Verdi: I Lombardi alla prima crociata

I Lombardi alla prima Crociata, opera
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
with Anne Parker, Yoshi Ito, Renata Scotto, Franco Mariani, Will Roy, Paul Plishka, Jose Carreras

Verdi: I Lombardi alla prima crociata,Giuseppe Verdi,Anne Parker,Franco Mariani,Franco Marini,José Carreras,Paul Plishka,Renata Scotto,William Roy,Yoshi Ito,Foyer,Classical,Classical Music,Italian Romantic Opera,Opera,Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

OKAY, TAKE ME AWAY.
Great music...stunning recording quality
Incredible
Just Stunning!

Essential Verdi

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Ultimate Puccini Collection
Essential Puccini
Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...
The Most Famous Opera Duets
The #1 Opera Album

ASIN: B000056JSW
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Rigoletto: La donna e mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Nabucco: Va pesiero - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
La forza del destino: Overture - Kirov Orchestra
La Traviata: Un di felice - Joan Sutherland
I Vespri Siciliani: Merce dilette amiche - Maria Chiara
La Traviata: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Joan Sutherland
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira - Jose Carreras
Il Trovatore: Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Il Trovatore: Stride la vampa! - Stefania Toczyska
Aida: Ritorna vincitor! - Leontyne Price
Don Carlo: Dio che nell'alma infondere - Carlo Bergonzi
La Traviata: Prelude - Orchestra E Coro Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Rigoletto: Caro nome - Joan Sutherland
Don Carlo: O don fatale - Olga Borodina
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi! Celeste Aida - Carlo Bergonzi
Emani: Ernani! Ernani involami - Joan Sutherland
Un Ballo in Maschera: Di tu se fedele - Jussi Bjorling
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro ma prima in grazia - Margaret Price
Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido - Luciano Pavarotti
Aida: Gloria all'Egitto - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies irae - Wiener Philharmoniker
La forza del destino: Pace pace mio Dio - Angela Gheorghiu
Rigoletto: Questa o quella - Carlo Bergonzi
Rigoletto: Bella figlia dell'amore - Luciano Pavarotti
Otello: Ave Maria - Renee Fleming
La Traviata: Parigi o cara - Frank Lopardo
Macbeth: Ah la paterna mano - Luciano Pavarotti
Il Trovatore: Squilli echeggi la tromba guerriera - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Don Carlo: O Carlo ascolta - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Requiem: Ingemisco - Luciano Pavarotti
Simon Baccanegra: Come in quest'ora bruna - Kiri Te Kanawa
Macbeth: Salve o Re! Si colmi il calice - Lucia Aliberti
Aida: O patria mia - Leontyne Price
I lombardi: La mia letizia infondere - Placido Domingo
Aida: Lo sguardo avea degli angeli - Montserrat Caballe
La forza del destino: Solenne in quest'ora - Nikolai Putilin
Macbeth: Patria opressa - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Il Trovatore: Tacea la notte - Katia Ricciarelli
I due Foscari: Dal piu remoto esilio - Odio solo ed odio atroce - Jose Carreras
Don Carlo: Spuntato ecco il di esultanza - Orchestra E Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milano

Customer Reviews:

OKAY, TAKE ME AWAY........2006-01-20

I don't know opera.

Last summer we had an incredible 20th anniversary trip to Italy. As a side trip from Venice, we planned a night in Verona. Neither my wife or I had been to an opera.

Is this how its supposed to be...

...an incredible star filled night with a three quarter moon, the largest stage and outdoor theatrical production on the planet, all taking place in a roman colleseum (arena) built in 180 a.d., an incredible colorful set and production with a full symphony orchestra and voices that don't come easy. Aida.

Now I know what all the hpye is as you opera fans sure are lucky to have such a beautiful setting for all your productions.

Okay, we got spoiled. But I also found myself getting spoiled on the Italian composer Verdi.

For me, this set is not only a "take me back to Verona" trip, but a great introduction to Verdi's other works. With some of the biggest names in the opera world in starring roles, I listened to both discs twice the first night they arrived.

And, of course, we are planning a return trip to Verona in the very near future to see some more Verdi...perhaps Nabucco or Otello or Macbeth...I'll even settle for Aida again. It was such a magical experience and a superb introduction to opera and Verdi.

This set continues that magical moment for us and provides a great introduction to a master of the opera...Verdi.

Great music...stunning recording quality.......2002-11-01

This is a marvelous compendium of Verdi's opera works that even the serious opera fan wouldn't turn his nose up at. These are the top contemporary soloists singing with first tier orchestras. When I saw the Decca label, I expected reasonable quality, but this disk is stunningly well engineered. Most of the vocals match the best jazz cds for immediacy and intimacy, and the orchestras are equally well done.

Incredible.......2002-06-05

I don't say incredible about too many things, but Verdi was the zenith of Italian Opera and Solti and the Chicago Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic are the quintessential ensembles for modern classical performance. Not to mention that most of the voices showcased have their own lines of CDs (Pavarotti, etc.) This CD is the best Verdi album available, and it has EVERYTHING. BUY THIS CD!

Just Stunning!.......2002-01-26

In my opinion this recording is stunning. I am not usually a fan of compilations in classical music, as they're usually watered down representations made under the presumption that the listener would find the full-blown version intimidating or boring. This one, however, is not only an exception in my view, but a recording that deserves a high place of honor in every serious listener's collection. The representation of artists, both vocal and orchestral, is breathtaking and impressive for the span of years. A great big thank you to the people at Decca responsible for putting this collection together, as it is obvious to this listener that a great deal of thought and care went into looking for the most beautiful version of every piece on here. I have purchased two copies, one for home and one for the office, and have gotten two friends similarly hooked. I am also feverishly searching for more pairings of Joan Sutherland and Carlo Bergonzi. In the meantime, I'm on to Essential Puccini!!

Average customer rating:

Another supeb tenor.
The one.
A New Star voice
Quite Good
Promising debut by new lyric tenor

Italian Opera Arias

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rolando Villazon - Gounod · Massenet Arias
Rolando Villazon: Opera Recital
Opera Recital [Includes Bonus DVD]
Verdi: La Traviata
Gitano

ASIN: B00018TIOA
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

Lamento: E La Solita Storia
Recitativo E Romanza: Inosservato...Angelo Casto E Bel
Aria: Quanto E Bella
Aria: Una Furtiva Lagrima
Recitativo Ed Aria: Tombe Degli Avi Miei...Fra Poco
Aria: Il L'ho Perduta...Io La Vidi
Aria: Io L'ho Perduta...Io La Vidi
Aria: O Figli...Ah! La Paterna Mano
Scena Ed Aria: Ella Mi Fu Rapita...Parmi Veder
Canzone: La Donna E Mobile
Scena, Aria E Cabaletta: Lunge De Iei...De' Miei Bollenti...O Mio Rimorso
Aria: Che Gelida Manina
Aria: E Lucevan Le Stelle
Aria: Anche Tu Beppe Giungi...O Amore
Aria: Vergini, Muse...Quando Al Soave Anelito

Amazon.com

This is a glorious debut recital by a tenor, from whom, if he sings the right roles and keeps way from jet-setting and too much singing, might just be the lyrico-spinto tenor we've been waiting for. He has the class of Carlo Bergonzi and a ringing tone which is somewhere between Domingo's big, dark sound and Pavarotti's brightness; he sings with a true mezza voce (not a falsetto); he always obeys the composer's markings and delineates character. He seems incapable of vulgarity, refusing to gulp or sob when a musically expressive gesture will do. The opening aria here--from L'Arlesiana--is so beautifully, touchingly sung that it's a heartbreaker; he doesn't take the usually opted-for high note near the end, but never fear: in the Traviata and Bohème excerpts, Villazon offers big, whopping high Cs. This CD is a knockout; let's hope it's only the beginning of an illustrious career, both recorded and live. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Another supeb tenor........2007-05-13

We can be thankful that the old guard of the opera stage has been replaced by a trio of youthful artists. Villazon along with Calleja and Florez makes a great addition to the world of opera.

The one........2006-06-24

He's the real deal. Domingo-like burnished voice, great actor. Not just hype, he's genuinely worthy of all the praise.

A New Star voice.......2005-09-25

Rollando Villazon can't fail to impress a listener. He is an enourmous breath of fresh air for people waiting for a new generation of Opera superstars to emerge. Those somewhat dissapointed by the somewhat ncomfortable edge to Salvator Licitra's voice, may take refuge in the freshness of Villazon.
I don't really want to ruin the magic of his singing, with caddy comparisons, but it is sufficient to say that he excellent. Many compare his to Domingo, to that I would say that Villazon has an ease to his top that Domingo never had, but perhaps lacks the focus and thickness of Domingo's lower registers.
Overall what hits you most about Villazons performance, is the induviduality of his interpretations and voice. The top of his voice has a ring and tone that sets his apart from the pack.
To my ear, he sounds at his best in the Mid Period verdi, where the cut of voice come through in the long high-lying passage, (expecially the cut from Traviata,
Enjoy this incredible singer

Quite Good.......2005-05-26

A very promising debut album with some excellent burnished tenor sound. To the reviewer who went on and on about Mr. Villazon only being in his 20's -- I hate to burst your bubble, but he was born in 1972, which makes him 33! And, by the way, the age of the singer is not a "huge" advantage; let us remember that some of our greatest singers didn't come into their element until their 40's (e.g., Flagstad, Milanov...)

Promising debut by new lyric tenor.......2005-05-05

Rolando Villazon immediately made himself a name we should all watch out for, after his appearance on a NY City Opera telecast of Boheme, as Rodolfo. Since then he has become a regular artist in leading lyric roles at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, has sung two parts at the Met already, and obviously has much ahead for him. The voice itself has a number of virtues, evenness of tone across the different registers, and the ability to encompass long lines without taking unnecessary breaths and showing the control to taper many lines off softly. It has also taken on perhaps a prematurely dark quality, in contrast with what I remember of the La Boheme telecast.

This recital of Italian opera arias presents Villazon near the alpha of his career (one appearance as the Steersman on the Barenboim Flying Dutchman before, for Teldec) and the conductor at his omega - the just deceased Marcello Viotti, at the age of 52, who suddenly replaced Sinopoli in Berlin for the second of two performances of Verdi's Aida in 2001. Sinopoli had passed away at 54 the night of the first performance that weekend in Berlin.

On first impression, Federico's lament from Cilea's L'Arlesiana is taken too slowly, and yet from repeated listening to this disc, it is one of nearly half a dozen selections that contribute the most to making this an interesting recital. The lachrymose manner and delivery here, though, sets a little too much of an overall tone for the rest of the recital, including its several or so lighter numbers. Said to also be a Caruso favorite, the aria from Donizetti's Duca d'Alba is a real highlight as close to being Schubertian in feeling as some Verdi - as late into Verdi's work as Forza and Don Carlo. Villazon's singing here is as warmly ardent as you'll find anywhere on this disc, and his personal identification with the character of Don Carlo, several tracks later, is as complete as that of its best interpreters of the recent past, Placido Domingo especially.

The two Elisir d'amore selections are pleasant vocally, but too dark, especially the start to so many phrases of "Una furtiva." The remorse felt during the opening aria of the Tomb Scene from Lucia, after a slightly uncertain start, is entirely felt. Oronte's brief aria from Verdi's Lombardi is handled with an easy, pleasant swagger from both Villazon and Viotti, leading one to expect similar lightness in selections that soon follow, and which is not entirely forthcoming; the beginning of the recitative to "Parmi veder" from Rigoletto shows a palpable anxiety in this peculiar moment for the Duke in which he finds himself. Intonation falters momentarily at the end of this aria. "Ah! la paterna mano", after good recitative, gets pushed a little too forward, robbing the crest of several lines in it their full expressive potential. Contrast of expression between Alfredo's aria and cabaletta from Traviata is so minimal, almost to have been erased altogether; Viotti here, so deft and highly musical an accompanist he is for most of the rest of this disc, is similarly disengaged. Connecting music between aria and cabaletta and repeat of the latter both get awkwardly cut.

That leaves four verismo tracks for the remainder of this disc. Most distinctively sung is "E lucevan le stelle" from Tosca, but frequently quite close to sounding a copy of Domingo's interpretation. The honeyed placement for the top of the staff, once the voice takes on the melodic line, could hardly remind you of anyone else. "Che gelida manina" is also given a fine performance here, but begins to lose all consonants on a couple of words right before the ascent to the high C in the aria. After hearing Dino Borgioli and Cesare Valletti as Fritz, each more of a benchmark than Pavarotti, it is hard to identify the villager Fritz, from how disinteresed Villazon sounds. A slight cut is taken between two portions of recitative before Fritz's Act III aria. "Quando al soave anelito" from Mascagni's Nerone, obviously a rarity, is one for which I can only find a Domingo recital before. Here, the singing is fine, but the youthful sense of wonderment for Nero, in his vision of Venus, as wordly-wise a fellow he is, gets understated. Accompaniments to these four arias are mostly as fine as the others, but all come to abrupt endings, the endings of Boheme and Amico Fritz which lose all their shimmer here.

Much criticism here, but there is also much hope felt from listening to this disc, for a bright future for Mr. Villazon still. He is only seldom a conscientious and musical performer, but as opposed to what the liner notes might say, part of being musical in singing such selections or opera in general, is being specific for each character being portrayed here. Villazon should also take note that his singing is most interesting and also most easy to distinguish from his widely celebrated mentor, when he sings lightly. First impressions are strong - I first anticipated awarding this disc five stars - but unfortunately it just barely deserves four. Sound quality, if a bit heavily miked for climaxes and a bit recessed for the orchestra, especially at closings to arias, is warm and full.

Average customer rating:

Not as good as Amore
a voice teacher and early music fan
Verdi
The triumph of mediocrity
no expert

Andrea Bocelli: Verdi
Zubin Mehta , Israel Philharmonic Orchestra , and Zubin Mehta
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria
Cieli di Toscana
Andrea
Romanza
Sogno

ASIN: B00004X16D
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

Il Trovatore: Di quella pira (Il Trovatore)
Il Trovatore: Ah si, ben mio (Il trovatore)
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile (Rigoletto)
Un Ballo in Maschera: Di'tu se fedele (Un ballo in maschera)
Un Ballo in Maschera: Ma se m'e forza perditi (Un ballo in maschera)
Rigoletto: Ella mi fu rapita (Rigoletto)
Rigoletto: Possente amor mi chiama (Rigoletto)
Aida: Celeste Aida (Aida)
La Traviata: De' miei bollenti spiriti (La traviata)
La Traviata: oh mio rimorso (La traviata)
I lombardi: La mia letizia infondere vorrei (I lombardi)
Ernani: Merce, diletti amici (Ernani)
Don Carlo: Io la vidi e il suo sorriso (Don Carlo)
Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido (Luisa Miller)
La forza del destino: La vita e inferno all'infelice (La forza del destino)

Amazon.com Classical Music Reviews

With this CD devoted solely to operatic arias--by none less than Giuseppe Verdi, the greatest Italian opera composer of all time--pop crossover phenomenon Andrea Bocelli throws his hat into the operatic ring with the big boys. The hat occasionally fits, and occasionally it doesn't. The beauty of the voice is undeniable, as is the relative ease in all registers. But, regardless of what the engineers do, it is clearly a small voice. For "Celeste Aïda"--Radames's great aria from Aïda--Bocelli opens with fine, as-big-as-possible exclamation and sounds confident; the long diminuendo on the aria's final high B-flat is stunning (whether or not the engineers were twiddling with the knobs, we'll never know). The tenor is more at home with Alfredo's Act Two music from La Traviata; he sings with grace and charm, ending the rarely performed cabaletta (a brief and showy piece that usually follows an aria) with one of the longest, most solid high Cs ever recorded. Elsewhere, there are mixed results: "Di' tu se fedele" from Un ballo in maschera is so free of feeling that it seems digitally produced. A big, unnecessary high D at the close of the Duke's cabaletta "Possente amor" from Rigoletto is screamed, and Bocelli sounds at times as if he's about to collapse from exhaustion during a heavy aria from Ernani. But "Ah si, ben mio" from Il Trovatore is beautiful, as is the Luisa Miller aria; Don Carlo also seems to fit Bocelli well. Needless to say, the singer's fans will certainly want to have this--and it might encourage them to try other recordings of music by Verdi. Newcomers and the curious will find plenty to admire, too. The sound itself remains alluring, and Bocelli has taken steps also towards improving his technique. In short, some nice surprises for the opera lover, and many for the Bocelli fan. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Not as good as Amore.......2007-03-24

This CD came perfectly, I just prefer the Amore CD better.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-14

It is said that from the age of eleven years, Guiseppe Verdi (1813-1901) wanted to write operas. He left his post as organist to study music in Milan, a move made possbile by his patron,Barezzi, whose daughter he eventually married in 1836. Shortly thereafter he composed his first opera 'Oberto" which was so successful that his future seemed secure. However, the death of his wife and two babies some time later forced him into a state of depression. The impressario Mirelli gave him the book 'Nabucco' (Nebuchadnezzar) to read, and he immediately began to write music for it. Therewith he embarked on the career which eventually made him the "Grand Old Man" of Italian opera. In modern slang, he was a "natural".From "Oberto", written in his twenties, to "Falstaff", completed when he was eighty, his characteristic integrity and intensity persisted; as he wrote his 30 operas, his powers of expression broadened and deepened. By the time he wrote 'Aida', commissioned by the Khedive of Egypt, Verdi was 56. 'Aida' is often named as his greatest opera. The live elephants used in the production, the authentic costumes and musical instruments copied from ancient Egyptian tombs made an attractive picture, and his music made a "Celeste Aida" of the whole.
Lets face it; Bocelli is no Pavoratti, and perhaps it was not wise to choose some of the arias associated with tenors of his ilk, but Bocelli makes the best of his talents, which are considerable. And he has done a lot to create interest among young voice students,(male) and as a voice teacher I make use of his appearance and his youthfulness to engage their interest, and he does that!!!!I think his record sales tell the tale.

Verdi.......2007-01-03

Excellent Verdi selections. As usual, top tonal quality with excellent breath control. The best tenor to come along with such diversification as to sing just about anything presented to him. A superb choice for the connoisseur of italian operas.

The triumph of mediocrity.......2006-02-04

No, Bocelli is not an awful singer, he is an awful OPERA singer, and it shows here. His colorless, uneducated and bland voice make me wonder why people like him so much. As a baritone in training I'm able to say that my voice teacher's STUDENTS sing much better than this guy.
His tessitura is nowere near adequate for singing any of the arias from Rigoletto, "La donna è mobile" sounds much like a kid would sing it. "Celeste Aida" is one of the worst selections, and one of the most electronically enhanced, as it requires a precise voice placement (which Bocelli doesn't posses) since much of it lies very high in the register, and a heavier, rounder voice; if the role is not adequate for many REAL tenors, it is much less adequate for a pop singer. The "feeling" raving reviewers talk about is nothing more than a voice coming (incorrectly) from the throat, and the "beautiful" high D in "Possente amor" is a beautifully screamed falsetto, the same could be said about "Di quella pira"'s C; what's amazing about all this is the fact that electronic enhancement doesn't make his voice sound better. Some have ludicrously compared him to the likes of Vargas, Domingo, and Corelli, even saying he's better; this is nothing more than ignorance and bad taste.
Maybe his fans are tired of detractors bringing out the big names in their defense, so let's be honest: he's one of the WORST opera interpreters out there, I wish great singers like Mariusz Kwiecen, Matthew Polenzani, and René Pape received the publicity he gets, though it won't happen; at least some consolation lies in the fact that these people are true artists willingly and GLADLY offering their art to the people in order to make a living; I'm sure if Andrea didn't make so much $$$$ with his opera experiment, he would've dropped this travesty long ago.

no expert.......2005-12-17

I'm not a genuine, dyed-in -the-wool opera fan. The sound of the soprano voice makes me grit my teeth. Some of the great tenors are very pleasing, but mostly I'm just not especially enthusiastic or impressed. Actually, I think it's rather stupid for good singers to abuse their voices by bellowing. This was necessary before the invention of amplification, but not any more.
So, obviously, I'm not in the position to compare Bocelli's arias to those of the tenors considered the greats. I can hear that his voice lacks the robustness of the Pavarottis of this world. BUT - I like many of the famous arias, and to my ear, Bocelli's performances, electronically enhanced or not, are melodic and pleasant to the ear. As a result of listening to Bocelli, I've become familiar with some great music that I would otherwise be likely to ignore.
So I listen and enjoy and really don't care about all the criticism.

Average customer rating:

Best of Luciano Pavarotti

Manufacturer: Golden Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Luciano Pavarotti - Nessun dorma (Arias & Duets)
The Best of Luciano Pavarotti: 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection
Romanza

ASIN: B00013NDKU
Release Date: 2004-02-10

Tracks:

A' Vucchella
Ultima Canzone
Non T'Amo Piu
Malia
Serenata
Mattinata
Per la Gloria d'Adorarvi
Gia' il Sole Dal Gange
Pace Non Trovo
Che Fiero Costume
Dolente Immegine Di Fille Mia
Bella Nice Che d'Amore
Vaga Luna Che Innargenti
In Questa Tomba Uscura
Ave Maria
Pieta Signore
Messa Di Requiem, "Ingemisco"
Agnus Dei

Tracks:

Cielo Mar, "La Gioconda"
E Lucevan le Stelle, "Tosca"
Recondita Armonia, "Tosca"
Giunto Sul Passo Estremo, "Mefistofele"
Nessun Dorma, "Turandot"
Una Furtiva Lagrima "L'Elisir d'Amore"
Lunga da Lei...De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti...I Mio Rimorso Infame, ...
Mia Letizia Infondere...Come Poteva un Angelo, "I Lombardi Alla ..."
Pourquoi Me Reveiller, "Werther"
Ideale
Donna Non Vidi Mai, "Manon Lescaut"
Vaga Luna Che Inargenti
Me Voglio Fa' Na Casa
Tarantella

Angela Gheorghiu & Roberto Alagna - Verdi per due

Average customer rating:

Verdian voices that love each other
Sensitive, compelling performances
A well presented and very listenable album

Angela Gheorghiu & Roberto Alagna - Verdi per due
Giuseppe Verdi , Berliner Philharmoniker , Claudio Abbado , Angela Gheorghiu , Roberto Alagna , London Voices , and Berlin Philharmonic
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Roberto Alagna - Verdi Arias / Gheorghiu, Berlin Phil., Abbado

ASIN: B00000DFNW
Release Date: 1998-11-03

Tracks:

E Dessa! ... Un Detto, Un Sol ... - Angela Gheorghiu
Ma Lassu Ci Vedremo - Angela Gheorghiu
Oh Belle, A Questa Misera ... - London Voices
All'Armi! ... Che Ascolto! - London Voices
Cielo Di Stelle Orbato ... - Angela Gheorghiu
Vieni A Mirar La Cerula - Angela Gheorghiu
Gia Nella Notte Densa - Angela Gheorghiu
Pensando A Me! ... E Dolce Raggio Celeste Dono - Angela Gheorghiu
Giovanna, Ho Dei Rimorsi ... - Angela Gheorghiu
E Il Sol Dell'Anima ... - Angela Gheorghiu
Che M'Ami, Deh, Ripetimi - Angela Gheorghiu
Addio! Speranza Ed Anima - Angela Gheorghiu
La Fatal Pietra Sovra Me Si Chiuse ... Immenso Ftha ... - London Voices
O Terra, Addio - London Voices
Qual Mare, Qual Terra Da Me T'Ha Diviso ... - Angela Gheorghiu
Qui Nel Bosco? Solinga? Smarrita? ... - Angela Gheorghiu
Lassu Risplendere Piu Lieta E Bella - Angela Gheorghiu
Miserere ... Quel Suon, Quelle Preci - London Voices
Libiamo, Ne' Lieti Calici - London Voices

Amazon.com

Today's most glamorous husband-and-wife opera team offer a recital in which energy and enthusiasm more than compensate for lack of polish. Seldom do artists on a studio recording throw themselves into each "scene" as if they were onstage actually performing an opera, as these two do here. Abbado and the Berlin are second to none when it comes to accompanying Verdi, and when needed, extra soloists and chorus are included to complete the production. Although a number of Verdi's most famous moments are included, lesser-known music (e.g., I Lombardi and I Masnadieri) proves equally challenging and dramatic. Fine sound, from the Jesus Christus-Kirche in Dahlem (Berlin). --Paul Turok

Customer Reviews:

Verdian voices that love each other.......2003-12-09

Although French tenor Roberto Alagna and Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu are each formidable artists in their own right, when they sing together they create something truly extraordinary. Much of this is no doubt due to the couple's real-life marriage, although even many operatic married (or otherwise romantically involved) couples rarely give the sense that their voices and artistries are 'married' the way these two do. Their voices are just astonishing - his warm earth and sun darkening into bronze, hers melting sweetness and starlight. Even more important is their musical sensitivity and complete immersion into the drama. All these qualities make Alagna and Gheorghiu ideal Verdi interpreters even if their voices are smaller and more lyric than what many would think of as right for the composer. To put the icing on the cake, the singers have Claudio Abbado's magisterial support in the pit, full of authority, imagination, finesse and sensitivity.

The disc begins with the final Carlo-Elisabetta duet from 'Don Carlo'. This is my favorite opera and I believe that the 'ma lassu ci vedremo' section which concludes this selection is one of Verdi's greatest inspirations. Needless to say, I am extraordinarily picky about the way it is performed, and it is glorious - full of sublimated passion and pain, tenderness and resignation. The title role (in French) is already one of Alagna's greatest stage and recording triumphs, and Gheorghiu is so musically and dramatically intense that you would never believe she learned the duet at Abbado's suggestion 3 days before the recording!

Best of all, however, is the great love duet from 'Otello'. Never before have I heard this music sung so beautifully or with such tenderness and nuance, the lyric voices really making the romance between Otello and Desdemona believable. Admittedly this is probably the most lyric section of the score, and whether Alagna is up to the some of Otello's big outbursts, even in a small theater, is debatable, though Gheorghiu is an ideal Desdemona. Still, Alagna's astonishing pianissimo swell on 'Vien, venere splende' is alone worth the price of the entire disc. No less fine is the ravishing high note with which Gheorghiu ends the scene from 'Simon Boccanegra', where the singers easily go from tender serenade to dramatic urgency to seductive radiance.

The Tomb Scene from 'Aida' is also very effective, although it is true that Gheorghiu's is a more lyric voice than I would like for Aida, her excellent recording of 'O patria mia' on her 'Verdi Heroines' album notwithstanding. Alagna is about as light as I would go for Radames, but as it is really a spinto and not a true dramatic role, he copes very well, darkening his tone. Both artists, as usual, are totally alert to the drama, and this makes up for them possibly having the 'wrong' voices. I only wish this pair of lyric singers could have sung the final B flat in 'si schiude il ciel' pianissimo, as did Zinka Milanov and Jussi Bjorling - I believe Gheorghiu obliges and Alagna doesn't.

Another real treat is the rarities - how many 'love duet' albums include scenes from 'I Lombardi', 'I Vespri Siciliani' or 'I Masnadieri'? Again, all so marvelously sung - especially the rousing cabaletti - that we are convinced these are by no means the 'lesser' works that many critics claim, although it is a pity that the 'Vespri' selection isn't in the original French.

Turning back to more familiar music, having heard Alagna sing the Duke in 'Rigoletto' first at the Met under the flaccid Carlo Rizzi and then on the Sony recording under the hard-driving, pedantic Riccardo Muti, I was delighted to hear how fresh-voiced, dashing and impetuous he sounds in 'E sol dell'anima' here. Clearly all he needs is the right conductor! Gheorghiu's voice is a bit more mature than most people would think of for Gilda, but fully conveys her longing for her lover and her growing sexual awareness. The 'Miserere' from 'Il Trovatore' is also splendid, although not quite as intense as the version on their complete recording. A spirited and ravishing rendition of the famous drinking song from ýLa Traviataý brings the disc to a delighful close.

Besides the luxurious support of the Berlin Philharmonic (as Gheorghiu put it in an interview, 'the Rolls Royce of orchestras'), London Voices makes a splendid choral contribution in their four selections. There is also excellent work from contralto Sara Mingardo, better known in baroque repertory, as Giovanna and Amneris, as well as from the singers who take on Ceprano and Borsa in the 'Rigoletto' excerpt.

The documentation has full texts and translations plus excellent notes written by British voice maven John Steane, who points out the considerable musical and dramatic variety that exists among love duets, even ones written by the same composer. Unfortunately, there is no biographical information at all of any of the artists, let alone typical CD gush (so much for 'the overhyped Alagnas'!). The pictures in the booklet's interior are wonderful, with the couple relaxing in a Berlin park, but the cover's attempt to be 'romantic' is hokey - they look like airbrushed mannequins.

As with most of their other operatic recordings, Alagna's and Gheorghiu's work here is a must listen to anyone who cares about this music or the human voice. You will rarely hear this music served so well by contemporary artists. It turns out this disc is essential for a less pleasant reason as well - I have just read the horrible news that EMI has decided not to continue making studio opera recordings, making it extremely unlikely that we will ever hear Alagna and Gheorghiu together in this repertory on disc again. What a tragedy not only for the singers but also for Verdi, and all the more reason to cherish the beauty we have here.

Sensitive, compelling performances.......2003-06-09

Mr. and Mrs. Alagna sound wonderful in this collection of Verdi duets. The case can be made that Alagna is a lyric tenor, and shouldn't be singing the dramatic roles like Otello and Radames, however, he brings a pleasant, warm tenor that when needed, rises in plangency to the demands of the moment. In the future, he may indeed expand to become a dramatic tenor. In any case, his singing is in no way lacking. Angela Gheorghiu has already reached the status of compelling Verdian soprano, in my mind. She sings with drama, force, and elan.
The duets from I Lombardi and I Masnadieri are particularly nice, as they are not often heard. Bravos all around to Abbado and the Berliner as well.
This is a thoroughly enjoyabled disc.

A well presented and very listenable album.......1999-10-25

Since I first listened to Alagna and Gheoghiu I have always felt that Gheorghiu is the superior artist of the two. This album is presented with gusto and enthusiasm. Both are putting their souls into the music, although Alagna can be a bit brash at times, not unlike Del Monaco a few years ago. In Rigoletto it sounds more like intended rape than seduction! The duet from Otello is beautifully done - it could well be one of their future complete recordings. Overall a well recorded album with favourites as well as lesser known selections. Well worth the buy for admirers of the singers.

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The Golden Voices of the 3 Tenors

Manufacturer: Madacy Records
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Carboot Soul

ASIN: B000000LOQ
Release Date: 1995-04-16

Tracks:

L'Elisir d'Amore: 'Una furtiva lacrima' - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: 'Che gelida manina' - Luciano Pavarotti
Turandot: 'Nessun Dorma' - Luciano Pavarotti
La Traviata: 'Brindisi' - Luciano Pavarotti
Luisa Miller: 'Quando le sere al placido' - Luciano Pavarotti
La Traviata: 'Parigi O Cara' - Luciano Pavarotti
Stabat Mater: 'Cajus Animam' - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: 'Dunque e proprio finita' - Luciano Pavarotti
Lucia di Lammermoor: 'Tombe degli avi miei' - Luciano Pavarotti
La Fille Du Regiment: 'Ah mes amis' - Luciano Pavarotti
Idomeno Re Di Creta: 'Spiegarti non poss'io' - Luciano Pavarotti
Idomeno Re Di Creta: 'Padre, mio caro padre' - Luciano Pavarotti

Tracks:

Madame Butterfly: Addio Fiorito Asil - Jose Carreras
I Lombardi Alla Prima Crociata: Al Siloe! Al Siloe!... Guerra! - Jose Carreras
Madame Butterfly: Ancora Un Passo Or Via - Jose Carreras
Madame Butterfly: Bimba, Bimba Non Piangere - Jose Carreras
La Traviata: Che Fai?... Anami Alfredo - Jose Carreras
I Lombardi Alla Prima Crociata: Che Vid lo Mai?... Si! Del Ciel Che Non Punisce - Jose Carreras
I Lombardi Alla Prima Crociata: Chi Ne Salva?... Quai Grida! - Jose Carreras
La Traviata: De Miei Bollenti Spiriti - Jose Carreras
Un Ballo in Maschera: Di Tu Se Fedele - Jose Carreras
Madame Butterfly: Dovunque Al Mundo ...Amore o Grillo - Jose Carreras
TOSCA: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Jose Carreras
Rigoletto: Ella Mi Fu Rapita ...Farmi Veder Le Lacrime - Jose Carreras
Un Ballo in Maschera: Forse La Soglia Attinse - Jose Carreras
I Lombardi Alla Prima Crociata: Giselda! O Ciel Traveggo... - Jose Carreras

Tracks:

Il Trovatore: Mai Reggendo ALl'Aspro Assalto - Domingo, Placido
Il Trovatore: L'Usato Messo Ruiz Invia!... Perigiarti Ancor - Domingo, Placido
Il Trovatore: E Deggio... E Posso Crederlo - Domingo, Placido
Il Trovatore: Quale D'Armi Gragor - Domingo, Placido
Il Trovatore: Ah Si, Ben Mio - Domingo, Placido
Manon: Je Suis Seul! - Domingo, Placido
Manon: Ah! Des Grieux! O Manon... Le Ciel Lui-Meme... N'est ce-plus ma main - Domingo, Placido
Carmen: Quel Regards! Quelle Effronterie! Pari-Moi de ma mort! - Domingo, Placido
Carmen: Dragons D'Alcala... La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Domingo, Placido
Ernani: Merce Diletti Amici... Dell' Esilio Ne Dolore - Domingo, Placido
Carmen: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee... C'est Toi? C'est Moi! - Domingo, Placido

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Aspects of Verdi and Bel Canto!

Verdi Arias

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Carlo Bergonzi - The Sublime Voice ~ 40 Tracks from the Legendary Tenor
Grandi Voci: Carlo Bergonzi
Carlo Bergonzi - Italian Songs ~ Bellini · Verdi · Danza · Tosti · Donizetti · Rossini · Mascagni · Puccini
The Very Best of Nicolai Gedda
Russian Album

ASIN: B00027LE5Q
Release Date: 2004-07-13

Customer Reviews:

Aspects of Verdi and Bel Canto!.......2004-10-02

Mr. Bergonzi is a famous Verdi tenor and this collection is simply sublime, beyond words. His singing is both accented and lyrical, perhaps too lyric for the ideal Verdi voice. Bergonzi's Verdi comes with a bel canto approach.

Well this is where we may separate a Verdi voice from Verdi style. Bergonzi is a Verdi stylist par excellence and deserves the highest respect possible where certainly no other tenor since Lauri Volpi, with his more virile and wide ranging voice, has realized the magnitude and beauty of Verdi's style combined with the great dramatic accents and declamation.

Among the greatest Verdi stylists, which are rarer among tenors than the other voice categories, are Martinelli, Lauri-Volpi, Bergonzi, and even Veriano Luchetti; rare indeed but these men have the tone, the accent, the power, the legato, and the INTELLIGENCE to bring Verdi's drama to life. That is what Verdi wanted after all: "Accent Accent Accent"

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The veterans are here to stay

Pavarotti Plus

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000042E7
Release Date: 1997-06-10

Tracks:

Hymn Of The Nations
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
Il Trovatore: Ai nostri monti
La Traviata: Parigi, o cara
La forza del destino: Invan Alvaro
Macbeth: Ah la paterna mano
Otello: Dio ti giocondi
La Boheme: In un coup?
I lombardi: L'acque sante del Giordano
Manon Lescaut: Tra voi, belle
La traviata: Brindisi

Customer Reviews:

The veterans are here to stay.......1999-12-02

Lately there have been a lot of "critics" who attack the veterans of opera just for the sake of getting noticed it seems. All of the Three Tenors were under fire at one time or another. Needless to say, this silliness has no merit whatsoever. Whether you like it or not, people love them and competition fears them. The legion of new tenors can't stand a chance and also owes The Big Three a debt of gratitude. They have proved their worth with 30 years of magnificent singing; I hope they continue to delight their appreciative fans. The critics (you know who you are) will perish into abyss forgotten, or they'll wait till artist's death to speak a word of praise as they did with Maria Callas.

Tracks:

Overture
O Paradiso
La Mia Letizia Infondere
Quando Le Sere Al Placido
Porquoi Me Reveiller?
Recondita Armonia
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Vesti La Giubba
Mamma (Bixio)
La Mia Canzone Al Vento (Bixio)
Non Ti Scordar Di Me (De Curtis)
'O Sole Mio (Di Capua)
Torna A Surriento (De Curtis)
Tra Voi, Belle
Donna Non Vidi Mai
Nessun Dorma

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding.......2006-07-30

One of his best and the sound level does not vary one one number to the next like many of his other CD's

Pavarotti at his best........2002-02-27

This is one of the greatest performances by the greatest tenor in the world. The versions of Vesti la giubba and O sole mio are worth the price of the CD alone. The only problem with this album comes at the end of Nessun Dorma, the conductor has the orchestra playing so loud it drowns out Pavarotti. For a great version of Nessun Dorma, get the Three Tenors album. The rest of the album is great however, if it cost ten times as much it would still be worth it and still be a bargain.

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PER IL MARMOREO CIEL

Verdi Discoveries

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Puccini Discoveries

ASIN: B0000AKNZK
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Sinfonia In C - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Variazioni Per Pianoforte Ed Orchestra - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Preludio - Gianluigi Petrarulo
Adagio Per Tromba Ed Orchestra - Gianluigi Petrarulo
Sinfonia - Gianluigi Petrarulo
Variazioni Per Oboe Ed Orchestra - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Preludio - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Preludio - Gianluigi Petrarulo
Preludio - Gianluigi Petrarulo
Capriccio Per Fagotto Ed Orchestra - Gianluigi Petrarulo

Customer Reviews:

PER IL MARMOREO CIEL.......2003-10-04

For me this has been a discovery and a half. In the days before Otello Shaw claimed to find in Verdi more power than Verdi himself knew how to use. Without possessing a fraction of Shaw's acumen, I have always been fascinated by the way Verdi's idiom developed from the raw inspiration of the early operas to the sophistication and sometimes the downright strangeness of the final masterpieces without a distinct step-change such as Wagner's idiom went through after Lohengrin.

This utterly fascinating disc fills in a few of the blanks in my knowledge of him. These are numerous indeed, but the disc is going to do the same to some extent even for Verdi experts, for the simple reason that some of the items it contains are being performed for the first time. All the music here is instrumental. There is an early 5-minute `sinfonia', an adagio for trumpet and orchestra, a set of variations for oboe and orchestra that is probably only orchestrated by Verdi from a composition by one Mori (although the actual theme for the variations seems to have been Verdi's), and another set of variations with a solo bassoon where the attribution to Verdi is uncertain. What is really going to boost the sales of this record is yet another set of orchestral variations, this time with solo piano, the soloist being no less than Thibaudet. Apparently Verdi's original aspiration was to a career as a pianist. He was turned down, it also appears, on account of some unorthodox hand-position, but encouraged to pursue composition instead. Rightly or wrongly, we had a narrow escape there - but what on earth would they have thought of Horowitz's way of doing it, I can only wonder. The variations are full of anyone's brilliance, not a distinctive instrumental style as in Mendelssohn or Chopin, but I sense the enthusiasm Thibaudet surely felt when confronted with this unexpected opportunity, and near the end there are some faux-pizzicato effects from him, the sort of touch of originality that I love.

The rest is various preludes from the operas that have not made it to the standard repertory. He obviously felt that he could do more with the Force of Destiny overture than here and consequently did it. Otherwise his instinct is typically to go for the dramatic jugular and cut out the purely instrumental sections beloved of his own beloved Italian tradition. It is certainly a rather strange experience to hear the familiar opening measures of Aida followed up by what is not familiar at all. The thing that above all else makes this disc compulsive and compulsory for me is the (rightly) sidelined prelude to Otello. There is a dark side to most of us, and the creator of Rigoletto shows us a bit of his - but nothing, nothing like this. This prelude brings together some elements in the work that are diluted over its length and put into a unique context of mixed musical influences. The prelude brings into sharp juxtaposition the very things that have, all my life, made Otello unlike anything for me in all music. The post-Wagnerian but utterly un-Wagnerian harmonies that resolve partly or not at all, the brutal yet calculated orchestration that looms out at us and retreats awaiting its own moment, the sheer inhuman feel from this most human and sympathetic of composers, the brainpower unleashed from behind the pretence of naivety - he splits it all up in the work as a whole and thank goodness. It starts with Iago's credo and ends with that detached, ethereal and un-erotic kiss and this prelude brings it all together. No, no, no. I'll keep it much as I would a glimpse of a dear friend who is utterly blameless and I would not have expected to have had insights like these - creative insights at that.

The playing-time of the disc extends slightly beyond 80 minutes.

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