Verdi: Don Carlos (complete opera); Alagna, Hampson, van Dam

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Don Carlos exists in several versions, in French or Italian (Don Carlo, in five acts or four. This recording (five acts in French) uses the original version composed by Verdi for a premiere at the Paris Opera in 1867. It is longer than the 1883 revision (four acts in Italian), but longer means better when we talk about Verdi's music, and the French prologue gives a more concrete understanding of why Don Carlos loves his stepmother, Queen Elisabetta, with a more than filial affection. There are show-stopping arias and duets galore, a striking scene in which the Inquisition burns a group of Protestants, echoes of revolt in the Spanish Empire, and poignant reflections on lost love. It is an opera whose true greatness is not yet fully appreciated by many Verdi fans, but this eloquent recording should help remedy that. --Joe McLellan

Tracks:

Madama Butterfly: Un bel di, vedremo (Atto ll)
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) (Acte l)
La Wally: Ebben? ne andro lontana (Atto l)
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa (Atto l)
Norma: Casta Diva (Atto l)
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Acte ll)
Rigoletto: Caro nome (Atto l)
La Traviata: Sempre libera (Atto l)
Romeo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans ce reve (Acte l)
La Boheme: Si, mi chiamano Mimi (Atto l)
Don Giovanni: Mi tradi quell'alma ingrata (Atto ll)
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete, o mamma
La Gioconda: Suicidio! (Atto lV)
Gianni Schicchi1: O mio babbino caro
Turandot: In questa reggia (Atto ll)
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore (Atto ll)

Amazon.com

If you want to know the reason behind all the fuss about Maria Callas, buy this CD. Callas's great gift was not purity of tone or emission, reliability, or sheer loveliness; it was, rather, her ability to change her vocal color and style to suit not only particular periods of opera but to get under the skin of the individual characters she portrayed. Here you will hear the 18-year-old Butterfly imagining the return of her beloved; the sultry, adult Carmen seducing all around her; the youthful Wally telling her cruel father that she will go off into the cold wilderness rather than give up her boyfriend; the sly Rosina planning to outfox her guardian; the priestess Norma performing a sacred rite; Dalila wrapping Samson around her little finger and more; Gioconda contemplating suicide when all hope is gone; Gilda recalling the name of the boy she's just fallen for; and the icy princess Turandot reliving the rape of her ancestor and swearing that no man will possess her. And you'll believe them all. At times Callas's vocalism is a bit wiry (Juliette sounds stressed, for instance); but, in all, this is like a visit with 16 women, all of them interesting, and all of them great singers! --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Landmark Soprano. An essential work for opera listeners........2007-05-26

Maria Callas may be the only female 'superstar' working in my lifetime. In the 1950s and early 1960's, she had all the star power and paparrazi draw of Jackie and Marilyn, far outstripping the fame to the world at large of her primary rival, Renita Tibaldi. I am not an expert, or even an experienced amateur at evaluating operatic sopranos; however I've listened to several of the modern crop, and while the newbies probably do a better job of keeping on key, none of them can match the drama emoted by Ms. Callas on any given aria. All three releases are especially good buys, as they all run to over 72 minutes; however the recording quality does show its early (pre-multitrack, pre-digital) recording technology. Each is as good as the next regarding content, but 2 and 3 are a bit better in sound quality.

Terrific introduction to the art of Callas.......2007-04-24

This album is entitled "Divina," not to be confused with "Divina 2," itself a very nice example of Callas at her best. This CD samples a variety of her roles, indicating the range of her art. A few examples. . . .

"Un bel di" from Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" is very well done. She displays a rich voice and a passionate rendering of this aria. At greater volume, her voice remains under control and attractive sounding (something that does not always occur as her career developed further).

The "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen" is normally a mezzo soprano work. However, Callas features a good lower tone, and it works pretty well here. She shows nice breath control, too. The orchestral backing is exceptional.

"Sempre libera," from Verdi's "La Traviata," is a soprano's dream. Here, though, Callas' voice is not as attractive as in other cuts. There is some harshness with higher notes. Alfredo Kraus' singing, by the way, is most attractive. There is some unpleasantness with Callas technique in this work, although there is a nice characterization as well (this is the price you pay for Callas). She shows off some nice runs, but zero in the way of trills (some other sopranos display nice trills in this piece).

Finally, a very well done version of "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" from Puccini's "La Boheme." Sweet sounds at the outset. She seems to capture the character well. Smooth singing, done well.

Thus, a good introduction to the art of Maria Callas. There are cuts here that feature some of the wondrous nature of her work. There are other cuts where one hears some unattractive aspects of her singing and one wonders about her technique. But, in the end, this is a good representation of the work of Callas.

Callas was the greatest.......2007-02-06

It's amazing how the anti-Callas claquers continue to thrive. I'll side with Leonard Bernstein, who labeled Callas "The Bible of Opera," and who described her 1952 performance of La Sonnambula under his baton as "pure electricity." Unfortunately, recordings don't do justice to any artist, given the lack of spontaneity and a full audience, as well as a host of other reasons. Even Callas withheld many recordings from release because she was her own worst critic and they did not meet her high standards. I've been listening to opera for over 30 years and although I can appreciate the artistry of Tebaldi, Sutherland, Sills, Freni, Carteri, Moffo, Price, etc., some of whom had better pure voices, there was none that could match Maria's intensity, passion, range, personality, acting ability and pure emotion. Callas could sing bel canto colaratura but drop down to a near-mezzo voice that included many dramatic roles.

The Callas bashers will always be with us, but thankfully they will always be in the tiny minority. True connossiers of opera know there never has been and never will be as great a singer as La Divina.

Great starter CD.......2005-11-24

As simplistic as this sounds, this is a perfect CD if you know you like opera, but don't know exactly what you want to hear. You'll definitely recognize some of the more popular arias, and will grow to love the others.

The epitome of divinity.......2005-03-31

Divine and then some.
A unique mezzo voice delivering a 'one-two-three punch': one in the gut, one in the heart and one in the head.
The listener instinctually senses all she imparts-regardless of French,Italian,German literacy or opera knowledge.
Her gifts were many-the 'voice'(simultaneously:sharp,buttery,bright and dark),inimitable phrasing,timing,dramatic intensity and versatility.
A fine jumping off point for Callas neophytes and Opera 'sissies' who say they don't like Opera, but never really listened to any.
For all of us already converted, I say turn it up!

Average customer rating:

Oh my gawd....
Bo Knows Opera
ANOTHER WONDERFUL BARITONE
Bo Skovhus at his best
Light years beyond Hampson

Bo Skovhus Sings Opera Arias
Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Ambroise Thomas , Charles Gounod , Jules Massenet , Giuseppe Verdi , Benjamin Britten , Richard Wagner , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , English National Opera Orchestra , James Conlon , and Bo Skovhus
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bo Skovhus - Schwanengesang & Schubert's Last Songs
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Lehar - Merry Widow / Kenny, Skovhus, Kirchschlager, Turay, Kunzel, San Francisco Opera

ASIN: B00000AG7L
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Die tote Stadt: 'Da Ihr befehlet, Konigin...Mein Schnen, mein Wahnen'
Hamlet: 'Spectre infernal!'
Hamlet: 'C'est en croyant revoir...O vin, dissipe la tristesse!'
Hamlet: 'J'ai pu frapper le miserable...Etre ou ne pas etre'
Hamlet: 'La fatigue alourdit mes pas...Comme une pale fleur'
Faust: 'Avant de quitter ces lieux'
Werther: 'Pourquoi me reveiller, o souffle du printemps?'
Don Carlos: 'C'est moi Carlos...Oui, Carlos! Oui, c'est mon jour supreme...Carlos, ecoute'
Billy Budd: Look! Through The Port... And Farewell To Ye, Old Rights O' Man!'
Tannhauser: 'Blick' ich umher in diesem edlen Kreise'
Tannhauser: 'Wie Todesahnung Dammrung deckt die Lande...O du, mein holder Abendstern'
Eugene Onegin: 'Vy mne pisali'
Eugene Onegin: 'Uzel ta samaja Tat'jana'
Pique Dame: 'Vy tak pecal'ny, dorogaja...Ja vas ljublju'

Customer Reviews:

Oh my gawd...........2004-06-24

What a wondrous singer...I absolutely agree with all the other reviews here but add:

1) he sounds as though he's singing in his First Language, whether it be French, English, German or Russian.

2) he lets his soul come out (simce Mme Callas this remains a rare event).

3) Sidebar: the San Francisco Merry Widow, whilst a delight and a wonder, is NOT fair to this man's voice.

A magnificent recital album. Every prominent opera singer out there should be jealous.

Bo Knows Opera.......2002-08-28

In the forward to this cd, John Bell Young, makes the argument that the darker, mellow baritone is an often underated part of the opera repetoire. I don't fully agree with him - there are fantastic, exciting lead roles for these men: Hamlet, Nabucco, Rigoletto, and The Barber of Seville - all glittering showcases of virtuoso. And even the supporting roles they often play, are thrilling - Scarpia can easily steal the show away from Tosca and her hero with his magnicent, albeit short, scenes; and Escamillo often wins not only the affection of Carmen, but that of an entire opera house... Still, all said and done, this is an interesting introduction to a man who is every bit as dashing, musical, and talented as any tenor to grace the stage.
Bo Skovhus showcases such extreme range in vocal talents and emotion. His tone is beautiful. His breath control and phrasing are astounding. Diction is clear and defined - especially the German arias. This is an extremely talented man.
The Korngold aria is mesmerizing in it's romantic beauty. But my favorite selections on this album are the pieces from "Hamlet"; this is french lyricism at its most marvelous, glorious, heart-sweeping grandeur. I can not imagine a better man to play this most famous anti-hero.
I cannot recommend this cd highly enough. While some Italian arias would have been a nice addition, I won't hold it against my recommendation. Skovhus's interpretation of the tenor's aria from "Werther" makes up for this.
Next time you are out purchasing yet another famous tenor's album, to hear the one hundreth version of "Celeste Aida", buy this cd instead. Give this baritone a chance, and soon you'll be humming songs a minor third lower.

ANOTHER WONDERFUL BARITONE.......2002-08-23

I first heard Bo Skovhus on a Laser Disc recording of the War Requem. I was very impressed. However until this opera recital I had not heard him again. This is truly an impressive recording. I place him up there with my other favorite baritones! He's still young so, hopefully, he has many more good years left in him!

Bo Skovhus at his best.......2002-05-17

Bo Skovhus' lovers undoubtedly awaited this comprehensive choice of arias, which almost concludes his (still young) operaic work. Well known alongside less known operas constitutes a perfect choice. From Verdi through Thomas, from Korngold to Britten and the Russian arias, mastering the variety of languages, and dealing with every single role in a very sensitive way. This unique choice and the qualities of his full, beautiful and warm voice makes one regret, that the entire opera was not recorded with him in the relevant roles, like Thomas's Hamlet for example, or Britten's Billy Budd. It leaves a taste of wanting to hear more of this young and talented Baritone, whose repertoire is much larger than could be presented in one - indeed excellent - CD.

Light years beyond Hampson.......2001-12-09

I just can't heap enough praise on Skovhus. I saw him for the first time at the Houston Grand Opera in a production of Billy Budd and was sold. This CD demonstrates very well what an immensely expressive and flexible voice Skovhus possesses. He has incredible core to his voice which allows him to attack bravado sections with zeal, but also has the musical expressivity to pull back and caress piano lines with ease and artistry while still maintaining his core sound. Hampson, who is notorious for becoming breathy and pop-like in pianissimo passages, can't touch Skovhus with a 10, 100, or 1000 foot pole.

Tracks:

Nessun Dorma
Largo Al Factotum
Je Crois Entendre Encore
Pays Merveilleux... O Paradis
Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur
Il etait Une Fois A La Cour D'Eisenach
Vesti La Giubba
Niun Mi Tema
O Figli, O Figli Miei!...Ah, La Paterna Mano
Morgenlich Leuchtend Im Rosigen Schein
Hor An, Wolfram!...Inbrunst Im Herzen
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
Quando Le Sere Al Placido
E Lucevan Le Stelle

Tracks:

Granada
Non Ti Scondar Di Me
Munequita Linda
Be My Love
Nostalgias
El Dia Que Me Quieras
Ella Mi Fu Rapita!
Parmi Veder Le Lagrime
La Donna E Mobile
Von Jugend Auf Im Kampfgefild
La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee
Fontainebleau! Foret Immense Et Solitaire!...Je L'ai Vue
Donna Non Vidi Mai
Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
Ch'ella Mi Creda Libero
O Lola Ch'hai Di Latti La Cammisa
Lunge Da Lei...De Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Tombe Degl' Avi Miei...Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
Di Quella Pira

Customer Reviews:

Feed the hunger of my mexican soul............2003-10-13

This man brings up the wonderful tones of my youth, the songs of generations before me, and sends them forth into the atmosphere of my soul in such a way that brings pride, tears, and love for all I grew up with. A most definite recommend for anyone who loves both Mexican music and a glorious vocalist.

Great Excerpts.......2002-01-20

Incredible 2 CD set at a very affordable price. The arias and ensemble chosen show Domingo at his very best in almost all the roles of the repertoire.
The set also features Granada and few other songs including two tangos sung in a baryton voice....again greatly...

GREAT Domingo.

Beautiful, the Master at his best!.......1998-11-18

The clarity of his voice, the range, and the power is unsurpassed! The selections are fantasic. Granada sung by Domingo is stirringly beautiful and deeply moving, you can feel his love for Spain and mastery of his art.

Verdi: Don Carlos (complete opera); Alagna, Hampson, van Dam

Average customer rating:

An Essential Recording, if there ever was one
Matilla and Meier
Great Performance, But Not Paris "Original"
Quite Excellent
The Original Verdi Opera: The Best Recording

Verdi: Don Carlos (complete opera); Alagna, Hampson, van Dam
Thomas Hampson , Eric Halfvarson , Csaba Airizer , Anat Efraty , Antonio Pappano , and Orchestre de Paris
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000002RWK
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

Don Carlos: Act I: Prelude & Introduction: Le cerf s'enfuit sous la ramure - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Recit & Romance: Fontainebleau! Foret immense et solitaire! (Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Recit & Romance: Je l'ai vu, et dans son sourire (Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Scene & Duo: Le bruit du cor s'eteint sous l'ombre epaisse (Don Carlos, Elisabeth) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Scene & Duo: Que faites-vous donc? (Elisabeth, Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Scene & Duo: De quels transport poignants (Elisabeth, Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Scene & Finale: A celui qui nous vient, Madame (Elisabeth, Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act I: Scene & Finale: O chants de fete et d'allegresse (Elisabeth, Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 1: Scene & priere: Charles Quint, l'auguste empereur - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 1: Scene & priere: Au couvent de Saint-Just (Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 1: Scene & Duo: Le voila! C'est l'infant! (Rodrigue, Don Carlos) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 1: Scene & Duo: Dieu, tu semas dans nos ames (Don Carlos, Rodrigue) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Choeur & Scene: Sous ces bois au feuillage immense (Eboli) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Chanson du voile: Au palais des fees... (Eboli) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene, Terzetto Dialogue & Romance: La Reine! (Eboli, Elisabeth, Rodrigue) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene, Terzetto Dialogue & Romance: L'infant Carlos, notre esperance (Rodrigue, Eboli, Elisabeth) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Grande Scene & Duo: Je viens solliciter de la Reine (Don Carlos, Elisabeth) - Orchestre De Paris
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Grande Scene & Duo: O bien perdu... (Don Carlos, Elisabeth) - Orchestre De Paris

Tracks:

Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene & Romance: Le Roi! (Philippe) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene & Romance: O ma chere compagne (Elisabeth, Rodrigue, Philippe) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene & Duo: Restez! (Philippe, Rodrigue) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene & Duo: O Roi! J'arrive de Flandres (Philippe, Rodrigue) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act II: Scene 2: Scene & Duo: Votre regard hardi s'est leve sur mon trone (Philippe, Rodrigue) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 1: Introduction & Choeur: Que des fleurs et que d'etoiles (Elisabeth, Eboli) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 1: Scene, Duo & Trio: A minuit, aux jardins de la Reine (Don Carlos, Eboli) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 1: Scene, Duo & Trio: Que dit-il? Il est en delire... (Rodrigue, Eboli, Don Carlos) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 1: Scene, Duo & Trio: Et moi qui tremblais devant elle! (Eboli, Rodrigue, Don Carlos) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 2: Grand Finale: Ce jour heureux est plein d'allegresse - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 2: Grand Finale: En placant sur mon front, peuple, cette couronne (Philippe, Elisabeth, Rodrigue, Don Carlos) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act III: Scene 2: Grand Finale: Sire, il est temps! (Don Carlos, Philippe, Elisabeth, Rodrigue) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene & cantabile: Elle ne m'aime pas (Philippe) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene: Le grand inquisiteur! (L'Inquisiteur, Philippe) - Guiseppe Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene: Dans ce beau pays (L'Inquisieur, Philippe) - Guiseppe Verdi

Tracks:

Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene & quatuor: Justice, Sire! (Elisabeth, Philippe, Eboli, Rodrigue) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene & quatuor: Maudit soit le soupcon infame (Philippe, Rodrigue, Eboli, Elisabeth) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene & Air: Pitie! Pardon pour la femme coupable! (Eboli, Elisabeth) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 1: Scene & Air: O don fatal et deteste (Eboli) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: C'est moi, Carlos (Rodrigue, Don Carlos) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: Oui, Carlos! C'est mon jour supreme (Rodrigue, Don Carlos) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: Carlos, ecoute... (Rodrigue) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 2: Finale: Mon fils, reprenez votre epee (Philippe, Don Carlos) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act IV: Scene 2: Finale: Ciel! Le tocsin! (Philippe, Eboli, Elisabeth, L'Inquisiteur) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act V: Scene & Air: Toi qui sus le neant des grandeurs de ce monde (Elisabeth) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act V: Duo: C'est elle! (Don Carlos, Elisabeth) - G. Verdi
Don Carlos: Act V: Duo: Au revoir dans un monde ou la vie est meilleure (Elisabeth, Don Carlos, Philippe, L'Inquisiteur) - G. Verdi

Amazon.com

Don Carlos exists in several versions, in French or Italian (Don Carlo, in five acts or four. This recording (five acts in French) uses the original version composed by Verdi for a premiere at the Paris Opera in 1867. It is longer than the 1883 revision (four acts in Italian), but longer means better when we talk about Verdi's music, and the French prologue gives a more concrete understanding of why Don Carlos loves his stepmother, Queen Elisabetta, with a more than filial affection. There are show-stopping arias and duets galore, a striking scene in which the Inquisition burns a group of Protestants, echoes of revolt in the Spanish Empire, and poignant reflections on lost love. It is an opera whose true greatness is not yet fully appreciated by many Verdi fans, but this eloquent recording should help remedy that. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

An Essential Recording, if there ever was one.......2007-06-30

It has been tradition to perform Verdi's Don Carlo in its four-act Italian form, and when Carlo Maria Giulini reintroduced the first act of the score in Italian to the London public in 1958, the Italian five act version became an international success. Nineteen years later, in La Scala, Claudio Abbado presented a version that was completer than complete, and that is the version being used by the Met today (e.g. including an orchestral "overture" to the hunter scene that usually begins the opera). This 1996 recording, taped at the Theatre du Chatelet, is then a pioneer in a very narrow field that showcases Verdi's greatest ensemble opera in its original form. A decade or two earlier, Abbado had conducted a French version for Deutsche Grammophon with Domingo and a slew of other non-Francophones who were probably better off singing the Italian version of the work. Moreover, that version was incomplete. Another recording of the French version exists, recently released by Opera Rara in conjunction with the BBC archives, but the cast and conductor do not impress us is an opera where the emotional and musical language coalesces seamlessly in one of Verdi's finest music dramas.

There are many things that make this recording work so wonderfully, one aspect of which is Antonio Pappano's conducting. If there is a finer opera conductor today, someone should let me know since Pappano has excelled in nearly every single operatic work that he has tackled to date, and that includes Puccini, Verdi, Massenet, Strauss, and Wagner. His conducting does not only have the poetry that Giulini so famously imbued the work with. It also has a drive and a forward propulsion that keeps Verdi's longest work running smoothly in both the musical and drama departments. I have never heard a more idiomatic conductor in this work other than Abbado and Giulini. Kudos as well to the magnificent playing from the Theatre du Chatelet orchestra.

The other reason to get this set is for the magnificent cast assembled around the opera. If Roberto Alagna does not have the beautiful lyricism of Carreras' voice or the robust virility of Domingo's, he has a command of perfect French, excellent phrasing, and a surprisingly complete understanding of the character that makes his interpretation very appealing. One could wish that his top were as easy as the rest of his voice, but that is a minor complaint when you assess his performance as a whole. Karita Mattila is an absolutely alluring Elisabeth. It is a noble, beautiful, lyric, grand, reflective, and tragic interpretation of a role that sopranos like to turn into a mourning vehicle. I have never heard a more powerful and beautiful voice in this role (yes, that includes Caballe and Freni), and one must simply hear Mattila's top notes to hear what wonders she creates with this character. If the basic colour of her voice is not one that listeners would associate with a Verdian sound, then I would say that her voice is more kaleidoscopic than that. Thomas Hampson sings the role of the Marquise de Posa, and although there are several detractors to him singing Verdi, I can say that his French his excellent, that he is a sensitive singer to the text, and that he shows the true spirit of Posa through his singing. I would say that this is probably his best operatic performance to date. Jose Van Dam is perhaps the most noble and tragic Philippe along with Rene Pape, and one must hear his fourth act monologue and the "Lacrymosa" section during Rodrigue's death to truly hear what wonders this great bass baritone can do with this voice. It has a grace and grandeur to it that few basses, including Nicolai Ghiaurov and Raimondi, were able to capture totally in the role. Waltraud Meier may not have been fluent in the coloratura as some great mezzos like Bumbry, Simionato, Cossotto, and Verrett in the role of Eboli, but what she lacks in Italianate fluency she succeeds in dramatic intensity. Her "O don fatal" must be heard, and her plea with Elisabeth is one of her best moments in the opera. Erich Halfvarson is not the most memorable Inquisitor, but that is not a huge concern in a recording where everything works wonders, especially Karita Mattila's Elisabeth, Van Dam's Philippe, and Alagna's Carlos.

This is an essential recording for everyone who loves Verdi and opera. Bravo to EMI for releasing this landmark performance!

Matilla and Meier.......2006-01-30

I bought this recording to hear Matilla and Meier. Neither disappoints. Matilla has a lyric and generously full sound that reminds me very much of Leontyne Price's voice on her recording of this aria. Meier is not Bumbry or any of the others, but she is still amazing in her own right and is worth it. To give respect where it is due, I'll say Alagna is very good, as is the rest of the cast. This is really a solid performance, but the two leading ladies have got it all.

Great Performance, But Not Paris "Original".......2004-04-08

There is no denying that this performance is well sung, with better French diction than the Abbado, and that it is effective as drama. But bear66 below is the only reviewer here that gets it right -- this is a composite, NOT the original 1867 version, and the fact that it has been promoted as such is frankly false advertising.

The Prelude and Introduction, cut prior to 1867 is not included. Fair enough. But then in Act II, Posa's account to Carlos of his visit to Flanders is included: Verdi also cut this before the 1867 premiere. The Posa-Philip duet jumps to the 1884 version at the 2/3 mark. The mask changing scene between Elizabeth and Eboli is included, but the ballet is not, strictly contrary to Verdi's expressed intentions. A fragment only of the Elizabeth/Eboli duet, another number cut prior to 1867, is included -- there is no authority that I know of for its inclusion in this form. The "Lacrymosa" ensemble was also cut prior to 1867. The "marziale" section from the final duet is cut, something that was not instituted until the 1872 Naples revision, never for Paris. The ending is also not the Paris version which included a chorus of Inquisitors who try and convict Carlos.

So what do we have? It is not 1867, nor is it the version Verdi completed in 1866 prior to the cuts. It starts as 1867, then reverts to 1866, then jumps ahead to 1884, then back to 1867, further back to 1866, then ahead to 1872 and finally 1884. There are significantly, no liner notes detailing this other than a vague references to "choices" having been made.

The performance is still worth having, particularly since it contains passages not available elsewhere. I simply object to the dishonest way in which this has been presented to the public, particularly those who are less familiar with the history of the opera and take the "Original French Version" claim at face value.

Quite Excellent.......2004-02-16

This recording is the only one that is recent at all of the French original of this work. Most reviewers have written extensively about this fact. The only thing we are lacking is the original ending (which I believe was cut even before the first performance, but was recorded in the Domingo recording of the French version of the opera; the Lacrimosa from the Reguiem is well served in its original setting). Since this is a live recording, there are some flaws. There are pitch problems, and the sound is rather distant, which in my view takes from the excitement that the audience most likely felt while watching the performance. I also feel that is one reason the conducting and the orchestral reading seem less involved, less alive, than it sounds in either of the Italian Studio versions, or in the full first French recording of the work with Domingo. This truly is an exciting score, and a great opera. It, however, is NOT Verdi's only French opera. His other famous failure in Paris was "Les Vepres Siciliennes." Unlike Don Carlos, "I Vespri Siciliani", as we have come to know the work, was never rewritten, nor did Verdi ever prepare an Italian version of the work. It was simply translated when brought to Italy. Though people think of it as an Italian opera, it too is every bit as French as Don Carlos was, even more so, for it was never officially rewritten to be an Italian opera.

Don Carlo, though, went through extensive changes, some were for the better tightening the action and the musical thoughts; others were not an improvement at all. The Five Act version recorded by Guilini is an Italian version created by Verdi where he replaced the first act, but retained his changes in the other acts that he had written when creating the four act version. In this recording, as with the French version sung by Domingo, we are witnessing the original thoughts on the matter. The differences, excepting the obvious number of acts, are subtle, but noticeable.

The singers do a wonderful job in this recording, and as with all live performances, there are warts. Sometimes the singers are not true to the center of the note, and sometimes they don't carry as well as they should (the grand inquisitor for one, his very low F below the cleff is not that well produced, but it is very audible; with our dirth of true basses these days, it is a wonder they found anyone who could sing the note at all). Yet, over all, it is a stunning representation of the work. If only, like one reviewer mentioned, this recording would be recorded in the studio so we could really experience the entire concept of the work. Singing is important to Verdi, but so is orchestra, and that is the area that most suffers in live recordings. The orchestra is seldom balanced as well as we would hope.

I rated the recording a five star because it is worth it. It is a wonderful recording, and a super exceptional representation of a great opera by a great compose. Too often Don Carlos, especially the original French version, has been dismissed as "a failure", "ineffective", and all those sorts of terms, when in reality, even though the ending of the opera is dramatically weak, it is nothing of the sort. It is a very vital, exciting work, and the orginal concept Verdi created is in many ways far superior to what he did with it later. I would recommend it to anyone, and everyone, who loves good opera.

The Original Verdi Opera: The Best Recording.......2003-12-30

Verdi's "Don Carlos" was his most ambitious and his longest opera, and this was pre- Aida. His Don Carlos was intended to be performed for the Paris Opera in France and to be specialized for the French taste of Grand Opera. In the mid 1860's, this genre was the most popular. The Paris Opera employed the best singers and paid the best wages. The world's greatest singers were drawn to the Paris Opera. A composer who created a grand opera, full of fiery drama, large cast, big orchestra and even a ballet sequence, was well-payed himself and well established as a leading composer (Giacomo Meyerbeer was the greatest in his day). Verdi wrote Don Carlos in French originally. Later, he wrote it in Italian, the version most perfomed today. But the Italian version is dramatically and musically incomplete and dissatisfying. This recording is by far the best. Robert Alagna is a leading tenor in recent times, dedicated artist and superb singer, Jose Van Dam is an excellent baritone and the rest of the cast, the soprano singing Princess Eboli and Queen Elisabetta are praiseworthy. The orchestration is excellent. Lost sections of music are restored and we get more of the passion that Verdi put into this costume drama.

Customer Reviews:

The best is wonderful, but there are a few duds.......2006-07-17

No portrait of a singer can satisfy all cmers, so EMI has shrugged its shoulders and tossed a bit of everything into the pot. (Without including any bonus tracks, one should note.) Hampson is without a doubt the successor to Fischer-Dieskau as the world's most famous operatic baritone. His strengths, like F-D's, are in song, especially American song. Seven of the 19 cuts here are American songs, which isn't enough. We don't really need Hampson's rather plodding and earnest Viennese operetta aria, nor his duet, "Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better" with the shrill Kim Criswell (to tell the truth, neither does very well). Two small slivers from Schumann's Dichterlieve cycle seems rather silly, too.

But that leaves a lot that's wonderful--all the American selections, the Rossini and Liszt songs, the aria form Korngold's Die Tote Stadt, and above all Hampson's rollicking, let-'er-rip rendition of Figaro's aria form the Barber of Seville. If this omnium gatherum entices listeners to bu the complete recordings, it will serve a very good purpose.

Beautiful Voice, Bad Choices.......2003-11-25

Short and Sweet.

I love listening to this beautiful baritone's voice, but I really don't like his choice of songs on this album. Beautiful Dreamer is so hackneyed and I can't stand to listen to it (also why I didn't buy the Stephen Foster album). I did like is choice of two classic lieder by Schumann. I would have chosen more lieder for a different album, he does great things with it. The Live recording of Largo al factotum from Barber is distracting with audience claps and poor mics for the recording. You can hear him walking away from the mics (fading in and out). The absolute worst choice is "Anything You Can Do" from Annie Get Your Gun. It sounds nice but I hate this song. The rest of the songs swing from Sappy awful to beautifully sung.

Bottom Line: Inconsistent and Not worth your money. He can do much better

A Great Showcase of Hampson's Voice and Artistry.......2002-02-23

Thomas Hampson is definitely one of the greatest artists on today's musical scene. This CD displays the beauty of Hampson's voice and the intelligence and artistry that he brings to a great variety of musical styles (German, French and Italian Opera; Italian, French and German art song, and American music). Among the highlights are the first selection, the beautiful "Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen" from DIE TOTE STADT by Korngold, sung with great control and melting pianissimos. The same can be said of the aria from TANNHAUSER. His live "Largo al Factotum" from IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA is just virtuosistic, with effortless high notes (even a cadenza up to high C) and energetic vocal acting. In the art songs he is no less impressive, with total involvement in the style and mood of the songs, being particularly impressive "Oh, quand je dors" by Lizt. The American repertoire is also a delight. Hampson displays all kind of nuances for this repertoire, from the estatic quality of "Beautiful Dreamer" to the humor and bawdiness of "Where Is The Life that Late I Led". In summary, this is a delightful and eclectic souvenir from one of the most charismatic and intelligent singers of our time.

Comprehensive coverage of Hampson's range in song.......2001-11-01

This EMI disc, "Thomas Hampson, Portrait" is an excellent example of the wide range of this melliflous baritone. From the first German aria, Korngold's "Mein Sehnen, mein Wahnen" one of my personal favourites, to Jerome Kern's "The Last Time I saw Paris" you have great variety of opera, lieder and popular song offering you examples of Hampson's great talent. Buy and enjoy! Jill Whitburn

Cesare Siepi: Classic Recitals - Operatic Arias for Bass

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Profundo......
Fascinating Bass.
Profundo!

Cesare Siepi: Classic Recitals - Operatic Arias for Bass

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lebendige Vergangenheit: Cesare Siepi
Cesare Siepi Sings Cole Porter and Italian Songs

ASIN: B0009ND41A
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

Ella Giammai M'Amo
Vieni, O Levita!... Tu Sul Labbro Dei Veggenti
Che Mai Vegg'Io... Infelice! E Tu Credevi
Di Sposo, Di Padre Le Gioie Serene
Il Lacerato Spirito
Seigneur, Rampart Et Seul Soutien/Piff, Paff, Piff
Nonnes, Qui Reposez
Si La Rigeur

Customer Reviews:

Profundo.............2007-06-08

I had the LP of this when I was a kid, and was delighted to find it in CD. It has stood the test of time, and memory. Cesare is still with us, though well stricken in years. Of course, he hasn't sung in years. I remember him as a superb Don Giovanni. The perhaps apocryphal story of the live performance where the trap door to hell didn't work is a classic. The recorded legacy is, sadly, small. All the more reason to grab this. You won't be sorry.

Fascinating Bass........2007-02-13

Cesare Siepi's recordings aren't many these days. I've got Kleiber's Figaro and Krip's Don Giovanni. Glorious singing by Siepi in those two great recordings.
But the songs in this album none the less present Siepi's bass cantante to great effect.
The role of Philip II in Verdi's Don Carlos is well-presented here, very moving. It is a big shame that Cesare did not otherwise leave many recordings for this role that fits him so well! If you like "Don Carlos", and want to have a superb version of Philip II's famous aria, this CD is the answer.
The arias from Meyerbeer's Les Hugenots are also great, the latter one 'Piff-paff' sung to a great rhythmic lilt by Siepi following the greaat Lutheran hymn from the same opera.
I could not imagine a bass could be so melodious. The album is a great joy to listen, and a true gem to own. In fact, of all my solo recital albums, Siepi's album has always remained on the top as being one of the most listened to at whatever time of the year, whatever hour of the day.

Profundo!.......2005-10-24

You have to love bass ... the unsung heroes of the operatic aria world ... and I do, perhaps because my father had a bass voice and sang in paid choirs on Sundays (for joy), while earning his living as a lawyer. Somehow you descend to the depths with the bass, and Cesare's voice is beautiful. I coach, teach and train emotional intelligence, and there's a theory in psychology about the bass voice and depression. Whatever it is true or not, that males with higher voices have more emotional resilience, the bass voice takes you to the profound depths of things. You can't help going there. I find it soothing, like an anchor. If you're a bass fan, buy this and listen, you'll love it. If you're not, buy it and learn! I think it's an acquired taste. The tenors get the big roles, but the bass bears the weight.

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Domingo and Price Are a Winning Ticket
Well, why not?

Verdi: Don Carlos

Manufacturer: Bella Voce Records
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Verdi: Rigoletto
Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur
Bellini: Beatrice Di Tenda
Lucia Di Lammermoor
Bellini - I Puritani / Sutherland

ASIN: B00005TNCL
Release Date: 2001-11-27

Tracks:

Act I: Su, Cacciator! - Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala
Act I: Fontainebleau! Foresta Immensa E Solitaria! - Placido Domingo
Act I: Io La Vidi E Al Suo Sorriso - Placido Domingo
Act I: Oh! Vision Gentile Ver me S'avanza! - Placido Domingo
Act I: Di Qual Amor, Di Quant' Ardor - Placido Domingo
Act I: Al Fedel Ch'ora Viene, O Signora - Placido Domingo
Act I: L'ora Fatale E Suonata! - Placido Domingo
Act I: Inni Di Festa Lieti Echeggiate - Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala
Act I: Il Gloriose Re Di Francia, Il Grande Enrico - Placido Domingo
Act 2, Scene 1: Carlo Il Sommo Imperatore - Giovanni Foiani
Act 2, Scene 1: Al Chiostro Di San Giusto Ove Fini La Vita - Placido Domingo
Act 2, Scene 1: E Lui! Desso! L'Infante! - Renato Bruson
Act 2, Scene 1: Dio, Che Nell'alma Infondere - Renato Bruson
Act 2, Scene 2: Sotto Ai Folti, Immensi Abeti - Maria Fausta Gallamini
Act 2, Scene 2: Nei Giardin Del Bello - Maria Fausta Gallamini
Act 2, Scene 2: La Regina! - Renato Bruson
Act 2, Scene 2: Io Vengo A Domandar Grazia Alla Mia Regina - Placido Domingo

Tracks:

Act 2, Scene 2: Il Re! - Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala
Act 2, Scene 2: Non Piangar, Mia Compagna - Renato Bruson
Act 2, Scene 2: Restate! - Renato Bruson
Act 2, Scene 2: Signor, Di Fiandra Arrivo - Renato Bruson
Act 2, Scene 2: Oso Lo Sguardo Tuo Penetrar Il Mio Soglio - Renato Bruson
Act 3: Quanti Fior E Quante Stelle - Margaret Price
Act 3, Scene 1: A Mezzanotte, Ai Giardin Della Regina - Renato Bruson
Act 3, Scene 1: Al Mio Furor Sfuggite Invano - Renato Bruson
Act 3, Scene 2: Spuntato Ecco Il Di D'esultanza - Renato Bruson
Act 3, Scene 2: Sire, No L'ora Estrema - Renato Bruson
Act 3, Scene 2: Sire! Egli E Tempo Ch'io Viva! - Renato Bruson
Act 4, Scene 1: Ella Giammai M'amo! - Jevgeny Nesterenko
Act 4, Scene 1: Il Grande Inquisitor! - Luigi Roni
Act 4, Scene 1: Nell'ispano Suol Mai L'eresia Domino - Luigi Roni

Tracks:

Act 4, Scene 1: Giustizia! - Renato Bruson
Act 4, Scene 1: Ah! Sii Maledetto, Sospetto Fatale - Renato Bruson
Act 4, Scene 1: Pieta! Perdon! Per La Rea Che Si Pente - Margaret Price
Act 4, Scene 1: O Don Fatale - Jelena Obraztsowa
Act 4, Scene 2: Son Io, Mio Carlo - Renato Bruson
Act 4, Scene 2: Per Me Giunto E Il Di Supremo - Renato Bruson
Act 4, Scene 2: O Carlo, Ascolta - Renato Bruson
Act 4, Scene 2: Carlo, Il Brando Ormai Riprendi - Placido Domingo
Act 5: Tu Che La Vanita - Margaret Price
Act 5: Francia, Nobile Suol, Si Caro Ai Miei Verd'anni! - Margaret Price
Act 5: E Dessa! - Placido Domingo
Act 5: Ma Lassu Ci Vedremo In Un Mondo Migliore - Placido Domingo
Act 5: Si, Per Sempre! - Placido Domingo

Customer Reviews:

Domingo and Price Are a Winning Ticket.......2004-06-05

Domingo sounds glorious on this live recording, which has excellent sound by the way--no irritating audience coughs or distracting cast member stage tromps and clomps--,and Price is even more luscious. Margaret Price was a Mozartian soprano who grew into the Verdi, Strauss, and Wagner reps. and is saddly underrated these days, yet the voice here is ravishingly beautiful, even throughout the range, top notes unfurling like bright banners against a summertime sky. She has the voice of a queen as is fitting for her role as Elisabetta. Listen to the love duet between Don Carlos and his future step-mother in Act I (this is the 5 act Italian language version) and remain unmoved if you can. While the set comes with no libretto, for the price, this truly is a best buy. And if you already own the Giulini recording of Domingo and Caballe, you need no other libretto anyway. The Eboli of Obraztsova is a little wild vocally, the runs aren't as clean as they should be, intonation is approximate in places, but she has the necessary b-flats and the crowd goes mad after her first aria (one would do well to listen to either Olga Borodina's Veil Aria on Haitink's Philips set or Baltsa's on Karajan's EMI for better examples of Verdian line and style). If you love Don Carlo as much as I, don't hesitate to add this to your library, and if you've always wanted a copy but found the 3-cd studio sets too expensive, this is the one to get.

Well, why not?.......2002-03-29

This is very good recording of Don Carlo, not the best one, but still an interesting one. First of all, it is "live", so it may be interesting only to the fans of the opera. During the 1977-78 season there were two live "Carlo" recordings from Scala and both are conducted by Abbado. So far nice. They both feature Yelena Obraztsova as Eboli. Even nicer. Yevgeniy Nestrenko and Luigi Roni sing in both. On the first - the Inquisitor and the Monk, on the second (this one) they move up to the King and Inquisitor respectively. In the other recording, also available here at a much higher price the King is sung by Ghiaurov. One recording of his Philip should be in every music lover's collection, but he had many, so that may disqualify the other above mentioned recording - the most expensive one.

And so, the cast.
Don Carlo - Placido Domingo.
On this recording he sounds better than on his studio version with Abbado made several years later. The reason is of course the text. Even if the Spanish tenor is fluent in French, Italian is still more comfortable for him. The voice is powerfull and his unique ability to sing as a lyric tenor at one moment as a dramatic one in the next works very well in the role of Carlo. But, of course he is nasal and sometimes does not show enough commitment in the dramatic moments.

Elisabetta - Margaret Price
A fine Mozartian soprano, singing fine, but not making a very big impression.

Philipp II - Yevgeniy Nesterenko
As said above, the role of the king suits him better than the part of the Inquisitor. He has a powerfull bass-baritone, with good high notes and audible low ones. His half-declamatory style is not loved by some listeners, but it works very well in the great monologue and in the following confrontation with the Inquisitor. He has sung Philipp in the Bolshoi for some years, but never recorded it commercially.

Di Posa - Renato Bruson
What more can you ask for? The best baritone-brilliante since Taddei, a sencetive artist with high notes and a big "meaty" voice. Perfect.

Eboli - Yelena Obraztsova
If anything is more perfect than Bruson - it's the great Soviet mezzo. She was often partnered with Nesterenko in many operas (including this one) in the Bolshoi and their combination was uniqe. Especially in such works as "Aida" or "Khovanschina". Her Eboli is sung tenderly and with many nice nuances, but "Don fatale" is sung in an almost baritonal way - unbelievable.

Inquisitor - Luigi Roni
He is a bass. He sings loudly. That's what matters.

I may also add, that Giovani Foiani is a very good Monk.

Tracks:

Act I: Intro: Le cerf s'enfuit sous la ramure - Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Romano Gandolfi/Giulio Bertola
Act I: Recit et Romance: Fontainebleau! Foret immense et solitaire... - Placido Domingo
Act I: Recit et Romance: Je l'ai vue - Placido Domingo
Act I: Scene et Duo: Le bruit du cor s'eteint sous l'ombre epaisse... - Placido Domingo/Katia Ricciarelli/Ann Murray
Act I: Scene et Duo: Que faites-vous donc?... - Placido Domingo/Katia Ricciarelli/Ann Murray
Act I: Scene et Final: A celui qui vous vient... - Katia Ricciarelli/Placido Domingo/Ann Murray/Tibere Raffalli
Act I: Scene et Final: L'heure fatale est sonnee... - Katia Ricciarelli/Placido Domingo/Ann Murray/Tibere Raffalli
Act II, Scene 1: Scene et Priere: Charles-Quint, l'auguste Empereur... - Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Nikita Storojev/Placido Domingo
Act II, Scene 1: Scene et Priere: Au couvent de Saint-Just - Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Nikita Storojev/Placido Domingo
Act II, Scene 1: Scene et Duo: Le voila! C'est l'Infant...Dieu, tu semas dans nos ames - Leo Nucci/Placido Domingo
Act II, Scene 2: Choeur et Scene: Sous ces bois au feuillage immense - Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Ann Murray/Lucia Valentini Terrani
Act II, Scene 2: Chanson du Voile: Au palais des fees - Lucia Valentini Terrani/Ann Murray/Coro del Teatro alla Scala
Act II, Scene 2: Scene, Terzettino Dialogue et Romance: La Reine!...L'Infant Carlos... - Leo Nucci/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Katia Ricciarelli/Ann Murray/Coro del Teatro alla Scala

Tracks:

Act II, Scene 2: Grande Scene et Duo: Je viens solliciter de la Reine une grace...O bien perdu... - Placido Domingo/Katia Ricciarelli
Act II, Scene 2: Scene et Romance: Le Roi!... - Katia Ricciarelli/Ruggero Raimondi/Ann Murray/Leo Nucci/Coro del Teatro alla Scalla
Act II, Scene 2: Scene et Romance: O ma chere compagne - Katia Ricciarelli/Ruggero Raimondi/Ann Murray/Leo Nucci/Coro del Teatro alla Scalla
Act II, Scene 2: Scene et Duo: Restez!...O Roi! J'arrive de Flandre - Ruggero Raimondi/Leo Nucci
Act III: Prelude - Orch Del Teatro Alla Scala/Claudio Abbado
Act III, Scene 1: Scene, Duo et Trio: A minuit, aux jardins de la Reine... - Placido Domingo/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Leo Nucci
Act III, Scene 1: Scene, Duo et Trio: C'est vous!... - Placido Domingo/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Leo Nucci
Act III, Scene 1: Scene, Duo et Trio: Que dit-il? - Placido Domingo/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Leo Nucci
Act III, Scene 2: Grand Final: Ce jour heureux est plein d'allegresse... - Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Antonio Savastano
Act III, Scene 2: Grand Final: ...En placant sur mon front, peuple, cette couronne... - Ruggero Raimondi/Katia Ricciarelli/Placido Domingo/Leo Nucci/Ann Murray/Aldo Bramante...

Tracks:

Act IV, Scene 1: Scene et Cantabile: Elle ne m'aime pas! - Ruggero Raimondi
Act IV, Scene 1: Scene: Le Grand Inquisiteur!...Dans ce beau pays - Nicolai Ghiaurov/Ruggero Raimondi/Tibere Raffalli
Act IV, Scene 1: Scene et Quatuor: Justice! Sire!...Maudit soit le soupcon infame - Katia Ricciarelli/Ruggero Raimondi/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Leo Nucci
Act IV, Scene 1: Scene et Air: Pitie! Pardon pour la femme coupable! - Katia Ricciarelli/Lucia Valentini Terrani
Act IV, Scene 1: Scene et Air: Ah! Je ne verrai plus la Reine...O don fatal et deteste - Lucia Valentini Terrani
Act IV, Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: C'est moi, Carlos... - Leo Nucci/Placido Domingo
Act IV, Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: C'est mon jour supreme... - Leo Nucci/Placido Domingo
Act IV, Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: Que parles-tu de mort... - Leo Nucci/Placido Domingo
Act IV, Scene 2: Mort de Rodrigue: Carlos, ecoute...Ah! Je meurs l'ame joyeuse - Leo Nucci/Placido Domingo
Act IV, Scene 2: Emeute: Mon fils, reprenez votre epee...Ciel! Le tocsin! - Ruggero Raimondi/Placido Domingo/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Tibere Raffalli...

Tracks:

Act V: Scene et Air: Toi qui sus le neant des grandeurs de ce monde - Katia Ricciarelli
Act V: Scene et Duo D'adieu-Scene Finale: C'est elle!...J'avais fait un beau reve!... - Placido Domingo/Katia Ricciarelli/ruggero Raimondi/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Nikita Storojet...
Act V: Scene et Duo D'adieu-Scene Finale: Oui, pour toujours! - Placido Domingo/Katia Ricciarelli/ruggero Raimondi/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Nikita Storojet...
Appendix: 1. Prelude et Introduction (Act 1): L'hiver est long - Coro del Teatro alla Scala/Katia Ricciarelli
Appendix: 2. Introduction et Choeur (Act III, Scene 1): Que de fleurs...Pour une nuit me voila Reine - Katia Ricciarelli/Lucia Valentini Terrani/Coro del Teatro alla Scala
Appendix: 3. Le Ballet de la Reine (Act III, Scene 1) - Orch Del Teatro Alla Scala/Claudio Abbado
Appendix: 4. Scene (Act IV, Scene 1) - Katia Ricciarelli/Lucia Valentini Terrani
Appendix: 5. Final (Act IV, Scene 2): Mon fils, reprenez votre epee...Qui me rendra ce mort? - Ruggero Raimondi/Placido Domingo/Coro del Teatro alla Scala
Appendix: 6. Final (Act V): Oui, pour toujours...Ah! Sois maudit! Artisan d'une oeuvre detestee - Ruggero Raimondi/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Placido Domingo/Katia Ricciarelli/Nikita Storojev...

Customer Reviews:

On the whole, a great recording.......2007-02-08

At the time of its release and continuing to the present, critics have carpted at this, the first big-label recording of Don Carlos, as the French version of Verdi's masterpiece is known. I find it hard to see why. Almost every0one who needs to be in top form is. Domingo gives a thrilling display, full of conviciton and nuance, exceeding even his own famed account of the title role for Giulini. As Eliisabetta, Katia Ricciarelli is in beaaautiful voice and almsot totally free of wobble. She doesn't have the raw vocal power for her big Tu che le vanita aria in the fifth act, but elsewhere she's wonderful, and thankfully she avoids the languishing melancholy that mars Caballe's portrayal for Giulini. As foor being over-parted, the same could be said of Freni on the Karajan set.

Don Carlos is full of choice roles requiring major singers, and Abbado has supplied them quite successfully: Raimondi as an authoritative Philip II, Ghiaurov as the Grand Inquisitor, and the excellent if not starry Valentini-Terrani in the coloratura mezzo role of Eboli. As is often said, this opera is structured on a Shakespearean scale (Schiller's great drama was deeply influenced by Shakespeare's history plays), and Abbado often rises to that level. This is one of his best Verdi recordings, perhaps his very best, and he raises the La Scala orchestra and chorus far above what I usually expect. In the end, only the prosaic Leo Nucci as Rodrigo is disappointing, and even he is in very good voice.

I've used the Italian names becasue Don Carlo has made its way through the world as an Italian opera, and in any event, none of the singers gives us very good French (Domingo's is the best--his voice thrives in that language, oddly enough). As a supplment, six additional or alternative numbers are given as a suplement on CD 4, a welcome addition even though it stretches the opera to an extra disc, making it the most expensive Verdi set I've ever encountered.

One very simple reason..........2006-07-12

why this is best Don Carlos version on the market....Claudio Abbado

The "other" French recording.......2005-12-19

Personally I prefer this set to the more famous one with Alagna and Mattila. The reasons are Placido Domingo who sings the most complex and endearing Don Carlos since the young Carreras in 1977, the mesmerizing Valentini-Terrani who proves that both the florid aria and the dramatic solo can be sung by one and the same voice (Meier never gave me that security), the full lyric and youthful sounding Elisabeth of Ricciarelli and the brilliant Raimondi repeating his role as Philippe (He was on the Italian recording with Domingo as well). It's brilliantly conducted, there are only tiny cuts and the bonus-material on the last CD is worth the money alone. This is a keeper, Verdi would be proud!

Original French Don Carlos: The Best Studio Recording.......2005-11-06

This 1980's Deutsche Grammophone recording has had favorable reviews here on Amazon.com and I don't think there's much more to add but I find that every time I listen to it, it gets better and better. The strength lies in the musicianship of the La Scala forces under Claudio Abbado's baton and the talented principal singers who have no difficulty singing in the original French and French grand opera style that Verdi originally composed for the Paris Opera. The most famous Don Carlo recording is, of course, the EMI 1970 recording under conductor Carlo Maria Giulini starring Placido Domingo, Montserrat Caballe, Sherill Milnes, Shirley Verrett and Ruggero Raimondi. That was the revised Italian version which is far more popular. Only Placido Domingo and Ruggero Raimondi are included in this later recording, though Montserrat Caballe was still capable of some dramatic singing in the 80's and could have also sung the role of Elisabeth in French. Katia Ricciarelli is however a marvelously gifted singer, despite detractors criticizing her for her lack of sturdy high notes and finding fault with what they believe is a voice that is only good from the middle register and downward. Ricciarelli delivers a beautiful, elegant and imperious Queen, and I love her voice. This is probably her finest achievement on recording. On the EMI 1970 Giulini recording, it was interesting to note how for an Italian opera the majority of the singers were non-Italians. On this recording, it is the other way around. The French-singing cast are Italian- Katia Ricciarelli, Luisa Valentini-Terrani and Ruggero Raimondi- and they are conducted by an Italian conductor Claudio Abbado and the La Scala orchestra. For a bunch of Italians, they master the art of French grand opera with aplomb.

Placido Domingo proves his versatility yet again by singing a heck of a Don Carlos in French when we know he is just as capable of singing the role in Italian. His French is sexy, seductive, elegant and exuding with the soulful passion of his Spanish persona. Domingo is my favorite tenor not only for the beauty and dramatic richness of his voice, but for the fact he is the only modern tenor to sing a variety of diverse roles. The ladies are singing superbly. Ricciarelli is simply splendid as the Queen, and she does justice to the part as great as Mirella Freni and Montserrat Caballe did. Alas, if only Leontyne Price had sung Queen Elisabeth Di Valois in its entirety! I think that would have been her best role, perhaps even surpassing her Leonora from Trovatore. Ruggero Raimondi returns to sing the role of King Phillip, though he had sung the Inquisitor in the 1970 Giulini recording. He has the right stuff for the role however. Russian bass Nicolai Ghiuruv is a devilishly frightening Inquisitor and handles the Verdi music with ease. Without a doubt this is the finest recording of Don Carlos you'll ever find in its original French.

Better than the sum of its parts.......2005-10-04

The stars of this studio performance are Abbado and the Scala in stunning form, and Domingo in good voice as an involved Carlos. It's easy to nitpick on details: the late Valentini-Terrani a size too small, Nucci too straightforward, Ricciarelli past her prime...but it all doesn't matter. All principals contribute to the energy of this recording, and the performance as a whole is great. The one significant flaw is the too-reverberant recording. Still, this is a better place to start than the beautiful but relatively uninvolved Giulini.

This recording follows the (superior?) 5-act revised version in French, and so presents the French original of the Italian translation recorded by, e.g., Giulini, Solti, Haitink and Levine. The major changes since the orginal version have been recorded as appendices at the end of disc 4.

For an interesting modern alternative of the Italian translation in good sound, I recommend Haitink - beautifully conducted and recorded, good voices, and Hvorostovski as Posa has to be heard to be believed.

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An Important Supplement for CARLOS Collectors

Verdi: Don Carlos

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

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000B0WOLC
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Customer Reviews:

An Important Supplement for CARLOS Collectors.......2005-12-11

If you've been waiting for an authentic, 100-proof French-language DON CARLOS with no textual mix-and-matching from Verdi's later revisions of the opera, this live recording dating from October 2004 is for you. It has every note the audience at Paris heard at the premiere on March 11, 1867, and then some, because it includes music Verdi submitted to the Paris Opera but cut in rehearsals before the first night. Its sheer comprehensiveness (at 245+ minutes, the opera stretches almost to PARSIFAL length) makes it the French-language CARLOS of choice for the time being. Of its two major-label rivals in French, Pappano/EMI omits the opening choral introduction and the ballet music and makes use of a schizophrenic edition entirely the conductor's own, corresponding to no staging seen in the composer's lifetime (Pappano freely cherry-picks from Verdi's revisions of the 1880s, and at one point jumps forward 20 years in mid-duet); the pioneering Abbado/DG, o