Handel: Rinaldo

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The relatively recent recording of Rinaldo on Decca led by Christopher Hogwood and starring Cecilia Bartoli and David Daniels is so good you'd think another wouldn't be necessary. But along comes this one, thrillingly led by René Jacobs, with a spectacular cast of Handelians, and now it's somewhat hard to choose. Jacobs presents a vivid, exciting, very theatrical performance which leaps from the speakers. His Armida, Inga Kalna is a remarkable singer, with plenty of bite and embellished flights into the stratosphere; Viveca Genaux makes a fine hero, singing with beautiful tone, and, alternately, tenderness and heroism; Miah Persson is a lovely Almirena; James Rutherford excites as Argante; and the rest of the cast is top-notch. The Baroque orchestra pounces on the music's more dramatic moments with vigor but can spin out enchanting melodies when required. If you can't own both, stick with this one: It will make you understand just how exciting Handel opera can be. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Ave Maria (new recording)
La Wally (from Time To Say Goodbye)
Winter Light (new recording)
Anytime, Anywhere (from Eden)
Alhambra (new recording)
Lascia Ch'io Pianga (from Eden)
Dans La Nuit (new recording)
Serenade/How Fair This Place (from La Luna)
O Mio Babbino Caro (new recording)
La Luna (from La Luna)
Pie Jesu (new recording)
Figlio Perduto (from La Luna)
Nessun Dorma (new recording)
Bailero (from Eden)
Time To Say Goodbye (New solo version--previously unavailable)

Amazon.com

Have some friends who still haven't discovered what the Sarah Brightman fuss is all about? You'll find the perfect introduction to make converts of them all in Classics, so they'll have no more excuses to remain clueless. Sporting a Botticelli-inspired image of the platinum-selling soprano on the cover, Classics is a classy anthology including highlights from three of Brightman's chart-topping releases along with seven new tracks. Songs personally selected by the diva as her favorite classical interpretations are culled from her previous blockbusters: Time To Say Goodbye, Eden, and La Luna. And whether you're a fan already in the fold or one in the making, the new material here shows the diva at the top of her form, in new renderings of "O Mio Babbino Caro" and "Nessun Dorma" (accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic)--fascinating displays of the operatic confidence she's developed over her career. Other new offerings include a touching version of Schubert's "Ave Maria,' "Winter Light," a fresh take on her signature song "Pie Jesu" (from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem). "Alhambra" and "Dans La Nuit"--a real treat, bathing the listener in Brightman's silky, sensuous vocalism--add two original titles to her famous adaptations of classical melodies to new lyrics (using Chopin's haunting E major Etude in the latter case). All told, a lovely affirmation of the directions Brightman has boldly taken in her career to date. -Sarah Chin

Amazon.com

Sarah Brightman Photos

More from Sarah Brightman

Time to Say Goodbye
Diva: The Singles Collection
Eden

Diva: The Video Collection
Live from Las Vegas
La Luna (Live in Concert)

Customer Reviews:

Sarah's Best Easy Listening CD.......2007-03-15

Sarah Brightman's talent is limitless. Her soprano and/or alto voice is among the best and she lets it show in 'CLASSICS'. CLASSICS is a beautiful, easy listening, and peaceful CD. CLASSICS is one to listen to in tranquil or relaxing moments. "CLASICS" is a collection of great pieces of music written by great composers (Shuburt, Handel, Chopin, Puccini, and the like). I have listened to CLASSICS about 15 times now and it always puts me in a quiet and peaceful mood (I am ~50 years old).

Best Brightman CD.......2007-02-07

A classical composition which showcases the beautiful voice of Sarah Brightman. A timeless CD which will continue to be a favourite over the years.

Sarah Brightman is a Classic.......2007-01-02

Sarah Brightman is at her best in "Classics." From Dvorak's "Rusalka" (Opera B.203) to Beethoven's haunting Op 52, slow movement (Symphony #7), Brightman's voice and lyrical style are a joy. I particularly enjoy her performances of Schubert's Ave Maria and Andrew Lloyd Weber's Pie Jesu. This is a great add to my collection of serious music.

Not The Best - Not the Worst - From Sarah Brightman.......2006-12-30

After purchasing this CD for my iPod for iTunes, I must say that I'm a little bit dissapointed. 7 new recordings and 8 old ones, ones that I already happen to have. I do like the fact that they're all on one CD! Some of her new recordings, including, "Ave Maria", "Winter Light", "Alhambra", "Dans La Nuit", and the new recording of "Pie Jesu" are just too breathy for my taste. It seems as with every changing CD, Sarah's voice changes. I'm not saying that the result is bad; it actually gives the songs more of a dream like quality, but I'm used to the younger, more Andrew Lloyd-Webber integrated Sarah. Scooping continually occurs in new recordings of "O Mio Babbino Caro", and "Nessun Dorma". In some tracks from La Luna, like "Figlio Perduto", Sarah's voice is TOTALLY dominated by harmonizing recordings that sound almost mechanical.

OVERALLY - The new songs sound O.K. and the old recordings are just as good as they were back then. This album is still a great buy!

Nice Cover.......2006-12-27

I'm a heterosexual guy who's not an opera aficionado - I only mention these facts because I seem to be right in the bull's-eye of the target market for this product. Sarah B. has a nice voice and she's pretty. Both of these are featured prominently on this CD. The cover and several pages in the insert are devoted to what must have been a very long and expensive photo shoot (and Photoshop) of a semi-clad Sarah looking marvelous. (The CD also comes with a flyer so you can buy various Brightman "Classics" apparel - perhaps not for the heterosexual male).

As far as the music goes: not bad, not great. I don't claim to have the most discerning ears for this sort of music, but everything was OK by me. However, the pieces on the CD with which I'm somewhat familiar, such as "O Mio Babbino Caro," didn't sound quite as good as other versions I've heard (and that includes by Charlotte Church, not just opera stars). Also, the solo version of "Time to Say Goodbye" didn't sound nearly as good to me as the duet with Bocelli.

In sum, there were 3-4 songs I liked enough to rip to MP3s - which is enough so that I didn't feel ripped myself...

Average customer rating:

25 Handel Favorites

25 Handel Favorites

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004Y6SY
Release Date: 2000-09-05

Tracks:

Hallelujah Chorus (Messiah)
Pastorale (Messiah)
Bourree (Music For The Royal Fireworks) - Anthony Newman
Overture (Water Music)
Adagio E Staccato (Water Music)
Allegro I (Water Music)
Air (Water Music)
Bourree (Water Music)
Hornpipe (Water Music)
Aria (Con Grosso No. 12 In B Minor)
Grand Fugue No. 3 In B Minor - Anthony Newman
Chorus & March (Judas Maccabaeus) - Anthony Newman
Allegro II (Concerto Grosso No. 5 in D Major)
Allegro V (Concerto Grosso No. 5 in D Major)
Overture (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
La Paix: Sarabande (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
La Rejouissance: Allegro (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
Minuet (Music For The Royal Fireworks)
Silent Worship (Tolomeo) - Mary Ann Hart
Lascia Ch'io Pianga (Rinaldo) - Madeline Tsingopoulos
And The Glory Of The Lord (Messiah)
For Unto Us A Child Is Born (Messiah)
All We Like Sheep (Messiah)
Why Do The Nations (Messiah)
Worthy Is The Lamb (Messiah)

Customer Reviews:

25 Handel Favorites.......2007-01-12

Absolutely what I expect of Handel! Good stuff, if this is your "bag".

Average customer rating:

Another gem from Schwartz
so happy to have found this
Massage Music that my clients LOVE
Soul Satisfying
Powerful interpretations of classics for modern ears.

Aria 3: Metamorphosis
Aria , and Paul Schwartz
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
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Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon
Aria
State of Grace II: Turning to Peace
State of Grace
Earthbound

ASIN: B0002PUH7Y
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

OMBRA MAI FU
FURIOSO
SOGNO
METAMORPHOSIS 2: DANAE
BALLO
INTERLUDE:L'ORCHESTRE ENGLOUTIE
AMAMI
LASCIA
FAREWELL
METAMORPHOSIS 3:CYANE
ASCENSION
METAMORPHOSIS 1: ARACHNE
FURIOSO: instrumental mix
OMBRA: chilled mix

Amazon.com

Souping up the classics with whatever contemporary music pulse is current at the moment has a long history. Some artists, like Emerson, Lake and Palmer, aspired to classical grandiosity. Others, like Michael Murphy and his discofied "A Fifth of Beethoven," turn classical melodies into pop hooks. Paul Schwartz falls somewhere in the middle with his Aria project, of which this is the third. Electronica grooves and effects angle their way through songs "based" on operatic works by Handel, Verdi, Puccini, and Monteverdi. Schwartz begins with a bar set high by some of these melodies, beautifully sung by soprano Rebecca Luker. Whether singing solo or in multi-tracked choirs, her voice opens heavens' gates, but she has to slog through some pedestrian arrangements to get there. Schwartz understands the difference between an orchestra and a synthesizer and with only a few exceptions--like the cheesy opening to "Ombra Ma Fu"--deploys each in appropriate measures. "Ascension," based on a Monteverdi aria is particularly striking with its underlying electronic ostinatos cycling through the breathtaking refrain. But too often, Schwartz's strings are saccharine and his rhythms clichéd in a music that uses high art only to reach for the facile. Like most classical-pop crossovers, time usually renders a verdict of kitsch in the first degree. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

Another gem from Schwartz.......2007-02-21

Much like Aria 1 & 2 this is another gem, presenting a unique interpretation of classic arias. It is an awesome compilation. I look forward to Aria 4 (is there one in the works?)!!

so happy to have found this.......2006-12-31

This CD is one of Paul Schwartz's best; it's definitely the best out of all 3 Arias. I really hopes he continues making State of Grace and Aria CDs because they are amazing.

Massage Music that my clients LOVE.......2006-08-05

I now have all 3 CDs in the "Aria" famiy, and this one, like its predecessors is truely GREAT massage music! My clients love the entire Aria family of CDs. I've been a big fan of Rebecca Luker for quite sometime now and she SHINES like the truely elegant vocal star that she is on this album. A buy that is DEFINATELY well worth it!

Soul Satisfying.......2006-04-29

I love this CD. It's especially wonderful when it's rainy outside and I'm curled up by the fire inside. My son who is 16, blind and autistic loves it and plays it over and over. I think he taps into the immediate relaxation and beautiful blend of classical with technology.

I'm with all the others. Who cares if this somehow "interprets" the classic correctly or not? It is pleasing to the ears and that's all that matters.
Minneapolis, MN

Powerful interpretations of classics for modern ears........2006-03-18

As in Aria 1 and Aria 2, the incredible lyric soprano voice of Rebecca Luker delivers excellent music, song after song. She gives us an interpretation of Handel's Serse; a selection from Puccini's La Rondine; another selection from Verdi's La Traviata; an aria from Handel's Rinaldo; another nice selection from Puccini's Madame Butterfly; and a final selection from Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione.

The CD also has 6 instrumental works, arranged by Paul Schwartz. There is a very nice interpretation of Handel's tragic Sarabande, with vocals by the Joyful Company of Singers and words from Psalm 7. This piece reminds me of the tragic majesty of Carmina Burana.

Paul Schwartz consistently delivers powerful reinterpretations of classical music for modern ears.

Average customer rating:

Tasteful and elegant.
The Most Beautiful Piano CD You Can Buy!
The best wedding album!
I Have Several Originals of this CD
Beautiful music for a beautiful wedding!

The Ultimate Wedding Collection

Manufacturer: Moulin D'or
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Wedding
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ASIN: B0000011ZX
Release Date: 1997-06-03

Tracks:

Air on the G Str
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Lasia Ch'Io Pianga
Ave Maria
Water Music: Air
Water Music: Minuet
Water Music: Trio
Water Music: Hornpipe
Water Music: Alla Danza
Water Music: Coro
Aria
The Lord's Prayer
Arioso
Sheep May Safely Graze
Ave Maria
Canon in D
Bridal Chorus
Trumpet Voluntary
Trumpet Tune and Air
Wedding March

Customer Reviews:

Tasteful and elegant........2004-09-27

I am a DJ and ordered this CD when a couple asked me to play music for the wedding ceremony as well. Since it was an intimate setting, I thought a simple piano arrangement of the traditional "Bridal Chorus" and "Wedding March" would work better than full orchestra versions. This CD worked beautifully.

The Most Beautiful Piano CD You Can Buy!.......2004-01-29

After searching all over Palm Beach County for a suitable CD for my daughter's wedding I came upon this one and really did not hold out much hope, but ordered it strictly because of the reviews. It is beautiful for the person who is looking for a more pure piano sound, free of all the other "stuff". Very well done, something for everyone. Worth the price and then some.

The best wedding album!.......2003-11-16

My husband and I used this CD when our church pianist moved a week before our wedding. It was beautiful, and we got many compliments on it. It's much more reliable than live music, and just as nice. I would highly recommend it.

I Have Several Originals of this CD.......2002-11-14

I am a professional dj owner and heard his music. I assist 100+ brides on their music choices and this CD is absolutely the best for a bride that needs piano solo music for the guests entering the ceremony (prelude) through the ceremony ending. It is a must have. Also in combination with this CD, is his piano versions of love songs "HONEYMOON SUITE" (My Heart Will Go On - Is The First Track). It is classic, clean and used over & over.

Beautiful music for a beautiful wedding!.......2002-02-25

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we wanted beautiful piano music, so we bought "The Ultimate Wedding Collection." It really made the wedding even more romantic, and now I listen to the CD at work and at home. On our anniversary, we often play the CD while we enjoy a quiet candlelight dinner at home. Now my father-in-law is getting remarried, and they are going to use the same CD! It's great for all brides, young and not-so-young.

Average customer rating:

Solid Basic March Collection
Bold and brassy mixes well with the rest
40 Famous Marches - a great collection!!
Classics on Parade
Too, too much Philip Jones Ensemble

40 Famous Marches

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000040OX5
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Pomp And Circumstance March No. 1 In D Major - London PO; Solti, G.
Karelia Suite: Alla marcia - Philharmonia Orchestra
Jubel March - Vienna PO; Boskovsky, W.
Funeral March Of A Marionette - Orchestra Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Tannhauser: Grand March - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble; Howarth, E.
Rinaldo: March - English Chamber Orchestra
Saul: Dead March - English CO; Bonynge, R.
Aida: Grand March - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Radetzky March - Vienna PO; Boskovsky, W.
Marche militaire - Wiener Philharmoniker
Athalia: War March Of The Priests - Vienna PO; Dohnanyi, C.v.
The Nutcracker: March - National Philharmonic Orchestra
The Love For Three Oranges: March - London PO; Weller, W.
Le Prophete: Coronation March - London Philharmonic Orchestra
La Damnation de Faust: Hungarian March - Chicago SO; Solti, G.
Persian March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Aladdin Suite: Oriental Festive March - San Francisco SO; Blomstedt, H.
The Ruins Of Athens: Turkish March - Carlo Curley
The Occasional Oratorio: March - San Francisco SO; Blomstedt, H.
Pomp And Circumstance March No. 4 In G Major - London Philharmonic Orchestra

Tracks:

Crown Imperial (Coronation March) - London PO; Norrington, R.
Music For The Funeral Of Queen Mary: Funeral March - Baroque Brass Of London
Prince of Denmark's March (Trumpet Voluntary) - London PO; Norrington, R.
March - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Marche triomphale - London PO; Norrington, R.
Egyptian March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Joyeuse March - Swiss Romande Orch; Ansermet, E.
Napoleon March - Wiener Philharmoniker
A Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March - Montreal SO; Dutoit, C.
Russian March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Carmen, Suite No.2: Marche des contrebandiers - Montreal SO; Dutoit, C.
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan: March - London Symphony Orchestra
Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles - Kingsway Orch; Camarata, S.
Spanish March - Wiener Philharmoniker
Things To Come: March - National PO; Herrmann, B.
Washington Post - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Entry Of The Gladiators - National PO; Herrmann, B.
Colonel Bogey - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
The Dam Busters - National PO; Herrmann, B.
The Stars And Stripes Forever - Philip Jones Brass Ensemble

Customer Reviews:

Solid Basic March Collection.......2006-08-07

Great solid basic collection, a real bargain with mostly outstanding performances. Having played several in bands and orchestras and sung one (the Rimsky Mlada), I have a good idea how they should go. As other other commentators say, there are better individual recordings, such as anything by Fennell and the Eastman band. The organ pieces just don't do this music justice, although a real cathedral organ can come close, but that's beyond these discs. The Nielsen Aladdin March is the new one for me. Berlioz by Solti is great! Buy it!

Bold and brassy mixes well with the rest.......2004-08-14

I am impressed most by the variety in 40 Famous Marches on 2 CDs, a Double Decca release. The performers include Philharmonic Orchestras, a Brass Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, organ, Symphony, and for nine selections, the Wiener Philharmoniker. I am not sure if the word schmaltzy ought to be applied to any of this, but the Wiener Philharmoniker often exhibits a unique sound which is not quite the same as any of the other selections. The final five selections are all performed by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble under Elgar Howarth in ADD/DDD format in 1983 and 1985. Two of those five are rousing marches by John Philip Sousa, another called `Entry of the Gladiators' is typical of songs played by live bands at circuses, and the remaining two are from movie soundtracks. `Colonel Bogey' is famous from the movie about British prisoners of war building a railroad bridge for the Japanese in World War Two, the Bridge over the River Kwai.

The major source of variety in these 40 selections is that many of them are taken from operas and even a ballet, Tchaikovsky's famous `The Nutcracker--March.' I originally found this collection when I was searching for `Funeral March of a Marionette' by Charles Gounod (1818-1893) which has a theme that is famous from its use by a television series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. If you can't remember how that goes, you ought to buy this collection and listen for it early: it is selection 4 on the first CD. The main theme was fun to play and easy to learn in a book of piano lessons, but the rest is quite whimsical and worth listening to, and people who play organ with pedal notes might still be able to find music for playing the entire arrangement, difficult though it is for someone like me, who becomes confused when too many things are going on at the same time.

There was something on this CD that sounded weird, and I had to check to see what it was, and it was just someone playing the organ, but he was trying to play `The Ruins of Athens -- Turkish March' by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).

Something by Handel sounds so much like the beginning of a movie that I expect someone to start singing, `The hills are alive with The Sound Of Music,' but this CD is something else. The first CD starts and ends with marches from `Pomp and Circumstance' by Edward Elgar, so people who have been to a lot of graduation ceremonies will be expecting plenty of familiar music. The 6:32 time is slightly longer than the Wagner's `Tannhauser -- Grand March' on the first CD, but long graduation ceremonies may play it even longer, until all the diplomas are handed out.

Verdi, Strauss, Schubert, Prokofiev, Berlioz, these famous composers might be recognized by people who know music, but the `Wedding March' by Felix Mendelssohn is famous with everybody for what it is used for. If you haven't heard it lately, maybe you should hear it a few times so you won't be so nervous the next time it comes around.

40 Famous Marches - a great collection!!.......2003-11-21

This is a wonderful collection. What a wide collection of exciting pieces, all in one affordable package!! It encompasses so many composers and styles, from the majesty of Elgar and Walton, to upbeat Sousa to schmaltzy Strauss. It also includes such classic marches as Meyerbeer's Coronation, a pinnacle of the French opera style, the timeless Wedding March of Mendelssohn, and the brilliant organ piece, Marche Triomphale of Sigfrid Karg-Elert. There are also some interesting oddball selections like the mysterious Things to Come of Bliss (composed for the H.G. Wells film), the jaunty Chabrier marche, and oriental flair of Nielsen's Aladdin.
In reading some of the other criticisms, it is true that the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble perhaps is not the best or most noted ensemble. However, overall, the pieces they play are either Sousa or patriotic-sounding tunes. Their only forays into the true classical realm are the Grand Marches from Tannhauser and Aida, and they are not half bad. So don't let those pieces keep you from buying the CD - 1) because most of the songs they do play are great and 2) they only play in 1/4 of the music....

Classics on Parade.......2003-05-01

If you're looking for a collection of marches from classical music, this would be a fine one to get.
It contains recordings made from 1958 to 1996 by some of the world's great orchestras, plus several numbers by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, and four arranged for organ.
The first 35 marches include many of the best-known classical marches, plus three "coronation" marches, written as far back as the end of the seventeenth century (The Prince of Denmark's March) up to 1954 (The Dam Busters). The last five pieces are "popular" marches played by the Jones Ensemble.
The liner notes give a nice history of marches, including where most of the ones in this collection fit into that scenario.
A great collection of marches by classical and popular music "masters".

Too, too much Philip Jones Ensemble.......2003-04-17

A mixed bag of music, 40 FAMOUS MARCHES compiles a good many marches - some not too common.

The CD has it's high points:
1. Chicago Symphony (under Solti!) playing Berlioz's Hungarian March (love that trombone excerpt - BAM!)
2. London Philharmonic playing Prokofiev's "The Love for Three Oranges" March
3. Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance No. 1 (also London Philharmonic)

BUT... There's some real stuff on here, too. I must concur with a prior reviewer: FAR TOO MUCH Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. Case in point - Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever, as played by PJBE is completely devoid of the energy and fire it needs. The trombone countermelody at the end is just NOT THERE (you'll strain to hear it). There's just no way this is right. PBJE is great in their setting, but this is just not it.

Tracks:

Oh Sleep, Why Dost Thou Leave Me?
Endless Pleasure
Scoglio D'Immota Fronte
Quando Spieghi I Tuoi Tormenti
Ombra Mai Fu
To Fleeting Pleasures Make Your Court
Lascia Ch'io Pianga
Dunque, I Lacci D'un Volto...Ah! Crudel
Let The Bright Seraphim
V'adoro, Pupille
Da Tempeste Il Legno Infranto
Ritorna, Oh Caro E Dolce Mio Tesoro
Sommo Rettor Del Cielo...D'una Torbida Sorgente
Pensieri, Voi Mi Tormentate
Bel Piacere E Godera Fido Amor!
Calm Thou Soul...Convey Me To Some Peaceful Shore

Amazon.com

Those who may have feared that Renée Fleming might approach Handel with a too-Romantic vocal attitude need not have; whether it's the leadership of the sympathetic, historically informed Harry Bicket, the sound of the spare but warm Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, plain good sense and musicianship, or any combination of these, here she offers sixteen arias in almost-impeccable Baroque fashion. I doubt whether sopranos of Handel's age had voices as plush as Ms Fleming's but she manages to keep her tone as light and as airy as possible in these selections, never leaning or swooping into an accompanying note in an "un-Baroque" manner, and the result is simply ravishing. The voice, of course, is almost unbelievably beautiful and agile, the technique impeccable, complete with a trill unmatchable in any soprano singing today. From the long-breathed lines of "O sleep why dost thou leave me" from Semele to the fireworks in Cleopatra's "Da tempeste…," with stops along the way at the famous "Ombra mai fu" and a complete rarity from the composer's Lotario, this CD is just breathtaking. Brava Fleming--and bravo Harry Bicket! Oh, yes--bravo Handel! --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

clear as a bell.......2007-02-16

Renee Fleming is one of the most talented female vocalists around. She has such a beautiful, crystal clear voice, and she sings every song on this album well. As a singer myself, I definitely look up to her and very much admire the tone, quality, power, and range of her voice. I would definitely reccommend this album to anyone who enjoys classical music or is looking for someone to aspire to.

Renee Fleming...somewhat out of her depth.......2006-10-20

While it's not the most thrilling Renee Fleming album in the catalogue, her interpretations of Handel pieces is quite an accomplished feat, but when compared to her earlier efforts, rings hollow with it's lack of emotion. As other reviewers have noted, Ms Fleming does not sound like she is in complete grasp of the material, and her performance lacks any real depth or dramatic weight.

Perhaps the pieces of Handel aren't completely flattering to her style, or the mood in the recording studio might not have been exactly right...a million things might have happened to dull this album's power. I have listened to this album a couple of times now, and I'll keep it in my collection, but this one is for the die-hard Renee Fleming fans.

[Decca /Universal 475 547-2]

Handel sung with gusto and wit.......2005-12-07

I am utterly in love with Renee Fleming's voice and I am very glad that she returned to her roots in this luminous Handel Recital. While her fioritura is not as excellent as Sutherland's she surpasses the Australian with her sincerity and sense for drama. Not one word is sung without attention, her silken voice sound absolutely radiant here. I also noticed that she is singing more precisely and elegantly here, giving Handel a dignified elegance, yet passion that it hasn't had since Ferrier (Who was an alto but she still reigns supreme). It is definitely a step in the right direction. Brava Miss Fleming!

Very disappointing Handel recital.......2005-10-30

This recital is mostly very bland and boring, with Fleming's Baroque vocal technique lacking in many ways.
The slow, languid arias like the opening "Oh Sleep" are too drawn out, without any character. The fast acrobatic arias show lack of agility, and poorly executed and overdone ornamentation. Fleming's heavy, laboured coloratura seems ill fitted for these selections. "Scoglio d'immota" in particular is very bad. Her leaps "from stone to stone" in this aria are proceeded by something of a bellow before each note. Fleming's rthythmic waywardness is also very evident in many tracks, and her diction is very indistinct. In English tracks she prounounces vowels in such bizarre ways, her singing of "endless laav" made me laugh and her Italian in "Quando spieghi" is just awful.
Fleming's "Ombra Mai Fu" lacks any character, tenderness, not to mention the missing recitativo. Lorraine Hunt's infinitely superior version should not be even compared to this one. And "Lascia ch'io pianga" is just so over the top, it sounds like a crossover track without the beat. Even Angela Gheorghiu's soppy but honest singing of this piece beats Fleming's interpretation.
"Let the Bright Serephim" has very serious tempo and scooping issues; Kiri Te Kanawa's unremarkable but pleasant enough version is better. "V'adoro pupille" is another drawn out, overtly sentimental aria. And in "Da Tempeste" Fleming sings the runs as it was jazz (?) music, it's strange, and the da capo part is so over the top. This aria is a total mess.
I have to admit I have problems listening to this album as a whole, midway through I just could not tolerate it any more. When I finally listened to the rest of this album, I liked it even less. The last track, Peaceful Shore is again so bland and pointless. I was just glad to be at the end of this recital.
As many people pointed out, even the accoustics of this recording are not good. The Orchestra of Enlightment plays just fine, but it makes little difference. With so many wonderful recent Handel recitals to choose from (Hunt, Bayrakdarian, Conolly, classics like Kirkby, Battle's Baroque Duets...) I think this is the one to skip.

Brava Renee!!!.......2005-09-28

This album is truly amazing. Renee has such a way with music from the Baroque era. She didn't over Romanticize the music. She lightened her voice perfectly for Handel's arias. The Giulio Cesare arias are incredible, and Endless Pleasure from Semele is astounding. Once again Brava!!

Average customer rating:

A truly amazing artist
About time I said how good this recording is!
a voice teacher and early music fan
Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come
David Daniels: La voz del barroco.

Handel: Opera Arias; David Daniels
David Daniels , George Frideric Handel , Roger Norrington , and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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David Daniels - Serenade
Handel: Oratorio Arias
Stephanie Blythe - Handel & Bach Arias / David Daniels · Ensemble Orchestral de Paris · John Nelson
Rinaldo

ASIN: B00000FDND
Release Date: 1998-12-01

Tracks:

Serse: Recitativo accompagnato Frondi tenere
Serse: Larghetto Ombra mai fu
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Va tacito e nasacosto
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Al lampo dell' armi
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Recitativo accompagnato Dall' ondoso periglio
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria Aure, deh, per pieta
Tamerlano: Aria A dispetto
Ariodante: Recitativo E vivo anora
Ariodante: Aria Scherza infida
Giulio Cesare in Egito: Aria Cara speme
Giulio Cesare In Egitto: Aria L'angue offeso
Rodelinda: Sinfonia Pompe vane di morte
Rodelinda: Largo Dove sei?
Rodelinda: Aria Vivi, tiranno
Rinaldo: Largo Cara sposa, amante cara
Rinaldo: Aria Venti, turbini

Amazon.com

David Daniels seems to be the current leader of the opera world's March of the Falsettos--and with good reason: he's one of the first countertenors with enough beef in his voice to sound convincing in the heroic castrato roles of Handel's operas. His first solo disc is a collection of arias from just those roles--and an impressive debut it is. Daniels has the solid coloratura technique a Handel singer needs and a quick, narrow vibrato that can blend with Baroque instruments without alienating traditional opera buffs. (In fact, he sometimes sounds surprisingly like Marilyn Horne, one of his coaches.) Best of all, he has a musicality and dramatic sense that save the laments and slow serenades from dullness and the bravura showpieces from empty virtuoso display. The performances aren't flawless: Norrington's tempos are occasionally too quick for comfort (Daniels's and the listener's), and Daniels's vibrato sometimes spreads unattractively at the top of his range. He's at his best in the low alto roles that Handel wrote for the great castrato Il Senesino, such as the title roles in Giulio Cesare and Orlando. Let's hope we get to hear him in complete recordings of these operas soon. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

A truly amazing artist.......2007-06-21

David Daniels is one of the finest singers alive. I heard him recently in the Met's Julius Caesar and was overwhelmed with his performance. He not only has a truly beautiful voice, he is a complete artist, both emotionally and technically. This recording does him justice, and the music is some of Handel's finest. We are very lucky to have Mr. Daniels.

About time I said how good this recording is!.......2006-10-02

I've had this CD for a few years now and it is one that I often play. David Daniels is a great singer and his interpretations of Handel's arias are sublime. He is one of the best countertenors currently working in the world and he has few peers - Andreas Scholl, Bian Asawa, Derek Lee Ragin, Daniel Taylor, Robin Blaze, Lawrence Zazzo, Philippe Jaroussky, Gérard Lesne, Bejun Mehta and, of course, James Bowman are his only serious rivals.

This collection is well selected and it includes popular arias as well as a few less well known ones.

The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment is in magnificent form and Sir Roger Norrington gets magic from the various sections of the orchestra - particularly the Baroque bassoons in "Scherza infida".

This album is both a showcase for the singer and the orchestra. It is vastly superior to most Handel opera aria collections.

I unreservedly recommend this superb disc to all music lovers.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-06-24

David Daniels has devised this program so that it provided a view of Handel at the most significant stages in his London career as an opera composer. With his spectacular debut in England with 'Rinaldo'(1711), he established his ability to compose for the stage, and immediately followed it with 3 masterpieces: 'Tamerlano' and 'Guilio Cesare in Egitto', both from 1724, and 'Rodelinda' the next year. The unique 'Serse' (1738)is from the twilight of his operatic career, while 'Ariodante' shows a time when Handel and his London company was having difficulty competing with the rival Opera of the Nobility sponsored by the Prince of Wales.
Handel's greatest contribution to operatic history is his ability to rise above the sterertypical in his characters, endowing them with a total humanity by allowing them to experience the entire emotional gamut throught a variety of arias and recitatives. Moreover, David Daniels , being one of the finest interpreters of Handel is aware of the need not to be so blinded by the purity of the musical line as to forget what he is singing about. In fact, Handel often shaped the melodic line according to the degree a particular word was to be stressed. Handel was very aware of new devlopments, and styles and attitudes of his time, without ever betraying his own musical personality.
To my mind, Daniels is the consummate Handelian singer, and it is probably this music that he performs best! His delivery is highly dramatic as it should be, his diction absolutely flawless, his tone quality strong and sonorous; in short he is one good singer! It is indeed a very fine disc, not only because of the line-up but also because all arias are sung extremely well by him. I found myself focusing on his selection from "Serse": "Ombra mai fu". He sings this so much more emotionally and endows it with his own unique style. It's so well-done!!! My other favorite is from "Rinaldo": Venti,turbini". This displays his very skillful vocal technique in addition to his excellent diction. I really think he is the leading AMERICAN countertenor.

Stellar Performance and a Sign of the Greatness to Come.......2004-08-10

It is hard to imagine that there could be a finer recital disc of Handel's arias than this one reflecting the exquisite taste and powerful talent of David Daniels...unless of course, you count his splendid follow-up disc of Handel's lesser known oratorio arias released in 2002 (also strongly recommended). But the focus in this 1998 release is the rich music within six of Handel's best-known operas. Now nearly six years after its release, this recording not only holds up beautifully as an introduction to his prodigious talent, but also demonstrates his keen sense of adventure when his voice was at its most pure and unfettered.

Daniels' coloratura technique is amazingly seasoned even at this point of his career, and he approaches each aria in a singular fashion with that incredibly flexible legato that is literally breathtaking. Compare the impressive runs he employs on his rendition of "A dispitto" from "Tamerlano" to his seductive and sonorous tones on "Aure, deh, per pietà" from "Giulio Cesare in Egritto", and you get an idea of the range of emotion and technique of which Daniels is capable. Listening to the two arias from "Rodelinda" will make you recognize how over the course of twelve minutes, he has shown the two distinct sides of Bertarido - the mournful, dejected husband who goes unrecognized in "Pompe van di morte...Dove Sei?" and his enemy's savior at the end with "Vivi, tiranno".

The two arias from "Rinaldo", are also beautifully performed. Six years later, one can appreciate these versions within the context of Daniels' career, as he later recorded the title role in the famous 2000 recital recording of the opera with Cecilia Bartoli and yet again in the 2001 David Alden staging of the opera captured recently on DVD. I recommend getting your hands on all three and comparing the performances, as all are wonderful but quite different. Personally I think his voice ripened to just the right timbre in the Alden-staged version, especially during the opera's centerpiece, "Cara sposa, amante cara". Of all the stellar selections, it is really difficult to pick just one as a favorite, but his version of "E vivo ancora....Scherza infida" from "Ariodante" is especially moving in the way he sings of his plight in being humiliated by an unfaithful woman. Written for a castrato named Carestini in 1735, it is a sublime piece made all the more moving by the warm, round tones Daniels brings to it.

Sir Roger Norrington and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment provide able accompaniment on period instruments, never intrusive or jarring to the ears. It is easy to tell from this recording why Daniels received so much hype for bringing the countertenor voice to the mainstream and why his career has been so meteoric since the release of this disc. Now you can see that it was more than hype...David Daniels is the real thing.

David Daniels: La voz del barroco........2003-10-26

Para los amantes del barroco en su estado puro es esencial tener este cd en el cual el gran contratenor DAVID DANIELS repasa las arias mas celebres de las operas de George Friederich Haendel. Daniels impone una voz bella, muy femenina, homogenea en todo el registro, sin problemas en los agudos, y que enamora nada mas oirla. Ademas canta las arias con un extraordinario sentimiento. ROGER NORRINGHTON dirige a la ORQUESTA DEL SIGLO DE LAS LUCES (que suena magnificamente con sus instrumentos originales) con gran conocimiento del estilo barroco, lo que termina de hacer de este disco una pieza fundamental para los amantes de la opera barroca, que afortunadamente son cada vez mas.

A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)

Average customer rating:

AN OPERA OPUS THAT'S A MUST!
The Best
Superb Modestly Priced Favorite Arias Collection!!!
Wonderful introduction to opera

A - Z of Opera (includes 762 page booklet)
Puccini , Thomas Harper , Ingrid Kertesi , Scholars Baroque Ensemble , and Hungarian State Opera Orchestra
Manufacturer: Naxos
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Binding: Audio CD

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A to Z of Classical Music
The Most Famous Opera Duets
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Best of Italian Opera
Amor--Opera's Great Love Songs

ASIN: B00004YYRR
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Tracks:

L'Orfeo: Sinf/Ecco Pur Ch'a Voi - Cappella Musicale Di S. Petronio Di Bologna/Sergio Vartolo
Dido And Aeneas: When I Am Laid In Earth - Kym Amps
Rinaldo: Lascia Ch'io Pianga - Ingrid Kertesi
Serse: Ombra Mai Fu (Largo) - Ingrid Kertesi
Orfeo Ed Euridice: Dance Of The Blessed Spirits - Slovak State PO/Johannes Wildner
Alceste: Ombre Larve - Theresa Ringhoz/Drottningholm Theatre Chor
Don Giovanni: Madamina! (Catalogue Aria) - Andrea Martin
Cosi Fan Tutte: Soave Sia Il Vento (Terzetto) - Joanna Borowska/Rohangiz Yachmi/Peter Mikulas
The Marriage Of Figaro: Non Piu Andrai - Natale De Carolis
Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache (Aria Of The Queen Of The Night) - Helen Kwon/Hungarian Festival Chor
Fidelio: Abscheulicher! - Inga Nielsen/Hungarian Radio Chor
Der Freischutz: Huntsmen's Chor - Slovak Phil Chor
The Barber Of Seville: Largo Al Factotum - Roberto Servile
L'Elisir D'Amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Vincenzo La Scola
I Puritani: Qui La Voce Sua Soave - Luba Orgonasova
La Traviata: Un Di Felice (Love Duet) - Monika Krause/Yordy Ramiro
Nabucco: Va Pensiero (Chor Of The Hebrew Slaves) - Slovak Phil Chor (Bratislava)
Aida: Grand March - Nat SO Of Ireland/Rico Saccani
Falstaff: E Sogno? O Realita - Roberto Servile

Tracks:

Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Yordy Ramiro/Slovak Phil Chor
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries - Czecho-Slovak RSO/Uwe Mund
Tannhauser: Begluckt Darf Nun Dich (Pilgrims' Chor) - Slovak Phil Chor
La Wally: Ebben, Ne Andro Lontana - Miriam Gauci
Rusalka: O, Silver Moon (Song To The Moon) - Jana Valaskova
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Luba Orgonasova
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Jonathan Welch
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo - Miriam Gauci
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Giorgio Lamberti
Turandot: Nessun Dorma - Thomas Harper/Slovak Phil Chor
Lakme: Dome Epais (Flower Duet) - Adriana Kohutkova/Denisa Slepkovska
Thais: Meditation - Janos Selmeczi
Carmen: L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Graciela Alperyn/Slovak Phil Chor/Bratislava Children's Chor
The Pearl Fishers: Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Duet) - Janez Lotric/Igor Morozov
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Nicola Matinucci/Slovak Phil Chor
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo - Czecho-Slovak RSO/Alexander Rahbari
Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio - Thomas Harper
King Roger: Roxana's Aria - Barbara Zagorzanka
Die Tote Stadt: Gluck, Das Mir Verblieb (Marietta's Lied) - Katarina Dalayman/Thomas Sunnegardh/Tomtberga School Children's Chor/Royal Swedish Opr Chor

Album Description

A-Z of Opera is a 762-page, illustrated book, accompanied by two-and-a-half hours of opera's most glorious and moving moments on two CDs, and reflects the ever-growing Naxos catalog of recordings ranging from Monteverdi to the contemporary. A-Z of Opera provides a wide range of information on operas and their composers, from Handel's Rinaldo to Mozart's Die Zauberflote, and beyond. It features plot synopses, background details and cast lists for hundreds of operas including well-known standards as well as opera rarities. In addition, there is a wealth of information about all the great composers and a glossary of key musical and operatic terms.

Customer Reviews:

AN OPERA OPUS THAT'S A MUST!.......2003-01-19

Oh, such letter-perfect perfection! This marvel features a two-hour-plus showcase of well-known arias from "Cosi Fan Tuti," "Aida," "Carmen," "Madame Butterfly" and "The Barber of Seville." It also comes with a book --- 762 pages of remarkable facts, figures and illustrations.Encore!

The Best.......2002-06-09

This is, by far, the best introduction to opera on the market. It also contains some gem performances for anyone who already has a serious opera collection. Several tracks on this collection of mostly Eastern European singers rival those of their Western counterparts. This is a collection for EVERYONE - from the opera novice to the person who has long collected all the major Western stars. At this price, it's the best opera bargain in the world. GET IT NOW!!! Thank you, Naxos! I hope that some of these Eastern European singers at last get the attention they deserve.

Superb Modestly Priced Favorite Arias Collection!!!.......2001-02-12

I received this as my 20th birthday gift from my bestfriend and I was amazed at the quality and the content of this CD. Some of the arias which I am immensely fond of are included, i.e. "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen." And who would have guessed that the soprano on track 10 performing Queen of the Night's Aria from Mozart's "Die Zauberflote" was none other than Hellen Kwon? Amazing!

I really love this gift from my bestfriend for it was thoughtful and well, what can I say that this makes an excellant gift for opera neophytes (though I am not an opera neophyte).

The highlight of this CD is track 13, Rossini's "Largo al Factotum" from "The Barber of Seville." When I first heard this, I was contemplating to myself as to where have I heard this before. Then it hit me: Michigan J. Frog's signature tune! (In case people are wondering who on earth is Michigan J. Frog is, he is the Warner Brother's frog; the frog can be seen on WB network channel). I love this track! Buy this for yourself if not this makes a perfect gift for your opera neophyte friend(s)! This track brings joy and smiles on my face everytime I hear this piece!

Wonderful introduction to opera.......2000-12-16

More than just a promotional sampler, the Naxos (8.555037-38) contains not only 2 CDs crammed with 39 excerpts from that company's seemingly bottomless catalogue, but also a 762 page book. The text offers plot summaries of almost every important opera and many of far lesser renown (Delius' "The Magic Fountain," Mascagni's "Iris," for example), a brief biography of the composers, a glossary, and finally a discography. The recorded examples are in chronological order from Monteverdi to Korngold. The entries in the book, however, are in alphabetical order--so be careful to look for "Zauberflote," not "Magic Flute," and so on.

Of course, Big Names do not appear on many Naxos opera sets; but this set is an introduction to that vast area of culture and is meant to be an educational (and of course a promotional ) device. Nevertheless, many of the selections on the CDs are beautifully sung, a very few lack characterization (the arias from"Don Giovanni" and "Nozze di Figaro" for two). But at this incredibly low budget price, who can complain?

As soon as I saw what this set had to offer, I immediately ordered a copy as a seasonal gift for a friend who wants to "get into" opera. I could think of no better gift.

Tracks:

Jesu Joy Of Man's Desiring
Ave verum corpus - K. 618
Hear My Prayer: O, For The Wings Of A Dove
Messiah: Hallelujah
Requiem: Pie Jesu
Exsultate, jubilate - K. 165 (Excerpt)
Silent Night, Holy Night
Samson: Let The Bright Seraphim
Rinaldo: Lascia ch'io pianga
Zadok The Priest
Fruhlingsstimmen - Op. 410
The Keeper Would A-Hunting Go
Scarborough Fair
Loch Lomond
Shenandoah
Now Is The Hour
The Girl From Ipanema
El condor pasa
La Guantanamera
Cielito lindo
Heidenroslein
Kuckuck, Kuckuck, ruft's aus dem Wald

Customer Reviews:

It is a great CD.......2001-03-22

I get this item and I can say is great, if you really want to get an idea about the vienna boys choir's work, you have to get this, you can admire the soloist voice, Emanuel Cencic, he has an outstanding voice, principally the track "let the bright querubin" but in general is a great compilation, you can stop listening.

Found it to lack real depth.......2000-01-12

The songs are nice and the music pleasant to listen to, but the titles are fairly short and there is something missing. I just didn't find it to be very moving, perhaps it's just the recording.

John P. Cutler.......1999-12-29

This CD covers a wide range of music.The Vienna Boys Choir have done another great job. I believe this CD is a great choice, one that You will be happy with.

Average customer rating:

An Interesting Performance
Just beautiful
The Fame Of Farinelli
The Fame Of Farinelli
Music From The Movie Farnielli: Otherwordly Arias

Farinelli

Manufacturer: Travelling
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Arias for Farinelli
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ASIN: B000025T4I
Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

Son Qual Nave Ch'agitata: Air De Arbace
Alto Giove: Air D'Acio
Se Al Labbro Mio Non Credi: Instrumental
Ombra Fedele Anch'io: Air De Dario
Artaserse: Ouverture
Lascia Ch'io Pianga: Air De Almirena
Cara Sposa: Air De Rinaldo
Rinaldo: Ouverture
Generoso Risuegliati O Core: Air De Poro
Salve Regina
Alto Giove: Instrumental

Customer Reviews:

An Interesting Performance.......2007-06-14

This performance electronically blends the voices of a soprano and a counter tenor in an attempt to create a voice that might be like that of the famous castrato Farinelli, reputedly to have had a voice of great power and range. Technically it is successful, you certainly would not know it was a composite voice unless you were told. And musically, too, it is quite satisfying. But I must question if it were realy necessary, listen to Mezzo Soprano Vivica Genaux's CD, Arias for Farinelli, her performance is dazzling, with far more expression and fire than you get with the composite, a far more satisfying performance. Please try to hear it.

Just beautiful.......2004-06-24

I really don't know much of opera, but everytime when I listen to this album, i get goosebums. It's just so beautiful. Try it in your car with full volume. it will blow your mind away.

The Fame Of Farinelli.......2004-05-15

This album features music and operatic arias from the film Farinelli. The movie was a highly dramatized and untrue account of the life of Farinelli, the stage name of Carlo Broschi, the greatest castrato singer of all time. The castrati were castrated before puberty so as to preserve their soprano range and maintain awesome lung power of the male voice. In the film, Stefano Dionisi lip synched but the voices that were used were a combination in synthesizer of the tenor Derek Lee Regin and the soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska. Their voices, though distinctly male and female, sounded very alike and director Gerard Corbiau decided to creatively edit their voices. The music is sublime. These obscure and rare Baroque classics are not performed today, not even in Europe. So many of the libretti have been lost in time and even with the libretti and music available, the castrati voice can never again be heard and much of the Baroque type of singing is difficult for most singers to undertake. Nowadays, the singers that come close to castrati are highly developed falsetto-singing countertenors or mezzo-sopranos with coloratura like Cecilia Bartoli or Vivica Genoux. On this album, we hear unique and rare composers, like Farinelli's brother Riccardo Broschi, and his operas. The aria "Son Qual Nave Agitata" and the more impressive "Ombra Fidele" are exquisite, full of lyrical grandeur and coloratura gymnastics. The rest are arias from long forgotten operas and even religious works for the Roman Catholic Church, like Palestrina, who thought the castrati voice was the closest thing to God. It's a great album to have if you are a fan of Farinelli and the msuic of his day.

The Fame Of Farinelli.......2004-05-15

This album contains music from the 1995 foreign film Farinelli. The film dealt with the life of Carlo Broschi, otherwise known by his stage name Farinelli. He was the great castrato singer who dazzled audiences with his amazing bravura and vocal virtuosity. He was supposedly able to hold a long note in a single minute. In the movie the actor Stefano Dionisi was lip-synching to the creative synthesized combination of tenor Derek Lee Ragin and soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska. This blending of male and female voices is what the castrati voice must have been like.

The album is chalk-full of rare Baroque treasures. Although the music of Handel was prominent in the film, there is nothing by Handel here which is suprising because Handel wrote mostly for castrati voice. The composer Riccardo Broschi, Farinelli's brother, wrote many operas and specific arias for his voice alone. Here, we get the sublime lyrical aria "Son Qual Nave Agitata" from the opera Idaspe and the more impressive "Ombra Fedele Anchio" which is full of hair-raising coloratura gymnastics. The beauty and rarity of these arias alone is worth getting the album. The instrumental music, perfectly Baroque in structure, includes the Overture to Artaserses. The other vocal music even has a spiritually uplifting work by Palestrina who wrote vocal music in religious contexts for the Roman Catholic Church and who believed the castrati voice was the most divinely inspired voice and closest to God. This album is worth getting if you are a fan of the movie, a fan of the Baroque period and a fan of Farinelli in particular.

Music From The Movie Farnielli: Otherwordly Arias.......2004-05-14

This album contains music and operatic arias used in the film Farinelli, about the dramatic life of the famous castrato opera legend of the Baroque period. The creative editing and synthesizing blended the voices of the male tenor Derek Lee Ragin and the female soprano Ewa Mallas Godlewska. This combination of male and female, which sounds like the singing voice of a hermaphrodite, is probably what the voice of Farinelli sounded like. It was an absolute fetish in Baroque Italy of the 1600's. Castrati were the highest paid singers, enjoyed the fame equal to today's legends of rock (and that included groupies) and lived in luxury in the courts of European royalty. Farinelli was the most famous and the greatest of these singers. His voice was like nothing on earth. The male part of his voice enabled him to hold his breath for long periods of times in awesome displays of lung powers, usually demonstrated in the legato phrasing and long, sustained notes. His female voice was the real fire, though, especially impressing audiences with the roulades and high-flying coloratura acrobatics.

Farinelli the movie was dramatized to make the life of Carlo Broschi, Farinelli's real name, seem more interesting. But the music is sublime that any fan of opera, with a particular fascination for Baroque opera, will enjoy this cd album immensely. The composers offered here are obscure and their operas are long forgotten. Handel, a big name in the period, composed many arias for Farinelli and other castrati, but the film and this album feature several composers who are lesser known and whose operas have disappeared forever. These lavish operas were always associated with myth and fantasy. Gods and goddesses, Muses, military heroes and noble virtue was usually the theme. Orpheus was the darling of this period and many operas were made about his myth. All the instrumental and vocal music on here is sublime and real gems of the Baroque period. Especially noteworthy is Ombra Fidele from the opera Idaspe, composed by Farinelli's brother Ricardo Broschi. Also real treasures are Artaserses, Rinaldo and even a religious piece by Palestrina. This is a great buy for opera lovers.

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