Ei [CD-single] [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Second single off the acclaimed rapper's multi-platinum debut album 'Country Grammar'. Tracks, 'E.I.' (Clean Edit W/FX & Instrumental), 'Greed, Hate, Envy' and the CD-ROM video to the title track. Slimline jewel case. 2000 release.

Ei,Nelly,Universal Int'l,5"CD Singles,Pop,Rap & Hip-Hop

Tracks:

Cosi fan tutte: Overture
Cosi fan tutte: Act I - Scene 6: No. 10 Terzettino 'Soace sia il vento' (Fiordligi, Dorabella, Don Alfonso)
Cosi fan tutte: Act I - Scene 9: No.11 Aria 'Smanie implacabili' (Dorabella)
Cosi fan tutte: Act I - Scene 9: No. 12 Aria 'In uomini, in soldato' (Despina)
Cosi fan tutte: Act I - Scene 11: No.14 Aria ' Come scoglio immoto resta' (Fiordiligi)
Cosi fan tutte: Act I - Scene 12: No.17 Aria 'Un aura amorosa' (Ferrando)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 1: No.19 Aria 'Una donna a quindici anni' (Despina)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 2: No.20 Duetto 'Prendero quel brunettino' (Fiordiligi, Dorabella)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 5: No. 23 Duetto 'Il core vi dono, bell'idolo mio' (Dorabella, Guglielmo)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 7: Recitativo 'Ei parte...' - No.25 Rondo 'Perpieta, ben mio' (Fiordiligi)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 8: No.26 Aria 'Donne mie, la fate a tanti' (Guglielmo)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 9: No.27 Cavatina 'Tradito, schernito' (Ferrando)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 10: No.28 Aria 'E' amore un ladroncello' (Dorabella)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II -Scene 13: No.30 Andante 'Tutti accusan le donne' (Don Alfonso, Guglielmo)
Cosi fan tutte: Act II - Scene 15: Finale - Scene 16 - Scene 17 - Scene ultima 'Fate presto, o cari amini; (Fiordiligi, Dorabella, Despina, Ferrando, Guglielmo, Don Alfonso)

Customer Reviews:

The Perfect Sampler.......2006-10-15

This, one of Mozart's finest, most elegant opera, is performed superbly in this recording. Bartoli is absolutely glorious here . Thank God she recorded this before her voice became smaller, and more "chirpy" sounding as it has been in her last few recordings. I had not heard Cuberli before this CD, but she has now become one of my favorite soprano's. Her high notes are velvety and "regal". The only complaint I have about her, is that in "Come Scoglio" she seems to be slightly flat on her high B-flat (the high C that follows is just fine though...go figure!) Also, Cuberli's and Bartoli's voice blend very well in their duets. I don't think there was ever a better Ferrando than Kurt Streit. He has a beautiful lyric voice, and he has great control and ease in his upper register. His "Un aura amorosa" is particularly exquisite. Furlanetto has a slightly "woofy" voice, but that's probably his only flaw. He gives a great performance, and he doesn't just sing the role, he does alot of acting as well. The role of Don Alfonso fit's Tomlinson's voice like a glove. He only has one aria, but I can't imagine it being sung any better than he sings it here. What more can one say about Rodgers except that she is delightful as Despina. All the performance's on this disc are exciting and thoroughly enjoyable. This is the best Cosi on record.

Brilliant!.......2005-07-08

Excellent music, Mozart at his fullest... it's just God's Voice... a must-have for every human being....

More Streit, Please!.......2005-05-20

This is an excellent CD, quite at the top of my list. The only other recording of the opera I have heard was the Solti live recording with Fleming and Von Otter. Though that was very good and Solti's conducting far outshines the Berlin Philharmonic on this CD, I must be truthful & admit my personal bias towards anything Bartoli and, most especially, Kurt Streit. I am not the biggest fan of Furlanetto, but Streit makes up for his co-singer's iniquities with a smooth, effortless, beautiful yet powerful tenor that I could rave about FOREVER............This is not a big role for Streit, but he has not got much in the way of CD recordings. Let us hope he will be discovered by more people in his debut this July as Don Jose!

Average customer rating:

A fab collection of the loveliest soprano voice ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
LA SUPERBA!
Madame Caballé is great!!!
Amazing collection!
Cannot be called an "ultimate" collection

Montserrat Caballé: Ultimate Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Very Best of
Diva:Montserrat Caballe
Montserrat Caballe - Beyond Music
Very Best of
Grandi Voci: Renata Tebaldi

ASIN: B00000J914
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

La Boheme: Si. Mi chiamano Mimi
Norma: Casta diva
L'Assedio di Corinto: Giusto ciel! In tal periglio
Sapho: O ma lyre immortelle
Semiramide: Serbami ognor... Alle piu calde immagini
Otello: Piangea cantando (Willow Song) -
Otello: Ave Maria
Herodiade: Il est doux, il est bon
Lucrezia Borgia: Tranquillo ei posa... Com'e bello!
Suor Angelica: Senza mamma
Rigoletto: Caro nome
La Sonnambula: Ah! non credea mirarti

Tracks:

La Traviata: E strano, e strano! -
La Traviata: Follie! Follie! -
La Traviata: Sempre libera degg'io
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
Il corsaro: Egli non riede ancora!
Il corsaro: Non so le tetre immagini
Armida: D'amore al dolce impero
I Pagliacci: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo!
Roberto Devereux: E Sara in questi orribili momenti... Vivi, ingrato
Il Trovatore: D'amor sull'ali rosee
Stabat Mater: Inflammatus et accensus
Adriana Lecouvreur: Io son l'umile ancella
Anna Bolena: Al dolce guidami
Adelson e Salvini: Dopo l'oscuro nembo
I Vespri Sicillani: Arrigo! Ah, parli a un core

Customer Reviews:

A fab collection of the loveliest soprano voice ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1.......2005-12-23

First off this two cd set is for the price of one,that is always great.Montserrat caballe is the star of this cdset,and she demonstrates all that is beautiful in singing,on ever track.Her ave maria from othello is included here.It is one of the best performed arias by caballe ever,she ends it with a heavenly piano top note.Also included is her magical casta diva from norma.Caballe sings all these arias with her legendary sound and breath control.On this set there are plenty of examples of long sustained notes,seemless legato,glorious high notes,and magically floated soft notes.Check out the cover to,there are some great photos of Caballe in opera costumes.These cds have great sound,and play for over two hours,too.

LA SUPERBA!.......2005-11-22

Montserrat Caballe is an amazing person and an amazing singer. In my opinion she has a more beautiful voice than Maria Callas. The high notes she reaches are just fantastic! Her Sempre Libera is the best ever! Her Ave Maria is stunning and her Vissi D arte is really moving. Her voice is so beautiful, it's as if it's an angels voice coming from her.

Madame Caballé is great!!!.......2003-04-06

This collection of Caballé's recordings is fantastic! Her soprano is the most beautiful that has been recorded. L. Price, Tebaldi, Ponselle, and a few others have gorgeous voices, but can any of those voices compare with Caballé's? Caballé's singing throughout is of the highest standard. Her "Ave Maria" is spectacular. "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore" has never sounded more beautiful. I love her "Non so le tetre immagini". Such beautiful singing does not come any better than this. Her "Caro nome" is disappointing. She is clearly not suited to this aria. "Inflammatus et accensus" is glorious. The later recordings are nice, but they are not the best Caballé has committed to disc. "Il est doux, il est bon" betrays a slight wobble in her otherwise still beautiful voice. "Dopo l'oscuro nembo" features very respectable soft singing from Caballé. This version does not do justice to Bellini's exquisite orchestration. For a version that does, check out Opera Rara's "The Collection: Volume 2". That version features competent singing from an inferior-voiced soprano, but the orchestra is ravishing. The one reviewer who mentioned the aria from "I Vespri Siciliani" as having "fioriture effects Berio could sign on to" is incorrect. The aria included here is not "Mercè, dilette amiche". That aria is more famous and much more florid than the aria included in this collection, "Arrigo, parli a un core". By the way, Caballé performs this aria ravishingly well. This is a superb testament to one of the all-time greats in opera.

Amazing collection!.......2003-04-05

I will write this review objectively, but I will not avoid praising Caballé when praise is due.

First off, this compilation is amazing! I have always thrilled to hearing Caballé's voice and this compilation is no different. I am amazed at Caballé's instrument; such extraordinary purity combined with great power! Even when she sings pianissimo, she can be clearly heard! Her voice literally fills up the room. These arias really show off her remarkable voice. Of special note is her rendition of the hauntingly beautiful "Non so le tetre immagini". Amazing! Her "D'amor sull'ali rosee" is exquisite, but she sings it too softly. Her trill is quite weak. Voices like hers don't respond well to being forced to trill. The tracks from the 1990's show off the remarkable preservation of her voice. The voice retains its purity and beautiful timbre, but is now heavier and darker. "Sempre libera" is not that good. Her coloratura is not up to par with Verdi's demands and she cannot hit the high E-flat at the end. However, she sings the main part of Violetta's aria very well, with supple, gorgeous tone and ravishing pianissimos. "Ah! non credea mirarti" is ravishing, but it is missing its energetic cabaletta. Presumably, it was cut because Caballé could not deal with the coloratura. Caballé's legato lines in this aria are superb. Her version of the "Lucrezia Borgia" Prologue is masterful. Elizabeth's last aria from "Roberto Devereux" is noble and touching. She is not quite Sills, but that aria benefits from a spinto voice instead of a soubrette one. Her aristocratic phrasing is very well used throughout the selections, with a few exceptions. Her "Willow Song" is beautiful, first time on CD. However, she fails to completely show Desdemona's despair. Some parts were good, but the whole thing failed to touch the heart. Her phrasing here is too indulgent. I have to say that I prefer Sutherland's touching version on her "The Art of the Prima Donna" recording. However, I loved "Ave Maria". Caballé sounds most beautiful when singing softly and this selection really shows her in the best light. Her cadenzas are intoxicatingly beautiful. "Caro nome" is not really her aria. The coloratura is suspect and some of the staccati are replaced with upward flourishes. She avoids the last short passage of staccati. Her phrasing in this aria is way too indulgent and she really fails to suggest Gilda's innocence. Even Sutherland is better at portraying Gilda's girlish qualities. Her "Armida" aria has some nice coloratura. She does the runs really well and is fearless in the triplet passages. For some reason, she does not sing the second "fronde" in the first line of the third stanza nor does she sing the last line of this stanza, "i muti abitator". She also does not sing the last line of the fifth stanza, "il tempo vorator". Caballé's first recorded version of "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore" is included here. This just may be the most beautiful version of this aria ever recorded. It certainly is Caballé's best version of the aria. The climax is handled in one breath by Caballé. She diminuendos the big high note twice in the same breath. Amazing! The rolling of the "r" in "Signor" after the last diminuendo is quite nasal and reminds us that the sound we are hearing is coming from a human throat. It also shows that these diminuendos are natural and not studio produced. She infuses Tosca's aria with real feeling and piety. The compilation ends with a knockout reading of "Arrigo, parli a un core". Caballé is at her best in this aria. She sings softly to stunning effect. This version may be the most beautiful of this particular aria ever recorded. RCA has done Caballé justice with this wonderful collection. Caballé is truly a remarkable artist with a million-dollar voice. Brava!

Cannot be called an "ultimate" collection.......2003-02-05

This is a prime example of the a major recording label being fickle with the goods, in order to force you to continue buying other recitals and full-length studio recordings. Of course, any Caballe fan would already want to own those other recordings anyway, so the point is moot.

Other reviewers here have cried out against the exclusion of one of her most essential and artistic roles, Imogene from Il Pirata. I would like to emphatically express the same. In fact, I would even have settled for the exclusion of Casta Diva, in favor of Col Sorriso di Innocenza.

Some other stellar recordings not represented her are the Sleepwalking Scene from MacBeth, and Pace, Pace Mio Dio from La Forza del Destino. Also worth mentioning is her O Patria Mia from Aida. She might not be Leontyne Price or Martina Arroyo, but she gives a superb reading of this wonderful aria.

Of course, brevity does require some editing- a true "Ultimate" Caballe collection would span four or five CDs, at least- but to include late-career and less-than-best selections at the expense of others is a crime.

Tracks:

Questo guajo mancava...Son qual lacera tartana (La secchia rapita)
Che dunque!...Or ei con Ernestina...Ah sia gia (La Scuola dei gelosi)
Vi sono sposa e amante (La Fiera di Venezia)
Voi Lusingate invano lo smarito cor mio...Misera abbandonata (Palmira, Regina di Persia)
E void a buon marito...Non vo gla che vi suonino (La Cifra)
Alfin son sola...Sola e mesta (La Cifra)
Dopo pranzo addormentata (Il Ricco d'un glorno)
No, non cacillera...Suelle mi temple (La secchia rapita)
Lungi da me sen vada quella veste fatal...Dunque anche il cielo...Contro un'alma sventurata (Palmira, Regina di Persia)
Se lo dovessi vendere (La Finta scema)
Eccomi piu che mai...Amor pletoso Amore (Il Ricco d'un Glorno)
La ra la (La Grotta di Trofonio)
E non degg'io seguirla!...Forse chi sa...Vieni a me sull'ali d'oro (Armida)

Amazon.com

Antonio Salieri is, unfortunately, best known as Mozart's great Viennese rival. Some of his work has appeared on recordings, and he was clearly an interesting composer of well-crafted, entertaining music. But now that a singer with the stature and prodigious gifts of Cecilia Bartoli has undertaken an entire CD of his opera arias, he may just become a quasi-household name. Here he proves himself a composer who wrote for virtuosos; Bartoli is nothing if not a vituoso. And, indeed, this CD opens with an impressive bang: An aria from La secchia rapita features a wild vocal line complete with wild coloratura, huge leaps, a range from low G to high D flat (Bartoli flirts more and more with the soprano range while using her chest register even more forcefully!), and vast dynamic changes accompanied by a full orchestra augmented with grand, martial trumpets. Other arias--one from Palmira, Regina di Persia, for example--are more introspective and are spun out with a graceful, seamless legato and seemingly endless pianissimo. Everything one loves about Bartoli is here: the intensity, absolute fluidity in execution, breath control, glorious trill, the ability to whisper or holler, and an identification with the character she's portraying which makes the situation credible and involving for the listener. At the same time, we can't overlook a tendency to overstatement and exaggeration and a breathiness to some of the delivery which can be an annoying mannerism. But where else can one get such excitement and commitment coupled with an irresistible charm in a singer so clearly at her peak? Most/all of the arias and operas here are virtually unknown; this CD whets our appetites for more Salieri. The accompaniments are as superbly thought-out and played as one would hope for--the wacky pizzicato strings and solo wind and brass lines in an aria from La Cifra, for instance, will delight. Bartoli fans and fans of great singing should not wait another moment before ordering this. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Mostly nice selections sung well.......2007-03-07

This CD features many delightful selections of Salieri's music, expertly performed by Ms. Bartoli and by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Anyone who likes Bartoli, and most people (non-experts) who like Mozart, would enjoy this album. The slower pieces, such as "Ah sia gia" and "Lungi da te" are especially beautiful.

That said, some of the selections seem to drag on (Salieri's fault). After a while listening, one just gets the feeling that "Vi sono sposa e amante" should have ended already, and the same goes for "Sulle mie tempie."

Painful introduction to Salieri.......2006-10-27

Ms. Bartoli is one of the great mezzos of our recent era, and her voice used to delight me, especially in the repertoire of Rossini, Mozart, & Handel sung by other great mezzos like Teresa Berganza.
Unfortunately, the voice that used to move so smoothly and accurately through florid passages is entirely absent here, and I have no explanation or understanding for the fervent praise bestowed upon this CD by others.
It is, in short, a travesty.
Bartoli emits the most painful and harsh pecking sounds......listening to just ONE of the tracks all the way through is a test of willpower and endurance! Granted, as someone else pointed out, these Salieri pieces are not an ideal choice for Bartoli, which explains some of the discomfort, but there is no way to excuse the vocalization that permeates the entire disc.
Sadly, this is a recording that should never have been released, and is a mockery of what the bel canto voice used to be.

Bartoli- The Most Important Voice of Our Age.......2006-02-27

Cecilia Bartoli is not only noteworthy for her unique voice, but for her contributions to musical study. She seems to be effectively and singlehandedly changing the face of how we approach music history with her recordings. This is why this recording is important.

She has been recording rare arias from operas which have dropped out of common repetoire for centuries. She has unearthed forgotten operas of great musical innovators such as Glueck and Vivaldi, and now Salieri. And due to what she achieves here, I will happily put "Salieri Album" in a rank next to my most prized Mozart records.

It seems as though Mozart dominates today's ouvre as the sole Classical Period composer of opera, but it was composers like Vincente Martin y Soler and Antonio Salieri who dominated the scene. Salieri was also just as innovative as Mozart. Works such as the overture to "Cesare in Farmacusa" harbor proto-Beethovenian storms, while his opera "Axur," in it's ahead-of-its-time construction, look foreward to the music-dramas of Wagner. These days, we look mainly at Mozart and his Donna Anna or Queen of the Night as THE voices of the Classical Period, but when you consider the bigger picture, Salieri's heroines, especially those the Cecilia Bartoli electrifyingly portrays on this record, equate or exceed what we might hear from Mozart in technical demand and overall beauty (Take for example the first track on this record).

With Cecilia Bartoli, opera is never boring. Some might thing she overacts, but is opera not essentially a fusion of music and drama? In this respect, Signora Bartoli is the perfect voice to define our generation, a generation which is looking to expand its musical horizons by exploring operas of more obscure composers. It is a relief that she knows how to bring her roles to LIFE. This is why her mission to revive these works has been so succesful. She has people interested.

As for the composer himself, Salieri was without a doubt, the most influential on the upcoming Romantic Period, even more so than Mozart. Notable names who had their musical education nurtured under Salieri's wing include Schubert, Weber, Beethoven, Mozart's son Franz Xaver, and even Liszt. It really is unfortunate that Pushkin and Peter Shaffer have pinned against Mozart, a composer who Salieri admired and had good relations with, according to letters.

The recording quality is excellent, and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment compliments Bartoli's voice perfectly. Adam Fisher, furthermore, has a difficult task since much of this recording is world-premiere material. However, he presents the material as vividly as though they have never left the repetoire.

Buy this recording. I believe Signora Bartoli has set out on something great, and "Salieri Album" will have a ripple effect in the music world. I love this release.

Genius! Sheer genius!.......2005-12-19

Cecilia Bartoli is known for recording unfamiliar music. Here she recorded arias by Mozart's great rival Salieri and how beautifully she does it. She finds the right colours for every single piece, combined with her brilliant technique you get a feast of tasteful singing that will take your breath away! Buy it!

A revelation!.......2005-04-05

I came rather late to this CD. Am I the only one who saw "Amadeus" and came out wanting to hear more of the music of Salieri?

Ms Bartoli brings a her wonderful skills to the recording of some feriously difficult arias and proves up to the task. I know that some people have commented on flaws in her singing or the recording but the the joy of the album is the journey of discovery....each track is an adventure and a revelation.

A revelation of two great musical talents in top form ..Bartoli and Salieri.

Salieri's music is technically sophisticated and he wrote some truly glorious music for the female voice.

I can only recommend this to any lover of music.

Average customer rating:

A Truly Great Mozart Recital
Stars fell on Italy...
The Best "Exultate, Jubilate"
bravo bartoli!
Mozart would have been proud

Cecilia Bartoli - Mozart Portraits
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Cecilia Bartoli , György Fischer , Vienna Chamber Orchestra , and Ingomar Raimer
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000423X
Release Date: 1994-09-13

Tracks:

Cosi fan tutte: Temerari! ... Come scoglio
Cosi fan tutte: Ei parte ... Per pieta, ben mio
Cosi fan tutte: In uomini, in soldati
Le nozze di Figaro: E Susanna non vien! ... Dove sono i bei momenti
Le nozze di Figaro: Giunsi alfin il momento .... Al desio
Don Giovanni: Batti, batti, o bel Masetto
Don Giovanni: In quali eccessi ... Mi tradi quell'alma ingrata
Davidde penitente, K469: Lungi le cure ingrate
Exsultate, jubilate

Amazon.com essential recording

Bartoli, in her musical journey defying all stereotypes, paints multi- dimensional vocal portraits of these Mozart characters. From the most delicate pianissimo to the grandest forte, this superb recording leaves you breathless. While others struggle with Come Scoglio's vocal gymnastics and Dove Sono's challenging legato, Bartoli uses her dark timbre, impeccable coloratura and passionate phrasing to create a kaleidoscope of luscious, wildly exciting sound. The fire of Mozart, the "romantic" composer, is brought to life. Occasional breathiness employed for dramatic purposes serves only to seduce the listener even more. Other selections including Exsultate jubilate, Davidde penitente, and selections from Don Giovanni are merely terrific. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

A Truly Great Mozart Recital.......2003-05-24

If I could own just ONE Mozart recital disc, it would be this one. (Though Renee Fleming's Mozart collection is superb as well). I believe that the two arias for Fiordiligi in COSI FAN TUTTE included here are among Bartoli's very finest recordings to date. But all of the arias on this CD are memorably performed. Please buy "Mozart Portraits"!

Stars fell on Italy..........2002-08-14

...the day Cecilia Bartolli was born. Talk about blessed -- all this and such a versatile voice, too. Mozart would have been delighted.

However, I don't think she's perfect. Yet. This recording is, however. The orchestra has just the right timbre to complement the richness of her voice. And it is a rich voice. In fact, my main complaint is that I think she has outgrown Mozart's Susanna. Her voice is perfect for the Countess, and the rendition here of E Susanna non vien! is utterly charming and believable, with just the right touch of pathos.

The other aria that bothered me was the Batti, batti, o bel Masetto. She just sings it beautifully, of course, but it deserves more con fuoco at the beginning (she is, after all, begging to be beaten!) and more espansivo at the end, possibly with a touch of arrogance. Callas sang it that way once.

I prefer Kathleen Battle's Alleluia because she's more precise. Bartolli sings it "scorrevole." It's easy for her, as easy as a mother will sing a lullabye to a child. To me, this prayer needs vocal fireworks -- like an explosion of faith and gratitude. Bertolli can do it, she just chooses not to. That's why I can't fault her for it. After all, she made the album, it's her choice.

In all I really love this album and I love her voice. How wonderful it must be to have the ability to open your mouth and have such musical richness issue forth. The pleasure alone has to be worth all the work and effort it takes to make it that way.

The Best "Exultate, Jubilate".......2002-05-10

"Exultate, Jubilate" seems to be one of those works which every soprano records at some point in her career. Among others, I've heard recordings by Barbara Bonney, Sumi Jo, and Kathleen Battle. But if I had to choose only one recording of "Exultate, Jubilate" to content myself for the rest of my life, it would definetly be this recording - Cecilia Bartoli's. She sings gloriously, with such an infectious joy that I've never heard in the others (Sumi Jo comes close, but still too careful and measured). The orchestration is also great - big and full of gusto, just like Cecilia's voice.

I haven't listened closely to the rest of the disc, but from what I have, it is just as well done as the "Exultate, Jubilate" (especially the Countess's "Dove Sono" and Despina's humorous "In Uomini, in Soldati"). As one reviewer pointed out, this recital would have made Mozart proud - I heartily agree.

bravo bartoli!.......2001-10-21

this got me hooked on Cecilia Bartoli. I heard the Mozart Exultate Jubilate over the radio, every hair on my body upright & quivering with delight. She sings it like you dream to hear someone sing it. Heavenly! And then you disover the rest of the cd is like unpacking a treasure chest - one gem following the other. Don't just sit there, buy it :) For once in your life, you will NOT be sorry :)

Mozart would have been proud.......2001-02-05

It was Maria Callas who complained that Mozrt is too carefully sung by singers - as if they're on their tiptoes. Well, on this disc is a singer who doesn't sing as if she's on her tiptoes; she breaks all the steroetypes associated with Mozart's music (you know, the period style-followers and those who argue that Mozart should be sung lightly)and gives us a completely emotional portrayal of the composer's heroines. Of the many pieces represented, I found the two beautiful Giovanni arias most satisfying, although all are wonderfully sung. Batti, batti is sung with a delicateness that makes you feel like you're eating the sweetest chocolate and enjoying every moment of it. In quali...Mi tradi is sung with a grittiness that really portrays the true emotions of Donna Elvira, who is a broken woman - the feisty singing of the recitativo almost sounds like the vengeful Medea (but thankfully, it isn't quite that extreme). Every note Bartoli sings portrays some kind of emotion - she is a singer who really has a joie de vivre in her singing. Every note is a joy to hear because she is transmitting her own joy for singing. I have rarely heard such a natural commuinicator in singing, which I regard as the highest form of art. In Exsultate, jubilate Bartoli sings like the words - exalted and jubilant. The Alleluia is a sheer joy to hear. Everything on this disc is simply great. I have always said that music is about communication of emotions and this is precisely it. I am not just writing all sorts of superlatives because I'm a huge fan (I am a huge fan though), but because she fulfils the meaning of music through her singing and serves the composer as faithfully as she can. She is a singer that makes you feel great about living. There can't be many performers who can do that. Brava.

Average customer rating:

A True Verdian!
Dmitri's most dramatic offering
Superb!
A Beautiful Voice, A Beautiful CD!
Exiting Verdi Cavaliere

Verdi Arias

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Dmitri Hvorostovsky - Passione di Napoli
I Met You, My Love
Songs of Love and Desire
Dmitri Hvorostovsky in Concert 1998

ASIN: B00005YN9V
Release Date: 2002-01-29

Tracks:

Otello: Vanne... Credo In Un Dio Crudel
Rigoletto: Pari Siamo
Rigoletto: Cortigiani, Vil Razza Dannata
Stiffelio: Ei Fugge!... Lina, Pensai Che Un Angelo...Oh Gioia Inesprimibile
Nabucco: Son Pur Queste Mie Membra?... Dio Di Giuda!
Un Ballo In Maschera: Alla Vita Che T'Arride
Un Ballo In Maschera: Alzati!... Eri Tu
Ernani: Gran' Dio!... Oh De' Verd'Anni Miei
I Masnadieri: Vecchio! Spiccai... La Sua Lampada Vitale... Tremate, O Miseri!
I Masnadieri: Sogno Di Francesco: Tradimento!... Pareami, Che Sorto Da Lauto Convito
Il Trovatore: Tutto E Deserto... Il Balen Del Suo Sorriso... Per Me Ora Fatale

Customer Reviews:

A True Verdian!.......2005-06-28

Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky made his name known to the west through 1989 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, where he won the first prize by singing Verdi and Tchaikovsky arias. A baritone with enviably warm tone, lyricism, dramatic temperament, as well as great vocal range, musicianship, and acting, Hvorostovsky is destined to sing Verdi. His actual full undertaking of Verdi roles, however, started many years later, when his voice was matured and ready for the dramatism and intensity of the Verdi baritone roles.

In this Verdi Aria album, he takes on the dramatic aspect of Verdi baritone roles and delivers their arias with lyricism and vitality. He would make a compelling Iago, and "Vanne...Credo in un Dio crudel" proves that. The power in his rendition as well as the nuances get to the evil soul of this diabolic character, and leaves one a spinal chill with his evil laugh. As Rigoletto he gives a riveting dramatic performance. In "Pari siamo" his singing is fierce; while in "Cortigiani", for one moment he bursts with explosive rage and the next with pathos and pain. Hvorostovsky always sings through voice as well as feelings. As his voice gets more richly colored in tone and feelings deeper, his singing evokes more intense emotions. Here we hear an "Eri tu" that's so deep emotionally involved, and his legatos are forever beautiful. One year after the album released, Hvorostovsky made his debut as Count di Luna in "Il trovatore" at Covent Garden. "Il balen del suo sorriso" is a master delivery of passion and tenderness, and "Perme ora fetale", which in the opera immediately follows the aria, is a masculine ensemble sung with Spiritual Revival Choir of Russia.

Bravo, Dmitri Hvorostovsky!

Dmitri's most dramatic offering.......2004-05-24

Dmitri Hvorostovsky's rich, glorious voice is combined with his sense of drama in this recording and captures all the passion and fervor of these magnificent arias.
Verdi made his baritone characters the most complex and interesting of his operas...sometimes evil, sometimes desperate, they would often lose the object of their affections to the tenor, whether it was a love interest like the Conte di Luna (Il Trovatore) or daughter like Rigoletto.

Among my favorite arias is "Alzati ! ...Eri tu", from Un Ballo in Maschera, and Hvorostovsky's interpretation is sublime; other choice selections are "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata" (Rigoletto), and the villainous Iago's "Vanne...credo in un Dio crudel" (Otello). Some of these arias are better known than others, but all are terrific.
Mario Bernardi provides energetic backing with the Philharmonia of Russia, tenor Vsevold Grivnov sings a few lines in "Sogno di Francesco" (I Masnadieri) and bass Alexander Vinogradov is Ferrando in "Tutto e deserto..." (Il Trovatore).
Often thought of as primarily a singer of Russian music, Siberian-born Hvorostovsky is also completely at home with the Italian repertoire, as this fabulous CD proves. Sound is good and total playing time is 68'58.

Superb!.......2002-10-23

Being a die-hard Dmitri fan (and a Russian) I was waiting for more Verdi repertoir since "Tchaikovsky & Verdi Arias" -- his debut album. He has since then recorded a complete Don Carlo and La Traviata on Philips label, but the material on this CD was "in the works" for all these years. And rightfully so -- Hvorostovsky's dark baritone voice has gained more depth and his breath control improved even further. So has his characterization ability; his Iago is the devil incarnated, his Rigoletto is multifaceted, and what a great Stankar! In the aforementioned first recital, Dmitri did sing "Il balen del suo sorriso", but here he included "Per me ora fatale" -- a rousing cabaletta where the Count is not at all melancholic. By the way, check out a DVD of "Il Trovatore" from BBC.
The recording quality is quite decent, the only minor disturbance happened at track 9. Overall, I am more impressed with Delos vs. Philips.
Like a previous reviewer, I wish La Forza del Destino would have been represented here. But including rare arias from I Masnadieri made this disc even more a treasure.
In my opinion, any opera fan needs to get this CD. For some it would be a great intro to the art of Hvorostovsky.

A Beautiful Voice, A Beautiful CD!.......2002-08-23

Let me say up front that I am not an authority on opera. I'm basically just a "greatest hits" type. But you don't have to be an opera fan to love this CD of Hvorostovsky's singing Verdi. My favorites are the selections from NABUCCO and UN BALLO IN MASCHERA; you'll probably find your favorite Verdi here too. This CD would be perfect if Mr. Hvorostovsky sang "De Provenza il mar," but as his fans know, he has already recorded that aria on TCHIKOVSKY & VERDI ARIAS. Perhaps it speaks to his integrity as an artist that he doesn't record the same selections over and over with very little variety on his CD's as do so many singers.

A music critic in a national magazine recently opined that perhaps that lovers of classical music would be left with listening to baritones since the tenor greats were nearing retirement and that there weren't many young tenors to replace them. If Mr. Hvorostovsky is an example of the best of the baritones and what we may be forced to listen to, let's retire the tenors. (Surely no one should have to listen to "The Three Tenors" ever again. Knowing when to stop singing is such an admirable quality.)

Oh, if this CD gets my vote for the most beautiful recording this year, the design of this CD gets my vote for the worst art. The design and photo on the cover are somewhere beyond silly. No artist of this stature deserves such a photograph.

Exiting Verdi Cavaliere.......2002-03-23

Finally long awaited Hvorostovsky's Verdi is out. For everyone's expectation, his artistic quality soared to the highest level. My addiction to Hvorostovsky has gotten only worse. This CD is climbing up the chart fast, competing with "The very best of Maris Callas". Obviously opera audiences anticipated his Verdi roles as much as Hvorostovsky himself.

When he made sensational international debut at the end of 89', he was bonafide Primo Uomo right from the start. He was every opera house's dream but Verdi roles were too heavy for his voice then. He recorded some Verdi arias earlier in his career like Macbeth, Luisa Miller, Don Carlo, Trovatore and Traviata. I was totally mesmerized by him then, and now over 10 years later, his voice has matured and ready for various Verdi's.

With his romantic looks and sounds, it's hard to picture him as Rigoletto or other father figures and villains, but it doesn't matter. I'm overwhelmed by his characterizations, expressive tones and beautiful phrases in Rigoletto, Ballo, Ernani,Trovatore and the rest. It's so exiting to have top notch Verdi Cavaliere again.

Strangely he didn't include Forza's "Urna fatale" in this CD.
I would love to hear his Forza someday. I've attended some of his Verdi opera performances, he was absolutely wonderful in all of them. I loved his Rigoletto in Houston. No one should miss this gifted, brilliant baritone in his prime. I deeply thank Dmitri for giving us tremendous pleasure and his fine work.

Verdi: La Forza del Destino
Average customer rating:

warning: no libretto

Excellent in every way, yet another ignored Verdi Voice!

Musical Sheet Lightning

Verdi: La Forza del Destino

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera

Verdi - Un ballo in maschera / Arroyo · Domingo · Cappuccilli · Cossotto · Grist · NPO · Muti

ASIN: B000BO0GPO
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Overture - Philharmonia Orchestra
Introduzione-Scena: 'Buona Notte, Mia Figlia' - John Tomlinson
Recitativo: 'Temea Restasse Qui Fino A Domani' - Jean Rigby
Romanza: 'Me Pellegrina Ed Orfana' - Rosalind Plowright
Scena: 'M'aiuti, Signoria' - Jean Rigby
Duetto: 'Ah, Per Sempre, O Mio Bell'angiol...Seguirti Fino Agl'ultimi' - Jose Carreras
Scena-Finale I: 'E Tardi...Vil Seduttor' - Various Artists
Coro-Ballabile: 'Hola, Hola, Hola! Ben Giungi, O Multattier' - Mark Curtis
Scena: 'La Cena E Pronta'/Recitativo: 'Viva La Guerra' - Various Artists
Canzone: 'Al Suon Del Tamburo' - Various Artists
Preghiera: 'Padre Eterno Signor...Pieta Di Noi' - Various Artists
Scena: 'Viva La Buona Compagnia'/Recitativo: 'Poich'imberbe E L'incognito' - Various Artists
Ballata: 'Son Pereda, Son Ricco D'onore' - Various Artists
Scena, Coro E Ripresa Della Danza: 'Sta Bene' - Various Artists

Tracks:

Aria: 'Son Giunta! Grazie, O Dio!...Madre, Pietosa Vergine' - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Scena: 'Chi Siete?' - Juan Pons
Scena E Duetto: 'Chi Mi Cerca?...Infelice, Delusa, Reietta' - Paata Burchuladze
Finale II: 'Il Santo Nome Di Dio Signore...La Vergine Degli Angeli' - Various Artists
Scena: 'Attenti Al Gioco' - Jose Carreras
'La Vita E Inferno All'infelice' - Jose Carreras
Romanza: 'Oh, Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli' - Jose Carreras
Scena E Duettino: 'Al Tradimento...Amici In Vita, In Morte' - Jose Carreras
Scena: 'All'armi!'/Battaglia: 'Arde La Mischia!'/Scena: 'Piano...Qui Posi' - Various Artists
Duettino: 'Solenne In Quest'ora' - Renato Bruson
Scena: 'Morrir! Tremenda Cosa!' - Renato Bruson
Aria: 'Urna Fatale Del Mio Destino...Egli E Salvo! Oh Gioia Immensa' - Jose Carreras

Tracks:

Ronda: 'Compagni, Sostiamo' - Abrosian Opera Chorus
Scena E Duetto: 'Ne Gustare M'e Dato Un'ora Di Quiete...Oh Tradimento!' - Renato Bruson
Coro: 'Lorche Pifferi E Tamburi' - Abrosian Opera Chorus
Strofe: 'Venite All'indovina' - Agnes Baltsa
Scena: 'Que, Vivandiere, Un Sorso' - Agnes Baltsa
Arietta: 'A Buon Mercato'/Coro: 'Pane, Pan Per Carita' - Various Artists
'Che Vergogna!' - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Coro-Taratella: 'Nella Guerra, E La Follia' - Various Artists
Predica: 'Toh, Toh! Poffare Il Mondo'/(Recitativo): 'Lasciatelo Ch'ei Vada' - Juan Pons
Rataplan: 'Rataplan' - Various Artists
Coro Ed Aria Buffia: 'Fate La Carita...Che? Siete All'osteria?' - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Scena E Duetto: 'Auf! Pazienza Non V'ha Che Basti...Del Mondo I Disinganni'/Scena: 'Giunge Qualcun..Aprite' - Paata Burchuladze
Scena E Duetto: 'Invano, Alvaro, Ti Celasti Al Mondo...Col Sangue Sol Cancellasi L'infamia' - Renato Bruson
Melodia: 'Pace, Pace, Mio Dio' - Jean Rigby
Scena E Terzetto Finale: 'Io Muoio...Confessione!...Non Imprecare, Umilitati' - Various Artists

Customer Reviews:

warning: no libretto.......2007-02-22

This is a good recording, no doubt about it, but costumers should be aware of the fact that there is no libretto included, but only a detailed synopsis.

Excellent in every way, yet another ignored Verdi Voice!.......2007-01-06

Fortunately, we do not have too many recordings of Forza to choose from. It is hard to cast those roles, so dramatic and long winded and phrases requiring piano and fortissimo and Rosalind Plowright was up to the challenge, but you need more than a big voice to justify Forza, you need TEXTURE too - depth, width, and sheen! No wonder, the opera has vanished from the repertory.

According to what I've heard, she was a Verdi soprano par excellence! Her tendency to cut the top notes short, play with the rhythm at times, and bottle up the tone can't detract from that awesome exciting voice AND that excellent Verdi beat. HOWERVER, Rosalind Plowright seemed to assiduously avoid the typical Verdian soprano sound a la Milanov, Price, Dunn, and Arroyo etc but opted for a brighter sound every bit as huge and crisp as Crespin and as veiled as the Callas of the 1960's. All this makes for an avalanche of a voice that must have raised the roof. She is very very thrilling to hear and this explains why she was a Verdi soprano of choice in Europe during the Milllo and Dunn years. I assume her voice didn't please everyone because it was unwieldy at the top, again like Crespin and also the tone hardened at times; in fact, i must repeat, she sounds exactly like a combination of Callas and Crespin. But make no mistake, those great divas never wrapped their great voices around Verdian phrases like Plowright, especially in .."Son Giunto, grazie o Dio" for in this regard she joins that long line of Verdians going way back to Arangi-Lombardi, Ponselle, and Milanov -- this is Art and anyone who has studied Verdi can identify a Verdian of this caliber. You Verdians out there know what I mean.

Carerras is close to the microphone, and this forcing does not do well in Verdi. Nevertheless, there is an honesty with this man, a passion, an innate truth. I prefer him dead or alive to Domingo, but he is not at the technical level of Domingo or Aragall. Preziosilla is Ms. Baltsa, and how well she sings. I am a FAN of RENATO BRUSON so its not fair to sing his praises!

Giuseppe Sinopoli is intense and he achieves a noble Verdi sound appropriate for Forza, nice and warm sounding but rhythmic indeed. I do like his work in this Forza and I think his work as a Verdian has NOT been bettered, not even by Jimmy Levine who I also really like. However, Trovatore belonged to Zubin Mehta and Humberg (I think I spelled it right - he is on the Naxos Trovatore)

TOP MODERN VERDI -- THAT IS MY ASSESSMENT!

Musical Sheet Lightning.......2006-10-11

Although Verdi's basic style was established early in Nabucco (1842), he keeps getting better down through the 1860s with the spectacular La Forza del Destino and Don Carlo. In listening to his operas after 1870, I am too familiar with Aida and Otello to be deeply impressed with them; and I have never cared for Falstaff. The progress toward "true music drama" climaxing in Otello does not concern me although Boito's brilliant libretto makes that 1887 opera one of Verdi's best. The setting and plot of La Forza del Destino interest me more than any other Verdi opera. The accidental killing of a father, the brother's irrational but deadly vendetta and ,above all, the role played by Italian monasticism capture my imagination. Verdi's supercharged music is convincing at every point. What could be more electric than the brooding overture with its mournful clarinet melody? Leonora prays convincingly to the Virgin and then with a group of monks in Act II. I recall the role played by Italian monasticism in Ann Radcliffe's striking novel The Italian published in the 1790s, the same decade that Cherubini's Medee set the pattern of "grand opera," a basic element in Verdi despite all the talk about "music drama" without arias. Ewen observes, "With its pronounced dramatic content and enriched harmonic and orchestral writing, La Forza del Destino represents a gradual departure from the style of La Traviata toward that of Aida." I prefer to see this brilliant opera as a end in itself apart from any progressive scheme.

I appreciate most the interaction of keen drama with religion in a form preferable to the rather morbid religious-secular dualism of Wagner's Tannhauser. Although Verdi's monks may sing quietly, the religious element blends with the plot more convincingly than in Wagner's schematically opposed Pilgrim's Chorus and Venusberg music. Even more striking is the contrast between Verdi's opera and Tchaikovsky's frantic Eugen Onegin where the protagonist's stupid egotism results in a tragic duel. In Act IV of La Forza del Destino the noble lover Alvaro tries to convince the vengeful Carlo that "God alone can bring retribution." Although Carlo murders his sister and Alvaro is weak enough to curse his "destiny" (secular language for the overruling sovereignty of God), the last word goes to Padre Guadiano in "Non imprecare, umiliati." In addition to all these features the performance gives us Agnes Baltsa as an entertaining gypsy Preziosilla. Verdi measures out just the right amount of this change of pace rather than making us wallow in it as does Bizet's Carmen. In his great tragic opera, Verdi proves once for all that one of the best forms of opera is high-tension theater. His work forms a perfect complement to the operas of Meyerbeer.

Monteverdi: Ottavo Libro de' Madrigali, Vol.1

Average customer rating:

Ectasy

Monteverdi: Ottavo Libro de' Madrigali, Vol.1
Claudio Monteverdi , Rinaldo Alessandrini , and Concerto Italiano
Manufacturer: Opus 111
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Monteverdi: Quinto Libro de Madrigali (Fifth Book of Madrigals)
Monteverdi: Quarto Libro dei Madrigali
Monteverdi: Secondo Libro de' Madrigali (Second Book of Madrigals) /Concerto Italiano * Alessandrini
Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine 1610/Venetian Vespers
Gesualdo: Quinto Libro di Madrigali (1611)

ASIN: B000005W5F
Release Date: 1997-09-09

Tracks:

Sinfonia
Altri canti d'Amor
Lamento della Ninfa (1)
Lamento della Ninfa (2)
Vago augelletto
Perche t'en fuggi, o Fillide?
Altri canti di Marte (1)
Altri canti di Marte (2)
Ogni amante e guerrier (1)
Ogni amante e guerrier (2)
Ogni amante e guerrier (3)
Ogni amante e guerrier (4)
Hor che 'l ciel e la terra (1)
Hor che 'l ciel e la terra (2)
Gira il nemico, insidioso Amore
Dolcissimo uscignolo
Ardo, ardo, avvampo

Amazon.com essential recording

The madrigals in this book, aptly titled by Monteverdi "Madrigals of War and Love," range from solo voice or duo with continuo to works for eight singers and strings. Concerto Italiano gives a magnificent performance: the opening of "Hor che'l ciel" is daringly slow and still, only to give way suddenly to the narrator's cries of torment; "Ardo, avvampo" proceeds from the thrilling chaos of fire alarms to an extraordinary hush as two tenors end the piece in unison. In the famous "Lamento della ninfa," the musicians have found a way to follow Monteverdi's instructions that the three men should sing in strict tempo ("following the hand"), while the solo soprano nymph sings her lament in freer time, "following the heart." The result is astonishing. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Ectasy.......1999-07-13

These are some of the most beautiful pieces you'll ever hear

Average customer rating:

EXTRAORDINARY!
Great music
A Transcendental Peformance.

Cantors: A Faith in Song

Manufacturer: TV Matters
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Legendary Cantors
Sacred Chants of the Contemporary Synagogue
Cantors: A Faith in Song
Jewish Cello Masterpieces
Secunda: Kol Nidre Service

ASIN: B0000CF2ZG
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Tracks:

Avinu Malkenu
Ki Lo Noeh
Oyfn Pripitchick
Yerusholayim Shel Zahov
Mayn Yiddishe Mama
Sunrise, Sunset
Kol Nidre
Ye'Did Nefesh
Kaddish
Habet
Rozhinkes Mit Mandeln
Hevenu Shalom Aleichem - Sephardic Medley
Yo M'enamori Dun Aire
Los Biblicos
Cuando El Rey Nimrod
V'lirushalayim Ircho
Tzena Tzena
Tumbalalaika

Customer Reviews:

EXTRAORDINARY!.......2004-10-19

Extraordinary does not begin to describe the beauty and depth of this album recorded live with three of the finest male cantors in the world today. I have the video, but it does not require the video to feel the joy in their performance together in this historical Amsterdam synagogue.
I can only say thanks to all involved in bringing this album to fruition.
This is my first review submitted to Amazon and it seems fitting.

Great music.......2004-01-30

I also ordered this after I watched the PBS special. I love it.
Linda in San Diego

A Transcendental Peformance........2004-01-02

A magical performance to listen to time and time again. The heart and soul of traditional Jewish music comes to life.

Average customer rating:

A great Don (except for the sound)
IT'S A GREAT ONE!

Mozart: Don Giovanni

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Mozart - Don Giovanni / Fischer-Dieskau, Fricsay

ASIN: B000BNV8E8
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Sinfonia/Overture - Chor Der Wiener Staatsoper
Notte E Giorno Faticar - Otto Edelmann
Non Sperar, Se Non M'uccidi - Otto Edelmann
Lasciala, Indegno!...Leporello, Ove Sei? - Various Artists
Ma Qual Mai S'offre, Oh Dei - Anton Dermota
Fuggi, Crudele, Fuggi! - Anton Dermota
Orsu, Spicciati Presto - Otto Edelmann
Ah, Chi Mi Dice Mai - Otto Edelmann
Chi E La? - Otto Edelmann
Madaminia, Il Catalogo E Questo - Otto Edelmann
Giovinette, Che Fate All'amore - Walter Berry
Manco Male E Partita - Various Artists
Ho Capito, Signor, Si! - Walter Berry
Alfin Siam Liberati - Cesare Siepi
La Ci Darem la Mano - Cesare Siepi
Fermati, Scellerato!...Ah! Fuggi Il Traditor! - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Mi Par Ch'oggi Il Demonio Si Diverta...Non ti Fidar, O Misera...Povera Sventurata! - Various Artists
Don Ottavio, Son Morta! - Anton Dermota
Or Sai Chi L'onore - Elisabeth Grummer
Come Mai Creder Deggio...Dalla Sua Pace - Anton Dermota
Io Deggio Ad Ogni Patto - Otto Edelmann
Finch'han Dal Vino - Cesare Siepi

Tracks:

Massetto, Senti Un Po'! - Walter Berry
Batti, Batti, O Bell Masetto...Guarda Un Po' - Walter Berry
Presto, Presto, Pria Ch'ei Venga - Various Artists
Tra Quest'arbori Celata - Walter Berry
Bisogna Aver Coraggio - Various Artists
Protegga Il Giusto Cielo - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Riposate, Vezzose Raggzze - Various Artists
Venite Pur Avanti - Various Artists
Ecco Il Birbo Che T'ha Offesa! - Various Artists
Trema, Trema, O Scellerato! - Various Artists
Eh Via, Buffone, Non Mi Seccar...Leporello!...Signore? - Otto Edelmann
Ah Taci, Ingisusto Core! - Otto Edelmann
Amico, Che Ti Par? - Otto Edelmann
Deh, Vieni Alla Finestra...V'e Gente Alla Finestra - Walter Berry
Meta Di Voi Qua Vadano - Cesare Siepi
Zitto, Iascia Ch'io Senta! - Walter Berry
Verdrai, Carino, Se Sei Buonino - Erna Berger
Di Molte Faci Il Lume...Sola, Sola In Buio Loco - Various Artists
Mille torbidi Pensieri - Various Artists
Dunque Quello Sei Tu...Ah, Pieta, Signori Miei!...Ferma, Perfido, Ferma! - Various Artists
Il Mio Tesoro Intanto - Anton Dermota
In Quali Eccessi, O Numi - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Mi Tradi Quell'alama Ingrata - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf

Tracks:

Ah, Ah, Ah, Questa E Buona - Otto Edelmann
O Statua Gentilissima - Otto Edelmann
Calmatevi, Idol Mio! - Anton Dermota
Crudele? Ah No, Mio Bene! - Elisabeth Grummer
Non Mi Dir, Bell'idol Mio - Elisabeth Grummer
Gia La Mensa E Preparata - Otto Edelmann
L'ultima Prova Dell'amor Mio - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Che Grido E Questo Mai - Otto Edelmann
Don Giovanni A Cenar Teco - Otto Edelmann
Da Qual Tremore Insolito - Otto Edelmann
Ah, Dov'e Il Perfido? - Various Artists
Or Che tutti, O Mio Tesoro - Various Artists
Questo E Il Fin - Various Artists

Customer Reviews:

A great Don (except for the sound).......2007-06-27

I have to agree with the previous reviewer that as an operatic production, this recording is superb. The only downside is the sound quality, which probably could not be helped; one must simply take it on faith that EMI did their best to re-master the original tapes (though I feel that they may have overdone the bass parts in some places). The singers are superb, and you can hear the stage effects, which gives the recording a charming immediacy. Anyone who has only heard only modern recordings of the opera, which emphasize "period" instruments and tempos, should be warned that Furtwängler did not feel obliged to stick to any one particular set of tempi - he varies the speed quite a bit, even within particular numbers, but this reflects an overall aesthetic conception of the opera which he formed over many years (this recording was made in 1954, the year of his death) and which fits together perfectly in its own way.
Moreover, like the previous reviewer, I am glad that EMI is releasing this set for a reasonable price, and it is a good companion to the classic Giulini set (although I would recommend other versions of the opera as well - even some of the "period" interpretations).

IT'S A GREAT ONE!.......2006-01-29

"Don Giovanni" is a very great, but difficult opera. It requires a charasmatic bass-baritone (or bass) for the title role, another equally great bass-baritone with a comic flair (for Leporello), two great leading sopranos for two very difficult roles (Donnas Anna and Elvira), a flawless lyric tenor (Don Octavio), and a pair of appealing younger singers for Zerlina and Massetto. It also doesn't hurt to have a sonorous Commandatore (a real bass)who can terrify Don Giovanni and take him to down at the end of the opera. This is an opera better left alone than presented even decently. The 1950's was a great time for Mozart singers, and many of them are right here on this live recording from Vienna in 1954. Cesere Siepi made the role of Don Giovanni his own and performed it many times (as well as on a commercial London recording which still is available). Elisabeth Schwarzkopf owned the role of Donna Elvira, and, in fact, can be heard on the EMI commercial recording made five years after this performance took place. Elisabeth Grummer was primarily a singer of the lighter Wagnerian roles, but her Donna Anna has power and passion. All of the other artists - Otto Edelmann, Erna Berger, Anton Dermota, Walter Berry, etc, were well known for their Mozart performances all through the decade. They mesh beautifully together in this performance, all under the exciting leadership of the legendary Wilhelm Furtwangler, who really finds the dramatic elements in this piece --- at the price of perhaps less emphasis on the lighter moments. Still, this is a towering performance, in excellent monophonic sound (yes, there are some stage noises, but no distortion or peaking). EMI has made it available at an incredibly low and wonderful price, and I can't see how anyone who loves Mozart would want to be without it under any circumstances. This is a great companion to the EMI Giulini set, and quite probably the superior of all the others.
It's a winner!

Average customer rating:

SILLS GOES FOR BROKE -------- AND SHE TRIUMPHS
Enough!
The best set available - wonderful
A great Anna
I've had it!

Donizetti: Anna Bolena
G. Donizetti , and Beverly Sills
Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Donizetti: Roberto Devereux (Elizabeth and Essex)
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)
Rossini: L'Assedio di Corinto
Bellini: I Capuleti e i Montecchi
Massenet: Manon

ASIN: B00005AWIL
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

Anna Bolena: Sinfonia
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Introduzione
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Ella di me, sollecita
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Si taciturna e mesta
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Deh! Non voler costringere
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Copme, innocente giovane
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Legger potessi in me! Non v'ha sguardo
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - O! qual parlar fu il suo!
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Si: l'avrete
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - la mia fama e a pie dell'ara
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Ella pure amor m offria
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene One - Ah! qual sia cercar non oso
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - Chi veggo?...in Inghilterra
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - Da quel di che, lei perduta
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - Ah! cosi nei di ridenti
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - Desta si tosto
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - Io sentii sulla mio mano
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - or che reso ai patri i lidi
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Two - Questo di per noi spuntato

Tracks:

Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - E'sgombro il loco...
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Ah! parea che per incanto
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Basta...basta...tropp'oltre vai...
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Anna! - Riccardo!
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - S'ei t'aborre, io t'amo ancora
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Ah!...per pieta del mio spavento
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Alcun potria ascoltarti
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Tace ognuno
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - Il quegli sgardi impresso
Anna Bolena: Act One, Scene Three - In separato carcere
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene One - O! Dove mai ne andarono
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene One - O mie fedeli
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene One - Dio, che mi vedi in core
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene One - Sul suo capo aggravi un Dio
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene One - Dal mio cor punita io sono
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene One - Va, infelice, e teco reca

Tracks:

Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Ebben? dinanzi ai giudici
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Scostatevi...il Re giunge...
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Ambo morrete
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Al Consiglio sien tratti
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Sposa a Percy
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Per questa fiamma indomita
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Stolta! non sai...
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Two - Ah! pensate che rivolti
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Tu pur dannato a morte
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Vive tu, te ne scongiuro
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Nel veder la tua costanza
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Chi puo vederla
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Piangete voi?
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Al dolce guidami castel natio
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Qual mesto suon?...
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Cielo, a'miei lunghi spasimi
Anna Bolena: Act Two, Scene Three - Coppia iniqua

Customer Reviews:

SILLS GOES FOR BROKE -------- AND SHE TRIUMPHS.......2006-04-17

I, being a great admirer of Callas, Caballe', Sutherland, and Sills, cannot understand why people so vehemently bash one of them in favor of the other. This does nothing to further the interest of music, and it reduces great operatic singing to the level of ice hockey. "Anna Bolena" is an opera that requires a very special type of soprano. It is, essentially, a florid bel canto opera for a considerably heavier voice than that associated with such bel canto heroines such as those encountered in "Puritani", "Sonnambula", and "Lucia". A great "Anna Bolena" should also be able to command Norma and Rossini's "Semiramide". Beverly Sills had a basically small voice, and she herself has admitted repeatedly that her undertaking Donizetti's Three Queens (Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, and Elizabeth in "Roberto Devereux) probably shortened her career by a decade. She was, of course, right. She certainly makes Anna Bolena a convincing vocal creation, and she sings with great conviction and involvement. But even so, there are moments when you know that she's pushing her resources to the virtual end of their endurance. She manufactures low chest tones that are completely out of allignment with the rest of her voice, and some of her top notes are nothing more than pitched screams. Of course, her passion and sincerity compensates for a lot of these deficiencies, and she emerges with a great success. I respect Sills, and have always felt that she was a little undone by her publicity machine, as well as the constant shadows of Callas, Sutherland, and Caballe. Truth to tell, all three had voices far more suited to these heavier bel canto roles. I'm not going to enter any fray and state any opinions here. Beverly Sills put forth a tremendous amount of skill and effort into roles like Anna Bolena, and she paid a vocal price, as one can hear on this recording. Still, I wouldn't be without this performance. Shirley Verrett is an outstanding Jane Seymour (she certainly could have sung Anna Bolena!), though I'm not sure that she and Sills blend all that well together. Whatever the case, let's give all these great sopranos a break and stop bashing them. My message to the bashers is: Callas, Sills, Caballe' & Sutherland have BEEN there and made it. What have YOU accomplished?

Enough!.......2006-01-25

Will this awfully mellow coloratura chirper ever stop shrieking? Sills couldn't fit the role of Anna less! Maria Callas, La Divina, has always been, and will always remain the role's owner.
Incidentally, how can some people blatantly dare show their absolute ignorance? How can somebody call -and get away with it- Callas' soloists Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, Giulietta Simionato, and Gianni Raimondi "second rate"??? I guess you've neither listened to any of them nor heard of their superb and much acclaimed qualities as musicians!!!

The best set available - wonderful.......2005-03-27

This is one of my favourite operas. I have heard the Callas, Sunderland (CD and DVD performances) and Gruberova (not to mention some live recordings).

Callas was breathtaking in her live performance from the 50's (especially in Act 3) BUT the sound quality is very poor indeed and the other soloists are second rate. The performance was also heavily cut. I only wish she had recorded the whole opera in the studio, instead of one or two arias.

Sunderland was well past her prime by the time she recorded her performance on CD. Her diction, never a strong point for her, is particularly 'woolly' and she has problems sustaining the higher register without strain. It is a pity she didn't record it much earlier in her career. Boynage conducts in a pedestrian manner too (compare the overture from Boynage and Rudel, Rudel makes the overture exciting and vibrant. Boynage conducts a somewhat flat and one dimensional rendition).

Gruberova's recording on CD is from a live performance and is truly aweful in places. I actually think it is one of the worst performances of anything I have ever heard 'recorded'. Don't touch it with a barge pole.

Then there is Sills performance. OK, I wish the voice was a little heavier at times but her singing is, as usual, beautiful. You feel that Anna Bolena is a role she loved, she conveys dramatic sincerity throughout. Rudel conducts his orchestral forces with such energy. Indeed, he is a major selling point of this set for me. He injects the performance with flair and gusto. Verrett, Burrows and Plishka don't put a foot wrong. A wonderful performance. I love this recording above all the others. Buy it. This set leaves the competition standing, (although, if you can tolerate the appalling sound, Callas' performance is fantastic too, however overall this set is far superior).

A great Anna.......2004-05-20

I'm sorry if I hurt anyone. I was just so mad and angry because Callas got bashed so many times by a Sills-Fanatic. I deeply apologise. Sills has a very beautiful voice, one of the best lyric coloratura voices out there. I hope Bev's fans will forgive me. This is one of the best Annas ever.

I've had it!.......2004-05-20

A Sills-Fanatic keeps bashing Callas with one star reviews in a row! I warned him that our patience is at its end! Now we'll retaliate! Sills is AWFUL as Anna Bolena, thin, sour, glassy and fake with no middle. A stupid coloratura chirper. Stop singing, Sills! My ears hurt, stop shrieking!

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