La Rosa [Enhanced]

1. Vaya Donde Vaya

2. Rosa

3. Por el Rio Se Vaa

4. Cuando Tú Me Miras

5. Corazón Con Corazón

6. Cien Años de Soledad

7. Corrido de la Frontera

8. No Estoy Loca

9. Ayi Ayi Ayi

10. Quiero Que Te Vayas

11. Vaya Donde Vaya [English Version]

12. Rosa AKA la Rosa

13. Rosa [Pop Version]

La Rosa,Litzy,Sony International,Latin,Latin Pop,Latin Pop/Rock,Popular Music

Music

jazz

music

Jazz

Average customer rating: Only one diva, only Bartoli. Amazing disc Beautiful Music, but vocally unmusical. Not to my taste Exciting, moving, beautiful, energetic, heart-felt, fantastic...

Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski Cecilia Bartoli , George Frideric Handel , Alessandro Scarlatti , Antonio Caldara , Marc Minkowski , and Les Musiciens du Louvre Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Caldara, Antonio | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Alessandro Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Alessandro | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Bartoli, Cecilia | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works Featuring Bartoli | Bartoli, Cecilia | A to B | Featured Performers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Caldara, Antonio | ( C ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Scarlatti, Alessandro | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bartoli, Cecilia | ( B ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sacred Songs Cecilia Bartoli - If You Love Me (Se tu m'ami ), 18th-Century Italian Songs Vivaldi: Bajazet [Includes Bonus DVD] Cecilia Bartoli - The Vivaldi Album / Il Giardino Armonico Lamento ASIN: B000A6T1HC Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

1. All'arme si accesi guerrieri (Aria dell Pace)
2. Mentre io godo (Aria della Speranza)
3. Un pensiero nemico di pace
4. Vanne pentita a piangere
5. Sparga il senso lascivo veleno
6. Caldo Sangue
7. Come nembo che fugge col vento
8. Ecco negl'orti tuoi...Che dolce simpatica
9. Qui resta...L'alta Roma
10. Lascia la spina cogli la rosa
11. Ahi qual cordoglio...Doppio affetto
12. Si piangete pupille dolente
13. Ahi quanto cieca...Come foco allo splendore
14. Disserratevi oh porte d'Averno
15. Notte funesta...Ferma l'ali

Amazon.com

Cecilia Bartoli's new CD features a collection of music that could not be heard in her native Rome at the start of the 18th century due to Papal censorship. Theaters, the Church felt, were places of evil and corruption and operas led people to immorality. But some music-loving senior members of the priesthood asked composers to write oratorios and cantatas--indeed, operas without staging, essentially--for their own private entertainment. Call it what you will, the music is sensational--by turns virtuosic, gentle, and playful--and always expressive: just right, it seems, for Cecilia Bartoli's temperament. The opening aria on the CD, a call for peace in the name of Jesus, is, in fact, a dazzling martial air with trumpets blaring and the voice going through an amazing array of coloratura fireworks. It shows Bartoli at her most aggressive. The listener is practically hurled back from the speakers when she begins, with rapid-fire runs and trills and cascades of notes, all perfectly in place. Showy arias are offset by several tender ones ("Lascia la spina" from Handel's Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno returns in the composer's Rinaldo, four years later, as the now-famous "Lascia ch'io pianga"), and Bartoli exhibits again, her many, many levels of pianissimo and sensitive phrasing. Marc Minkowski and his Musiciens are just right for this repertoire and back Bartoli up superbly. This is a fascinating project, rivetingly performed and presented. --Robert Levine

Album Description

Limited Australian pressing. An extraordinary album of dramatic arias written in Rome at a time when opera performance was forbidden by the Church, and female singers were forbidden from singing in public. Decca. 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Only one diva, only Bartoli........2007-06-19

Just like Farinelli was the opera phenomenon of his time, fast-forward to the 21st century, Bartoli gives once again this music of the Italian settecento a breath of new life in all its splendor and glory.

In Opera Proibita, Bartoli's repertoire not only reflects on her as a consummate vocal artist but also as the ultimate scholar. Rarely an opera singer would dig this dip and go that far to unearth great scores from total obscurity. Even more uncommonly a singer would take the challenge of singing these arias without the risk of ridiculing herself, but to the contrary establishing a new record and precedent.

Her execution of the Handel arias is truly astonishing in coloratura and melismas probably not heard for three hundred years when only the best castrati commanded the virtuosity to tackle these arias. Also surprising and refreshing was to hear works by Handel that show his wild side.

Bartoli brings this album to a high climax with the arias from Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno. This is really her realm and true medium. Her vocal runs in "Un pensiero nemico di face" sound like a first violin, and as if this was not difficult enough she ornaments the da capo melismas in tempo from allegro to presto molto vivace, and transitions into a note crescendo with great ease and certainty. Wonderful!

Amazing disc.......2007-03-03

This disc has all the elements needed for an amazing disc. The conductor, orchestra, and music are all top notch. Bartoli's singing is amazing. I find this album energizing and a testament to how exciting baroque music can be. However, if you don't like Bartoli's voice in previous recordings, you probably won't change your opinion because of this disc.

Beautiful Music, but vocally unmusical........2007-02-09

I owned over a dozen of Bartoli solo albums, plus other operatic albums of hers. From the early days of 'Arias Antique' I got impressed by her beautiful singing and her outstanding technique.
Alas, starting from her Vivaldi Album, I do not find her singing that beautiful any more. True, the songs picked there are technically very challenging, used to be sung by male castrato singers. The songs picked here are even more difficult.
BUT - is singing just about technique?
There are some songs in the Vivaldi Album that have the vocal musical lines broken in places. Here in Opera Proibita, almost every song has this problem, even the slow ones of Caldara. Compare her singing in the earlier part of her career, her early Mozart operas, I could not help but wonder if Ms. Bartoli has taken the correct turn in her career: her forced high notes, though squarely hit, do not sound at all pleasing; her runs and trills, though taken accurately at great tempi, is no longer truly musical. Compare her singing with the other two great baroque mezzo-sopranos Bernarda Fink and the tragically short-lived late Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, you would understand what I mean.

With the latest turn in Ms. Bartoli's singing, I am being forced to admit that this is a singer of great technical brilliance and enormous fame, but not at all pleasing to the ear.

Not to my taste.......2006-11-05

Cecilia Bartoli has her fans, no doubt, as the other reviews on this site demonstrate, people who love her warmth of tone and her impassioned interpretations. These vocal qualities may suit the performance conventions of the nineteenth-century repertoire; however in this anthology of eighteenth century sacred arias the result is an unhappy imbalance. The problem is, in my opinion, one of clashing calls for attention, whose affect is to distract the listener from attention to the music itself. True, the god of the counter-reformation was to be worshipped ecstatically. And true, also, that I am an anti-romantic listener, who grew up with those early music performances which valued detached purity of tone. This was vaunted as the ideal means of interpretation of the rediscovered seventeenth and eighteenth-century repertoire (it protested too much its rightness, and alienated people- but I like it). However to return to the subject at hand- I find Bartoli's readings of these crypto-erotic arias overblown and self-indulgent. I guess that this sort of coloratura always offered a chance for a bit of ego to be let loose, even in church- however when the performance goes so far as to insist on attention to itself rather than deflecting attention to the music, I stop enjoying the music. This recording does not find the balance between the big romantic personality and eighteenth-century performance conventions, which, after 30 or 40 years of self-critique, have some authority. I disliked it very much. I am a great admirer of Mark Minkowski's opera interpretations, which I think find a perfect balance between these opposing impulses of warm and cool- a binary we can trace throughout aesthetics and through the ages. Here there's an overbalance in favour of warm (hot, in fact), which the performers might argue is just the sort of vivification that Baroque performance needs. Not for me. I gave it to a friend (she's still a friend).

Exciting, moving, beautiful, energetic, heart-felt, fantastic..........2006-09-02

What more can I add?

Cecilia Bartoli just "does it" for me almost every time. She is just fantastic in my books. I love her dearly. She can give one an adrenalin rush with her bravura singing and then break one's heart with her pathos.

This is a superb collection of Baroque arias from "almost" operas! ;-))
I also liked the cheeky and none-too-subtle references to La Dolce Vita on
cover and the images inside the disc. Nice to see an opera singer with a playful sense of humour!

I am listening to this disc as I write this review and all I can say is that I love this disc and it is clearly one of the best Signorina Bartoli has released, although I like all of her recordings. Listen to track 12 and you will buy this disc.

More, please!

PS: How about DECCA getting Cecilia Bartoli and Andreas Scholl together for a musical project? I'd love to see two of my favourite singers together on the one disc.
PSPS: If you like Opera Proibita, buy Andreas Scholl's Arcadia and Arias for Senesino, too!

Average customer rating: Music that calms me Interesting Choices Great for non experts On-Point For Those so Engrossed by the Film, Here are the Excerpts that Molded It

Match Point Various Artists Manufacturer: Milan Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Ladino | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Woody Allen Classics The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias Woody's Winners: 20 Classic Tracks from the Films Match Point Casanova ASIN: B000BU0C7K Release Date: 2005-12-20

Tracks:

1. 'Mal Reggendo All'aspro Assalto' From 'Il Trovatore'
2. 'Un Di, Felice' From 'La Traviata'
3. 'Mia Piccirella' From 'Salvatore Rosa'
4. 'Gualtier Malde!...Caro Nome' From 'Rigoletto'
5. 'Mi Par D'udir Ancora' From I Pescatori Di Perle'
6. 'Arresta ... Quali Sguardi!' From 'Guillaume Tell'
7. 'O Figli, O Figli Miei!' From 'Macbeth'
8. 'Desdemona Rea, Si, Per Ciel' From 'Otello'
9. 'Una Furtiva Lagrima' From L'elisir D'amore'

Album Description

Match Point tells the story of social-status climber Chris, a modest tennis instructor. His marriage to Chloe gains him comfort and prestige in society, but his passion leads his astray into the arms of his soon-to-be sister-in-law, the very sexy American, Nola. In Match Point, which deals with luck, ambition and guilt, writer/director Woody Allen draws on the talent of actors Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Emily Mortimer, and in the role of Nola, Scarlett Johannson.

Customer Reviews:

Music that calms me.......2007-02-08

I am no expert. I just like listening to arias that have the capacity to bring me into the music. For me, the songs are like oxygen and taking deep breaths lowers my heart rate and helps me get my mind off everything but the soulfullnes and beauty of the human voice instument.

Interesting Choices.......2007-01-05

Very interesting choices for this soundtrack. Very evocative. Understood that these are old recordings, so sound quality is not fabulous.

Great for non experts.......2006-10-05

I really have no knoledge about opera or I had never had an interest for it but when I saw the movie I just loved the music. The CD is not a disappointment at all. It is only opera and a great selection of songs I would say. If you liked what you heard on the movie you should have it.

On-Point.......2006-05-12

I love everything that has to do with this film at the moment, and the soundtrack is NO exception. Woody Allen has a knack for picking just the right songs to compliment his films, and while watching the WONDERFUL Match Point you can't help but be drawn into the music that laces each scene like delicate embrodery placed only to embelish each frame and make it all the more impressive. This is a soundtrack to enjoy OVER AND OVER again. Each track, although there aren't many, is a joy in itself, but the best track is 'Una Furtive Lagrima' which serves as the theme song of sorts. Seriously though, even though I'm reviewing the soundtrack and not the film, I can't stress enough how brilliant this film really is, and the soundtrack is the perfect companion to the film. They go together hand in hand and should be enjoyed time and time again.

For Those so Engrossed by the Film, Here are the Excerpts that Molded It.......2006-04-28

This soundtrack is a fun little exercise in discovery for those who loved the film MATCH POINT and want to know more about the music that accompanied the story in such an integrated way. It is also a terrific souvenir for opera fans who do not yet own the recordings of the legendary Enrico Caruso!

Woody Allen created his character Chris as a lover of opera and integrated that love for opera into the family of wealth he 'enters'. The story is so well written and Allen is so well versed in opera that his selections for excerpts greatly added to the depth of the film.

Here are the old recordings of Enrico Caruso singing arias from 'Il Trovatore', 'Salvator Rosa', 'Les Pecheurs de perles', 'Macbeth', and 'L'elisir d'amore'. In addition to these are excerpts from contemporary singers performing arias form 'La Traviata' (performed by Monika Krause and Georg Tichy), 'Rigoletto' (sung by Alida Ferrarini with Alexander Rahbari conducting), 'William Tell' and 'Otello' (performed by Igor Morozov and Janez Lotric with Johannes Wildner conducting the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra). Probably copyright laws prevented the use of the 'live performances' at Covent Garden we heard in the film with very fine young singers, here substituted with Slovak recording artists. But the mood is still there.

This soundtrack recording makes for nice reminiscing about a fine film while adding a bit of flavor to the usual classical music collection! Grady Harp, April 06

Average customer rating: How can people fall for this? Would never play at my wedding Fun songs What a rip... Fun listening... "Blast From The Past"

Mob Hits - Music From and a Tribute to the Great Mob Movies Various , Dean Martin , Jerry Vale , Louis Prima , Al Martino , Julius La Rosa , Rosemary Clooney , and Lou Monte ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music General | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Vocalists | Compilations | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mob Hits II: More Music from the Great Mob Movies Eh, Paisano! 100% Italian-American Classics Mob Hits Christmas Jerry Vale Sings the Great Italian Hits Viva Italia! Festive Italian Classics ASIN: B00000IGQI

Amazon.com

As you may already know from seeing it hawked incessantly on late-night TV by Jerry Vale, Mob Hits is a compilation CD that attempts to capture the ambience of the modern gangster pic by assembling songs heard in key scenes of such films as The Godfather, GoodFellas, Donnie Brasco, and Casino. While licensing restrictions keep the music of Frank Sinatra from being part of this collection (odd, as the address on this package is the address for his long-time label Capitol Records), the selection and sequencing of well-known Italian "hits" by Vale, Dean Martin, Louis Prima, Lou Monte, Al Martino, and Julius LaRosa gets the job done with discretion and honor. And the liner notes even offer a toll-free number for homemade pasta sauce. --Gregg Turkington

Album Description

The ultimate collection of songs from the best mob movie soundtracks. Includes hits from legendary crooners like Dean Martin, Jerry Vale, Louis Prima & Al Martino. Featuring the most memorable & loved songs from classic mob movies such as 'The Godfather', 'Goodfellas', 'Casino' & 'Donnie Brasco'. 22 tracks in all. 1998 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

How can people fall for this? Would never play at my wedding.......2007-04-13

I would have never personally bought this CD, just because I would never financially contribute to a product that makes money off of putting down a culture (I happen to be Sicilian American and proud of it). A well-meaning friend gave me the CD for my birthday, since I am getting married next year. I can't believe he paid so much for this compilation of a bunch of old Italian songs you could find anywhere, and for so much less (try the library!) I can't believe people are still paying top dollar for a bunch of crappy songs, just because Mob is in the title and the Sopranos are back on HBO. Come on people. Don't you see you are being ripped off?

Fun songs.......2006-11-06

Lots of the classics on CD no.1. Great for setting the mood if you want to throw a red-sauce Italian dinner party. CD no. 2 definitely has lesser "side B" kinds of stuff.

What a rip..........2006-09-01

Yeah, the music is good (excepting the crappy "Godfather" remake), but this is a little over 60 minutes of music released on two CDs, for no good reason other than to charge the unwitting consumer more money. You could fit the entire collection on one disc, and have room for 8 more songs (they're saving those for "Mob Hits 2", ripping you off at store near you!). There are better compilations out there... and better deals.

Fun listening..........2006-08-13

This is the second set I have purchased....I wore the other set out. My cousin in Italy laughed for an hour after hearing it. We call it our happy music. It tugs at my Italian heart.

"Blast From The Past".......2006-06-01

Wow...Good Old Dago Songs...Feel like I'm back in old Atlantic City...You know - Steel Pier...500 Club etc.

Average customer rating: Not Thrilling Good CD Re-release of Il Solazzo A good, simple bargain, with a sweet reward

Music for a Medieval Banquet Manufacturer: Hmf Classical Exp. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Madrigals | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection Medieval Dance Music Courts, Kings, & Troubadours: Medieval & Renaissance Music Medieval & Renaissance Minstrels, Songs & Dances Music Of The Crusades ASIN: B00005A3WX Release Date: 2001-05-08

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.

But it also has a variety of styles, both vocal and instrumental, so it gives a nice overall flavor of what life might have sounded like in that little part of the world, during that remarkable little slice of musical history.

Average customer rating: Lovely rendition of Italian songs Best 'Italian' Selection yet. Salon pieces to delight the listener The Italian Songbook...... che bella..

Cecilia Bartoli - An Italian Songbook (Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini) Manufacturer: Decca ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Bartoli, Cecilia | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works Featuring Bartoli | Bartoli, Cecilia | A to B | Featured Performers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Bellini, Vincenzo | A to B | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Donizetti, Gaetano | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Rossini, Gioacchino | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Bartoli, Cecilia | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bartoli, Cecilia | ( B ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Cecilia Bartoli - If You Love Me (Se tu m'ami ), 18th-Century Italian Songs Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski Cecilia Bartoli - The Vivaldi Album / Il Giardino Armonico Cecilia Bartoli - Live in Italy / Jean-Yves Thibaudet Cecilia Bartoli - Mozart Arias ASIN: B0000042H2 Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

1. Bel Canto Songs: Aragonese
2. Bel Canto Songs: Vaga luna che inargenti
3. Bel Canto Songs: II barcaiolo
4. Bel Canto Songs: Ah! rammenta, o bella Irene
5. Bel Canto Songs: L'abbandono
6. Bel Canto Songs: Or che di fiori adorno
7. Bel Canto Songs: Malinconia, ninfa gentile
8. Bel Canto Songs: Amore e morte
9. Bel Canto Songs: Bolero
10. Bel Canto Songs: La conocchia
11. Bel Canto Songs: II fervido desiderio
12. Bel Canto Songs: Torna, vezzosa Fillide
13. Bel Canto Songs: Vanne, o rosa fortunata
14. Bel Canto Songs: Dolente immagine di Fille mia
15. Bel Canto Songs: La farfalletta
16. Bel Canto Songs: A ma belle mere
17. Bel Canto Songs: Per pieta, bell'idol mio
18. Bel Canto Songs: Me voglio fa 'na casa
19. Bel Canto Songs: L'esule
20. Bel Canto Songs: La danza (tarantella napoletana)

Amazon.com

The Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli is one of the most charming and talented singers to appear on the scene in recent years, and this collection of Italian songs by three great opera composers--Bellini, Donizetti, and Rossini--is a most deserving bestseller. There are many small pleasures in the selections, which reflect the bel canto predilections of their authors, and Bartoli renders them artfully. Some will be familiar even to casual listeners (Rossini's La Danza, the famous tarantella); others will be new to most, but equally deserving of a hearing. The sensitive and skillful accompaniment is by conductor-pianist James Levine. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews:

Lovely rendition of Italian songs.......2007-03-11

The booklet coming with the CD says of Cecilia Bartoli that she "is justly famous for her coloratura mezzo-soprano voice and her interpretations of Rossini and Mozart." This CD features her lush voice taking on songs of three great Bel Canto composers--Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. Some might think of these as trifles, but the singing and musicality is rich and the songs evocative. The piano accompaniment is by famed conductor James Levine, and he does a splendid job.

Some sampling of the songs. . . . The CD begins with a song by Rossini, "Aragones." This is lushly sung; Bartoli has a wondrously rich and textured voice. The pace is contemplative, altogether consistent with the words of the song, the reflection of a disappointed lover. Well done.

Donizetti's "Il barcaiolo" is also well done. Bartoli shows her vocal agility in this tune. This is a spirited song, and her coloratura technique animates her rendition. There are segments sung forte, showing the power of her voice. There is a nice soft closing to the song, so she ranges from forte to piano.

Bellini is represented, too. His "Vaga luna che inargenti" is a pleasant love song. Bartoli sings this tenderly, creating a melancholy spirit, fitting the song's words.

To close, there is Rossini's wonderful tarantella, "La danza." Levine plays at a quick pace, as he must for this spirited song. Bartoli shows great vocal agility and strong breath control (this is a tough song to get right!). A wonderfully spirited version. She even takes a pass at a trill toward the close. All in all, most satisfying.

Thus, this represents a nice CD, showing Bartoli's skills with the songs of some of the great Bel Canto composers. An album that is a lot of fun to listen to!

Best 'Italian' Selection yet........2006-06-16

'An Italian Songbook' by mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli and accompaniest extraordinare, James Levine is the best of the three collections of Italian material from Bartoli I have reviewed to date. Much of this may be due to Levine, but I believe it is more due to the quality of the material selected. All songs are by 'heaviweights Vincenzo Belline, Gaetano Donizetti, and Gioachino Rossini. It is certainly not due to a difference in the quality of Ms. Bartoli's singing, which is uniformly beautiful throughout.

This would be my first choice for Italian material with only piano accompaniment. For a very first Bartoli album, see her 'flagship' recording, 'Cecilia Bartoli' where she is backed by full orchestra and chorus.

Salon pieces to delight the listener.......2006-03-13

Italian art song never became the serious and high form of art that it did within Germany, and hasn't the same place in culture that the French mélodies had. Rather, Italian operatic composers wrote lighter vocal pieces with fairly simple piano accompaniment, designed to be performed in a more intimate setting. One hears immediately the Bellini line (so familiar to those who love Bellini's operas) in his songs - ditto with the Donizetti and Rossini songs.

This in no way robs the songs of immense charm. It would be easy to perform these songs without a great deal of thought, simply making them sound "pretty". But Cecilia Bartoli never does that - she always gives everything, voice, intelligence, musicality, to her performance.

That is what makes this recording so superb. I can see there are some less-than-satisfied reviewers - I am surprised by the comments. For rest assured, there is no vocal difficulty here at all. Cecilia Bartoli's voice is in superb condition throughout, and her interpretation is of course second to none. Having recorded "Vaga luna" myself, I would be the first to say if I thought anything was lacking in Ms Bartoli's performance - but there's nothing adverse I can say at all. It's simply gorgeous singing, with immaculate phrasing, an intensely personal approach, and some of the most beautiful sounds you're likely to hear.

It is hard to imagine anyone being disappointed by this recording. The comments made about squally sound are not just unfair, they're totally inaccurate. I remember purchasing this CD on the very day it was released in Australia, and it's a firm favourite of mine.

In all... delightful.

The Italian Songbook.............2005-12-09

...........sung like a string of pearls. I have never heard "Vaga luna che inargenti" sung so beautifully radiant and lucid. What a contrast when listening to her mournful "L'abbandono" where she sounds so utterly sad and full of melancholy. Brilliant vocal colouring here. "Malincolia, ninfa gentile" is sung with the appropriate pathos but without gimmicks and tricks. Utterly gorgeous Bellinian line. "II fervido desiderio" is sung with just the right amount of yearning and passion. "Per pieta, bell'idol mio" finds her beautifully charming and endearing, who could say no to her? The closing piece, "La Danza" is a tasty little song that suits her to a T. In my humble opinion every young voice student should not only study the Italian Songbook but own this in order to hear how it's done. This is still my favourite Bartoli album.

che bella.........2004-12-23

Cecilia Bartolia is such a refreshing singer in the current state of vocal affairs. For one thing, she is a serious student of the music she sings, and scorns all the 'popera' and crossover artists. She has sought out plenty of unknown/lesser known material to record (Salieri, Vivaldi, Gluck, etc). In the CD in question she does wonderful work with these Italian pezzi. Her voice is now dark, now breathy, now intense, always altered to reflect the words she is singing. Her vocal agility and control are simply remarkable. Pay no attention to the Bartoli nay-sayers, she is a first rate singer.

Average customer rating: Lecuona Plays Lecuona Lecuona the Cuban pianist is Great! The Cuban Chopin Lecuona, the musical genious . . . . . LECUONA IS NO LIGHTWEIGHT

Ultimate Collection Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Lecuona | Lecuona, Ernesto | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Latin Music | Styles | Music Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Always in My Heart-Domingo sings Songs of Ernesto Lecuona Juana Zayas:A Treasury of Cuban Piano Classics Lecuona Sinfónica / Morton Gould and His Orchestra Ernesto Lecuona Piano Music: Piano Solo Ernesto Lecuona: The Complete Piano Music, Volume 3 ASIN: B000003G71 Release Date: 1997-02-11

Tracks:

1. Malaguena
2. Andalucia
3. Ante el Escorial
4. San Francisco el grande
5. Siempre en mi corazon
6. Maria la O
7. Siboney
8. Noche azul
9. La comparsa
10. Danza negra
11. Danza lucumi
12. A la antigua
13. Canto del guajiro
14. Canto del guajiro
15. La habanera
16. Damisela encantadora
17. Crisantemo
18. Romantico
19. Rosa la china
20. Como arrullo de palmas
21. Palomitas blancas
22. Poetico
23. Estudiantina
24. Cordoba
25. Music Box
26. Mazurka en glisado
27. Polichinela
28. Gitanerias
29. Aragon
30. Valencia mora

Tracks:

1. La brisa y yo
2. Devuelveme el corazon
3. Preludio en la noche
4. Yo te quiero siempre
5. Pavo real
6. Vals de las sombras
7. Bell Flower
8. Zambra gitana
9. Por eso te quiero
10. Vals azul
11. Vals en si mayor
12. Muneca de cristal
13. Mi amor fue una flor
14. Vals en re bemol
15. Apasionado
16. Amorosa
17. Ahi viene el chino
18. Al fin te vi
19. Por que te vas?
20. Mientras yo comia maullaba un gato
21. Por que te vas?
22. Amorosa
23. Los minstrels
24. No hables mas
25. Dame tu amor
26. Vals en re bemol
27. La 32
28. Mis tristezas
29. En tres por cuatro
30. Munequita
31. Burlesca
32. La paloma
33. Music Box

Amazon.com

This collection includes Ernesto Lecuona's complete 1954 recordings plus a series of 78s made in 1927-28. Ten of the recordings were previously unreleased. This is a lot of lightweight Cuban piano music to deal with at once, but it's definitely worth doing. Lecuona's music, which is having a major revival, may not be important. But it's consistently charming and entertaining. The 78s, which sound surprisingly good, reveal even more of a virtuoso than do the later recordings, but throughout we hear playing that expresses the spirit of the music extremely well. And yes, the famous Malagueña is here, sounding very sexy. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Lecuona Plays Lecuona.......2007-05-12

Oh Boy! What can I tell you about this magnificent collection of musical jewels from our Maestro Lecuona. I bought the original Long Playing Record back in the 50's in my country.
I purchased it again shortly after my arrival to the US, and I was lucky enough to buy it on DVD from Amazon, once I found out they had it.

Joseph L. Alcover
Miami, FL

Lecuona the Cuban pianist is Great!.......2005-08-17

In my opinion this is one of the best CD's from Lacuona, Most of his piano compositions are recorded here (original ones), What, Ms. Leslie Gerber forgot to mention is that Mr.Lecuona was a band leader,"Lecuona and the Cuban Boys", remembers him? Or maybe she does not have sufficient information about him. The music from Lecuona still is very well alive today. I came across his recordings on my own, no one ever told me about this great pianist. I happened to hear the Malague?a by another great Cuban composer and band leader Perez Prado (The Real Mambo King) in one of his albums and Lecuona was the author. That got me interested in him. I'm pretty sure that Ms.Leslie Gerber does not mean any harm trying to put this composer down. It's just that maybe all she knows is Gerber baby food stuff!

The Cuban Chopin.......2004-06-18

What a great album and great value. There is music here that will make you smile, break your heart, inspire you, and Lecuona's skill is breathtaking. If you enjoy classical piano music (with a Cuban/Spanish influence), you'll love this. No, it doesn't display the virtuosity, complexity or seriousness of Lizst, Chopin or Beethoven, but it's fun, beautiful, dramatic yet accessible. You'll love it.

Lecuona, the musical genious . . . . ........2002-10-16

I feel compelled to identify myself first. I am Cuban born who arrived in the US in 1960 at the age of 16 years old. I am a US citizen since 1965 and a US Army Veteran of Viet Nam. I will die defending the right Ms. Leslie Garber has of expresing her opinions. But what I will not condone is her ignorance. To say that Lecuona writes "lightweight Cuban piano music" and that "Lecuona's music may not be important" is to show ignorance. A musician that composes GREAT music in several genres of the music world, a musician that in all genres has highly succesful pieces, and, a musician that after many years, (70-80 years) is still heard and admired can not be called other than MUSICAL GENIOUS and a CLASSICAL MUSICIAN. His music is so beautiful that it will live forever. From his Afro-Cuban compositions, to his romantic popular boleros, to his valses, to his Zarzuelas, Lecuona demonstrates once and again, time after time his immense musical talent. His Afro-Cuban "Cafetal", his romantic boleros "Noche Azul" and "Amapola", His vibrant and colorful "Comparsa" and "Andalucia", his classical Valses, just to mention a few things, makes Lecuona to stand together with the great musicians of the world. The fact that Hollywood made a film around "Estas en mi corazon" and that great singers, like Placido Domingo, want to sing Lecuona's music speaks immensely well of Lecuona/s greatness. The fact the popular instrumental orchestras like Faith, Conniff, Mantovani, Cugat have arranged and interpreted a lot of Lecuona's music also says a lot about Lecuona's versatility in his work. Lecuona is probably important to many millions of people and his music is certainly not lightweight. And if the only thing Ms. Garber can say about "Malaguena" is that "it sounds very sexy" is to demonstrate that she does not know a thing about music. It definitely does not give her the priviledge of commenting about Lecuona's music.

LECUONA IS NO LIGHTWEIGHT.......2002-02-27

Lecuona is one of the most important composers of Latin-America. He is by no means the "unimportant" and "lightweight" Leslie Gerber (whomever that may be) claims, having been hailed for performances of his earlier (and "less mature") works by the likes of Maurice Ravel.

In my opinion the highlight of the set is the devilish "La 32". It's also interesting to compare his interpretations of the same works at different times in his career, like the two recordings of "Por que te vas?" and "Amorosa", especially keeping in mind that Lecuona seldom notated and improvised quite frequently, leaving the transcription work to his students.

Average customer rating: A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo This is really the best. If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD. Rare And Great Domingo Classics A real Bobby Dazzler

Very Best of Placido Domingo Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Paris Symphony Orchestra | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Placido Domingo: A Love Until The End Of Time Bravo Domingo Perhaps Love The Domingo Songbook The Best of the Three Tenors ASIN: B000083GOJ Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

1. Ill Mio Tesoro
2. Un'aura Amorosa
3. Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
4. La Ci Darem La Mano
5. Vani Sono I Lamenti...Svegliatevi Nel Core
6. Pays Merveilleux...O Paradis
7. Quel Trouble Inconnu Me Penetre...Salut ! Demeure Chaste Et Pure (Faust, Act III)
8. Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain, O Juge, O Pere (Le Cid, Act III)
9. None But The Lonley Heart
10. Lensky's Aria
11. Donna, Non Vidi Mai (Manon Lescauy Act, II)
12. Ah, Manon, Mi Tradisce
13. Dammi I Colori...Recondita Armonia
14. E Lucevan Le Stelle (Tosca, Act III)
15. Ch'ella Mi Creda (La Fanciulla Del West, Act III)
16. Dai Campi, Dai Prati (Mefistofele, Act I)
17. Virgini Muse...Quando Al Soave Anelito
18. O Sink Hernieder, Nacht Der Liebe
19. Was Am Besten Er Kann...Hoho! Hohei!

Tracks:

1. Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
2. Su, Profetessa...Di Tu Se Fedele
3. Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
4. O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
5. Su, Cacciator...Fontainebleau!...
6. Niun Mi Tema
7. Ach, Wie So Herrlich Zu Schau'n
8. Sckenkt Man Sich Rosen In Tirol
9. Gern Hab'ich Die Frau'n Gekusst
10. O Vaterland...Da Geh'ich Zu Maxim
11. Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz
12. Mi Aldea
13. Cancion Del Sembrador
14. No Puede Ser
15. Serenata
16. Copillas De Belen
17. Coplas Del Pastor Enamorado
18. En Aranjues Con Tu Amor
19. Jealousy Tango
20. La Golondina

Amazon.com

Placido Domingo is a phenomenon, and every aspect of his artistry is on display in this 2-CD compilation, which includes arias from his signature roles in Italian, French, German, and Russian operas, and songs from Viennese and Spanish operettas. The original recordings range from the early 1970s to the present and show that though over the years his bright golden voice has taken on a darker, more burnished glow, it has retained the melting lyricism, the heroic ring, the thrilling top notes, and the focused intensity that make it instantly recognizable. (Comparing the Verdi arias included here with their counterparts of later vintage in the all-Verdi set The Tenor Arias bears this out.) The program demonstrates his stylistic and expressive versatility and his ability to instantly establish character and mood, from Lenski's sorrow (in Eugene Onegin), Cavaradossi's heart-rending despair (in Tosca), Otello's shattering agony, to Tristan's passion, Siegfried's exuberance, Faust's ardor (first in French by Gounod, then in Italian by Boito). In three Mozart arias, Domingo spins endless, perfectly shaped phrases with incredible breath control, then adds an oddity: the famous duet between Zerlina and Don Giovanni, a role he has not performed. Five Viennese operetta songs, one of which he also conducts, are delightful; there is a smile of pleasure in his voice, but not a hint of kitsch. By contrast, Tchaikovsky's "None but the Lonely Heart" is spoiled by an orchestration that is pure Hollywood. In the final Spanish group, he is on home ground and incomparable. This is a glorious record, a must for all lovers of great singing. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

A great introduction to the art of Placido Domingo.......2007-07-04

Placido Domingo, of course, is one of the finest tenors of the latter part of the 20th century. This 2 CD set well captures his talent, showing the range of his singing. We hear cuts from Puccini and Verdi to Tchaikovsky and Wagner to Strauss and Handel. And even a traditional Spanish sung and some operetta thrown in for good measure!

This is a wonderful introduction to his artistry, and shows that he can sing well across a variety of styles and eras. Let's sample some cuts:

"Il mio Tesoro" (from Mozart's Don Giovanni) is a difficult aria to sing well. And Domingo is up to the challenge. He displays a smooth and rich voice. His is one of those distinctive tenor voices, like Tucker's or Pavarotti's, that is quickly recognizable. This is, as noted, a challenging piece and Domingo handles it well, showing off considerable vocal agility in the process.

From the same opera, "La ci darem la mano," a sweet duet with, in this instance, soprano Susan Graham. This seductive work is sung well by both parties and is a ravishing version.

From Puccini's "Tosca," "Recondita armonia." At the close, his voice rises above orchestra and chorus. Overall, well and richly sung.

And now for something very different. . . The "Forging Scene" from Siegfried. One may not think of Domingo as a heldentenor, but he does a serviceable job here. His voice sometimes appears a bit light, but, overall, he does estimable work. He catches Siegfried's spirit as he forges the shattered remains of his father's sword, "Nothung." When he sings the name of his sword at the close, with the leitmotif ringing out from the orchestra, it is an affecting moment.

Then, "Celeste Aida" (from Verdi's opera). A stentorian voice well deployed to meet the challenges of this wonderful aria. Some tenors scoop as they move from those lower to the higher notes; Domingo's voice is well controlled here. The final high note is well hit.

Strauss (Junior's) "Ach, wie so herrlich zu schau'n" is a romp! A fun piece and well sung by Domingo. He demonstrates, as before, excellent vocal agility.

Lehar's "O Vaterland" is also fun. It is a sprightly tune sprightly sung.

Finally, he ends the second CD with a traditional Spanish tune--"La Golondrina." He does not overpower this work with operatic technique. He sings it well and affectingly.

So, all in all, if one wants a good introduction to Placido Domingo's vocal oeuvre, this is a very strong starting point.

This is really the best........2007-05-16

I have many of Mr. Domingo's recordings but I really love this one. He seems to get better with age. Some of the songs are on some of my other recordings but they seem new and fresh on this CD. I really think this is the best of Placido Domingo.

If you like Placido at all, you must have this CD........2005-04-06

Placido Domingo has been around for so long, it is easy to take this great artist for granted. I totally agree with the previous reviews of this album; I can also say that I had the opportunity to hear him live in concert on April 2, 2005 in Biloxi, Mississippi, and his voice is still stunning. His opening aria that night was the prayer from El Cid, "O Souverain," which he dedicated to the memory of Pope John Paul II. This piece is the 8th selection on CD 1, and is from a 1997 live recording. His thrilling finish blew me away when I listened to it the first time, and and the crowd on the recording reacts the same way the Mississippi audience did when we heard him. That aria alone is worth the price of this CD set.

Rare And Great Domingo Classics.......2005-03-08

EMI's "The Very Best Of" series is a wonderful way for the opera lover/novice or even connoisseur in training to get acquainted with the great singers of opera in the 20th century. It is possible that in a few years, the great singers of today (from the 90's up to now and further into the future) will grace the album covers of The Very Best Of...The Very Best Of Renee Fleming, The Very Best Of Salvatore Licitra, etc. This is not exactly the best of Domingo. It is more of a collection of rare and wonderfully expressive arias from operas that range all over the map- Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Meyerbeer, Gounod, Massenet. Now, here's the reason why so many people adore Domingo, myself included - Domingo is a Renaissance Opera Tenor. He has sung almost every tenor role in the opera universe. Even if he is, to some, the "tenor who sang with Pavoratti in the three tenors" he proves he's the strongest of the bunch, the most dedicated, the most prolific and most artistic. Domingo has a beautiful voice, with secure high register and dark, masculine middle chest voice and exciting dramatic electricity! He's sung more than 50 operas, in addition operetta and Spanish Zarzuela (the Spanish equivalent to musicals or operetta which is where he got started and his parents sung in Zarzuela) and he has also recorded Spanish mainstream love songs for Latin audiences. A winner of Grammies, an actor in movies about operas that he starred in (Tosca, La Traviata, Otello) and the most active tenor on tv broadcasts, he is just incredible and powerful.
He is a great force in opera.

Even in his old age, he does'nt seem to be slowing down or call it quits. Recent performances (2000-2005) include Eugene Onegin, the lead in Queen of Spades, Rasputin in Debra Dratell's Nicolas and Alexandra, Idomeneo and his next role Parsifal. He is the singular tenor who mastered every repertoire- Mozart (Don Ottavio, Tamino...unfortunately Domingo as Don Giovanni is a miscast because he is too noble and romantic and GOOD to be a bad guy)..to Puccini heros (Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca, Dick Johnson in Fanciualla Del West, Rodolfo in Boheme, Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly, Calaf in Turandot) Verdi heroes (Radames in Aida, Don Carlos, Stiffelio, etc) to the French repertoire...Gounod (Faust, Romeo) Meyerbeer heroes, Massenet hero (Des Grieux, Le Cid) and Saint Saens (Samson) the list goes on and on. When this man dies, an era will die with him. His legend will live on because he will leave behind dozens of albums, movies and memories......

A real Bobby Dazzler.......2004-02-19

Fans of Mr. Domingo would be lucky to find a selection of music that more profoundly explores and exhibits the diversity of his vocal ability and interpretation than is offered on these two discs. Delicious displays of Mozart, ringing renditions of the most challenging high Italian roles, powerfully rounded accounts of some of the heavy German/Russian repetoir, and some noticably nostalgic songs from the light Spannish tradition provide an impressive catalogue of the great man's rich, focussed, technically impecable and singularly beguiling vocal talent. Those who are yet to form an opinion on any particular genre of the operatic spectrum would do well to start here, so eclectic is this album. Also, you might be reassured to know that, should you become an admirer of P.D.'s talent as a result of listening to this compilation, (it is difficult to resist), you will have no trouble finding other recordings by him. A record-breaker with more than 110 roles to his repetoir (40 is a respected total for an opera singer), he is the most recorded tenor in history, leaving more than 80 complete accounts to date of operas in the Italian, French, German and Russian traditions.

Average customer rating: Fabulous Intro! A Great Introduction To The World's Greatest Tenor

Great Caruso Manufacturer: Asv Living Era ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Flotow | Flotow, Friedrich von | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Ponchielli | Ponchielli, Amilcare | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Caruso, Enrico | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Donizetti, Gaetano | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Capua, Eduardo di | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Flotow, Friedrich von | C to G | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Mascagni, Pietro | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Massenet, Jules | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Ponchielli, Amilcare | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Puccini, Giacomo | M to P | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | Q to T | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Vocal Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | U to Z | Featured Composers, A-Z | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Ladino | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italy | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias Artists Of The Century - Caruso, The Greatest Tenor In The World Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli Caruso 2000 ASIN: B000001HK8 Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

1. Vesti La Giubba
2. Una Furtiva Lagrima
3. Chiudo Gli Occhi (Dream Song)
4. Cielo E Mar!
5. M'Appari Tutt' Amor
6. Solenne In Quest'Ora
7. Che Gelida Manina
8. O Soave Fanciulla (Love Duet )
9. Del Tempoi Al Limitar
10. Celeste Aida
11. Se M'Ami Ancor...Al Nostri Monti Ritorneremo
12. Recondita Armonia
13. La Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee
14. Mamma! Quel Vino E Generoso!
15. Oh! Mostruosa Colpa!...Si, Pel Ciel
16. Libiamo Ne'Leiti Calici
17. O Figli...Ah, La Paterna Mano
18. Mia Piccirella
19. Pimpinella
20. For You Alone
21. Trusting Eyes
22. Luna D'Estate
23. 'O Sole Mio

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous Intro!.......2004-05-04

You just gotta buy this one! It's fabulous! Made me a fan!!!

A Great Introduction To The World's Greatest Tenor.......2003-05-31

The transfers of the original accoutic 78's are very good and the selection gives you a great slice of the arias and songs that made him the benchmark for all tenors that have followed. This is a great introduction to his art and will make you want to get one of the complete sets.

Average customer rating: Monumental Recording Simply fantastic Marvellous fun and great singing Worth it! Gorgeous,but one tiny qualm !

Vivaldi: Bajazet [Includes Bonus DVD] Manufacturer: Virgin Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Biondi, Fabio | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski Vivaldi: Orlando Furioso Lamento Vivaldi: Griselda Handel - Saul / Joshua · Bell · Zazzo · Ovenden · Saks · Slattery · RIAS Kammerchor · Concerto Köln · Jacobs ASIN: B00022LE38 Release Date: 2005-05-10

Tracks:

1. Allegro
2. Andante Molto
3. Allegro
4. Recitativo: Prence Lo So: Vi Devo
5. Aria: Del Destin Non Dee Lagnarsi
6. Recitativo: Non Si Perda Di Vista
7. Aria: Nasce Rosa Lusinghiera
8. Recitativo: Principe, Or Ora I Greci
9. Aria: In Si Torbida Procella
10. Recitativo: Il Tartaro Ama Asteria
11. Aria: Quel Ciglio Vezzosetto
12. Recitativo: Or Si, Fiero Destino
13. Aria: Vedeste Mai Sul Prato
14. Recitativo: Non Ascolto Piu Nulla
15. Aria: Amare Un'alma Ingrata
16. Recitativo: Cosi La Sposa Il Tamerlano Accoglie?
17. Aria: Qual Querriero In Campo Aramato
18. Recitativo: E Bella Irene
19. Aria: Non Ho Nel Sen Constanza
20. Recitativo: Amico, Tengo Un Testimon Fedele
21. Recitativo: Sarete Or Ostinato
22. Aria: Anche Il Mar par Che Sommerga
23. Recitativo: Gloria, Sdegno Ed Amore
24. Aria: Stringi Le Mie Catene

Tracks:

1. Recitativo: Ah, Disperato Andronico!
2. Aria: La Sorte Mia Spietata
3. Recitativo: Signor, Vergine Illustre
4. Aria: Cruda Sorte, Avverso Fato!
5. Recitativo: Senti, Chiunque Tu Sia
6. Aria: La Cervetta Timidetta
7. Recitativo: Gran Cose Espone Asteria
8. Aria: Sposa, Son Disprezzata
9. Recitativo: Dov'e Mia Figlia, Andronico?
10. Aria: Dov'e La Figla?
11. Recitativo: Asteria, Siamo Al Soglio ...
12. Quartetto: Si Crudel! Questo E L'amore
13. Recitativo: Figlia, Siam Rei
14. Aria: Veder Parmi, Or Che Nel Fondo
15. Recitativo: Andronico, Il Mio Amore
16. Aria: Barbaro Traditor
17. Recitativo: Lascero Di Regnare
18. Aria: Spesso Tra Vaghe Rose
19. Recitativo: Eccoti, Bajazette
20. Arioso: Verro Crudel, Spietato
21. Recitativo: Signor, Fra Tante Cure
22. Aria: Son Tortorella
23. Recitativo: Signore, Bajazette
24. Accompagnato: E Morto, Si, Tiranno
25. Aria: Svena, Uccidi, Abbatti, Atterra
26. Recitativo: Deh, Tu Cauto la Segui
27. Coro: Coronata Di Gigli E Rose

Amazon.com

This stunner of an opera involves the proud sultan Bajazet (bass) and his battle with his bloodthirsty rival-tyrant Tamerlane (counter-tenor). More than 50 operas were composed on the subject. Here Vivaldi has composed all the recitatives and marvelous arias for the dignified, fine characters and used arias by other composers--Hasse, Giacomelli, Carlo Broschi--for Tamerlano and the nasties. The music is energetic and virtuosic throughout. Fabio Biondi leads Europa Galante and soloists with urgent, theatrical precision, making the story come to life. The singing could not be better: Ildebrando d'Arcangelo is a remarkably sympathetic Bajazet, singing with fluency and power; David Daniels amazes as Tamerlano; Marijana Mijanovic sings the role of Asteria (Bajazet's daughter) with love and precision; and Viveca Genaux dazzles with her perfect coloratura as Irene. This is a treasure trove of singing, and a bonus DVD allows us to see/hear the performers in rehearsal. Highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Monumental Recording.......2007-03-14

From the same composer that
brought us "The four Seasons"
Antonio Vivaldi, comes this
'dramma per musica' it tells
us the story of Bajazet, a Turkish
leader who ruled vast portions of
the Ottoaman empire, and his defeat
by his great foe, Tamerlano(Timur Lenk).
In the past composers like Handel and
others had taken an interest in the story.
This is the World Premiere recording of
the work. Much musicological research was done
by conductor and violinist Fabio Biondi and others
to put together this monumental recording.As personally
for me this is the first complete opera that
I hear by Vivaldi. This opera comes with a
DVD that features all six soloists in an aria.
Europa Galante and Maestro Biondi do a wonderful
job, and the soloists are great. Wonderful work,
thank you Maestro Biondi...

Simply fantastic.......2007-02-28

This is one of the best recordings that I have bought recently. The entire opera is a treasure, and they couldn't have picked a better cast. Vivica Genaux, Elina Garanca, and David Daniels are especially strong, and Fabio Biondi's orchestra is always clean and polished. The recording quality is also top-notch. It's unlike me not to offer some kind of a criticism, but I can't think of one for this recording. Highly recommended.

Marvellous fun and great singing.......2006-09-19

I have to say that I prefer Handel's Tamerlano for musical reasons. However, Vivaldi's opera on the same subject is very enjoyable and entertaining. Like it has been said of the operas of Haydn, Vivaldi's operas are not great operas, but they do contain great music.

Europa Galante, directed from the 1st violin by Fabio Biondi, is in great form and I've never heard them play better. I have their older recording of Handel's opera Poro, and I enjoyed that one, too.
The singers here are an excellent ensemble. I like the dark and expressive voice of Ildebrando D'Arcangelo - he was also marvellous as Leporello in Gardiner's Don Giovanni. David Daniels is fantastic, as usual, and he is possibly the best operatic countertenor in the world at the moment. Patrizia Ciofi is best heard and not seen - sweet voice coming from a madwoman (check out the DVD!). Vivica Genaux has been hyped to within a centimetre of her life recently. She has a nice flexible mezzo voice. A little too much vibrato for my tastes and she looks like a chipmunk when she attacks coloratura passages. Marijana Mijanovic sings well - she was excellent as the neurotic Penelope in the Christie / L.A.F. DVD of Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in patria. She is alarmingly thin - possible health problems? She doesn't engage with the conductor or orchestra at all in the DVD - the only singer who doesn't. Elina Garanca looks beautiful (and healthy!) and sings beautifully. She has a lovely contralto voice. I hope I see and hear more from this artist in the future.

I am not a big fan of Vivaldi's operas - I enjoy them as collections of arias. I wonder how well Bajazet worked on stage?
I'd love to have a DVD of this production, I would like to see how a Vivaldi opera works on stage. Vivaldi's operas don't have imaginative scorings and the orchestral passages are fairly prosaic. A lot of what goes on in the Vivaldi operas I've heard (I have a few in my CD collection) is pretty routine. However, I am open minded on the subject and I would like to see how well a Vivaldi opera works on stage.

Worth it!.......2006-05-23

This album exceeded my expectations. In the true pasticcio form, Vivaldi copied and pasted other composers' work, and his own of previous operas. The arias are un-paralleled in harmony, balance, up-beat rhythm, and beauty. The orchestration by Fabio Biondi is first rate and world class. Vivica Genaux rocks in her interpretation of "Qual Guerriero in Campo Armato" as so much energy, control, and speed are gushed out at once and sustained without wavering. Her ornamentation in the da capo aria is amazing. Vivica's voice is powerful, ethereal, and acrobatic. She recreates what a castrato voice might have sounded like, beautiful and strong. While Vivica sings perfectly the most demanding and technically difficult aria of the opera, Ciofi delights us with the most beautiful "Nasce rosa". After listening to her, it would be near to impossible to imagine anyone else singing this aria with such charm. But what she excelled at "Nasce", she lacked at "Anche il mar". This aria is perhaps as technically and impossibly challenging as "Qual guerriero", but Ciofi's coloratura is discontinuous. Cecilia Bartoli executes this aria in her Vivaldi Album stunningly in one breath. If there was ever a team of opera gold medalists, that team is put together in this album. Ildebrando's "Dov'e la Figla?" is a handsome showcase of his voice and strong presence. While his singing is worthy of high praise, his hand movements and wedding band flashing might have already cost him 90% of his fan base, not to mention dashing his chances at becoming a teen idol or gay icon. His comportment at the high note of the aria is reminiscent of an opera Olympiad doing a vocal triple summersault in mid-air and sticking a perfect landing. "Dov'e la figlia?" is also an aria that illustrates the great genius of Vivaldi as an opera composer. He wrote very distinct music for the same lyrics and for different registers (basso and castrato) in Bajazet, and Motezuma (with Dominique Visse). At the same time, he used the identical music for two different lyrics in Motezuma, and Orlando Furioso (Sorge l'irato Nembo).The bonus DVD proves not only interesting but also very entertaining at the gesticulations and facial configurations sometimes taken for granted to sing bel canto's finest arias. Superb job!

Gorgeous,but one tiny qualm !.......2006-04-20

While I agree with all the good things that have been written of this splendid perfomance,there is a small,but I feel important, detail about the recording which I find vexing.
When a recitative is is sung the performers are placed across the audio stage,disposed left or right,as you will.When an aria is sung ,the soloist leaps to the very center of the sound stage, which is quite disconcerting,especially when listening through headphones.This points to the arias and recits being recorded in separate sessions.Nothing wrong with that given the ravishing perfomance.Well worth the purchase price.

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 Bellini, Vincenzo | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Caldara, Antonio | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Giordani, Giuseppe | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Paisiello | Paisiello, Giovanni | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Alessandro Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Alessandro | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Domenico Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Domenico | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music | Cantatas | Romances Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Similar Items: Sumi Jo sings Mozart Sumi Jo - Virtuoso Arias ~ Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer Sumi Jo - Prayers / James Conlon Sumi Jo - Bel Canto / Arevalo · ECO · Carella French Coloratura Arias ASIN: B00000AEKD Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

1. Caro mio ben
2. Lungi dal caro ben
3. Malinconia, ninfa gentile - Bellini
4. Qual farfalletta amante - D. Scarlatti
5. Ad una stella - Verdi
6. Lascia ch'io pianga - Handel_
7. Per pieta, bell'idol mio - Bellini
8. O del mio dolce ardor - Gluck
9. Star vicino
10. Se Florindo e fedele
11. Non t'amo piu
12. Intorno all'idol mio
13. La promesa - Rossini
14. La Capinera
15. O del mio amato ben
16. V'adoro pupille - Handel_
17. Vaghissima sembianza
18. Ridente la calma - Mozart
19. Alma del core
20. 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.

There is no doubt about her voice and technique, which is one of the best among her peers today. But even in her best reviewed CDs and live performances, I always felt there is a little regret, which is the lack of passion. Behind her crystallike and gentle voice, I found the music is second to the technical showoff, or maybe I should say she is so perfect techincally that the music content was overshadowed. While, from another perspective, all her CDs can be perfect text books for students.

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