The Ballad of Baby Doe [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Despite its somewhat Disneyesque title, The Ballad of Baby Doe is one of the sturdiest American operas. Its riches-to-rags story of Colorado miner Horace Tabor has a great plot, excellent characters, real arias, and dynamic chorus scenes, and none of it sounds second hand in the least. The opera has an extremely inviting personality of its own. This recording by the New York City Opera is full of crackling fast tempos from conductor Emerson Buckley and great theatricality: right down to the minor characters, everybody knows what they're about. Beverly Sills, Walter Cassel, and Frances Bible all inhabit their roles completely. The one drawback is the recording quality, which is good to voices but mushy on the orchestra. To know what's really going on in the piece musically, one must hear the similarly well-sung but more relaxed 1996 recording made at the venue where the opera was premiered: Central City Opera in Colorado. --David Patrick Stearns

Tracks:

Son Vergin Vezzosa - Paul Plishka
Eccomi... Oh! Quante Volte
Mira, O Norma
Santo Di Patria... Allor Che I Forti Corrono... Da Te Questo
Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore - Nicolai Gedda
Che M'apporti? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Quel Sangue Versato Al Cielo S'innalza - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Vorrei Spiegarvi, Oh Dio, K.418
Amor, Op.68 No.5

Tracks:

Martern Aller Arten
E Strano! E Strano!
Ah, Fors'e Lui
Follie! Follie!
Sempre Libera
Ces Murs Silencieux - Pardonnez-moi, Dieu De Toute Puissance - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Toi! Vous! - Oui! Je Fus Cruelle Et Coupable! - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
N'est-ce Plus Ma Main? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Robert, Toi Que J'aime
Tu Ne Chanteras Plus?
Chere Enfant Que J'appele
Meine, Lippen, Die Kusen So Heiss
Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein
Always Through The Changing

Customer Reviews:

RIP, BEVERLY SILLS 1929-2007.......2007-07-03

The great American diva's passing was announced today.

This wonderful CD set is a perfect compilation of her art as can be found anywhere. Her finest roles and performances are captured here, most of them derived from the Westminster/Audio Treasury recordings from her prime. Listening to them again demonstrates to me why she was so special, and such an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.

Brava Sills!.......2007-02-02

A very nice compilation of Sillsiana. The different cuts on this CD provide a nice illustration of her work. Let me briefly describe my response to a sampling of the works on this CD:

Bellini, I Puritani, "Son vergin vezzosa." Wonderful. Sutherland owns this--but so does Beverly Sills. Contemporary sopranos such as Netrebko and Gruberova have also sung this on their respective CDs, and while their product is nice, it simply does not compare. Sills is remarkably agile with her voice; the trills are well done; she cleanly hits high notes; the overall effect can only be described as wonderful.

Bellini, Norma, "Mira, o Norma". This is smoothly sung and very melodic. The technique that she exhibits does not overwhelm the music.

Rosini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, "Contro un cor che accende amore." Again, her agile voice is well deployed. The florid singing is well done.

Donizetti, Roberto Devereaux, "Che m'apporti." Her clean, light voice matches well with this aria. Smoothly sung. Her "Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza," which follows, is well done. High notes cleanly hit, a smooth line.

Verdi, La Traviata, "E strano. . . .Sempre libera." Again, what agility! In "Sempre libera," she reveals a rich voice and, again, wonderful agility. This is an animated version of one of Verdi's showcase pieces.

Lehar, Giudetta. "Meine Lippen." A lot of fun! This is smoothly sung.

In the final analysis, this is a nice potpourri of Beverly Sills' repertoire. Those not familiar with her work will find this a nice entree to her oeuvre; those familiar with her will find this a good compilation.

Sills fits my bill.......2006-03-13

This recording is another in an all too small CD collection of Sills recordings. I eagerly await more.

The Great American Soprano.......2005-10-01

This is a great collecition featuring arias from the Classical and Romantic periods. Fabulous!!!!!

My Favorite Woman.......2005-08-05

I would have to say that when I first heard Beverly Sills sing, I was entranced. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I became angry at any rustling around me, because I was afraid I would miss one note. It was so addictive....that is what she is....addictive! A c.d. will never properly capture her style. She is an amazing leader in opera, taking it into a new frontier and I believe this c.d. showcases that.

Average customer rating:

WHAT CAN I SAY?
Rest in Peace Dear Bubbles (1929-July 2, 2007)
two beautiful discs!
Good example of the "Art of Beverly Sills"
Claws

Art of Beverly
Beverly Sills
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Very Best of Beverly Sills
The Great Recordings
Beverly Sills: Made in America
Beverly Sills
Beverly Sills & Friends

ASIN: B000075A7K
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

Mignon: Oui, Pour Ce Soir Je Suis Reine Des Fees...Je Suis Titania La Blonde
Manon: Allons! Il Le Faut-Adieu, Notre Petite Table
Manon: Je Marche Sur Tous Les Chemins-Obeissons Quand Leur Voix Appelle
Louise: Depuis Le Jour
Linda Di Chamounix: Ah! Tardai Troppo...O Luce Di Quest'Anima
Lucia Di Lammermoor: Regnava Nel Silenzio...Quando Rapito In Estasi
I Puritani: Fini...Me Lassa!
I Puritani: Vieni, Vieni Fra Queste Braccia
Roberto Devereux: L'amor Suo Mi Fe' Beata
Maria Stuarda: O Nube
Anna Bolena: Cielo A' Miei Lunghi Spasimi-Coppia Iniqua

Tracks:

Les Contes D'Hoffman: Les Oiseau Dans La Charmille
Les Contes D'Hoffman: Elle A Fui, La Tourterelle
Zaide: Ruhe Sanft, Mein Holdes Leben
Der Opernball: Im Chambre Separee
Die Lustige Witwe: Es Lebt' Eine Vilja
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Gold Is A Fine Thing
Die Tote Stadt: Cluck, Das Mir Verblieb
Daphen: Was Blendet So...Ich Komme...Ich Komme
Sechs Lieder Op.19 No.2: Breit' uber Mein haupt Dein Schwarzes Haar

Customer Reviews:

WHAT CAN I SAY?.......2007-07-05

FOR THOSE WHO WANT A SAMPLER, IT IS THE BEST. YET, IT LEAVES YOU PINING FOR THE ITEMS SILLS NEVER RECORDED IN THEIR ENTIRETY. MORE STRAUSS, MORE OF EVERYTHING. A DEFINITIVE VOICE. HER LUCIA IS UNSURPASSED.

Rest in Peace Dear Bubbles (1929-July 2, 2007).......2007-07-03

I have always loved the flowing, plaintive music of bel canto, and no other singer perhaps captured the synthesis of fioritura and expression so perfectly as Beverly Sills. Callas may have been a supreme dramatist, but Beverly Sills had a better command of the fioritura that skyrocketed her career during the 60s and 70s. It is indeed sad that America has lost one of its national treasures yesterday when Beverly Sills passed away in Manhattan. She truly was one of the greatest. Just listen to her singing any one of Donizetti's three queens and you will know what I mean. She is exemplary not only in Donizetti though. Her Manon is still the best, her Violetta in par with Callas, her Louise the most idiomatic ever recorded, her Fille du Regiment a joy, Linda di Chamounix ecstatic, and Gilda a lesson in the art of light Verdi. She was a supreme painter of characters. Has there ever been a more brilliant Zerbinetta? And how many singers have been able to truly convey the youth of Elvira in Puritani? In Rossini, she was also unparalleled in L'Assedio di Corinto, the role that she made her La Scala debut in. Beverly Sills was one of a great many singers who belonged to a great golden age of singing, and I am thankful that I was born into the right time to hear her glorious work. This CD is a wonderful compilation of the brand of singing that she brought into the lives of many an opera fan for years and years to come.

I met this singer last fall in New York. A few months later, I saw her again hosting the opera quiz at the Met. Little did I know that about five months later, she would forever rest in the peace that she deserved for so long. Rest in peace Beverly. And brava...brava for the many years of wonderful singing that you gave us.

two beautiful discs!.......2007-02-18

Beverly Sills not only survived being a child prodigy - a rare enough thing among singing musicians - she triumphed in a big way. Her fertile and beautiful art is wonderfully represented on this double disc set from Deutsche Grammophon. I sense today a resurgence of appreciation for her art, and to call it well deserved is saying the least. The singing's jam packed with pure musicianship, attention to nuance, fidelity to composer and character - in a word, everything requisite to making the operatic art thrive, qualities in short enough supply today among many opera stars, and it makes this package even more attractive. Sills not only understood bel canto art, she accomplished it memorably. Highlights include 'Ah! Tardai troppo...' (Linda di Chamounix), &an unearthly 'Regnava nel silenzio...' (Lucia), which I might prefer to Sutherland's for its committment and munificence. The gone too soon Thomas Schippers conducts a great performance - how that man could possess whatever orchestra and score he worked with. Two arias from I Puritani - especially 'Vieni, vieni fra queste braccia' with the singing of the genius Nicolai Gedda as Arturo, and an opening to Anna Bolena's aria 'Cielo, a' miei lunghi spasimi' that wipes clean every memory of other versions. All that on disc 1! I had forgotten Sills' beautiful pianissimos, singing so musicianly and free of ego - her interpretation is always only her adherence to score and composer, and greater praise cant be given a classical singer. Disc 2 offers a definitive version of Korngold's 'Gluck, das mir verblieb' (Die Tote Stadt) among a number of fine versions out there. The slowest version available and I feel I'm hearing it for the first time, and with a true Viennese (Rudel) conducting! You can put this track alone on repeat and live out the day in freedom! If you dont know Sills' art, or dont remember it well and truly, this set is a fine place to begin what will become transfixion with a musical art that proves itself urgent and inextinguishable! Highest recommendation.

Good example of the "Art of Beverly Sills".......2007-01-27

Beverly Sills is one of the most well reputed coloratura sopranos of the past fifty years. This CD illustrates why she has attained such renown. First, it shows the range of her singing. While much of her work focused on Donizetti, Bellini, and Rossini, she sang about fifty roles in her career, before retiring in her late 40s. This 2 CD set provides a sense of the range of her work.

The first CD focuses on her operatic singing. The CD begins with a selection from Thomas' "Mignon," culminating in "Je suis Titania la blonde." Her voice is light and clear. She displays great agility. In the middle of this piece, she shows a decent but not great trill; she closes the "cut" with a series of terrific trills. Her ornamentation is nicely done.

Donizetti's "Linda di Chamounix" was another of Sills' characters. "Ah! Tardai troppo. . .O luce di quest'anima" features more clean vocalization. The florid singing is nicely done, with well sung high notes and additional sound trills. A very agile voice on display! From Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," Sills sings "Regnava nel silenzio. . .Quando rapito in estasi." Her voice is smooth. In the aria, she produces a set of trill after trill, each one well done, but in their totality almost overdone (I love trills, but there were almost too many!). "Quando rapito in estasi" is well sung, with much well done florid singing, with appoggiaturas, trills, and other ornamentation.

The remainder of the CD features selections from Bellini's "I Puritani," and Donizetti's "Roberto Devereux," "Maria Stuarda," and "Anna Bolena." I can say pretty much the same about these pieces as already stated before. Excellent technique, wonderful ornamentation.

The second CD begins with the redoubtable piece, sung by "Olympia," from Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann." Well done, with good vocal effects, catching the mechanical aspects of the music. Other pieces on this side come from Mozart, Heuberger, Moore, Korngold, and so on.

One piece worth mentioning, because it captures her approach to a lighter work, from Lehar's "The Merry Widow." She sings the song for what it is, and does not overwhelm it with her voice. Compare with what Richard Tucker did to the enjoyable but rather light song, "What Now My Love?", when he essayed singing pop tunes. Enjoyable for the thrill of his voice; pretty grisly in terms of his overwhelming the music itself. That does not happen here; there is a certain pathos in Sills' singing, as warranted by the song. It suggests the range of her singing.

All in all, a good sampling of "The Art of Beverly Sills." Hearing her voice again after many years reinforces my preexisting view that she ranks as one of the best coloratura sopranos of the past fifty years. There are terrific contemporary singers who sing the same repertoire and do it well. But Beverly Sills certainly compares very well with them. If interested in an introduction to Sillsiana, this is a good place to start.

Claws.......2003-11-16

I already wrote a great review of this collection. It is supreme artistry, and I find her high notes rather large and not shrill. My only question is about the cover photo. Those fingers look like something out of Edward Scissorhands or Nightmare on Elm Street! Does anyone else agree with me? Almost seems like someone must have done some false touch-ups to make them look like claws!

Average customer rating:

The BEST Testament to Beverly Sills' Memory
Still endearing fifty years on
Beverly Sills First Hit Role
I wish I could give this recording a fifteen star rating!
From An Opera Singer

The Ballad of Baby Doe

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

The Ballad of Baby Doe: Vocal Score
Massenet: Manon
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)
Verdi: La Traviata / Sills, Gedda, Panerai; Ceccato
Art of Beverly

ASIN: B00000IPTU
Release Date: 1999-04-20

Tracks:

The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene One - Opening
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene One - 'It's A Bang-Up Job' (Tabor)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene One - 'Horace, What Is This?' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene One - 'I Beg Your Pardon' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Two - 'What A Lovely Evening'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Two - 'Willow, Where We Met Together' (Willow Song) (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Two - 'Oh, Mr. Tabor!' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Two - 'Warm As The Autumn Light' (Tabor)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Three - 'Now, Where Do You Suppose?' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Three - 'Have You Seen Her?' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Three - 'What Are You Looking For, Horace?' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Four - 'Why, Mrs. Doe!'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Four - (Letter Song)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Four - 'Excuse Me' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Four - 'I Knew It Was Wrong' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Four - 'No! No! No!' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Seven - 'What Do You Intend To Do?' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Six - 'Everything Looks Beautiful'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Six - 'Gold Is A Fine Thing' (Silver Aria) (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Act One: Scene Six - 'And I'll Show You Something Else' (Tabor)

Tracks:

The Ballad Of Baby Doe: Opening
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'The Fine Ladies' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Mama, Go Inside!' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Augusta, What Are You Doing Here?' (Tabor)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'I'll Raise You'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Turn Tail And Run!' (Tabor)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'La, La, La, La'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Good People Of Leadville'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Extra! Extra!'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Augusta! Augusta!' (Augusta)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Hey, Mister!'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'The Cattle Are Asleep' (Tabor)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Tabor Owns The Big Hotel' (Chorus)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Horace!' (Baby Doe)
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: 'Always Through The Changing' (Baby Doe)

Amazon.com

Despite its somewhat Disneyesque title, The Ballad of Baby Doe is one of the sturdiest American operas. Its riches-to-rags story of Colorado miner Horace Tabor has a great plot, excellent characters, real arias, and dynamic chorus scenes, and none of it sounds second hand in the least. The opera has an extremely inviting personality of its own. This recording by the New York City Opera is full of crackling fast tempos from conductor Emerson Buckley and great theatricality: right down to the minor characters, everybody knows what they're about. Beverly Sills, Walter Cassel, and Frances Bible all inhabit their roles completely. The one drawback is the recording quality, which is good to voices but mushy on the orchestra. To know what's really going on in the piece musically, one must hear the similarly well-sung but more relaxed 1996 recording made at the venue where the opera was premiered: Central City Opera in Colorado. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

The BEST Testament to Beverly Sills' Memory.......2007-07-05

With this recording, Ms Sills set her mark forever on the world of opera. Period!

Of all the recordings that she made, this one, "The Ballad of Baby Doe", is the one that brings back the most endearing memories of this wonderfully talented lady.

It was her first Big Hit role in her new-found home (New York City Opera Company); it also, just happens to be a Totally American story, and creation, written by Douglas Moore.

Here we have Ms Sills in the freshness of her youth, in a brand new role, one that few have been able to fill after her sparkling interpretation. I think it fair to say that she will "always" be Baby Doe.

This recording is a true jem, as all previous reviewers, and many others will tell you. There is NO other work like this one. It is so fresh, lovely, and of course, tragic at the same time.

Everything about this recording is "small and intimate" as this story should be presented. And, luckily, the forces behind getting this recording made, did not have access to large forces and lots of technological wizardry-type equipment and facilities to do this recording in. This makes it all the more wonderful, as I said, small and intimate.

Beverly Sills, Frances Bible, and Walter Cassell had sung this opera together, and had "lived" in their parts long enough to become real breathing characters, characters that you really do care about, and get drawn in by. I defy anyone not to become emotional when Baby Doe sings the "Willow Song", or not to become teary with her final "Always Through The Changing". Frances Bible's stiffly starched Augusta Tabor is so three dimensional that she could walk right into the room with you! And, Walter Cassell's portrail of Horace Tabor will probably never be sung with the "totally lived in" feel that he brings to the role.

From all my thousands of opera recordings, this one gets picked FIRST if I want to listen to an American work. It also gets picked FIRST when I just want to marvel at Beverly Sills' truly most-gorgeous voice at the peak of her youthful freshness and "innocence" (before she had "grown up" in all those other roles).

Deutsche Grammophone has truly done us all a great favor by bringing forward all of the ABC and previous recordings that Ms Sills made prior to her move to EMI, and, truly, we are most thankful for the beautiful remastering and refurbushing of this wonderful Great American Work by Douglas Moore. Bravo, DG!, and of course, certainly, Bravo/Brava to Ms Sills, Ms Bible, Mr Cassell, and to Emerson Buckley for holding it all together. A truly landmark recording, and one that should be on your shelves. ~operabruin

Still endearing fifty years on.......2007-04-15

I wholeheartedly agree with the universal praise for this recording and have seen a performance at the Central City Opera House, a small Victorian gem in the middle of a touristy mining town north of Denver. In that setting, Baby Doe comes off at its best, since the music really is too simple for grand opera, abouanding in barely disguised folk songs and Top 40 harmonies. The cast carries the day, with total conviction from the two leads, Sills and Cassel. The role of Augusta Tabor is almost as large, and Frances Bible sings magnificently. All deserve high praise for their excellent, clear English diction, a rare thing and hard to achieve.

There are drawbacks, most of them minor in regard to the total impact. The major flaw is the dated sound, never good even for its day, that comes close to shattering and peaking any time the music grows louder than mezzo forte. Sills sings at her purest and freshest, but the microphone distortion cramps the voice considerably. A shame DG couldn't remaster the original tapes to remove so much glare. The second flaw is the routine but vigorous conducting of Emerson Buckley; a better conductor could have made the choral passages sound better than a college musical. These blemishes aside, Baby Doe is an American classic and has survived after many, many of its rivals have long ago faded away.

Beverly Sills First Hit Role.......2005-09-03

This is the opera that made Beverly Sills an opera star. She was 29 when she first performed it with the New York City Opera in 1958. Written in 1955 by Douglas Moore, the opera is based on the true story of the already-married Colorado silver magnate Horace Tabor and the young miner's wife, Baby (Mrs. Elizabeth) Doe, with whom he fell in love. Moore writes very much in the folk-opera idiom of American opera in the mid-50s, (Carlisle Floyd's "Susannah" comes to mind), and as a result the music is extremely accessible and full of lovely melodies, particularly in the music written for Baby Doe, such as the "Willow Song" and the "Letter Song" in the first act.
Sills herself always considered the role of Baby Doe the role she most inhabited, and she is in simply sumptuous voice on this recording. She is ably supported by the underrated American baritone Walter Cassel as Horace Tabor, and by the New York City Opera's leading mezzo-soprano, Frances Bible, in the surprisingly sympathetic role of Augusta, Horace's self-righteous wife. Julius Rudel conducts the New York City Opera orchestra with his usual steady hand, and the sound quality of this 1959 recording is excellent. Anyone who enjoys American opera should add this to their collection, and for fans of Beverly Sills, this is a "must have".

I wish I could give this recording a fifteen star rating!.......2004-06-15

First of all, I must state that I have loved this recording for three plus decades.
I have LP copies of it on MGM, Heliodor, and DGG pressings.
But I am one who has been waiting for years to find it released on CD. When the CD set finally came out, I was beside myself with joy.

This is the Baby Doe to have.

Someone mentioned the 1996 CD recording of Baby Doe, which was recorded in the Central City Opera House.
That's a very good recording. The entire cast is/are wonderful.
And that recording includes a few bars(in the first act) which are cut from the Sills Baby Doe.

But as fine as the 1996 recording is; it would be impossible to top or even match Cassel, Sills, and Bible as the Tabor love triangle.

I attended one of the 1996 Central City Opera Baby Doe performances. I was elated to see/hear the opera performed in that glorious old house.
But I have to admit that the acoustic ambiance of the Central City Opera House was a bit tubby and dry (acoustically). The tubby and dry ambiance of the 1996 Baby Doe recording is one of the reasons I prefer the Sills recording.

Anyway.

I have made two pilgrimages to Leadville. The Tabor Grand Opera House (which is in desperate need of funds for restoration) is still standing and in business.
The Clarendon Hotel (which was adjacent to the Tabor Grand) was torn down decades ago (although evidence of the Tabor cat walk from the Tabor Grand to the Clarendon is still extant).

Both times I visited Leadville, standing on the stage of the Tabor Grand left me speechless.

But my two visits to Baby Doe's cabin at the Matchless Mine devastated me.

Both times I stood in the "cold and narrow house" in which Baby Doe died so emotionally overwhelmed me that I had to step outside. I didn't want the rest of the tourees to see me weeping.

I couldn't help reacting that way. As I stood in Baby's cabin, her final aria , "Always Through the Changing" (as sung by Sills) kept running through my mind.

For those who have not heard this Opera (especially the Sills recording) you all really must listen to it.
It's one of the few truly great American Operas.

Moore's score is glorious. The Latouche libretto is outstanding.
And the story of Baby Doe (upon which the opera is based) is well represented (with a few dramatic alterations) in the opera.

From An Opera Singer.......2004-05-23

This recording is absolutely fabulous. Beverly Sills sings with amazing technique and her high notes are silvery and effortless. She owns the roll of Baby Doe. I have to say, I do enjoy Sills more than Callas. And I do have a very educated opinion... I am an opera singer. I actually sing the roll of Baby Doe so I know how challanging it is. Walter Cassel is amazing on this recording as well. Any other cast recording of this opera isn't worth the money. This is by far the best out there.

Renée Fleming - I Want Magic! ~ American Opera Arias

Average customer rating:

All-American Fun
A great listening pleasure. Better than some other selections
I wish I could give more than 5 stars
This music needs a lot less diva
Bringing American opera to the forefront

Renée Fleming - I Want Magic! ~ American Opera Arias
George Gershwin , Carlisle Floyd , Leonard Bernstein , Douglas S. Moore , Bernard Herrmann , Gian Carlo Menotti , Igor Stravinsky , Samuel Barber , André Previn , Metropolitan Opera Orchestra , James Levine , and Renée Fleming
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Renée Fleming
Renee Fleming - The Beautiful Voice ~ Gounod, Lehaair, Orff, Puccini, Rachmaninov, Strauss
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Renée Fleming: Bel Canto
Renée Fleming - Signatures ~ Great Opera Scenes / Sir Georg Solti

ASIN: B00000AFR4
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Wuthering Heights: I Have Dreamt
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: The Letter Song
The Medium: Monica's Waltz
Porgy And Bess: Summertime
Porgy And Bess: My Man's Gone Now
Candide: Glitter And Be Gay
Susannah: Ain't It A Pretty Night
Susannah: The Trees on the Mountains
The Rake's Progress: No Word From Tom ... I Go, I Go To Him
VANESSA: He Has Come, He Has Come
A Streetcar Named Desire: I Want Magic!

Amazon.com

Like Dawn Upshaw's The World So Wide on Nonesuch, this program is such an inviting cross section of American opera of the last 50 years, you wonder why more of it hasn't been recorded. Composers include Carlisle Floyd, Douglas Moore, Samuel Barber, and Gian Carlo Menotti, whose childlike "Monica's Waltz" from the otherwise lurid opera The Medium is a highlight. Old favorites are here, such as Gershwin's "Summertime." And new favorites, too: Andre Previn's forthcoming "A Streetcar Named Desire" graciously offers Straussian lushness and bitonal wind-instrument details suggesting Blanche DuBois's mind departing from reality, all sounding remarkably true to Previn's pre-World War II upbringing in Berlin. This dramatically alert arioso isn't so melodically memorable but makes all necessary dramatic points eloquently. Though she performs vividly throughout, Fleming often lets her vocal tone overwhelm articulation of the words--a middling drawback. And comedy is not her thing: Bernstein's "Glitter and Be Gay" is way too hammy. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

All-American Fun.......2007-01-01

I love this CD. It's so incredibly American. It features American lyric soprano Renee Fleming singing American opera arias. Ms. Fleming is capably accompanied by the Met orchestra, America's best opera orchestra, conducted by another distinguished American, Maestro James Levine. The only way this CD could be more American is if it were released on July 4th, with two baseball tickets included. I'm grateful that Decca made this release.

This CD starts out very strong with a gorgeous aria "I have dreamt" from "Wuthering Heights". I've never seen this opera nor heard of this opera. If the opera is half as good as the aria, I would love to see it. Renee cruises through "The Letter Song" from "The Ballad of Baby Doe" with heartfelt interpretation. "Monica's Waltz" is not one of my favorite arias in the world, but Ms. Fleming sings it beautifully.

Here's where we depart, and the reason I gave this CD only 4 stars. First, Renee sings two arias from "Porgy and Bess": "Summertime" and "My Man's Gone Now". Renee's voice is way too rich and lush for these arias. Listen to Renee sing it, then listen to the gold standard, Leontyne Price. You'll see what I mean. Renee's rendition of "My Man's Gone Now" was just way too pretty. The score calls for some extended glissandos, which are supposed to be wails of grief. Renee sang the glissandos beautifully, but no grief was in sight. Her next choice "Glitter and Be Gay" from "Candide" is just not a good choice for her. I think even Renee would tell you that a voice like hers is just not right for Cunegonde. This aria (and role) calls for a smaller voice. [...].

Then Renee reminds me of why I love her in the first place, by returning to two arias from "Susannah", a signature role for her. Her performances of "Ain't it a pretty night!" and "The trees on the mountains" are too good for words. She completely understands this role, and communicates the mood in these arias right through your speakers. Just imagine how good it must be live!

Renee closes with "No word from Tom" (The Rake's Progress), "He has come, he has come!" (Vanessa), and "I want magic! (A Streetcar Named Desire). I wish more opera companies would produce "The Rake's Progress". This is a wonderful opera by an "adopted" American composer, Igor Stravinsky. The aria from "Streetcar" is kind of an odd choice to close this CD, but Renee did premiere the role of Blanche in this Previn piece with the SF Opera. So maybe it's not so strange after all.

Highly recommended for fans of Renee Fleming, and those who need to add some good old American opera to round out their Puccini collections. This is a nice performance record by a woman surely destined to be one of the greatest lyric sopranos in history.

A great listening pleasure. Better than some other selections.......2006-04-05

'I Want Magic' sung by superstar mezzo Renee Fleming, backed by James Levine and his Metropolitan Opera Orchestra follows the same pattern of severa of Fleming's other releases, in that there is one widely known and very familiar piece (Gershwin's 'Summertime' from 'Porgy and Bess') plus many less familiar pieces.

The theme of all the pieces is that they are arias from American operas, all in English. And, I get a lot more from this selection than I do from, for example, her recording of Shubert Lieder. One thing I learn is how totally typical is Leonard Bernstein's piece from 'Candide', which sounds like it stepped right out of a production of 'The Fantasticks'. Gershwin's two great songs, on the other hand, are icons of American music and even Herrmann's movie song from Wuthering Heights makes Bernstein's song sound ordinary.

But, the album is really all about Fleming's realization of these songs, which is simply nothing less than spectacular. While I tend to prefer hearing works 'in situ', Fleming's talent is so great that hearing her do eleven pieces out of context is worth it. The album is also more interesting than the average collection of Lieder in that it has the backing of a major American dramatic orchestra.

Better than average Fleming choice.

I wish I could give more than 5 stars.......2005-09-30

This recording is truly wonderful! I really feel that American composers have written some incredible things. I think that American opera is much better than British opera, with the exception of Benjamin Britten. My favorites on this track are actually all of them, but if I had to choose, I would pick: "No word from Tom" (The Rakes Progress, Stravinsky), "Ain't it a pretty night" (Sussanah, Floyd), "Glitter and be Gay" (Candide, Bernstein), and my absolute favorite "Monica's Waltz" (The Medium, Menotti). This is such a great album. Some of Renee's diction isn't completely clear, but that's opera. In order to acheive a beautiful sound, especially in English, certain vowels need to be altered. ESPECIALLY for the soprano voice. When singing so high, certain vowels and consonants need to be altered a bit. Anyway, it's an incredible album!!

This music needs a lot less diva.......2005-09-18

Renee Fleming has a glorious voice, and there's not a note here that isn't ravishing. Decca's engineers have caught the voice very well, and Levine's conducting is all it could be. The problem? Well, having her sing Summertime and My Man's Gone NOw was a bad idea, not only because both are cliches. Felming has a hard time sounding emotionally natural. She tends to apply her incredible voice with diva-like self-consciousness and play-acted emotion far too often.

Which means that her CD recitals are hit-and-miss. Glitter and Be Gay is a disaster here because she tries to be funny and winds up being self-conscious and embarrassing. But the big aria form Susannah, a role Fleming sings at the Met, is perfect. I expected a lot more adventurousness from this American collection, since Felming is, after all, an American singer. But it's mostly overplayed, like Puccini in English, sobs and all. I enjoyed the voice, but after a while the mannerisms became tiresome.

Bringing American opera to the forefront.......2005-01-20

American opera is not as well-known to many people because it can be complex, both musically and dramatically, and requires amazing vocal technique to sing things that sound simple. Fleming's recording highlights some familiar arias (the Susannah arias, for example) as well as some that are almost unknown. If you are an opera fan, and especially if you want to learn more about American opera, this CD is a great place to start. My favorite: Glitter and Be Gay, from Bernstein's Candide. Wow.

Douglas Moore: The Ballad of Baby Doe (Complete Opera)

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Douglas Moore: The Ballad of Baby Doe (Complete Opera)

Manufacturer: Newport Classic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Copland: The Tender Land (complete opera)

ASIN: B000BN9TDU
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Tracks:

Act I - Scene One, Opening
Act I - Tabor: "It's a bang-up job"
Act I - Augusta: "Horace, what?"
Act I - Scene two: "What a lovely"
Act I - ARIA Baby: "Willow Song"
Act I - Baby: "Oh, Mister Tabor!"
Act I - ARIA Tabor: "Warm as"
Act I - Scene Three: "Now where"
Act I - Augusta: "What are you"
Act I - Scene Four: "Why, Mrs. Doe"
Act I - ARIA Baby: "Dearest Mama"
Act I - Augusta: "Excuse Me"
Act I - Baby: "No! No! No!"
Act I - Scene Five: "What do you"
Act I - Scene Six: "Everything looks"
Act I - Chorus: "Ah, enchanting!"
Act I - ARIA Baby: Silver Aria
Act I - Tabor: "And I'll show"

Tracks:

Act II - Scene One, Opening
Act II - Baby "It's so Warm inside"
Act II - ARIA Baby: "The fine ladies"
Act II - Baby: "Mama, go inside!"
Act II - Tabor: "Augusta, what"
Act II - Scene Two: "I'll raise ya"
Act II - ARIA Tabor: "Turn tail"
Act II - Scene Three: "La, la, la"
Act II - ARIA Bryan: "Good people"
Act II - Scene Four: "Extra, extra"
Act II - ARIA Augusta: "Augusta"
Act II - Scene Five: "Hey, Mister"
Act II - Tabor" "Good afternoon"
Act II - Chorus: "Tabor owns"
Act II - Baby: "Horace, Horace"
Act II - ARIA Baby: "Always through"

Product Description

One of the most popular American & contemporary operas is brought to breathtaking life by the artistry of conductor, John Moriarty, and the Central City Opera Chorus.

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A Great Showcase For The Opera Novice

Queen of the Night
B. J. Ward , conductor Andy Waterman , piano Michael Sushel , New Syntony Orchestra , Giuseppe Verdi , Francesco Cilea , Giacomo Puccini , Douglas S. Moore , Georges Bizet , and Leo Delibes
Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ward: Stand-Up Opera
The Ballad of Baby Doe

ASIN: B00004D3BT
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

La Traviata: Sempre Libera
Adriana Lecouvreur: Io Son L'umile Ancella
La Boheme: Quando M'en Vo'
The Ballad Of Baby Doe: The Willow Song
La Rondine: Chi Il Bel Sogno
Carmen: Seguidilla
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro
Lakme: Dome Epais
Tosca: Vissi D'arte
Don Giovanni: La Ci Darem La Mano
La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana
The Magic Flute: The Queen Of The Night

Customer Reviews:

A Great Showcase For The Opera Novice.......2004-10-15

B.J. Ward is a one-woman opera show. For some time now, she has entertained audiences with her "Stand Up Opera" show in New York City. In this album, she performs famous opera arias with orchestral accompaniment but not a conventional one. Andy Waterman's New Symphony Orchestra makes use of electronic synthesizers and have a modern, "dance club mix" type of feel to it. This is a perfect intro into opera for the beginner. B.J. Ward has a dynamic voice capable of several emotions. First on the album is "Sempre Libera" from La Traviata. She dazzles us with a rather swift pace but crowns the aria with an unbelievably high note at the end which some sopranos do not even dare to touch. The aria "Io son l'umille ancella" from Adriana Lacouvreur is a touching aria as the heroine pours her soul, sung beautifully by Ward. The waltz aria Quando M'en Vo, otherwise known as Musetta's Waltz Aria, is delivered grandly by Miss Ward with perfect musical charm. The Willow Song from "The Ballad of Baby Doe" is also very enchanting.

B.J. Ward claims that her first opera was La Rondine by Puccini and she heard Licia Albinese sing the title role in the only performance of her life. "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" is sung with moving and poignant love, as a tribute perhaps to Albanese. The Seguidilla from Carmen is on fire! B.J.Wards darkens her voice to give the impression she has turned into a mezzo soprano and manages to come off as sexy, seductive and tempting just as Carmen has to be performed. The famous aria "O Mio Babbino Caro" is an aria that most sopranos sing today and record and B.J. Ward is right up there with the ranks of Renee Fleming on this one. Dome Epais from Lakme is a duet for mezzo soprano and soprano and also a very famous excerpt. It is from the opera Lakme by Delibes and has been feauted most notably in the commercial for British Airways. In the funny liner notes, B.J. Ward tells us that all the mezzos were out of town so she had to sing the duet herself. Tosca's melancholy aria "Vissi D'Arte" is a like beautiful prayer and B.J. Ward, who has studied opera and understands the music, the character and the story, totally gets the role of Tosca. She is singing next to the Broadway star George Hearn in the duet "La Ci Darem La Mano" from Don Giovanni. She is a grand diva in the aria "Ebben Ne Andro Lontana" which is also a standard aria for most sopranos today. The final track lives up to the enticing cover and title of the album. It is "Der Holle Rache" Vengeance Aria of the Queen of the Night from Mozart's The Magic Flute. The coloratura showcase makes use of high F's all of which Ward hits perfectly and furthermore, the track is extended with about three more rounds of the same roulades. B.J. Ward is a wonderful soprano who is hooking audiences, hopefully the younger ones, into the magical sound world of opera. This is a great album and I highly recommend it.

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Another adventurous collection from the wonderful Ms. Upshaw
World So Wide
Dawn, why?
A Wonderful Selection of Arias from American Operas
"All velvet and diamonds."

The World So Wide

Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Angels Hide Their Faces: Dawn Upshaw Sings Bach and Purcell
Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson
Girl with Orange Lips
Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy
Dawn Upshaw Sings Rodgers & Hart

ASIN: B000006E4F
Release Date: 1998-05-26

Tracks:

Laurie's Song
This is Prophetic
What a Movie
Oh Yemanja (Mother's Prayer)
Willow Song
Lonely House
Give Me Some Music
Ain't it a Pretty Night

Amazon.com

This refreshing jewel of 20th-century opera arias allows Upshaw to put her personal stamp on music written for a variety of voice types. While some are more successful than others, they're all performed with intelligence and musciality--an Upshaw trademark. Her consistently even tone along with her commitment to sensitive interpretation and precise diction is impressive. The most beautiful of these arias (Copland's "The World So Wide," Floyd's "Ain't It a Pretty Night") capture the brilliance of American homegrown musical lyricism, as the cornucopia of musical sounds flows like a waterfall from magical orchestral mountains. Upshaw's jubilance inspires joy for the listener as well. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews:

Another adventurous collection from the wonderful Ms. Upshaw.......2006-08-24

On reflection, it's amazing that Dawn Upshaw has made a major career for herself without recording a note of Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, or Strauss. She's far from being a bread-and-butter soprano, as this marvelous colleciton of mostly obscure arias from mostly obscure American operas displays. The title aria form copland's The Tender Land sets the overall tone of rapt, romatnic charm. Her voice is too light to sing Barber's Celopatra onstage, but it works well in the studio, and the more popsy numbers, such as Delilah's big song from Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti, call on Upshaw's excellent crossover skills. Another revelation is how good Joh Adams's Nixon in China music sounds when performed expressively by a major artist.

Renee Fleming released a similar collection on Decca ("I Want Magic"), but the two CDs couldn't be more different. Upshaw is touching, informal, spontaneous, and charming. Fleming tires for the big effects, boosting the music (not too successfully) into the ralms of grand opera.

In all, I'm deeply grateful for every unusual program Upshaw delivers. Now that there are more than a dozen of them, we can see how beautifully she has managed a career devoted to music that few other major stars come close to trying.

World So Wide.......2001-08-26

This is not one of my favorite Dawn Upshaw albums, mainly because of the choice of music. The selections, generally, are quite dark and often lack lyrical continuity, which certainly has nothing to do with Upshaw. However, as a lost art form, they are still quite worth recording, but don't expect an easy-listening experience or to be humming the tunes around the house as is the case with Upshaw's broadway albums. That being said, Upshaw does a fantastic job with this selection of music, though she is a bit bright at times. The album is worth buying simply for the recording of the "Willow Song" from the Ballad of Baby Doe. Upshaw's interpretation is wonderful and the voice is obviously well-suited to the piece. In fact, I'm tempted to prefer her version over Beverly Sills' original. Bernstein's "What a Movie" shows Upshaw at her funniest-a great piece. And, as usual, one is amazed by her fantastic technique, which makes up for the brightness in the voice.

Dawn, why?.......2001-05-12

I used to be a huge Dawn Upshaw fan back when she put out her first few recordings. But, now she is one of my very least favorite singers. Why? The excessive nasality, the ridiculous swooping, and the overdone ...mannerisms. On top of that, she has lost the roundness in her upper register (as evidenced by places in Ain't it a Pretty Night). This music doesn't need someone to treat it like a cabaret showtune to be effective, it just needs to be beautifully sung. Once upon a time, I thought Ms. Upshaw was just the person to do this kind of performance...

I realize that there are diehard Upshaw fans out there that will completely disagree with me. This is just a warning to those that dislike this sort of approach to singing.

A Wonderful Selection of Arias from American Operas.......2001-04-27

The music on this CD is very beautiful and represents a wide variety of American opera. Dawn Upshaw does tend to scoop every now and then, but overall she does a good job. I would recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys opera.

"All velvet and diamonds.".......1999-10-08

"Beautiful" has pretty much gone out of fashion as a much abused and now empty word. And yet, I can't think of a word that would more accurately describe Dawn Upshaw's "The World so Wide." It is just that: sheer beauty. The incredible dynamic range of Upshaw's voice is a perfect match for this thoughtful selection of stylistically very different, and demanding contemporary pieces. Going from ironic, witty grit of Bernstein's "What a movie," to poignant restraint of "Mother's Prayer," and softly romantic exuberance of Moore's "Willow Song," this brilliant this CD doesn't disappoint for even a moment. In its last piece, Floyd's "Ain't it a Pretty Night," where Upshaw sings, literally, to the stars, she seems to effortlessly soar just as high. A great CD, it is indeed "all velvet and diamonds."

Average customer rating:

Just fine on its own terms
Can't compare to original
A Too Little Known American Treasure!

Douglas Moore: The Ballad of Baby Doe

Manufacturer: Newport Classic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Ballad of Baby Doe

ASIN: B000003W2Z
Release Date: 1997-01-14

Tracks:

Act I, Scene One: Opening
Act I, Scene One: It's A Bang Up Job
Act I, Scene One: Horace, What?
Act I, Scene Two: What A Lovely
Act I, Scene Two, Aria: Willow Song
Act I, Scene Two: Oh, Mister Tabor!
Act I, Scene Two, Aria: Warm As
Act I, Scene Three: Now Where
Act I, Scene Three: What Are You
Act I, Scene Four: Why, Mrs. Doe!
Act I, Scene Four, Aria: Dearest Mama
Act I, Scene Four: Excuse Me
Act I, Scene Four: No! No! No!
Act I, Scene Five: What You Do
Act I, Scene Six: Everything Looks
Act I, Scene Six: Ah, Enchanting!
Act I, Scene Six, Aria: Silver Aria
Act I, Scene Six: And I'll Show

Tracks:

Act II, Scene One: Opening
Act II: It's So Warm Inside
Act II: The Fine Ladies
Act II: Mama, Go Inside!
Act II: Augusta, What
Act II, Scene Two: I'll Raise Ya
Act II, Aria: Turn Tail
Act II, Scene Three: La, La, La
Act II, Aria: Good People
Act II, Scene Four: Extra, Extra!
Act II, Aria: Augusta
Act II, Scene Five: Hey, Mister!
Act II: Good Afternoon
Act II: Tabor Owns
Act II: Horace!
Act II, Aria: Always Through

Customer Reviews:

Just fine on its own terms.......1999-04-28

The Ballad of Baby Doe (NPD 85593/2) tells the tale of adulterous love that is miles more believable than the true story behind the opera. You can read about that in the notes that accompany this Newport Classics boxed set of the opera composed by Douglas Moore to an excellent libretto by John Latouche. Not making the mistake of giving his composer a libretto entirely in prose, Latouche was careful to mix dry recite with rhymed passages and a good deal of period and period-type songs here and there to maintain not only a feeling for the times of Baby Doe (Jan Grissom), her beloved Horance Tabor (Brian Steele), and his long suffering wife Augusta (Dana Krueger), but to give the audience some rousing, some lovely melodies to carry them through. Indeed, Baby Doe's "Liebestod" at the end should have been twice as long (which is more than I can say about any passage in other modern operas), and the William Jennings Bryan campaign songs sound very authentic indeed. Now Shakespeare has warned us that "comparisons are odorous" and it is best to forget the older recording of this work with Sills in the title role. No soprano is going to beat her and Ms. Grissom is no exception. But she is good enough for me and the cast and orchestra of the Central City Opera [Colorado] under the baton of John Moriarty is just fine. This is a set I plan to play many times over.

Can't compare to original.......1999-02-10

This is a pale imitation of the original cast recording. You must hear Sills in this role as well as the other superior cast members. The conductor manages to remove most of the score's vibrancy.

A Too Little Known American Treasure!.......1999-01-11

A great story, Douglas Moore's wonderful music, and John Latouche's libretto of pure American poetry. This opera needs to be performed much more often!

Average customer rating:

The Ballad of Baby Doe

Manufacturer: Newport Classic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000BPBQKC

Product Description

cd 1~~~ 1. Scene one, opening~~~ 2. Tabor: It's a bang-up job~~~ 3. Augusta: Horace, what?~~~ 4. Scene Two: What a Lovely"~~~ 5. Aria baby: Willow Song~~~ 6. Baby: Oh, Mister Tabor!~~~ 7. Aria Tabor: Warm as~~~ 8. Scene Three: Now where~~~ 9. Augusta: What are you~~~ 10. Scene Four: Why, Mrs. Doe!~~~ 11. Aria Baby: Dearest Mama~~~ 12. Augusta: Excuse me~~~ 13. Baby: No! No! No!~~~ 14. Scene Five: What do you~~~ 15. Scene Six: Everything Looks~~~ 16. Chorus: Ah, enchanting!~~~ 17. Aria Baby: Silver Aria~~~ 18. Tabor: And I'll Show~~~ cd 2~~~ 1. Scene One, opening~~~ 2. Baby: It's so warm inside~~~ 3. Aria Baby: The Fine ladies~~~ 4. Baby: Mama, go inside~~~ 5. Tabor: Augusta, what~~~ 6. Scene Two: I'll raise ya~~~ 7. Aria Tabor: Turn tail~~~ 8. Scene Three: La La La~~~ 9. Aria Bryan: Good people~~~ 10. Scene Four: Extra, Extra!~~~ 11. Aria Augusta: Augusta~~~ 12. SCene Five: Hey, Mister~~~ 13. Tabor: Good Afternoon~~~ 14. Chorus: Tabor owns~~~ 15. Baby: Horace!~~~ 16. Aria Baby: Always Through

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The Art of Bel Canto
A must listen for any budding soprano singer

Art of Eileen di Tullio

Manufacturer: Legato Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Customer Reviews:

The Art of Bel Canto.......2005-06-28

This recording was recommended to me by an outstanding voice teacher in NYC who told me that Eileen DiTullio was "a great singer." That turned out to be an understatement!! Every track on this recording is a lesson in the art of bel canto--beautiful legato, amazing range, delicate colorings, quicksilver mood changes, and all done without any forcing of the tone or unnatural darkening of the voice. Imagine a blend of the best qualities of Beverly Sills, Benita Valente, and Judith Raskin and this will give you an idea of the timbre of the voice. Ms. DiTullio stands alone in her artistry, total command of her voice, and the ability to touch one's heart with the sheer beauty of her expression.

A must listen for any budding soprano singer.......1999-01-20

The Mozart is especially well done, but the whole album exudes the perfection every soprano should aspire to, The diction, especially the vowels is beautiful. The support and breath control for the clear highs and creamy lows and difficult runs and intervals should be appreciated and imitated.

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