Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This Lucia was recorded in 1970, when Beverly Sills was at the peak of her vocal and dramatic powers. She had been singing the role of Lucia on stage for six years, and she knew the character. Here is a manic-depressive who is slightly crazy from the start, and Sills's embellishments to the vocal line (and there are tons of them; hardly a line is left as written), mostly composed especially for her, are always at the service of the drama. She is a far cry from the chirpy Pons and Peters (and even Sutherland, whose just-plain-singing of the role is unmatchable, but who was never all that interested in building character) and comes closer to Callas, but without the great Greek soprano's huge palette of colors or, for that matter, vocal limitations. Sills is gloriously fluent in the coloratura, the high notes are impeccable, and her reading of the words is truly involved and involving. Carlo Bergonzi has everything as Edgardo, while Piero Cappuccilli's Enrico is snarling and cruel. Schippers leads a very tight, exciting, complete performance, and for the first (and only) time on CD, the glass harmonica Donizetti asked for is used in the Mad Scene. This is a must for lovers of great singing. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Part One: N.1 Preludio E Coro D'Introduzione: Percorrente Le Spiagge Vicine - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Part One: N.2 Scena E Cavatina: Tu Sei Turbato! - E N'Ho Ben D'Onde - Piero Cappuccilli
Part One: No.2 Scena E Cavatina: Cruda, Funestsa Smania - Piero Cappuccilli
Part One: N.2 Scena E Cavatina: Il Tuo Dubbio E Ormai Certezza - Piero Cappuccilli
Part One: N.3 Scena E Cavatina: Ancor Non Giunse! - Beverly Sills
Part One: N.3 Scena E Cavatina: Regnava Nel Silenzio - Beverly Sills
Part One: N.4 Scena E Duetto - Finale I: Egli S'Avanza - Carlo Bergonzi
Part One: N.4 Scena E Duetto - Finale I: Sulla Tomba Che Rinserra - Carlo Bergonzi
Part Two: Act One, N.5. Scena: Lucia Fra Poco A Te Verra - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act One, N.6. Duetto: Appressati, Lucia - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act One, N.6. Duetto: Il Pallor, Funesto, Orrendo - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act One, N.7. Scena Ed Aria: Ebben? - Di Tua Speranza - Beverly Sills
Part Two: Act One, N.7. Scena Ed Aria: Ah! Cedi, Cedi O Piu Sciagure - Beverly Sills

Tracks:

Part Two: Act Two - Finale II, N.8. Coro E Cavatina: Per Te D'Immenso Giubilo/Per Poco Fra Le Tenebre - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Part Two: Act Two - Finale II, No.9. Scena E Quartetto: Dov'E Lucia? - Qui Giungere Or La Vedrem.../Ecco Il Tuo Sposo - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two - Finale II. Sestetto Con Coro: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento?/Chi Raffrena Il Mio Furore? - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two - Finale II, No.10. Seguito E Stretta Del Finale II: T'Allontana, Sciagurato - Maledetto Sia I'Istante - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two, No.11. Uragano, Scena E Duetto: Orrida E Questa Notte - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two, No.11 Urgano, Scena E Duetto: Ashton! - Si/Qui Del Padre Ancor Respira - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two, No.12. Coro: D'Immenso Giubilo - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Part Two: Act Two, No.13. Gran Scena Con Cori: Deh, Cessate Quel Contento - Justino Diaz
Part Two: Act Two, No.14. Scena Ed Aria: O Giusto Cielo! - Il Dolce Suono - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Part Two: Act Two, No.14. Scena Ed Aria: Ardon Gli Incensi - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Part Two: Act Two, No.14. Scena Ed Aria: S'Avanza Enrico! - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two, No.14. Scena Ed Aria: Spargi D'Amaro Pianto - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two, Scena - Recitativo: Si Tragga Altrove - Piero Cappuccilli
Part Two: Act Two, No.15. Aria E Finale: Tombe Degli Avi Miei - Carlo Bergonzi
Part Two: Act Two, No.15. Aria E Finale: Fra Poco A Me Ricovero - Carlo Bergonzi
Part Two: Act Two, No.15. Aria E Finale: Oh Meschina!/Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'Ali - Ambrosian Opera Chorus

Amazon.com

This Lucia was recorded in 1970, when Beverly Sills was at the peak of her vocal and dramatic powers. She had been singing the role of Lucia on stage for six years, and she knew the character. Here is a manic-depressive who is slightly crazy from the start, and Sills's embellishments to the vocal line (and there are tons of them; hardly a line is left as written), mostly composed especially for her, are always at the service of the drama. She is a far cry from the chirpy Pons and Peters (and even Sutherland, whose just-plain-singing of the role is unmatchable, but who was never all that interested in building character) and comes closer to Callas, but without the great Greek soprano's huge palette of colors or, for that matter, vocal limitations. Sills is gloriously fluent in the coloratura, the high notes are impeccable, and her reading of the words is truly involved and involving. Carlo Bergonzi has everything as Edgardo, while Piero Cappuccilli's Enrico is snarling and cruel. Schippers leads a very tight, exciting, complete performance, and for the first (and only) time on CD, the glass harmonica Donizetti asked for is used in the Mad Scene. This is a must for lovers of great singing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Sweet.......2007-06-30

The opening chords and strains, the sextet and the mad scene. These of course are what I love about Lucia, though all of it is beautiful. I've had this recording for months and just listened to it today. I doubt I'll listen to it again. I have lots of Lucias, and no favorites. Though I especially like Sutherland's 1959 recording of the mad scene, it's beautiful, and her trills hadn't got muddy yet. I'm only going to comment on the mad scene in this recording. It sounds more like a lullaby than the ravings of someone who'd just murdered her husband. I was surprised, because I'd read (apocryphal) that Sills had said she'd pound tables and sing off key to get the drama out. I prefer bel canto coloratura to table pounding, I don't care about the drama. At all. Still, that said, I was both stunned and disappointed in Sills' mad scene. It was, well, flaccid. (I love Sills, am listening to the 1st disc of Sillsiana right now, and I have the Pons recording and do not think she chirped!)

A Desert Island Disc.......2007-06-11

Like many other reviewers here, I am a serious bel canto fan. And like many of them, I have heard many Lucias live and have several recordings of the great Lucias: Callas, Sutherland, and Sills. This opera is, in my view, along with Norma, fundamental to understanding bel canto properly as a style in which virtuosity is the servant of drama. Not just empty display by prima donnas.

I have known and loved this opera since I was a teenager and to me, Sills is simply the best Lucia I have heard. I recall as a college student going to the listening library on many Friday afternoons and listening to this recording on LP over headphones until well into the evening, as it was not released on CD until a decade later. I was simply entranced.

Sills really is Lucia, the perfect realization of the "Ophelia" type so beloved by the Romantic imagination: a delicate, sensitive, emotional girl driven mad by cruelty and betrayal and crushed by events outside her control. Her tone is delicate, yet clear, and she sounds girlish (which Callas, for all her considerable art, could not quite convey). The high notes are firm and a bit bright, but never shrill or wobbly. The words absolutely clear, even in the hushed tones Sills uses so devastatingly. Her ornamentations express joy, terror, or agitation, perfectly evoking those heightened emotions. Her mad scene is really spooky. Again, only she and Callas sound like they are wandering about in a trance, living a demented fantasy. Along with Callas' Norma, in my view, it is the greatest bel canto performance on record. Sills, like Callas as Norma, really makes you think she IS Lucia.

What more can you ask for? Well, you get a perfectly stylish Edgardo in Bergonzi (although I feel that Pavarotti is unbeatably ardent, passionate, and even sexy in the role) and as so many have noted, a conductor who loves the opera and conducts like he does, excellent stereo sound, and a complete edition of the score. And how about that wonderfully spooky glass harmonica in the mad scene!

This recording needs to be in the collection of every opera lover and above all is required listening for any fan of bel canto. Sills, through words and music, makes us "see" DONIZETTI'S Lucia (not Beverly Sills, Diva) and feel her plight. That is what great operatic artists do. Run to get this one!

Ne plus ultra.......2007-01-03

I have four "Lucia"s on my shelf, and this is the one I always listen to when I want to experience the full drama of this bel canto classic. (We can safely ignore the opinions of those tin-eared listeners who don't grasp the shattering drama delivered by bel canto at its best.) Granted I may be somewhat influenced by having seen and heard Sills in the opera house, but her superiority in all "departments" in conveying Donizetti's dramatic achievement is not bettered anywhere, not by Callas and certainly not by Sutherland, whatever the glories of her singing. Sills conveys Lucia's incipient madness with the first notes she utters and her performance traces an uninterrupted arc from the fountain scene until she's led away after the Mad Scene. And she's fully seconded by everyone else who takes part, especially Bergonzi and -- best of all conductors in this score -- Thomas Schippers. If you want to know why bel canto opera has such a large body of fans, immerse yourself in in this recording as soon as possible.

One of the great Lucias.......2004-12-03

Many people, me included, have often wondered at the supreme ugliness of, even in her "prime", Maria Callas' voice. Of course, the rejoinder always has been "But did you see her in the house?"

Obviously, since she blew herself out at a comparatively early age, the answer is "no".

Now, we have a whole new group of nay-sayers telling us the Sills voice is too small, too thin, too ugly, too whatever. To those, I would simply say "But did you see her in the house?". Fair is fair.

I saw Ms. Sills many times in the house throughout her lengthy career. She did not possess a "perfect" voice. Who does?

But, during her greatest years, of which this recording is one of several examples, she possessed a beautiful and remarkably expressive lyric coloratura instrument. While a shade "lighter" than some, she had the almost uncanny ability of always being heard, even in the heaviest ensembles and over the loudest orchestras (which happened often when Julius Rudel was at the helm). Her voice seemed to bounce around the house. When you saw her in person.

Lucia was one of her most remarkable achievements. Anyone who ever saw her in the house knows of what I speak. Those who did not see her in the house should remain silent in their envy.

Now, make no mistake. I adored Sutherland. I would be completely unable to chose between the two, so different were their approaches to their art.

Of course, Sills' tireless efforts to popularize opera and bring a new audience to the opera house are well known.

Thank God I was around to see them both in the house. Many times.

And as for Anna Moffo. Well, she was a beautiful woman with a beautiful voice. For a while.

Enough said.

Crazy reviewers.......2004-11-30

Sills is a great Lucia. For those who say her voice is too small for the role, especially compared to Sutherland and Callas, I say it is the right size for this role. Lucia, after all, was written for Fanny Persiani, who was a soprano with a light coloratura voice. Also, for those who say Sills' coloratura pales in comparison with Sutherland's, I say hogwash. Sills' coloratura is superb. She does smudge some staccati, but only does so for dramatic effect. Her trills and runs are breathtaking.

This role is NOT merely a display of stratospheric high notes and complicated coloratura. It is also a greatly dramatic role which must be ACTED with the voice. In this regard, Sills succeeds with flying colors. Her solo scenes are magnificent, just listen to her Mad Scene (her singing here reaches the highest pinnacle of vocal acting). Her work with her colleagues is also superb.

The rest of the cast is made up of great singers, especially Carlo Bergonzi as an elegant and passionately restrained, but still affecting Edgardo. One must hear his double-aria finale to realize his greatness. He sings with beautiful tone and magnificent phrasing and diction. He is truly in a class of his own.

The conducting of Thomas Schippers is great. He propels the action forward and gives every passage its dramatic due. His pacing of the three duets that follow "Regnava nel silenzio" is very exciting and makes for thrilling listening.

In short, this recording is truly one of the best on the market.

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin

Average customer rating:

Callas, di Stefano and Gobbi. Lucia di Lammermoor.
An actress, and a woman sings
Best Studio Recording
Lovely recording
Not THAT much shorter, the traditional cuts

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00064N8S6
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

Preludio
Percorrete Le Spiagge Vicine
Tu Sei Turbato!...E N'ho Ben Donde
Cruda, Funesta Smania
Il Tuo Dubbio E Omai Certezza
La Pietade In Suo Favore
Maestoso
Ancor Non Giunse!
Regnava Nel Silenzio
Quando Rapito In Estasi
Egli S'Avanza
Sulla Tomba Che Rinserra
Qui Di Sposa Eterna Fede
Ah, Talor Del Tuo Pensiero
Veranno E Te Sull'Aure

Tracks:

Moderato/Lucia Fra Poco A Te Verra
Appressati, Lucia
Il Pallor Fuesto, Orrendo...A Ragion Mi Fe' Spietato
Nobil Sposo...Cessa, Cessa!
Soffriva Nel Pianto
Che Fia?...Suonar Di Giubilo
Se Tradirmi Tu Potrai
Per Te D'Immenso Giubilo...Per Poco Fra Le Tenebre
Dov'E Lucia?...Qui Giungere Or La Vedrem
Ecco Il Tuo Sposo
Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento
T'Allontana, Sciagurato...Rispettate In Me Di Dio
Sconsigliato! In Queste Porte Chi Ti Guida?
Esci, Fuggi, Il Furor Chem M'Accende
D'Immenso Giubilo
Ah!...Deh, Cessate Que! Contento!...Dalle Stanze Ove Lucia
Oh! Qual Funesto Avvenimento!
Oh Giusto Cielo!...Il Dolce Suono
Ohime! Sorge Il Tremendo
Ardon Gli Incensi; Splendon Le Sacre Faci
Spargi D'Amaro Pianto
Maestoso...Tombe Degli Avi Miei
Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
O, Meschina! O, Fato Orrendo!
Dove Corri, Sventurato?
Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti I'Ali
Che Facesti?

Customer Reviews:

Callas, di Stefano and Gobbi. Lucia di Lammermoor........2007-06-08

Beautiful recording, fabulous voices, Callas was at her very best in this period

An actress, and a woman sings .......2007-01-10

Befoe Maria came onto the scene in 1952, I actually believed that only the "whistling teakettle" type of voice could sing this type of work. When I actually heard a woman's voice, I was transformed from that day.

Best Studio Recording.......2006-11-01

Without a doubt this is the best studio recording of the opera hands down. Callas, Di Stefano and Gobbi are in fine form and Serafin keeps things going at a good pace. The best RECORDING of the opera is of course the 1955 Berlin performance with Karajan conducting. The sound is quite good as Callas bootlegs go and everybody is ON FIRE. One of those magical moments that thankfully somebody taped. If you MUST have your stereo, go with the first Sutherland recording or the Gruberova/Kraus/Rescigno.

Lovely recording.......2005-03-30

I'm a huge bel canto fan and Lucia is one of my top 3 operas. (The others are NORMA and ANNA BOLENA) There is no other Lucia like Callas. Nobody embodies the melancholy, the tragic, fragile beauty and the torment of this doomed heroine more than she. And her coloratura and E-flats glitter and sparkle but never sound senseless or bland. Her partners (di Stefano, Gobbi) are in pristine form and Serafin conducts bel canto with unmatched perfection. This is THE Lucia to buy! A steal, grab it while you can!

Not THAT much shorter, the traditional cuts.......2005-03-17

One can say whatever one likes but IMHO that short review below doesn't do justice to the brilliance of this recording which is not 30 minutes shorter than the Sutherland-recording from 1971. The traditional cuts don't harm the score (The only addition I'd like to see would be the tower-scene), on the contrary, they focus the drama and don't prolong it unnecessarily. The three leads are in brilliant form, the conductor is unmatched. Brava! Brava! Bravissima!

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera) EMI's Great Recordings of the Century with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Tullio Serafin

Average customer rating:

An Achievement for Donizetti and Callas!
Lucia di Lammermoor - One of Callas' finest hours

Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera) EMI's Great Recordings of the Century with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Tullio Serafin

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0001O3YB2
Release Date: 2004-04-06

Tracks:

Preludio
Percorrete Le Spiagge Vicine
Tu Sei Turbato!...E N'ho Ben Donde
Cruda, Funesta Smania
Il Tuo Dubbio E Omai Certezza
La Pietade In Suo Favore
Maestoso
Ancor Non Giunse?
Regnava Nel Silenzio
Quando Rapito In Estasi
Egil S'avanza
Sulla Tomba Che Rinserra
Qui Di Sposa Eterna Fede
Ah, Talor Del Tuo Pensiero
Verranno A Te Sull'aure

Tracks:

Moderato.../Lucia Fra Poco A Te Verra
Appressati, Lucia
Il Pallor Funesto, Orrendo...A Ragion Mi Fe' Spietato
Nobil Sposo...Cessa, Cessa!
Soffriva Nel Pianto
Che Fia?...Suonar Di Giubilo
Se Tradirmi Tu Potrai
Per Te D'immenso Giubilo...Per Poco Or La Vedrem
Dov'e Lucia?...Qui Giungere Or La Vedrem
Ecco Il Tuo Sposo
Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento
T'allontana, Sciagurato...Rispettate In Me Di Dio
Sconsigliato! In Queste Porte Chi Ti Guida?
Esci, Fuggi, Il Che M'accende
D'immenso Giubilo
Ah!...Deh, Cessate Quel Contento!...Dalle Stanze Ove Lucia
Oh! Qual Funesto Avvenimento!
Oh Giusto Cielo!...Il Dolce Suono
Ohime! Sorge Il Tremendo
Ardon Gli Incensi; Splendon Le Sacre Faci
Spargi D'amaro Pianto
Maestoso.../Tombe Degli Avi Miei
Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
Oh, Meschina! Oh, Fato Orrendo!
Dove Corri, Sventurato?
Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali
Che Facesti?

Customer Reviews:

An Achievement for Donizetti and Callas!.......2005-01-09

From the conductors to the principal singers to the chorus, this recording of Lucia is without a doubt the must-have of all Lucias both for the reason of musicality, good taste, good music, and great singers. Donizetti himself could never have seen a better cast arranged for his tragic opera! To have an enormous voice (and please understand that this enormous voice is capable of handling coloratura passages just like any light coloratura could) sing Lucia is a phenomenon, and to have the likes of a great tragic artist such as Maria Callas singing a part which has been the playground of most coloratura lights is simply mind-blowing! Her keen sense of drama is evident in this Lucia, as she performs the madscene with a certain kind of drama never seen in any performance of Lucia before and after her career. Not even the fabled Dame Joan performances could match up with the beauty and the drama of this Lucia di Lammermoor. Lacking a good sense of drama and tragedy, Dame Joan only comes close the the accuracy of the score with her embellishments. Callas had so much more to offer to the role. The madness, the tragedy, all of it is so heartfelt in her singing. Of course, Lucia isn't simply a soprano's opera. Let us not forget the tenor who plays the part of Edgardo, who, if it were not for the high demand of a great many jealous sopranos in the past, would have shone as the star in this opera. Giuseppe di Stefano, a tenor with a great voice with an equally great dramatic capability, brought the part a human side which could not be heart from Pavarotti's belching. And Tito Gobbi, who else could have matched such a great baritone? No one!!! He was the ultimatum of the dramatic villain. Of course, we must not forget the efforts of the great Tullio Serafin, the most talented of all the known bel canto conductors during the age of recording technology. I recomment this recording to anyone who wants to hear a TRUE Lucia sung with a passion.

Lucia di Lammermoor - One of Callas' finest hours.......2004-05-17

Lucia di Lammermoor is a complex role that has been portrayed by a varity of voice-types. Canaries like Pons, Carosio, Dessay, Jo and others, dramatic sopranos d'agilita like Callas and young Sutherland and today L'ubica Vargicova, lyric coloraturas like Sills, Scotto and Kohutkova and even spintos like Caballe and Rost who sang it come scritto, lower and without the ornamentations later added. All of these have their merits, it is my opinion though that a dramatic soprano d'agilita can do it justice incredibly. I find the role to be too demanding for canaries because it demands a rich middle and dark colours also. Passionate lyric coloraturas like Sills sound fabulous as Lucia as well because of their feminity, innocence and sweetness. Maria Callas, who was singing Tosca, Gioconda, Lady Macbeth and Norma at the time added Lucia to her repertoire in 1952, singing it in Mexico City after having sung a part of the madscene in a concert ealier. (A recording exists) The enthralled audience adored her so much and wouldn't stop hailing their divine one until the entire madscene had to be repeated, a feat no other Lucia achieved before or after. What kind of a Lucia is Callas? Well, a very unique one as one might expect of La Divina. Listening to "Regnava nel silenzio" you'll hear not only maiden-like beauty but an alarming, fearful colour of angst and beginning madness. It's only hinted, not overdone. But knowing Lucia's fate it's very moving. The coloratura in the cabaletta "Quanto rapito in estasi" presents us with another voice. Where Callas had sounded dark, melancholic and deep in the aria here she was glowing, shining and glittering but never chirping. Her top-registers was as steady as her rich middle then and the high note ending the cabaletta is lush, steady and beautiful. In the love-duet with honey-voiced di Stefano as Edgardo the angst returns, mixed with her pure and passionate love for Edgardo. The unisono of these two stunning voices has not been equalled since, it was a legendary partnership. In the duet with her brother Enrico Lucia's voice has grown darker, more afraid and closer to the madness soon to follow, climaxed in the tormented outcry "La tomba, la tomba m'aspetta!" (The tomb, the tomb is awaiting me!). The stretta of the duet, Enrico's harshness and Lucia's breakdown as she begs God to let her die culminates in a fabulous note in alto.
The wedding-scene has a feel of doom I haven't heard again before or after. Callas' voice is almost white with pain and fear and when Edgardo comes she breaks down, knowing now that her brother has betrayed her. Being spurned by a grief-stricken Edgardo we hear (!) Lucia breaking into a million pieces --> Going mad. The madscene itself, with the glorious "play" (Who calls it that?) with the flute is so hauntingly beautiful and touching. Mistaking the flute for her lover's voice Lucia, who has just murdered her husband, deliriously sings of the joy awaiting her and Edgardo. One cannot help but weep for her, this pure, loving soul that was crushed by ambition and hatred of others. The fireworks, high notes, cadenzas and coloratura of the cabaletta climaxes in a huge, glorious E-flat. A fabulous recording of bel canto, not only beautiful or pretty but haunting and moving.
Di Stefano sings a passionate, ultimate Edgardo and Panerei sounds idiomatic, dramatic and properly enraged as Enrico. Serafin shows all other maestri how bel canto MUST BE conducted. True there are some cuts but nothing that I personally miss a lot. In short: It's the best studio-recording of Lucia ever.

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Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54)
Liszt at the Opera II
Liszt Transcriptions of Berlioz, Chopin, Saint-Saëns
Liszt at the Opera, Vol 4
Liszt at the Opera III

ASIN: B000002ZMJ
Release Date: 1993-11-16

Tracks:

Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Ouverture aus der oper der Freischutz
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Reminiscences de Don Juan
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Aida di Verdi - Danza Sacra e Duetto Finale
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Polonaise aus Tschaikowskys oper Jewgeny Onegin
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Tscherkessenmarsch aus Russlan und Ludmilla
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Sarabande und Chaconne aus dem Singspiel Almira
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Benediction et Sermont- Deux motifs de Benvenuto Cellini
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Valse de L'Opera Faust

Tracks:

Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Isoldens Liebestod - Schluss-szenn aus Tristan und Isolde
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Remeniscences de Lucia di Lamermoor
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Marche Funebre et Cavatine de Lucia de Lamermoor
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Halloh! - Jagdchor und Steyrer aus der oper Tony
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Illustrations de L'Opera L'Africaine
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: part 2
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Three Pieces on Themes by Auber (1)
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: 2
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: 3
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: 4
Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases And Transcriptions: Reminiscences de Norma

Customer Reviews:

One of the best Liszt CD's you can own.......2006-08-19

I echo what the reviewer below me says and repeat, "Where ARE the rave reviews" for this? This is probably one of the greatest Liszt CD's you can have. The virtuosic performance and wonderful interpretations from Leslie Howard are worth the price alone, but the music... god this music is incredible. Liszt's genius and proficiency in composition must be admired when you hear what he does with simple melodies or themes from operas. The originality and beautifully crafted paraphrases, not to mention the meticulous transcriptions, are simply breathtaking.

Liszt takes us through dramatic storms, rousing waltzes, terrifying marches, lamenting hymns, romantic songs, and brooding worlds of music. The unique melodies that Liszt augments with the piano has to be heard. These pieces just as great and musically complex as his other piano works. Why aren't more pianists reviving these fantasies on the concert stage?

Where to start here... I have to comment on each work because there is not one piece here that should be overlooked! Each work here is exceptionally amazing and masterful. The transcription of the "Der Freischutz" overture is dramatic, powerful and memorable. "Reminiscences of Don Juan" speaks for itself, but as for the interpretation by Howard, I'm afraid it's not the best. I much prefer Bolet's. Verdi's "Aida" paraphrase is remarkably beautiful and potent in its melodies. The transcription of Tchaikovsky's "Polonaise from Eugene Onegin," is cheerful and brilliant. The march from Glinka's "Russlan and Ludmilla" is a perfect menacing concoction on the piano through Liszt's fingers with a devilishly awesome theme.

Most of all, the paraphrase of Handel's "Sarabande and Chaconne" is the most beautiful original piano work I've heard in years. That sad and mournful theme that Liszt plays with endless variations can move you to tears. Liszt picked one theme from a Handel opera and turned it into something as profound and moving as a Beethoven adagio and even more heart-felt than a Chopin nocturne. The transcription of Berlioz' "Benvenuto Cellini" is glorious and enticing; a testament to Liszt's transcribing abilities. And then Howard encores the listener on this first CD one last time with that catchy melody from the waltz in "Gounod's Faust." It's like any Mephisto Waltz Liszt ever composed and thrills the ear with its impish tempo and embellished Romantic sound.

On the second CD, the music only gets better! Howard gives one of the best executions of the Love-Death scene of "Tristan and Isolde." Those tender Wagner melodies on the piano which rise into a crescendo sound otherwordly on the piano and through Liszt's transcription. The wall of sound that builds, followed by the climax of crashes and wails on the piano sends chills up the spine. Howard plays it with such passion and touch. This is probably the only evidence one needs to realize Liszt was a genius with the piano.

The "Reminiscences of Lucia de Lammermoor" is another example of Liszt's prolific ability to make the piano speak and sing. More significantly, Liszt summons such darkness and tension in the marche funebre part; you're hearing a phenomenal piano composition here. Ernst's "Tony" is another stunning transcription by Liszt; the dynamics and craft of this transcription makes for an excellent piano piece. One of the greatest pieces on here though must go to the Paraphrases on Meyerbeer's "L'Africaine." The first one, especially, is beyond anything I've heard on the piano. Those first tragic chords from hell make way for a gentle melody of heaven. The entire piece rises and falls into a sea of heroic and virtuosic music; it simply speaks for itself of how good it is. The second paraphrase is original and uplifting, and of a whole different emotion than the previous one. By now, after you hear all of these fantasies and transcriptions you begin to realize how much the piano was like a bodily organ to Liszt; just as we can speak with our tongue in many gradations and accents, so can Liszt demonstrate any emotion, any subtle feeling or idea onto the piano.

Lastly, the Three pieces on Themes by Auber are not that noteworthy, but have their elegant and beautiful moments. The last piece on the second CD, the Reminiscences of Norma is another masterpiece beside the Reminiscences of Don Juan. However, I again prefer Bolet's more impassioned and thoughtful performance; Howard is ok, but not the best at exposing the magnificence and spirituality of this piece.

Bottom line: Any Liszt lover who has not heard these or does not own this must get it now! This is some of the best music of Liszt and it astounds me that this music has almost been dormant until Howard's discovery. It is superior music that proves Liszt was the most musical and original composer of his time. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Where Are The Rave Reviews ? This is Incredible.......2005-04-28

This is a treat for opera fans and fans of classical piano. Franz Liszt loved the opera- a medium which is at heart musical and he felt inspired to transcribe operatic music for piano, probably out of his personal passion for opera and as a way for the middle-class folk of Europe who could play piano (and men and women did those days) to entertain in their homes. This is a vast collection of his best opera-to-piano transcriptions. The pianist last name Howard is a virtuoso, too bad he is'nt that well-known. He is playing piano music which is really quite difficult to execute. Liszt made the piano into an orchestra in itself and composed symphonic transcriptions of Beethoven and Berlioz. This is a rare and miraculous recording album and I feel that every fan of classical music and opera ought to own it.

The excerpts here, with some variations by Liszt's part, include Mozart's Don Giovanni, Verdi's Aida (the Finale) Webber's Die Freeschutz, Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin- the Polonaise, Wagner's Tristan and Isolde, Isolde's Liebestod, Berlioz' Benvenuto Cellini, music of Auber, Gounod's Faust (the Waltz) and Bellini's Norma among others. This is worth the price. The music is clear, crisp, beautiful and transcendent. Do not miss your chance of owning this glorious music, which if you are musically inclined, you can play on your own home. Opera on piano is great recital music.

Wonderful operatic transcriptions.......1999-09-17

Liszt at the opera--would he never left. Don Juan is a stand-out, as is the Weber, and the Tchaikovsky, and the...

Average customer rating:

Mesmerizing set. La Divina's gift to the world.
Breathtaking!
Callas is Still Opera's Queen
Grand
The divine Callas

Callas: La Divina [Limited Edition]

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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Maria Callas - Life and Art
Maria Callas Live
The Very Best Of Maria Callas

ASIN: B000002S6V
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

Madama Butterfly, Un Bel Di Vedremo
Carmen, Lamour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera)
La Wally, Ebben Ne Andro Lontana
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia, Una Voce Poco Fa
Norma, Casta Diva
Samson Et Dalila, Mon Coeur Souvre A Ta Voix
Rigoletto, Caro Nome
Verdi La Traviata, Sempre Libera
Romeo Et Juliette, Je Veux Vivre Dans Ce Reve
Puccini: La Boheme
Don Giovanni
Cavalleria Rusticana
La Gioconda
Puccini: Gianna Schicchi
Puccini: Turandot
Puccini: Tosca

Tracks:

Divinites Du Styx
Les Tringles Des Sistres Tintaient
Surta E La Notte
In Quelle Trine Morbido
Ritorna Vincitor
Jai Perdu Mon Eurydice
Bolero: Merce Dilette Amiche
Depuis Le Jour
Donde Lieta Usci
Ah, Pour Ce Soir
Teneste La Promessa
O Don Fatale
Printemps Qui Commence
Compagne Teneri Appena
Ecco: Respiro Appena
Spargi Damaro Pianto

Tracks:

La Mamma Morta - Andrea Chenier
O Nume Tutelar - La Vestale
Je Ne Suis Que Faiblesse - Manon
Oh, Sara La Piu Bella....Tu, Tu Amore? - Giuseppe Di Stefano (Tenor)
Pres Des Remparts De Seville (Seguedille) Acte I - Carmen
Dunque Io Son Atto - Barbiere Di Siviglia
Dov' E L'indiana Bruna? - Lakme
Qui Radames Verra!...O Patria Mia - Aida
O Soave Fanciulla - La Boheme
Signore, Ascolta! - Turandor
Qual Fiamma Avea Nel Guardo...Hui! - Pagliacci
D'amor Sull' Ali Rosee - Trovatore
Vagliatemi Bene, Un Bene Piccolino - Madama Beutterfly
Ombra Leggiera - Dinorah

Tracks:

Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview
Interview

Amazon.com

In case there was a moment in your life when your suspected that Maria Callas was not a driving force in opera in the last half of this century, pick up this set. Apparently unable to give a dull performance, here we get Callas in La Divina as Rossini's flirty Rosina; Verdi's emotion-torn Aida; Catalani's unbelievably sad Wally (a classic performance, by which all others are measured); Bellini's Norma (ditto); Puccini's lovely, youthful Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi; the same composer's frigid, furious Turandot as well as his confused, desparate Manon Lescaut; Verdi's Loenoras--each noble; Meyerbeer's ditzy Dinorah and Delibes's loco Lakme (in some fabulous, high-flying coloratura singing); and at least a dozen more roles. While it's true that her control over her voice varies--the French coloratura arias, from Gounod and Thomas operas, can be pretty acidic--there's never an uninterested reading, never a once-over read-through. You'll get to know the characters as well as their music by hearing Callas as each heroine--indeed, this collection is like a who's who in opera. No music lover should be without it. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Mesmerizing set. La Divina's gift to the world........2006-07-30

I have listened to this 4-cd set numerous times and each occasion yields an abundant harvest. Maria Callas, one of my favorites, thrills, exalts, and saddens the listener to no end. You don't have to be a classical music fan to enjoy and be moved by this music. I cannot find words to substantially explain the beauty and meaning of this set.

Thank you La Divina.

Breathtaking!.......2006-06-11

I am no expert, I just love music. I bought this set in order to get an overview of what Callas offers, boy did I get more than I bargained for. There are many wonderful sopranos, I won't say this one or that one is better... its like good wine, what you choose to drink depends on your mood. Sutherland is purity, Bartoli is sheer joy, Callas is darkness. For me she is the Schubert of the voice and she can make me weep, that is her power, pure and simple.

Callas is Still Opera's Queen.......2005-01-25

With the apparent genius embedded in Callas' singing, it is no wonder that decades after her death, her voice will still echo within the chambers of our living rooms. Her great sense of the bel canto style, combined with the empassioned soul she juxtaposed into her performances, along with her amazing control over the three hundred (acclaimed conductor Nicola Rescigno said this) voices she had, are undeniably the reason why such a controversial singer survived the passing of time with a legion of fans still eager to submit to her amazing and passionate singing. She had the ability to chop a singular, monotonic-sounding instrument to convert it into a million shades of human emotion--something that no great singer was able to do today. She was the divine goddess of opera, able to command any listener to watch and listen to her declaim her roles. It was because of this that she was called "La Divina", and then many years later as "The Voice of the Century". But what defines a Voice of the Century, you might ask? It is the ability to live the life of a character all the while singing the lines, the melodies, the trills, and the embellishments required to bring a certain degree of drama into the role. Meaning there was no need for overornamentation, or such and so. Being the Voix du Secle didn't mean that you could sing coloratura roles so efficiently. If that were so, then Lily Pons would have been the Voice of the Century. Callas did so much more than that. She breathed life into opera, and turned it into the most illustrious and the most highly celebrated of all arts. No other singer can claim to have done that, no matter how amazing the range, how great the tonal quality whatsoever. Only Callas deserves such a title...and she truly was La Divina and The Voice of the Century.

I am also a big fan of Joan Sutherland. I just don't find it right for her to be tackling overly dramatic roles such as Norma, which her middle voices couldn't support. The middle voice is required for Bellini, you know. Joan Sutherland has a perfect vocal technique, but let me let you in on something divulged to me by an authority in music: Joan Sutherland never learned to read notes. She had a perfect sense of hearing, and it was Andre Previn and not Richard Bonynge who introduced the roles to her. Andre Previn would play a note on the piano, and she would just follow by singing. Surprising isn't it that the most celebrated coloratura of our age never learned to read notes? She has a great voice anyhow, but the only other thing that bothered me is that she didn't put her soul into singing. Although her voice remained in her throat until her 60's, the only reason that happened was because she didn't pour out her soul. Callas' technique, although one of the most attractive ever to have walked this planet (she could very well sing anything and be the character), was damaging to the vocal cords. Pouring your soul into the role has a tendency to scratch your instrument. Still, she was the Divine One, and she truly places first as my favorite soprano of all time.

Grand.......2004-05-21

Why won't this Callas-Hater leave Maria alone? If he hates her so much, why did he listen to all her recordings? I doubt that he did, bashing a perfect recording like Callas' Aida shows he hasn't heard it. Even Callas' enemies were floored by her Mexican performances. This collection is absolutely magnificent. La Divina will always be La Divina and no one comes close!

The divine Callas.......2004-05-08

An awesome collection of the most supreme voice in the world! Brava La Divina!!!!!

Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 1: 1921-25

Average customer rating:

gigli in his prime

Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 1: 1921-25

Manufacturer: Romophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 3: 1929-32
Beniamino Gigli: The Complete Victor Recordings, Vol. 2: 1926-28

ASIN: B000001S3Y
Release Date: 1996-01-01

Tracks:

Mefistofele: Dai Campi, Dai Prati
Tosca: Recondita Armonia
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle
Mefistofele: Giunto Sul Passo Estremo
La Gioconda: Cielo E Mar!
La Favorite: Spirto Gentil
Faust: Salve, Dimora Casta E Pura
Iris: Apri La Tua Finestra
Tu Sola
Santa Lucia Luntana
I Million D'Arlecchino: Notturno D'amore
Le Roi D'ys: Vainement, Ma Bien Aimee
I Pagliacci:Vesti La Giubba
Serenata
Andrea Chenier: Un Di All'azzurro Spazio
Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio
Tosca: O Dolci Mani
L'Africana: O Paradiso

Tracks:

Loreley: Nel Verde Maggio
Romeo Et Juliette: Ange Adorable
Romeo Et Juliet: Ah, Ne Fuis Pas Encore
Canto Del Cigno
Martha: M'appari
Paquita
Fumiculi, Funicula
Povero Pulcinella
Sentinella
Sto Penzanno 'A Maria
Come, Love With Me
Mandulinata A Napule
L'eliser D'Amore: Quanto E Bella
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tombe Degl'avi Miei
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tombe Degl'avi Miei
Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'aliLucia Di Lammermoor:
Good Bye, Marie
Quanno 'A Femmena Vo'
Maria, Mari

Customer Reviews:

gigli in his prime.......2001-04-21

Gigli went to US in 1920, having made some tonally beautiful but poorly acted acoustics for 'HMV'. Linking to his appearance at the Met, 'Victor' began a long association of recordings both acoustic & electric, and this album from Romophone is the 1st of 3 dealing with this period. Gigli's tone developed to its full during these recs, parallel with some intrusive bad vocal habits - nobody needs to use aspirates at all, and certainly not to the degree of Gigli. The mix on the album balances opera & song. He was one of the best interpreters of Neapolitan songs, having a more ringing style than Schipa and a more affectionate style than Corelli; perhaps di Stefano was a natural successor? On several tracks he has magnificent partners (e.g. Rethberg, Pinza). Some alternative takes are offered, which provide little extra knowledge about the singers, but make things complete. In summary: attractively toned, Italianate singing, if you can ignore his bad habits. The Obert-Thorn transfers are clear, but can sound oversharp with clinical-sounding hardware plus silver-based cabling.

Amelita Galli-Curci: Complete Acoustic Recordings, Vol. 2 (1920-24)

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Amelita Galli-Curci: Complete Acoustic Recordings, Vol. 2 (1920-24)

Manufacturer: Romophone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001S37
Release Date: 1995-11-01

Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 10

Average customer rating:

Caruso for a song.
Number Ten and Counting; And Simply the Best Caruso on CD

Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 10

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Caruso: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 12
Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 11
The Complete Recordings, Vol. 9
The Complete Recordings, Vol. 8
Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 6

ASIN: B0000BX5KY
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Album Description

When complete the Naxos Historical Caruso edition will constitute the complete cycle of all Caruso's recordings issued in chronological order, thus enabling the artistic development of this great artist to be followed in detail. In 1919, shortly after the period covered by this CD, Caruso was to celebrate his twenty-fifth year, yet in these recordings there is no sign of strain or wear on the voice at all, only the brilliant sounds that made Caruso world-famous and the first real operatic star of the gramophone.

Customer Reviews:

Caruso for a song........2004-03-15

In the liner notes provided with this CD, you will read that opera patrons during the years these recordings were made sometimes paid the equivalent of $1,000 to attend a Caruso performance. Modern marketing, Naxos, and restoration engineer Ward Marston allow us to hear 77 minutes of Caruso recordings for merely a fraction of this cost.

Doyen of reviewers J Scott Morrison has already given Volume 10 of the Naxos Complete Recordings of Enrico Caruso series a rave review, so I shall add only a few comments. Regarding track identification: the composer Faure to whom Track 1 is attributed is not Gabriel but the less well-known French composer J B Faure (1830-1914). The Tchaikovsky item in Track 4 is his Op 6, No 5. The starry quartet and sextet items (2 takes of each) are the ones to go for in the Caruso discography. They are (almost) debut recordings for his compatriot Amelita Galli-Curci, one of the few singers whose voice, like Caruso's, was wonderfully well caught by the acoustic recording process.

Number Ten and Counting; And Simply the Best Caruso on CD.......2003-11-08

Naxos, praise be, is issuing all of Caruso's known recordings in the order in which they were recorded. In this, the tenth of the series, we have reached the era which, for some of us, is the ne plus ultra as regards Caruso's depth of musicianship and richness of voice, 1916 to early 1917. Not long afterward his health began to ebb. But in this time period his tenor voice was at its most baritonal, his breath control inhuman, and his musicianship scrubbed of it earlier vulgarity. I know there are those who revel in the latter, but I'm not one of them. We also get several alternate takes that were not issued on 78 at the time of their recording--one of the opening of the Quartet from 'Rigoletto' that only goes to the point where the mezzo enters, another of the complete Lucia 'Sextet' with Amelita Calli-Curci, Giuseppe de Luca and Marcel Journet among others.

Of special interest here are the selections sung in French--with excellent diction, it must be said--Tchaikovsky's 'Pourquoi?,' and Lensky's aria from 'Eugène Onegin' (gorgeous!), as well as Godard's 'Chanson de Juin,' Saint-Saëns's 'Vois ma misère, hélas' from 'Samson et Dalila.' Best of all are the two arias from Bizet's 'Pearl Fishers': 'De mon amie, fleur endormie,' and especially an absolutely stunning 'Je crois entendre encore.'

Other highlights: the full Quartet from 'Rigoletto' with Galli-Curci, Flora Perini, and de Luca; 'M'appari' from Flotow's 'Martha' with a final B-flat that will knock your socks off (and SO much better than the version he recorded more than ten years earlier).

Fauré's 'Sancta Maria' sounds Italian, I must say. 'Santa Lucia' is just a tad hokey. But Caruso's own 'Tiempo antico' is delightful. Andrea Chenier's 'Come un bel di di maggio' is sung with delicacy, grace and ardor. There are a couple takes of a ditty ('L'alba separa dall luce l'ombra') by Tosti and another couple of popular songs by Castaldon and De Crescenzo.

Finally, two takes of an aria I'd never heard before from Anton Rubinstein's 'Nerone,' 'Ah! lumière du jour.' Caruso's trumpet-like high notes are really something here.

I've acquired all but two of the previous Caruso CDs on Naxos. I've also had earlier transfers of some of the material and I have to say that Naxos and their miracle man, Ward Marston, are doing an amazing job of presenting cleaned-up yet true-sounding transfers. Evviva!

TT=76:59

Tracks:

Tosca: Recondita Armonia
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai
I Millioni D'Arlecchino: Notturno D'amore
Serenata
Serenata
Torna, Amore
Stornelli Marini
Santa Lucia Luntana
Rondine Al Nido
La Forza Del Destino: Solemne In Quest'ora
La Boheme: O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni - Beniamino Gigli/Titta Ruffo
La Gioconda: Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior! - Beniamino Gigli/Titta Ruffo
Mefistofele: Dai Campi, Dai Prati
Addio A Napoli
Mefistofele: Giunto Sul Passo Estremo
La Boheme: O Mimi, tu Piu Non Torni
La Forza Del Destino: Solemne In Quest'ora
O Bei Nidi D'amore
I Pescatoridi Perle [Les Pecheurs De Perles]: Del Tempio Al Limitar [Au Fond Du Temple Saint] - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca

Tracks:

La Gioconda: Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior! - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca
La Giocondo: Enzo Grimaldo, Principe Di Santafior! - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tombe Degl'avi Miei
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Giusto Cielo, Rispondete - Beniamino Gigli/Ezio Pinza/Metropolitan Opr Chor
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tombe Degl'avi Miei
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Giusto Cielo, Rispondete - Beniamino Gigli/Ezio Pinza/Metropolitan Opr Chor
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Chi Mi Frena In Tal Momento? - Beniamino Gigli/Amelita Galli-Curci/Louise Homer/Angelo Bada/Giuseppe De Luca, Ezio Pinza
Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Beniamino Gigli/Amelita Galli-Curci/Louise Homer/Giuseppe De Luca
Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Beniamino Gigli/Amelita Galli-Curci/Louise Homer/Giuseppe De Luca
Cavalleria Rusticana: Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante 'Brindisi' - Beniamino Gigli/Metropolitan Opr Chor
La Traviata: De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Mignon: Ah, Non Credevi Tu [Elle Ne Croyait Pas]
Mignon: Addio, Mignon, Fa Core [Adieu, Mignon, Courage]
L'Africana [L'Africaine]: O Paradiso [O Paradis]
Voce'e Notte
Canta Pe' Me

Customer Reviews:

A must have!!.......2001-06-01

Beniamino Gigli was one of the finest Tenors of all time. That being said, this set offers some of the best work the great Tenor ever recorded. Real standout renditions here are all of the duets recorded with Baritone and friend Giuseppe De Luca, the two lovely arias from Mignon, O Paradiso (rivaled only by Bjoerling and Lanza), Lucia selections (pretty much the entire final scene of the last act), and the Neapolitan selections (such as Toselli's hauntingly beautiful "Rimpianto"). The duets with Ruffo are interesting, but without the subtlety and finesse the same selections with De Luca possess. All three of the Romophon sets of Gigli's Victor recordings are prizes indeed (the third volume being only 1 CD), but this is, in this reviewer's humble opinion, the best of the three. Treat yourself to some truly fine singing and purchase this set now, before it goes out of print.

MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!.......1998-09-22

A WONDERFUL COLLECTION BY WHOM I CONSIDER, THE GREATEST TENOR OF ALL TIME (EXCLUDING CARUSO). HEARING BOTH THE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED TAKES OF THE DE LUCA/GIGLI DUETS IS SIMPLY A PRIZE, AS WELL AS, THE PUBLISHED AND UNPUBLISHED TAKES OF TOSSELLI'S SERENADE (RIMPIANTO). A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE WHO APPRECIATES GREAT SINGING. GIGLI'S VOICE IS SIMPLY BREATHTAKING HERE. THIS IS GIGLI IN HIS GLORIOUS PRIME.

MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION!!!.......1998-09-22

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