Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This recording presents--almost--Berlioz's original thoughts on this very complicated opera (which went through more than a dozen versions, with additions and subtractions, in the composer's lifetime), although conductor John Nelson also adds an aria or two Berlioz later added, making it somewhat different from the version recorded by Philips under Sir Colin Davis a little over 30 years ago. If I had to choose one of these two superb performances, it would be this: the opera's odd rhythms are more strongly underlined by Nelson, the whole work seems more lively, and the comic moments are genuinely funny. And the singing is superb, with Patrizia Ciofi a simply great, light-toned Teresa, Gregory Kunde tackling the title role and singing as impressively as Gedda did for Davis, and Joyce di Donato singing Ascanio's music as well as you'll ever hear it. The darker-voiced roles are equally well taken, with Laurent Naouri's Balducci particularly vivid. The orchestral playing, choral singing, and ensemble work and sonics are first rate. This is a superb recording, presenting Berlioz's odd masterwork brilliantly. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Idomeneo: Recitativo ed Aria "Quando avran fine omai" - Mozart
Don Giovanni: Recitativo accompagnato e Rondo "Crudele!" - Mozart
Benvenuto Cellini: Cavatine "Entre l'amour et le devoir" - Berlioz
La Sonnambula: Recitativo e Cavatina "Care compagne, et voi, ternei amici" - Bellini
Manon: Air du Cours-la-Reine "Suis-je gentille ainsi?" - Massenet
Lucia di Lammermoor: Scena e Cavatina "Ancor non giunse!" - Donizet
Faust: Ricitatif "Les grands seigneurs ont seuls des airs..." - Gounod
Rusalka: "Mesicku na nebli hlubokem" - Dvorak
La Boheme: "Quando me'n vo' (Musette's Waltz)" - Puccini

Amazon.com

Here, a year after her sensational Metropolitan debut as Prokofiev's Natasha from War and Peace, comes the debut solo recital album of 30-something soprano Anna Netrebko. She hails from southern Russia, and her emergence from the life of a conservatory student has a touch of the Cinderella tale—the bit, that is, about being discovered by Gergiev mopping floors for the Kirov as a part-time job and making her way into the Kirov's ranks. Later she became a favorite at San Francisco Opera, trying on for size a swath of comic and dramatic roles. Opera Arias parades Netrebko's way through a spectrum of vocal styles and characters. This mesmerizing lyric soprano engages--at times thrillingly grips--the listener with an imagination far greater than the disc's title (couldn't someone have dreamt up a less ridiculously bland handle?), but most significantly leaves an impression that the enterprise here isn't merely about singing. Netrebko's Ilia and Donna Anna are flesh-and-blood characters in real situations, as Mozart wanted them to be. The results are a bit more uneven with her bel canto heroines, where the required balance between Netrebko's emotional identification, so obviously a forte, and the musical phrasing thereof is a delicate one. Her shading of Lucia's mood swings, vocal and emotional, isn't consistently compelling. On the other hand, Netrebko uncovers gemlike facets not just in Gounod's "Jewel Song" but particularly in her stunning, passionately realized and beautifully phrased Manon (even if her trills disappoint). A shame that samples of her Russian repertory are missing here, though Netrebko's "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's Rusalka concentrates and sets a mood with enviable mastery. Netrebko's musical intelligence and theatrical savvy seem destined to ensure her a magnificent career, so it's no surprise that many fans are already clamoring for more than the tease of an aria collection. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Bright Star.......2007-07-13

If you like opera, if you like the lyric soprano, if the vocal range of the colortura causes goose bumps to rise, Anna Netrebko is a must. Roberta Peters, Beverly Sills, Anna Moffo, Joan Southerland, Maria Callas, she takes a back seat to none of them,she sits he front seat with the best of them and guess what? She is beautiful too.

Anna Netrebko: Opera Arias.......2007-03-29

Her voice takes my breath away, I fell in love with her.
I highly reccomend it.

First DGG album--very promising.......2007-02-01

Anna Netrebko has rapidly become a first tier star in opera. This album, her first at DGG, illustrates why some rate her so highly; it also illustrates some of the questions that some have raised about her. All in all, though, a very nice CD.

A few selections illustrate:

Mozart, Idomeneo, "Quando avran fine omai." She displays a rich and clean voice. There is a very attractive quality to her voice manifest in this work.

Mozart, Don Giovanni, "Crudele? Ah no, mio bene!...Non mi dir." This is Donna Anna's poignant aria, given her circumstances. Netrebko displays rich tones. This is a well sung cut. "Non mi dir" shows off some agility in her voice.

Donizetti, Lucia di Lammermoor. "Ancor non giunse!. . .Regnava nel silenzio. . .Quando rapito in estasi" Something of a disappointment. Coloratura is not her forte (and see her "Sempre Libera" CD for further confirmation). She clearly shows off a rich and lush voice. I think that she displays some characterization here that is compelling. She hits high notes cleanly. But her ornamentation is indifferent, and she appears unable to trill. I know, some say that that is irrelevant. But compare Beverly Sills' version of this work, with almost too many trills extraordinarily well sung and her florid technique, and this version simply pales.

Bellini, La Sonnambula. "Care compagna. . .Come per me sereno." Again, Netrebko displays a rich voice. She displays an agile voice and the ability to hit the high notes. Her rendition of "come per sereno" is spirited.

Gounod, Faust. "The Jewel Song." Very smooth singing; animated singing. But the technique does not measure up to Anna Moffo's version--let alone Joan Sutherland's.

Puccini, La Boheme. "Musetta's Waltz." Yikes! What a version. Brava Netrebko. Her darker voice is very well suited to this. The characterization of Musetta seems on the mark. A wonderful cut.

All in all, this shows the promise of Netrebko. It also indicates where her strengths are and where she does not do so well (coloratura work). However, this is a very nice introduction to her work and her art.

Remarkable!.......2006-11-02

Perhaps her voice is not as candid as some other sopranos, but her rendition of the score and interpretative expression make her and exquisite hearing pleasure. This recording shows a more matured artist capable of capturing the role dynamics and emotions.

Yes, her voice is not as lyric as you might expect, and some roles may sound a little big heavy (sometimes maybe bordering verismo), but definitively at stated before hearing her is a gloriuos pleasure, almost as good as looking at her.

Beautiful voice, beautiful girl.......2005-11-22

When I heard Anna Netrebko singing Quando Men Vo I was stunned by a voice of stunning purity, great power and sheer beauty. The best Musetta I've heard! Her Song to the moon is stunning and I love her Bel Canto! Anna Netrebko has a very bright future ahead of her. Her Mozart is top class!

Berlioz: La Marseillaise - Love Scene from Roméo & Juliet - The Damnation of Faust, Three Excerpts, etc... / McNair, Leech, Zinman

Average customer rating:

La Marseillaise
All This Music Is Better Served Elsewhere
The production of a music genius
Wake up music
A middle of the pack offering--nothing magic, nothing tragic

Berlioz: La Marseillaise - Love Scene from Roméo & Juliet - The Damnation of Faust, Three Excerpts, etc... / McNair, Leech, Zinman
Hector Berlioz , Baltimore Symphony Orchestra & Chorus , Sylvia McNair , Richard Leech , and David Zinman
Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Berlioz: Roméo et Juliette; Le Troyens à Carthage
Brahms, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos [Hybrid SACD]
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade; Stravinsky: Song of the Nightingale [Hybrid SACD]
The Good Shepherd (Widescreen Edition)
Syriana (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B000003CUS
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Benvenuto Cellini: Overture
Love Scene
Minuet Of The Will-O'-The-Wisps
Dance Of The Sylphs
Rakoczy March
Le Corsaire Overture
Les Troyens: Trojan March
Royal Hunt & Storm
La Marseillaise

Customer Reviews:

La Marseillaise.......2007-07-17

This is a rather boring performance of the Berlioz version of La Marseillaise with poor recording quality. I ended up giving this CD to GoodWill. For the Hector Berlioz version of La Marseillaise, I would recommend the performance by the Chicago Symphony under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. If you are looking for a rousing performance of La Marseillaise (not the Berlioz version), look for the performance by Mireille Mathieu, which you can find on the web.

All This Music Is Better Served Elsewhere.......2006-05-04

On paper at least, this seems like an attractive sampler. And it is, as far as the music is concerned. These bits and pieces are some of the most inspired music from Berlioz's long masterworks for voices and orchestra such as Damnation de Faust, Romeo et Juliette, Les Troyens, and Benvenuto Cellini. In sterling performances, they're really enlivening music. Here, for a variety of reasons, they don't make the impact they usually do. First of all, Zinman, whom I usually admire, doesn't seem to warm up to the music. Maybe it's not his cup of tea--more of a Beethoven-and-contemporary music man, based on the stuff I've heard that he does really well. Also, as recorded here, the Baltimore Symphony doesn't seem to have the heft for Berlioz's dazzling orchestral display. Next to, say, the Montreal Symphony, which has done a lot of this music very successfully on disc, the Baltimore is lacking.

Then, as I suggest, a large part of the problem is the recording. Telarc's legendary recording technique don't seem to translate well to the Meyerhoff Hall, at least not in this recording; there's even some distortion in thickly scored passages. Argo/Decca got the measure of the hall better in their later and far more successful recordings from Baltimore.

So I say, shop around. You'll do far better with Dutoit, Davis, Nagano, Plasson, Nelson, et al.

The production of a music genius.......2005-08-06

Really really terrific!
I prefer to do not say more... terrific!

Wake up music.......2001-03-18

This is a good CD but not a great one. Mr. Zinman gives a decent rendition of some of the French "classics" and the Baltimore symphony is up to the task. In the defense of Mr. Zinman one must recognize that there is probably no real good way to play Berlioz. But the real value of this CD is to introduce one to Berlioz who still today does not rate as high as one would like; not to mention its status of "only one opus composer" that the Symphonie Fantastique seems to give him sometimes. The inclusion of Berlioz transcription of the Marseillaise is a curious touch. Berlioz tried to dignify what was after all a soldiers motivational anthem to go and kill into a more respectable piece suitable for a serious country. Nice try. However it is still an interesting and hyperactive piece and if we must listen to it on occasion we might as well do it here. In sum, here we have a nice mix that can be played as background music when we need to be energized.

A middle of the pack offering--nothing magic, nothing tragic.......2001-02-17

If you've heard Toscanini's snappy Rakozcy March, then the lumbering version on this disc will just leave you frustrated. The Marseillaise here is pretty turgid, too. Not much else leaves even that much of a lasting impression. Okay if you can get it budget-priced.

Average customer rating:

I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets
A superb set, well worth the price!
all the overtures *NOT*
A wonderful collection of Berlioz

Berlioz: Complete Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
Strauss: Orchestral Works
Bruckner: The Complete Symphonies
Grieg: Complete Music with Orchestra
Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works

ASIN: B0000041MZ
Release Date: 1997-09-16

Tracks:

Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 1. Rries, Passions (Largo - Allegro agitato ed appassinonato assai)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 2. Un bal (Valse: Allegro non troppo)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 3. Sc aux champs (Adagio)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 4. Marche au supplice (Allegretto non troppo)
Symphony Fantastique, Op. 14: 5. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat (Larghetto - Allegro- Ronde du Sabbat: Poco menu mosso)
Tristia, Op 18 (excerpts): 3. Marche fune pour la derni sc d'Hamlet (Allegretto moderato)
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24 (excerpts): Menuet des follets
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24 (excerpts): Marche hongroise

Tracks:

Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 1. Le peur (Goethe, Duboys)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 2. Choeur d'ombres (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 3. Chanson de brigands (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 4. Chant de bonheur (Berlioz)
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 5. La harpe ienne - Souvenirs
Lo ou Le retour a vie, Op. 14b: 6. Fantasie sur la Temp de Shakespeare (Berlioz)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 1. Marche fune (Moderato un poco lento)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 2. Oraison fune (Adagio non tanto - Andantino un poco lento e sostenuto)
Grande Symphonie fune et triomphale, Op. 15: 3. Apothe (Allegro non troppo e pomposo)

Tracks:

Harold en Italie, Op.16: 1a. Harold aux montagnes (Adagio)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 1b. Harold aux montagnes (Allegro)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 2. Marche des prins (Allegretto)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 3. Snade (Allegro assai - Allegretto)
Harold en Italie, Op.16: 4. Orgie de brigands (Allegro frenetico - Adagio - Allegro, Tempo I)
Les Troyens arthage: Prelude From: Les Troyens arthage: Part II, Act III
Les Troyens (Act IV): No. 29: Chasse royale et orage - Pantomime
Les Troyens (Act IV): No. 32: Marche pour l'entrde la reine; No. 33: Ballets
Les Troyens (Act IV): -A: Pas des Alm
Les Troyens (Act IV): -B: Danse des esclaves
Les Troyens (Act IV): - C: Pas d'esclaves nubiennes
Rrie et Caprice, Op.8

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Introduction
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Prologue: 'D'anciennes haines endormies'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Strophe 1: 'Premiers transports que nul n' oublie'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Strophe 2: 'Heureux enfants aux coers de flamme'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part I, Rtatif et Scherzetto: 'Bientot de Romeo' - 'Mab! la messagere' - Bientot la mort est souveraine'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part II, Romseul - Tristesse - Concert eet bal
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part II, Grande f chez les Capulets
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part III, 'Ohe! Capulets! Bonsoir, bonsoir!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part III, Sc d'amour

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Scherzo: La reine Mab ou la fdes songes
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Convoi fune de Juliette: 'Jetez des fleurs pour la vierge expiree!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Romau tombeau des Capulets
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Choeurs et Rtatif du P Laurence: 'Quo! Romeo de retour!'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Air du P Laurence: 'Pauvres enfants que je pleure' - 'Mais notre sang rougit leur glaive'
Romeo et Juliette, Op. 17: Part IV, Finale. Serment de rnciliation: 'Jurez donc'

Tracks:

Beatrice et Benedict
Benvenuto Cellini
Overtures: Le roi Lear, Op. 4
Les Francs - juges, Op. 3
Waverley, Op. 1
Le corsaire, Op. 21
Carnaval romain, Op. 9

Amazon.com

Berlioz was the first Romantic master of the orchestra. His music hasn't been surpassed in terms of sheer brilliance and accuracy of effect. This set includes all of the overtures, the Symphonie fantastique, Harold in Italy, the Royal Hunt and Storm from Les Troyens, orchestral music from The Damnation of Faust and Romeo and Juliet, and the completely insane Grande Symphonie funebre et triumphale. Davis achieved his reputation as a conductor as a Berlioz specialist, and he proves an expert advocate on behalf of this stimulating, bizarre, and totally original genius. The recording quality, so critical in such colorful music, is also very good. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets.......2004-02-22

First I ordered Hector Berlioz Complete Orchestral Works (Box Set) in a 6-CD set by Sir Colin Davis because orchestral is what I like best. That was in 2002. Now I have ordered The Berlioz Edition (Box Set)in a 24-CD Box Set by Sir Colin Davis because I like what I have heard of Berlioz by Davis. I will put this up for sale, and if it doesn't go I will consider putting The Berlioz Edition up for sale after I have heard it. As I said I am in a Box with Berlioz Box Sets and can't afford both.

A superb set, well worth the price!.......2002-08-16

For those of us who grew up in the 1950s and '60s, the music of Berlioz means Munch and Toscanini: Munch for his incendiary performances of "Symphonie Fantastique," "Romeo et Juliette," "Damnation of Faust," the Requiem and the overtures (among others), Toscanini primarily for his gorgeous reading of "Harold in Italy" but also for his versions of the Roman Carnival Overture and (for those who could find it) the "Romeo" with Gladys Swarthout. These readings had one thing going for them, which was a rhythmic impetus that made even the slow movements exciting. Unfortunately, for those of us who read scores, when we checked these versions against the music we found that Toscanini and Munch had fiddled a bit with tempi and bowing accents in an attempt to make the music more exciting. Is this so bad? Not necessarily, because these conductors had this music in their blood, they were presenting Berlioz as they had processed him over a lifetime of love, and so their fast tempi had little in common with the rattly, jangly readings often turned out by John Eliot Gardiner.

Sir Colin Davis was, and of this reading remains, the greatest Berlioz interpreter of the stereo/digital era. This is no mean feat when one realizes that he now has several competitors in the field, among them James Levine and Charles Dutoit, but in my view only the wonderful John Nelson (whose recordings of the Te Deum and "Nuits d'Ete" with Susan Graham are so wonderful) really comes close. And what makes Davis so great is that, like those legendary conductors of old, he really gets under the skin of Berlioz and makes him exciting while maintaining score tempi. Listen, for instance, to his "Symphonie Fantastique," still the benchmark modern recording after nearly 30 years. Davis also excels in his readings of the Overtures, music from "Les Troyens," and the Symphonie Funebre et Triomphale which grabs the listener and pulls him/her into its vortex of sound.

In the other two symphonies, "Harold in Italy" and "Romeo et Juliette," I sense a lapse of sorts: the slow music is conducted not necessarily too slowly, but with a certain Romantic mushiness bordering on easy listening. This, for me, robs the "Romeo alone" and "Scene d'amour" of its passion, though of course it is wonderful to hear the score in modern stereo instead of Munch's cramped mono, and for me Toscanini's second movement of "Harold," with its peculiar yet engaging walking gait, shall never be surpassed--and, unlike Munch, Toscanini somewhat transcended his mono sound because of the wonderful clarity and transparency of his orchestra. Nevertheless, if I were forced to I would live with this Davis set over my Munch and Toscanini recordings because of their overall warmth and excellent sound.

Other highlights include excerpts from "Lelio" sung superbly by pre-leukemia Jose Carreras (listen to him ascend fearlessly to those high notes--he hasn't done that in nearly a quarter-century!), dramatically astute singing by Patricia Kerns and John Shirley-Quirk in "Romeo," and marvelous interpretations of the Overtures (oh, and you can forget "Rob Roy"...Berlioz decided after one performance that he would never publish it or even bother revising it, hence it is not here). I do question the omission of the Requiem and Te Deum (after all, they ARE "orchestral works"), but with so many riches at such a low price, who cares? Liner notes are sparse, and this is a slimline box which means paper sleeves and no jewel boxes, but so what? For this much Berlioz, so beautifully sung and conducted, the composer himself would gladly have plunked down ...

all the overtures *NOT*.......2001-05-04

This isn't a "complete" recording of Berlioz' orchestral music - what about the 'Rob Roy' overture? Granted it recycles some of Harold in Italy, but still...

A wonderful collection of Berlioz.......2000-08-15

This incredible six CD set features all of Hector Berlioz's purely orchestral music conducted by the great Sir Colin Davis, widely regarded as one of the greatest living Berlioz interpreters. In addition to favorites such as Symphonie fantastique, Harold en Italie and Romeo et Juliette, the set also includes the lesser known Lelio and several other works. The works were recorded between 1965 and 1980, and the sound is wonderful and rich. His interpretations are also lively and full of energy, especially in the overtures.

Tracks:

Benvenuto Cellini, Op. 23: Overture
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: Scene In The Country
Gabrieli: Sacerdos et Pontifex
L'Enfance du Christ, Op. 25: Flight Into Egypt: Overture
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: A Ball
Harold In Italy, Op. 16: Scenes Of Joy And Sadness
Benvenuto Cellini, Op. 23: Overture
Harold In Italy, Op. 16: Serenade
Les Troyens: Trojan March (Complete)
Reverie And Caprice, Op. 8
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: Dreams, Passions
Lelio, Or The Return To Life, Op. 14b
Harold In Italy, Op. 16: Scenes Of Joy
Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9
Reverie And Caprice, Op. 8
Damnation Of Faust, Op. 24: Hungarian March
L'Enfance du Christ, Op. 25: Rest Of The Holy Family
L'Enfance du Christ, Op. 25: Flight Into Egypt, Dance
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: March To The Scaffold
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: I. Dreams, Passions
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: II. A Ball
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: IV. March To The Scaffold
Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14: V. Dream Of A Witches' Sabbath

Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été

Average customer rating:

At its best as pure singing, but a little short emotionally
A concerto for voice. Bravo!
Prime Berlioz from two most gifted advocates
A Berlioz singer to treasure
The greatest "Nuits d'Ete" on record!

Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été
Hector Berlioz , John Nelson , Susan Graham , and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn)
Susan Graham - Mozart & Gluck Arias ~ Il tenero momento
Artist Portrait: Susan Graham
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Susan Graham at Carnegie Hall

ASIN: B0000029U0
Release Date: 1997-07-15

Tracks:

Les nuits d', Op. 7: I. villanelle
Les nuits d', Op. 7: II. le spectre de la rose
Les nuits d', Op. 7: III. sur les lagunes: lamento
Les nuits d', Op. 7: IV. Absence
Les nuits d', Op. 7: V. au cimeti re : clair de lune
Les nuits d', Op. 7: VI. l'ile inconnue
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24: (d'amour l'ardente flamme) (Romance)
Benvenuto Cellini: (mais qu'ai-je donc?) (Air)
Les Troyens: (Ah ! Ah ! je vais mourir) (Monologue)
Les Troyens: (adieu, fiere cite) (Air)
Brice et Bdict: (dieu! que viens-je d'entendre?) (Air)

Amazon.com

On casual listen, Graham can seem like yet another pretty voice. And it is extremely pretty. But there's an intelligence and learnedness that can only make her more interesting as time goes on. As is, her performances are slightly undercooked, though there are some moments during Les Nuits d'été as passionate and committed as one could want. The arias added to fill out the disc aren't heard in optimal performances, but show what riches lie in Berlioz's neglected operatic output, namely Ascanio's lighthearted aria from Benvenuto Cellini and the long soliloquy from Beatrice and Benedict. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

At its best as pure singing, but a little short emotionally.......2007-02-15

Generally I take David Hurwitz to be more a comedian than a critic, but he's on to something about mezzo Susan Graham's interpretations being "undercooked," if by that he means emotionally cool. Her Nuits d'Ete is impeccably sung--one can hardly imagine anyone else who possesses such perfect vocal technique in this music--but I wasn't very moved. Perhaps it's John Nelson's bland conducting, but the two of them move gracefully over the surface without penetrating into Berlioz's deeper feelings. The lesser-known inner songs, which are consistently melancholy, come off best; Graham really seems to give us the poetry with a full heart. If anyone strongly disagrees, I am happy to concede how wonderful Graham is, but I've always been touched by these songs as sung by de los Angeles, Janet Baker, Leontyne Price, and ohters. Not here. No matter how well you control your tone and phrasing, Berlioz needs passionate outbursts and real spontaneity. (For what it's worth, I had the same impression recently hearing Graham sing the cycle with Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Sym., where she displayed, if anything, greater control and beauty of voice than even on this CD.)

At just over 60 min., this isn't the most generous recital, but the fillers are very well done. Nelson remains careful and bland, which doesn't help, D'amour l'ardente flamme needs more poignancy from all concerned, but Graham has lots of stage experience with Beatrice and Benedict, so that aria comes off well. It's not reasonable to say that anything here doesn't, but when Dido sings her death aria, I don't hear any dramatic stretch--Graham is applying the same middle-of-the-road pathos that gets applied almost everywhere else.

A concerto for voice. Bravo!.......2006-05-16

Berlioz' 'Les Nuit's D'ete' and other pieces for the soprano voice, performed by Susan Graham, is one of my favorite CD's of female operatic / chamber song pieces, even though Ms. Graham is not as familiar to me as Renee Fleming or Anne Sophie von Otter.

Ms. Graham's collaboration with John Nelson directing the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House on the six songs based on poems by Theophile Gautier seem almost to be a concerto for soprano and orchestra, so well does Ms. Graham's voice fit into the orchesteral accompanyment.

The four pieces rounding out the 61 minutes on the disk are arias from four of Berlioz' operas, which seamlessly blend in with the title sextet of songs.

My French is weak, so there is little of the actual lyrics I understand without the translation, but you don't really need it to appreciate the musical talent on display here.

While I have not heard many other versions of this Berlioz song cycle, Graham's rendition is certainly the best in my experience.

Very enjoyable.

Prime Berlioz from two most gifted advocates.......2005-07-09

Berlioz' song-cycle Les nuits d'ete has been deservedly fortunate in its representation on CD. With recordings by Crespin, Veronique Gens, Susan Graham, and Anne Sophie von Otter all top-flight musically and well-recorded, choice will be a matter of personal taste. I find Graham and Gens jostling most gracefully for my own affections. I have seen a criticism of Graham's disc to the effect that the voice tends to blanket the orchestra and obscure detail. I disagree. The balance is convincing and the sonics exceptional in their revelation of Berlioz' intoxicating orchestration. Moreover, in John Nelson Graham has, in my estimation, a successor to Monteux and Munch as monarch among Berlioz conductors. (Nelson's recording of Benvenuto Cellini, for instance, represents a huge advance over the pioneering Philips version.) Graham amazes not only with the beauty of her sound but with her uncanny empathy with the French esthetic, a rarity among American singers. I'm sorry but it's true; hard trying just won't do it. The disc includes arias from Berlioz' Faust, Cellini, Beatrice, and Troyens, all splendid. Particularly moving is Didon's farewell to Carthage from Les Troyens ("Adieu, fiere cite"); sampling that should let you know if this disc is for you. Since the Gens disc is completed by yet other Berlioz, three songs plus La mort de Cleopatre, you have a ready excuse for duplicating Les nuits, if your shelves can stand it.

-Frank W. Barham

A Berlioz singer to treasure.......2003-10-12

I have taken a long time to get round to obtaining this recording. I noticed the other day that Graham is listed to sing her first Didon in the next couple of years. Not her first staged Berlioz, but probably the biggest single challenge for a soloist in this particular repertoire. It was for the opera arias, rather than the songs, that I wished to have this record.

But the song cycle is truly a knockout. These songs have long been a favourite, and just about every singer I can think of has had a go at them. Recent stand-out performances include Cecilia Bartoli, Ann Murray and, on record, Veronique Gens. The beauty of Berlioz is that the range and orchestration he uses, as well as the sheer potential for interpreting the lines, allows many different kinds of singer to tackle his work. Graham has perhaps the ideal Berlioz voice these days - a soprano-ish mezzo, with dark, brooding tone that can bloom into bright, sunny lines without strain. She is a really intelligent, thinking singer who uses words to colour the sound. Her partnership here with John Nelson is highly fruitful, and makes for a modern classic (to puit on the shelf with Norman, Gorr and Crespin, naturally).

No disappointments in the opera numbers either. Anyone who has heard her work in operetta (some lovely records out just recently, in fact) will recognise the sexy, teasing quality she brings to Benedict and to the Cellini number. Back on the tragic side of the coin, her Marguerite is suitably overwrought and the sense of regret she brings to the number is palpable. Dido is the pick of the bunch - rightly - and the combination of robust, furious tone and serene rememberance of her "nuit d'ivresse" is heart-stopping.

So - time to record Les Troyens with Graham, I believe. Not very sure who else would feature on this "Fantasy Recording" - answers on a postcard, please!

The greatest "Nuits d'Ete" on record!.......2002-09-01

I have been listening to Berlioz' song cycle for nearly thirty years, and have heard most of the famous recordings: Teyte, Danco, de los Angeles, Steber, Janet Baker, Jessye Norman et al. Formerly, it was only Baker who penetrated the poetry of the lyrics...the "old" French style was to simply sing in a straightforward manner with no particular inflection, a style that Teyte and Danco worked to perfection. But the advent of such "chanson" singers as Gerard Souzay, Regine Crespin and Gabriel Bacquier changed all that, their approach was more specifically poetic. That is the approach that Graham uses here, and I find that it works beautifully.

Only in "Villannelle" does one hear the simple, straightforward style of Teyte or Danco. Almost immediately, in "Le Spectre de la Rose," one is hit with the meaning and feeling of Gautier's poetry...and one is literally swept away in the passionate performance of Graham and her conductor, John Nelson. I agree with the reviewer who said that the orchestra is somewhat recessed in sound, but Nelson brings out so many felicitous details that it inevitably doesn't matter....and, unlike Baker, Graham is a mezzo-soprano who can sing "Nuits d'Ete" in the original key, adding a soprano luster and sweep to her performances....and the opera arias are equally well sung. Highly recommended!!

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. I (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 6)
Average customer rating:

One of the best Liszt CD's you can own

Where Are The Rave Reviews ? This is Incredible

Wonderful operatic transcriptions

Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. I (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 6)

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
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Binding: Audio CD

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Liszt at the Opera: Operatic Fantasies, Paraphrases, and Transcriptions, Vol. VI (Complete Music for Solo Piano, Vol. 54)

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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...

Ben Heppner - Airs Francais / LSO, Myung-Whun Chung

Average customer rating:

Very nice recital of French arias
Great recital, some arias are not so great
Fine French Fare
Good, but something missing...

Ben Heppner - Airs Francais / LSO, Myung-Whun Chung
Hector Berlioz , Giacomo Meyerbeer , Fromental Halévy , Jules Massenet , Myung-Whun Chung , Ben Heppner , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005RDBC
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Tracks:

BERLIOZ: "Inutiles regrets"
Nature immense
Merci, doux crepuscule!
Seul pour lutter
Ah! je vais l'aimer
HALEVY: "Rachel, quand du Seigneur"
MASSENET: "Ah, qu'il est loin, mon pays"
O Souverain, o juge, o pere
O noble lame etincelante
MEYERBEER: "O paradis"
Plus blanche que la blanche hermine
Roi du ciel
ROUGET DE LISLE: "La Marseillaise" (arr. Berlioz)

Amazon.com

Ben Heppner is our leading dramatic tenor, but he's also a skilled recitalist; he triumphed in Colin Davis's concert recording of Berlioz's Les Troyens. His first solo recording for Deutsche Grammophon demonstrates his skill in the French repertory. Almost half the disc is given to Berlioz arias, done with power and stylistic comfort. His artistry differs from the traditional French tenor; the voice is beefier, some of the delicacy is lost. But the tradition ceased to exist by the 1970s, and Heppner compares favorably with anyone on the scene today. His voice is darker than those most often heard in these arias, so while it may surprise at first in "Nature immense," here, as elsewhere, there's a rightness about his singing that's compelling. His "O Souverain" is sensitively done, and the wonderful Halévy aria (the entire scene is given) is done without the verismo disfigurements of Alagna's on his French aria disc for EMI. Myung-Whun Chung's sympathetic conducting makes for a classy partnership. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Very nice recital of French arias.......2003-04-06

Ben Heppner is a great tenor. Contrary to some reports, he is not a heldentenor. He is an unusually large-voiced lyric. His voice is very fine indeed. This recital contains some nice renditions of French arias. A few arias were not that great. He has the pronunciation down pat. I loved the aria from "La Juive". Heppner is perfect for the role of Eléazar. The aria benefits greatly from having the chorus present and the inclusion of the rousing and tuneful cabaletta. The "Le Cid" arias also benefitted from the chorus being present. Some high notes of his are quite unpleasant. One such high note was the high D in the "Benvenuto Cellini" aria. His voice is really not light and high-placed enough for some of the arias he sings. One example is the "Les Huguenots" aria. Nicolai Gedda is perfect for that aria. Anyway, this recital is, on the most part, enjoyable.

PS. There is a serious problem in the booklet. Most of the arias have misaligned texts and translations. This makes following the singing very difficult.

Great recital, some arias are not so great.......2003-02-14

Ben Heppner is an immensely talented singer with a great voice and excellent musicianship. This recital disc of French arias and the French national anthem is a great introduction to his art. Already a great Wagnerian singer, he is branching out into new territory. I think the French repertory fits him very well. I did not care much for some of the arias. This was true for the "Sapho" aria and the two arias from "Le Cid". My favorite aria is "Rachel, quand du Seigneur la grâce tutélaire" from "La Juive". It is dark, brooding, and very beautiful. Heppner sings it amazingly well. He avoids unnecessary sentiment in this aria that is so often subjected to Italian verismo style. I also like the aria from "Benvenuto Cellini". It is very nice and contains wonderful music. Heppner performs Vasco de Gama's aria from "L'Africaine" very well. You can sense his wonder and marvel of the new land on which he has just been stranded. The French national anthem is given a rousing rendition. He is given excellent support from conductor Myung-Whun Chung and the London Symphony Orchestra. I wish he had included more popular arias from more well-known French operas. Two nice suggestions are "Asile héréditaire" from "Guillaume Tell" and "Vois ma misère, hélas!" from "Samson et Dalila". Despite my objections to some of the material chosen for this disc, it is still a great recording.

Fine French Fare.......2002-03-22

Canadian tenor Ben Heppner is certainly one of the finest singers on the current operatic scene. Despite his tendency to slightly squeeze the voice on top rather than allow it to bloom, he truly has a lovely vocal quality, full of warmth and color, along with a superior musical intelligence with which he has begun to bring a deepening sense of dramatic conviction to his interpretions over the last few years. On this disc, he succeeds greatly in the arias from operas which are within his vocal fach: Les Troyens, La Juive, El Cid, L'Africaine, and Le prophète. In particular, it is joy to hear the ardor and longing in his Enée (his complete traversal of the role with the LSO recently won a Grammy), the world-weariness of his Eléazar without the Italianate sobbing which has become de rigueur, and the victorious triumph of Jean de Leyde. Though Mr. Heppner's sense of lyricism serves him well, the other selections really require a different type of tenor, one whose vocal quality is lighter and more flexible in terms of dynamics and shading. Nonetheless, this is a fine recording, with exciting contributions from both the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Myung-Whun Chun.

Good, but something missing..........2001-12-28

Ben Heppner is probably the best heldentenor around, but a great German singer does not a great French singer make. All the notes are there but the headtones are missing. Sometimes, Heppner sounds like he is really pushing it on the high notes. A French tenor would have known to float them rather than belt them out like a good Wagnerite. This is most obvious in the Berlioz and Halevy selections. Things improve a little in Massenet and then they improve a lot in Meyerbeer. That's to be expected because Meyerbeer was a German trying to write Italian opera for Paris, not a real "French" composer. The Massenet selections from LeCid are spectacular, but part of the effect is from the chorus and large orchestra. The London Symphony Orchestra,led by Myung-Whun Chung,is an asset on this disc. It is consistently full and it gives silky support to the singer. The final item is a rousing version of the Berlioz arrangement of "La Marseillaise." Everyone pulls this off well and it makes a great ending for the disc. Maybe somebody could do the same kind of arrangement for the Star Spangled Banner. It would be an impressive alternative to the pop-soul-country versions that seem to be the norm these days.

Average customer rating:

Berlioz Edition (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000093OSH
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Amazon.com

Sir Colin Davis has long been considered the world's finest Berlioz conductor, and over the years, Philips has released all of the composer's major works with Davis at the helm. Now, they're all here, in a 24-CD box, and it is an astonishing achievement. This treasure trove consists of the definitive, available readings of Les Troyens, Béatrice et Bénédict, and Benvenuto Cellini; a wonderfully energetic, passionate Roméo et Juliette; a Te Deum which is huge yet clear and not over-the-top for its own sake; Les Nuits d'été with different singers (of varying ranges in different songs), as Berlioz wanted them performed; the young Dame Janet Baker superb in Herminie and La Mort de Cléopatre; a relaxed, sweet Enfance du Christ; a Requiem which could knock you over; a Damnation de Faust which is both lyrical and exciting; a performance of Lélio which almost makes sense of that strange work; a Symphonie Fantastiquewith atmosphere and thrills; along with 7 overtures, 5 songs, and more. In addition to the moderate price, the packaging is such that the 24 CDs takes up less space than just the earlier releases of Cellini and Troyens together. This is one-stop shopping at its best. --Robert Levine

Average customer rating:

As good as it gets!
A desert island disc, unsurpassed
Very Good

Berlioz: Overtures; Queen Mab Scherzo

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B000003FCM
Release Date: 1993-05-11

Tracks:

Le Carnaval Romain
Beatrice Et Benedict: Overture
Le Corsaire
Les Troyens
Benvenutto Cellini: Overture
Romeo Et Juliette: Scherzo De La Reine Mab
Le Rouet D'omphale

Amazon.com essential recording

Munch and Berlioz are like chocolate and peanut butter--they go great together. This disc is the finest collection of Berlioz overtures and short works available, and possibly the best ever recorded. Berlioz was music's ultimate neurotic: his music is quite simply hyper. It jumps, fidgets, and explodes with bursts of passion, all of it uniquely tuneful and magnificently scored. Charles Munch could lose himself in music like this; here he surrenders to the excitement of the moment and positively revels in the passages where all hell breaks loose. The Boston Symphony plays as if their lives depended on it, and the early-1960s sound hasn't dated a bit. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

As good as it gets!.......2005-07-05

These Berlioz overtures will never find a best performer than Munch: This Alsatian conductor had that sublime taste, eloquence, absolute domain of the thematic material, presence and hard to find conviction as any other conductor previous or later.
Besides, if you have an Orchestra of such level as the Boston Symphony in those ages, how can you loose?.
Magnificent performances and the best made rendition for Berlioz music.

A desert island disc, unsurpassed.......2005-03-10

Reviewer David Hurwitz has it on the nose - there have never been recorded performances of Berlioz's popular short pieces of music to match these. The overtures, which contain infectious melodies that beg replay, explode with life under Munch's baton, and the magnificient BSO plays them to the hilt. Roman Carnival erupts with sizzling joy, almost making the listener stand up and cheer while listening to it; in Beatrice and Benedict, one can sense the tangible presence of Shakespeare's comic lovers duking it out with reckless hilarious abandon. The Royal Hunt and Storm from Les Troyens is the most evocative version ever placed on disc, and the other two lollipops are no less splendid. The sound is bright, sparkling, fully present and clear to match the performances. Make no mistake, folks, it gets no better than this.

Very Good.......1999-06-16

This is a very good recording of these Berlioz overtures and it sounds very good. Not the greatest music ever, but this is a very good recording and makes the music sound very good.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful, but just SOME of the very best of Nicolai Gedda
Excellent compilation
Nicolai Gedda . . . the 4th tenor

The Very Best of Nicolai Gedda
Nicolai Gedda , Adolphe Adam , Ludwig van Beethoven , Vincenzo Bellini , Hector Berlioz , Georges Bizet , Gaetano Donizetti , Friedrich von Flotow , Mikhail Glinka , and Karl Goldmark
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Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000A1WP3
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Pourquoi Me Reveiller
Instant Charmant...En Ferment Les Yeux
L'Amour, L'Amour!...Ah! Leve-Toi Soleil
Une Heure Encore...La Gloire Etait Ma Seule Idole
Va, Pour Kleinzach!
Zurga, Quand Tous Deux...Au Fond Du Temple Saint
A Cette Voix...Je Crois Entendre Encore
La Fluer Que Tu M'Avais Jetee
Mes Amis, Ecoutez L'Histoire
Elle Ne Croyait Pas Dans Sa Candeur Naive
Asile Hereditaire - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Quanto E Bella
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
Prendi: L'Anel Ti Dono
Di' Tu Se Fedele
La Donna E Mobile
Donna Non Vidi Mai

Tracks:

Il Mio Tesoro
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon
Ach, So Fromm
In Fernem Land
Magische Tone
Kuda, Kuda, Kuda Vi Udalilis (Lenski's Aria)
Dimitri! Tsaryevich! Dimitri!
Souvenir
O Moonlight Night
At The Ball
Don Juan's Serenade
O Cease Thy Singing, Maiden Fair
How Fair This Spot
Adelaide Op. 46
Heimliche Aufforderung, Op. 27, No. 3
Strandchen, Op. 17, No. 2
Als Flotter Geist...Ja, Das Alles Auf Ehr'
Gern Hab' Ich Die Frau'n Gekusst
Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful, but just SOME of the very best of Nicolai Gedda.......2005-07-03

This is but a subset of the glorious recorded singing by Nicolai Gedda; however, it is a good sampler of the repertoire that made him legendary. And, at least a couple of the tracks ("Asile Hereditaire" and Lenski's aria) seem to be his best recordings of those particular works. Gedda is a member of a small circle of famed tenors noted for disciplined and artistic vocal production. He could find and consistently produce the "ping" we all love to hear. And, that was necessarily accompanied by flawless breath control. He holds the last note of the rousing "Hereditaire" for approximately eleven seconds! Onward! Ho! The emotion and delicate treatment he showed in Lenski's aria is a high-water mark. I can not imagine it being done better.

I first heard him in a recording of La Boheme (with Freni) in 1975 and have heard him in person both in Faust (1976) and in recital (1981). Whether on stage or in recording, Gedda is remarkable and consistent. If you are new to opera or are younger and addicted to the stars of today (and some of them are very good too), you should hear Gedda. It will raise your definition for what it takes to be a great tenor. Go find a recording of Fritz Wunderlich too.

Excellent compilation.......2005-01-30

Beautiful, easy lyric tenor; also great diction and phrasing -- a good example to any tenor on how this rep. should be sung.

Nicolai Gedda . . . the 4th tenor.......2004-06-13

Those of you who know the three tenors should look into this incredibly versatile singer. The first time I heard this remarkable tenor sing was from a recording of Mozart's Magic Flute. From then on I became an avid fan. This recording highlights how Gedda could go from singing lyric repertoire, to the bigger and more difficult French and Bel Canto and even tackling Russian and operetta. Any aspiring tenor and dedicated opera fan would do well to own this CD set.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Swimming & Singles [Import]

Antique Brasses

A Gentille Christmas

Sing The Hits Of Sheryl Crow (Karaoke)

Asian Lounge [Import]

A Healing Meditation for Cancer Patients and Their Loved Ones

A Tree Under the Colours

A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean

1960's Happy Days

20 Granite Creek

Acoustic Energy

4 Bastardos Ao Vivo Em Sao Paulo [Import]

1 Life 2 Live

Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep

The Richard Rodgers Album with Lorenz Hart