Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1 [Box set]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This spectacular collection of more than 90 arias sung by 46 of the greatest singers of the century consists of recordings made between 1906 and 1943. Naturally, they are in far from high fidelity, but this is more charming than disturbing. And all the greats are here: from the tenors Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, John McCormack, and Jussi Bjoerlong, to the sopranos Rosa Ponselle, Amelita Galli-Curci, Claudia Muzio, and Kirsten Flagstad, to mezzos Conchita Supervia and Ernestine Schumann-Heink, to baritones Giuseppe de Luca and Mattia Battistini, and basses Ezio Pinza and Feodor Chaliapin--to mention a few. The six and a half hours of listening is a veritable primer in Grand Opera; a short synopsis of each selection is included. This set lives up to its name--it is indeed a treasury. --Robert Levine

Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1, Music, Georges Bizet, Francois-Adrien Boieldieu, Gustave Charpentier, Francesco Cilea, Leo Delibes, Gaetano Donizetti, Umberto Giordano, Mikhail Glinka, Benjamin Godard, Charles Gounod, George Frideric Handel, Imre (Emmerich) Kalman, Franz Lehar, Pietro Mascagni, Jules Massenet, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Modest Mussorgsky, Otto Nicolai, Jacques Offenbach, Amilcare Ponchielli, Giacomo Puccini, Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov, Gioachino Rossini, Johann II Strauss, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Giuseppe Verdi, Richard Wagner, Angelo Albergoni, Anton Paulik, Antonio Sabino, Bruno Reibold, Carlo Sabajno, Erich Ortmann, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Eugene Bigot, Eugene Ormandy, Franco Ghione, Franz Lehár, Giorgio Polacco, Giulio Setti, Gustave Cloez, H. Defosse, J. Messner, Josef A. Pasternack, Lorenzo Molajoli, Nils Grevillius
Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A primer of great singing
  • Outstanding
  • A collection made with taste and savvy
  • One of the Great Bargains
 Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by DonizettiAll Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GlinkaAll Works by Glinka | Glinka, Mikhail | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Godard, BenjaminGodard, Benjamin | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by GounodAll Works by Gounod | Gounod, Charles | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by HandelAll Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Lehár, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MascagniAll Works by Mascagni | Mascagni, Pietro | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MassenetAll Works by Massenet | Massenet, Jules | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MeyerbeerAll Works by Meyerbeer | Meyerbeer, Giacomo | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAll Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by MussorgskyAll Works by Mussorgsky | Mussorgsky, Modest | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by OffenbachAll Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by PonchielliAll Works by Ponchielli | Ponchielli, Amilcare | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by PucciniAll Works by Puccini | Puccini, Giacomo | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Strauss Jr., JohannStrauss Jr., Johann | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by TchaikovskyAll Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by VerdiAll Works by Verdi | Verdi, Giuseppe | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by WagnerAll Works by Wagner | Wagner, Richard | ( W ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by RossiniAll Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ContemporaryGeneral Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
RomancesRomances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Baroque (c.1600-1750)Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Modern & 20th CenturyModern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Romantic (c.1820-1910)Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
FrenchFrench | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GermanGerman | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ItalianItalian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
RussianRussian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ClassicalClassical | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Opera & VocalOpera & Vocal | Box Sets | Stores | Music
Bargain Box SetsBargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
Bargain Box SetsBargain Box Sets | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
All Bargain TitlesAll Bargain Titles | Opera & Vocal General | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 2
  2. The Golden Age of Singing, Volume One 1900 - 1910
  3. The Golden Age of Singing: Vol. 3 1920-1930
  4. The Golden Age of Singing, Vol. 4; 1930-1950
  5. Golden Age of Singing Vol.2 (1910-20)

ASIN: B000042NZP
Release Date: 2000-02-15

Tracks:

  1. Adriana Lecouvreur: Poveri Fiori - Claudia Muzio
  2. L'Africaine: O Paradiso - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
  3. Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi... Celeste Aida - Enrico Caruso
  4. Aida: Ritorna Vincitor - Rosa Ponselle
  5. Andrea Chenier: Un Di All'azzuro Spazio - Giovanni Martinelli
  6. Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta - Claudia Muzio
  7. Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio - Giovanni Martinelli
  8. L'Arlesiana: E La Solita Storia - Tito Schipa
  9. Atalanta: Care Selve - Eide Norena
  10. Attila: Dagli Immortali Vertici - Igor Gorin
  11. Un Ballo In Maschera: Di Tu Se Fedele - Enrico Caruso/Metropolitan Opr Chor
  12. Un Ballo In Maschera: Eri Tu, Che Macchiavi - Mattia Battistini
  13. Un Ballo In Maschera: Saper Vorreste - Luisa Tetrazzini
  14. Il Barbiere De Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Riccardo Stracciari
  15. Il Barbiere De Siviglia: Se Il Mio Nome - Tito Schipa
  16. Il Barbiere De Siviglia: Una Voce Poco Fa...Io Sono Docile - Conchita Supervia

Tracks:

  1. La Belle Helene: Au Mont Ida Trois Deesses - Jussi Bjorling
  2. La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Beniamino Gigli
  3. La Boheme: Si, Mi Chiamano Mimi - Claudio Muzio
  4. La Boheme: Donde Lieta Usci - Nellie Melba
  5. Boris Godunov: Varlaam's Song - Feodor Chaliapin
  6. Cagliostro In Wien: Zigeunerkind, Wie Glanzt Dein Haar - Lotte Schone
  7. Le Cid: Enfant Cheri...Le Tambour-Major - Pol Plancon
  8. Carmen: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Conchita Supervia
  9. Carmen: Pres Des Remparts De Seville (Seguedille) - Conchita Supervia
  10. Carmen: Chanson Du Toreador - Lawrence Tibbett/Metropolitan Opr House Chor
  11. Carmen: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
  12. Carmen: Je Dis Que Rien Ne M'epouvante (Micaela's Aria) - Eide Norena
  13. Cavalleria Rusticana: O Lola, C'hai Di Latti La Cammisa (Siciliana) - Tito Schipa
  14. Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi Lo Sapete - Claudia Muzio
  15. Cavalleria Rusticana: Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
  16. Cavalleria Rusticana: Addio Alla Madre - Enrico Caruso
  17. La Cenerentola: Non Piu Mesta - Conchita Supervia

Tracks:

  1. Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille - Mabel Garrison
  2. Le Coq D'Or: Hymne Au Soleil - Eide Norena
  3. La Dame Blanche: Reverie De Georges Brown - David Devries
  4. Dinorah: Ombra Leggiera - Amelita Galli-Curci
  5. Dinorah: Ah! Mon Remords Te Venge - Pasquale Amato
  6. Don Carlos: Ella Giammai M'amo - Ezio Pinza
  7. Don Carlos: O Carlo, Ascolta - Mattia Battistini
  8. Don Cesar De Bazan: A Seville, Belles Senoras (Sevillana) - Amelita Galli-Curci
  9. Don Giovanni: Deh Vieni Alla Finestra - Ezio Pinza
  10. Don Giovanni: Il Mio Tesoro - John McCormack
  11. Don Pasquale: Sogno Soave E Casto - Tito Schipa
  12. Don Pasquale: Quel Guardo Il Cavaliere - Amelita Galli-Curci
  13. L'Elisir D'Amore: Quanto E Bella, Quanto E Cara - Beniamino Gigli
  14. L'Elisir D'Amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Tito Schipa
  15. Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Wer Ein Liebchen Hat Gefunden - Alexander Kipnis
  16. Die Entfuhrung Aus Dem Serail: Durch Zartlichkeit Und Schmeicheln - Eide Norena

Tracks:

  1. Ernani: Come Rugiada Al Cespite - Giovanni Martinelli
  2. Ernani: Ernani! Ernani, Involami - Rosa Ponselle
  3. Ernani: Infelice! E Tu Credevi - Ezio Pinza
  4. Ernani: O,De' Verd' Anni Miei - Giuseppe De Luca
  5. Eugene Onegin: Letter Scene - Lotte Lehman
  6. Eugene Onegin: Lontan, Lontan (Lenski's Aria) - Dmitri Smirnov
  7. Faust: Salut! Demeure Chaste Et Pure - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
  8. Faust: Il Etait Un Roi De Thule - Conchita Supervia
  9. Faust: Ah, Je Ris De Me Voir Si Belle (Jewel Song) - Eide Norena
  10. La Favorita: A Tanto Amor - Mattia Battistini
  11. La Favorita: O Mio Fernando - Sigrid Onegin
  12. La Favorita: Spirito Gentil - Beniamino Gigli
  13. La Figlia Del Reggimento: Convien Partir - Toti Dal Monte
  14. Die Fledermaus: Mein Herr - Lotte Schone
  15. Die Fledermaus: Czardas - Elisabeth Rethberg

Tracks:

  1. La Forza Del Destino: Alzatevi...La Vergine Degli Angeli - Rosa Ponselle/Ezio Pinza
  2. La Forza Del Destino: Solenne In Quest'ora - Beniamino Gigli/Giuseppe De Luca
  3. La Forza Del Destino: Invano, Alvaro...Le Minaccie, I Fieri Accenti - Giovanni Martinelli/Giuseppe De Luca
  4. La Forza Del Destino: Pace, Pace Mio Dio - Claudia Muzio
  5. La Gioconda: Ah! Pescator Affonda L'esca - Titta Ruffo
  6. La Gioconda: Cielo E Mar - Jussi Bjorling
  7. La Gioconda: Suicidio - Rosa Ponselle
  8. Grafin Mariza: Gruss Mir Wein Wien - Richard Tauber
  9. Guillaume Tell: Sombre Foret (Cavatina) - Eide Norena
  10. Les Huguenots: Une Dame Noble Et Sage - Mario Ivogun
  11. Les Huguenots: Bianca Al Par - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
  12. Iris: Apri La Tua Finestra - Antonio Cortis
  13. Jocelyn: Caches Dans Cet Asile (Berceuse) - Alma Gluck
  14. Lakme: Ou Va La Jeune Hindoue (Bell Song) - Amelita Galli-Curci
  15. Das Land Des Lachelns: Von Apfelbluten Einen Kranz - Richard Tauber

Tracks:

  1. A Life For The Tsar: I Do Not Grieve For That - Antonina Nezhdanova
  2. Linda Di Chamounix: O Luce Di Quest' Anima - Marcella Sembrich
  3. Lodoletta: Flammen, Perdonami - Mafalda Favero
  4. Lohengrin: Euch Luften, Die Meine Klagen - Kirsten Flagstad
  5. Lohengrin: In Fernem Land - Miguel Fleta
  6. Louise: Depuis Le Jour - Ninon Vallin
  7. Lucia Di Lammermoor: Cruda Funesta Smania - Mariano Stabile
  8. Lucia Di Lammermoor: Ardon Gl'incensi - Frieda Hempel
  9. Lucia Di Lammermoor: Tu Che A Dio Spiegasti L'ali - John McCormack
  10. Lucrezia Borgia: Il Segreto Per Esser Felici (Brindisi) - Ernestine Schumann-Heink
  11. Luisa Miller: Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
  12. Die Lustigen Weiber Von Windsor: Nun Eilt' Herbei - Maria Ivogun
  13. Die Lustige Witwe: Lippen Schweigen (Ballsirenen-Walzer) - Richard Tauber
  14. Madama Buterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo - Rosa Ponselle
  15. Manon: Il Sogno (En Fermant Les Yeux) - Jussi Bjorling
  16. Manon: Obeissons, Qukkand Leur Voix Appelle (Gavotte) - Amelita Galli-Curci
  17. Manon: Dispar, Vision - Tito Schipa

Amazon.com

This spectacular collection of more than 90 arias sung by 46 of the greatest singers of the century consists of recordings made between 1906 and 1943. Naturally, they are in far from high fidelity, but this is more charming than disturbing. And all the greats are here: from the tenors Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, John McCormack, and Jussi Bjoerlong, to the sopranos Rosa Ponselle, Amelita Galli-Curci, Claudia Muzio, and Kirsten Flagstad, to mezzos Conchita Supervia and Ernestine Schumann-Heink, to baritones Giuseppe de Luca and Mattia Battistini, and basses Ezio Pinza and Feodor Chaliapin--to mention a few. The six and a half hours of listening is a veritable primer in Grand Opera; a short synopsis of each selection is included. This set lives up to its name--it is indeed a treasury. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A primer of great singing.......2006-11-07

The Prima Voce Treasury of Opera Vol 1 contains arias and a few duets from operas A- M ( Adriana Lecouvreur- Manon)sung by singers of the first half of the 20th Century. Vol 2 continues with excerpts from operas M-Z ( Manon Lescaut - Die Zauberflote).All the tracks are taken from the Nimbus Prima Voce catalogue, using their controversial re-recording technique, which many people dislike for the over reverberant sound.Personally, I find the transfers more acceptable than the strident, edgy transfers of some other companies.

Opinion about any compilation of this sort is a personal matter. I find the choice of singers predictable and unimaginative and at times rather strange: Lauri-Volpi is not a representative Don Jose nor Faust for example.Overall though the standard of singing is very high.

The accompanying booklet contains well written potted biographies of the singers featured on the CDs.

This compilation is a very good primer of great singing from the past for someone starting out in this field but not for anyone who is already steeped in historic recordings, except perhaps to listen to in the car, which is what I bought it and Vol2 for.

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding.......2001-09-12

As it happened, I bought Vol. 2 of this collection before Vol. 1, and everything I said in my review of Vol. 2 applies equally here. The breadth and depth of the operas and the singers are incredible, and the price for 6 CDs is an amazing bargain. The sound is remarkable, especially considering that some of the recordings are nearly 100 years old, though most are from the 20s and 30s. Highly recommended, whether you are new to opera or a seasoned veteran!

5 out of 5 stars A collection made with taste and savvy.......2001-03-10

The English just know how to do things in good taste and I must say, the elements of this Prima Voce collection have been carefully selected and arranged. Arias are grouped so that you have two or three from the same opera together. This is a sensible arrangement and each singer selected for those particular arias is one who sings it very well and in a unique way. I had already been collecting single singer albums from Prima Voce when I discovered this Treasury compilation and wish now I had bought it first, because you get a good sampling of all the great singers in their catalog and will hear artists of whom you may not have been aware. From this Treasury collection you will hear singers that especially please your ear and then you might buy albums just of them. For me, this set confirmed those choices of favorites such as Claudia Muzio and Tito Schipa. Best of all, the six CDs make for a pleasing listening experience as a whole. I listen to them while I drive. There aren't any bad performances here and quite frankly there are few contemporary artists that can match or top these. It's a great way to establish an historical foundation for your recordings if you are building a collection of singers.

5 out of 5 stars One of the Great Bargains.......2000-06-23

This is one of those rare bargains that one dreams about. I discovered it while browsing and I could not believe that one could have six disks for less than the normal cost of two. Nor is this an economy issue, transferred from what I assume is original pirate recordings along the lines of Gala and Opera d'Oro and even Myto. The transfers are clean and the collection is nonpareil. In all transfers I miss texts. But the music itself is glorious, the selection intelligent, and the artists the stars of the opera world. Unlike other collections arranged in chronological order, these use a simple alphabetic sequence of operas, so one can follow in one's own libretto or score more easily. The recordings appear to bridge the two world wars. If this is indeed volume one, I cannot wait for two.

Music Review:

  1. Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2; Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
  2. Robert Muczynski: Complete Works for Flute
  3. Rossini - Il viaggio a Reims / Ricciarelli, Valentini-Terrani, Cuberli, Gasdia, Araiza, E. Gimenez, Nucci, Raimondi, Ramey, Dara; Abbado
  4. Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 "Leningrad"
  5. Shostakovich: The Complete Symphonies [Box set]
  6. Sofia Gubaidulina: 'Stimmen... Verstummen', Symphony in 12 movements; Stufen
  7. Sonatas And Rondos
  8. Steve Reich 1965-1995 [Box set]
  9. Stravinsky - Le Rossignol ~ Renard / Dessay, McLaughlin, Urmana, Naouri, Caley, Mikhailov, Conlon
  10. String Quartet in G Major

Music Review

music review

Music Review

We Love the City

Portrait of Daniel Barenboim

Peter Serkin Plays The Music Of Toru Takemitsu

In the Chapel

Perfect Disease [Import]

Sail Away With Me

Noire [Import]

Passion & Warfare

Pushing Buttons [Import]

Sound in Spirit

Oh So Good

Maelo [Import]

Nadie Como Tu

Ian Bostridge - Schubert Lieder, Volume I

Classic Movie & Broadway Show Tunes From Rare Piano Rolls