Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Joan Sutherland is not usually considered a Puccini singer, and in fact she sang the role of Turandot only in the recording studio. But for that assignment she had exactly what was needed: a voice that seemed to have no upper limits and a personality that concealed vulnerability under an air of icy detachment. She also had an ideal set of colleagues, notably Luciano Pavarotti, whose "Nessun dorma" has become practically his signature tune. --Joe McLellan

Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta, Music, Giacomo Puccini, Zubin Mehta, Luciano Pavarotti, Joan Sutherland, London Philharmonic Orchestra, John Alldis Choir, Montserrat Caballé, Tom Krause, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Peter Pears, Wandsworth School Boys' Choir, Classical, Classical Music, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta
Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • This is not to be missed
  • One of the Great Recordings of the 20th Century
  • Barbaric AND Beautiful
  • Why you should get this recording..............
  • Good except for Sutherland
 Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta
Giacomo Puccini , Zubin Mehta , Luciano Pavarotti , Joan Sutherland , London Philharmonic Orchestra , John Alldis Choir , Montserrat Caballé , Tom Krause , Nicolai Ghiaurov , Peter Pears , and Wandsworth School Boys' Choir
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by PucciniAll Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
London Philharmonic OrchestraLondon Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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SopranosSopranos | Voices | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Caballe, MontserratCaballe, Montserrat | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Sutherland, JoanSutherland, Joan | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000041Q3
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Turandot: Act I: 'Popolo di Pekino!' (Un Mandarino) - Act I: 'Indietro, cani!' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge)184276 - Puccini
  2. Turandot: Act I: 'Gira la cote!' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge) - Act I: 'Perche tarda la luna?' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge) - Puccini
  3. Turandot: Act I: 'O giovinetto! Grazia, grazia!' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge) - Puccini
  4. Turandot: Act I: 'Figlio, che fai?' (Timur, Calaf) - Puccini
  5. Turandot: Act I: 'Fermo! Che Fai? T'arresta' (Ping, Pang, Pong) - Act I: 'Non indugiare!' (Le ombre dei morte - Phantoms - Les ombres des morts - Die Schatten der Toten) - Puccini
  6. Turandot: Act I: 'Signore, ascolta!' (Liu) - Puccini
  7. Turandot: Act I: 'Non piangere, Liu!' (Calaf) - Puccini
  8. Turandot: Act II, Scene 1: 'Ola, Pang! Ola Pong!' (Ping) - Puccini
  9. Turandot: Act II, Scene 1: 'Ho una casa nell 'Honan' (Ping) - Puccini
  10. Turandot: Act II, Scene 1: 'O mondo, o mondo...' (Ping, Pang, Pong) - Act II, Scene 1: 'O tigre! O tigre!' (Ping, Pang, Pong) - Puccini
  11. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: Introduzione - Puccini
  12. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'Gravi, enorme ed imponenti' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge) - Puccini
  13. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'Un giruamento atroce mi costringe' (L'Imperatore) - Puccini
  14. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'Popolo di Pekino' (Il Mandarino) - Puccini

Tracks:

  1. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'In questa Reggia' (Turandot) - G. Puccini
  2. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'Straniero, ascolta' (Turandot) - G. Puccini
  3. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'Gloria, gloria, o vincitore!' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge) - Act II, Scene 2: 'Figlio del cielo! Padre augusto!' (Turandot) - G. Puccini
  4. Turandot: Act II, Scene 2: 'Tre enigmi m'hai proposto' (Calaf) - G. Puccini
  5. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: Introduzione: 'Cosi comanda Turandot' (Gli araldi - Heralds - Les Herauts - Die Herolde) - G. Puccini
  6. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'Nessun dorma!' (Calaf) - Act III, Scene 1: 'Tu che guardi le stelle' (Ping, Pang, Pong) - G. Puccini
  7. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'Principessa divina!' (Ping) - Act III, Scene 1: 'Tanto amore segreto' (Liu) - G. Puccini
  8. Turandot: Act III, Scene1: 'Tu che di gel sei cinta' (Liu) - G. Puccini
  9. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'Liu! Liu! Sorgi!' (Timur) - G. Puccini
  10. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'Principessa di morte' (Calaf) - G. Puccini
  11. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'Che e mai di me?' ( Turandot, Calaf) - G. Puccini
  12. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'Del primo pianto' (Turandot) - G. Puccini
  13. Turandot: Act III, Scene 1: 'So il tuo nome!' (Turandot) - G. Puccini
  14. Turandot: Act III, Scene 2: 'Diecimila anni al nosotro Imperatore!' (La folla - People - La foule - Die Menge) - G. Puccini

Amazon.com essential recording

Joan Sutherland is not usually considered a Puccini singer, and in fact she sang the role of Turandot only in the recording studio. But for that assignment she had exactly what was needed: a voice that seemed to have no upper limits and a personality that concealed vulnerability under an air of icy detachment. She also had an ideal set of colleagues, notably Luciano Pavarotti, whose "Nessun dorma" has become practically his signature tune. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars This is not to be missed.......2007-07-11

It is no exaggeration to consider this 1973 recording of Giacomo Puccini's swan song the most sublime interpretation available. It is barely an exaggeration to consider it one of the finest operatic recordings ever produced, ranking with Sir Georg Solti's praised 1963 reading of Wagner's Siegfried, with Wolfgang Windgassen, Birgit Nilsson, Hans Hotter, and Gerhard Stolze; Herbert von Karajan's 1970 rendition of Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov, with Nicolai Ghiaurov, Galina Vishnevskaya, and Ludovic Spiess; Riccardo Muti's heavenly 1974 Aida, with Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, and Fiorenza Cossotto; Claudio Abbado's 1977 undertaking of Verdi's Simon Boccanegra with Piero Cappuccilli, Mirella Freni, and José Carreras; and Karajan's indescribable 1979 production of Debussy's Pélleas et Mélisande, with Frederica von Stade, Richard Stilwell, and José van Dam. Only the 1982 Turandot with Karajan leading the Wiener Philharmoniker can compare; the cast boasted Domingo, Barbara Hendricks, Ruggero Raimondi, Heinz Zednik, and Francisco Araiza, but the work was hampered by incompetent lyric soprano Katia Ricciarelli at the title helm.

Zubin Mehta leads the London Philharmonic Orchestra in a jarring, exotic production of Turandot which tends to run at a faster tempo than other noted recordings and attacks the listener with a rampaging tapestry of wondrous sound. From the opening bars, the listener is plunged into a swirling, gory China of antiquity, with a maroon sky articulating the chaos within the forbidding fortress that is Turandot's palace, lined with the decapitated heads of her luckless suitors impaled on spikes. The John Alldis Choir is triumphant (as it is in most of its endeavors) in the opera's frequent choral sectors, especially "Gira la cote, gira, gira!" (the bloodthirsty ranting of the incensed Peking populace, a great requiem of death); "Perchè tarda la luna?" (a hauntingly gorgeous, sumptuous chorus in which the populace invokes the appearance of the moon, the signal for the execution to take place); "O giovinetto! Grazia, grazia!" (in which the furor of the populace melts into a bitter pity as the handsome, understandably petrified principe di Persia emerges with Pu-Tin-Pao, the executioner); "Non indugiare!"(the unsettling and misty chorus of the ghosts of Turandot's suitors; one can almost envision the eerie specters floating in the air amidst the perfume of their beloved mistress); and "Così comanda Turandot" in Act III (the cruel, anagogic chorus of the heralds; one can only imagine the subterranean torture chambers and dungeons in which Turandot's furies were realized and inflicted upon the ignorant populace of Peking). The Wandsworth School Boys' Choir is charming and atmospheric during their Act I incantations to Turandot's beauty ("Là sui monti dell'Est").

Dame Joan Sutherland is not a soprano one might immediately place in the role of the Chinese pythoness, for she never performed the daunting part on stage and made only this single noted recording in the role. She possessed a flittering, melodic coloratura voice, much unlike the Wagnerian mortars of Birgit Nilsson and Eva Marton. However, she is thrilling at the title helm; she sings with such furor, such madness, such indescribable revulsion, that it is nearly impossible to accept her as the same soprano who so sweetly and genially floated through the effervescent persons of Violetta Valéry, Gilda, and Donna Anna. "In questa reggia" rolls out like blood-spattered embroidery as she recounts the tawdry tale of her doomed ancestress; her cry of "Straniero, ascolta!" is like a lightening rod of dread. She is thrilling as her psychology is revealed after the answering of the three riddles ("Figlio del Cielo! Padre augusto!"); for the first time in her lonely, imperious existence, she is afraid, for she is no longer in complete control of her destiny.

Luciano Pavarotti breathes such ineffable fire, youth, and passion into the bright-eyed prince Calaf that one can only wonder how some could prefer Franco Corelli's rather ornery interpretation. During "Nessun dorma," the greatest aria Puccini ever composed for the male voice and one of the finest in all opera, he is wondrous, beguiling, and awe-inspiring as the enamored, barding Tartar prince. However, the finale of the opera is where the two vocal masters truly shine. (It was penned, of course, by Franco Alfano, after the death of Puccini.) Their duet ("Principessa di morte!" ... "Che è mai di me?" ... "Del primo pianto") is a glorious, almost Shakespearean exchange; the intense chemistry between the two is apparent and it is obvious why they made so many recordings together. Sutherland is absolutely horrifying in her cry of "So il tuo nome." For a blood-curdling instant, the old Turandot returns, even after the passionate kiss from Calaf and the tearful confession of her innermost fears. For an instant, she is the murderess again, vengeful and sanguinary as ever.

Montserrat Caballé may have seemed, at first, to be an indulgence as the noble little Puccinian heroine, Liù; however, her performance of the signature pleading, searching aria ("Signore, ascolta!") would force even the most caustic cynic to sympathize with the pathetic little slave girl. Only Mirella Freni and Galina Vishnevskaya (though she is recognized more infrequently for doing so) have provided comparable performances. Her Act III confession ("Tanto amore segreto, e inconfessato ... Tu che di gel sei cinta") allow the listener to peer into the purely invincible but paradoxically fragile heart of the veritable Puccinian angel, a descendent of Mimì and Madama Butterfly. Her suicide is the culmination of one of the grandest cruelties in all opera: she lived a life in the pursuit of a single love which could only be truly realized and acknowledged through her supreme sacrifice.

Nicolai Ghiaurov makes a Chinese Boris Godunov out of the deposed Tartar king Timur. Sir Peter Pears, the inimitable British tenor, provides his commanding, mystical voice to the role of the venerable Emperor Altoum in his brief Act II introduction ("Un giuramento atroce mi costringe"). Sabin Markov is imposing as the law-giving Mandarin in the opening lines of Act I ("Popolo di Pekino!").

Tom Krause, Piero de Palma, and Pier Francesco Poli are the three masks, the not entirely convincing but altogether charming ministers: Ping, Pang, and Pong. The average listener may not consider the first scene of Act II to be a highlight of the opera. It possesses not a single line from Calaf, Liù, or Turandot; it is, in actuality, only a long, capricious trio for the aforementioned three. However, it is a treasure trove of delightful Puccinian melodies that are often overlooked because of a lack of star power. "Olà Pang! Olà Pong!" (in which the three ministers prepare for either a marriage or a funeral, then contemplate the tragic recent years of China's history under the Stalinesque grasp of Turandot), provides a strong, numinous introduction; "Ho una casa nell'Honan" (in which the ministers contemplate their peaceful, happier lives outside Peking, "all surrounded by bamboo") allows the three singers to shine individually, each sculpting the personality of his own mask; "O mondo...O mondo" (in which the ministers remember chidingly the colorful personalities of Turandot's failed suitors and other madmen in love) is a masterpiece in Oriental charisma and melody; and "Addio, amore, addio, razza!" (in which the ministers bid farewell to the divine lineage and honor of China) and "O tigre! O tigre!" (in which the ministers fantasize about conducting a marriage for Turandot [rather than the impending funeral] and she and her husband making love in the gardens of the palace), provide a musing, coy finalization to the scene.

The brilliance of this recording, in short, can be heard plainly in Act I, during the visual, mimed entrance of Turandot to the thumping and plucking of the strings. This was truly a brilliant move by Puccini; the frigid princess remains wrapped in her icy mystery and virginal lonesomeness and disappears as abruptly as she appeared, like an arcane shade, until the middle of Act II. The same magic can be heard in the electrifying finale of the first act; Pavarotti's three cries of "Turandot!" are accentuated by three volcanic eruptions from the gong. While the scene closes with an oppressive theme, one can almost see the leering face of Turandot, viewing the man she believes will be her next victim.

5 out of 5 stars One of the Great Recordings of the 20th Century.......2007-05-06

This recording exemplifies the limitless possibilities of the recording medium. Sutherland never sang the role of Turandot live. She certainly could have but the focus of most of her international career was the music of the 18th century. This performance came as a huge surprise to the public when it was first issued on LPs in the 1970s. She's nothing less than a phenomenal Turandot. Her singing is flawless. Perfect.

For me, bad habits and self conscious effects plagued much of Caballe's singing. Her voice was never a beautiful instrument but she used her voice beautifully. Sometimes the famous pianissimo singing she was famous for sounded overly luxuriant and outside the meaning of the words and music. There are times on the recording where vowels and consonants become sounds. Her performance here is good but I much prefer Tebaldi whose incredibly beautifully voice is used for full expression. Caballe's voice is more calculated. Effective yes, but I can still hear the wheels turning.

The main attraction of this recording for many is the youthful Calaf of Luciano Pavarotti. By the time of this recording, Pavarotti was perhaps the most famous opera singer in the world and here he is caught in full youthful bloom. The tone rivals the great tenors of the century. His singing is fully expressive with an irresistible lushness and expansive quality. The high notes have ping and in general, he gives a gorgeously sung and dramatic portrayal.

I have never warmed up to Mehta's bombastic approach to everything he conducts but here it works extremely well and the playing of the New Philharmonia Orchestra and John Aldiss Choir is superb.

Is this recording better than RCA's famous living stereo edition? No, but it clearly is equal to that recording. In fact, this is one of the best opera recordings of the century.

5 out of 5 stars Barbaric AND Beautiful.......2006-12-05

For many years, my "Turandot" of choice was the old RCA set with Nilsson, Bjorling, and Tebaldi. Loud, brash, garish, colorful, the score is the epitome of Grand Opera, and the power of Nilsson's performances as the "Ice Princess" is still regarded by most opera fans as "the only one," to quote Eva Marton.

This recording taught me that the opera is also beautiful.

Turandot is a fantastic change for Dame Joan, and she sings it with passion, vehemence, warmth, and exquisitely easy high notes. The voice in the theater was indeed quite large, especially in the middle range, with a top that slimmed down to a silvery sheen above the staff. But for this recording, you get the overall sense that Sutherland was holding something back all these years - until now. Pavarotti is simply as great as he ever was - the voice in the theater was exactly like his recordings. His Calaf is thrilling from beginning to end. Caballe's Liu outshines Tebaldi by virtue of the most sublime pianissimi ever recorded: the final note of "Signore ascolta" goes on forever. Ghiaurov and Pears are luxury casting, but the rest of the cast are no slouches either. Even Piero de Palma, the most recorded character tenor in history, is on hand to sing Pong, a solid experienced veteran, and a real artist. Zubin Mehta manages to integrate the brash colors of this score and refine them to glowing effect, without loss of grandeur.

This recording should be placed in the hall of fame as one of the best studio performances of all time.

5 out of 5 stars Why you should get this recording.....................2006-06-27

Sutherland would never sing Turandot in the theatre and personally, I don't think she cracks it here in this recording. However, vocally she seems to have no limits, especially when singing the taxing high passages and for Turandot, this is enough. My preference is more along the lines of Nilsson, Marton and maybe Eaglen. Likewise, Pavarotti does not come close to Bjoerling, Heppner or Corelli with his interpretation of Calaf, but he sings well. Caballe and Mehta are the real reason to get this recording; Caballe sings superbly and Mehta conducts a fine reading of Puccini's lush score.

3 out of 5 stars Good except for Sutherland.......2006-05-26

I bought this a long time ago, and I'm scandalized by the plethora of positive reviews.

I was surprised by how whiny and pathetic Sutherland sounds. Perhaps it is the lack of runs and turns. Her Italian diction is horrible. Plus I hate how she attacks her notes, as if they are preceded by acciaccatura. She is evidently miscast. Nilsson spent her career defining Turandot. The verity and constancy of her notes are such a delight, and Sutherland's recording only serves to underscore this.

On the other hand, Caballe was excellent. She is the best Liu I've ever heard. Her singing was particularly rousing. I wish she could make her breathing less audible though.

The rest is OK. The audio quality is excellent.

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