O Amante [Import]

1. Atrás da Porta

2. Tatuagem (Tattoo)

3. Olhos Nos Olhos

4. Com Acucar E Com Afeto - Maria Bethânia, Chico Buarque

5. Sem Fantasia - Maria Bethânia, Chico Buarque

6. Mil Perdoes

7. Bastidores

8. Trocando Em Miúdos

9. De Todas as Maneiras

10. Pedaçpo de Mim

11. Nao Sonho Mais

12. Tira as Mãos de Mim

13. Cala a Boca, Bãrbara

14. Bárbara - Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso

Customer Reviews:

Not Thrilling.......2007-01-05

I have been online for 3 hours tonight reading Amazon's reviews of various medieval CD's. I really wanted to find a Waverly Consort CD comparable to their marvelous, magical, exuberant "A Waverly Consort Christmas," but nothing seems to match that one. I have a dial-up modem and for some reason none of Amazon's musical selections will play even though I have no problems with video games and music uploads from other sources. Thus, I have to rely upon written reviews.

Among the many albums for which I read reviews tonight was one for "A Medieval Banquet" by the Newberry Consort. The title & group rang a bell so I checked my collection and found that it was originally called *Il Solazzo" (as others have already noted among these reviews). I bought it in early 1995 but never wrote any comments in the attached booklet, which is unusual for me.

I have now played the CD twice and understand why I made no comments: it was simply not thrilling. I am no musicologist -- just someone who loves early music because it makes my soul sing. This CD is "nice," but my soul goes ho-hum when I hear it. (The one exception is the #9 selection with rebec, vielle & lute -- and no voices.)

The instrumentals have a certain charm but they generally feel more Renaissance than medieval to me. The vocals leave me completely cold. In some of the reviews I read tonight I came across the concept of "operatic" applied to some of this early music. I had no idea what the authors meant since there was no opera at such an early period. But in playing this CD, I understood -- there is indeed a bloated, elaborate vocal quality that really does feel "operatic." It seems entirely unsuited to "Music for a Medieval Banquet."

If your soul wants to sing, this proably isn't the CD for you. Try the Waverly Consort's "Christmas" along with a glass of fine wine

Good CD.......2004-04-30

One of the reasons why I bought this recording is the interesting choice of pieces, which range from the often-recorded instrumental dances to the less-known sung tracks.

When I played it, the first thing that struck me of this CD is the thinness of the sound in the dances. Although the performance is spotless, it lacks the body that other medieval-dance groups add to their sound - notably the older but still great Studio der Fruehen Musik. Is this an unfair statement? Perhaps - but these dances have been recorded so many times that it is only natural to compare versions.

Also, the use of percussion instruments would have been a nice touch, besides being perfectly historical. Then, a more varied instrumental arrangement may have been a good addition, especially in the longer numbers such as Chominciamento di gioia.

The other point that puzzled me is that in the first track (La Badessa), the singer sounds as if she is playing a losing game of catch-up with the instruments, which results in a mediocre performance of that particular piece. It is a pity, because the song is very catchy and the singer's voice is stylistically spot on.

Having said all this, the selections of songs and dances is first-choice, the performance is good and well researched and the CD remains one of the most played in my household.

Re-release of Il Solazzo.......2002-10-10

Just a quick note on this CD: It's a re-release of the Newberry Consort's "Il Solazzo" disc without the texts and with less nice packaging. Since that disc can be hard to find, this CD is welcome, but if you can find the other release cheaper it's a better deal.

A good, simple bargain, with a sweet reward.......2002-06-11

This simple little album reminds me of what it is that I love most about the Italian Renaissance - its barefaced passion and gut level power. So playful and raucous at times that I felt as if I were in a scene from Pasolini's irreverent "Decameron" and at other moments, so serene that I was in a chapter from Chaucer. The music is simple and unpretentious. Not resorting to gimmicks, they allow the music to be expressed in a way that it very probably was in the age when it reigned: unashamed, expressive, brazenly colorful and just a bit flamboyant.

So much for the performers. As for the producers...

On the downside, it is painfully obvious that they made this album on a shoe-string budget. That can be a good thing in forcing the artists to stick to the music's purity instead of hiring a team of sound engineers to make it "sound" better, but there is absolutely no documentation about the songs, other than their titles and playing times. A sickly-thin album insert has a blurb in English and Italian about polyphony, told in allegorical style, with each paragraph in an alternating language instead of one section in each language. Go figure! Maybe the AltaVista translator they used for free had a one-paragraph limit.

Tracks:

Gia, Il Sole dal Gange
Son tutta duolo
Se Florindo e fedele
O cessate di piagarmi
Spesso vibra per suo gioco
Caro mio ben
Pur dicesti, O bocca bella
Intorno all'idol mio
Nel cor piu non mi sento
Il mio ben quando verra
O leggiadri occhi belli
Quella fiamma che m'accende
Selve amiche
Sebben, crudele
Tu ch'hai le penne, amore
Se tu m'ami
Chi vuol la zingarella
Amarilli
Delizie contente
Sposa son disprezzata
Vittoria, vittoria!

Amazon.com

The 17th-century Italian art song repertory traditionally reserved for novice singers is given new life via Bartoli's artistry. With impeccable diction and evocative phrasing, she captures every innuendo of these simple, but passionate, pieces. No two repetitive phrases are alike; she chisels every line into a landscape of interpretive magnificence. Scarlatti's simple "O Cessate di Piagarmi" becomes a testament of innocent pain and plaintiveness. Giordano's "Caro Mio Ben" is transformed into a tender cry for love. All embellishments are imaginative and well executed. Accompaniment by György Fischer is equally appealing, sensitive and precise. Every singer questing for the art of singing should study these. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

useful.......2007-04-11

I feel like recommending this compilation to neophites wanting to listen to some old arias to learn if they like this genre and to singing students:
Ms Bartoli's voice is not beautiful, nor perfect when heard live, but her technique sounds perfectly good on record. Here and there her voice gets harsh, flat, losing brilliance and warmth, but most of the time one can concentrate on the accurate rendering of these old and beautiful arias.

She wisely decided to follow the letter of Parisotti's score, therefore meeting the need of all singing students of having a reference for their study. The agility is outstanding but pronunciation and expression, as well as the perfect gusto in presenting the phrases, are what make this compilation worthwhile. Not a word goes wasted or neglected but her being Italian and her sensitivity manage to avoid overkill.

One could wish she would publish compilations of single authors of the xvi and xvii centuries, edited according to philological criteria or else other compilations of the dated but still useful Parisotti edition.

Cecilia Bartoli at her best........2007-03-06

A great singer is one who dedicates singing to the text itself instead to himself/herself.
This is achieved 100% by Ms. Bartoli in this earlier album of hers. The recordings here cannot be termed otherwise than 'immaculate'. The very opening song 'Gia sole dal gange' is a display of Bartoli's unique timbre in its full beauty - glorious, rich and full. Many singers could tackle the range of this song, mezzos or sopranos, but who could pull it off in the manner as Ms. Bartoli? Credit to the one who picked this as the opening song of this fantastic album.
The songs following come in different styles and moods, all given full authentic interpretations by the singer. Compare the 'Vittoria, vittoria mio core' to 'Intorno al'idol mio' or 'Amarilli, mio bella' the vast contrast of mood, brought out equally well. The songs' requirement of versatility of interpretation is fully catered for.
I hate it when people say that this is a learners' album accompanying the 24 Italian Songs edited by one publisher. Such remarks could barely do justice to Ms. Bartoli's superb artistry, though admittedly, this CD would be an invaluable one for THAT purpose. What about the songs NOT included in the 24 Italian songs?

Great companion to Schirmer's 24 Italian Arias book.......2007-02-21

Cecilia Bartoli beautifully demonstrates many of the songs in Schirmer's 24 Italian Songs & Arias Of The 17th & 18th Centuries, which is widely recognized as an intermediate collection of Italian repitoire.

Great Bartoli, but not her best Italian songs.......2006-06-15

'The Impatient Lover' sung by Cecilia Bartoli is a collection of 18th and 19th century songs in Italian which were written by the predominantly German composers, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and Hayden. Oddly, this is very seriously a better, or at least a more enjoyable collection, to my ear, than the 'If you Love Me' collection of Italian songs written by Italians, including Scarlatti, Caldera, and Vivaldi. And, neither collection of Italian songs is as interesting as Mme. Bartoli's collection of French love songs, 'Chant D'Amore'. All are done on London, but with three different accompaniests. I think the French material is just better than the Italian.

Beautiful and useful CD.......2006-03-22

I used this CD as accompaniment and inspiration for a voice class. It's very useful and Cecilia Bartoli sounds amazing.

Average customer rating:

Mistaken Composer
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Juan Over
Florez Continues to Impress
A CD worth having

Una Furtiva Lagrima

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Juan Diego Florez ~ Rossini Arias
Great Tenor Arias
Sentimiento Latino
Sentimiento Latino
Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera

ASIN: B00008CLJK
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Allegro Io Son
Una Furtiva Lagrima
L'Elisir D'Amore
Povero Ernesto
Com E Gentil
Tutto E Sciolto
Ah Non Sogno
A Teo O Cara
La Fille Du Regiment

Amazon.com

Here again young Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez proves himself a pleasure to listen to. The music on this CD is not as florid as on his previous recital, but the manner in which he approaches this selection of scenes by Donizetti and Bellini is just as artful. The tone is beautiful and even from bottom to amazingly easy top; he gets "in" each character; his smooth, elegant delivery ("Una furtive lagrima" is simply and meltingly sung, as is Ernesto's aria from Don Pasquale) is as wondrous as his acrobatics--rarely have Tonio's nine high Cs from the Fille du Regiment aria sounded so natural, so part of the character's enthusiasm, and rarely has Arturo's abrupt rise to high C sharp in "A te o cara" sounded so effortless. Florez's basic sound is sweet, but he can exclaim excitingly, as he does in the scene from I Capuleti e i Montecchi. And wait until you hear the ditty from Donizetti's Rita! Rarely has singing sounded like so much fun. Conductor Riccardo Frizza leads the orchestra (and chorus) with knowing early 19th-century style. Don't miss this. --Robert Levine

Album Details

2003 Release from Peruvian Opera Singer who Won the "Premio Abbiati Della Critica" and "Rossini D'oro" Prizes for Best Singer. He Carried Out his First Music Studies at the Conservatorio Nacional De Lima and Later at the Curtis Institute of Music of Philadelphia. He was Invited by the Famous Peruvian Tenor Ernesto Palacio (With Whom He Has Been Preparing his Repertoire Since Then) to Take Part to Some Opera Productions in Italy and They Sang Together in the First Modern Performances of Zingarelli's Oratorio "le Tre Ore Di Agonia Di Cristo" and in Martin Y Soler's Opera "il Tutore Burlato". He Sang at the Sully-sur-loire Festival and at the International Festival of Gerace (Italy). Since Then He Has Been Appearing in all the Most Important Opera Houses in Europe: London, Meyerbeer, Rome, Verona, Pesaro, Milan, Nice, Florence, Barcelona, Seville, Las Palmas, Genua, Pesaro, Trieste, Hamburg, Munich, Turin, Toulouse and Vienna.

Customer Reviews:

Mistaken Composer.......2005-09-24

While it was a nice recording your listing is incorrect. The correct composer of "Una furtiva lagrima" is Donizetti, not Bellini. Please review your data.

Una Furtiva Lagrima.......2005-04-12

After hearing the first track ("Allegro io son") on our local station (www.allclassical.org), I immediately bought this album. I was a little nervous that there would only be one good track, but (after listening _many_ times) consider most of the tracks to be "keepers". The title track is very moving, but my personal favorite is "Com'e gentil", for the wonderful match of voice and instrument.

Some of the tracks are a little heavy on the recitative, but the album notes include the translation, which makes it more interesting to listen to.

Juan Over .......2004-09-15

When it comes to reviewing classical music, I feel a little bit like a hillbilly at the opera. I really like it, but I'm not all that sure what's going on. And like that hillbilly at the opera (there aren't any hillbillies out there, reading this are there -- Mammy? Pappy)? I love classical music, but I can't honestly say I know much about it.

What I DO know is that to my untrained ear, Mr. Florez' voice is incredibly beautiful, a pleasure to revel in. Listening to his "Una furtiva lagrima" seems to transport me to another time and place. His voice is warm and tender and seems to soar effortlessly as he hits one high note after another and is worthy of appreciation by fans of any music style.

If you want an album filled with exquisite singing, this would certainly be a fine place to start.

Florez Continues to Impress.......2004-03-24

Too often singers arrive on the musical scene, make one recording, catch the glamour star, only to recede into the background once the initial flourish is made. Not so with Peruvian bel canto tenor Juan Diego Florez. The resounding success of his first album of ROSSINI ARIAS made us hold our breath; could this wonderful new true bel canto tenor hold his own on the stage and on further recordings? Well, yes, he can and has. Not only does he possess a clear, focused, high tenor voice seemingly capable of overcoming any hurdles of power or agility, Juan Diego Florez is a stunning stage presence of handsome bearing. AND he can act with both his body and his head and his voice. UNA FURTIVA LAGRIMA shows Florez in firm control of a broader spectrum of emotional material. True, this selection remains in the bel canto repertoire, but then that is also to his credit, as he is not trying to "sing it all". He has the intelligence to know where his vocal lines are most secure and does not give in to the tendency of foraging into repertoire that could damage his young voice. On this recording there is less distraction from his rather rapid vibrato and more emphasis on the total music line. This CD documents not only a fine tenor currently before the public: it also is a good indicator that he will be around for a long time. Excellent recording, well worth its place in your library.

A CD worth having.......2003-06-17

Keeping more in "tune" with his voice, Juan Diego has recorded an excellent album of great arias. His previous debut album was quite a feast for lovers of high Rossini. This new album gives a feast for just about everyone. It covers a nice range of arias from the beautiful title song to the show-stopping "Mes Amis". Definitely worth buying and enjoying.

Monteverdi - Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi / Rooley, The Consort of Musicke

Average customer rating:

Mature Monteverdi at his best!

Monteverdi - Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi / Rooley, The Consort of Musicke
Claudio Monteverdi , Anthony Rooley , Emma Kirkby , Evelyn Tubb , The Consort of Musicke , Kristine Szulik, Paul Agnew, Andrew King Mary Nichols , and Alan Ewing, Allan Parkes Richard Edgar-Wilson
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Monteverdi: Madrigals / Rooley, The Consort of Musicke
Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine 1610/Venetian Vespers
Purcell: Odes for St. Cecilia's Day - Music for Queen Mary / Taverner Consort
The Emma Kirkby Collection
Rameau - Les Indes Galantes, Suites d'orchestre / La Chapelle Royale · Herreweghe

ASIN: B00000J2PZ
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

Madrigali guerrieri: Altri canti d'Amor: Sinfonia - Altri canti d'Amor
Madrigali guerrieri: Altri canti d'Amor: Tu Cui tessuta han di Cesare alloro
Madrigali guerrieri: Hor che'l ciel: Hor che'l ciel, e la terra, e'l vento tace
Madrigali guerrieri: Hor che'l ciel: Cosi sol d'una chiara fonte viva
Madrigali guerrieri: Gira il nemico insidioso
Madrigali guerrieri: Se vittorie si belle
Madrigali guerrieri: Armato il cor
Madrigali guerrieri: Ogni amante e guerrier
Madrigali guerrieri: Ogni amante e guerrier: Io che nell'otio naqui e d'otio vissi
Madrigali guerrieri: Ogni amante e guerrier: Ma per quel ampio Egeo spieghi le vele
Madrigali guerrieri: Ardo, ardo, avvampo
Madrigali guerrieri: Volgendo il ciel
Madrigali guerrieri: Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda: Tancredi, che Clorinda un homo stima
Madrigali guerrieri: Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda: Non schivar, non parar, non pur ritrarsi
Madrigali guerrieri: Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda: Tre volte il cavalier la donna stringe
Madrigali guerrieri: Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda: Torna l'ira nei cori, e li trasporta
Madrigali guerrieri: Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda: Amico, hai vinto: io ti perdon...perdona

Tracks:

Madrigali amorosi: Altri canti di Marte
Madrigali amorosi: Altri canti di Marte: Due begli occhi fur l'armi
Madrigali amorosi: Mentre vaga Angioletta
Madrigali amorosi: Ardo e scoprir
Madrigali amorosi: O sia tranquillo il mare
Madrigali amorosi: Ninfa, che scalza il piede
Madrigali amorosi: Dolcissimo uscignolo
Madrigali amorosi: Chi vol haver felice
Madrigali amorosi: Lamento della ninfa: Non havea Febo ancora
Madrigali amorosi: Lamento della ninfa: Amor, dicea, il ciel
Madrigali amorosi: Perche t'en fuggi, o Fillide
Madrigali amorosi: Non partir ritrosetta
Madrigali amorosi: Su, su, su, pastorelli vezzosi
Madrigali amorosi: Vago augelletto

Amazon.com

"Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi" ("Madrigals Warlike and Amorous") is how Claudio Monteverdi titled his eighth and largest book of madrigals--which was actually two volumes in one. The "warlike madrigals" (concerned largely with the "war of love") feature the "agitated style" Monteverdi pioneered: quick, almost nervous writing, lots of rapidly repeated notes, and more syllables than a Gilbert & Sullivan patter song. These works culminate in the famous short quasi-opera Il Combattimento de Tancredi e Clorinda. The "amorous madrigals" are no less ardent, but they are less, well, warlike--that is, more leisurely paced, with plenty of chromaticism, dissonant suspensions, and giddily virtuosic runs to depict the pain and excitement of love.

Anthony Rooley, Emma Kirkby, and the Consort of Musicke made these recordings in the early 1990s. While the performances were widely admired in their day, they're now universally considered (at least by those of us who actually spend time thinking about such things) to have been superseded by the remarkable work of Rinaldo Alessandrini and Concerto Italiano. It's true that some of the singing on the Consort's first disc is lackluster, but things perk right up with the young Paul Agnew's solo in Volgendo il ciel followed by an energetic Combattimento. Everyone's back in fine form for the "amorous" madrigals on the second disc; particularly notable are the virtuoso turns for Agnew, Andrew King, and Alan Ewing, as well as the Divine Miss Emma. Yes, Concerto Italiano is preferable if you can afford both of the full-price discs, but at the bargain price Virgin is charging for these reissues, you'll get more than your money's worth. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Mature Monteverdi at his best!.......2000-05-11

This interpetation of the 8th (and last) book of madrigals by Claudio Monteverdi is the best I've heard. Nine perfectly balanced voices with clear but restrained period instrumentation show off the music in its polyphonic and chromatic brilliance. Solo passages are sung with great attention to the phrasing and dynamic possibilities inherent in the score. The overall effect is one of intimate brilliance.

The enginnering of the recording was excellent. The only disapointment was a dearth of information about the text of the score.

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:

Amazing Voice!
Music to surely make you swoon.
Wonderful Tenor with Appealing, Golden Voice
Introducing standards to a new generation
Curious...

Michael Amante

Manufacturer: Medalist
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Tell Her I Love Her
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The Italian

ASIN: B00005KCH3
Release Date: 2001-06-05

Tracks:

Madama Butterfly: Addio Fiorito Asil
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile
Bixio: Mamma
Turandot: Nessun Dorma
DiCapua: O Sole Mio
Tosca: Recondita Armonia
Aida: Celeste Aida
Granada
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle
Non Ti Scordar Di Me
Torna A Surriento
Ho Bisogno D'Amore

Amazon.com

Alongside the three tenor posses, the dashing Michael Amante is poised to make opera palatable to the mainstream. Amante is bold enough to take on scores from Tosca, La Bohème, Turandot, and Aida, and he postures himself a swell prince on his self-titled debut. Possessed of a powerfully buoyant voice that is tenderly youthful yet richly resonant, Amante charms with the playful "La Donna e Mobile" from Verdi's Rigoletto and gives a cinematic and masculine cowboy-booted rendering of "Addio Fiorito Asil" from Puccini's Madame Butterfly. He sings like the angel Gabriel on the selection from Aida and smolders on the slick and regally produced "Ho Bisogno d'amore," a love song delivered in Italian and English. Amante is a heartthrob waiting to happen on a large scale. --Paige La Grone

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Voice!.......2006-11-14

I have recently attended a performance by Michael and have to say that his singing absolutely blew me away and the rest of the audience. His voice exceeded my expectations. I was not familiar with him prior to my attending his show but am now a fan. I plan on purchasing this album and if I can catch any of his other performances I plan to do so. I am not a connoisseur when it comes to opera so I can't speak to his "technique" per say but I can say that if you're looking for great voice to listen to then this man delivers.

Music to surely make you swoon........2005-03-06

Michael Amante will make you forget that Mario Lanza ever sang.
His voice and style is a true gift of artistry. And, he is the master of this gift!

Wonderful Tenor with Appealing, Golden Voice.......2004-12-28

I also have read the reviews here, and agree that Michael Amante has a unique sound that may not appeal to all opera lovers, especially the opera purists. Nevertheless, what you will hear on this album is very pretty singing (to say the least),and the Italian tenor arias here are among the world's finest & most beloved. Some seem to feel that he may not sing Italian with the perfect diction of a native (I give him easily a B + or better for this, and I speak Italian), but did Pavarotti ever sing flawless English - even today? This small, occasional imperfection is more than made up for in the purity and smoothness of his tone, and the clear, ringing high notes that never go flat or sharp, but are always hit dead on. And no scooping or transposing notes downward here, as many other tenors have done in both recordings & live concerts. I find among his vocal strengths - excellent vocal control and pitch, a very pleasing vibrato, an amazing upper register, a lyric tenor but with enough power in all registers, and the great versatility of voice which is needed to be both an operatic tenor AND a pop singer - which is what he is - without the foreign accent in English! Some may prefer his pop singing to his operatic singing or vice-versa - I love both!

What you will see at one of his live concerts is an amazing combination of energy, passion, appealing stage presence, and soft & powerful singing that is simply beautiful and awe-inspiring. He could concentrate on just one genre of music, since he does each so well - but why? This album is all Italian music, but at his concerts, (I've attended several), he does a huge variety of music: Italian and English love songs, opera arias, Broadway, gospel/Christian music, a Latin upbeat song, even pop tunes such as Delilah! He has just put out 2 new CD's, (his 3rd & 4th): A Gospel CD & a Christmas CD, which are available through his official website. I recommend all to try not only this Italian music album, but also some of the others to get a true picture of the various talents of this singer, with the upper register many other tenors only dream of having! If you like a more modern, natural sound than the sometimes stiff, formal style of some opera tenors, plenty of perfectly executed High Cs, B flats, etc. in the most popular Italian tenor arias, this album is for you!

Introducing standards to a new generation.......2004-12-13

I've read many of the reviews posted here. I have seen Michael Amante perform several times, and I keep coming back to this first recording. At his shows, I am likely one of the youngest in attendance (that is not accompanied by a parent). I agree that Michael's style is somewhat pop oriented, and he may not be a true opera singer by exact standards, but I would have never been exposed to the beautiful and enjoyable music that is on this CD.

Because of this recording, I have found the same music by "great" singers, only to loose the feel that I enjoy in this CD. For a true opera fan, I'm sure this is a pass. For a fan of the music and a more modern style, it's a must have.

Curious..........2004-10-16

I just heard this guy, and I'll try to be absolutely objective here. I find his voice actually interesting for some standards. For some instants, it has a "honeyed italian quality", but soon it disappears. The voice sounds awfully bad placed, and the most curious thing is that placement changes from note to note (ceeeleeeste ai-da-... terrible!).
On the passage he sounds absoutely strangled!!
It is hard for me to understand how someone who is, I guess, a trained singer can have as basic flaws as this tenor.
His italian is horrible (not the only one, anyway). He doesn't have much style (neither did Mario Lanza, but at least Lanza had a more interesting and, let's say, better produced voice, without having the technique or musical intelligence to be considered a real opera singer).
I also have many doubts about the way this guy can really sound on stage, as the approach he uses throughout this CD is very microphonal, as for a pop singer. It would be interesting to hear him in the theater and see the difference. Perhaps it will be a nice surprise... but for the moment, just another guy who has the looks to sell many CDs, but who lacks the singing to be taken seriously.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Singing
Perfect
I'm a listener, not a critic or singer
Nice Timbre, Well Balanced voice, Dramatic, but.....
The Denyce Graves CD I was waiting for

Denyce Graves - Voce di Donna
Christoph Willibald Gluck , Georges Bizet , George Frideric Handel , Francesco Cilea , Henry Purcell , Amilcare Ponchielli , Gaetano Donizetti , Samuel Barber , Pietro Mascagni , Camille Saint-Saëns , Jules Massenet , Maurizio Barbacini , and Denyce Graves
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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French Opera Arias - Denyce Graves
American Anthem
The Lost Days: Music in the Latin Style
Angels Watching over Me
Kaleidoscope

ASIN: B00000JMH2
Release Date: 1999-08-24

Tracks:

Carmen: Quand je vous aimerai?... L'amour est un oiseau rebelle - (Habanera)
Carmen: Pres des remparts de Seville - (Seguidilla)
Orfeo ed Euridice: Ahime!...Che faro senza Euridice?
La Gioconda: Voce di donna
Adriana Lecouvreur: Acerba volutta
Dido and Aeneas: Thy hand, Belinda... When I Am Laid In Earth
Amadigi di Gaula: D' un sventurato amante...Pena tiranna
La Favorite: Fia dunque vero...O mio Fernando!
VANESSA: Must The Winter Come So Soon
Vavalleria rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Werther: Werther, Werther! - (Air des lettres)
Werther: Va! Laisse couler mes larmes
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence
Samson et Dalila: Samson...Amour! Viensaider ma faiblesse!

Amazon.com

This isn't mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves's first solo disc (she has previously released a compilation of romantic opera heroines), but it's definitely her most impressive. Like many beginning recording artists, she hasn't always been able to project her stage electricity into the microphone, but with such a sumptuous voice, one doesn't always mind. Here, though, there's not a dull moment in two choice arias each from roles Graves has sung often onstage: her signature role of Carmen and her almost-as-famous Dalila. There's also a fairly promising preview of the Charlotte from Werther, which she'll sing with Andrea Bocelli in October 1999 in Detroit, though one senses she still has work to do in learning to act with her voice. Two baroque-period selections, an aria from Handel's Amadigi and Purcell's famous "When I Am Laid in Earth" from Dido and Aeneas, suffer from imprecise diction and messy ornaments. But the aria in which Graves sounds most emotionally present is, oddly enough, "Must the Winter Come So Soon" from Barber's Vanessa. Her vivid reading reminds you of what happens onstage with her and hopefully what's to come on recordings. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Singing.......2005-10-01

Ms. Graves' voice is so warm. The sound is so impressive!!! There has been debate on whether or not she is truly a mezzo-soprano. Some critics feel that she is a true contralto with an extended upper range. The role of Dalila, is also considered borderline mezzo-soprano and contralto. Anyway, her voice has total ring in every tone. The rich sound that she produces is totally even from her bottom register to her top. The baroque selections need to be maybe a little lighter and more pure, but I am not that petty. I just believe that she is absolutely wonderful!!! Brava Ms. Graves!!!

Perfect.......2005-09-27

There is nothing I can say other than this is the perfect recording. Denyce Graves has chosen arias that we don't always get to hear and I thank her for doing so, she breathes live into the old standards from "Carmen" and introduces us to arias that will undoubtably become new favorites. Denyce's voice is absolutely fabulous, it's powerful yet calm and perfectly refined, I can say nothing bad about her voice or this recording.

I'm a listener, not a critic or singer.......2005-03-23

Unlike the other reviewers here, I'm an amateur piano player, and ocassionally listen to classical music. Several years ago while flipping, I came across Ms. Graves. I was totally blown away. I introduced her to my father who is an avid fan of the opera before he passed on.
While vocal crisis is a terrible thing for any singer to suffer (and I do worry about Ms Graves too), just step aside and listen to her render these time tested works for just a moment. Perhaps like me, you'll end up continually repeating this album on your iPod for hours on end. The final two tracks from Samson and Delilah makes your hair stand on end and your knees weak.

Nice Timbre, Well Balanced voice, Dramatic, but............2004-01-10

Denyce Graves has a lot of potential in this Album "Voce Di Donna". These are some of the most interesting Operas of it's time. They have stood the test of time. And such emotional airas as from Vanessa's Opera, when she sings the role of Erika in "Must the winter come so soon" is something. But other songs as I noticed in "Acerba Volutta" When she comes to substaining the high A6 note, she sounds as though she had to push her voice a little. And the same in "O mio Fernando" The A6 sounds more pushed at the end. In "Pres des remparts de Seville", the B6 sounds somewhat thin, but otherwise, she performs it very well. Denyce Graves has a lot of potential, but she should perform airas and in Operas as to her vocal comfort. Pushing the voice often isn't a good thing, as can lead to vocal Crisis. But nontheless, this is a good Opera Album. I can't wait till she puts out another CD.

The Denyce Graves CD I was waiting for.......2001-07-24

A much superior offering to her Heroines of French Romantic Opera offering, I feel. Her voice rings beautifully. You won't find yourself listening only to her as Carmen. She'll pull you in with the rest of the arias also.

Sumi Jo - La Promessa / Vincenzo Scalera

Average customer rating:

Slow, tuneless, boring.
Bettered by the real thing
Sumi Jo tackles Belcanto
A promise fulfilled
Loverly voice, perfect technique

Sumi Jo - La Promessa / Vincenzo Scalera
Vincenzo Bellini , George Frideric Handel , Alessandro Scarlatti , Domenico Scarlatti , Giuseppe Verdi , Giuseppe Sarti , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Salvator Rosa , Giuseppe Giordani , Francesco Paolo Tosti , Antonio Cesti , Gioachino Rossini , Sir Julius Benedict , Stefano Donaudy , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Antonio Caldara , Giovanni Paisiello , Sumi Jo , and Vincenzo Scalera
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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Sumi Jo sings Mozart
Sumi Jo - Virtuoso Arias ~ Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer
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French Coloratura Arias

ASIN: B00000AEKD
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Caro mio ben
Lungi dal caro ben
Malinconia, ninfa gentile - Bellini
Qual farfalletta amante - D. Scarlatti
Ad una stella - Verdi
Lascia ch'io pianga - Handel_
Per pieta, bell'idol mio - Bellini
O del mio dolce ardor - Gluck
Star vicino
Se Florindo e fedele
Non t'amo piu
Intorno all'idol mio
La promesa - Rossini
La Capinera
O del mio amato ben
V'adoro pupille - Handel_
Vaghissima sembianza
Ridente la calma - Mozart
Alma del core
Nel cor piu non mi sento

Customer Reviews:

Slow, tuneless, boring........2007-07-13

This, that horrible collection of pop tunes, her prayers and her xmas carols are the Sumi Jo recitals I deliberately did NOT buy. Until the bitter end, I suckered to the reviews, craved some more of that wonderful singing and bought the pop crap and now this. I do not like art songs (except some Mozart), particularly not art songs to a piano accompaniment. If you do (and if you say you do, I'll doubt you), dig in, this is your meat and potatoes. Her voice is beautiful (it always was), the music is not.

Bettered by the real thing.......2007-03-21

I discovered the wonder that is Sumi Jo after I kept remarking to myself "Wow", every-time I played an operatic compilation and this one track came around - same track each time - hers! So, I sought to hear more and bought this CD, for no other reason than it was the only one Tower stocked. Sadly it seems that Sumi Jo is a little slow in receiving her rightful invitation to stand on the main podium. In my opinion, she is about as good as it gets, and certainly has a rightful place alongside the greats of Callas, Horne, Hendricks et al.
Well, what can I say, I love this CD, her voice is fluid and elegant, sharp but not cutting, well formed and with a force that can be projected or held, it's a wonderful CD on so many levels and one I have never grown tired of listening to each morning, what a great way to start the day! As an introduction to operatic arias I would certainly recommend this as I am sure it would surprise and enchant even the most hardened of sceptics who think that "Opera is not for me", or that there was no life after Callas.
This afternoon I was very fortunate to have 5th row seats at her spring recital, here in Japan, and what a truly awe-inspiring performance. A genuine world-class soprano Sumi Jo certainly is. Today's repertoire ran from Handel, Vivaldi, Benedict, Strauss, Bellini to Verdi. Singing comfortably in FOUR languages she delivered a performance that the CD in now way prepared me for. A performance that brought her four encores, numerous standing ovations and thunderous applause from a usually reserved (Japanese) audience. Besides her obvious musical talents I have to say that I found her to be such a marvellously warm and appreciative human being who was genuinely appreciative of her audience and I can't wait to get out there and listen to more of the joy that is Sumi Jo.

Sumi Jo tackles Belcanto.......2006-11-03

Coloratura soprano Sumi Jo delivers another delightful album, focusing on arias and pieces from the Italian chamber music composers (Giordani, Bellini, Rosa, Caldara, Cesti, etc.). While I believe Sumi Jo is better-suited to the French composers (see her album "Les Bijoux" on the Erato label), she proves her mettle here by delving wholeheartedly into a section of opera which a lot of sopranos do find quite difficult, the belcanto pieces are an artform in themselves.

In particular, her readings of "Star vicino" (Rosa), "Alma del core" (Caldara), and "Intorno all'idol mio" (Cesti) are chill-inducing. Supported by Vincenzo Scalera on the piano, the feather-light voice of Sumi Jo glides through these pieces with enviable skill. A beautifully-presented album.

[Erato/Warner Music 3984-23300-2]

A promise fulfilled.......2004-10-28

This collection of famous Italian arias is in my opinion one of the greatest recordings of the decade. Jo finds a new style and colour for each song, be it hauntingly romantic or elegant, poised baroque. One of the most beautiful voices today. Do not miss this at all costs!

Loverly voice, perfect technique.......2003-04-04

I noticed her voice a couple of years ago on TBS TV station live concert in Korean. The applause for her was like thouder storm, and since then I remembered her forever.

Tracks:

Le Violette
Nina
Pur Dicesti, O Bocca Bella
Pieta Signore
Se Florindo E Fedele
Amarilli, Mia Bella
Il Mio Bel Foco
Caro Mio Ben
Vergin, Tutto Amor
Se Tu M'ami
Che Fiero Costume
Giote Al Canto Mio
Care Luci Del Ben Mio (Original)
Come Raggio Di Sol
Star Vicino
O Cessate Di Piagarmi
Vittoria, Mio Core!

Customer Reviews:

Pretty Recording of Italian Belcanto.......2005-10-19

Margiono's specific timbre is beautifully underscored by her four partners. The recording is a nice and unusual addition to
the current recordings of 'Arie Antiche' by Bartoli, Bayo, Vargas, Bruson and Bergonzi.
However, The Margiono Quintets Producers might consider a more original selection of Arie Antiche. Parisotti's collection
contains more than 84 items to choose from.
Only four of the 17 pieces on the CD are not in Schirmers selection of 24 Italian Arias - standard literature for any student of belcanto.
Ladies and Gentlemen - please surprise us ... !

Patrick B. Ludwig

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