Berlioz song, while Manon's wistful, poignant "farewell" is sung with delicacy and shimmery tone.

The German wing is represented by music that Ms. Price sang onstage, and recorded as well. While the diva recorded Richard STRAUSS' entire "Four Last Songs" song cycle as well as the title heroine in a complete opera recording of "Ariadne auf Naxos" , the listener gets a good sampling of the potency, range, and the "dunkel" qualities she brought to this music. Fortunately, there is a CD of Richard Strauss arias sung by Ms. Price mid-career that is impressive in its breadth, and vocally sumptuous.

Versatility was a Price by-word. In the recording studio she stylishly performed the music of composers that ranged from the early music of PURCELL's "Dido & Aneas" to the 20th Century musings of Samuel BARBER, who wrote the opera "ANTONY & CLEOPATRA" for Ms. Price to open the New MET in 1966 - another historic milestone. Both selections included here are superbly rendered by the artist. The "Dido" aria is sung with a fuller, richer tone than is usually associated with this period (though it should be noted that two great Wagnerian sopranos Kirsten Flagstad and more recently Jessye Norman have been much admired in this music), but with no loss of style, her vibrato evoking pathos and beauty in this plaintive music. The "Antony" scena is sung with all of the majesty, seductive guile, and courage of Cleopatra, one of history's most storied women - and Ms. Price shines in this music written expressly for her voice. RCA also includes the diva's inimitable performance of "Summertime" the opening aria of GERSHWIN's American opera "Porgy and Bess".

This compilation is a superb introduction to the glories of this magnificent artist for a neophyte...and a treasure trove of musical excellence for the connoisseur of great voices, and they come no greater than America's diva assoluta soprano LEONTYNE PRICE.

Leontyne Price: The Ultimate Collection.......2005-07-20

This was the first time I ordered anything from you. I was very happy with my selection. Delivery was fast and accurate, I immediately played my CD and have enjoyed it since.

Rolande M. Collins

The true prima donna asoluta.......2002-05-23

Ms. Leontyne Price is the quentisential diva. I fell in love with her when I started studying music at the conservatory level. Her phrasing, tone, quality, and endless range are breathtaking. This CD features selections from when she was vocaly at her best. Even though I could go without the Ariadne and Cleopatra, the rest of the CD is simply marvelous. I cannot stop listening to D'amor sull'ali rosee, which I think is the best interpretation and performance of the piece that I have ever heard!!! I prefer Price over Sutherland, Caballe, Freni, and Fleming any day. Her high tones give you the feeling of floating on clouds. This is one of the best CD's in my entire classical/Opera collection. Whoever purchases this CD, it will be worth your while.

Fabulous singing, Overblown orchestras.......2002-04-10

When I was first getting interested in opera, during the late 1960s - early 1970s, Leontyne Price was still singing at the Met, but I could never get a ticket because she only sang five performances a year (later, three). She said this was to "preserve" the voice but, as I learned from those who actually did hear her in person, her mid-range was deteriorating at that time until it was practically inaudible (though her high notes and lower range still sounded great). Also, to be honest, as a youngster I was put off by the promotion of her albums...all those fancy pictures of her in diamonds and furs just seemed so ostentatious to me, and listening to her on records was not always a pleasurable experience. Her voice so often sounded swamped by those loud, blaring, overblown orchestras.

But then I heard a remastering of the famous 1961 "Aida" with Vickers, Gorr and Merrill, and I realized how great a singer she was. That's when I started listening more seriously, and discovered a soprano who had a thorough command of her voice from the late '50s to the late '60s, not only in terms of vocal color but also in terms of phrasing. Listening to Price in her prime is incredible...she almost sounds as if she never breathed, her phrasing is so beautifully bound and poised. At the same time, however, I was disappointed by RCA's choice of partners for her on recordings. ...

This set goes a long way towards restoring the legend. Stripped of her sub-par partners (with the exception of Corelli's belting in the "Seguidilla" from "Carmen"), one can listen to Price's voice uncompromised, and it is a thrill. Even when the orchestra sounds detached and uninteresting, as it often does, Price seems to be on an entirely different wavelength, giving out with passion and great musicality. As for the selections chosen, they represent an excellent cross-section of Price's best work, even though the Purcell and Berlioz sound awfully heavy by today's standards and I can live without the "Anthony and Cleopatra" selection or the Strauss song.

One caveat I have is the lack of discographical information. No dates, orchestras or conductors are given. This is a grave injustice, even though the backup does not always meet expectations. On the plus side, all of the legendary "blue album" (her first recital discs for RCA in 1961) is presented complete, including the two selections from the July 1959 "Il Trovatore" that were on that LP...and in MUCH better, more focused sound. For this, and the heavy orchestral sound, I give the set only 4 stars...but for the singing alone I would give it eight!!

Fabulous!.......2002-01-19

The only alternative to Joan Sutherland. An equally gorgeous and fabulous voice. A true diva that puts me to tears. Sensational recital of so many gems.

Average customer rating:

Excellent collection
One CD too many. Decent value, though
Where else can you get Caruso and Pavorotti on the same CD?

The Greatest Tenors of the Century

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jerry Hadley - Golden Days - Tenor hits from the Golden Age of Operetta

ASIN: B00000HY3T
Release Date: 1999-01-12

Tracks:

L'Africaine: O paradiso!
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: Morgenlich leuchtend
Madama Butterfly: Madchen, in deinen Augen liegt ein Zauber
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti la giubba
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Les Contes d'Hoffman: Il etait une fois a la cour d'Eisenach
Tosca: Recondita armonia
Der fliegende Hollander: Mein Herz voll Treue bis zum Sterben
Rigoletto: Ella mi fu rapita... Parmi veder le lagrime
Die Zauberflote: Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail: Wenn der Freude Tranen flessen
Don Giovanni: Dalla sua pace
Die Walkure: Ein Schwert verhiess mir der Vater

Tracks:

L'elisir d'amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi! ... Celeste Aida
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Ecco ridente in cielo
Die lustige Witwe: O Vaterland ... Da geh' ich ins Maxim
Paloma querida
West Side Story: Maria
Tosca: E lucevan le stelle
Lohengrin: In fernem Land, unnahbar euren Schritten
Yevgeni Onegin: Nu, shto zhe? ... Kuda, kuda, kuda, vy udalilis
La forza del destino: La vita e inferno... O tu, che in seno
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
La Traviata: Lunge da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti

Customer Reviews:

Excellent collection.......2003-02-15

This is an excellent collection of great tenors past to present.
While some are still missing (Jussi Bjorling, for instance), it provides a spectacular array of singers from Caruso (earliest) to Alagna (latest). The arias are selected to showcase each tenor's strength: Ernst Haefliger sings "Dalla sua Page" and Jose Carreras sings "Maria", Carlo Bergonzi -- "Parmi veder le lagrime." There's much to enjoy here, and DG's presentation is, as always, superb.

One CD too many. Decent value, though.......1999-12-20

This collection is worth buying for CD 1 alone (and for the low price, of course). Peter Anders was new to me but is marvellous in the Prize Song from Meistersinger. Amazon has got it all wrong on track 6, which features none other than the incomparable Alfredo Kraus singing the Kleinzach aria from Hoffman like few other tenors - at the age of 67 (!). You won't believe what you hear.

The rest of the first CD is equally good stuff, mixing all kinds of tenor voices from the lightest (Schreier, Wunderlich) to the heaviest (Corelli, Del Monaco, Vickers).

CD 2, however, is a sad story. "The 3 tenors" get two tracks each to deliver their usual bland performances, and the rest of the tracks are mostly rather odd choices, even when sung by otherwise fine tenors like Kollo and Araiza. Perhaps Jerry Hadley does the finest performance in "Che gelida manina". I don't care much for Alagna or Schicoff.

Regarding the selection, perhaps the record should be called "Some Tenors of the Century". If DG had given "the 3" one track each and left out Luigi Alva and Araiza, we could have had Melchior, Björling, Gigli and Gedda, to name but a few.

Anyway, there you have it: put CD 1 into your player, press "REPEAT" and just leave it there.

Where else can you get Caruso and Pavorotti on the same CD?.......1999-09-24

I didn't buy this online, but needless to say it is one of the best Tenor CD's I own. I am still in the process of trying to locate a recording of "M'appari tutt' amor" by von Flotow from the Opera Martha. If anyone knows where I could get this, that would be great! This is a great buy for two CD's.

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