Ponchielli: La Gioconda

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
The mercilessly self-critical Maria Callas considered her singing in the last act here among the most satisfying of her records, saying that "it's all there for anyone who cares to understand or wishes to know what I was about." "Suicidio" emerges less a histrionic soliloquy than an interior, multi- dimensional monologue. Moreover, the soprano is in better voice than her 1952 Cetra Gioconda, which, however, boasts a more vibrant supporting cast, greater energy from the podium (especially in the first act), and avoids a small but not insignificant cut Antonino Votto makes here in the final act. EMI furnishes full texts and translations, an excellent essay that places this recording in context, and excellent remastered sonics. --Jed Distler

Tracks:

La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
Carmen Bizet: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
Luisa Miller: O! fede negar potessi .. Quando le sere al placido
La Traviata: Lunge da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti
Martha: M'appari
Giordano: Amor ti vieta
L'Africaine: Mi batte il cuor .. O paradiso
La Favorita: Favorita del re . . . Spirto gentil
Werther: 'Pourquoi me reveiller'
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: 'Morgenlich leuchtend in rosigem Schein'
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: O Dieu! De quelle ivresse
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Pagliacci: Recitar! ... Vesti la giubba
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira
Aida: Se quel guerrier .. Celeste Aida
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Turandot: Nessun dorma

Customer Reviews:

The End of the Big Voice?.......2007-04-16

This CD, which is truly fine overall, reminds me of Marilyn Horne's lament that we have probably seen the end of the big voice and it makes me sad. I agree with the reviewer who refers to "microphonies". And more justice could be done to Bjorling's voice with a better transfer. But at some point, music becomes a matter of taste and I prefers singers who have the instrument and the support and the training, whether formal or not, to just let fly and take a chance on making a mistake. Domingo can be wonderful and so can his musicianship but he tends to be so stiff. I have to wonder at the virulence and asperity with which some people go after Pavarotti. It's true that late in his career he made some questionable recordings but the answer to that is simple: don't buy them. At his best, he belongs for all time in the top echelon of tenors. I love this CD and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys great (big) voices.

Fla Gator Lady.......2007-01-12

Highly recommend this CD with these beloved arias of the greatest tenors in opera. I have owned this CD for a couple of years and purchased another for a friend who always requests that I play it ... perfect for listening in the car, dinner, bridge games, relaxation ... just so perfect. You won't be disappointed in this one.

20 Great Tenor Arias.......2007-01-09

A great disc,combination of the greatest tenors of the 20th century and some of the most beautiful music ever written in any century,a must addition to any opera lovers collection.

Plesantly surprised..........2006-01-14

I don't remember how I found this CD the other day surfing through the "Amazon" such as it is, but I did. I listened to a few clips provided & on the strength of that, I purchased this CD.

First it is a great buy. A booklet with pictures of each tenor, a small bio, the year recorded and TRANSLATIONS of each aria are provided. This is really nice. It seems more & more that translations are being left out. Being a former opera singer, I may know most of the words, but sometimes it's just nice to read along (sometimes it's just nice to listen too).

Being on the Decca label, there is admittedly quite a few Pavarotti selections. Out of 20 selections, he has 6 of them. But I love Pavarotti, so this is no problem for me. These are all early recordings & his voice is magnificent! Being a singer, I still marvel at his ability to sing "All'armi!" on a high D and still say the 2nd syllable "mi" on such a note! WOW. There is also of course his very sweet, impassioned and lyrical turn as Rodolfo in "La Boheme" as well as the lesser known (although I still have it on casette) "La Favorita" which has a particularly high tessitura.

Also featured are a young Plácido Domingo singing a VERY nice "Flower song/ La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" from Carmen. He usually sounds too pushed for me on the top notes (as one might expect from a Pavarotti fan, I like free top notes) but in this recording he is pretty darn fabulous. He also sings an aria from "Tales of Hoffman/Les Contes d'Hoffman" and I have always felt that he, like Neil Schicoff, were well suited to this role.

Lamentably there are only one selection each from Carreras, Correlli, Monaco, Aragall & Kollo. Especial kudos to the young recording they feature for Aragall. He had a very free and nice high tenor well suited to Verdi. Of course as his career went forward with the natural darkening of his voice and the "heavier" roles, he did start to develop a wobble. But this recording is before that. His top, his phrasing are all beautifully done in his featured aria from "La Traviata."
Mario del Monaco's "E lucevan le stelle" is hauntingly beautiful and has such a wonderful pianissimo in it that it makes you just want to gasp for beauty's sake. I now know every tenor I've heard sing this aria was trying to emulate what he did.

This is a great CD because it does bring together on one CD some of the greatest singers of the 20th/21st century. Bergonzi, di Stefano, Björling, in addition to the previously mentioned artists is quite an impressive collection. I'm sure there's only one of each for Carreras, Aragall (I believe they are formerly EMI/Angel artists) and perhaps some of the others because they are "imported" from another label. There's so much Pavarotti on this CD because he IS a Decca artist.

A highly recommended CD, affordable, not the usually obscure and unpolished artists that are sometimes found on compilations. Plus acutal linear notes and translations. Nicely done, Decca!!!

Absolutely Agree About Corelli.......2005-05-27

Franco Corelli's "Nessun Dorma" is still the best of them all - clear, passionate, and exciting. (And those final two notes...! Gives me chills just to think of it.) I was fortunate enough to see him live in both "Turandot" and "Romeo and Juliet" a year before his retirement, and he was still a Calaf and a Romeo to die for... as, of course, Liu and Juliet did! As it is, I tend to buy compilations depending on how much Corelli they include - though Bjorling is a strong second, and I have happy memories of Domingo. Long live the Golden Age of Operatic Tenors!

Average customer rating:

Great Stuff
A Great Introduction to Italian Opera
Best of the best!
Fabulous bargain for anyone
Great songs for a low price.

The Best of Italian Opera

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!

ASIN: B000000UXN
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

La Traviata: 'Libiamo, Libiamo'
Rigoletto: 'La donna e' Mobile'
The Barber Of Seville: 'Una voce poco fa'
La Boheme: 'Che gelida manina'
Rigoletto: 'Gualtier Malde!' Caro nome'
Il Trovatore: 'Vedi! le fosche'
Il Trovatore: 'Il balen del suo sorriso...Per me ora fatale'
TOSCA: 'Vissi d'arte'
La Traviata: 'Di Provenza il mar, il suol'
The Marriage Of Figaro: 'Voi che sapete'
Aida: 'Se quel guerrier io fossi...Celeste Aida'
Madama Butterfly: 'Un bel di vedremo'
La Gioconda: 'Cielo e mar'
Lucia di Lammernoor: 'Ardon gl' incesi'

Customer Reviews:

Great Stuff.......2007-07-22

The sound quality of this disc is surprisingly good, very good for an ADD. All the selections captured each singer in his/her top form. It is a real treat that this disc contains many work that were not normally in certain singer's repertoire. Gedda's Aida, Moffo's Rossini-Rosina and Cherobino, for example, all were superbly sung. Even Moffo's Lucia sounds much better than I have ever heard in other places.

A Great Introduction to Italian Opera.......2005-05-01

The artists on this CD succeed in their goal to create a CD that displays great Italian opera. Carlo del Monte and Victoria de los Angeles open the disc with the Brindisi from La Traviata. Victoria de los Angeles is not the best Violetta, but she does the job, along with her parner Carlo del Monte, an underappreciated tenor. Victoria de los Angeles also appears on the CD in "Un bel di vedremo" from Madama Butterfly, a role she was well known for. Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda appears on the disc twice. His first appearence is a superb rendition of "La donna e mobile" from Rigoletto. His final performance on this disc is in the heroric aria "Celeste Aida", a performance in a role that was not in his voice range. Anna Moffo is the star on this CD, appearing three times in three very different roles. First is her beautiful "Una voce poco fa", normally a role that calls for a mezzo-soprano. Her second is "Voi che sapete" from Le Nozze di Figaro, another mezzo-soprano role. Her final appearence is her best, "The Mad Scene" from Lucia di Lammermoor. Underrated tenor Giuseppe Campora performs "Che gelida manina" with a great tenor voice. Soprano Reri Girst is excellent in her performance of "Caro nome" from Rigoletto. One of my favorite baritones appears on this CD. Robert Merrill is a perfect Count di Luna, and it is evident in his rendition of "Il balen del suo sorriso". Another baritone appears on this CD: mario Sereni. He is not a world famous baritone, but he should have been. Overall, this is an excellent introduction to the world of Italian opera.

Best of the best!.......2003-01-11

The performers, the selections, the quality... almost divine!

Fabulous bargain for anyone.......2002-11-24

I would recommend this CD to anyone, from opera novice to experienced listener...

These are older recordings -- I would guess mostly from the 1960's. The recording quality is exceptional for the day and, while not the equivalent of modern engineering, is sufficient to allow sheer physical pleasure from the music and an immediate appreciation of the vocal qualities of the artists. The sound quality is the only mild drawback...

The performances are magnificent! The voices are almost entirely lighter and more agile than the great voices of the 80's and 90's. In fact, the ear of the editor is apparent in his preference for lighter and more agile voices.

For example, there is a beautiful rendition of "Che Gelida Manina" from someone I had never heard before, Guiseppe Campora. He does not have the weight or volume of Pavarotti or Domingo, but has more elegance and a pure, charming tone. A connoisseur performance, but nevertheless a true operatic rendition by a tenor who can hit the high C with authority -- as good for a newcomer to opera who wants to hear the real thing, as for an opera lover who would like to hear something a bit different.

Some of the artists were among the most famous singers of their day: Moffo, de los Angeles, Gedda.

Anna Moffo, one of the greatest sopranos of her day (and all time), is in magnificent voice in famous blockbusters from Rossini's Barber of Seville, Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, and the Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor.

De Los Angeles is at her best in "Libiamo" from La Traviata, but the recording quality (the one inadequately engineered track on the CD) and her lack of oomph make for a second-rate version of "Un bel di".

In keeping with the light and lyrical orientation of the selections, Moffo -- a famous Gilda and hardly a dramatic voice -- is bypassed for the even lighter, sweeter and more agile colatura Reri Grist (while she still had her voice), in a lovely "Caro Nome".

Another nice selection is Mario Sereni performing "Di provenza, il mar". Both this and "Libiamo" are taken from one of my favorite recordings of Traviata -- also a great chance to hear Serafin at the helm of the Rome Opera House orchestra. (The 2-CD version of this is still available from EMI, I think.) Newcomers will love this pretty tune, and Sereni's archtypal Verdi baritone is good, although hardly the best ever.

Franco Corelli has never been a favorite of mine, but he sounds the best I've ever heard him in his rendition of "Cielo et mar".

Anyway, I didn't intend to list every cut. Whether you are an opera lover who would like to hear some of opera's most famous arias performed in a new light, or an opera lover who would like to hear great performances at a cut-rate price, this CD gets my unqualified approval.

Great songs for a low price........2001-08-16

Ranging from selections of La Traviata, Il Trovatore and other popular Italian operas, this is a great cd for under four bucks. The singers may not be well recognized, but they do possess powerful voices.

Average customer rating:

Audio beauty and magnificence, Maria Callas
sublime
Good "Best Of"
The Very Best of Maria Callas
Classic Callas

The Very Best Of Maria Callas
Maria Callas
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Maria Callas, the Voice of the Century
The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Best of Italian Opera
The Most Famous Opera Duets
The #1 Opera Album

ASIN: B00005Y1YQ
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Carmen: L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro
La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana
Samson Et Dalila: Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Tosca: Vissi D'arte, Vissi D'amore
Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Porgi Amor
Orphee Et Eurydice: J'ai Perdu Mon Eurydice
Aida: Ritorna Vincitor!
Adriana Lecouvreur: Respiro Appena... Lo So L'Umile Ancella
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo
Norma: Casta Diva
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta!
Louise: Depuis Le Jour
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi
La Gioconda: Suicidio
La Forza Del Destino: Pace, Pace Mio Dio!

Customer Reviews:

Audio beauty and magnificence, Maria Callas.......2007-03-31

There are moments on this recording that are virtually audio heaven.
Ms. Callas' voice goes beyond the normal concept of beauty.

sublime.......2007-02-14

she is an angel , a voice without parallel , a collection very interesting of arias from different masters.

Good "Best Of".......2007-02-09

Maira Callas was never a favorite of mine, but she is notable as a passionate, (but sometime shrill to my ears) performer. This collection is a good single record tribute to her operatic legacy.

The Very Best of Maria Callas.......2006-08-20

Second on my list for CDs that should be recommended for people who want to start on a long trail of Callas to the Carmen with Gedda and Prétre. This has perhaps the best excerpts of all time from Maria Callas. The 'Ritorna vincitor' and 'Una voce poco fa' are to be treasured. Any long-time Callas fan will find this CD of little to no interest, because anything they haven't heard before, there's a better, low-audio-quality version of somewhere. 4 stars for that reason.

Classic Callas.......2006-07-11

Countless assessments of Maria Callas' life and career, as well as re-issues of some of her definitive recorded performances have been fueled by the 25th anniversaary of her tragic and prophetic death alone in her Paris flat on September 16, 1977. One of those such discs, this 17 track retrospective compilation from the archives of EMI is among the best. Every character she portrays is bought to life by her incomparible ability both vocally and emotionally. Enjoy!

Average customer rating:

Woo Hoo!
Einstein
The baby danced.
A Lot of Fun for Playtime
Synthesized dreck

Baby Einstein: Playtime Music Box

Manufacturer: Buena Vista
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Baby Einstein: Lullaby Classics
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Baby Einstein: Music Box Orchestra

ASIN: B0006SSRP6
Release Date: 2004-12-21

Tracks:

Carmen Suite Medley
Snow Maiden, Dance Of The Birds
William Tell Overture, 'Lone Ranger'
Flight Of The Bumblebee
Humpty Dumpty/Child's Verse Medley
The Bartered Bride, Furiant
Minute Waltz
Gaite Parisienne, Vivo
Hey Diddle Diddle
Wellington's Victory, Op.91, 'England'
Wellington's Victory, Op.91, 'Victory Finale'
Swan Lake, Waltz
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
Happy Farmer
Farmer In The Dell
Jack & Jill
Symphony No.4
Dance Of The Hours
The Bartered Bride, Skokna
Voices Of Spring, Waltz

Product Description

The Playtime Music Box music CD is a 20-track, 31-minute concert featuring a collection of up-beat classical melodies and traditional song favorites to inspire your little one to dance, clap and play! Each delightful piece was specially selected and produced to bring musical fun to any activity - playtime, travel time, tummy time and more. Playtime Music Box includes classical pieces such as Rossini's ?Ç£William Tell Overture?Ç¥ and Schumann's ?Ç£Happy Farmer,?Ç¥ as well as ?Ç£Old MacDonald Had a Farm.?Ç¥Musical Selections:1. Carmen Suite, Medley, G. Bizet2. Snow Maiden, Danse des Oiseaux, N. Rimsky-Korsakov3. William Tell Overture, G. Rossini4. Flight of the Bumblebee, N. Rimsky-Korsakov5. Humpty Dumpty, W. Weisbach (traditional verse)6. The Bartered Bride Suite, Furiant, B. Smetana7. Minute Waltz, F. Chopin8. Gaite Parisienne, Vivo, J. Offenbach9. Hey Diddle Diddle, W. Weisbach (traditional verse)10. Wellington's Victory, Op 91, England, L. Beethoven11. Wellington's Victory, Op 91, Victory Finale, L. Beethoven12. Swan Lake, Waltz, P. Tchaikovsky13. Old MacDonald Had a Farm, traditional14. Happy Farmer, R. Schumann15. Farmer in the Dell, traditional16. Jack & Jill, W. Weisbach (traditional verse)17. Symphony No. 4, Italian, F. Mendelssohn18. Dance of the Hours, A. Ponchielli19. The Bartered Bride Suite, Skocna, B. Smetana20. Voices of Spring, Waltz, J. Strauss IIAge: birth +

Customer Reviews:

Woo Hoo!.......2007-05-07

This is by far the best CD in the Baby Einstein collection--it will put your toddler in hyperactive playful mode and exhaust you as you try to keep up. But for today's overweight, tv- and game- addicted children, this is great!

Einstein.......2007-04-09

Anything that has an Einstein in the title my twins love. I used to play this for them at night while they slept.

The baby danced........2007-03-09

I gave Baby Einstein: Playtime Music Box to a little boy on his first birthday. He loves it and dances and dances to the music.

A Lot of Fun for Playtime.......2006-01-04

This CD is a lot of fun. The music is bubbly and upbeat and makes you want to get up and dance or just jump around. It's a great way to spend some play time with your kids. And the classical music exposure is a bonus.

Synthesized dreck.......2005-08-13

Why did the producers use synthesizers for this music? It's awful. It's possible to hook kids on classical music using the actual instruments written for it - that's how I got hooked. That's what Mel Blanc and Disney did in their cartoons, Bugs Bunny and Fantasia. I do NOT recommend this CD to anyone. It was a shower gift. If you are not familiar with classical music, then I recommend "Baby Needs Beethoven", which is a collection of music using real instruments (albeit shortened - no full length symphonies here).

Walt Disney's Fantasia: Remastered Original Soundtrack Edition

Average customer rating:

Mickey mouse on cover, elevator music for 70 year olds
Optical soundtrack recording limitations
Review of soundtrack Fantasia issues
Fantasia
low-fi fantasia

Walt Disney's Fantasia: Remastered Original Soundtrack Edition

Manufacturer: Disney
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001M4K
Release Date: 2001-07-31

Tracks:

Toccata And Fugue In D Minor - (by Bach)
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Chinese Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Dance Of The Reed Flutes
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Arabian Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Russian Dance
The Nutcracker Suite Op.71A: Waltz Of The Flowers
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Rite Of Spring

Tracks:

Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: II. Andante Molto Mosso
Symphony No.6 ('Pastoral') Op.68: III. Allegro/IV. Allegro/V. Allegretto
Dance Of The Hours (From The Opera 'La Gioconda')
A Night On Bald Mountain
Ave Maria Op.52 No.6

Amazon.com essential recording

It's hard to believe now that Walt Disney's bold 1940 impressionistic experiment in wedding then-state-of-the-art animation with classical music was a rather resounding failure upon its release. The cliché proves the rule: Fantasia was decades ahead of its time (Disney even launched a "psychedelic"-themed rerelease campaign in the late '60s). It's even harder to fathom that then-Disney management spent over a million dollars in the early '80s replacing the muscular Leopold Stokowski score with a digitally recorded clone, then another undisclosed fortune to digitize Leo and put him back alongside Mickey at the conductor's podium in the '90s! This much-traveled Stokowski score will gain no points for subtlety (a symphonic Shaq attack is more like it), but it was Walt's first--and only!--choice and has never sounded better. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

Mickey mouse on cover, elevator music for 70 year olds.......2007-06-04

I bought it a couple of years ago looking at the cover but was extremely disappointed when my 18-month old insisted on "Mickey" today and I chucked it into my DVD player. Our baby started crying aloud suggesting "what is this rap?" Disney folks ought to know better not try and market elevator music for 70-year olds to little toddlers regardless of how fantasia the cover looks like!

Optical soundtrack recording limitations.......2007-03-05

The soundtrack recordings for "Fantasia" were provided
to the theaters of 1940 as optical tracks on the side
of the film being shown. Such recordings cannot be
compared to the magnetic tape recordings made after WWII
(using captured or "liberated" German machines at first),
to say nothing of the current digital technology.

An analog optical soundtrack on motion picture film was
bad enough, but the film itself was nitrate, notorious
for disintegrating over a relatively short period of time,
as well as for its flammability. The prints in
circulation wore out until "the sound had gotten so bad,
theaters were refusing to book the film" according to a
Disney spokesman quoted in the New York Times of March
11, 1982.

Stokowski knew what a difference stereo recording made,
compared to mono, because almost a decade earlier, he and
the Philadelphia Orchestra participated (without the
players' knowledge) in a series of experimental high
fidelity and stereo disc recordings made by Bell
Telephone Labs. At the time, Bell Labs and Western
Electric tried to interest several manufacturers of
phonographs in the new technology, but the Great
Depression was underway, and the idea of marketing
phonographs with two stylii and two loudspeakers was
deemed unfeasible. (The Bell system had 33-1/3 rpm
discs with two parallel grooves, requiring two stylii
for playback.)

The Fantasound process, as I understand it, required a
theater to install a single loudspeaker behind the screen
and three loudspeakers along each of the two side walls,
resembling somewhat today's "surround sound." But the
idea was not to produce true stereo sound, but rather
the "ping-pong" stereo concept, with the sounds from the
loudspeakers following the cartoon characters as they
moved back and forth across the screen.

I sometimes wonder if the original recordings were made
with discs, not on soundtrack film -- in which case they
might still exist somewhere in the Disney archives. The
many thousands of original cartoon animation cels used to
create the film images were not treated as archival
material, such as the original Technicolor negatives
of "Gone With The Wind" which were stored in underground
Kansas caves, where the temperature remained steady for
decade after decade. Instead, the cels were either
destroyed or individually distributed to interested
parties. All told, it's remarkable that the film and
soundtrack have survived almost seventy years in the
shape they're in.

Stokowski was not thrilled with the end product
of "Fantasia" because, reportedly, Disney engineers
played with his recording, snipping off beats to match
the animation and enhancing crescendos. Stravinsky --
the only composer represented who was still living at
the time -- also was appalled at Stokowski's rearrangement
of his work (which Stravinsky sold to Disney for $5,000
because he needed the money at the time), to say nothing
of the dinosaurs prancing about to his ballet. The 1940
audiences were either outraged (the purists), puzzled or
bored (the general public), or snickering that Disney
had "lost it" (the film industry). But some of us loved it.

Yet "Fantasia," like "The Rite of Spring," proved far
more durable than its critics could imagine. At the
time, I was familiar with the music of Beethoven's Sixth
Symphony, Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker", Bach's "Ave Maria,"
and even Ponchielli's "Dance of the Hours," but "The Rite
of Spring," and "The Sorceror's Apprentice," and "Night on
Bald Mountain" as well as Bach's "Toccata and Fugue" were
revelations for me. I didn't know then that Stokowski
tinkered with those scores, but now I have a large number
of various performances of all of them in my recording
collection. My "Fantasia" recordings were issued on LPs
in the 1970s and are treasured as historic artifacts.

In effect, that is what this two-CD album is. It's a
mistake to listen to it as performances comparable to
modern digital recordings. Enjoy them for what they are
- historical efforts to popularize classical music.

Richard Q. Hofacker, Jr., Basking Ridge, NJ

Review of soundtrack Fantasia issues.......2007-02-16

Thanks to the other reviewers for honest opinions on sound quality of this product issue. The FANTASIA soundtrack deserved better, and fortunitely, I once bought a 2-volume cassette edition of Fantasia, remastered original soundtrack edition, purchased at Tomorrowland souvenir shop at Disneyland back in 1990. Still have it, in great condition box set, and even the new boom boxes sold in todays market, feature cassette and cd play. Muchos grac!

Fantasia.......2007-01-10

I am satisfied that the CD is of the original production of Fantasia, which I feel is superior to the current DVD. I hope that a DVD version of the original version will be made available at some time. The sound quality leaves a little to be desired, however.

low-fi fantasia.......2007-01-10

I was disapointed with the low-fi recording. I realize the soundtrack is from the 1940's, but I assumed it has been re-mastered. Rather muddy sound.

Average customer rating:

Andrea Bocelli - Sogno
Not bad!
pleasure to lilsten
Bocelli - Aria
Why...?

Andrea Bocelli - The Opera Album ~ Aria

Manufacturer: Philips
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Romanza
Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung
Cieli di Toscana
Andrea Bocelli: Verdi
Andrea Bocelli - Amore

ASIN: B0000069CO
Release Date: 1998-04-07

Tracks:

Rigoletto: Questa o quella
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Madama Butterfly: Addio, fiorito asil
Andrea Chenier: Come un bel di di maggio
I Puritani: A te, o cara
Der Rosenkavalier: Di rigori armato il seno
Fedora: Amor ti vieta
La Fanciulla del West: Ch'ella mi creda
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Adriana Lecouvreur: La dolcissima effigie
La Boheme: Musetta! - Testa adorata
Lucia di Lammermoor: Tombe degli avi miei - Fra poco a me ricovero
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee
La Fille Du Regiment: Pour mon ame

Amazon.com

Andre Bocelli is no opera singer, but he shows far more potential in this album than does another pop-vocalist tenor-wannabe, Michael Bolton. For one thing, he can shake off the crooner mannerisms and really sing when performing music that calls for it. At his best, he has a rich, dark timbre and an easy, unforced top. At other times, however, the tone turns dry and thin and the high notes are constricted, the inconsistency suggesting a lack of technique. Never does one get the impression that he could be heard over a medium-sized orchestra without amplification. This isn't bad singing per se, but there is much better out there, readily available on disc. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Album Description

Exclusive Australian Gold pressing released to coincide with his first public appearance in Australia. He'll be performing at the opening ceremonies and then onto to tour the land down under. His back catalogue will be released & re-packaged in slipcases with his signature on them as well as all of them pressed on gold plated CD's. This pressing includes 17 tracks, all sung in his native Italian Tongue. 1998 release. Standard jewel case.

Customer Reviews:

Andrea Bocelli - Sogno.......2007-06-27

I am 45 years old. The reason why this is something I am mentioning, is to let all of you reading my review know what age group I am in. It might be important to the age you are in knowing what I have to say. I have four Andrea Bocelli CD's and they are all wonderful. I love each of them. My mom turned me on to him, and, since I love Josh Groban, I decided to listen to Andrea Bocelli and see what all her fuss over him was about. I'm glad I did. I am half Italian and half Spanish. I don't know either language, but when I listen to both Andrea and Josh, I don't have to. They make the music tell a story, and instantly, you understand something about the words from just the sound of their voices. If you love Josh Groban, then Andrea Bocelli is someone you should give a listen to. His voice is soothing, powerful, and romantic. I am looking forward to getting more of his CD's. Great Stuff!!!

Not bad!.......2007-04-09

What I have heard about Andrea Bocelli is bimodal--some think that he is not up to the operatic repertoire and is way overrated; others see him as a fine singer, from a nontraditional background and career path. What I hear on this CD is fine singing, with some limitations. He was once a law school student; he played in piano bars. He took lessons from the great Franco Corelli. Some examples of his work illustrate his skills:

"Questa O quella" is a nice romp. His smooth voice moves through this aria nicely. His voice is not a big one. On the other hand, his musicianship seems fine (thank goodness none of the sobbing and catches that some tenors adopt).

In Puccini's "Che gelida manina" (from "La Boheme"), he again sings smoothly. He has a nice sound to his voice. The high note is a bit thin, but certainly not as bad as some critics would have it. A serviceable version, in short.

Then, the twin arias from "Tosca"--"Recondita armonia" and "E lucevan le stelle." Both are well sung. His version of "Recondita armonia" compares well with other versions. He certainly has no reason to hang his head. When he amps up the volume, his voice is not quite as rich as many other tenors, bit it is still fine. Top notes, as observed before, are a bit thin, but--again--hardly reason for lamentation. This is nicely sung. My notes for "E lucevan le stelle" simply say "Ibid." That is, one could write a very similar set of comments.

The last piece is from a different tradition--a selection from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor," "Tome degli avi miei." Smoothly sung. A bit thin on higher notes. Overall, though, a nice job.

As I listen to his work, I think that Bocelli does a good job in the standard tenor repertoire. Is he a great tenor? No. Is he a good tenor? Yes.

pleasure to lilsten.......2007-01-19

This album is a pleasure. The selections are spirited and well executed. I was very satisfied with this purchse and would recommend it to any one who enjoys opera.

Bocelli - Aria.......2006-11-05

Introduced me to arias that were not known to me, and I find to be
quite beautiful. As usual, Bocelli does not fail.

Why...?.......2006-03-13

Why is there all this continuing controversy after so many years about whether or not Andrea Bocelli is - or is not - Operatically sound? All I know (and that's not saying much for me in this genre), is that after having listened to Amazon.com's sampling of the music on this Audio CD a few moments ago, I wept. Andrea Bocelli always makes me weep - because of his profound spiritual depth. And I don't care what anyone thinks on that issue. All I do know is this. The man sings from his soul...and nothing could surpass that - ever.

Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]

Average customer rating:

A good gift for novice

Passion - Most Famous Orchestral Spectaculars [20 CD Set]

Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rhapsody in Blue - Ultimate Piano Collection [20 CD Set]
Little Night Music - Ultimate Mozart Collection [20 CD Set]
Rendezvous of Angels - Concert Collection [20 CD Set]
Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]
Classical Evolution: Spanish Guitar Music

ASIN: B00012QLTQ
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias

Average customer rating:

Great to hear the Great Tenor
A childhood memory
Great collection.

The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Match Point
Italian Songs: The Digital Recordings
Great Caruso
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli
The Very Best Of Maria Callas

ASIN: B000003EOH
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
L'africana: O paradiso
La Juive: Rachel, quand du Seigneur
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi; Celeste Aida
Andrea Chenier: Come un bel di di maggio
La Favorita: Romanza: Spirto gentil, ne' sogni miei
La forza del destino: O tu che in seno agli angeli
Otello: Ora e per sempre addio
Les pecheurs de perles: Je crois entendre encore
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
Faust: Salut, demeure chaste et pure
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Martha: M'appari tutt'amor
Serse: Ombra mai fu (Largo)
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira

Amazon.com

There's a plethora of single-disc Caruso collections, but this one's the preferred choice for opera fans who treasure this golden- voiced epitome of Golden Age singing. It's a Greatest Hits collection to beat all Greatest Hits collections. Selections span Caruso's career, from the lyric effusions of 1906-7 to the darker-voiced later recordings, including one of his last records, the 1920 La Juive aria, "Rachel, quand du Seigneur," which he invests with a heartbreaking poignancy that hasn't been bettered. Caruso shines brightest in the Italian repertory, capturing the pathos of Vesti la Giubba, the insouciance of the Duke's Rigoletto arias, and the hero's dilemma in Celeste Aida, among much else. But everything here is wonderful--great music, great singing. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Great to hear the Great Tenor.......2007-04-11

I am impressed how well these almost 100 year old recordings have been transfered to CD. Of course they aren't perfect but considering their age it is still a miracle. It is nice to hear Caruso in his prime and not on a scratchy vinyl. I would recommend this to any lover of Caruso's singing.

A childhood memory.......2006-05-28

I do not really know Opera. I am writing this review because I remember hearing Caruso's voice coming from a seventy- eight on an old Victor gramophone in my paternal grandparents house. The power and lyric quality of the voice struck me so strongly especially in 'Pagliacci'. The phrase has been with me, and comes back occasionally through all the years.
Caruso was then, and I believe still is considered at the very top of operatic singers. And it is a remarkable experience to hear so many years later , and in a stronger and clearer way sounds which one heard long ago in childhood, and have for years only lived in the mind.

Great collection........2000-11-04

This CD is an older RCA release, but still one of the best! A great introduction to Caruso.

Average customer rating:

Landmark Soprano. An essential work for opera listeners.
Terrific introduction to the art of Callas
Callas was the greatest
Great starter CD
The epitome of divinity

Maria Callas - La Divina
Giacomo Puccini , Vincenzo Bellini , Georges Bizet , Gioachino Rossini , Alfredo Catalani , Camille Saint-Saëns , Giuseppe Verdi , Charles Gounod , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Pietro Mascagni , Amilcare Ponchielli , Tullio Serafin , Georges Prêtre , Nicola Rescigno , Franco Ghione , Antonino Votto , Maria Callas , Alfredo Kraus , Ebe Ticozzi , Giuseppe di Stefano , London Philharmonia Orchestra , Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala , Orchestre National de la R.D.F. , Conservatory Concert Society Orchestra , and Lisbon Orquesta Sinfonica del Teatro Nacional de San Carlos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
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Binding: Audio CD

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La Divina 2
Maria Callas: La Divina 3
The Very Best Of Maria Callas
Maria Callas, the Voice of the Century
Maria Callas: The Legend

ASIN: B000002RT6
Release Date: 1993-09-14

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:

listening to this cd
If you are unsure about opera, this is where to begin
The Perfect Opera CD
Romantic

Amor--Opera's Great Love Songs

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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