Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
The best Traviata on disc? If not, it's within hailing distance. No true Verdian would want to be without Callas's 1955 live recording, and it's hard not to love those starring Moffo, Caballe, Scotto, Sutherland, and de los Angeles among others. But this set offers the best all-round combination of excellent sound, fine singing, and dynamic conducting. Ileana Cotrubas is a wonderfully spontaneous Violetta, conveying the passion and vulnerability of the character. Only Callas among her starry rivals on disc can match Cotrubas's emotional and vocal mastery here. Domingo sings with ardor, and Milnes uses his beautiful voice to good effect as Germont. But it's Carlos Kleiber's show, and that enigmatic conductor leads the most energetic Traviata since Toscanini. Tempos are fast, but his sense of theatricality is unerring--this is one of those studio recordings that captures the sense of being at the opera house listening to one of those rare performances when everything clicks. --Dan Davis

Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber, Music, Giuseppe Verdi, Carlos Kleiber, Ileana Cotrubas, Placido Domingo, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Sherrill Milnes, Bruno Grella, Walter Gullino, Giovanni Foiani, Alfredo Giacomotti, Classical, Classical Music, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta
Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Sublime!
  • The Best Studio Traviata?
  • Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber
  • Inspired performance
  • An opera from a play from a then celebrated real life story
 Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber
Giuseppe Verdi , Carlos Kleiber , Ileana Cotrubas , Placido Domingo , Bayerisches Staatsorchester , Sherrill Milnes , Bruno Grella , Walter Gullino , Giovanni Foiani , and Alfredo Giacomotti
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  4. Verdi: La Traviata (complete opera live 1955) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Carlo Maria Giulini, Orchestra & Chorus of La Scala, Milan
  5. Verdi: Rigoletto (Complete Opera); Maria Callas; Tito Gobbi; Giuseppe di Stefano

ASIN: B000001G5W
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. La Traviata: Preludio - Giuseppe Verdi
  2. La Traviata: Act I: Introduzione: Coro: 'Dell'invito trascorsa e gia l'ora?' (Violetta, Alfredo) - Giuseppe Verdi
  3. La Traviata: Act I: Toast: Alfredo: 'Libiamo ne' lieti calici' (Alfredo, Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  4. La Traviata: Act I: Valzer e Duetto: Tutti: 'Che e cio?' (Violetta, Alfredo) - Giuseppe Verdi
  5. La Traviata: Act I: Valzer e Duetto: Alfredo: 'Un di felice, eterea' (Alfredo, Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  6. La Traviata: Act I: Valzer e Duetto: Gastone: 'Ebben? Che diavol fatte?' (Violetta, Alfredo) - Giuseppe Verdi
  7. La Traviata: Act I: Stretta: Tutti: 'Si ridesta in ciel l'aurora' - Giuseppe Verdi
  8. La Traviata: Act I: Scena ed Aria - Finale: Violetta: 'E strano!.....Ah, fors'e lui' (Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  9. La Traviata: Act I: Scena ed Aria - Finale: Violetta: 'Follie! Delirio vano e questo!...Sempre libera' (Violetta, Alfredo) - Giuseppe Verdi
  10. La Traviata: Act II: Scena ed Aria Alfredo: 'Lunge da lei...De' miei bollenti spiriti' (Alfredo) - Giuseppe Verdi
  11. La Traviata: Act II: Scena ed Aria: Alfredo: 'Annina, donde vieni?...O mio rimorso!' (Alfredo) - Giuseppe Verdi
  12. La Traviata: Act II: Scena e Duetto: Vioetta: 'Alfredo?' - Annina: 'Per Parigi or or partive' (Violetta, Giorgio) - Giuseppe Verdi
  13. La Traviata: Act II: Scena e Duetto: Germont: 'Pura siccome un angelo' (Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  14. La Traviata: Act II: Violetta: 'Non sapete quale affetto' (Giorgio, Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  15. La Traviata: Act II: Scena e Duetto: Germont: 'Un di, quando le veneri' (Giorgio, Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  16. La Traviata: Act II: Scena e Duetto: Violetta: 'Ah! Dite alla giovine' (Violetta, Giorgio) - Giuseppe Verdi
  17. La Traviata: Act II: Scena e Duetto: Violetta: 'Imponete!' - Germont: 'Non amarlo ditegli' (Violetta, Giorgio) - Giuseppe Verdi
  18. La Traviata: Act II: Scena: Violetta: 'Dammi tu forza, o cielo' (Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  19. La Traviata: Act II: Scena: Alfredo: 'Che fai?' - Violetta: 'Nulla' (Alfredo, Violetta) - Giuseppe Verdi
  20. La Traviata: Act II: Scena ed Aria: Alfredo: 'Ah, vive sol quel core' (Alfredo, Giorgio) - Giuseppe Verdi
  21. La Traviata: Act II: Scena ed Aria: Germont: 'Di Provenza il mar, il suol' (Giorgio) - Giuseppe Verdi
  22. La Traviata: Act II: Scena ed Aria: Germont: 'Ne rispondi d'un padre all'affetto?...No, non udrai rimproveri' (Alfredo, Giorgio) - Giuseppe Verdi

Tracks:

  1. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Flora: 'Avrem lieta di maschere la notte' - G. Verdi
  2. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Gypsy Girls: 'Noi siamo zingarelle' - G. Verdi
  3. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Gastone And The Bullfighters: 'Di Madride noi siam mattadori' - G. Verdi
  4. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Tutti: 'Alfredo! Voi' (Alfredo, Violetta) - G. Verdi
  5. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Violetta: 'Invitato a qui seguirmi' (Violetta, Alfredo) - G. Verdi
  6. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Alfredo: 'Ogni suo aver tal femmina' (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
  7. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Germont: 'Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende' (Giorgio, Alfredo) - G. Verdi
  8. La Traviata: Act II: Finale II: Violetta: 'Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core' (Violetta) - G. Verdi
  9. La Traviata: Act III: Preludio - G. Verdi
  10. La Traviata: Act III: Scena ed Aria: Violetta: 'Annina?' - Annina: 'Comandate?' (Violetta) - G. Verdi
  11. La Traviata: Act III: Scena ed Aria: Violetta: 'Teneste la promessa...Attendo, ne a me giungon mai...Addio del passato' (Violetta) - G. Verdi
  12. La Traviata: Act III: Baccanale: Masked Chorus: 'Largo al quadrupede' - G. Verdi
  13. La Traviata: Act III: Scena e Duetto: Annina: 'Signora' - Violetta: 'Che t'accadde?' - Alfredo: 'Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo' (Alfredo, Violetta) - G. Verdi
  14. La Traviata: Act III: Scena e Duetto: Violetta: 'Ah, non piu...Ah! Gran Dio! Morir si giovine' (Violetta, Alfredo) - G. Verdi
  15. La Traviata: Act III: Finale ultimo: Germont: 'Ah, Violetta?' - Violetta: 'Voi? Signor?' (Giorgio, Violetta, Alfredo) - G. Verdi
  16. La Traviata: Act III: Finale ultimo: Violetta: 'Prendi, quest'e l'immagine' (Violetta, Alfredo, Giorgio) - G. Verdi

Amazon.com essential recording

The best Traviata on disc? If not, it's within hailing distance. No true Verdian would want to be without Callas's 1955 live recording, and it's hard not to love those starring Moffo, Caballe, Scotto, Sutherland, and de los Angeles among others. But this set offers the best all-round combination of excellent sound, fine singing, and dynamic conducting. Ileana Cotrubas is a wonderfully spontaneous Violetta, conveying the passion and vulnerability of the character. Only Callas among her starry rivals on disc can match Cotrubas's emotional and vocal mastery here. Domingo sings with ardor, and Milnes uses his beautiful voice to good effect as Germont. But it's Carlos Kleiber's show, and that enigmatic conductor leads the most energetic Traviata since Toscanini. Tempos are fast, but his sense of theatricality is unerring--this is one of those studio recordings that captures the sense of being at the opera house listening to one of those rare performances when everything clicks. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Sublime!.......2006-09-24

Easily one of the best "La Traviata" recordings EVER if not THE best. A perfect cast, and everything about this recording is simply beautiful in every way. A must-have in the collections of all opera lovers!

3 out of 5 stars The Best Studio Traviata?.......2005-11-07

I have to confess that the only reason why I bought this recording was because of Kleiber. I never cared for Cotrubas's voice because I always found it nasal and not very attractive. I'm a big Callas fan and her voice is certainly not everyone's taste and is also slightly on the nasal side but she delivers so much that I can overlook the faults. I've never been a big fan of Domingo's because I strongly believe a tenor should have high notes. And I never really understood what was so great about Milnes. He certainly had a big voice and was a barihunk but those lunges at the high notes and piano singing in the back of his throat always turned me off. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the performances in this recording. Cotrubas is one of the best Violettas in a studio made recording. She certainly understands what she's singing about. Domingo is youthful and ardent, although the high notes are strained and the high C in the cabaletta to his aria is obviously spliced in. I noticed that immediately even without using headphones. Milnes is at his best here although the performance is wooden and he really does nothing in the duet with Violetta nor with his aria.

But for me the star of this recording is Klieber and since the great maestro recorded only a few operas, I couldn't resist having this one, which is also a favorite opera of mine.

Overall it doesn't compare with the live Callas La Scala and is several notches below Anna Moffo's recording which does have a tenor with ringing high notes (Richard Tucker) and a much more adept and convincing Germont (Robert Merrill). In fact if sound is a consideration, you might want to go with the Moffo recording in it's Living Stereo release. Avoid the first edition which is really lousey.

5 out of 5 stars Verdi - La Traviata / Cotrubas · Domingo · Milnes · Bayerisches Staatsorchester · Carlos Kleiber.......2005-10-26

There are just no words that explain how the music over whelms the soul and has the body swaying whilst the voice attempts to reach the various notes of these accomplised artists. One can only feel an overwhelming envy of those having the capability of, dear I say, such vocal talent, that only the listener can share with many that have only an ear of appreciation.

5 out of 5 stars Inspired performance.......2005-10-25

The conductor and lead singers bring out the best in their performance of this great Verdi opera. A great and inspired rendition.

5 out of 5 stars An opera from a play from a then celebrated real life story.......2005-09-23

Unlike so many other operas whose titles are given in English (i.e. "The Magic Flute") or are the name of the lead character, "La Traviata" is always just that because it is not really translatable into English. Is she really a "Fallen Woman"? Anything else you say will only give a partial and distorted impression of the character. The story for the opera is after a play by Alexandre Dumas called "La Dame aux camellias" ("The Lady of the Camelias" - often translated into English as "Camille").

Dumas took his story from a real life woman who rose spectacularly from the daughter of a drunken shopkeeper to a much sought-after mistress of rich and powerful men. Marie Plessis was christened Rose-Alphonsine and was packed off to a rich land owner as a worker. She learned the ways of the world, escaped to Paris where she soon took on many admirers who bought her jewels, and clothes, and left her with money. She held salons that were attended by leading literary figures, attended the theater, ate free meals in restaurants, learned cultures, was a passable pianist, and died of consumption (tuberculosis) at 23. In Dumas' story she was given the name of Marguerite. In Verdi's opera she is Violetta.

If you search images on the web for Alphonsine Plessis you can see a photos of her tombstone in Monmarte.

As the opera opens, Violetta (Ileana Cotrubas) is holding a lively salon to celebrate her return to public life after a short bout with consumption. There is much dancing a merriment (and beautiful music). She is accompanied by Baron Douphol (Bruno Grella), one of her, well, patrons. Gastone (Walter Gullino) greets her and introducers a friend of his and an admirer of hers, Alfredo (Placido Domingo). Gastone states that Alfredo had admired her from afar and during her recent illness called every day to ask how she was. Viloletta is quite touched and notes that even the Baron had not shown such devotion.

There is much merriment and Alfredo sings his famous drinking song. He later expresses his love for Violette who says that she can never be more than a friend because she cannot love. She advises him to forget her, but finds herself affected by his attention.

The second act opens in a country house. Violette and Alfredo have been living together for a few months. Alfredo sings his joy at living with her. The maid tells Alfredo that Violette has returned from Paris and that there is to be a sale of her possessions to support their present household. Alfredo is ashamed and leaves for Paris to get money and relieve his guilt for being so blind.

Violetta meets with a man she thinks is there to help with the sale who turns out to be Alfredo's father, Germont (Sherrill Milnes). He implores Violetta to break things off with Alfredo or his family will be ruined. His daughter is set for a proper marriage that will come apart if it is known that his son is living with a woman of her reputation. Violetta agrees to separate from him for a time, but the father says that it must be permanent. (This is a long a beautiful duet). She is overcome and writes a note the Baron and has her maid deliver it. She also writes a note to Alfredo and as she finishes he enters. She is overcome and asks him to tell her that he loves her. He reassures her. She leaves and he is given the note that says she is going to Paris and her old life. Alfredo is broken. His father tries to remind him of his home, but Alfredo leaves swearing vengence.

Alfredo wins a great deal of money at gambling and shames Violetta in public. The crowd is shocked and ridicules Alfredo. His father comes in a rebukes him for such ungentlemanly behavior.

The last act find Violetta in her bedroom dying of consumption. The doctor tells her she is recovering, but later admits privately to the maid that she only has a few hours to live. Violetta hears the crowds and knows it is Carnival and sends money to be distributed to the poor. She learns that Alfredo is abroad and looks in a mirror at her changed countenance and sings a farewell to her happy dreams and asks Gods mercy on one who has erred. Alfredo comes in and embrace and he begs her forgiveness. They make plans to leave Paris, she says she feels so much better with him there that she can feel herself gaining strength. She suddenly swoons and dies.

There is a great deal of beautiful music in this opera and it is all superbly done in this fine recording. Enjoy it!

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