Bellini: I Capuleti e I Montecchi

1. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera
   Composed by Vincenzo Bellini
   Performed by La Fenice Theater Orchestra
   with Bruno Marangoni, Katia Ricciarelli, Walter Monachesi, Veriano Luchetti, Giorgio Merighi
   Conducted by Piero Bellugi
   
   

Bellini: I Capuleti e I Montecchi,Vincenzo Bellini,Piero Bellugi,La Fenice Theater Orchestra,Katia Ricciarelli,Bruno Marangoni,Giorgio Merighi,Veriano Luchetti,Walter Monachesi,Mondo Musica,Classical,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

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Average customer rating: Highest Level of Artistry Displayed "Behold the Tomb" Well-sung Shakespearean travesty beautiful and moving opera Wonderful nostalgia

Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Rossini: L'Assedio di Corinto Massenet: Manon Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation) Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato Handel - Julius Caesar / Treigle · Sills · Forrester · Wolff · NYCO · Rudel ASIN: B0002XV2XO Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

1. Sinfonia
2. Aggiorna Appena...
3. O Di Capellio, Generosi Amici
4. E Serbata A Questo Acciaro
5. Si: M'abbraccia
6. L'amo Tanto, E M'e Si Cara
7. Vanne Lorenzo
8. Lieto Del Dolce Incarno
9. Ascolta. Se Romeo T'uccise Un Figlio
10. Riedi Al Campo
11. La Tremenda Ultrice Spada
12. Eccomi In Lieta Vesta...
13. Oh! Quante Volte
14. Propizia E L'ora
15. Si, Fuggire: A Noi Non Resta
16. Odi Tu? L'altar Funesto
17. Vieni, Ah! Vieni

Tracks:

1. Lieta Notte, Avventurosa
2. Deh! Per Pieta, T'arresta
3. Tace Il Fragor
4. Che Miro?
5. Soccorso, Sostegno Accordagli
6. Accorriam...Romeo!
7. Ne Alcun Ritorna!
8. Morte Io Non Temo Il Sai
9. Prendi, Gl'istanti Volano
10. Deh! Padre Mio, Deh Padre Mio!
11. Deserto E Il Luogo
12. Chi Sei Tu?
13. Qua' Voci! Oh Dio!
14. Ella E Morta, O Sciagurato
15. Siam Giunti
16. Ecco La Tomba
17. Tu Sola, O Mia Giulietta
18. O Tu, Mia Sola Speme
19. Ah! Crudel! Che Mai Facesti?

Customer Reviews:

Highest Level of Artistry Displayed .......2007-02-13

This isn't the Shakespearean version, in case you get disappointed, but is based on an Italian source. In spite of the obvious fact the Sills and Gedda were already past their prime by the time of this recording, they still have plenty to give us, and their musical insight makes this recording better than other well-sung performances recorded in the studio. Baker is absolutely fantastic throughout and gave a very satisfying performance both musically and artistically.

Now coming to the comparison made by a reviewer between Bellini and Verdi. Well, even if Bellini had lived to 80, it would not be his aim to write like Verdi. Bellini stood alone amongst the great opera composers of Italy. Even his contemporaries recognized it and called his music 'filosofico'. Bellini's aim was not to create dramas with music like Donizetti or Verdi, but rather music drama - a fact which Wagner recognized. Only that Bellini's aim was to realize it via the voice (think Norma), while Wagner did it with the orchestra. It is note-worthy that Wagner spared Bellini the usual bashing he gave to the Italians. Not only that - he admitted to Cosima that the love duet from Capuleti was the source of his inspiration for his own in Tristan. In his old age, he was proud to say that he learned from 'these pages' what Messrs Brahms etc had failed to learn. One should approach a Bellini opera as one does a Chopin Ballade or Wagner's Tristan, not Verdi. That is not to say that Verdi is inferior, but just different.

And regarding Bellini's orchestration, Wagner and Bizet were on separate occasions, were tasked to 'improve' the orchestration of Norma. Both eventually gave up the job as impossible and concluded that the orchestration written by Bellini was the most suitable. Comparing the orchestration between the early Il Pirata (with its almost Wagnerian finale!) with Norma, it dawns upon one that the decision to thin out the orchestra by Bellini was deliberate, in line with his purpose of using the voice as the primary tool to express the drama.

"Behold the Tomb".......2006-09-30

I find it difficult to evaluate Bellini's work because it depends so heavily on performance. Never a connoiseur of performances, I leave it to others to tell one bel canto aria from another. It is discouraging to realize that Bellini, who died young, never took much interest in orchestral music, making him a lesser counterpart to Verdi, who combines the Italian devotion to the voice with powerful dramatic effects from the orchestra. Even the cover of the EMI CD is disappointing because it slaps a mod-erotic photograph on an opera where the lovers are too traumatised to make love. The libretto is so poor that the recording does not bother to supply it, confirming the view that Bellini's operas are for connoiseurs of vocal sound only.

I have downoaded the text from Karadar Classical Music as well as a synopsis from Opera japonica. We learn that the Capuleti and Montecchi are local versions of the Guelph and Ghilbelline parties respectively. The Ghibelline Dante would have been allied with the Montecchi, Romeo's party. Capellio, Juliet's father, seeks to avenge the death of a son at the hands of Romeo. Romeo's part is sung by a mezzo-soprano, adding further to the absurdity of the EMI cover photo. Although Romeo and Juliet are already lovers, she refuses to elope with him out of loyalty to her father. These lovers really seem more interested in dying than in making love. Juliet does manage to declare that she breathes easier when she learns that Romeo has survived a fight. We know that Romeo has reached his appointed place when he sings, "Ecco la tomba." Janet Baker, as Romeo, shines in the slow, heart-broken singing that follows, interspersed with sympathetic passages by the chorus of Montecchi. There is no doubt that Bellini's operas allow top performers to sing as beautifully as they can. The instrumental accompaniment in this concluding scene is reduced to a bare minimum.

Well-sung Shakespearean travesty.......2005-10-15

Source: Studio recording made at Abbey Road Studio, London, June 16-25, 1975.

Sound: Analog stereo. The engineering is competent, I suppose, but as a matter of personal taste I do not care for the distant and echo-y soundscape. It sounds as though the opera were taking place at the far end of a Gothic cathedral.

Documentation: No printed libretto, although there is a reference to an on-line libretto available at the EMI Classics website, (which failed to download in five tries over two days) just in case I want to listen to this opera while I am working at my computer. The accompanying essay by James Harding is the most useless I have ever found in a CD case--and that is by no means an easily earned distinction. Harding is vitally interested in Bellini's lame love life but indifferent to such trifles as the plot of the opera he is supposed to be writing about.

Format: Disk 1, Act I, Scenes 1 and 2; 60:42. Disk 2, Act I, Scene 3; Act II, Scenes 1-3; 74:23.

Bellini premiered "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" at Teatro La Fenice in Venice exactly one month before his twenty-ninth birthday. It was a success but it was not without critics. In his essay, Harding writes, "It was unfair of Berlioz to denounce I Capuleti e i Montecchi as a travesty of Shakespeare." Berlioz clearly had a point, for where the Bard had twenty characters, the librettist "Romani made do with only five. You will look in vain," Harding gushes on, "for the Nurse and Friar Laurence" and, I must add, for Mercutio, Benvolio and Paris, too. In the opera, Paris and Tybalt become a single character, Tebaldo, to the great detriment of the plot.

"I Capuleti e i Montecchi" came about midway in Bellini's too short career. The really big hits on which his fame rests were yet to come. The music is competent but somehow lacking that indefinable ping that makes "La Sonnambula," "Norma" and "I Puritani" extraordinary.

Overall, the performance is good. Best by far in the cast is Janet Baker. She does not generate overt excitement but she offers an overwhelming sense of rightness when she essays any part in the narrow range that she made her own. This recording is a little late for the best of Sills but she is still very bright and amazingly agile. As always, I feel that her voice is just a little too cool and too thin, but that is purely a matter of personal taste. It is also late for Nicolai Gedda, who sounds unexpectedly baritonal as Tebaldo, a part that any other 19th Century composer would surely have written for a baritone. (I know, I know, Gounod's Tybalt is a tenor. I sang the role, myself, back in college days. But Gounod's Tybalt is markedly different in character from Bellini's Tebaldo-Paris.) Gedda is very good, but I am not at all sure that I would have recognized him if his name had not been on the cover.

"I Capuleti e i Montecchi" is not a great opera, but three famous and very fine singers offer intelligent and entertaining performances. That's worth five stars as far as I'm concerned.

FOR THE HISTORICALLY MINDED: William Shakespeare wrote his "Romeo and Juliet" in the 1590s, in the early days of his career. As was usual for him, he based his play on older materials. The first literary mention of the Montagus and the Capulets is in Dante's "Purgatorio," vi, lines 106-108. The Montagus lived in Verona and the Capulets in Cremona. They were used by Dante as examples of warring factions that had been exterminated. About 1530, Luigi da Porto mistakenly assumed that the Montagus and the Capulets had both resided in Verona and had feuded with one another. He worked up a tale that involved two young members of his warring clans, Giulietta and Romeo. In 1554, Matteo Bandello published a novella called "Romeo e Giulietta" which proved to be an international hit. A French version was adapted from Bandello by Pierre Boaistuau in 1559. This, in turn, was translated into English in 1562 by Arthur Brooke as a "tragical history" in verse form called "Romeus and Juliet," later to be pounced on by Will Shakespeare in search of a popular hit. The only major changes that Shakespeare made in Brooke's plot were to compress the time frame and to introduce Tybalt into the story at an earlier point in order to build him up as a worthy adversary for Romeo. And, oh, yes, he created an array of living characters such as had never been conceived before.

A number of commentators have taken note of the much simplified plot of "I Capuleti e i Montecchi." They have accounted for it by declaring that Shakespeare's version was not yet well-known in the world, so Romani must have based his work on an earlier version of the story, by which I presume they mean by Bandello or even by da Porto. I don't buy that explanation. By 1830, the cult of Bardolatry was firmly established. The standard German translations (that the Germans to this day hold to be superior to the English originals) were well along. Two generations earlier, the tourist industry of Stratford Upon Avon had been given a kick start by the great actor, Garrick (in a bicentennial celebration conceived by David Garrick, written by David Garrick, produced by David Garrick, directed by David Garrick and starring David Garrick--additional dialogue by W. Shakespeare.) Just seventeen years later, Verdi would write his "Macbeth" and make sketches for a "King Lear," that greatest of all operatic might-have-beens. One of the twenty or so books that Verdi kept close to himself until the day he died was an Italian translation of the works of Shakespeare.

No, I do not think that Romani dealt with any obscure 16th Century originals. I think that he exercised a hack's privilege to pillage a respectable source for his convenience. Berlioz was correct. In both the literal and the figurative senses of the word, this is a travesty.

beautiful and moving opera .......2005-08-12

One may regret that Beverly Sills and Nicolai Gedda did not
record this opera earlier in their careers (1975) yet still
be glad they did. Though there are some audible signs of vo-
cal wear their artistry and commitment are never in doubt and
they offer memorable performances. Janet Baker is on the other
hand in splendid voice and sings superbly - she portrays a
somber Romeo and is supremely moving in the tomb scene.
Robert Lloyd and Raimund Herincx offer excellent support.
Very well recorded and beautifully conducted by Maestro
Patane - a very welcome release !

Wonderful nostalgia .......2005-05-20

Back in the 1970's I was a very intense fan of both La Sills and La Baker. The very idea of both of them coming together for an opera recording sent this rapid fan into a severe swoon! Therefore, this recording sent me into a state of ecstasy! I along with other Sills and Baker fans would gather around my stereo listening to this recording with Baker and Sills weaving their vocal magic which always elicited from us many tears and bravos.
At the time Beverly was a known commodity in Bell Canto operas; however, Janet was mainly known as a song recitalist. Nevertheless, Janet Baker, in this opera, proves that she could sing opera with the best of them showing her great operatic credentials-she is up to every vocal challenge Bellini throws at her. She tackles the role with great artistry and beauty of tone. Her last scene STILL dissolves me to copious tears.
In this recording Beverly sings a little cautiously not throwing out high E's with abandon as before; however, her years of experience being a sublime singer of Bell Canto operas comes through. Her singing is gorgeous, sweet and touching to the highest degree, I truly believe that this recording was one of her best.
It truly is great to hear this recording again-ah the memories. Time has NOT diminished its appeal!

Average customer rating: Mistaken Composer Una Furtiva Lagrima Juan Over Florez Continues to Impress A CD worth having

Una Furtiva Lagrima Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Juan Diego Florez ~ Rossini Arias Great Tenor Arias Sentimiento Latino Sentimiento Latino Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera ASIN: B00008CLJK Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

1. Allegro Io Son
2. Una Furtiva Lagrima
3. L'Elisir D'Amore
4. Povero Ernesto
5. Com E Gentil
6. Tutto E Sciolto
7. Ah Non Sogno
8. A Teo O Cara
9. La Fille Du Regiment

Amazon.com

Here again young Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez proves himself a pleasure to listen to. The music on this CD is not as florid as on his previous recital, but the manner in which he approaches this selection of scenes by Donizetti and Bellini is just as artful. The tone is beautiful and even from bottom to amazingly easy top; he gets "in" each character; his smooth, elegant delivery ("Una furtive lagrima" is simply and meltingly sung, as is Ernesto's aria from Don Pasquale) is as wondrous as his acrobatics--rarely have Tonio's nine high Cs from the Fille du Regiment aria sounded so natural, so part of the character's enthusiasm, and rarely has Arturo's abrupt rise to high C sharp in "A te o cara" sounded so effortless. Florez's basic sound is sweet, but he can exclaim excitingly, as he does in the scene from I Capuleti e i Montecchi. And wait until you hear the ditty from Donizetti's Rita! Rarely has singing sounded like so much fun. Conductor Riccardo Frizza leads the orchestra (and chorus) with knowing early 19th-century style. Don't miss this. --Robert Levine

Album Details

2003 Release from Peruvian Opera Singer who Won the "Premio Abbiati Della Critica" and "Rossini D'oro" Prizes for Best Singer. He Carried Out his First Music Studies at the Conservatorio Nacional De Lima and Later at the Curtis Institute of Music of Philadelphia. He was Invited by the Famous Peruvian Tenor Ernesto Palacio (With Whom He Has Been Preparing his Repertoire Since Then) to Take Part to Some Opera Productions in Italy and They Sang Together in the First Modern Performances of Zingarelli's Oratorio "le Tre Ore Di Agonia Di Cristo" and in Martin Y Soler's Opera "il Tutore Burlato". He Sang at the Sully-sur-loire Festival and at the International Festival of Gerace (Italy). Since Then He Has Been Appearing in all the Most Important Opera Houses in Europe: London, Meyerbeer, Rome, Verona, Pesaro, Milan, Nice, Florence, Barcelona, Seville, Las Palmas, Genua, Pesaro, Trieste, Hamburg, Munich, Turin, Toulouse and Vienna.

Customer Reviews:

Mistaken Composer.......2005-09-24

While it was a nice recording your listing is incorrect. The correct composer of "Una furtiva lagrima" is Donizetti, not Bellini. Please review your data.

Una Furtiva Lagrima.......2005-04-12

After hearing the first track ("Allegro io son") on our local station (www.allclassical.org), I immediately bought this album. I was a little nervous that there would only be one good track, but (after listening _many_ times) consider most of the tracks to be "keepers". The title track is very moving, but my personal favorite is "Com'e gentil", for the wonderful match of voice and instrument.

Some of the tracks are a little heavy on the recitative, but the album notes include the translation, which makes it more interesting to listen to.

Juan Over .......2004-09-15

When it comes to reviewing classical music, I feel a little bit like a hillbilly at the opera. I really like it, but I'm not all that sure what's going on. And like that hillbilly at the opera (there aren't any hillbillies out there, reading this are there -- Mammy? Pappy)? I love classical music, but I can't honestly say I know much about it.

What I DO know is that to my untrained ear, Mr. Florez' voice is incredibly beautiful, a pleasure to revel in. Listening to his "Una furtiva lagrima" seems to transport me to another time and place. His voice is warm and tender and seems to soar effortlessly as he hits one high note after another and is worthy of appreciation by fans of any music style.

If you want an album filled with exquisite singing, this would certainly be a fine place to start.

Florez Continues to Impress.......2004-03-24

Too often singers arrive on the musical scene, make one recording, catch the glamour star, only to recede into the background once the initial flourish is made. Not so with Peruvian bel canto tenor Juan Diego Florez. The resounding success of his first album of ROSSINI ARIAS made us hold our breath; could this wonderful new true bel canto tenor hold his own on the stage and on further recordings? Well, yes, he can and has. Not only does he possess a clear, focused, high tenor voice seemingly capable of overcoming any hurdles of power or agility, Juan Diego Florez is a stunning stage presence of handsome bearing. AND he can act with both his body and his head and his voice. UNA FURTIVA LAGRIMA shows Florez in firm control of a broader spectrum of emotional material. True, this selection remains in the bel canto repertoire, but then that is also to his credit, as he is not trying to "sing it all". He has the intelligence to know where his vocal lines are most secure and does not give in to the tendency of foraging into repertoire that could damage his young voice. On this recording there is less distraction from his rather rapid vibrato and more emphasis on the total music line. This CD documents not only a fine tenor currently before the public: it also is a good indicator that he will be around for a long time. Excellent recording, well worth its place in your library.

A CD worth having.......2003-06-17

Keeping more in "tune" with his voice, Juan Diego has recorded an excellent album of great arias. His previous debut album was quite a feast for lovers of high Rossini. This new album gives a feast for just about everyone. It covers a nice range of arias from the beautiful title song to the show-stopping "Mes Amis". Definitely worth buying and enjoying.

Average customer rating: The artistry of Sumi Jo Nice Collection, Pure Voice. Slightly Weak High Notes Angels sings like this... This is a tribute to Bel Canto Another Sutherland, yet even better...

Sumi Jo - Bel Canto / Arevalo · ECO · Carella Gioachino Rossini , Vincenzo Bellini , Giuseppe Verdi , Gaetano Donizetti , Federico and Luigi Ricci , Giuliano Carella , Sumi Jo , Octavio Arevalo , and English Chamber Orchestra Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sumi Jo - Virtuoso Arias ~ Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer Sumi Jo sings Mozart French Coloratura Arias Sumi Jo - Les Bijoux / Carella Sumi Jo - La Promessa / Vincenzo Scalera ASIN: B000005E5A Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

1. Semiramide: Bel raggio lusinghier
2. La Sonnambula: Care compagne
3. Falstaff: Sul fil d'un soffio etesio
4. I Puritani: Son vergin vezzosa
5. I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Eccomi in lieta vesta...Oh! quante volte, oh! quante
6. Linda di Chamounix: O luce di quest' anima
7. Tancredi: No, che il morir non e
8. I Puritani: Qui la voce sua soave
9. Crispino e la Comare: Io non sono piu l'Annetta
10. La Traviata: E strano, e strano

Customer Reviews:

The artistry of Sumi Jo.......2007-02-28

This CD shows Sumi Jo's bel canto technique off to good effect. She has a light agile voice that exemplifies top notch coloratura singing (and I know that bel canto and coloratura are not the same). Indeed, she probably must be rated as one of the best coloratura sopranos of the current era.

Some samples of her work. . . .

"Bal raggio lusinghier," from Rossini's "Semiramide" is enchanting. She displays, as always, an agile voice with a lovely quality to it. Her technique is good; this is fun to listen to. She hits a nice high note at the end.

From Bellini's "I Puritani," we have "Son vergin vezzosa." There are iconic versions of this, first, from Joan Sutherland, and, second, from Beverly Sills. However, Sumi Jo's rendering of this work stands well in comparison. She sings this at a quick pace, as seems appropriate. She shows a nice trill; her florid singing is nicely done. She hits high notes cleanly, although one appears a bit thin and strained--but that's a mere quibble. The repeat is very well done.

"O luce di quest'anima," from Donizetti's "Linda di Chamonix," is also well sung. The opening portion is prettily sung. The cabaletta picks up the pace. She shows off nice appoggiaturas and her singing is, as always, very agile. She displays a decent trill before the final high note.

And then there is one of the great showpieces for coloratura sopranos, "Qui la voce. . .Vien diletto," from Bellini's "I Puritani." "Qui la voce" is poignantly and touchingly sung, showing some nice characterization. The cabaletta is smoothly and agilely sung the first time through. Her voice sounds quite sweet in the slower parts of this segment. The repeat features nice ornamentation, including a good trill here and there. Her repeat is not as florid as some, but it is nonetheless nicely done. The final high note is hit dead on.

Finally, from Verdi's "La Traviata," "E strano". . ."Sempre libera." This has been well sung by many who came before her, such as Renata Scotto and Anna Moffo from decades ago. Her singing seems to represent a nice characterization of the doomed Violetta. The early parts are well sung and expressive. "Sempre libera," of course, picks up the pace. And so does Jo. She handles the demands of this music well. She, once more, manifests considerable vocal agility. The repeat is fine, with some nice runs and a final high note well done.

In short, this is a good representation of the work of Sumi Jo. For what it's worth, in my estimation, she rates very high among the current crop of coloratura sopranos, alongside Natalie Dessay, for instance. With singers such as these, the current generation of coloratura sopranos ranks well against their historical predecessors.

Nice Collection, Pure Voice. Slightly Weak High Notes.......2003-04-09

I don't want to say more about her since she is too famours to introduce. I just bought two of her cds recently, which I had big expection for her.

Undoubtly, she has beautiful voice and wonderful coloratura style, I was amazed by the flexiblity in her voice. However I was slightly disappointed by the weakness in her high notes. It seems that she never has strong high notes, and those high notes can't last as long as Dilber's or Organasova's.

Sorry to say this to the pretty Sumi.

Angels sings like this..........2002-06-18

This is, without doubt, the most beautiful bel canto recital disc since Dame Joan's Art of the Prima Donna. Sumi Jo is without equal in this repertoire today. Her interpretations are immaculately rendered and her technique (just incredible) is beyond reproach.

This disc is worth ever penny because it contains the best Elvira ever recorded. Sumi's angelic (albeit small) voice floating above a chamber orchestra creates one of the most intimate operatic portraits of Elvira in recent history. Callas gave us penetrating pyscholgical insights into Elvira, Dame Joan gave us vocal fireworks, but Sumi Jo IS Elvira. She's simply exquisite.

This is a tribute to Bel Canto.......2002-01-06

This record is realy a Tribute to Bel Canto.
When we talk about bel canto, we have to refer Sutherland. Dame Joan had (has) the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. The range of her voice is incredible and I have to desagree with the reviewer that says that Sutherland lower range was heavy. It was strong, not heavy. With that voice range she could do any kind of reportoire.

Now, let's talk about Sumi Jo. Miss Jo is realy a coloratura Soprano and in bel canto she is the best we have now. All the high notes are very clean and she has no difficulties to reach them. Qui la voce sua soave is very good, I even prefer this interpretation over Sutherland's.

Well, she is not Sutherland, but she is with no doubt a Tribute to Bel Canto.

Another Sutherland, yet even better..........2000-12-28

As I have explained in another review I wrote of Sumi Jo's music, she has become one of my favorite sopranos. I started out with Dame Joan Sutherland, La Stupenda herself in her recital disk "The Art of the Prima Donna." A fantastic CD. And I must say that it has been hard to find other sopranos that could do as well as Dame Joan in such traditional bel canto repertoire. You know how it is, once you hear one version, it's hard to find another that is better. And although some of the arias on this CD are different than you find on Sutherland's, they are just as great, if not better. What one finds with Sumi is a gorgeous voice, clear and pure throughout(not mushy and heavier as Sutherland had in her lower range... Ahhh!! I can't believe I admitted it... I hate to put Sutherland down), and the enunciation is never a problem. So what is there to complain about?... Nothing really, except maybe if her top note wasn't a high F, and instead a C above high C, and then I wouldn't like Natalie Dessay just for her high notes(she has a high A flat I believe). But a high F is more than enough for any bel canto piece as Sutherland showed us throughout her career(I just love high notes, the higher the better).

Now that I've settled with my love of the voice... the recording itself is to be talked about. Bel raggio lusinghier from Rossini's Semiramide is the first track. A different interpretation than Sutherland, but gorgeous. All throughout this recording, Sumi Jo shows us just how effortless her coloratura is, and this track especially conveys this. As for Sumi Jo's lyrical skills, the perfect track for that is track 5, "O quante volte" from Bellini's "I Capuleti e I Montecchi." What a gorgeous Juliette she is! And if only the previous reviewer knew I was going to see Sumi this coming February in this exact role. I know I can't wait, and I'm sure Ms. Jo will not disappoint. Anyways, this entire recording, each and every song is wonderful. And the Violetta aria from Verdi's "La Traviata" is a nice end to the CD, summing up just how great Sumi Jo is. To those who say bel canto has withered away lately, they should hear this disk. Sumi Jo would convert them right away. And could there be no better praise than the fact that Sutherland's husband Maestro Richard Bonynge has worked with Sumi Jo... Afterall, his wife was practically the Queen of Bel Canto. It's obvious that Bonynge has found his new reigning queen. We could be in for a real treat in the coming years!!!

This is bel canto at its finest. Enjoy

P.S. - Even though it's not bel canto repertoire, one wishes Sumi Jo's famed Queen of the Night from Die Zauberflöte were on this set to wow people even more. But not to worry, it's on a couple of her other recordings.

Average customer rating: To me, her best One of Gheorghiu's best recitals exquisite! Angela Gheoghiu is Wonderful A Pleasant Surprise

Angela Gheorghiu - Arias Giuseppe Verdi , Jules Massenet , Alfredo Catalani , Vincenzo Bellini , Giacomo Puccini , Arrigo Boito , Charles Gounod , Gaetano Donizetti , John Mauceri , Angela Gheorghiu , and Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Boito, Arrigo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Gheorghiu, Angela | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Gheorghiu, Angela | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: The Essential Angela Gheorghiu Diva Puccini Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias Angela Gheorghiu - Casta Diva / Pido ASIN: B00000429G Release Date: 1996-04-16

Tracks:

1. Falstaff: Sul fil d'un soffio etesio
2. Chbin: Aubade: Vive amour qui reve
3. La Wally: Ebben?... Ne andrntana
4. Hdiade: Il est doux, il est bon
5. I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Eccomi... Oh! quante volte
6. La Boh: Donde lieta usci al tuo grido d'amore
7. Mefistofele: L'altra notte
8. Faust: Air des bijoux
9. Don Pasquale: Quel guardo il cavaliere
10. La Boh: Si. Mi chiamano Mimi
11. Valurile Dunarii: Muzica

Customer Reviews:

To me, her best.......2007-07-01

I have several CDs of Gheorghiu. This is the one I prefer. I also have the DVD of her and her husband in Elisir. It was entertaining, but like in her Casta Diva disc, I didn't think her coloratura passed muster. I thought her singing in the Verdi disc was anemic. Every time she bursts into Tu che le vanita, I immediately and always think of Callas. That was one of the things that hooked me on opera in the first place, though I'm not a big fan of Callas. It just isn't there when Gheorghiu does it, though that's only one aria on the disc. I think Gheorghiu is a little overrated (still), and I think it came about when she burst on the scene in lovebird duets with her husband. But in this recital, I think she does an adequate job, and I still have her other CDs (and more amazing, bought them in the first place). She has a pretty voice and uses it well enough I think in at least this recital.

One of Gheorghiu's best recitals.......2007-01-09

I have played this CD numerous times since buying it many years ago. Whilst not 'perfect' to some, I still think it is one of Gheorghiu's best recitals recorded.

exquisite!.......2006-11-02

In this recording Ms. Gheorghiu shows why she is one of the most extraordinary voices of our time. Her phrasing, musicality and expression is impecable. I seriously recommend this CD to anyone who wants to know how an opera singer is supposed to be heard.

Angela Gheoghiu is Wonderful.......2006-08-06

I love this album I can listen to her all day long.

A Pleasant Surprise.......2006-02-24

I purchased this CD for one specific selection, and to my surprise found that I thoroughly enjoyed the entire recording! Ms Gheorghiu has a wonderful voice and knows how to "sell" an aria!!

Average customer rating: Kasarova and the Amazing Multi-Colored Dream Voice Very good Kasarova Is the Current "Gold Standard" of Living Mezzos Very unique and enjoyable voice

Vesselina Kasarova - A Portrait George Frideric Handel , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Gioachino Rossini , Gaetano Donizetti , Vincenzo Bellini , Munich Radio Orchestra , Friedrich Haider , Vesselina Kasarova , Bavarian Radio Chorus , Tim Hennis , Isolde Mitternacht-Geibendorfer , Barbara Muller , Dankwart Siegele , Leonid Savitzky , and Andreas Schulist Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Sopranos | Voices | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Kasarova, Vesselina | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Vesselina Kasarova - Mozart Arias / Sir Colin Davis Love Entranced: French Opera Arias Ruth Ann Swenson - Positively Golden ~ Colaratura Arias Renée Fleming: Bel Canto Cecilia Bartoli - The Vivaldi Album / Il Giardino Armonico ASIN: B000003G3T Release Date: 1996-11-12

Tracks:

1. Rinaldo: Or la tromba in suon festante
2. Orfeo ed Euridice: Che farnza Euridice?
3. Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete che cosa mor
4. Don Giovanni: Batti, batti, o bel Masetto
5. La Cenerentola: Nacqui all'affanno e al pianto
6. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa
7. L'Italiana in Algeri: Pronti abbiamo e ferri e mani...Amici in ogni evento...Pensaalla patria
8. Anna Bolena: Sposa a Percy...Per questa fiamma indomita...Ah! Pensate che rivolti
9. La Favorita: Fia dunque vero...O mio Fernando!
10. I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Se Romeo t'uccise un figlio...La tremenda ultrice spada

Amazon.com

The title "A Portrait" would suggest some sort of a cohesive look at this talented Bulgarian mezzo-soprano. But she is so astonishingly versatile, one wonders if there are at least two singers at work here. Her more athletic coloratura moments in the Rossini and Donizetti arias would suggest some sort of slavic Cecila Bartoli while her more soulful, lyrical moments in Gluck's Orfeo would suggest a heavier voice like Kathleen Ferrier. Could it be that she has it all--or at least as much as one could hope for in a single singer? --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Kasarova and the Amazing Multi-Colored Dream Voice.......2006-04-06

This was my introduction to Vesselina Kasarova CD. I first saw her in a clip of Il Barbiere di Siviglia (singing Una voce poco fa) on Classic Arts Showcase program one night and was amazed at how beautifully she sings the coloratura piece while doing complicated acting manuevers on stage.

The really great thing about Kasarova is how she communicates the essence of each aria with her voice. She doesn't sing 'Konzertzant'. Her instrument, for some reason, doesn't sound as big on recording as it does live (where it is quite plenty big, very lusterous and agile), and she uses many vocal colors to bring out the different character of her roles (a lot of time in the same aria to show the change of emotion). It is unconventional, but it works really well in the story telling.

Her coloratura is amazing. It is fast and fluidly effortless sounding... and she sings all the notes!! A true Rossinian mezzo with great extension at the top. She also incorporates the ornaments into the music so well it gives the piece a character rather than standing out at odd with the music. Kasarova is so subtle in her interpretations that each time I replay an aria I catch some nuances I missed before.

Her 'Che faro senza Euridice' may sound 'simple' on the first try, but it is quite understatedly wistful and gives the picture of a devastatingly drained Orfeo who has lost all hope. It gets better the more closely you listen to it. Her 'Voi che sapete' is of a Cherubino who is young and enthusiastically in love.

She uses wider vibrato in her bel canto pieces which fit the music well. Her Rosina has a split personality demarcated at 'ma', a note that turns an perky love-struck young thing into a potentially vengeful witch in such dramatic way that I can visualize her eyes narrowing and her fangs growing just by hearing it. Her renditions of 'o mio Fernando' and 'Se Romeo t'uccise un figlio' are unforgetable. Kasarova gives you all she has and it is wonderful.

Very good.......2004-03-19

I find this collection interesting, but not necessarily to the singers advantage. She sings what she sings well, but there is an "overblown" quality from time to time. Sona la tromba (the first selection) has a rough edge to it. I like this singer very much in other things I have her in. This is a good CD, but I think it would have served her more to choose some other selections. Her Verdi is excellent, but we are not treated to it. Her Orfeo lacks that really rich lower register that would make it tell. Still, a great buy and a great collection.

Kasarova Is the Current "Gold Standard" of Living Mezzos.......2003-11-14

When this CD was first released, I happened to hear the track with "Una voce poco fa" played on a classical-music radio station. For over 50 years I had been a devoted "fan" of instrumental classical music, but, in just 3 minutes, Kasarova's performance expanded and altered my mind and heart. When I attempted to purchase an audio tape of her singing, I discovered none was for sale anywhere. My solution? Buy the CD--and THEN buy a CD player. Five or six years later, I own over 1800 CDs, about 2/3 of them operatic music. My preferences are now mainly for bel canto singers who are mezzos or contraltos. Rossini, Handel, and Bellini are my favorite composers. Why? Chiefly because of my chance encounter with Ms. Kasarova's wonderfully flexible, rich, warm voice. She caused me to get season tickets to the Met for the past four years (where I was finally able to hear/see her in THE BARBER OF SEVILLE--the best of the four performances I've attended). For purposes of easy comparison, I have "imported" tracks from this CD onto my computer's hard drive along with those of several dozen other mezzos singing the same arias. After many hours of back-to-back listening, in almost all cases I greatly prefer the versions of Kasarova. This CD is an excellent "starter" purchase for any beginners who wish to explore what opera has to offer. For "experienced" listeners, it is a must-have!

Very unique and enjoyable voice.......2000-07-22

Although Kasarova still has a bit to learn about singing, she is clearly on her way to becoming a great interpreter of the mezzo-soprano repertoire. There were a few pieces that I certainly do not long to hear repeated, but for the most part, the album is enjoyable.

My favourite selections were the coloratura pieces. "Una voce poco fa" has been sung to DEATH already, but Kasarova adds something new to it, especially in the lower register. It's nice to hear this piece performed by a true mezzo. The "Voi che sapete" was also very nicely done (it fell wonderfully in her passagio), although "Batti, batti" was not memorable (it felt somewhat monotonous---maybe because Kasarova was beginning to tire with the high tessitura). I especially enjoyed her rendition of O mio Fernando---I would like to hear her sing "Stride la Vampa" (Trovatore) in the future.

The only piece that really didn't thrill me was the Orfeo "Che faro." This piece was written for a good rich contralto, and Kasarova's tone simply wasn't appropriate to carry this aria affectively (she really sounds like she's straining the low notes, which can't really be disguised because they occur so many times).

I listen to Kasarova whenever I'm bored with Larmore or Bartoli. She has a certain husky tendency in her voice that is extremely desirable but not present in the voices of these other two divas. This is a wonderful album to introduce you to her unique voice!

Average customer rating: This is a beautiful voice My dream woman This will get me crucified Amazing! Breathing Beautiful Life into Characters Commonly Dismissed

Kathleen Battle - Bel Canto Arias Vincenzo Bellini , Gioachino Rossini , Gaetano Donizetti , London Philharmonic Orchestra , Bruno Campanella , Kathleen Battle , Richard Croft , John Constable , Pal Christian Moe , Randi Stene , Mark S. Doss , and Ambrosian Opera Chorus Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Battle, Kathleen | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Battle, Kathleen | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart The Bach Album Kathleen Battle Sings Mozart Kathleen Battle · Wynton Marsalis ~ Baroque Duet / Anthony Newman · Orch St. Luke's · Nelson Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall ASIN: B000001GH1 Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

1. I Capuleti Ed I Montecchi: Recitativo E Romanza (Atto I): 'Eccomi In Lieta Vesta...Oh! Quante Volte'
2. Tancredi: Recitativo Ed Aria (Atto II): 'Gran Dio! Deh, Tu Proteggi...Giusto Dio Che Umile Adoro'
3. Don Pasquale: Cavatina (Atto I): 'Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere'...So Ancho'io La Virtu Magica'
4. Linda Di Chamounix: Recitativo E Cavatina (Atto I): 'Ah! Tardai Troppo...O Luce Di Quest'anima'
5. La Sonnambula: Scena Ed Aria Finale (Atto II): 'Oh! Se Una Volta Sola...Ah! Non Credea Mirarti'
6. Il Viaggio A Reims: Aria (Atto I): 'Partir, O Ciel! Desio'

Customer Reviews:

This is a beautiful voice.......2007-07-15

Kathleen Battle has been the best soprano in her repertoire. She is always exquisite singing opera arias, lieder, chansons, spirituals or jazz.

My dream woman.......2007-01-10

Another great recital by my dream woman. Battle's voice and style is not to everyone's taste, but that's why we can compare and choose which singers we love and adore! This CD has provided me with endless listening pleasure and I love every minute of it.

This will get me crucified.......2007-01-05

She drops instead of leaping to the last note in arias, like Caballe does. When she doesn't drop, she slides to the last note in arias, like Gruberova does. Never (at least on this disc) does she make a clean break and leap like Jo, Sills, Sutherland, Pons and Callas do. To name the few I'm familiar with. It's a drag. She sings like a dream. She has a warm facility during the song. I've had her Mozart album for years and loved it. Not anymore. I got this CD ("Bel Canto") a couple days ago, ripped the wrapping off eagerly, listened hopefully for the 56 minutes or whatever it was (twice to be sure I hadn't missed something), then said to hell with it. There are lots of beautiful voices out there (Studer, Ricciarelli, Tebaldi, Gheorghiu, - it's endless). And I love them all up to a point. But when it comes to someone who calls herself bel canto, which she is, just a coloratura cop-out, and has an attitude like I've heard that she does to boot, I say why bother. Both her CDs are in my sack of classical rejects that one of these days I'm going to try to sell on eBay. Phooey! What a rip!

Amazing!.......2006-05-22

This is my first Bel Canto album and Kathleen Battle has a new fan. Her voice is so powerful and clear. Now I have to upgrade my stereo system to listen to her nusic 8-).

Breathing Beautiful Life into Characters Commonly Dismissed.......2001-06-13

At last! This is the disc I have waited my whole life for: famed soprano Kathleen Battle showing her awesome talents in the bel canto repertoire. After glimpsing her coloratura abilities as Donizetti's Adina (L'ELISIR D'AMORE) and her ability to soar over ensembles as Mozart's Pamina (DIE ZAUBERFLOTE), we all knew that Ms. Battle was tailor-made for these arias and extended scenes. Miraculously, she never strains, her voice is creamy throughout its two and half octave range (listen to those high E's melt in her Amina's mouth), and her diction is remarkably intelligible. The above-mentioned gifts do not even hint at her ability for expression and gift for improvisation. One thing I have always loved about Kathleen Battle is the fact that she DOES improvise, breathing her own unique life into a characterization (listen to her Semele or Rosina for proof of this). This 56 minute CD has her tackle 2 apiece from Bellini, Donizetti, and Rossini. Once again she shows her affinity for Rossini but, like the previous reviewer, I have to express my surprise and delight at how beautifully SONNAMBULA sits in her throat. In fact, in my own humble opinion, her version is even more impressive than Dame Joan's and Sumi Jo's for its sheer vocalism! In this 15 minute scene, she is lent admirable support from Richard Croft, Randi Stene, and Mark S. Doss but make no mistake: this is Ms. Battle's show. Consider me converted... then again, who am I kidding? I'm one of her biggest fans and supporters! Enjoy this gem of a disc--sit back and be astounded.

Average customer rating: Almost unbearable beauty - Bellini sung to the point of ecstasy Beautiful Bel Canto Romeo And Juliet Bellini a plagiarizer!!! Good, but not excelent The best recording so far...

Vincenzo Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi Manufacturer: Angel Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi Bellini: Il Pirata Handel - Julius Caesar / Treigle · Sills · Forrester · Wolff · NYCO · Rudel Bellini: Norma (complete opera) EMI's Great Recordings of the Century with Maria Callas, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan Massenet - Manon ASIN: B000002S54 Release Date: 1994-09-20

Tracks:

1. Sinfonia - Choir Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
2. Aggiorna Appena...
3. O Di Capellio, Generosi Amici
4. E Serbata A Questo Acciaro
5. Si: M'abbraccia
6. L'amo Tanto, E M'e Si Cara
7. Vanne Lorenzo
8. Lieto Del Dolce Incarco
9. Ascolta. Se Romeo T'uccise Un Figlio
10. Riedi Al Campo
11. La Tremenda Ultrice Spada
12. Eccomi In Lieta Vesta
13. Oh! Quante Volte
14. Propizia E L'ora
15. Si, Fruggire: A Noi Nin Resta
16. Odi Tu? L'altar Funesto
17. Vieni, Ah! Vieni

Tracks:

1. Lieta Notte, Avventurosa
2. Deh! Per Pieta, T'arresta
3. Tace Il Fragor
4. Che Miro?
5. Soccorso, Sostegno Accordagli
6. Accorriam...Romeo!
7. Ne Alcun Ritorna!
8. Morte Io Non Temo Il Sai
9. Prendi, Gl'istanti Volano
10. Deh! Padre Mio
11. Deserto E Il Luogo
12. Chi Sei Tu
13. Qua' Voci! Oh Dio!
14. Ella E Morta, O Sciagurato
15. Siam Giunti
16. Ecco La Tomba
17. Tu Sola, O Mia Giulietta
18. O Tu, Mia Sola Speme
19. Ah! Crudel! Che Mai Facesti?

Customer Reviews:

Almost unbearable beauty - Bellini sung to the point of ecstasy.......2006-03-13

This is a magical recording... From the opening to the heartbreaking end, one is caught, captivated, spellbound. In fact, "spellbinding" is so completely the word I must use that I have to fight not to repeat myself.

Edita Gruberova is, of course, one of the world's most superb bel canto singers. Her voice is a lyric dramatic coloratura - no hint of strain in her top notes, beautiful gleaming colour all the way down, with agile facility and a superb way of stringing her vocal line along the radiance of a rising sun.

Agnes Baltsa is so unbeatable as Romeo that it is a privilege to hear her. There is such an almost... ferocious quality in her voice... a ferocity that is strictly disciplined within a superb technique. In her duet work with Gruberova, oh!! Oh! It's the stuff of legends!

The rest of the cast is very good indeed.

There are other recordings of this gorgeous opera - but believe me, not ONE of them approaches even the outer limits of this unmatched recording. I am unable to listen to "O quante volto" as sung by Gruberova without feeling tears start. It's simply that beautiful.

Beautiful Bel Canto Romeo And Juliet.......2006-02-09

This is one of the few recordings of Bellini's bel canto opera I Capuleti E I Montechi (Capulets and Montagues) which has long been overshadowed by Gounod's Romeo Et Juliette, an opera still staged in opera houses, while this one has gone on the wayside. This one stars Edita Gruberova as Juliet and Agnes Baltsa as Romeo, with Piero Cappuccilli rounding out the cast. Ricardo Muti conducts. The strength of this recording is the fine digital remastered sound and the glorious voices. Edita Gruberova is a very sweet-voiced, coloratura goddess with all the right vocal make-up to essay the role of Juliet. She feminine, delicate but never acidic or thin in her voice. Hers is a rich, creamy voice, though not at all Italian since Miss Gruberova is East European. Agnes Baltsa goes above and beyond as Romeo. Her versatility as a mezzo soprano has given us fine Ebolis, Queen Elisabeth I in Maria Stuarda, Dalilahs, Venus from Tannhauser and on this recording the trouse role of Romeo. She is wholly convincing as a passionate man! Her voice is dark, rich but flexible and high-flying. She makes a far better Romeo than even Janet Baker in the EMI recording with Beverly Sills. Piero Cappuccilli is a phenomenal singer but bel canto is not really his thing. He sings with flair but he loses all sense of this particular musicality and for all we know could be singing Verdi instead of Bellini. Muti knows how to make the score alive with color and subtleties. But really, the only reason I even bought this recording was because Agnes Baltsa is such a terrific singer-actress. Her Romeo is unbeatable. You have to hear it yourself. I first heard it from a broadcast on the internet radio station Viva La Voce. Miss Baltsa is a mezzo-soprano whose likes we'll never see again.

Bellini a plagiarizer!!!.......2004-01-17

The harp-accompanied section of Giulietta's aria, "O quante volte, quante", sounds suspiciously like Desdemona's harp-accompanied Willow Song from "Otello". Even the introductory harp notes of the Bellini aria resemble the introductory harp notes of Rossini's aria! Shame on Bellini for copying Rossini!

Good, but not excelent.......2003-09-11

I bought this because I like very much the Gruberova interpretations of Bel Canto Repertoire and I consider Balsa a great Mezzo. They don't disappoint here. Gruberova quite good and Balsa is a convincing Romeo.
I'm always septic about Muti. His obsession about the "come scrito" interpretation can be quite boring. Gruberavova's great high notes are missing here.
Sometimes during the interpretation it seems this is a studio record. This can be good and bad, good because of the sound quality and bad because we don't fill the public emotion (applauses only in the end of the acts).

The best recording so far..........2003-07-17

Initially I was a bit sceptical of this recording since I usually keep away from live recordings. I had listened to the Hong/Larmore recording (Teldec) numerous times but found it a bit lifeless. In my opinion Larmore doesn't cut it for Bellini.

So I finally decided to buy this mid-priced recording - NO REGRETS! There are only minimal flaws, such as microphone placing (the orchestra is a bit loud) and some audience noise. Aside from that, Baltsa and Gruberova give a most convincing performance. Giulietta's 'Eccomi in lieta vesta...Oh! quante volte' is totally sublime! Muti delivers a most Italianate interpretation. Highly recommended!!!

Average customer rating: no need for pessimism Fantastic soprano, good CD. a fine CD for collector I tried Beautiful voice, flawed album

Bel Sogno: Italian Arias & Scenes Münchner Rundfunkorchester , Giacomo Puccini , Vincenzo Bellini , Alfredo Catalani , Giuseppe Verdi , Francesco Cilea , and Gaetano Donizetti Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000059QWD Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

1. Cilea: Ecco... Io son l'umile ancella
2. Donizetti: Piangete voi... Al dolce guidami
3. Catalani: Ebben, ne andro lontana
4. Bellini: Eccomi in lieta vesta... O quante volte
5. Verdi: E strano... Ah, fors'e lui...Sempre libera
6. Verdi: Teneste la promessa... Addio, del passato
7. Verdi: Come in quest'ora bruna
8. Verdi: Ave Maria
9. Puccini: Un bel di vedremo
10. Puccini: Si, mi chiamano
11. Puccini: Donde lieta usci
12. Puccini: In quelle trine morbide
13. Puccini: Senza mamma
14. Puccini: O mio babbino caro

Customer Reviews:

no need for pessimism.......2005-04-23

it's surprising to see so many negative reviews here, since I remember GRAMOPHONE magazine gushing about the "sheer pleasure" of reviewing Gallardo-Domas' album, which made me risk the purchase despite a tired old song selection (NOT another "Sempre libera"! NOT another "Un bel di"!). and I was converted. the technical aspects aside (of which I don't know enough to discuss knowledgeably), her singing is so emotional, so heart-on-sleeve, it breathes life into age-old arias. her Violetta is truly overwhelming, and even if one takes into account the differences in taste that might be prejudiced against a voice like hers, she deserves better. I vote 5 stars.

Fantastic soprano, good CD........2004-11-08

Cristina Gallardo-Domas is one of the best sopranos around in her repertoire. She has a solid technique, a good musicality, an amazing sense of interpretation. She is very expressive. I also love her vocal timbre.
I would say that Bel Sogno is a good CD, very enjoyable, specially for the excerpts from Adrianna and Puccini operas. Cristina is at her best in other recordings, specially from live performances (for example, her Butterfly from Covent Garden is simply fantastic), but this CD has some very high points, and it deserves to be listened.

a fine CD for collector.......2004-07-22

Cristina Gallardo-Domas has a very beautiful voice and fine technique. though she did not did well in all the works here, but some are outstanding~! for example the "Ecco... Io son l'umile ancella" is flowing and expressive, diction is very clear.

the reason for collect this CD is that she gave many new idea in singing those arias, so that i am pleased when i listen to those 14 famous arias againi in this cd.

to record these famous arias is not easy... since she has to be compared by the people to many opera superstars. i think to compare is good, but we should think of how much new ideas she gave to us (for these arias), and for this i think she did a really good job.

I tried.......2004-02-02

I tried with this soprano, I really tried. I wanted so badly to love her, but the truth is this; she is no better than any undergrad student anywhere. At times she sounds like an old lady in a church choir! If she is such an accomplished artist why is she in such bad vocal shape. Don't buy this, you will be mad at yourself!!

Beautiful voice, flawed album.......2002-04-15

I have waited for a recital album to come from this young soprano ever since I heard her Angelica in the recent recording of Il Trittico. I was disappointed in the resulting album, however--Gallardo-Domas's voice is large and beautiful, but she doesn't quite have the vocal technique or ability to sing some of these arias. In the verismo pieces, such as the Puccini selections or the Catalani aria, she is quite good, although her "Senza Mamma" was much better in the Trittico recording. In the previous recording, she demonstrated an ability to float a beautiful pianissimo high note, but she seems to have lost a little of that on this album. Her vibrato is uncontrolled and sometimes seems to take over her voice. The Verdi and Bel Canto selections are much worse--the less-than-perfect technique that is permissable in Verismo is unacceptable here. Her coloratura on "Sempre libera" is simply painful to listen to, and why she would choose to record this aria is beyond me.

Average customer rating: A Splendid Night In Paris!

Montserrat Caballé & José Carreras: Opera Duets Manufacturer: Delta ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | 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 Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Zarzuela Arias & Duets Montserrat Caballé: Ultimate Collection ASIN: B000001VK0 Release Date: 1995-10-24

Tracks:

1. Tanti affetti
2. Tu sola, o mia
3. Depuis la jour
4. Ah,tout est bien fini
5. Questo pianto favelli
6. Nessun dorma
7. Pace, pace, mio Dio
8. La mamma morta - New PO/Edoardo Muller N
9. Colpito qui m'avete
10. Vicino a te s'acqueta

Customer Reviews:

A Splendid Night In Paris!.......1999-03-19

This disc is a real gem! The sound quality is outstanding! Especially for a budget motivated label like Laserlight. Caballe is superb and Jose Carreras is even better. The love duet from Chenier is a great climatic splendor for the concerts finally. The only downside to Nessun Dorma was the last Vincero! was not held quite long enogh for my taste. But all in all this disc is worth dropping a few cents on. Buy it and you will be amazed!

Average customer rating: Beyond all description... An Absolute Must-Have for Any Pavarotti Fan Wonderful!!!!

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Album Description

Disc 1: Donizetti Arias from L'elisir d'amore, Maria Stuarda, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Fille du Regiment, Linda di Chamounix, La Favorita, and Don Paquale

Disc 2: Bellini/Donizetti/Verdi Includes arias from I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, La Sonnambula (1976 Duet Recording), I Beatrice di Tenda, I Puritani, Don Sebastien, Il Duca d'Alba, I Lombardi, I due Foscari, Ernani, and Attila

Disc 3: Verdi 1 Includes arias from Macbeth, Luisa Miller, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, and Les Vepres Siciliennes

Disc 4: Verdi 2 Includes arias from Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino, Don Carlos, Aida, Otello, and Requiem

Disc 5: Puccini Includes arias from La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot

Disc 6: Puccini and Verismo Includes arias from Cavalleria Rusticana, Manon Lescaut, Pagliacci, Andrea Chenier, and Tosca

Disc 7: Arias 1 Includes arias from La Griselda, Atalanta, Orfeo ed Euridice, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan Tutte, Guillaume Tell, and more. Includes Unreleased Material.

Disc 8: Arias 2 Includes arias from Martha, Mefistofele, La Giocanda, Adriana Lecouvreur, Rosenkavalier, Fedora, Werther, Faust, Carmen, and more

Disc 9: Italian Songs Includes: In questa tomba oscura, Me voglio fa'na casa, Non t'amo piu, Pace non trovo, and more

Disc 10: Neapolitan and Italian Popular Songs Includes: O sloe mio, Torna a Surriento, Core 'ngrato, Funiculi Funicula, Non ti scordar di me, Mamma and more

Bonus CD: The 1964 EP (previously unreleased) "Che Gelida Manina," "E lucevan le stelle," "Questo o quella," "La Donna e mobile," and "Parmi veder" with Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Edward Downes conducting

Customer Reviews:

Beyond all description..........2006-09-19

As a boy, I heard so many hyperbolic references to the legendary Enrico Caruso that I chose to purchase a remastered copy of his "Greatest Hits" when I first began to acquire recordings as a young man. Soon after, I discovered Pavarotti and my life was changed by his music. Caruso ended up in the Goodwill Store. I am convinced that in 500 years, should the earth cool again and the Muslim hoards abate, the civilized world will still tell tales of the greatest tenor. I have often found myself grumpy when searching for recordings of Pavarotti because of the inconsistent fidelity of the recordings. That search for the definitive Pavarotti recordings, regarding both content and fidelity, has ended with the release of this extraordinary collection. Worth it's weight in gold, the Puccinni Volume (#5) alone is enough to send someone like me into hyperspace. I am astounded by the beauty and power of these performances. I will always remember the day, not long ago, when a NPR commentator glibly mentioned between the weather and the night's playlist the terrible words, "Luciano Pavarotti has announced that he is retiring from Opera." I felt as if something indescribably beautiful was fading from the world. Of course, beauty in all of its earthly forms is fleeting at best, but these discs contain a reflection of it that will surely bolster any soul.

An Absolute Must-Have for Any Pavarotti Fan.......2004-01-09

...and that certainly goes without saying. My one tiny little problem with it is that his recordings of "Santa Lucia" and "Caruso" are not on this incredible box-set. Even though I have those recordings on other CDs, I still think those are very important pieces to include on this set (assuming that this set of Pavi hits would be the only compilation that that any fan of this phenomenal tenor would have). He is probably my biggest idol, and he deserves to have been one of the biggest opera stars in history.

Wonderful!!!!.......2002-11-07

This Pavarotti set; The Pavarotti Edition; is a wonderful collection of Arias and songs that cover Luciano's great career. Pavarotti is THE Voice of the 20th Century and this set does him justice. It includes 10 CDs with over 750 minutes of music; Includes Music from All of His roles; has a beautiful 76 page full color booklet; Has a wonderful write up; and includes a bonus CD of Pavarotti's fist album, a 45, from 1964, which has never been released on CD before this set. Every Song is hear, This SET is a must have for every Pavarotti Fan.

Meditation Music:

1. Bellini: La Sonnambula
2. Bizet: Carmen
3. Boieldieu - Le Calife de Bagdad / Dale · Mayo · Michelni · Cheriez · Rhys-Evans · Camerata de Provence · de Almeida
4. Caccini: Le Nuove Musiche, Firenze 1601
5. Carmen: Opernquerschnitt in deutscher Sprache
6. Chevalier de Lorimier: Opera de Gilbert Patenaude
7. Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur
8. Conradin Kreutszer: Das Nachtlager in Granada
9. Dallapiccola: Il Prigioniero
10. Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande

Meditation Music

meditation music

Meditation Music

Un Soplo En El Corazón [Import]

Encores From Vienna

Carl Vine: Three Symphonies

Music: Divine - Greatest Hits [Import]

Fred's Bowling Center [Import]

Greatest Club Remixes

Fleur De Metal [Import]

If You Didn't Laugh You'd Cry

For You [Import]

Hundred Year Hall [Live]

Face to Face [Live]

El Perro del Garage [Import]

Canta [Import]

What About Now

Blues Bred in the Bone