Gluck: Alceste

Alceste (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 37
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
with Ubaldo Carosi, Carlo Forti, Giovanni Antonini, Domenico Trimarchi, Milena Pauli, Leyla Gencer, Giorgio Lamberti, Saverio Porzano, Attilio d'Orazi, Giampaolo Corradi, Jeda Valtriani, Josella Ligi
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

Gluck: Alceste,Christoph Willibald Gluck,Gianandrea Gavazzeni,Attilio d'Orazi,Carlo Forti,Domenico Trimarchi,Giampaolo Corradi,Giorgio Lamberti,Giovanni Antonini,Jeda Valtriani,Josella Ligi,Leyla Gencer,Milena Pauli,Saverio Porzano,Ubaldo Carosi,Foyer,Classical,Classical Music,German/Austrian Classical Period Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Collection of Songs
A Legend in all.....La Callas.
Excellent compilation of La Divina's arias
Some people have no business reviewing this
BELLA BELLA BELLA!

Maria Callas, the Voice of the Century

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Callas, Maria | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Very Best Of Maria Callas
Maria Callas - La Divina
Maria Callas: The Legend
Puccini: Arias
The Most Famous Opera Duets

ASIN: B00000631B
Release Date: 1998-03-17

Tracks:

Norma: Casta Diva (Atto I): Norma
La Sonnambula: Compagne, teneri amici...Come per me sereno (Atto I): La Sonnambula
Il Barbieri Di Siviglia: Una Voce poco fa (Atto I): Il barbiere di Siviglia
Lucia di Lammermoor: Regnava nel silenzio...Quando, rapito in estasi (Atto I): Lucia di Siviglia
Rigoletto: Gualtier Mald...Caro Nome (Atto I): Rigoletto
La Traviata: E Strano!...Ah, Fors'e lui...Sempre libera (Atto I): La traviata
La Boheme: Si, Mi chiamo Mimi (Atto I): La boheme
La Boheme: Donde Lieta Usci (Atto III) (Mimi's Farewell): La boheme
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel di Vedremo (Atto II): Madama Butterfly
TOSCA: Vissi D'arte (Atto II): tosca
Turandot: In questa reggia (Atto II): Turandot
La Wally: Ebben? ne andro lontana (Atto I): La Wally
Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta (Atto III): Andrea Chenier

Tracks:

Orphee et Eurydice: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice (Acte V)
Alceste: Divinites du Styx (Acte I)
Dinorah: Ombra leggiera (Atto II) (Shadow Song)
Romeo et Juliette: Ah! Je veux vivre (Acte I) (Waltz Song)
Faust: Les grand seigneurs...Ah! je ris (Acte III)
Lakme: Dov'e l'indiana bruna? (Atto II) (Bell Song)
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence (Acte I)
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Acte II)
Les Pecheurs De Perles: Me voila seule...Comme autrefois (Acte II)
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera)(Acte I)
Carmen: Les tringles des sistre tintaient (Acte II)
Le Cid: De cet affreux combat...Pleurez mes yeux! (Acte III)
Manon: Je ne suis que faiblesse...Adieu, notre petite table (Acte II)
Louise: Depuis le jour (Acte III)

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Collection of Songs.......2006-07-15

I have listened samples of 5 Callas CDs before buying this one. This one has a very beautiful collection of songs on just 2 CDs. he sings with so much expression. Most the recordings are from the fifties and early sixties when her voice was very young and lovely. I'll try to get her on DVD so I can see her sing.

A Legend in all.....La Callas........2005-04-24

I would just like to refer to an article that was published by a German Newspaper in 1959, mentioned on the Callas Edition (CED:100342)
'...her voice is of unparalleled beauty, having an inimitable, completely own timbre of sopranos and altos...a performance of superior musical quality..a phenomenon amongst contemporary singers'
' ...One of the most spectacular Verdi arias, of Elizabeth from Don Carlo, and one, In Germany tottaly unknown, terrific scene from Bellini's opera Il Pirata were enough to enchant huge numers of television viewers, who can say at her next performance: 'we have seen La Callas''(Hamburg concert 1959)
'- from the contra-alt-f to the f - thats Callas' voice range, spanning over 37 half-tones. Callas herself has drawn the range of her voice. In her concert repertoire the contra-alt-f can be found in e.g. the aria from I Vespri Siciliani. In an aria from Rossini's opera Armida she reaches the 'F'. five half-tones above the high C. Normal voices couldnt possibly even whistle this high F. Though there are other singers, whose voices contain these three octaves - Erna Sack with her coloratura soprano, the lyrical singer Ema Berger and the dramatical singer Zinka Milanov from the New York Metropolitan Opera - simple fact is that the phenomenon Meneghini-Callas lies in her fabulous vocal versatility. She is a coloratura singer, drama-player and lyrist in one person - and an exceptionally talented ac-tress at that.'
Excuse from a journalist of the German Newspaper for the Diva :

Article Title : 'I am sorry!'

'I owe Maria Callas an apology. She is a unique vocal talent, a great artist. She is a primadonna. And she has her moods. Moods for which i ask her to forgive me. Because i misunderstood them - and many others too. That much i gathered from her latest television concert. Even in the flickering of the screen this woman's nervousness and enormous effort were visible.
La Callas is a fragile, rather shy person. Her moods are fear of failure. The moloch audience expects her to always go to any lenght, show the brilliance others just dont have. She is not allowed to get weak. Decent country singers are not decapitated for a false note. La Callas, on the other hand, is the identifying mark of the extraordinary. Even the slightest hint of a mistake would cost her her uniqueness, her stardom....a perverse triumph for all bathtube singers.
That explains her inhibitation to perform when she isnt well, her cancellations when she is not in the right mood. I understand them now. If she werent moody, she wouldnt be a primadonna, would not be La Callas.
Stars like her do not fit in our world of standards and programmed data. They pay dearly for their moods, have to put up fights and, undoubtedly, shed many a tear. So one more, my apologies, Maria Callas'
(Hans im Bild)
That's all folks!:D

Excellent compilation of La Divina's arias.......2005-03-21

This is one of the best compilations EMI has ever made for Maria Callas' arias. Each and every aria lets us listen to the best of her voice from each period of her career. An excellent collection!

Holly Mathews doesn't know how to appreciate art. Kathleen Battle and Renee Fleming themselves have admitted to the supremacy of Callas' singing over theirs, even if their voices seem more beautiful than La Divina. Why else would Callas be a legend and they wouldn't? They are equally good in their own right, but none of them would surpass the accuracy of La Divina's singing and phrasing. Holly Mathews' left side of the brain must be made of clay or foam, dead material that couldn't absorb any beauty.

Some people have no business reviewing this.......2005-01-25

My goodness, what is a non-musical person like Holly Mathews doing in this board? Do you know what other album she has reviewed? Hayley Westenra! And she's not even an opera singer! She obviously doesn't know her business! Disgraceful review! Ignore it! It obviously was not based on good judgement. I'm sure she is a pop fan who just likes tender music. Oh, her insulting language! What an ignorant Maria basher!

Anyway, this is an excellent compilation of SOME of Maria Callas' greatest arias. Although I do wish some arias like Pace Pace Mio Dio were included here, I do think it is a very good compilation all in all. Although she has many detractors, they still have to admit that Callas is the sheer embodiment of singing and drama. She was an actress...a panther on the stage. Listen to her La Mamma Morta and her Suicidio...those brought chills to my spine when I listened to them. Maria is the only singer in the history of opera besides the great Caruso-tenor Franco Corelli who touched me, moved me even. This is probably the reason why I love Maria Callas' music so much. If you want to hear Medea's anger and Norma's anguish and Butterfly's hopeful blindness, listen to Maria Callas. If you just want a golden voice, then go to Renata Tebaldi or Joan Sutherland. And don't even compare her with Charlotte Church or Hayley Westenra! The distaste of some people!

BELLA BELLA BELLA!.......2004-11-23

THIS WAS THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT FEATURING ANY OPERATIC SOPRANO. I WAS 15 AND WAS GIVEN MY VERY FIRST CLASSICAL PIECE "CARO MIO BEN" WHICH WAS NOT AN OPERA ARIA BUT DUE TOTHIS SONG I WAS SUDDENLY IN LOVE WITH OPERA. I HAD HEAR OF HER A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST BUT MY IDEA OF A GOOD SOPRANO AT THE TIME WAS SARAH BIRGHTMAN (YES I KNOW I KNOW!!!BUT I WAS YOUNG!)BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO REALIZE HOW WRONG I WAS!! THIS CALLAS RECORDING HAD THE MOST PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME WHICH LED TO MY OBSESSION WITH MY OWN OPERATIC ASPIRATIONS. IT WAS STRANGE AS SHE DID NOT SOUND LIKE A FAT WOMAN SCREAMING HER HEAD OFF IN FULL BODY ARMOR. YES YES...I AND MANY MANY SAD AMERICANS HAVE THOUGH OF THIS WHEN GIVEN THE WORD OPERA. (NOW NOW, WE ALL FELT LIKE THAT AT SOME POINT) I NEVER REALIZED THAT THERE COULD BE SUCH PASSION. HER NORMA WAS IS SO BEAUTIFUL IN IT'S SIMPLICITY AND UNDERLINING STRENGTH. HER TAKE ON "COME OER ME SERENO" AND "UNA VOCE POCO FA" WERE SWEET AND APPROPRIATELY INNOCENT. HER BEL CANTO ROLES WHICH INCLUDED HER FANTASTIC LUCIA (ALTHOUGH LATER I WOULD PREFER SUTHERLAND) AND GILDA JUST THRILLED ME. I HAD NO IDEA SOMEONE COULD ACTUALLY SING THOSE PIECES! OF COURSE UP UNTIL THIS POINT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OPERA COULD SOUND LIKE THAT!! (SILLY ME!) I WAS SURPRISED TO REALIZED I KNEW THE ARIAS SHE SUNG FROM LA BOHEME, LA TRAVIATA, AND MADAME BUTTERFLY. THEY DIDN'T MAKE A HUGE IMPRESSION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE FIREWORKS I WAS LOOKING FOR BUT I STILL FOUND THEM TO BE BEAUTIFUL. AFTER ALL OF THIS I LANDED ON CALLAS' TAKE OF TOSCA'S "VISSI D'ARTE". IT WAS AND HAS BEEN THE ONLY TIME I'VE BEEN SO MOVED BY A PERFORMER THAT I CRIED. IT WAS SO PURE BUT THE PAIN WAS SO EVIDENT THAT IT JUST CHILLED ME. I MUST HAVE LISTENED TO IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND STILL HAVE YET TO HEAR A MORE STIRRING RENDITION. DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING FIRST CD I MUST ADMIT I KIND OF IGNORED THE SECOND HALF. EVENTUALLY I DID GET TO IT AND FOUND WHAT I FELT WAS THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN. MY WHOLE BEING LIVED FOR LAKME'S BELL SONG. AFTER LISTENING TO HER I WAS CONVINCED THIS WOMAN WAS MAGICAL BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW SHE OR ANY HUMAN COULD SING LIKE THAT! HER SECOND DISC WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WENT FROM WHITE HOT COLORATURA TO MEZZO? AAHHH BUT YES SHE WENT THERE. INTO THE INTENSITY OF SAMSON ET DELILA. I THOUGHT THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL!!! OF COURSE I KNOW PREFER MARILYN HORNE TO CALLAS ON THOSE SONGS....BUT IT SHOWED ME THAT NOT EVERY SONG HAS TO BE HIGH TO BE BEAUTIFUL. I LOVED AND STILL DUE LOVE THIS COLLECTION....IN FACT I HAVE BOUGHT IT THREE TIMES AS MINE DETERIORATED QUICKLY 'CAS I PLAYED THEM SO MUCH! AND I'VE GIVEN THIS COLLECTION TO COUNTLESS FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THIS IS THE BEST COLLECTION OF CALLAS' WORK AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE AND ANYONE! VIVA LA DIVA!

A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)

Average customer rating:

AN OPERA OPUS THAT'S A MUST!
The Best
Superb Modestly Priced Favorite Arias Collection!!!
Wonderful introduction to opera

A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
Puccini , Thomas Harper , Ingrid Kertesi , Scholars Baroque Ensemble , and Hungarian State Opera Orchestra
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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A to Z of Classical Music
The Most Famous Opera Duets
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Best of Italian Opera
Amor--Opera's Great Love Songs

ASIN: B00004YYRR
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

L'Orfeo: Sinf/Ecco Pur Ch'a Voi - Cappella Musicale Di S. Petronio Di Bologna/Sergio Vartolo
Dido And Aeneas: When I Am Laid In Earth - Kym Amps
Rinaldo: Lascia Ch'io Pianga - Ingrid Kertesi
Serse: Ombra Mai Fu (Largo) - Ingrid Kertesi
Orfeo Ed Euridice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - Slovak State PO/Johannes Wildner
Alceste: Ombre Larve - Theresa Ringhoz/Drottningholm Theatre Chor
Don Giovanni: Madamina! (Catalogue Aria) - Andrea Martin
Cosi Fan Tutte: Soave Sia Il Vento (Terzetto) - Joanna Borowska/Rohangiz Yachmi/Peter Mikulas
The Marriage Of Figaro: Non Piu Andrai - Natale De Carolis
Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache (Aria Of The Queen Of The Night) - Helen Kwon/Hungarian Festival Chor
Fidelio: Abscheulicher! - Inga Nielsen/Hungarian Radio Chor
Der Freischutz: Huntsmen's Chor - Slovak Phil Chor
The Barber Of Seville: Largo Al Factotum - Roberto Servile
L'Elisir D'Amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Vincenzo La Scola
I Puritani: Qui La Voce Sua Soave - Luba Orgonasova
La Traviata: Un Di Felice (Love Duet) - Monika Krause/Yordy Ramiro
Nabucco: Va Pensiero (Chor Of The Hebrew Slaves) - Slovak Phil Chor (Bratislava)
Aida: Grand March - Nat SO Of Ireland/Rico Saccani
Falstaff: E Sogno? O Realita - Roberto Servile

Tracks:

Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Yordy Ramiro/Slovak Phil Chor
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries - Czecho-Slovak RSO/Uwe Mund
Tannhauser: Begluckt Darf Nun Dich (Pilgrims' Chor) - Slovak Phil Chor
La Wally: Ebben, Ne Andro Lontana - Miriam Gauci
Rusalka: O, Silver Moon (Song To The Moon) - Jana Valaskova
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Luba Orgonasova
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Jonathan Welch
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo - Miriam Gauci
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Giorgio Lamberti
Turandot: Nessun Dorma - Thomas Harper/Slovak Phil Chor
Lakme: Dome Epais (Flower Duet) - Adriana Kohutkova/Denisa Slepkovska
Thais: Meditation - Janos Selmeczi
Carmen: L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Graciela Alperyn/Slovak Phil Chor/Bratislava Children's Chor
The Pearl Fishers: Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Duet) - Janez Lotric/Igor Morozov
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Nicola Matinucci/Slovak Phil Chor
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo - Czecho-Slovak RSO/Alexander Rahbari
Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio - Thomas Harper
King Roger: Roxana's Aria - Barbara Zagorzanka
Die Tote Stadt: Gluck, Das Mir Verblieb (Marietta's Lied) - Katarina Dalayman/Thomas Sunnegardh/Tomtberga School Children's Chor/Royal Swedish Opr Chor

Album Description

A-Z of Opera is a 762-page, illustrated book, accompanied by two-and-a-half hours of opera's most glorious and moving moments on two CDs, and reflects the ever-growing Naxos catalog of recordings ranging from Monteverdi to the contemporary. A-Z of Opera provides a wide range of information on operas and their composers, from Handel's Rinaldo to Mozart's Die Zauberflote, and beyond. It features plot synopses, background details and cast lists for hundreds of operas including well-known standards as well as opera rarities. In addition, there is a wealth of information about all the great composers and a glossary of key musical and operatic terms.

Customer Reviews:

AN OPERA OPUS THAT'S A MUST!.......2003-01-19

Oh, such letter-perfect perfection! This marvel features a two-hour-plus showcase of well-known arias from "Cosi Fan Tuti," "Aida," "Carmen," "Madame Butterfly" and "The Barber of Seville." It also comes with a book --- 762 pages of remarkable facts, figures and illustrations.Encore!

The Best.......2002-06-09

This is, by far, the best introduction to opera on the market. It also contains some gem performances for anyone who already has a serious opera collection. Several tracks on this collection of mostly Eastern European singers rival those of their Western counterparts. This is a collection for EVERYONE - from the opera novice to the person who has long collected all the major Western stars. At this price, it's the best opera bargain in the world. GET IT NOW!!! Thank you, Naxos! I hope that some of these Eastern European singers at last get the attention they deserve.

Superb Modestly Priced Favorite Arias Collection!!!.......2001-02-12

I received this as my 20th birthday gift from my bestfriend and I was amazed at the quality and the content of this CD. Some of the arias which I am immensely fond of are included, i.e. "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen." And who would have guessed that the soprano on track 10 performing Queen of the Night's Aria from Mozart's "Die Zauberflote" was none other than Hellen Kwon? Amazing!

I really love this gift from my bestfriend for it was thoughtful and well, what can I say that this makes an excellant gift for opera neophytes (though I am not an opera neophyte).

The highlight of this CD is track 13, Rossini's "Largo al Factotum" from "The Barber of Seville." When I first heard this, I was contemplating to myself as to where have I heard this before. Then it hit me: Michigan J. Frog's signature tune! (In case people are wondering who on earth is Michigan J. Frog is, he is the Warner Brother's frog; the frog can be seen on WB network channel). I love this track! Buy this for yourself if not this makes a perfect gift for your opera neophyte friend(s)! This track brings joy and smiles on my face everytime I hear this piece!

Wonderful introduction to opera.......2000-12-16

More than just a promotional sampler, the Naxos (8.555037-38) contains not only 2 CDs crammed with 39 excerpts from that company's seemingly bottomless catalogue, but also a 762 page book. The text offers plot summaries of almost every important opera and many of far lesser renown (Delius' "The Magic Fountain," Mascagni's "Iris," for example), a brief biography of the composers, a glossary, and finally a discography. The recorded examples are in chronological order from Monteverdi to Korngold. The entries in the book, however, are in alphabetical order--so be careful to look for "Zauberflote," not "Magic Flute," and so on.

Of course, Big Names do not appear on many Naxos opera sets; but this set is an introduction to that vast area of culture and is meant to be an educational (and of course a promotional ) device. Nevertheless, many of the selections on the CDs are beautifully sung, a very few lack characterization (the arias from"Don Giovanni" and "Nozze di Figaro" for two). But at this incredibly low budget price, who can complain?

As soon as I saw what this set had to offer, I immediately ordered a copy as a seasonal gift for a friend who wants to "get into" opera. I could think of no better gift.

Tracks:

Alceste: Divinites du Styx Acte 1
Carmen: Les tringles des sistres tintaient Acte ll
Ernani: Surta e la notte......Ernani! Ernani, involami Atto l
Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide Atto ll
Aida: Ritorna vincitor Atto l
Orphee et Eurydice: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice Acte lV
I vespri siciliana: Bolero: Merce, dilette amiche Atto V
Louise: Depuis le jour Acte lll
La Boheme: Donde lieta usci Atto lll
Mignon: Ah, pour ce soir...Je suis Titania Acte ll
La Traviata: Teneste la promessa...Addio, del passato Atto lll
Don Carlo: O don fatale Atto lll
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence Acte l
La Sonnambula: Compagne, teneri amici...Come per me sereno Atto l
Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco: respiro appena...Io son 'lumile ancella Atto l
Lucia di Lammermoor: Spargi d'amaro pianto Atto lll

Customer Reviews:

Operatic icon. Performer against which others are measured........2007-05-26

Maria Callas may be the only female operatic 'superstar' working in my lifetime. In the 1950s and early 1960's, she had all the star power and paparrazi draw of Jackie and Marilyn, far outstripping the fame to the world at large of her primary rival, Renita Tibaldi. I am not an expert, or even an experienced amateur at evaluating operatic sopranos; however I've listened to several of the modern crop, and while the newbies probably do a better job of keeping on key, none of them can match the drama emoted by Ms. Callas on any given aria. All three releases are especially good buys, as they all run to over 72 minutes; however the recording quality does show its early (pre-multitrack, pre-digital) recording technology. Each is as good as the next regarding content, but 2 and 3 are a bit better in sound quality.

La Divina set the stage.......2007-01-05

Maria Callas, as I understand it (I'm not a music expert), helped create a new interest in the bel canto tradition of Donizetti and Bellini at mid-twentieth century. This album represents those composers, plus many others as well.

Callas' range in choice of operatic material is great indeed. Selections on this CD run from Gluck to Donizetti to Bizet and Puccini. Her voice, uneven on occasion, does not define her importance. As noted, she helped spark a renewed interest in bel canto works. The irony is that she did not have great coloratura skills. In the selection from Lucia di Lammermoor, a trill is scarcely heard. Think a few years later, to Joan Sutherland, later still to Beverly Sills, and more recently to sopranos such as Angela Gheorghiu. They all have much better technique, trill well, and exhibit much more agile coloratura singing. But Callas was an important predecessor.

More important than technique is the passion that many heard in her voice and her presence on stage. This is a good introduction to the range of Callas' repertoire and a reminder of this fiery singer from decades ago.

The queen of opera.......2004-05-16

Absolutely beautiful! Divine is the only word to do her justice! Viva La Divina, BRAVISSIMA!

Essential!.......2004-04-04

All three La Divina Albums are essential indeed! I bought them all and enjoy them! A very beautiful, dramatic voice!

The entire La Divina series is AMAZING!.......2004-02-26

I bought all three La Divina Releases and they're all splendid. Brilliant, for Callas and beyond!

Average customer rating:

NO TWEETERS OR WOOFERS
The supreme colorist female pianist!

Piano Masters: Guiomar Novaes
Novaes , Bach , Mozart , Chopin , and Liszt
Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006644N
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

Fantasia And Fugue In D Major
Rondo In A Minor K511
Ballade No. 3 In A Flat, Op. 47
Caprice On The Air De Ballet From Alceste
Feux-Follets
Gnomenreigen
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Witches' Dance Op. 17 No. 2
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Memories Of Childhood
Jeannes Filles Au Jardin(From Scenes D'Enfants)
Toccata
Brazilian Tango
Brazilian National Hym - Fantasy, Op. 69

Customer Reviews:

NO TWEETERS OR WOOFERS.......2006-10-02

The first thing that needs saying is what a 5-star rating signifies in this context. I am not attempting to assess this disc as if it were a modern issue. The earliest performances here are from acoustic Victor recordings dating as far back as 1919 or thereabouts; the more recent are 78rpm recordings on acetate done by Columbia in the 1940's. The sound, partly I'm sure through the skill of Jonathan Beardsley, is better than one might expect, but inevitably it's antiquated. A 5-star rating for this disc is a matter of rating a priceless antique, a rare and unexpected find that in other artistic fields would price the item out of consideration for most of us.

Luckily this is music and other considerations apply. Mr Beardsley tells us that the Victor recordings were hard to find, something that does not surprise me. They preserve the work of a young Brazilian genius, already in her mid-to-late 20's, who had at the age of 14 attracted the notice of Faure, Debussy and Moszkowski. The sound is generally light in the bass, but the level of background hiss is perfectly tolerable to me. What does seem to come through quite well is the quality of the player's touch, especially if one has some knowledge of that from her later work. What Novaes has is individuality, the quality I prize above all and which Horowitz and Michelangeli found to be lacking in their own successors. For her time Novaes could be described as a 'modern' player, in something like the way that term would have been applied to Serkin, 8 years her junior. This playing does not in the least resemble, say, Hoffman or Cherkassky or Petri. Rubato is rationed for one thing, the rhythmic sense is precise, and the fingerwork and part-playing are crisp. The best of her later output was distinguished for me by a strong 'profile' in the melodic line and an individual and most beautiful tone, particularly in the left hand. In such elderly sound as this my imagination is having to contribute something of its own, but one doesn't have to be imagining anything to hear a quite extraordinary Chopin A flat ballade here. This was the very work that her august adjudicators in Paris asked her, in a departure from convention, to repeat for them, and small wonder if it was played anything like it is here. The start is slowish and relaxed, the tempo increases subtly after a while, but the sequence that builds towards the fortissimo return of the opening theme is like nothing I ever heard before and is perfectly wonderful.

Only one other item of the 15 offerings is a masterpiece as I understand the term, Mozart's great A minor rondo. This is marked 'andante', Novaes understands that as a more flowing tempo than Serkin takes, and I'm not sure I don't prefer the way she does it already. The rest of the pieces are ready-made concert encores of one kind and another, some delicate but most virtuoso in style. You will hear some really terrific fleet fingerwork in these. In Liszt's Gnomenreigen Novaes doesn't storm barns in the way Cziffra does, but that would doubtless be unladylike and her performance is nimble by any normal standards. The final number on the disc is a fantasia by Gottschalk on the Brazilian national anthem. This is the sort of thing that Cziffra and Horowitz occasionally wowed their audiences with (do you know The Stars and Stripes from Horowitz?), and I now have a performance of a similar effort than can stand up in their company. Other Brazilian flavouring in the selection comes via Villa-Lobos and Levy. One week in Rio de Janeiro during the 2006 World Cup has not made me any expert assessor of Brazilian musical idiom, but my faith in Novaes is strong enough for me to believe that I now have a yardstick for judging future performances that may come my way.

I have not acquired any Beethoven sonatas for quite a while now, and my interest as an amateur musician and collector is more easily aroused these days by issues of this kind. It is the second issue from Pearl that I own, and two winners out of two is a good enough statistic for me to send for the Pearl catalogue rightaway. I could of course be a latecomer to this, but I'm beginning to sense that I may be on to something of exceptional interest.

The supreme colorist female pianist!.......2005-03-26

Latin America may be proud due his most beloved daughters in this order: Teresa Carreño, Rosita Renard, Guiomar Novaes and Martha Argerich . I mean, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil and Argentine.

I had the golden opportunity to chat during fifteen minutes through an unforgettable common friend (who is not among us, pitifully) who introduced me to Claudio Arrau after a Recital in Caracas in those distant seventies. Since I knew the available time was too short I asked to C.A. about the ten greatest pianists he had listened and watched in his life: After thinking briefly, he answered me with absolute security ten names in less than a minute in this rigorous order from one to tenth' s place: Teresa Careño, Ferrucio Busoni, Wilhelm Bachaus, Wilhelm Kempff, Artur Schnabel, Dinu Lipatti, Edwin Fisher, William Kapell Benedetti Michelangeli and Rudolf Serkin.

But the slender expression of his face when I asked about Rosita Renard and Novaes was simply unforgettable. His tearful face literally depicted me the art of both players: Renard was the intellectual but Novaes was more sensitive: her pianissimos: Oh My God!

So any other adjective I can add about the art of this gifted pianist would be redundant. Perhaps to remark she had in little finger much more technique than many pianists with their both hands together.

Many achievements in her brilliant are meritorious to consider: Her Songs without words are nonesuch: you won't believe the transparency and fluency of Gondola Venetian song and the Spinning song Op. 62 No. 6. After Kapell's performance her Nights in Spain gardens are non parallel, his Schumann is extremely effective and her Grieg Piano Concerto still remain among the giants versions.

Novaes died on March 7, 1979 in Sao Paulo. But this sensitive statement written by Harold Schoenberg, have no waste: "The sheer beauty of her playing ,managed to transcend any other considerations; it was its own reward. There may have been more monumental pianists, more intellectual pianists, but it is hard to think of a pianist whose playing gave as much sheer pleasure as that of Guiomar Novaes"

Average customer rating:

Decent performances but terrible sound quality
Proto-Modern Music
COMPLEMENTS STEPHEN HOUGHT SAINT SAENS CONCERTOS

Saint-Saëns: Complete Works for Piano

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Gavottes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Mazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Caprices | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Fauré: Piano Music complete [Box Set]
Complete Piano Works of Scriabin
Dvorák: Complete Piano Music [Box Set]
Janácek: Piano Works (Complete)
Smetana: Piano Music (Complete Czech Dances, Polkas, Dreams)

ASIN: B00008X5B5
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Amazon.com

This series of Saint-Saëns' piano music, recorded in 1974, will be of interest to the composer's admirers, but it's not likely to win any awards. Most of the music consists of glittering generalities, with few memorable moments and a lot of padding. Saint-Saëns had inspirations, but he didn't waste many of them on his solo piano music. In the few cases when a piece has become familiar, we can tell that Dosse's performances are mostly just adequate, seldom exciting or insightful. She gets around the keys well enough, and the last of the Six Etudes (based on the composer's own Fifth Piano Concerto) is pretty dazzling, but elsewhere she seems to be just going through the motions. The solo piano music, recorded by the wonderful Elite team of Nickrenz & Aubort, has splendid sound quality. But the duets, recorded in Stuttgart, sound boxy and flat--except for "Carnival of the Animals," with the sparkling chamber orchestra. This certainly isn't a bad set, but it's only a compelling purchase for lovers of this composer who can't get enough of his piano music. Well, now they can. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Decent performances but terrible sound quality.......2007-06-01

The performances on this collection were decent, although it is somewhat hard to judge them, not being familiar with most of the items. However, the sound quality is way below expectations for something that was originally recorded in ca. 1974 (more like what one would expect from the 1920s or 1930s). There are inexplicable bumps and pops (no pits or scratches obvious on the CDs), and the general acoustics are very subdued (as if the transfer were done using a tape recorder on a monophonic turntable). One cannot claim that it this way because of the budget price - other labels have managed to do much better in their offerings at this price point (such as the D. Scarlatti sonata selection by Pletnev on Virgin Classics which I had purchased in the same order as this CD set).

Proto-Modern Music.......2004-05-21

Saint-Saens didn't believe that music must express deep emotion to be worthwhile. He was more interested in beautiful surfaces than in profundity. The composer's aesthetic, which might be described as "decorative," justifies certain limitations and is not all that different from Milhaud's or Poulenc's, although the musical idiom is more 19th century than 20th century.

Because this is a "complete works" set of CDs, the quality of the compositions is predictably uneven. Several of the many pieces included are too protracted, formulaic and even dull, but few are without any interest. Almost all seem impersonal and dispassionate. That said, much of the music is lovely, frequently colorful and occasionally dazzling. Saint-Saens piano writing is almost always transparent, elegant, ironic and wry. Some pieces, like the Scherzo for Two Pianos (which is organized as a palindrome), the Valse Gaie and the Etude en Forme de Valse, are stunning mixtures of modern musical language and traditional gestures. There is truly no other music like this.

Admirers of French music are fortunate that Vox decided to reissue these performances, which range from adequate to excellent.

COMPLEMENTS STEPHEN HOUGHT SAINT SAENS CONCERTOS.......2003-08-12

I AM LISTENING TO THE FOURTH OF FIVE CDS PLAYED ON THE PIANO BY FRENCH WOMEN MARYLENE DOSSE AND ANNIE PETIT. THEY ARE EXCELLENT ESCAPISMS. I DON'T KNOW ONE FROM THE OTHER, BUT JUST LAY BACK ON A SULTRY DAY AND ENJOY.
I THOUGHT I MAY HAVE DUPLICATED SAINT-SAENS COMPLETE WORKS FOR PIANO AND ORCHESTRA BY SAKARI ORAMO UNDER STEPHEN HOUGH OF THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM ORCHESTRA, BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE. WITH VOX I GOT 5 CDS AT HALF THE PRICE OF THE HOUGH TWO CDS. SO THE SELECTIONS AREN'T FAMILIAR. WHO NEEDS MORE OF THE SAME?

Dolora Zajick - The Art of the Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano

Average customer rating:

Refreshing new interpretations.......
Terrifying photograph
It's about time...
Great CD
Dolora is amazing!

Dolora Zajick - The Art of the Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | 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
Similar Items:

Marina Domashenko - Mezzo-soprano opera arias
Just for the Record: The Golden Voice
The Spectacular Voice of Marilyn Horne: Rossini / Horne
Denyce Graves - Voce di Donna
Olga Borodina - Arias

ASIN: B00004U9ZV
Release Date: 2000-07-25

Tracks:

Prastite Vy, Xalmy
Sily Patainyye
Acerba Volutta
Ah! Quel Giorno Ognor Rammento
Voi Lo Sapete
Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
O Don Fatale
Condotta Ell'era In Ceppi
Divinites Du Styx
J'ai Perdu Mon Eurydice
La Luce Langue
Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora

Amazon.com

Dolora Zajick is a real rarity--a true dramatic mezzo-soprano. Her voice, live and on disc, is huge and lush and absolutely even from the deepest chest tones all the way up to the high B natural. With a sound so ample, she's occasionally unsubtle, but on this recital CD, she sings Dalila's music with great gentleness and allure, while portraying Azucena (in Trovatore), Eboli (in Don Carlo) and the Princess (in Adriana Lecouvreur) with vigor, generous tone, and the correct rage. She also sings the Sleepwalking Scene from Verdi's Macbeth, rising to the high D-flat at its close softly--as Verdi wrote it and almost no soprano (let alone mezzo) can sing it. Zajick manages the coloratura from Arbace's aria in Rossini's Semiramide well enough, but it's clearly not her cup of tea. This is a thrilling recital; listening to it is like viewing a geyser--very, very impressive indeed. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing new interpretations..............2005-11-20

.........of many of the old war-horses and some rarities. I first heard Miss Zajick as Eboli in "Don Carlo" at the MET. Not since Simionato and Cossotto have I heard an Eboli of such magnitude and ease. Of course she recorded "O don fatale" here as well and how brilliantly! The Russian pieces as well as the aria by Cilea are little gems in the tiara that is this recording! Semiramide and Alceste prove that not only does she have the BOOM but also the florid abilities to sing Bel Canto. (In "Norma" she outshone Eaglen in the role of Adalgisa) The Verdi-pieces are well known and well done and Orfeo's lament left me yearning for a full recording! A long awaited recital that doesn't disappoint!

Terrifying photograph.......2005-06-20

Oh, but the instrument. So opulent. Zajick sings with reckless abandon when appropriate (and often when blatantly not so.) Immaculate diction, chest tones defying mortality, hair splitting, tooth rattling, apartment complex shaking high notes. Oh. But Christ that cover shot. I mean the hair and the camera angle and that obscene chair one must have purloined from my paternal grandmother's old farm in Richmond, Indiana...just a travesty. The voice though...heldenbariton? Coloratura soprano? Who the hell knows. A wholly compelling recital.

It's about time..........2005-04-06

Dolora is one of my idols being a dramatic mezzo myself. I find there just aren't many true dramatic mezzo's worth listening to but Dolora is the real deal, a true power house. I also feel she is ignored by the recording industry. I would love to hear more from her.

Great CD.......2004-07-29

Dolora's voice is viserally thrilling to listen too. Sometimes I think she's a soprano, and sometimes she's a Mezzo. Anyways, a great CD.. Amongst Mezzo land, she has be best high notes in the business.

Dolora is amazing!.......2004-05-25

This CD is awesome! Dolora has an incredible vocal ability! I am a high school student, and several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to actually sing on stage with her at my high school in Orem, Utah. I was blown away by the power of her voice; it made me feel insignificant. She was very kind and encouraging, and offered good advice even though I must have sounded terrible next to her.

Tracks:

Una Voce Poco Fa
Merce, dilette Amiche
O Mio Babbino Caro
Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi
Gaultier Malde...Caro Nome
Ah, Fors'e Lui
Dov'e L'indina Bruna (Bell Song)
Un Bouquet !...Ah ! Je Ris (Jewel Song)
Samson, Recherchant Ma Presence...Amour ! Viens Aider Ma Faiblesse
L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera)
Ah, Pour Ce Soir...Je Suis Titania (Polonaise)
Divinites Du Styx
Casta Diva
La Luce Langue
In Questa Reggia

Tracks:

Vissi D'arte
Un Bel Di Vedremo
Senza Mamma
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana
La Mamma Morta
D'amor Sull'ali Rosee
Col Sorriso D'innocenza
Surta E La Notte...Ernani, ernani, Involami
Ritorna Vincitor!
Carreau! Pique! (Card Song)
In Quali Eccessi, O Numi!...Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata
Tu Che Le Vanita
Suicidio!
Sola, Perduta, Abbandonata

Album Description

Limited edition double CD 2003 compilation from EMI with a slipcase.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!.......2004-07-14

What a compilation! Like listening to an enraptured goddess! This is a must for every fan of great singing!

Bizzare Liner.......2004-06-27

I am a huge Callas fan and own most of her discography, both commercial and pirate/private. I only bought this collection for 2 arias I did not previously have on other recital/collection discs of hers - the jewel song from Faust and the aria from Alceste (in French).

As an introduction to Callas this CD is as good as any I guess. The liner notes are Bizarre though, linking each aria to Callas's personal life. Weird and pointless. Much more interesting would have been information about Callas relationship to the arias as an artiste. (not as a debutante or a divorcee or whatever... I repeat Weird!)

Anyway, I think to fully appreciate Callas's talent and her legacy, listening to a complete opera rather than a recital or compliation disc is a better idea. The studio recordings obviously have the best sound reproduction but some of the live recordings are terrifically exciting and capture something intangible which the studio does not.

Five suggestions for the Callas novice;

1953 Studio Tosca (careful, not the 1964 version!)
1953 Studio Cavelleria Rusticana (paired wth Pagliacci, a bonus but buy it for Cavelleria)
1955 Live Lucia di Lammermoor (performed in Berlin with Karajan conducting)
1955 Studio Rigoletto (Gobbi in the title role who was as talented a baritone as Callas was soprano. Gobbi is also in the above mentioned Tosca)
Norma - There are two studio versions and about 5 live versions - pick one, any one!

Cheers & Ciao

The PASSION of Callas.......2004-05-21

Callas wasn't only a beautiful, feminine woman but a superb singer. Here her very best recordings are put together with some lovely pictures. It's as essential as Sutherland's SUPREME "The art of the primadonna". Enjoy the recital of a lifetime!

La Callas at her very best!.......2004-05-20

You never heard this CD, did you? It's absolutely beautiful. BTW: Many called Amazon to have your nasty, against the guidelines reviews checked. Bashing isn't right, you'll learn that one day!

Awesome!.......2004-05-20

The former review was written a Callas-Basher who never heard Callas. Ignore him!

Anne Sofie von Otter - Opera Arias (Mozart, Haydn, Gluck) / Pinnock

Average customer rating:

A real gem on a great recording.
FANTASTIC!!! AN 18th CENTURY VOYAGE
A Charming Disc

Anne Sofie von Otter - Opera Arias (Mozart, Haydn, Gluck) / Pinnock
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Franz Joseph Haydn , Anne-Sofie von Otter , The English Concert , Paul Goodwin , Jane Coe , Anthony Robson , Anthony Halstead , and Colin Lawson
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Otter, Anne Sophie von | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson: Handel Arias
For the Stars
The Inner Voice : The Making of a Singer

ASIN: B000001GWW
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Opera Arias: 'Voi che sapete' Le nozze de Figaro
Opera Arias: 'Oh, del mio dolce ardor' Paride ed Elena
Opera Arias: 'In quali eccessi ... Mi tradi' Don Giovanni
Opera Arias: 'Non vi turbate' Alceste
Opera Arias: 'Dunque sperar poss'io - Il tenero momento' Lucio Silla
Opera Arias: 'Dolce d'amor compagna' La finta giardiniera
Opera Arias: 'Una donna como me' Il mondo della luna
Opera Arias: 'Ad un sguardo' Orlando paladino
Opera Arias: 'Batti, batti, o bel Masetto' Don Giovanni
Opera Arias: 'Vedrai carino' Don Giovanni
Opera Arias: 'Che puro ciel' Orfeo ed Eurideice
Opera Arias: 'Che farnza Euridice?' Orfeo ed Eurideice
Opera Arias: 'Deh socorri un'infelice' La fedeltremiata
Opera Arias: 'Ecco il punto - Non pifiori' La clemenza di Tito

Customer Reviews:

A real gem on a great recording........2007-02-27

I have to tell you how horribly upset I was to have this CD stolen from me by my friends (who dared not admit it!)
I bought this together with Ms. Bartoli's "Arie Antique". I love both discs to death.
Ms. von Otter has a very different timbre from Ms. Bartoli. However, in terms of singing, both artists were at their absolute peak in those two discs.
My favorite song on this disc, Gluck's 'Oh, del mio dolce ardor bramato oggetto', though also an Italian 'antique' composition, was NOT on Ms. Bartoli's disc. Ms. von Otter sung it with such soul and voice that I really wonder (increasing more so these days) if Ms. Bartoli could be as good!
I heard both their 'Voi che sapete', and must say that I preferred von Otter's, though Bartoli gave an almost equally good interpretation in her own Mozart album.
Having reacquired this lost album recently, I would add that Ms. von Otter's interpretations in the rarer Mozart operatic works are a real wonder. Compared with Ms. Fleming's Mozart album wherein contained a number of Mozart's rare works, the singing of Anne Sofie von Otter clearly is of a much more convincing standard. As the singer herself puts it: 'On passionate women and moustaches', undoubtedly this disc demonstrates the full musical capability of hers in both genres to a fascinatingly high standard.

FANTASTIC!!! AN 18th CENTURY VOYAGE.......2001-04-23

AN EXCELLENT VOICE! AND A VERY WELL THINK REPERTORY. I REALLY HIGHLY RECOMEND THIS BEAUTIFUL CD EITHER IF YOU LIKE THE GREAT VOICE OF VON OTTER OR THE CHARMING ARIAS OF MOZART, HAYDN AND GLUCK.

A Charming Disc.......1999-03-05

This collection finds Von Otter at top form and paired with a very sympathetic accompanist. (Would that Pinnock did more vocal pieces, his Haydn Mass is also lovely.) While I am not usually a fan of the scattershot recital approach, this one works. If you like either Von Otter (and how could you not?) or Pinnock, this disc is self-recommending.

Eileen Farrell Sings Opera Arias & Songs

Average customer rating:

A document
A magnificent artist
Stunning vocalism
After they revived me....
One of the most impressive dramatic sopranos i've heard

Eileen Farrell Sings Opera Arias & Songs

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | 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

English | Languages | 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

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Eileen Farrell Sings Verdi
Puccini Arias
Sings Torch Songs
Can't Help Singing: The Life of Eileen Farrell
Eileen Farrell - An American Prima Donna

ASIN: B000003XJE
Release Date: 1996-05-09

Tracks:

Alceste, Act 1: Divinities Du Styx
Oberon, Act II: Ozean, Du Ungerheuer
Ernani, Act I: Recit: Sorta e la notte
La Gioconda, Act IV: Suicidio
Jeanne d'Arc, Act I: Adieu, forets!
Herodiade, Act I: Celui Dont La Parole...
L'Enfant Prodigue: L'annee en vain...
The Consul, Act II: To this we've come
Song Recital: Summertime-From Porgy & Bess
Song Recital: Where is dis road a-leadin' me to?
Song Recital: There shall be more joy
Song Recital: Hickory Hill
Song Recital: Sing to me, sing, Op. 28
Song Recital: Through the years
Song Recital: To the Children, Op. 26, No.7
Song Recital: A Dream, Op. 48, No. 6
Song Recital: Down by the Sally Gardens
Song Recital: Danny Boy

Customer Reviews:

A document.......2005-02-13

What a joy! A shining example of great singing. This is dramatic singing at its finest. The voice is a phenomenon - I only wish I heard her live in the opera house. A voice of breadth, power and beauty, like a doric column - even from top to bottom, a true soprano dramitica agilita. (This is a woman that sang Bach cantata arias constantly as a member of the famous Bach Aria Group as well as the great dramatic parts).

I feel there are several definitive interpretations here, 'Ozean der Ungerheur' - the cantilena and coloratura are mind boggling for a voice of this size - Nilsson cannot even compare in this regard. Also the Menotti aria, what drama, what sound, what DICTION!

This recording is a document against which every serious, professional singer should test their 'mettle'. The collaboration with Thomas Schippers is very fine.

A magnificent artist.......2005-01-10

Eileen Farrell sings amazingly on this CD. She is superb in the opera arias; I especially like her in "Suicidio!", "Adieu, forêts!", Il est doux, il est bon", and "L'année en vain-Azaël! pourquoi mas-tu quittée". In the "La Gioconda", she sings with much passion and pours out glorious torrents of sound. Her singing of the phrase "un dì leggiadre volavan l'ore" is exquisite. She shows remarkable delicacy in the French opera arias, as well as her huge sound during the climaxes. I really am not as impressed with her "Ozean, du Ungeheuer". She doesn't do it for me in this aria the way Birgit Nilsson does. Also, the engineers scale back the sound during the cabaletta. This lessens the impact of Farrell's immense voice, which is really an incredible instrument. I love her singing of the aria from "The Consul", "To this we've come". She displays extraordinary emotion and fire in this aria, all the while singing in very clear English.

In the English-language songs, she sings with emotional warmth, sincerity, and great restraint. Her voice displays a timeless beauty in the song "Down by the Sally Gardens". Her rendition of "Danny Boy" is heartfelt and very touching. Her English diction is exemplary, every word clearly enunciated with care and clarity.

One thing I admire tremendously about Eileen Farrell is her seemingly natural way with any type of music she sings. She always adapts her voice to the demands of the piece. Also, her sincerity and utter guilelessness is very refreshing to hear. She never fakes emotions, overemotes, or wallows in her own sound. Listen up, Renée Fleming!

Farrell demonstrates on this CD why she is such a legendary singer.

Stunning vocalism.......2004-02-26

This recital is a great tribute to a sadly underrated singer. Some of the less familiar items are stunningly sung (e.g. the Debussy and Massenet arias), but the highlight for me is the "Suicidio." This just might be the best recording of this area ever (with nods to Ponselle, Callas, Tebaldi, et al). I think it blows the sox off the competition, much the same way the "In questa reggia" from the Puccini album does. Hopefully, Columbia will see fit to reissue the Puccini someday.

After they revived me...........2003-08-26

Nevermind the technical merit and attention to detail that a review should have, this is purely and simply a rave review. Nothing more, nothing less. I love opera, am hard to please, and generally don't like albums of arias, preferring the complete works to the fancy bits. But, God in heaven, what a voice. I've listened to it twice in the first day, and I can still hardly believe it's true. Don't wait. For heaven's sake, buy the thing NOW! THIS MINUTE! MOVE! Now I'm going to lie down to recover... Thank you.

One of the most impressive dramatic sopranos i've heard.......2001-06-20

I heard this recording many years ago (the operatic arias only), and it was high time for it to be reissued. Farrell is one of the most impressive dramatic sopranos i've ever heard. It's also probably her best recording, in full command of (majestic) voice and style.

Average customer rating:

French music sung to perfection
Brilliant French!!!
Supreme!!!!
Nobody can double Callas!
A GREAT EXPERIMENT BY CALLAS

Callas à Paris: Arias, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | 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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Callas, Maria | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Verdi: Arias, Vol. 1
Callas à Paris: Arias, Vol. 2
Puccini: Arias
Verdi: Arias, Vol. 2
The Very Best Of Maria Callas

ASIN: B000002SA5
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Tracks:

'J'Ai Perdu Mon Eurydice'
Divinites Du Styx
Habanera: 'L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle'
Seguedille: 'Pres Des Remparts De Seville'
'Printemps Qui Commence' - Camille Saint-Saens
'Samson, Recherchant Ma Presence ... Amour! Viens Aider Ma Faiblesse!' - Camille Saint-Saens
'Mon Coeur S'Ouvre A Ta Voix'
'Ah! Je Veux Vivre Dans Ce Reve'
'Ah, Pour Ce Soir ... Je Suis Titania'
'De Cet Affreux Combat ... Pleurez, Mes Yeux!'
'Depuis Le Jour '

Customer Reviews:

French music sung to perfection.......2004-05-18

French was one of the languages Callas spoke fluently and beautifully. Her few recordings of French music are rare, exquisite jewels indeed. Beginning with Orphée's lament we hear not a beautiful serenade but a despaired soul yearning for its beloved, seeking what it couldn't reach, begging for a response from the one who couldn't hear its pleading. The tormented outcries "Euridice! EURIDICE!" will have you misty eyed. Singing the French version of Gluck's Alceste, a role she had sung brilliantly in Italian, having La Scala at her feet, she dazzles with a dignified elegance and brilliant style for Gluck as well as crystall clear diction and perfect phrasing. Her Carmen breathes fire and is maybe the most dangerously sexy gypsy you'll ever hear. Massenet's evil seductress Dalilah is sung with a totally different voice. Silken, husky and erotic, it is almost unbearable not to fall prey to this siren. Juliette's waltz, while magnificently phrased and coloured was recorded too late. Her Mignon is deliciously beautiful. But the highlight is her "Pleurez mes yeux". Callas finds colours and incredibly haunting pathos here. Presenting the contralto like depth of her rich low notes and magnificent middle she defines sadness, resignation, yearning for death and remembering crushed hopes. Maybe one of the most sublime examples of stylistic, tasteful singing of "verismo". Absolutely stunning, one of Callas' best recitals ever.

Brilliant French!!!.......2004-04-04

Callas spoke French fluently. She sang it perfectly well. This CD deserves 1000000000000000 stars!

Supreme!!!!.......2001-06-02

This is one of the best Callas recital!!! It's very wonderful!!! I think that the disappointed person of the first review has a problem with the ears. I don't understand french, and I don't know if Callas pronunciation is good, but the sound of the arias is very beatiful. Just listen the tracks 2, 8, 9 or 11 and prove. She sounds with strong force in all the arias... From the drammatic soprano in "Divinites du Styx" to the coloratura soprano in "Titania's" aria. If you are a Callas fan, this CD is for you. If you are not, this recording is very good for become...

Nobody can double Callas!.......2000-03-19

This is my absolute favorite recital disc. It is amazing what this woman has down to opera and continues to do. Aside from Carmen- nothing Callas has sung falls in the spectrum of my favorite operas- I really don't care for Puccini (safe Butterfly), Verdi (save Don Carlos), Donizetti (save Lucia), Bellini, Rossini, and any number of the composers whose work Callas has sung. My favorites lie first and foremost with Mozart, then Wagner, and the great Russian operas...

This disc is incredible...there is nothing like hearing this woman sing.

There is a reason why Callas is the greatest opera singer/actor to ever live- this disc brings it in full light.

A GREAT EXPERIMENT BY CALLAS.......1999-06-27

When this recording was issued in the early 1960's, there was surprise that Maria Callas should have chosen to record arias from French opera, and on top of that, six of them associated with mezzo soprano and even contralto voices. Actually, it was a wise decision, and it shows the direction her career could have taken had she chosen to follow the course she led many to believe she was taking by doing this recording. Callas had, of course, a fully developed and unusually full lower register in her voice, and she could use chest tones to great effect. Thus the arias from Gluck's "Orphee", Bizet's "Carmen", and Saint-Saens "Samson et Dalila" come off as close to flawlessly as one could get. The three arias from "Samson et Dalila" are especially fine, representing Callas at her greatest. She, of course, did record "Carmen" complete a couple of years later for EMI, but the two arias in the complete set do not have the verve and flash that they have on this recording. But there is another side to the story here. Callas's upper register, that which she utilized for her entire career, was deteriorating rapidly and mercilessly. This is obvious enough in the soprano arias she sings on this recording as well. It is not much of a problem in the "Le Cid" and "Alceste" arias, since the top B's and B flats are relatively short, and her singing of these pieces is otherwise so outstanding that a couple of bad top notes cannot spoil them. It is in the arias from "Romeo et Juliet", "Mignon", and especially "Louise" where the top notes become a real issue.Yes, there is great vocal phrasing here, and the feeling is right on target, but the climatic top notes are a real trial. The beautiful "Depuis le Jour" from "Louise" starts beautifully enough, but as soon as the music climbs above the staff, it becomes a test of the listener's endurance. Nevertheless, there is enough great work from Callas here to warrant a purchase of this recording. It also shows that Callas, given her great gifts, could have forged a new career in a new repertoire. That nothing of the sort came about is a loss for us all.

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