Non E' Per Sempre [Import]

1. Milano Circonvallazione Esterna

2. Non E Per Sempre

3. Verita Che Ricordavo

4. Oppio

5. Non Si Esce Vivi Dagli Anni '80

6. Baby Fiducia

7. Tutto Fa Un Po' Male

8. Superenalotto

9. L'inutilita Della Puntualita

10. L'estate

11. Bianca

12. Oceano Di Gomma

13. Cose Semplici E Baniti

Customer Reviews:

Valuable compendium.......2007-01-24

This set is extremely valuable, not only as an overview of Dame Joans career but because it contains three complete LP sets that have been very hard to find. The sets are the 2 LP French opera (operetta) set, the Mozart album and the Wagner album. Although some of these do not show her to her best advantage (the Wagner set) they all have some very beautiful things and the French items are superb. The annotations and photos are interesting as well and there are some piano songs with Bonynge that are released here for the first time along with a scene from a live Covent Garden Norma.

Rareties available on CD at last!.......2006-03-29

While Joan Sutherland has recorded a number of impressive aria collections throughout the many years of her recording career, they tend to get lost in the shuffle of the countless reissues Decca/London has endlessly repackaged. While some of the original collections have appeared intact on CD--"The Art of the Prima Donna," "The Age of Bel Canto," "Love Live Forever" (her operetta collection that was originally titled "The Golden Age of Operetta"), to name a few--others are currently represented in the CD catalogue by only a few selections on discs that also include excerpts from complete opera recordings or duplicates of selections from other original collections. As a result, it has been impossible to assemble a CD collection of her recordings without a LOT of duplication, and some of the most interesting collections are still unavailable (e.g. "Command Performance" and "Serate Musicale").

While this newest set does include a lot of bits of this and that, ranging from her very first LPs to excerpts from complete recordings most Sutherland fans already have and a few "live" performances, what is perhaps most significant about it is that it features the complete contents of the "Sutherland Sings Wagner" LP--a real repertoire departure for her--and the double-LP album called "French Opera Gala" (in the U.S.--the British title was "Romantic French Arias"), neither of which, to the best of my knowledge, has been available on CD before. "Opera News" magazine once ran an article in which they asked various stars to name the one album that they felt best represented their artistry for future generations, and Dame Joan selected the "French Opera Gala," so for Sutherland fans, this is a long-awaited treat.

I'm not going to waste space saying how miraculous I consider Dame Joan's artistry. If you are familiar with her work already, you know whether you adore her or not; and if you aren't, this massive set is probably not the best place to start (that would be "The Art of the Prima Donna" album that introduced her to most listeners decades ago)--especially since this newest set doesn't contain the lyrics, a must for newcomers. Let's hope Decca/London gets around to releasing the rest of her recordings intact instead of endlessly scrambling and repackaging the same selections over and over.

Heavenly.......2006-01-31

I first heard of Dame Sutherland while on the internet while listening to a internet radio station. I was instantly a fan, her control, technique, and tone is perfectly executed and rivals the equally fantastic Maria Callas. She has a powerful voice and presence that will evoke every emotion from her listeners. Highly recommended to all Opera Diva fans.

WHO ELSE CAN SING LIKE THIS TODAY?.......2005-04-10

This is Decca's second multi disc evaluation of this fantastic singer's long career and many recordings. True that a lot on the first set is duplicated here, but there are a few exceptions here and there that make it a worthy addition. Of particular interest are the very early items of Handel and Italian baroque arias, some forgotten song recordings and a live performance of the duet from Norma. It can't be said too many times - who can sing like this today? For sheer vocalism it's hard to find anyone on the same wavelength. This set will give very young opera goers an idea of what they missed.

Philips and Decca Recordings, 1961-1979 (Limited Edition)

Average customer rating:

Essential Performances from a Great & Beloved Singer

Philips and Decca Recordings, 1961-1979 (Limited Edition)
Janet Baker , John Shirley-Quirk , Graham Sheen , Johann Sebastian Bach , Ludwig van Beethoven , Hector Berlioz , Giovanni Bononcini , Benjamin Britten , Giulio Caccini , and Antonio Caldara
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Very Best of Janet Baker
Artistry of Elly Ameling (Coll)
Great Recordings Of The Century - Janet Baker Sings Mahler / Barbirolli, et al
The Very Best of Régine Crespin
Clara Haskil: Philips Recordings, 1951-1960

ASIN: B0000B0A0Q
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Customer Reviews:

Essential Performances from a Great & Beloved Singer.......2004-01-09

For those of us who grew up on Janet Baker's recordings (and were lucky enough to hear her "live" as well), the sound of her voice and her singular artstic personality - British restraint coupled with fierce emotional and spiritual commitment - are indelibly imprinted in our minds and hearts. The closest current equivalent is Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, another superb artist who has charted her own course, and not surprisingly there is some overlap of repertoire, in the music of J.S. Bach, of course, but also Berlioz's Didon and Beatrice, Handel's Ariodante and Britten's Phaedra (composed for Baker).
This wonderful compilation is complementary to EMI's 2-CD "The Very Best of Janet Baker" -- no overlap of repertoire whatsoever. Unlike that set, which focused on concert repertoire (with orchestra or piano) there's a generous sampling here of Baker's operatic roles including Handel, Mozart, Purcell, Rameau, Gluck, and Britten. Also welcome is "Phaedra," one of Britten's strongest late works. And it's good to have the Berlioz: "Cleopatre" and "Herminie" complete, the big aria from "Beatrice et Benedict." (Why EMI included nothing from her recording of the last 2 scenes of "Les Troyens" is unfathomable.) The wide time-span allows us to hear Baker's voice in all its youthful, "sappy" warmth, as well as in its artistic maturity (though truth to tell she was pretty much a complete artist from the start). There are a few signs of wear in later items, nothing serious, in fact rather less than I remembered. I could have done with fewer of the "Arie Amorose" in favor of more cuts from her Gluck LP, which I believe has never been issued complete on CD, but that's just personal preference. The focus here is entirely on orchestrally accompanied works (or, in the case of the marvelous early disc of Ravel, Chausson & Delage songs, with chamber ensemble) so for Baker the supreme interpreter of English, German and French song you'll need to go elsewhere (the EMI has a fair sampling, especially of her Schubert). But everything here is indispensible.

Average customer rating:

Showcase for a powerful voice
Bravo Mario!!!
A force of Nature!

Mario del Monaco: Opera Arias

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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Mario del Monaco: Historical Recordings 1950 - 60
Grandi Voci: Mario del Monaco
The Very Best of Franco Corelli
Classic Recitals: Great Tenor Arias
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli

ASIN: B000003XIL
Release Date: 1994-09-13

Tracks:

Aida: Celeste Aida
Otello: Esultate!
Otello: Ora E per Sempre Addio
Otello: Dio Mi Potevi Scagliar
Otello: Niun Mi Tema
La Boheme: Testa Adorata, Piu Non Tornerai
I Pagliacci: Vesti La Giubba
I Pagliacci: No, Pagliacci Non Son
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai
Turandot: Nessun Dorma
L'amico Fritz: O Amore, O Bella Luce Del Cor
Cavalleria Rusticana: O Lola Ch'hai Di Latti La Cammisa
Cavalleria Rusticana: Mamma, Quel Vino E Generoso
Andrea Chenier: Un Di All'azzurro Spazio
Andrea Chenier: Si, Fui Soldato
Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio
Adriana Lecouvreur: La Dolcissima Effigie
Adriana Lecouvreur: L'anima Ho Stanca
L'africana: O Paradiso
Marta: M'appari Tutt'amor
Carmen: Il Fior Che Avevi A Me To Dato
Werther: Ah! Non Mi Ridestar
Lohengrin: Da Voi Lontan

Customer Reviews:

Showcase for a powerful voice.......2007-02-26

Mario del Monaco reached his professional peak in the 1950s, as analog recording technologies approached their golden age. This cd remasters excellent recordings of del Monaco's truly magnificent voice.

Bravo Mario!!!.......2002-06-18

The Greatest Tenor of Them All. Del Monaco is in wonderful voice here, a voice filled with both Power and Beauty. Just listen and you will hear why Del Monaco is the Tenors Tenor.
Bravo Mario!!!!!!

A force of Nature!.......2001-01-31

This is the most commonly used sentence when someone wants to describe the voice of Mario Del Monaco.Not many tenors can sing those high notes which del Monaco reaches, with such ease!

Loathed by many for this high sound and accused for not being able to sing below forte, especially in the late stages of his carreer, no one can deny the fact that he has performed and recorded operas with some of the greatest singers of all times:Renata Tebaldi, M.Callas, J.Sutherland, M.Olivero, A.Cerquetti, G.Simionato, E.Bastianini, C.Siepi and many others. The list is long. Perhaps not the best tenor choice for all the roles he performed, Mario del Monaco was sublime when the role suited his voice. Such examples are Ottelo, Andrea Chenier, Canio (Pagliacci), Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut), Johnson (Fanciulla del West) and many of these performances are heard on this collection. He had a certain sound that made his voice very dramatic thus so good for these roles.

Concluding, those who like him will find this collection of exceptional value. Those who don't, just stay away since this Cd is full of Mario del Monaco.

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.

Verdi: La Forza Del Destino (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Richard Tucker, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan

Average customer rating:

A Classic Set
Callas is okay- Price the ONLY VERDI SOPRANO????
An excellent "Forza" but not the best all round performance
Brilliant Forza and a stupid reviewer
Brilliant - But I also love Tebaldi

Verdi: La Forza Del Destino (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Richard Tucker, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Callas, Maria | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Verdi: Un Ballo In Maschera (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Puccini: Manon Lescaut (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Verdi: Il Trovatore (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Herbert von Karajan, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Verdi: Aida (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Richard Tucker, Tito Gobbi, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Ponchielli: La Gioconda (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Fiorenza Cossotto, Antonino Votto, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan

ASIN: B000002RY5
Release Date: 1997-08-19

Tracks:

La forza del destino: Sinfonia
La forza del destino: Act One: Buona notte, mia figlia (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act One: Temea restasse qui fino a domani! (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act One: Me pellgrina ed orfana (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act One: M'aiuti, signorina, piu presto andrem (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act One: Ah, per sempre, o mio bell'angiol (Alvaro, Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act One: Vil seduttor! Infame figlia! (Leonora, Alvaro)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Hola, hola, hola! Ben giungi, o mulattier
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: La cena e pronta (Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Che vedo! Mio fratello! (Leonora, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Viva la guerra! (All)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Al suon del tamburo (All)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Padre Eterno Signor (Leonora, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Viva la buona compagnia! (Carlo, Preziosilla)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Poich'e imberbe l'incognito (Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Son Pereda, son ricco d'onore (Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene One: Sta bene (Preziosilla, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: Sono giunta! Grazie, o Dio! (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: Madre, pietosa Vergine (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: Chi siete? (Melitone, Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: Chi mi cerca? (Guardiano, Leonora, Melitone)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: Infelice, delusa, rejetta (Leonora, Guardiano)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: Il santo nome di Dio Signore sia benedetto (Guardiano)
La forza del destino: Act Two: Scene Two: La Vergine degli Angeli (Guardino, Leonora, All)

Tracks:

La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene One: Attenti al gioco, attenti, attenti al gioco
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene One: La vita e inferno all'infelice
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene One: O tu che in seno agli angeli (Alvaro)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene One: Al tradimento! (Carlo, Alvaro)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene One: All'armi!
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Two: Arde la mischia!: Piano...qui posi...approntisi il mio letto (Alvaro, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Two: Solenne in quest'ora (Alvaro, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Two: Morir! Tremenda cosa!
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Two: Urna fetale del mio destino (Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Two: E s'altra prova rinvenir potessi? (Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Compagni, sostiamo
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Ne gustar m'e dato un'ora di quiete (Alvaro, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Lorche pifferi e tamburi par che assordino la terra (Preziosilla)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Qua, vivandiere, un sorso
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: A buon mercato chi vuol comprare?
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Pane, pan per carita!
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Nella guerra e la follia (Preziosilla)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Toh! Toh! Poffare il mondo! Che tempone! (Melitone, Preziosilla)
La forza del destino: Act Three: Scene Three: Rataplan, rataplan, della gloria (Preziosilla)

Tracks:

La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene One: Fate la carita, e un'ora che aspettiamo! (Melitone, Guardiano)
La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene One: Giunge qualcuno, aprite (Guardiano, Melitone)
La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene One: Invano Alvaro ti celasti al mondo
La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene One: Le minaccie, i fieri accenti (Alvaro, Carlo)
La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene Two: Pace, pace mio Dio! (Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene Two: Io muoio! Confessione! (Carlo, Alvaro, Leonora)
La forza del destino: Act Four: Scene Two: Non imprecare, umiliati a Lui ch'e guisto e santo (Guardiano, Leonora, Alvaro)

Amazon.com

If it were not for Maria Callas, we would all think that La Forza del Destino is essentially a prime exercise and showcase for great soprano voices, with a few goodies thrown in for the rest of the cast and the chorus. In this recording, Callas's voice is not technically great, though it is usually good.She makes most of her points by other means: close attention to the value of words, subtle nuances of tone and phrasing, an uncompromising determination to confront the emotions in the text and convey them honestly and strongly, even when they reach a terrifying intensity. We have here, under the absurdities of plot, a compelling psychological portrait of a woman driven beyond her limits--a woman whose brother wants to kill her lover, who has killed her father. The supporting cast is skilled and Serafin shapes a powerful interpretation. -- Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

A Classic Set.......2006-11-09

Despite the few cuts and the mono recording this is still one of the most desirable sets of "La Forza del Destino". The main reason is of course Maria Callas's traversal of the role of Leonora. She was still in pretty good voice at this stage in her career and, though there are moments more comfortably vocalised by some of her rivals ("la vergine degli angeli" for instance), she is the complete Verdi heroine. No other soprano sets before us so well a character torn between conflicting feelings in the first act - on the one hand, love and filial duty, and on the other, love for Don Alvaro. Her very first utterances have a thrill unmatched on other recordings. Later, in the second scene of Act II, she is absolutely superb. Whenever she is before the microphone, we are aware of the greatness of the score as music drama. Here she is helped immeasurably by Serafin's command of the dramatic impulse of the music, and the magisterial, kindly and protective Padre Guardiano of Nicola Rossi-Lemeni. Others may have sung the role with better technique and more beautiful tone, but few, if any, are more interesting in the role. Of the other principals, Richard Tucker is almost their equal. With a voice so splendid and so suitable for the role, it seems a pity that he occasionally feels the need to make up for the fact that he is not Italian, by breaking the line of his singing with unmusical aspirate and sobs. In all other respects he is ideal. Carlo Tagliabue is a little past his best (he was 56 at the time of the recording), but he sings with authority, if without great immagination. Elena Nicolai is, if not the best or most accurate of Peziosillas, at least a spirited and involved performer. Both Plinio Clabassi as Il Marchese di Calatrava and Renato Capecchi as Melitone give strong accounts of their roles.
I have never quite been able to understand why in some of EMI's Callas recordings from this time the mono sound is pretty open and in others quite constricted. This, like the De Sabata "Tosca" is really pretty good. I hardly missed stero at all. And Serafin is superb. He is still, to my mind, a severely underrated conductor. Seen as a singer's conductor, he is somehow thought of as being a little anonymous, but for me, he allows the music and the drama to unfold in a completely natural way, without drawing too much attention to himself, as so many modern conductors tend to do. His "Otello", after all, is considered one of the best conducted versions in the catalogue.
As the previous reviewer noted, this is probably the most expensive way of acquiring this set, but it does come with full notes, libretto and translation. If they are not important to you, you may wish to wait until it is issued at super bargain price, as it inevitably will be, by Naxos, Regis and EMI themselves.

Callas is okay- Price the ONLY VERDI SOPRANO????.......2006-09-06

Callas, not my favorite, could sing Verdi well so could Leontyne Price. Any statements suggesting that these were the only Verdi sopranos - Opera Lover's refusal to acknowledge anyone but Price suggests either very limited listening experience- what about Ponselle, or Milanov or poor hearing.
In this role Tebaldi is as good as I ever heard although she did not sing as much Verdi as the above mentioned divas. CAVEAT!!!! Unfortunately, I did not hear Ponselle either live or in the whole opera or all bets might be off with Tebaldi. Ponselle was a unique vocal and dramatic presence.

An excellent "Forza" but not the best all round performance.......2006-08-24

I'm saddened by the intemperate nature of some of the preceding reviews of this recording, so let's try to keep it objective and fair. First, no-one inflects the text and caresses those glorious melodies as affectingly as Callas although Price in 1964 and Tebaldi in the (pretty raw!) live Mitropoulos recording run her close. The infamous "flap" in Callas' voice is only occasionally in evidence and she more than compensates with heart-wrenching portamenti and thrilling excursions into her lower register. Tucker is very, very good, if occasionally guilty of his besetting fault of being too lachrimose, but the top rings out magnificently. The rest of the cast, with the exception of Capecchi's firm, characterful Melitone, is not up to their standard, though Nicolai is wholly acceptable in the essentially irritating role of Preziosilla, with her silly tub-thumping music. Tagliabue is clearly past his best but does not disgrace himself, despite some rather nasal, laboured sounds. My one real bugbear is Rossi-Lemeni; I have never understood why he was so esteemed. The voice is woolly, unsteady, lacking centre and without the true bass gravitas the role of Padre Guardiano requires - although he certainly sounds old! Serafin's conducting is typically well-judged, in turn both pacy and intense as this gloomily beautiful music demands and you soon forget that the recording is mono, the sound being so clear, clean and brilliant. My favourite "Forza" is still the 1964 Schippers for the all-round excellence of the cast, though the 1947 Marinuzzi (available cheaply on Naxos) is worth having as it's a real period recording with a pulsating sense of live theatre about it (and you can hear Tancredi Pasero sing the role of Padre Guardiano as it should be sung). The above-mentioned live Mitropoulos contains the single most exciting piece of tenor singing I have ever heard in Del Monaco's "O tu che in seno" - the audience go wild and start mooing their appreciation like demented cattle - so you have quite a choice, the Schippers being the safest.

Brilliant Forza and a stupid reviewer.......2004-11-22

What does such drivel give you? Do you have to bash a devoted artist in order to have a life? What a shame this is! This Sills-sycophant accuses Callas' fans of bashing while HE is the one who posts profane, unmusical and tasteless nonsense. I've worked with singers and conductors for over 50 years and am appalled by such awful manners and stupidity. This is a great La Forza del Destino. Even IF one were not to "get" Callas, how [...] he rate the work of a Tullio Serafin who experienced Verdi himself in such a horrenduous way? Go, listen to your Sills and leave the reviewing to those who have taste and musical knowledge!

Brilliant - But I also love Tebaldi.......2004-10-18

The Callas-Forza is brilliant. Wonderful. But Callas was neither a mezzo (Well, with an F in her throat?) nor was her voice ugly IMHO but had a very unique beauty to it, very bittersweet, not all whipped cream like Tebaldi or today Fleming. But hey, I love many flavours. That's why I can heartily recommend both sopranos' Leonoras here.

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The Complete Caruso

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
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Ponchielli: La Gioconda
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Rachmaninov: His Complete Recordings
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ASIN: B0001TSWQO
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World

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A nice overview of Caruso's legacy
Unearthly
If You Only Buy One Caruso . . .

Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World

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Great Caruso
The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias
Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli
Caruso 2000

ASIN: B00000J913
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

Act II: Amor Ti Vieta
Act II: Che Gelinda Manina
Act III: Salut Demeure Chaste Et Pure
Act III: Di Quella Pira
Act IV: Spirto Gentil, Ne' Sogni Miei (Romanza)
Act III: Solenne In Quest'Ora
Act IV: Mi Batte Il Cor...O Paradiso!
Act I: Un Di All'Azzurro Spazio (Improvviso)
Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba
Act I: Questa O Quella
Act IV: La Donna E Mobile
Act III: Ah Si, Ben Mio
Act I: Celeste Aida
Act I: Recondita Armonia
Act III: E Lucevan Le Stelle
Act III: Della Natal Sua Terra Il Padre... O Tu Che In Seno Agl' Angeli
Act II: Magiche Note
Act II: La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee
Act I: Ah, Qual Soave Vision...Bianca Al Par Di Neve
Act II: Cielo E Mar
Act II: Nell'Ore Arcane Della Sua Lussuria... Ora E Per Sempre Addio
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act I: Di' Tu Se Fedele
Act II: Una Furtiva Lagrima

Tracks:

Act III: Je Suis Seul... Ah, Uyez, Douce Image
Act II: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento? (Sextett)
Act I: O Soave Fanciulla
Act III: Ella Mi Fu Rapita!...Parmi Veder Le Lagrime
Act I: Donna Non Vidi Mai
Cujus Animam
Act II: Oh! Mostruosa Colpa!... Si, Pel Ciel
Act I: Libiamo, Libiamo (Brindisi)
Ingemisco
Act II: Faiblesse De La Race Humaine!... Inspirez-Moi, Race Divine
Act III: Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini!... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere!
Act IV: O Figli, O Figli Miei... Ah, La Paterna Mano
Act II: Pour Moi Ce Jour Est Tout Mystere
Act I: A Cette Voix Quel Trouble...Je Crois Entendre Encore
Act IV: Bella Figlia Dell'Amore (Quartett) - Giuseppe De Luca
Act II: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento? (Sextett) - Amelita Galli-Curci
Act I: Frondi Tenere E Belle...Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Act I: Studenti! Udite!
Crucifixus

Customer Reviews:

A nice overview of Caruso's legacy.......2007-01-04

Enrico Caruso was one of the first "media stars," with his recordings selling widely in the early twentieth century; he helped popularize the recording industry. He was one of the leading tenors of his day, and is regarded as one of the tops of the twentieth century (although he began serious singing in the late 19th century).

This CD features some of his "greatest hits," among which are his well reputed version of "Vesti la giubba" (from I Pagliacci, one of his signature operas); arias from Verdi's Rigoletto, including the bold "Questa o quella" and "La donna e mobile"; some of his most popular recordings from Puccini, including "E lucevan le stelle," "Recondita armonia," and "Che gelida manina." Nice additions to the CD are wonderful ensemble pieces, such as the sextet from Lucia di Lammermoor (including the voice of Luisa Tetrazzini) and the quartet from Rigoletto (with Amelita Galli-Curci).

Interesting tidbits include his first recording, from 1902, and his last, from 1920.

All in all, this is a very nice representation of his work. I'm not sure that it compares with the old LP (with him in clown outfit) that includes Rossini's nearly unsingable "La danza," among other items. But it is a terrific introduction to the art of Caruso. Anyone who has not listened to this tenor's works before would be well advised to use this as their entree to his oeuvre.

Unearthly.......2002-12-23

Forget toiling for a BMW, enjoy finer things in life.One of my personal favorites is ''Le pecheurs de perles'', but the offer is overwhelming.

If You Only Buy One Caruso . . ........2001-01-03

let this be it! Wonderful, generous selection of his singles for Victor, most of them solos, but a few duets, quartets, quintets, and a sextet. The accompanying booklet makes a great deal of including his first and last recordings, but by far the most important here is Caruso's 1907 recording of Vesti la giubba, the first classical recording to sell over a million copies in the United States. If you listen to it, you'll know why--it's every bit as melodramatic as the minstrel show singles with which it shared the top of the early twentieth-century charts.

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Quite a miracle

Amor ti vieta: Great Opera Arias

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Caruso 2000
Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings

ASIN: B0002JUWY8
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Amazon.com

This disc can make a hardened realist believe in miracles. The first is technological: superimposing a new instrumental background on "vocals" recorded between 1902 and 1913. To listeners who cherish Pearl's re-issues of the Caruso Edition, where the voice comes through in all its glory while the orchestra sounds like a village band several miles away, this is naturally a vast improvement. It is also strangely disorienting: with brand-new accompaniments played by an excellent orchestra, the vocal sound shows its age; instead of leaping out from its surroundings, it almost seems upstaged by it. However, the ear quickly adjusts, just as it did to the originals' orchestral sound. The second miracle is Caruso's unique vocal and dramatic artistry. The program features favorite arias as well as unfamiliar ones, such as the disc's title track from Giordano's Fedora and Canio's final aria, rather than the famous earlier one, from Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci. An aria from Verdi's Otello, which he was to sing for the first time at the Metropolitan Opera in 1921, brings home the tragedy of his death at 48 that year. The disc includes some of his earliest recordings (with the orchestra taking over the original piano accompaniments played by the composers), as well as several he made after his operations, when his bright, honeyed, "golden" voice took on its famous baritonal quality: darker, warmer, somewhat heavier. In close juxtaposition, the difference is quite startling, creating the illusion of hearing two different singers. What remains unchanged are his incomparable technique and his inimitable style, though the early tendency toward what now seem excessive slides, portamentos, fermatas, gradually abates. His top notes retained their thrilling, heroic ring, his agility its effortless ease; his breath-control remained uncanny, his charm infectious. Perhaps most striking is his ability to create mood and character, drawing you instantly into the heart of the scene and the person portrayed. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Quite a miracle.......2005-05-16

I bought the first digital Caruso CD, "Caruso 2000", and loved listening to it. Although it was more interesting than artistic. I found the digital process fascinating, however it seemed that too much was erased from the digital recordings, to the point that Caruso's voice lost some nuance. This CD however (the third in this series) manages to somehow filter out (most of)the surface noise and the original accompiament while keeping the voice mostly intact. The balance between the old and the new is also more convincing. Detractors of the Caruso 2000 CD should definitely check this one out. They might be surprised

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VERY FINE RECORDING
A VOICE OF VELVET
Bravo
A Voice of Enlightenment
Introducing a Tenor with Intelligence to Match the Beauty of Voice

Italian Songs for Tenor and Piano

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Una Furtiva Lagrima
Donizetti - La Fille du Regiment / Frizza, Florez, Ciofi, Teatro Carlo Felice

ASIN: B0007RO55M
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Tracks:

Non T'Accostar All'Urna
Guarda Che Bianca Luna
Da Quel Sembiante Appresi
Mio Ben Ricordati
Ad Una Stella
In Solitaria Stanza
Il Tramonto
Lo Spazzacamino
Brindisi-Version 1
L'Amor Funesto
Me Voglio Fa 'Na Casa
Bella Nice, Che D'Amore
Per Pieta, Bell' Idol Mio
Ma Rendi Pur Contento
Torna, Vezzosa Fillide-Romanza
La Ricordanza
La Danza
La Lontananza
L'Esule
Arietta All'Antica Dedotta Dal 'O Salutaris Hostia'
Mi Lagnero Tacendo-II

Customer Reviews:

VERY FINE RECORDING.......2007-03-16

I bought this as a present for a friend, so I haven't unwrapped it. However, I did listen to a sample before buying it. This gentleman has a very fine voice and a learned and sensitive style of performance. Anyone who is interested in great singing will like this album. It is also very encouraging to me to find that Black men are becoming a presence in classical singing.

A VOICE OF VELVET.......2007-01-26

Lawrence Brownlee sings of love with such a voice that is so soothing and velvet you will forget it's a CD. One of the best tenor's I've heard in a long time.

C. Sheppard

Bravo.......2006-11-23

I had the pleasure to see and hear Lawrence sing the lead in Rossini's Cinderella. He stopped the show. A beautiful and powerful voice he demonstrates great talent. I rushed home to order this recording as I wanted to possess his voice at will. I love this recording and cherish the magnificent voice. He brought me to my feet at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia and when I listen to this recording I feel like standing in my study and screaming BRAVO!

A Voice of Enlightenment.......2006-04-29

From start to finish, this amazing recording is a perfect pairing of Mr. Lawrence Brownlee's voice with Mr. Martin Katz's piano, with each musical selection crafted to perfection, from the opening Franz Schubert "Vier Canzonen D688" to the heroic "L'esule" of Rossini to the affecting warmth and emotional finesse of Bellini's "La ricordanza (Sonetto di C. Pepoli)" (my personal favorite here). Just when I had succumbed to the reverent musical affectations of tenor Rolando Villazon, comes tenor Lawrence Brownlee who, I can assure you, will be tickling my cochlears for quite some time to come. This recording is a must, if you treasure the beauty of the Human Voice.

Introducing a Tenor with Intelligence to Match the Beauty of Voice.......2006-03-21

Lawrence Brownlee, with this debut recording of ITALIAN SONGS FOR TENOR AND PIANO, steps forward as a new tenor who bears watching. While there are currently some very fine young tenors (finally) on the scene who are genuinely talented and not just tenors du jour, Lawrence Brownlee is unique in his choice of introduction to the field. Instead of opting for a CD of favorite tenor arias ('Una furtiva lacrima', 'Nessun dorma', etc) with opera orchestra backup to punch up the volume and effect, Brownlee has the courage to debut with a very exposed recital with pianist Martin Katz of songs, all in Italian, but rarely heard. The result? A recording that not only allows the listener to really evaluate the tenor's vocal resources, but also appreciate his sensitivity in selecting repertoire. And that is a very welcome sign!

But of course the ultimate satisfaction of a recording must come from the voice and here Lawrence Brownlee demonstrates a rich, amber-toned tenor voice that is able to lean comfortably into legato lines as well as trip through the impossible hoops of Bel Canto repertoire. Wisely opening the recital with four 'canzone' by Schubert, a chance to demonstrate that the realm of opera is not the only path he will take in his career, Brownlee approaches these art songs with the sensitivity inherent in Schubert's marriage of music and poetry.

Then it is on to unfamiliar songs by Verdi, Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini. His ornamentation is wholly natural and his ability to follow the patter line of, for instance, Rossini's 'La Danza' to technical perfection and excellent enunciation is truly remarkable. Martin Katz, one of our most revered piano collaborators, obviously applauds Brownlee's technique and vocal color: he provides just the right support to allow Brownlee to shine.

Lawrence Brownlee - mark the name. He steps into the spotlight with excellent preparation and uncommon communication. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 06

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Rare but well-polished Verdi gems.

Les Introuvables Du Chant Verdien

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Les Introuvables du Chant Français
Les Introuvables Du Chant Wagnérien
The Verdi Recordings
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Mozart, Chopin, Brahms, etc. (Box) [Germany]

ASIN: B000051W4C
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Ernani: Act I: Surta E La Notte... Ernani! Ernani, Involami - Frieda Hempel
Ernani: Act I: Che Mai Vegg'io!... Infelice!... Infin Che Un Brando Vindice - Boris Christoff
Ernani: Act II: Vieni Meco... - Mattia Battistini/Emillia Cors/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala
Ernani: Act III: O De' Verd'anni Miei - Giuseppe Kaschmann/Salvatore Cottone
Ernani: Act III: Gran Dio!... O De' Verd'anni Miei - Benvenuto Franci
Ernani: Act III: O Sommo Carlo - Mattia Battistini/Emillia Corsi/Luigi Colazza/Aristodemo Silich/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala
Il Trovatore: Act I: Tacea La Notte Placida - Giannina Arangi-Lombardi
Il Trovatore: Act I: Deserto Sulla Terra - Francesco Tamagno
Il Trovatore: Act II: Stride La Vampa! - Fedora Barbiera
Il Trovatore: Act II: Condotta Ell'era In Ceppi - Margarete Klose
Il Trovatore: Act II: Perigliarti Ancor (Sung In German) - Margarete Matzenauer/Heinrich Knote
Il Trovatore: Act II: Il Balen Del Suo Sorriso - Giuseppe Pacini
Il Trovatore: Act III: Ah! Si Ben Mio, Coll'essere - Charles Dalmores
Il Trovatore: Act III: Di Quella Pira (Sung In French) - Cesar Vezzani
Il Trovatore: Act III: Di Quella Pira - Jussi Bjorling
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Timor Di Me?... D'amor Sull'ali Rosee - Emmy Destinn
Il Trovatore: Act IV: D'amor Sull'ali Rosee (Sung In German) - Frida Leider
Il Trovatore: Act IV: D'amor Sull'ali Rosee - EVA TURNER
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Udiste?... Mira, D'acerbe Lagrime... Vivra! - Carlo Galeffi/Giannina Arragi-Lombardi
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Si M'ami Ancor... Ai Nostri Monti - Beniamino Gigli/Cloe Elmo

Tracks:

Macbeth: Act II: La Luce Langue (Sung In German) - Martha Modl
Macbeth: Act IV: O Figli, O Figli Mie!... Ah La Paterna Mano - Enrico Caruso
Macbeth: Act IV: Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora - Margherita Grandi/Vera Terry/Ernest Frank
Rigoletto: Act I: Questa O Quella - Alfred Piccaver
Rigoletto: Act I: Questa O Quella - Dino Borgioli
Rigoletto: Act I: Pari Siamo! - Tito Gobbi
Rigoletto: Act I: Gia Tre Lune... Veglia, O Donna (Sung In German) - Claire Dux/Joseph Schwartz
Rigoletto: Act I: E Il Sol Dell'anima (Sung In French) - Miguel Villabella/Elde Norena
Rigoletto: Act I: Caro Nome (Sung In Russian) - Lydia Lipowska
Rigoletto: Act I: Caro Nome (Sung In German) - Maria Ivogun
Rigoletto: Act II: Cortigiani, Vil Razza Damnata (Sung In German) - Joseph Schwarz
Rigoletto: Act II: Cortigianni, Vil Razza Damnata - Pasquale Amato
Rigoletto: Act II: Ciel! Dammi Corraggio! Tutte Le Feste - Olimpia Boronat
Rigoletto: Act II: Tutte Le Feste... Piangi Fanciulla - Lotte Schone/Herbert Janssen
Rigoletto: Act II: No, Vecchio, T'inganni... Si Vendetta - Maria Galvany
Rigoletto: Act III: La Donna E Mobile - Enrico Caruso
Rigoletto: Act III: La Donna E Mobile - Tino Folgar
Rigoletto: Act III: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Beniamino Gigli/Louise Homer/Amelita Galli-Curci/Giuseppe De Luca
Rigoletto: Act III: O Mia Gilda... Lassu In Ciel - Tito Ruffo/Graziella Pareto

Tracks:

Simon Boccanegra: Prologuo: A Te L'estremo Addio... Il Lacerto Spirito - Francesco Navarini
Simon Boccanegra: Prologuo: A te L'estremo Addio... Il Lacertato Spirito - Alexander Kipnis
La Traviata: Act I: Un Di, Felice - Bjorn Talen/Lola Artot De Padila
La Traviata: Act I: Ah Fors' e Lui (Sung In Russian) - Antonina Neshdanova/Umberto Mazetti
La Traviata: Act I: Ah Fors'e Lui - Maria kousnezoff
La Traviata: Act I: Ah Fors'e Lui... Follie!... Sempre Libera - Luisa Tetrazzini
La Traviata: Act II: De' Miel Bollenti Spiriti - Fernando De Lucia
La Traviata: Act II: Lunge Da Lei... De' Miei Bollentti Spiriti - Giuseppe Di Stefano
La Traviata: Act II: Dite Alla Giovine - Nellie Melba/John Brownlee/Harold Craxton
La Traviata: Act II: Madamigella Valery?... Pura Siccome Un Angelo... Dite Alla Giovine - Rolando Panerai/Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
La Traviata: Act II: Che Fai? Nulla Scrivevi? (Sung In German) - Helge Roswaenge/Maria Cebotari
La Traviata: Act II: Mio Figlio... Di Provenza - Mattia Battistini
La Traviata: Act II: Alfredo, Alfredo... - Lilli Lehmann
La Traviata: Act III: Teneste La Promessa... Addio, Del Passato - Claudio Muzio
La Traviata: Act III: Teneste La Promessa... Addio De Passato - Margherita Carosio

Tracks:

Nabucco: Act I: Sperate, O Figli - Nazzareno De Angelis
Nabucco: Act II: Anch'io Dischiuso Un Giorno - Ines De Frate
Nabucco: Act III: Ah! Prigioniero Io Sono... Dio Di Giuda - Carlo Galeffi
La Forza Del Destino: Act I: Ma Pellegrina Ed Orfana - Gina Cigna
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Madre, Pietosa Vergine - Celestina Boninsegna
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Son Giunta!... Madre, Pietosa Vergine - Dusolina Giannini
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Chi Puo Legger Nel Futoro (Sung In German) - Ivan Andresen/Meta Seinemeyer
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Alzatevi... La Vergine Degli Angeli - Ezio Pinza/Rosa Ponselle/Chor Of The Metropolitan Opr
La Forza Del Destino: Act III: O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli - Francesco Merli
La Forza Del Destino: Act III: Solene In Quest'ora - Enrico Caruso/Antonio Scotti
La Forza Del Destino: Act III: Morir!... Urna Fatale... E Salvo (Sung In German) - Heinrich Schlusnus
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Invano, Alvaro - Gino Bechi/Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Pace, Pace, Mio Dio - Salomea Kruszelnicka
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Pace, Pace, Mio Dio - Zinka Milanov
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Non Imprecare - Ezio Pinza/Rosa Ponselle/Giovanni Martinelli

Tracks:

Don Carlo: Act I: E Lui... Dio, Che Nell'alma - Giuseppe De Luca/Giovanni Martinelli
Don Carlo: Act II: Nell Giardin Del Bello (Sung In German) - Margarete Arndt-Ober
Don Carlo: Act II: Restate - Boris Christoff/Tito Gobbi
Don Carlo: Act IV: Ou Suis-je!... Je Dormirai Dans Mon Manteau Royal (Sung In French) - Pol Plancon
Don Carlo: Act III: Ella Giammai M'amo!... Dormiro Sol - Boris Christoff
Don Carlo: Act III: O Don Fatale - Frida Leider
Don Carlo: Act III: O Don Fatale - Clara Butt
Don Carlo: Act III: I. Convien Qui Dirci Addio... Per Me Giunto/II. O Carlo Ascolta... Lo Morro - Tito Gobbi
Don Carlo: Act IV: Tu Che Le Vanita - Hertha Stolzenberg
I Vespri Siciliani: Act II: O Tu Palermo - Boris Christoff
I Vespri Siciliani: Act III: In Braccia Alle Dovizie - Riccardo Stracciari
I Vespri Siciliani: Act IV: Giorno Di Pianto (Sung In German) - Helge Roswaenge
I Vespri Siciliani: Act IV: Arrigo! Ah Parli A Un Core - Ester Mazzoleni
I Vespri Siciliani: Act IV: Merce, Dilette Amiche - Rosa Raisa

Tracks:

I Lombardi/Jerusalem: Act II: Je Veux Encore Entendre - Leonce Escalais
I Lombardi/Jerusalem: Act II: Grace, Mon Dieu!... O Jour Fatal - Paul Payan
I Lombardi/Jerusalem: Act III: Or Non Piu... Qual Volutta Trascorrere - Elisabeth Rethberg/Beniamino Gigli/Ezio Pinza
Aida: Act I: Celeste Aida (Sung In French) - Paul Franz
Aida: Act I: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!... Celeste Aida (Sung In German) - Helge Roswaenge
Aida: Act I: I Sacri Nomi (Sung In French) - Felia Litvinne
Aida: Act I: Ritorna Vincitor - Giannina Russ
Aida: Act I: Ritorna Vincitor - Florence Austral
Aida: Act III: O Patria Mia (Sung In German) - Emmy Destinn
Aida: Act III: Qui Radames Verra... O Patria Mia (Sung In Russian) - Natalia Yushina
Aida: Act III: Pur Ti Riveggo - Giovanni Martinelli/Rosa Ponselle
Aida: Act III: Fuggiam Gli Ardori Inospiti (Sung In German) - Elsa Bland/Leo Slezak
Aida: Act III: Lo L'amo Sempre... Gia I Sacerdoti (Sung In German) - Sabine Kalter/Richard Tauber
Aida: Act III: Ohime!... Morir Mi Sento - Ebe Stignani/Chor Del Teatro Dell'Opr Di Roma
Aida: Act III: Morir Si Pura E Bella (Sung In German) - Leo Slezak/Sofie Sedlmair
Aida: Act III: O Terra, Addio - Johanna Gadski/Enrico Caruso

Tracks:

I Due Foscari: Act I: O Vecchio Cor - Riccardo Stracciari
I Due Foscari: Act I: Questa Dunque - Pasquale Amato
Otello: Act I: Esultate - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Otello: Act I: Esultate - John O'Sullivan
Otello: Act I: Qua, Ragazzi... Inaffia L'ugola! - Apollo Granforte/Nello Palai/Piero Girardi/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala, Milano
Otello: Act I: Gia Nella Notte - Tino Pattiera/Meta Seinemeyer
Otello: Act II: Credo In Un Dio Crudel - Cesare Formichi
Otello: Act II: Tu! Indietro... Ora E Per Sempre Addio (Sung In French) - Jose Luccioni
Otello: Act II: Tu! Indietro... Ora E Per Sempre Addio - Mario Del Monaco
Otello: Act II: Era La Notte - Eugenio Giraldoni
Otello: Act II: E Qual Certezza... Era La Notte - Lawrence Tibbett
Otello: Act II: Si Pel Ciel - Giovanni Zenatello/Paquale Amato
Otello: Act III: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar (Sung In German) - Lauritz Melchior
Otello: Act III: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar - Renato Zanelli
Otello: Act IV: Piangea Cantando (Sung In German) - Lotte Lehmann
Otello: Act IV: Mia Madre Aveva Una Pavera Ancella - Yvonne Gall
Otello: Act IV: Ave Maria (Sung In German) - Tiana Lemnitz
Otello: Act IV: Niun Mi Tema - Francesco Tamagno/Salvatore Cottone
Otello: Act IV: Niun Mi Tema - Giuseppe Borgatti

Tracks:

Luisa Miller: Act I: Ah! Tutto M'arride... Il Mio Sangue - Tancredi Pasero
Luisa Miller: Act II: Oh! Fede Negar Potessi... Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Giuseppe Anselmi
Luisa Miller: Act II: Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Aureliano Pertile
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act I: Zitti... L'incanto... Re Dell'abisso - Irene Minghini-Cattaneo
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act I: E' Scherzo Od E Follia - Aureliano Pertile/Ines Maria Ferraris/Luis Bertana/Antonio Righetti/Cesare Baromeo
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act II: Ma Dall'arido Stelo - Eugenai Burzio
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act II: Ma Dall'arido Stelo - Hina Spani
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia (Sung In German) - Melanie Kurt
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia - Elisabeth Rethberg
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Eri Tu - Giuseppe De Luca
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Saper Vorreste - Selma Kurz
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Forse La Soglia Attinse... Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti - Antonio Cortis
Falstaff: Act I: L'onore! - Mariano Stabile
Falstaff: Act II: Alfin, T'ho Colto... Quand'ero Paggio - Antonio Magini-Coletti/Elisa Petri
Falstaff: Act II: Quand'ero Paggio - Victor Maurel
Falstaff: Act III: Ehi! Taverniere - Mariano Stabile
Falstaff: Act III: Da Labbro Il Canto - Tito Schipa
Falstaff: Act III: Sul Fil D'un Soffio Etesio - Toti Dal Monte/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scal, Milano

Amazon.com

This collection, whose French title might be translated "Verdi Vocal Rarities," is a unique contribution to the Verdi centennial year. Its 136 selections on eight compact discs offer an in-depth survey of singers who recorded notable Verdi performances during the era of 78-rpm recording. Coincidentally, this period covers, within a few years, the half- century after the composer's death, in 1901. Some of the singers in the earliest cuts--tenor Francesco Tamagno and bass Victor Maurel, for example--had known Verdi and sung for him. Many of the singers will be familiar to connoisseurs of Verdi discography--Enrico Caruso, Boris Christoff, Fedora Barbieri, Ezio Pinza, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Tito Gobbi, Beniamino Gigli, and Jussi Bjoerling, to name a few. Others, such as Frieda Hempel, Emmy Destinn, Martha Modl, Joseph Schwarz, Gino Cigna, and Mattia Battistini, are names you come across in books about opera, but you have heard their voices only if you spend a lot of time with historic recordings. And a lot of performances, including some of the best, are likely to be the work of singers encountered for the first time.

Most of the big moments from Verdi's operas are included--grouped by opera, not by chronological order of recording. There are a few strange omissions; for example, the "Miserere" scene from Il trovatore. But other selections, such as "Ah fors' e lui" and "La donna e mobile," are given in two or three performances--sometimes in French, German, or Russian as well as Italian. Some of the performances are classics; many are mind-boggling.

Some favorite Verdi singers--Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti, among them--are absent because they began recording after the collection's cutoff date. Other problems are mostly related to the dates of the original recordings. The sound is all pre-high-fidelity and sometimes quite primitive, though some remarkable work has been done to optimize the earliest items. The annotations are minimal--mostly the date, venue, and performers in each cut, with pictures of the biggest stars. This decision was probably made to keep the price low, and those who already know most of the arias and ensembles will likely find the tradeoff acceptable. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Rare but well-polished Verdi gems........2001-10-21

Classical music enthusiasts will have become aware that EMI have been marketing several boxed sets with a French title containing the word "introuvables". The word suggests that when you open the box you'll find items that are so rare as to be almost unobtainable. It suggests also that their rarity is not due only to age or production limitations, it is also due to the incomparability of their quality.

Few would quibble about the quality of what is to be found in this splendid collection of Verdi "introuvables". You will hear how Emmy Destinn portrayed Aida yearning for her homeland in 1908, and how Elisabeth Schwarzkopf portrayed Violetta intereacting with her lover's father in 1953. You will hear several items duplicated. Francesco Navarini, recorded in 1907 with a piano, makes a stunning Fiesco in the "Simon Boccanegra" prologue, as is not up-staged by the more familiar Alexander Kipnis version which follows.

You might regret that your favourite Verdi record is not here. You'll have opportunities to make comparisons, however. I could never believe that anyone could equal Giuseppe de Luca'a 1930 "O sommo Carlo" from "Ernani, but here I have a chance to hear for the first time how the famous baritone Mattia Battistini did it in 1906.

Keith Hardwick compiled and transferred this collection originally in the late 1980s. He has augmented and transferred that issue onto 8 CDs, and provided the annotations. Full recording details are provided, there are many singer photographs but no singer biographies.

The recording dates range from 1903 to 1953. Sadly, almost all the singers - Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf being a notable exception - are all dead by now. Those of us who have opportunities to hear and collect their work, however, can be grateful that the older we get the better it sounds. Indeed, I have never heard any of the items included here in better transfers. Elsewhere I have given this issue a five star rating. Subsequent hearings have made me aware of a technical matter which may bother some listeners. This set has been transferred from the long playing records on which it was originally issued. Their pristine sound quality has been preserved but also some of the ghostly "swish" that accompanied each revolution.

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World Music

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E.T.

Drumming En La Botanica [Import]

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Feeling Analog (in a digital world)

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Double Holy House [Live] [Import]

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