Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Scotto, Bergonzi, Panerai, Di Stasio, Opera di Roma, Barbirolli

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
With her highly placed, lyrical sound, Madama Butterfly was really a role Renata Scotto should never have sung; indeed, it was just this type of heavy role that shortened the beautiful-tone days of her career. But we're fortunate that she did undertake the part: Her searing insights and her tragic transformation from innocent girl to all-knowing woman are so touching, so right, that Scotto is, arguably, the best all-around Butterfly on disc. What's more, this set catches her in excellent voice, long before the role had taken its toll. Butterfly is Puccini's saddest heroine, and Scotto will bring tears to your eyes. She is partnered here by the elegant Carlo Bergonzi, also in fine voice, and if he doesn't quite capture Pinkerton's swagger, he certainly does romance his new girl-bride to perfection. Sir John Barbirolli allows the score to unfold with uncommon beauty, and the remainder of the cast is very fine as well. But this is Scotto's show--as it should be--and she'll break your heart. --Robert Levine

Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Scotto, Bergonzi, Panerai, Di Stasio, Opera di Roma, Barbirolli, Music, Giacomo Puccini, Sir John Barbirolli, Renata Scotto, Carlo Bergonzi, Paolo Montarsolo, Giuseppe Morresi, Silvana Padoan, Rolando Panerai, Orchestra e Coro del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Gianni Lazzari, Classical, Classical Music, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta
Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Scotto, Bergonzi, Panerai, Di Stasio, Opera di Roma, Barbirolli
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The only butterfly you'll ever need
  • Renata Scotto is THE MADAMA BUTTERFLY!
  • A Definitive Recording
  • SUPERIOR RECORDING OF CLASSIC TRAGEDY.
  • Butterfly in trouble
 Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Scotto, Bergonzi, Panerai, Di Stasio, Opera di Roma, Barbirolli
Paolo Montarsolo , Giuseppe Morresi , Silvana Padoan , Rolando Panerai , Orchestra e Coro del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma , and Gianni Lazzari
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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  1. Puccini - La Bohème / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan

ASIN: B000002SF9
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: E soffitto...e pareti... (Pinkerton, Goro)
  2. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Questa e la cameriera (Goro, Pinkerton, Suzuki, Sharpless)
  3. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Dovunque al mondo (Pinkerton, Sharpless, Goro)
  4. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Quale smania vi prende! (Sharpless, Pinkerton, Coro, Goro)
  5. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Quanto cielo!...Ancora un passo or via (Coro, Butterfly, Sharpless)
  6. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Gran ventura (Butterfly, Coro, Pinkerton, Sharpless, Goro)
  7. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: L'Imperial Commissario (Goro, Pinkerton, Coro, Butterfly, Sharpless)
  8. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Vieni, amor mio! (Pinkerton, Butterfly, Goro)
  9. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Ieri son salita tutta sola (Butterfly, Goro, Coro, Sharpless, Pinkerton)
  10. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Ed eccoci in famiglia (Pinkerton, Coro, Butterfly, Goro, Suzuki)
  11. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Viene la sera (Pinkerton, Butterfly, Suzuki)
  12. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia
  13. Madama Butterfly: Atto Primo: Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino (Pinkerton, Butterfly)
  14. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: E Izaghi ed Izanami (Suzuki, Butterfly)
  15. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Un bel di vedremo (Butterfly)
  16. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: C'e. Entrate (Goro, Sharpless, Butterfly)
  17. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Non lo sapete insomma (Butterfly, Sharpless, Goro)

Tracks:

  1. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: A voi pero giurerei fede costante (Sharpless, Goro, Butterfly)
  2. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Ora a noi
  3. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: E questo? e questo? (Sharpless, Butterfly)
  4. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Che tua madre dovra (Butterfly)
  5. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Io scendo al piano (Sharpless, Butterfly)
  6. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Vespa! Rospo maledetto! (Suzuki, Butterfly, Goro)
  7. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Una nave da guerra...
  8. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Scuoti quella fronda di ciliegio
  9. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Or vienmi ad adornar (Suzuki, Butterfly)
  10. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Coro a bocca chiusa, Humming Chorus, Summ-chor, Choeur a bouche fermee
  11. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Oh eh! Oh eh! Oh eh! (Coro)
  12. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Gia il sole! (Suzuki, Butterfly)
  13. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Povera Butterfly
  14. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Io so che alle sue pene (Suzuki, Sharpless, Pinkerton)
  15. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Addio, fiorito asil (Pinkerton, Sharpless)
  16. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Glielo dirai? (Suzuki, Butterfly, Kate)
  17. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Che vuol da me? (Butterfly, Suzuki, Sharpless, Kate)
  18. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Come una mosca prigioniera (Suzuki, Butterfly)
  19. Madama Butterfly: Atto Secondo: Con onor muore (Butterfly, Pinkerton)

Amazon.com

With her highly placed, lyrical sound, Madama Butterfly was really a role Renata Scotto should never have sung; indeed, it was just this type of heavy role that shortened the beautiful-tone days of her career. But we're fortunate that she did undertake the part: Her searing insights and her tragic transformation from innocent girl to all-knowing woman are so touching, so right, that Scotto is, arguably, the best all-around Butterfly on disc. What's more, this set catches her in excellent voice, long before the role had taken its toll. Butterfly is Puccini's saddest heroine, and Scotto will bring tears to your eyes. She is partnered here by the elegant Carlo Bergonzi, also in fine voice, and if he doesn't quite capture Pinkerton's swagger, he certainly does romance his new girl-bride to perfection. Sir John Barbirolli allows the score to unfold with uncommon beauty, and the remainder of the cast is very fine as well. But this is Scotto's show--as it should be--and she'll break your heart. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The only butterfly you'll ever need.......2006-11-28

I own four recordings of Madama Butterfly, each with its merits--the old classic with Gigli and Toti dal Monti, Bjoerling and de los Angeles, and Campora with Tabaldi. Then there is this one, in which the orchestra,the singers and the conductor are all on the same page. All of the singers are perfect for their respective roles--Bergonzi is subtle and insightful and even more so is Renata Scotto. There are other elements that bring this together in one of the "Great Recordings of the Century", to which I would add, of any century. In the final analysis, however, the deciding factor in the success of this great work of musical and recording art is Sir John Barbarolli. If you are a lover of Puccini and Madama Butterfly in particular, you should own more than one recording, if only to make comparisons to this one. Each will have its qualities, but none come close to the completeness of this one. Get it before it disappears as so many great ones do.

5 out of 5 stars Renata Scotto is THE MADAMA BUTTERFLY!.......2002-05-14

Not often do I write a review for a C.D., but this recording deserved one. I was never really fond of the music in Madama Butterfly, but this recording absolutely changed my mind. I really feel that this is the best Butterfly on disc to date. Renata is truly charming. It's as if the role was written for her. Her final scene will bring tears to your eyes. She really does steal the show. Every opera lover should own a copy of this C.D.

5 out of 5 stars A Definitive Recording.......2001-07-28

Madama Butterfly has been one of my favorite operas since I was very young and this recording was among the first that I heard. Of course, I will admit that there have been better sopranos in this role such as Renata Tebaldi or Maria Callas, but Renata Scotto is one of the best and this recording is definitely the finest that she has made during her recording career. In this recording she is supported by Carlo Bergonzi, who is one of the greatest stlylists in opera, as well as by Rolando Panerai, whose Sharpless is without doubt one of his best recordings. It must also be said that this was one of Sir John Barbirolli's only two opera recordings. Barbirolli made this Butterfly toward the end of his long career during which he was a champion of many composers including Elgar. His masterful interpretation is without equal in my opinion. He allows the singers to shine in their respective roles and also allows the chorus to do one "Humming Chorus" that has brought me to tears time and time again. A wonderful recording.

5 out of 5 stars SUPERIOR RECORDING OF CLASSIC TRAGEDY........2000-06-28

While adoring TOSCA and LA BOHEME for many years, I could never warm to MADAMA BUTTERFLY. But after purchasing this recording, I discovered that the fault may not have been all mine. The Maria Callas version may be fine on its own merits, but this Renata Scotto interpretation simply soars. Conductor Barbirolli has breathed stunning life into this vivid, pulsing work and, with Scotto's heartbreaking soprano, created a definitive version of Puccini's time-honored classic. The recording quality is crisp and brilliant; the entire cast superb. A worthy addition to a classical library which may already have several other versions.

4 out of 5 stars Butterfly in trouble.......2000-06-08

The mayor drawback of this recording, which otherwise has a lot of great qualities, is Renata Scotto in the title role. She has recorded the role twice and her Butterfly has been widely praised. As I hear it, Puccini's demanding score is too big a challenge for her small instrument. She does sound ideally girlish in the more quiet scenes, but can't escape an obtrusive wobble and hoarseness as she struggles with the more demanding scenes. The final scene is a good example. Having said that, she is far preferable to her later recording under Maazel. That is almost disastrous. Madame Butterfly's struggle should never be against the score, but that is the feeling I get, listening to Renata Scotto. The only one who really tackles the role of Butterfly, being able to remain girlish even in the greatest dramatic outburst is Mirella Freni. She also recorded it twice, with Karajan/Decca and Sinopoli/DG. Personally I prefer Karajan/Decca.

Certainly one of the best Pinkertons was that of Carlo Bergonzi. Somehow this role suited him perfectly and he recorded it twice. The earlier recording was with Serafin/Decca, and i find him equally exciting in both recordings. He is partnered here by perhaps the greatest sharpless on record, Rolando Panerai. His voice was at it's most beautiful in 1966, and his characterization of Sharpless vague personality is superb. He is really "Sharpless" if you know what I mean.

Ï'm also very fond of Barbirolli's conducting. The first act is perhaps the best conducted of all. It's a beautiful, vivid and detailed account of Puccini's great score. I wish I could share the enthusiasm for Renata Scotto. If indeed I could this recording would be very hard to beat.

I can recommend it for the sake of Bergonzi, panerai and Barbirolli. If you want more than one recording of this brilliant work, this would be a good choice, but otherwise stick to Karajan and/or Sinopoli.

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