Mascagni: Lodoletta

Lodoletta, opera in 3 acts
Composed by Pietro Mascagni
with Ettore Cresci, Carlo Bosi
Conducted by Massimo de Bernart

Mascagni: Lodoletta,Pietro Mascagni,Massimo de Bernart,Carlo Bosi,Ettore Cresci,Fone,Classical,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

Great verismo instincts, but has Cura declined since 1999?
Verismo at it's best
Hurrah for Yu Qiang Dai
what a waste!
Disappointing after his Puccini CD

Verismo

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jose Cura - Puccini Arias / Domingo
Verdi Arias
Anhelo: Argentinian Songs
Boleros
Artist Portrait Jose Cura

ASIN: B00000K2WD
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Pagliacci: Prologo
Pagliacci
Pagliacci: Intermezzo
La Boh:
Loreley
Andrea Cher
Andrea Cher
Andrea Cher: Fedora
Andrea Cher: Marcella
Adriana Lecouvreur
Adriana Lecouvreur
L'arlesiana
Germania
Cavalleria Rusticana: Preludio e Siciliana
Cavalleria Rusticana: Addio alla madre
Lodoletta
Guglielmo Ratcliff

Amazon.com

The thirtysomething Argentinian tenor José Cura has been making quite a name for himself, and he is nothing if not controversial. His appeal is undeniable: matinee-idol good looks, a big, interesting, healthy, dark voice, great musical intelligence, and a gift for communication. But he is often badly prepared on stage and was recently severely booed at opera's mecca, La Scala. His last recording, in which he played Samson, found the top of his voice in tentative shape. But if the remarkable work here is indicative of what he can do, let's just hope that he stays on track. The disc opens, very unconventionally, with the Pagliacci "Prologue"--an aria for baritone! Cura sings it with great feeling and a truly burnished tone--indeed, he sounds like a baritone with easy top notes. But it is his tenorizing that is truly fine here. A series of arias by Mascagni, from the little-known Lodoletta to Cavalleria Rusticana (a truly sensitive reading of Turiddu's plea to his mother) is superb, well-nuanced, and richly told. The "Improvviso" from Andrea Chenier is simply magnificent, which makes one wonder why his phrasing is so choppy in the same character's final act aria, "Com'e un bel di di maggio." This brings up another issue: Cura is also the conductor here. Granted, this makes certain that he'll be singing precisely as he pleases, but more often than not, a conductorial voice is different from--and complementary to--the singer. Cura's judgment calls can be off, as they are in this second Chenier solo. But the singing's the thing, and Cura proves himself again and again--the Adriana, L'Arlesianna, and Fedora arias are also exhilarating. This is a major release, and tenor lovers will enjoy the singing as much as they will the unusual program. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Great verismo instincts, but has Cura declined since 1999?.......2007-04-16

On the strength of this superb CD of verismo arias, one would expect Jose Cura to have replaced Alagna as the 'fourth tenor.' He has a robust lower range, which he displays to remaarkable effect by singing the baritone aria, 'Si puo,' that raises the curtain in Pagliacci. The darkness of Cura's tone can be unsettling--I found him a strange Alfredo in La Traviata, for instance--but a lot of verismo demands powerful chest tones, and Cura has a fine tenor extension, if you think of it as that. Caruso began from a similar basis, I believe. And despite the criticisms, his conducting is quite acceptable--I doubt that anyone would have complained if the identity of the conductor hadn't been revealed on the cover.

With nothing but praise for this gorgeous recital, I'm sorry to report that Cura's promise seems unfulfilled eight years later. He hasn't made outstanding opera sets to date, although he has certainly made some glamorous DVDs. The voice has darkened further and the top notes aren't as secure. He doessn't express joy with his voice, which can make his portrayals rather somber. His dramatic flair seems subdued also. I don't keep up with every detail of Cura's career, but presently he seems overshadowed by Villazon, a much less powerful but equally artistic tenor. Let's hope the lull is only temporary.

Verismo at it's best.......2005-03-25

I am amazed at the many utterly and overly negative comments posted regarding this CD.

Let me be clear about this. Jose Cura is NOT, nor will he EVER be, a lyric tenor!
It is my impression that too many reviewers of this particular CD are not quite aware of the this fact, and tend to compare Cura to other, far more lyrical tenors.

See, that's the beauty of Grand Opera. The composers wrote different operas for different voice types. Cura's voice is perhaps the penultimate spinto voice of the modern opera scene.
It is upon this very precept that I base my evaluation of this CD.

Now, on the actual CD.
With the exception of the fact that, indeed, Cura should have left the conducting to someone more qualified other than himself, this CD offers the listener the best Verismo selections available by a contemporary tenor.

In reviewing the comments regarding this CD I am reminded of the terrible critizism leveled upon the late Mario delMonaco during his lifetime.
Judging by contemprary reviews of the late Maestro, his was the worst tenor voice ever, and save for the sheer volume of his voice, and his Hollywood looks, he would never have had a career.
It wasn't until after delMonaco retired, and moreso until after his death, that the very critics that once denounced him as unworthy of his status, hailed him as one of the greatest dramatic tenors of all time!

I say this only to illustrate my point regarding the bad press this CD has received.
Having said this, Cura does an excellent job with this material.
His voice and phrasing often harkens memories of both delMonaco and Corelli, yet his interpretation is uniquely is own.

My favorite selections here are "Vesti La Giubba" from I Pagliacci, "Amor Ti Vieta" from Fedora, "Lamento Di Frederico" from L'arlesianna and "O Lola" as well as "Addio alla Madre" from Cavalleria Rusticana.
These selections highlight Curas prowess as the pre-eminent dramatic tenor of today beyond reproach.

On a final note, I often see that Cura is being hailed as Domingos' successor in both vocal quality and acting ability.
That's utter hogwash in that Curas' voice is much closer to that of delMonaco in both weight and power and acting wise, I doubt that we'll soon see another tenor as prodigiously gifted as was Domingo in that regard.

Jose Cura is a great DRAMATIC tenor folks. There's nothing lyrical about him and that's precisely why I appreciate his style and, subsequently, this CD.

Hurrah for Yu Qiang Dai.......2005-01-28

It was a big shock to hear Yu Qiang Dai's debut cd. He is, I think, the best lirico-spinto tenor nowadays. He has a lovely voice, which is very well produced. The center is wonderful, the lower notes are good, the high notes are shining and of fantastic quality... the singing through the passage is very well handled. He is an itelligent musical interpreter and singer, with an interesting and appealing line and sense of style. Very good dynamic changes. He offers some of the absolutely best renditions of some arias (nessun dorma and cielo e mar, for example) that I have heard in many years.

He still has to work his Italian (specially the consonants) and his French. But there were great historical tenors with bigger idiomatical problems.

Despite taking spinto repertoire, Yu never pushes, never tries to make the voice sound darker than it is, everything is always under control, and he takes the chance to give very stylish renditions (for example, of una furtiva lagrima), which is strange for tenors who "want to sing spinto".
The tenor is a fantastic discovery, one of the best ones around. Actually, all my criticism goes to EMI and the production of the CD: no choirs, no solists (for example, for the aria of Cavalleria, where the mother should sing her line), and the acoustic "atmosphere" has made some people to doubt if Yu's voice is really as big as it seems (people who saw his Cavaradossi at Covent Garden say that it is very big, actually).
Not a the best production job by the people of EMI, but five stars (ten if possible) for the singer. Simply wonderful.

what a waste!.......2004-06-06

Initially I was excited: at last, I thought, here is a voice of Del Monaco weight but with infinitely more variety and color. But upon repeated hearing, I came to the conclusion that the varied tone was often simply the result of a poorly modulated voice in which the top and the bottom blended poorly at times with the mid-range. Worse yet, his foolish decision to serve as his own conductor does not serve him well. Often, as in the Fedora aria (which should have suited his voice well) he winds up chopping off the end of phrases because of his choice in tempos or perhaps the difficulty of accompanying oneself. Many of the interpretations are mannered--a good producer or conductor could have helped him avoid these lapses of judgement. The decision to lead with Tonio's prologue (a baritone aria) is embarrasing. Although he does indeed have a baritonal-sounding tenor at times, this doesn't make him a baritone by any stretch of the imagination. As a result, the aria is not even remotely satisfactory--it requires vocal resources a tenor just doesn't have (as well as dramatic resources Cura also does not reliably offer). I'm happy to have the arias from Lodoletta and Germania in modern sound (the Marcella aria really needs another voice type) and in spite of my criticism there are moments of real beauty in Cura's voice. Yet what a pity that humility, self-discipline,and good taste were not given to him in equal parts with beauty of voice. After a month with this record I begin to long for the direct, unselfconscious if rather crude sound of del Monaco. Any number of comparably voiced tenors of the last twenty years, like Giacomini or Martinucci, who were never recorded as much as they deserved were vastly superior to Cura in musicality and self-awareness. Behold the power of a pretty face!

Disappointing after his Puccini CD.......2001-05-20

I was favorably impressed with Cura's debut recital of Puccini arias (recorded June 1997), and on the strength of that favorable impression I bought his Verismo arias CD (recorded July 1999) and his Verdi arias CD (recorded Feb. 2000). I found both disappointing; neither is up to the standard of the Puccini disc. What is alarming is that I believe there has been audible deterioration in his voice in the short period of only two and three years between recording the Puccini disc and recording the next two. He is singing heavy roles usually, and advisedly, taken on by tenors later in their careers (e.g., Samson, Otello), and I hope this promising tenor won't sing himself out prematurely.

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Mascagni: Lodoletta

Manufacturer: Gala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00008DVB8
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Average customer rating:

Fine selection of arias from the verismo period
Scotto: the greatest gift
a thinking man's singer
One Of The Truly Great Aria Recitals
Singing as good as it gets

Renata Scotto - Italian Opera Arias
Giacomo Puccini , Alfredo Catalani , Francesco Cilea , Pietro Mascagni , Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari , Lorin Maazel , Eve Queler , Gianandrea Gavazzeni , Sir John Pritchard , James Levine , Renata Scotto , Elena Obraztsova , and Renato Bruson
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The Very Best of Renata Scotto
Mirella Freni-Renata Scotto: In Duet
Very Best of
Love Entranced: French Opera Arias
Massenet: La Navarraise / Horne, Domingo, Milnes, Bacquier, Zaccaria, Davies, LSO, Lewis

ASIN: B00000C28Q
Release Date: 1998-09-22

Tracks:

Le Villi: Non ti scordar di me
Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide
Manon Lescaut: Sola, perduta, abbandonata
La Boheme: Quando m'en vo' soletta
Suor Angelica: Senza mamma, o bimbo, tu sei morto
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
La Wally: Ebben? Ne andro' lontana
Adriana Lecouvreur: lo son l'umile ancella del genio creator
Adriana Lecouvreur: Poveri fiori
La rondine: Ch'il bel sogno di Doretta
Lodoletta: Flammen perdonami
Iris: Un di (ero piccina) al tempio
EDGAR: Addio, addio, mio dolce amor!
Madama Butterfly: Un bel di, vedremo
Madama Butterfly: Tu, tu, piccolo iddio!
Il Segreta di Susanni: Respiro, e andanto...O gioia la nube leggera
Il Segreta di Susanna: Ti colgo questa volta! (Duet)
Adriana Lecouvreur: E sia! Non risponde (Duet)

Amazon.com

The bulk of this wonderful CD was recorded in l974, before the top of Scotto's voice--always a bit acidic--had turned positively treacherous. Selections from six Puccini operas, Catalani's La Wally, and Mascagni's Lodoletta and Iris find her not only in good voice, but with her usual searing insights. Never one to shirk an emotion, Scotto makes us feel for Suor Angelica and Wally in a very special way, and the other characterizations are hardly less interesting. Arias and duets from later takes--one from Carnegie Hall in '77 and others from commercial recordings up to l978--still offer good vocalism and fascinating viewpoints--Scotto's high notes may occasionally make us cringe, but she's never uninvolved or uninvolving. This is a fine intro to this complicated soprano and a must for her fans. --Robert Levine.

Customer Reviews:

Fine selection of arias from the verismo period.......2007-05-03

If you like music from the "verismo" period you will not be disappointed.

Perfect for much of this genre, Scotto is able to communicate emotion, strength, and vulnerability with great vocal control. "Flammen perdonami" from Lodoletta by Mascagni is a fine example.

Sometimes their is some ugliness in her voice, though, and this lets Scotto down, for example, in the showpiece from La Rondine.

Also the final duet from Adriana Lecouvrer ends album rather weakly.

The artists should be commended for including so many verismo rarities and overall this is a pretty fine achievement

Scotto: the greatest gift .......2006-09-30

Since the first time I heard Scotto, I found on her the warmth, devotion and passioned interpretation of all the roles she performed. By much, this is one of my most beloved records, since Scotto demonstrates that, beyond the technique, an opera singer must act. The voice reflects in every note, in every phrase, all the emotions contained.

Absolutelly splendid!

a thinking man's singer.......2005-08-15

The older I get the more I appreciate Scotto the singer. Her musicianship was always apparent, always admired. Yet she may have been underestimated as a singer. Her embodiment of the intense inner life of the characters she portrayed is rightfully legendary, but I've come to believe a great part of that perfect passion is the singing, as much as her gifts as an actor and interpreter. The voice itself is rarely perfect, but still beautiful; especially in the first half of her career, the top of her voice fashioned a world of its own, and left nothing wanting. So many fine singers today make a kind of perfect product, yet often fall short of leaving an enduring art of earthly grief and passion. They fly high but often forsake the humanist aesthetic central to operatic art. Scotto plumbs that passion in so much of her singing, and wonderful example of that is found than in these arias. She lets her instrument and her musicianship create the intimate space between singing and acting, never imposing an arbitrary idea around either. Her 'Sola, perduta, Abbandonata' is one of the best versions I've heard. She gifts 'Mio babbino caro' with unhurried beauty. She's a great verismo singer, as was Ileana Cotrubas, though few enough mention either artist nowadays. This disc is a perfect introduction to the art of Renata Scotto.

One Of The Truly Great Aria Recitals.......2003-09-14

This is one of the truly great aria recitals, ever, and perhaps the greatest aria recital from the Italian repertory since Maria Callas in her 1954 EMI Puccini disc under Serafin.

Not all of the disc is at the same level. The arias from "Le Villi", "Manon Lescaut", "Suor Angelica", "La Wally", "Lodoletta", "Iris" and "Adriana Lecouvreur" should enjoy legendary status. They are exhibitions in how to present arias from the post-Verdi period. I have never heard them done as well as here.

The other items are excellent, but not quite in such a magical league. I believe it must be noted that Scotto's voice was not sufficiently opulent to do full justice to all of these arias. Occasionally more radiance is needed, especially in the "La Rondine", "La Boheme", "Gianni Schicchi" and "Madama Butterfly" selections.

This is nevertheless an essential disc for its demonstration of great artistry from a singer whose voice, in its later years, was not always up to the artistic requirements Scotto demanded of herself. Scotto has no equal among today's generation of bland vocalists.

Singing as good as it gets.......2001-04-02

Record companies have always been run by not-too-clever people. I can't believe they banned Renata Scotto from the mid 1960's till this recital was made in 1974. In this recital the unforgettable diva gives masterclasses in the art of singing. If you want pretty sounds look for Caballe, but if you want to feel Suor Angelica's pain or Manon Lescaut's despair this is for you.

Beniamino Gigli: Complete Collection of Operatic Recordings, Vol. 4

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Beniamino Gigli: Complete Collection of Operatic Recordings, Vol. 4

Manufacturer: Idi [Ital Disc Inst]
ProductGroup: Music
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ASIN: B00005AMNG
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Average customer rating:

Wow! Bastianini can really sing!
a voice of gold
The gift from the Heaven
supreme beauty
Non ti scordar!

Ettore Bastianini in Recital

Manufacturer: Myto Records Italy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Verdi: Rigoletto
Robert Merrill
Recital: Piero Cappuccilli
Verdi: La Forza del Destino
Robert Merrill: Arias from Otello, Un Ballo in Maschera, Il Trovatore

ASIN: B000001MKV
Release Date: 2000-09-09

Tracks:

Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum
La Forza Del Destino: Urna Fatale
Un Ballo In Maschera: Alzati/La Tuo Figlio
Un Ballo In Maschera: Eri Tu Che Macchiavi
Otello: Vanne/La Tua Meta Gia Vedo
Otello: Credo In Un Dio Crudel
Don Carlo: O Carlo, Ascolta
Rigoletto: Cortigiani, Vil Razza Dannata
Andrea Chenier: Questo Azzurro Sofa
Andrea Chenier: Son Sessant' Anni/O Vecchio
Il Tabarro: Nulla!...Silenzio!...
Il Tabarro: T'ho Colto!
I Pagliacci: Prologo
Cavalleria Rusticana: Il Cavallo Scalpita
Cavalleria Rusticana: Oh! Il Signore Vi Manda
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Lodoletta: Tel Dissi/Lodoletta
Le Maschere: Quella E Una Strada
Il Sogno
Non Posso Chiedervi
Eterna Memoria
Ovunque Tu

Customer Reviews:

Wow! Bastianini can really sing!.......2007-03-19

Ettore Bastianini is so awesome! The man could really sing, and I mean, really sing! His voice is so dark, so sexy, aristocratic, it sounds like bronze. He really was a vocal phenomenon. I was always interested in him; the rave reviews on amazon convinced me to purchase this CD, and I'm glad I did. His voice was gorgeous.

a voice of gold.......2003-02-23

I first heard Bastianini is Serafin's London recording of "La Boheme" with Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Tebaldi. I was impressed then and I still am now.
To possess such evenness in every part of one's range is nothing short of amazing. Bastianini's high notes are as rich as his lows and it is stunning to hear such brassiness in a baritone. A beautiful timbre is matched by peerless vocal skill; he is VERY well trained as a singer. Nothing is out of tune, a beat behind, or cut short for lack of air.
His opera buffo is superb; I wish there was a recording of "The Barber of Seville" with him in the title role. He truly has character when he sings comedic roles and his diction is impeccable; I don't think I've ever heard recitative done that quickly before. He is a little static and distant in "Eri tu" (I like it a little slower), but I think that, had he lived longer, he would have grown more into the role of Renato. Despite this, he is a true Verdi baritone singing with great civility and consistancy. Track 7 from "Don Carlo" shows this perfectly; easily some of the best lyrical phrasing on record.
Every song is done with perfect technique punctuated by great expression. He makes the change from technical singer to interpretive artist with considerable ease, especially in the last tracks which are live recordings of him in concert.
The orchestra and piano accompaniments are just that; accompaniments. And there is little effort made on the part of the conductors to intrude upon his singing. There is depth, but it quietly provides a very easy platform from which to simply listen to his voice and enjoy the sparkling clarity.
The recording quality is excellent mono that sounds like a very distant stereo instead of like someone singing into a box. There is very little static or hiss and the audience is barely audible at all.
Truly, an excellent (and rare) recording of a singer whose voice was a gift from God. It's a rather odd, but very special album that any opera buff should have.

The gift from the Heaven.......2000-06-06

Ettore was the best and the most incredible baritone of all time. This CD contains many of earlier recordings when he switched from bass to baritone. And he sang absolutely wonderful. He'll take you to heaven when you hear pieces from Forza, Ballo and all the rest. He would have been a great Iago. He proved in this CD. He also proved that he was a great comedian in Barbiere and Maschere. What a pleasure and the gift he'd left with us. I can't thank him enough!

supreme beauty.......2000-06-04

When I listened to Ettore Bastianini for the first time, I got very impressed with the pureness of his sound. His range was incredible and even though he started his career as a bass, his roles as a baritone are superb. His voice of supreme beauty reminds us that baritone's voices don't have to be limited and common. This recording is great. That "Si puo? is powerful. All the arias are performed with passion and beauty. Bastianini is a must to have baritone in all opera collections.

Non ti scordar!.......2000-04-14

While there have been a few great baritones since Ettore Bastianini's departure from the opera stage, I feel it would be a great loss if we allow his name to be forgotten. In a recent survey by Opera News magazine, Dmitri Hvorostovsky named Bastianini as his inspiration and singing role model, particularly emphasizing a certain "dark force" of his voice. This says a lot coming from today's leading baritone. Indeed, the beauty of the voice and the impeccable technique can be a point of standard for everyone who came after.

Bastianini started out as a bass before developing the powerful upper register to match his rich secure low notes. His baritone is, therefore, the darkest you would ever hear, with a possible exception of Renato Bruson. Yet high tessitura of Verdian arias presented no difficulty for him. On this disk the arias from Un Ballo, Otello, Rigoletto, and Don Carlo are presented in a sequence, all of the highest difficulty and all flawlessly executed. Bastianini must have been perfect on stage as well with sound so immense it overwhelms the recording system several times. His talents also shine in rarely performed arias from operas "Lodoletta", "Il Tabarro", and "L'Amico Fritz". There are four beautiful art songs at the end of the disk. While Bastianini was mostly famous for the sheer beauty of his voice, I found his characterizations to be wonderful as well. Just take Figaro's flamboyant swaggering introduction versus Iago's dark brooding credo. It really sounds like two different people singing. Without ever breaking the line or sacrificing the quality for the dramatic effect, he was able to convey the very nature of the character.

Tracks:

Wesendonk-Lieder: Der Engel - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Wesendonk-Lieder: Stehe still - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Wesendonk-Lieder: Im Treibhaus - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Wesendonk-Lieder: Schmerzen - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Wesendonk-Lieder: Traume - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
3 Ruckert-Lieder: Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
3 Ruckert-Lieder: Ich atmet' einen linden Duft - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
3 Ruckert-Lieder: Um Mitternacht - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Lieder: Einerlei, Op. 69 No. 3 'Arnim' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Lieder: Ich wollt' ein StrauBlein binden, Op. 68 No. 2 'Brentano' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Lieder: Schlechtes Wetter, Op. 69 No. 5 'Heine' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Lieder: Befreit, Op. 39 No. 4 'Dehmel' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Four Last Songs: Beim Schlafengehen 'Hesse' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Four Last Songs: September 'Hesse' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Four Last Songs: Fruhling 'Hesse' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Four Last Songs: Im Abendrot 'Eichendorff' - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Tracks:

Sheherazade: Asie
Sheherazade: La Flute enchantee
Sheherazade: L'Indifferent
Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme: Soupir
Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme: Placet futile
Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme: Surgi de la croupe et du bond
Poeme de l'amour et de la mer: La Fleur des eaux
Poeme de l'amour et de la mer: Interlude
Poeme de l'amour et de la mer: La Mort de l'amour
La Damoiselle elue

Tracks:

I Puritani: Son vergin vezzosa
I Puritani: Qui la voce ... Vien, diletto
La Sonnambula: Come per me sereno ... Sovra il sen
La Sonnambula: Ah! no cread mirarti ... Ah! non giunge
Il bacio
Theme & Variations
Villanelle
Le Rossignol
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Wohlan, nur Mut und Vertrauen
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Die Legende von Klien Zaches
Fidelio: Gott! Welch' Dunkel heir
Il re pastore: L' amero, saro costante
Exsultate, jubilate, K 165

Tracks:

Pique Dame: Ich muss am Fenster lehnen
Pique Dame: Es geht auf Mitternacht
Un Ballo in Maschera: Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro, ma prima in grazia
Zigeunerliebe: Lied und csardas
Die lustige Witwe: Vilja Lied
Die Dubarry: Ich schenk' mein Herz
Der Zarewitsch: Einer wird kommmen
Le nozze di Figaro: Non piu andrai
Die Walkure: Leb' wohl, du kuhnes, herrliches Kind! (Wotan's Farewell And Magic Fire Music)
Oberon: Ocean! Du Ungeheuer!
Salome: Ah! Du wolltest mich nicht deinen Mund kussen lassen

Tracks:

Samson et Dalila: S'apre per te il mio cor
Eugene Onegin: Tatyana's Letter Scene
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete
Andrea Chenier: Nemico della patria
Mefistofele: L'altra notte in fondo al mare
La Gioconda: E' un anatema
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Largo al factotum
La forza del destino: Morir! Tremenda cosa! ... Urna fatale del mio destino
Le nozze di Figaro: Dove sono i bei momenti
La Wally: Ne mai dunque avro pace
Lodoletta: Flammen, perdonami
Cecilia: Per amor di Gesu

Average customer rating:

A primer of great singing
Outstanding
A collection made with taste and savvy
One of the Great Bargains

Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | 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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Box Sets | Stores | Music

The Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 2
The Golden Age of Singing, Volume One 1900 - 1910
The Golden Age of Singing: Vol. 3 1920-1930
The Golden Age of Singing, Vol. 4; 1930-1950
Golden Age of Singing Vol.2 (1910-20)

ASIN: B000042NZP
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

Adriana Lecouvreur: Poveri Fiori - Claudia Muzio
L'Africaine: O Paradiso - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi... Celeste Aida - Enrico Caruso
Aida: Ritorna Vincitor - Rosa Ponselle
Andrea Chenier: Un Di All'azzuro Spazio - Giovanni Martinelli
Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta - Claudia Muzio
Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio - Giovanni Martinelli
L'Arlesiana: E La Solita Storia - Tito Schipa
Atalanta: Care Selve - Eide Norena
Attila: Dagli Immortali Vertici - Igor Gorin
Un Ballo In Maschera: Di Tu Se Fedele - Enrico Caruso/Metropolitan Opr Chor
Un Ballo In Maschera: Eri Tu, Che Macchiavi - Mattia Battistini
Un Ballo In Maschera: Saper Vorreste - Luisa Tetrazzini
Il Barbiere De Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Riccardo Stracciari
Il Barbiere De Siviglia: Se Il Mio Nome - Tito Schipa
Il Barbiere De Siviglia: Una Voce Poco Fa...Io Sono Docile - Conchita Supervia

Tracks:

La Belle Helene: Au Mont Ida Trois Deesses - Jussi Bjorling
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Beniamino Gigli
La Boheme: Si, Mi Chiamano Mimi - Claudio Muzio
La Boheme: Donde Lieta Usci - Nellie Melba
Boris Godunov: Varlaam's Song - Feodor Chaliapin
Cagliostro In Wien: Zigeunerkind, Wie Glanzt Dein Haar - Lotte Schone
Le Cid: Enfant Cheri...Le Tambour-Major - Pol Plancon
Carmen: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Conchita Supervia
Carmen: Pres Des Remparts De Seville (Seguedille) - Conchita Supervia
Carmen: Chanson Du Toreador - Lawrence Tibbett/Metropolitan Opr House Chor
Carmen: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Carmen: Je Dis Que Rien Ne M'epouvante (Micaela's Aria) - Eide Norena
Cavalleria Rusticana: O Lola, C'hai Di Latti La Cammisa (Siciliana) - Tito Schipa
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi Lo Sapete - Claudia Muzio
Cavalleria Rusticana: Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Cavalleria Rusticana: Addio Alla Madre - Enrico Caruso
La Cenerentola: Non Piu Mesta - Conchita Supervia

Tracks:

Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille - Mabel Garrison
Le Coq D'Or: Hymne Au Soleil - Eide Norena
La Dame Blanche: Reverie De Georges Brown - David Devries
Dinorah: Ombra Leggiera - Amelita Galli-Curci
Dinorah: Ah! Mon Remords Te Venge - Pasquale Amato
Don Carlos: Ella Giammai M'amo - Ezio Pinza
Don Carlos: O Carlo, Ascolta - Mattia Battistini
Don Cesar De Bazan: A Seville, Belles Senoras (Sevillana) - Amelita Galli-Curci
Don Giovanni: Deh Vieni Alla Finestra - Ezio Pinza
Don Giovanni: Il Mio Tesoro - John McCormack
Don Pasquale: Sogno Soave E Casto - Tito Schipa
Don Pasquale: Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere - Amelita Galli-Curci
L'Elisir D'Amore: Quanto E Bella, Quanto E Cara - Beniamino Gigli
L'Elisir D'Amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Tito Schipa
Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Wer Ein Liebchen Hat Gefunden - Alexander Kipnis
Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Durch Zartlichkeit Und Schmeicheln - Eide Norena

Tracks:

Ernani: Come Rugiada Al Cespite - Giovanni Martinelli
Ernani: Ernani! Ernani, Involami - Rosa Ponselle
Ernani: Infelice! E Tu Credevi - Ezio Pinza
Ernani: O,De' Verd' Anni Miei - Giuseppe De Luca
Eugene Onegin: Letter Scene - Lotte Lehman
Eugene Onegin: Lontan, Lontan (Lenski's Aria) - Dmitri Smirnov
Faust: Salut! Demeure Chaste Et Pure - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Faust: Il Etait Un Roi De Thule - Conchita Supervia
Faust: Ah, Je Ris De Me Voir Si Belle (Jewel Song) - Eide Norena
La Favorita: A Tanto Amor - Mattia Battistini
La Favorita: O Mio Fernando - Sigrid Onegin
La Favorita: Spirito Gentil - Beniamino Gigli
La Figlia Del Reggimento: Convien Partir - Toti Dal Monte
Die Fledermaus: Mein Herr - Lotte Schone
Die Fledermaus: Czardas - Elisabeth Rethberg

Tracks:

La Forza Del Destino: Alzatevi...La Vergine Degli Angeli - Rosa Ponselle/Ezio Pinza
La Forza Del Destino: Solenne In Quest'ora - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca
La Forza Del Destino: Invano, Alvaro...Le Minaccie, I Fieri Accenti - Giovanni Martinelli/Giuseppe De Luca
La Forza Del Destino: Pace, Pace Mio Dio - Claudia Muzio
La Gioconda: Ah! Pescator Affonda L'esca - Titta Ruffo
La Gioconda: Cielo E Mar - Jussi Bjorling
La Gioconda: Suicidio - Rosa Ponselle
Grafin Mariza: Gruss Mir Wein Wien - Richard Tauber
Guillaume Tell: Sombre Foret (Cavatina) - Eide Norena
Les Huguenots: Une Dame Noble Et Sage - Mario Ivogun
Les Huguenots: Bianca Al Par - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Iris: Apri La Tua Finestra - Antonio Cortis
Jocelyn: Caches Dans Cet Asile (Berceuse) - Alma Gluck
Lakme: Ou Va La Jeune Hindoue (Bell Song) - Amelita Galli-Curci
Das Land Des Lachelns: Von Apfelbluten Einen Kranz - Richard Tauber

Tracks:

A Life For The Tsar: I Do Not Grieve For That - Antonina Nezhdanova
Linda Di Chamounix: O Luce Di Quest' Anima - Marcella Sembrich
Lodoletta: Flammen, Perdonami - Mafalda Favero
Lohengrin: Euch Luften, Die Meine Klagen - Kirsten Flagstad
Lohengrin: In Fernem Land - Miguel Fleta
Louise: Depuis Le Jour - Ninon Vallin
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Cruda Funesta Smania - Mariano Stabile
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Ardon Gl'incensi - Frieda Hempel
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali - John McCormack
Lucrezia Borgia: Il Segreto Per Esser Felici (Brindisi) - Ernestine Schumann-Heink
Luisa Miller: Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Die Lustigen Weiber Von Windsor: Nun Eilt' Herbei - Maria Ivogun
Die Lustige Witwe: Lippen Schweigen (Ballsirenen-Walzer) - Richard Tauber
Madama Buterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo - Rosa Ponselle
Manon: Il Sogno (En Fermant Les Yeux) - Jussi Bjorling
Manon: Obeissons, Qukkand Leur Voix Appelle (Gavotte) - Amelita Galli-Curci
Manon: Dispar, Vision - Tito Schipa

Amazon.com

This spectacular collection of more than 90 arias sung by 46 of the greatest singers of the century consists of recordings made between 1906 and 1943. Naturally, they are in far from high fidelity, but this is more charming than disturbing. And all the greats are here: from the tenors Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, John McCormack, and Jussi Bjoerlong, to the sopranos Rosa Ponselle, Amelita Galli-Curci, Claudia Muzio, and Kirsten Flagstad, to mezzos Conchita Supervia and Ernestine Schumann-Heink, to baritones Giuseppe de Luca and Mattia Battistini, and basses Ezio Pinza and Feodor Chaliapin--to mention a few. The six and a half hours of listening is a veritable primer in Grand Opera; a short synopsis of each selection is included. This set lives up to its name--it is indeed a treasury. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

A primer of great singing.......2006-11-07

The Prima Voce Treasury of Opera Vol 1 contains arias and a few duets from operas A- M ( Adriana Lecouvreur- Manon)sung by singers of the first half of the 20th Century. Vol 2 continues with excerpts from operas M-Z ( Manon Lescaut - Die Zauberflote).All the tracks are taken from the Nimbus Prima Voce catalogue, using their controversial re-recording technique, which many people dislike for the over reverberant sound.Personally, I find the transfers more acceptable than the strident, edgy transfers of some other companies.

Opinion about any compilation of this sort is a personal matter. I find the choice of singers predictable and unimaginative and at times rather strange: Lauri-Volpi is not a representative Don Jose nor Faust for example.Overall though the standard of singing is very high.

The accompanying booklet contains well written potted biographies of the singers featured on the CDs.

This compilation is a very good primer of great singing from the past for someone starting out in this field but not for anyone who is already steeped in historic recordings, except perhaps to listen to in the car, which is what I bought it and Vol2 for.

Outstanding.......2001-09-12

As it happened, I bought Vol. 2 of this collection before Vol. 1, and everything I said in my review of Vol. 2 applies equally here. The breadth and depth of the operas and the singers are incredible, and the price for 6 CDs is an amazing bargain. The sound is remarkable, especially considering that some of the recordings are nearly 100 years old, though most are from the 20s and 30s. Highly recommended, whether you are new to opera or a seasoned veteran!

A collection made with taste and savvy.......2001-03-10

The English just know how to do things in good taste and I must say, the elements of this Prima Voce collection have been carefully selected and arranged. Arias are grouped so that you have two or three from the same opera together. This is a sensible arrangement and each singer selected for those particular arias is one who sings it very well and in a unique way. I had already been collecting single singer albums from Prima Voce when I discovered this Treasury compilation and wish now I had bought it first, because you get a good sampling of all the great singers in their catalog and will hear artists of whom you may not have been aware. From this Treasury collection you will hear singers that especially please your ear and then you might buy albums just of them. For me, this set confirmed those choices of favorites such as Claudia Muzio and Tito Schipa. Best of all, the six CDs make for a pleasing listening experience as a whole. I listen to them while I drive. There aren't any bad performances here and quite frankly there are few contemporary artists that can match or top these. It's a great way to establish an historical foundation for your recordings if you are building a collection of singers.

One of the Great Bargains.......2000-06-23

This is one of those rare bargains that one dreams about. I discovered it while browsing and I could not believe that one could have six disks for less than the normal cost of two. Nor is this an economy issue, transferred from what I assume is original pirate recordings along the lines of Gala and Opera d'Oro and even Myto. The transfers are clean and the collection is nonpareil. In all transfers I miss texts. But the music itself is glorious, the selection intelligent, and the artists the stars of the opera world. Unlike other collections arranged in chronological order, these use a simple alphabetic sequence of operas, so one can follow in one's own libretto or score more easily. The recordings appear to bridge the two world wars. If this is indeed volume one, I cannot wait for two.

Average customer rating:

Renata Tebaldi

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | 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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Porgi, Amor (Le Nozze Di Figaro)
Che Piu T'arresti?...Tacea La Notte Placida (Il Trovatore) - Renata Tebaldi: Orchestre Du Grande Theatre De Geneve, Alberto Erede
Mia Madre Aveva Una Povera Ancella...Piangea Canto (Otello)
L'altra Notte In Fondo Al Mare - Renata Tebaldi: Orchestra Dell' Accademia Di Santa Cecilia, Tullio Serafin
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana (La Wally) - Renata Tebaldi: Orchestre National De L'opera De Monte-Carlo
Ne Mai Dungue Avro Pace (La Wally)
Per Amor Di Gesu
Poveri Fiore
Ah! Il Suo Nome...Flammen, Perdonami
Vissi D'arte (Tosca) - Renata Tebaldi: Orchestra Dell' Accademia Di Santa Cecilia, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Un Bel Di (Madama Butterfly) - Renata Tebaldi: Orchestra Dell' Accademia Di Santa Cecilia, Tullio Serafin