Delibes: Lakme (Highlights) / Sutherland, Bonynge

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Delibes's opera Lakmé is full of gorgeous melodies, even if you don't count the coloratura sensation, the famous "Bell Song." That aria virtually demands a soprano of Sutherland's agility and ease, and it gets it here (this is the highlights version of Sutherland's complete recording). Even the few singers who can match her in the upper altitudes can't do it with a voice so rich and full. Sutherland's is a Lakmé beyond comparison with twittering, thin-voiced, coloratura specialists. She did make this recording at a time when her diction was mushy and her vocal lines sometimes drooped, so she's not beyond criticism. But revel in the voice; after all, Lakmé is a cardboard character, and the opera, for all its considerable charms, isn't another Ring cycle. Sutherland's colleagues are excellent too. Vanzo was one of the finest lyric tenors of his generation, and he's by far the best Gérald on disc. Jane Berbié and Gabriel Bacquier are also unmatched, and Bonynge's conducting is idiomatic and flowing. Add engineering from Decca/London's golden age of recording, and here's a Lakmé to treasure. --Dan Davis

Tracks:

Carmen: Act 1: Prld - LPO/Sir Georg Solti
La Traviata: Brindisi: Libiamo, Ne'lieti Calici - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Luciano Pavarotti
Lakme: Flower Duet: Dome Epais Le Jasmin - Joan Sutherland/Jane Berbie
Fedora: Amor Ti Vieta - Jussi Bjorling
Carmen: Habanera: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - Tatiana Troyanos/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis
Nabucco: Chor Of The Hebrew Slaves: Va Pensiero - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hills
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Dove Sono - Kiri Te Kanawa
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Lohengrin: Bridal Chor: Treulich Gefuhrt Ziehet Dahin - Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Walter Hagen-Groll
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Renata Tebaldi
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Leo Nucci
La Wally: Ebben?... Ne Andro Lontana - Angela Gheorghiu
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chor - Wiener Staatsopernchor/Norbert Balatsch
Carmen: Flower Song: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Placido Domingo
Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Barcarolle: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'Amour - Joan Sutherland/Huguette Tourangeau/Chor De La Radio Suisse Romande, Pro Arte De Lausanne Et Du...
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Placido Domingo
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di - Mirella Freni
Les Pecheurs De Perles: C'est Toi... Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Gregory Cross/Gino Quilico

Tracks:

Die Walkure: The Ride Of The Valkyries - Wiener Phil/Solti
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete - Cecilia Bartoli
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: O Soave Fanciulla - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti/Roland Panerai
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chor: Vedi! Le Fosche - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hillis
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai - Jose Carreras
Don Giovanni: La Ci Darem La Mano - Lucia Popp/Tom Krause
Mattinata - Andrea Bocelli
Faust: Soldiers' Chor - Ambrosian Opr Chor/John McCarthy
L'elisir D'amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Roberto Alagna
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! - Montserrat Caballe
Don Giovanni: Champagne Aria: Finch'han Dal Vino - Bryn Terfel
Cosi Fan Tutte: Trio: Soave Sia Il Vento - Renee Fleming/Anne Sofie Von Otter/Michele Pertusi
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
Tosca: Vissi D'arte - Kiri Te Kanawa
Carmen: Toreador Song - Jose Van Dam/Tatiana Troyanos/Norma Burrowes/Jane Berbie/Thomas Allen/Pierre Thau/John Alldis...
Madama Butterfly: Love Duet: Vogliatemi Bene - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo - Nat PO/Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Rusalka: O Silver Moon - Renee Fleming
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi - Angela Gheorghiu
Turandot: Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis

Amazon.com

The labels that are now gathered under the Universal Classics umbrella have a pretty impressive scorecard in the area of classical compilations. We've seen The Greatest Opera Show on Earth, The Yellow Guide: Classical Music, Best of the Millennium, and now there's The No. 1 Opera Album. But that's no surprise, since Universal has some of the finest interpreters in its catalogue to draw from. This two-CD set (at the price of one), for example, brings together the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti, Herbert von Karajan, and many more. Yet the other key to a successful compilation is canny anthologizing, and here again, you have a nice selection to give you a smattering of opera's heavyweights from the Italian, German, and French repertory (there's even a step outside the standard framework with an aria from Dvorák's lovely Rusalka). Ranging from 1959 to 1997, the choices from back catalogue will doubtless be the entry ticket for many into this grandest of the arts. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

The beautiful gift of opera..........2007-07-17

This 2-CD set is absolutely wonderful! You can close your eyes and feel like you're actually at the opera, listening to those beautiful voices bringing tears to your eyes. Nessun Dorma still stirs up emotions in me, no matter how many times I hear it. Great examples of opera to give someone wanting to get interested in this style of music.

Pretty darn good.......2007-07-04

This CD set has a lot of familiar music on it, so if you're a newbie, you might want to try starting with this. There are some great pieces on the first CD. I usually don't even make it to the second.

The Opera #1 Opera Album.......2007-06-07

The music is wonderful. The production is terrible!! The sound fades in and out and is very scratchy in some places.

Excellent assortment.......2007-05-12

I'm not a big opera fan but I wanted to expose an assorted selection for my kids. This was perfect since it included several recognizable selections.

Great Selections.......2007-03-31

This Cd, has the very best of Opera
covering mainly from the classcal
to the to the romantic periods, a most
memorable selection here is Leo Nucci
in a lagendary performance of Rossini's
"Largo al Factotum" from "Il Barbiere di Seviglia"
also Andrea Bocelli in his performance of Leoncavallo's
memorable "Matinatta" here in an orchestrated version.
Indeed some of opera's most loved arias are in this recording
various conductors, orchestras, and soloists. All in their
very best. Indeed a five-star recording...

Average customer rating:

Great for kids!
Mediocre Sound Quality
I was pleased
The Most Famous Opera Arias
Okay But.... - a review of "The Most Famous Opera Arias"

The Most Famous Opera Arias

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002SCE
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Rigoletto: Act I - Caro nome
Rigoletto: Act III - La donna e mobile
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Carmen: Act I - Habanera: La voila...L'amour est oiseau rebelle
Orfeo ed Euridice: Act III - Che faro senz Euridice
Madama Butterfly: Act III - Un bel di, vedremo
Romeo et Juliette: Act I - Ah! je veux vivre
Le nozze di Figaro: Act II - Voi che sapete che cosa e amor
Samson et Dalila: Act II - Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix
Tosca:: Act II - Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore
Aida: Act I-Celeste Aida
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Act I-Una voce poco fa
Lakme: Act II - Ou va la jeune indoue?
La Wally: Act I - Ebben? Ne andro lontano
La Boheme: Act I - Che gelida manina
Die Zauberflote: Act II-Die Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen

Customer Reviews:

Great for kids!.......2007-06-27

I'm generally not a fan of music "samplers," but opera can be tough to introduce to children. And hey--even adults played cards, ate, and talked through the recitative sections of the early operas while they waited for the next aria! So I feel that getting kids hooked on opera through great arias probably can't hurt (the next 10 years or so will determine whether I'm right or not). My 4-year-old loves this CD; it's a delight to watch her imitate Anna Moffo (the sincerest form of flattery, for sure). Highly recommended resource for introducing young kids to opera. More top picks: Siberell's Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera, and the Black Dog Opera Library CDs.

Mediocre Sound Quality.......2007-03-31

If you note the album was released in 1994, and includes selections from many years prior, you will understand that the quality of the sound engineering is not going to dazzle your ear.

It's a very nice collection to hum along to, but don't expect shivers down your spine as the sound quality is not sufficient to reproduce the dynamic range of these voices.

I was pleased.......2007-02-18

I am by no means an opera expert, but found this to be a wonderful CD. Along with the songs I already knew I liked (such as a song from Carmen,) I found many others I enjoyed. In fact, Samson et Dahlila turned out to be my favorite. If you are just getting started or at any point in your adventure of opera, I would recommend this one.

The Most Famous Opera Arias.......2007-01-05

I was completely surprised in the product as well as the time in which it was delivered.

I would not only refer this seller but I will come back myself.

Okay But.... - a review of "The Most Famous Opera Arias".......2006-08-18

My daughter (6 y.o.) and I like opera; but sitting for two hours to watch Turandot is just not within the realm of possibilities for my 4 year old son right now... so I was looking for an opera CD for the car. He will sit and listen to short arias.

This was the first we purchased and it is okay but not great.

Problem #1 - where is Wagner. No Wagner?
Problem#2 - Elena Obraztsova - she sounds like Carmen's grandmother. Rather matronly for a vixen (imho--lol)

Three Stars. [C+] Great Price and good sound quality for the car. The operatic styles of some of the performers are antiquated and frilly sounding, but I would probably buy this CD again.

Note: We purchased and really preferred "The # 1 Opera Album". It has more selections and better artists in our opinion. Also it's a two CD set. Just something to consider.

Average customer rating:

Can't go wrong
Most Famous???
Only one song knew well
The Most Famous Opera Duets
Good selection of opera highlights

The Most Famous Opera Duets

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Binding: Audio CD

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Rapture: Opera's Most Heavenly Moments

ASIN: B000002SCA
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

Les Peurs des perles Act 1 - Au fond du temple saint
Madama Butterfly Act 1- Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino
Le Nozze di Figaro Act III - Sull'aria - Le Nozze di Figaro
La Traviata Act I - Un di, felice, eterea
Lucia Di Lammermoor Act I - Ah! Verranna a te sull'aure
Tristan und Isolde Act II - O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe
Carmen Act I - Parle-moi de m
Die ZauberflAct I - Bei Mern, welche Liebe F
Lakmct I - Viens, Mallika
Rigoletto Act I - il sol dell'anima
Der Rosenkavalier Act II - Mir ist die Ehre wilderfahren
Don Giovanni Act I - Li darem la mano
La Boh Act IV - O Mimi, tu pi torni
Il Trovatore Act IV - Miserere...Quel suon, quelle preci

Amazon.com

This is a misnomer--not all of these duets are all that famous--but it's a fine compilation nonetheless. You'll hear selections from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Nicolai Gedda and Ernest Blanc at their most elegant French), Madama Butterfly (Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Scotto--an impassioned pair), Lucia di Lammermoor (a classy Alfredo Kraus and Edita Gruberova), the lovely Lakme duet, The Presentation of the Silver Rose from Der Rosenkavalier (with the earnest Christa Ludwig and the other-worldly Teresa Stich-Randall), and a fine Trovatore "Miserere" (with Leontyne Price and Franco Bonisolli singing up a storm). There are many others, too--a veritable cornucopia of couplings--and a treat for the opera lover. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Can't go wrong.......2007-07-14

This is a really great CD for the price. It has many of the famous Arias on it and although the singers may not be the best out there they are certainly very good. This is cheaper than the price of a take away lunch; you can't go wrong with this CD.

Most Famous???.......2007-05-14

The title of this cd is misleading and I found myself wondering whose list did they use. That is not to say that there aren't some real treasures included here. The duet from Lakme is lovely in every way, Mady Mesple in particular, very beautful and very french, and far superior to Sutherlands hooty approach. Scotto and Bergonzi are superb, the Tristan and Isolde of Vickers and Dernesch truly other worldly, and the presentation of the rose duet with the young Ludwig and the astonishing Teresa Stich- Randell had me playing it over and over and I still can't believe it, but the most famous??? This cd is definitly worth buying, and I hated giving it only 3 stars but if you're talking most famous you could fill a couple of cd's with Puccini, not to mention Verdi, Mozart, etc. before Bizet's Les Pecheurs des perles, beautiful as it is, made the most famous list.

Only one song knew well.......2007-05-14

I should have done more research. The last song is the only one I could easily recognize. Live and learn.

The Most Famous Opera Duets.......2007-01-05

This seller truly makes a purchaser confident in the product as well the time in which is promised.

Thanks again!!!!!

Good selection of opera highlights.......2006-11-04

Super performances by famous opera artists of the 20th century, most of them no longer performing and some of them deceased. I enjoy having their voices available at home.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's.
Good for relaxing pregnant women
Too much opera
Does what it set out to do, very well
TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Johann Sebastian Bach , Léo Delibes , Gabriel Fauré , Erik Satie , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saens , Henryk Gorecki , Antonio Vivaldi , Edward Elgar , Jocelyn Pook , Sergey Rachmaninov , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Luigi Boccherini , Jules Massenet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Jacques Offenbach , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Giacomo Puccini , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Alexander Borodin , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Samuel Barber
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
25 Classical Favorites
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

This is a great album
Great CD
Hooked
Not bad, vocals are severely lacking however
EAST VILLAGE OPERA CO.

The East Village Opera Company

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AMJE3W
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Tracks:

Overture (Redux)
Nessun Dorma (Redux)
Flower Duet (Redux)
La Donna E Mobile (Redux)
Un Bel Di (Redux)
Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Redux)
O Mio Babbino Caro (Redux)
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana (Redux)
Che Gelida Manina (Redux)
Habanera (Redux)
When I Am Laid Earth (Redux)
E Lucevan Le Stelle (Redux)

Customer Reviews:

This is a great album.......2007-04-26

I never liked opera before. I guess it's all about how the music is presented. The performances are top-notch, and taken from real operatic classics, but the way it is done makes it very nice to listen too. If you can only get one album of this genre, this is the one to get!!!!

Great CD.......2007-03-16

I enjoy this different kind of opera music. Very nice and still giving you the feeling of the opera it self but in more modern way.

Hooked.......2007-03-15

I love this CD. I have it in my car, and now know practically all of the Italian words by heart. Infectious and uplifting. Good tears and fun listening.

Not bad, vocals are severely lacking however.......2007-02-28

I love music. I especially love classical music. When I find musicians who have taken classical music and presented it in a new way, I'm always excited. EVOC has done exactly that with these tried-and-true opera classics. The orchestrations are wonderful and the musicians obviously very talented. The vocalists, however, sometimes really don't deliver. All in all, it's a fun CD and I will certainly enjoy listening to it again and again.

EAST VILLAGE OPERA CO........2007-02-13

I SAW THEM ON T.V. AND HAD TO HAVE IT - JUST A REFRESHING TREATMENT POF OPERA

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

Average customer rating:

Latter-day also-rans
A well-sung compilation
This cant be the best
TRUE OPERA LOVERS CANNOT POSSIBLY LIKE THIS!
Even if you Hate Complilations, Get This One

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

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rapture: Opera's Most Heavenly Moments

ASIN: B0000084JD
Release Date: 1999-07-27

Tracks:

La Traviata: Libiamo Ne'lieti Calici (Brindisi) (Atto I) - Alfredo Kraus
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum (Atto I) - Thomas Hampton
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina (Atto I) - Roberto Alagna
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi (Atto I) - Mirella Freni
L'amico Fritz: Suzel, Bon Di (Cherry Duet) (First Part) (Atto II) - Bernard Haitink
Nabucco: Va, Pensiero (Chorus Of Hebrew Slaves) (Atto III) - Bernard Haitink
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (Atto III) - Roberto Alagna
Lakme: Viens, Mallika (Flower Duet) (Acte I) - Mady Mesple
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Victoria De Los Angeles
Tosca: Recondita Armonia (Atto I) - Placido Domingo
Tosca: Vissi D'arte (Atto II) - Maria Callas
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle (Atto III) - Placido Domingo
Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco: Respiro Appena ... Lo Son L'umile Ancella (Atto I) - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
Les Pecheurs De Perles: Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Acte I) - Nicolai Gedda
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Non Piu Andrai (Atto I) - Thomas Allen
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete (Atto II) - Ann Murray
Le Nozze Di Figaro: E Susanna Non Vien!...Dove Sono (Atto III) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Martha: M'appari (Ach So Fromm) (Akt III) - Roberto Alagna
Tristan Und Isolde: Mild Und Leise (Liebestod) (Akt III) - Helga Dernesch

Tracks:

Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida (Atto I) - Placido Domingo
Il Trovatore: Vedi! Le Fosche Notturne Spoglie (Anvil Chorus) (Atto II) - Bernard Haitink
Samson Et Dalila: Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix (Acte II) - Maria Callas
Carmen: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Victoria De Los Angeles
Carmen: Votre Toast (Toreador's Song) (Acte II) - Maria Callas
Carmen: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee (Acte III) - Roberto Alagna
Les Contes D'Hoffman: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) (Acte II) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta (Atto III) - Maria Callas
Pagliacci: Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba (Atto I) - Jose Carreras
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo (Atto II) - Renata Scotto
Cosi Fan Tutte: Soave Sia Il Vento (Atto I) - Margaret Marshall
La Rondine: Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta (Atto I) - Montserrat Caballe
Die Zauberflote: Der Vogelfanger Bin Ich Ja (Akt I) - Walter Berry
Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache (Akt II) - Edita Gruberova
Rusalka: Song To The Moon (Act I) - Lucia Popp
La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Iontana (Atto I) - Maria Callas
Werther: Toute Mon Ame Est La!...Pourquoi Me Reveiller? (Acte III) - Roberto Alagna
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! (Atto I) - Montserrat Caballe
Turandot: Nessun Dorma (Atto III) - Jose Carreras

Customer Reviews:

Latter-day also-rans.......2007-05-28

There will always be arguments for this or that singer, but this title is absurd. I didn't see a single Jussi Bjoerling, George London, Leonard Warren, or Zinka Milanov, and only one mention of Del Monaco. These were singers. Bjoerling and London were in a class by themselves. I saw all of these folks live on stage. London and Del Monaco had stage presence you don't get now. Di Stefano, Kirsten, de los Angeles should be on any best list. Play any tenor aria by any tenor; then play Bjoerling's. Play any bass/baritone aria by any singer; then play London's. Jussi and George will knock your socks off. They sang everything in every language. Tebaldi and Pavarotti sang only Italian, much easier.

A well-sung compilation.......2003-09-15

Compilations usually receive negative feedback from experienced opera listeners. However, this compilation by no means should be only welcomed by opera listeners, it should be welcomed by all music listeners. This CD is a great one to own for a first time opera listener. Also, for the person who wants to listen to opera once in a while and who does not want to buy a myriad of CD's in order to have the same amount of arias as this CD has. Eighty-percent of the singers are high-quality singers in this CD and the orchestras along with their respective conductors, do justice to the songs. All of the arias in this CD are what we in the field call, standard repertoire, and therefore are a good source for a beginning musician to help him or her listen to phrasing, colour, dynamics, language etc. I certainly recommend it, without a doubt.

This cant be the best.......2003-04-20

Elisa from Italy is absolutely right--well, the present generation may not be able to listen the golden oldies and the grand masters in person but it is still true that the past masters far surpassed the new. De Stefano had a magnetic voice, but listen to Gigli singing Puccini's La boheme and you will melt away, though it is v v v difficult to get hold of his mono recordings, even in CD. I disagree with Elisa only on one point: Tebaldi is good, but Victoria de Los angeles' Mimi is better. And the indulgent Thomas Beecham is my favourite conductor of this opera, way ahead of Toscannini, but De Stefano's Boheme is worth keeping and listening to again and again....

TRUE OPERA LOVERS CANNOT POSSIBLY LIKE THIS!.......2002-11-27

True opera lovers (I won't say "experts" 'cos I dislike the word) cannot possibly like this ... ! Apart from Callas, here there is none of the greatest artists! Callas may be great in Carmen but nobody can beat RENATA TEBALDI and her angel-like voice in all of Puccini's operas or in GIORDANO's Andrea Chénier. No Carreras can beat MARIO DEL MONACO in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, or Verdi's Otello. And finally, NO ALAGNA, or PAVAROTTI, or LICITRA, or whatever CHEAP TENOR or CROOK can ever beat the greatest tenor of all times: GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO!
Come on! You can't like crook Pavarotti once you have heard Giuseppe Di Stefano!! You can't like ... connductor Riccardo Muti if you have listened to Arturo Toscanini!!
True opera lovers, especially lovers of Puccini, go for the Immortal, the Sublime, the Beautiful in opera: GO FOR GIUSEPPE DI STEFANO!
Go hear his performance of "E lucevan le stelle" as in EMI Callas/Di Stefano "Tosca" or "Che Gelida manina" always as in EMI Callas/Di Stefano "La Boéme" and you'll know what I mean.

Even if you Hate Complilations, Get This One.......2002-06-21

This is a marvelous collection of better known arias and duets in Opera. The singers are those famous for setting, and raising, the bar in their field and for their times: Renata Scotto, Maria Callas, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti. If you are only somewhat familiar with opera, these recordings give you the highest feeling of what an aria or duet can sound like when sung and interpreted at its best. If you are already familiar with these songs, then you will appreciate this collection all the more for having gathered them in one place. I play both discs all the time. I've especially appreciated being able to compare vocal qualities side by side, so to speak, as Maria Callas can be heard next to Mirella Freni and Victoria de los Angeles. Even if you are not familiar with these singers, this is the way to meet them. Maria Callas has a much darker, back of the throat tone. Mirella Freni is pure, clear and light floating up in the higher notes. You can almost visualize the singers as they place the notes in their throats and set them out in the air to vibrate.

Average customer rating:

Bleck!
Voice of an Angel!!
fun cd
Good? Yes. Great? No. Over-rated? HECK YES!
Enchantment Indeed!

Enchantment
Richard Rodgers , Michel Legrand , Leo Delibes , American Traditional , Erik Satie , British Isles Traditional , Jerome Kern , Johann II Strauss , Lucy Simon , David Foster , Sian Edwards , John Clark , Eric Rigler , Frank Ricotti , John Parricelli , Mark Hammond , Paul Keogh , and Michael Thompson
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church
Voice of an Angel
Charlotte Church
Dream a Dream
Tissues and Issues

ASIN: B00005OWEJ
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Tracks:

Tonight
Carrickfergus
Habanera
Bali Ha'i
Papa Can You Hear Me?
The Flower Duet
The Little Horses
From My First Moment
The Water Is Wide
Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
The Laughing Song
If I Loved You
A Bit Of Earth
Somewhere
The Prayer

Amazon.com

Of course, we couldn't expect time to freeze its relentless path and forever preserve the Welsh sensation Charlotte Church in a chrysalis of precocious youth. And yet, at 15 and now taking bolder steps into expanding her repertory on Enchantment, the soprano remains a marvel of a prodigy. Here, she scours a wider range of sources than on her previous albums. Church moves with breathtaking ease from classic Broadway (West Side Story, Show Boat, South Pacific) to traditional Celtic, film ballads, and even a couple of high-operatic numbers. Church's straightforward approach to the melody of "La Habanera" may not exactly be what Bizet had in mind for his Carmen, but fans will get double pleasure out of the singer's exquisite duet with herself on the haunting "Flower Duet" from Delibes's Lakmé. What's more, there's a greater freedom of expression and sense of how to shape a phrase in many of these tracks--notice how much there is to savor, for instance, in "The Water Is Wide" and "Carrickfergus." It all adds up to a widely varied course, demonstrating the continued growth of a singularly gifted young artist. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

Bleck!.......2007-05-30

Charlotte has a producing voice, not quite mature, but it's bearable. I don't really appreciate opera unless your name is Sarah Brightman, Hayley Westenra or Holly Stell. Carrickfergus and Somewhere are decent for her voice, but "The Prayer" and "The Water is Wide" is very damaging to my ears due to the fact, her Italian sucks, her range is not wide enough in "Water".

Voice of an Angel!!.......2007-02-05

I enjoy listening to this cd by Charlotte Church! She has such a lovely voice. I especially love listening to Habañera and The Flower Duet as both are sung beautifully by Ms. Church!!

fun cd.......2006-12-29

I love this cd and have had it quite a while. I was just enjoying it again today and thought I'd write a review because I do enjoy it so much. It's just a fun, enjoyable album. Pretty orchestration, a lovely voice, nice to sing along with. Especially at the top of my lungs in the car (alone when no one can hear me!)
I really don't know why one would NOT enjoy this cd.

Good? Yes. Great? No. Over-rated? HECK YES!.......2006-12-15

I bought this CD when I was still in high school, singing soprano I & II in choir. It's not bad but she does much better than even some older kids attempting soprano. I think due to the popularity she gained this poor girl has endured much harsh criticism. True, we can't cut her slack JUST because she is a little girl but on the other hand for someone to sing opera at that age her work IS superb. Whether she's a prodigy or victim of over-ambitious parents & media, she deserves credit where it's due. At least she DID break out as some-what of a mainstream artist & exposed this type of music to those who stereotyped it as fat ladies w/powder-white make-up belting out notes that would shatter glass. Some say the same for Josh Groban who broke into the scene as a mainstream tenor/baritone vocalist. As far as skills & talent, he not the greatest either but many people adore his music. The same credit should go to Charlotte Church.

As far as feedback on the quality...
It's VERY hard to believe the deliverance of her performance. A 15-year-old (even younger on her debut cd) singing songs about love & being able to see the world seems silly. Cracking voice? Yeah, you can really tell she had a difficult time hitting the high note in The Laughing Song because it got all air-y. Honestly, some trained sopranos over-shoot their high notes too & get extremely SHARP so I didn't mind her air-i-ness. I think she did a great job on The Flower Duet though. It still has the same relaxing quality as some other versions I've heard from various movie soundtracks. But compare this to the likes of professionals - real professionals - she's merely tolerable. Try Sarah Brightman if you want to listen to some nice musical sopranos. She even has some pretty remakes of modern songs.

Enchantment Indeed!.......2006-08-20

This CD is simply amazing! However, I am sick and tired of people pressuring her to be someone that she's not! Trying to fit into today's popular music scene, Charlotte has turned to pop, and her career isn't flying well because of it! Her voice is simply amazing for opera, and I will not hear another insulting word about her!

Anyways, the CD is genius! Tonight from "West Side Story" is beautifully sung. Carrickfergus, Habanera, and Bali Ha'i are sung with a hypnotizing beauty. Papa, Can you Hear Me and The Flower Duet are amazing as well!

However, on The Flower Duet, Church's vocals seem strained a bit. The Little Horses is a decent piece, a remake of the standard English folk song. I prefer it straight instead of a varied beat, so that Church's voice could soar on and on.

From my First Moment is a fairly nice song, but The Water is Wide is simply amazing! Her vocals are soaring and mezmerizing!

Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man is NOT the song for her, because she puts a weird accent on the song, like she's trying to sound like a hoodlum! The Laughing Song is something that SHOULD NOT be tried by children, because the vocals are so strained! If I Loved You is a simple yet wonderful piece!

A Bit of Earth and Somewhere are both beautiful pieces, with excellent work from the orchestra.

Overall, this CD is very beautiful! BUY IT!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Collection of Songs
A Legend in all.....La Callas.
Excellent compilation of La Divina's arias
Some people have no business reviewing this
BELLA BELLA BELLA!

Maria Callas, the Voice of the Century

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best Of Maria Callas
Maria Callas - At Covent Garden 1962 and 1964
Maria Callas: The Legend
Puccini: Arias
The Most Famous Opera Duets

ASIN: B00000631B
Release Date: 1998-03-17

Tracks:

Norma: Casta Diva (Atto I): Norma
La Sonnambula: Compagne, teneri amici...Come per me sereno (Atto I): La Sonnambula
Il Barbieri Di Siviglia: Una Voce poco fa (Atto I): Il barbiere di Siviglia
Lucia di Lammermoor: Regnava nel silenzio...Quando, rapito in estasi (Atto I): Lucia di Siviglia
Rigoletto: Gualtier Mald...Caro Nome (Atto I): Rigoletto
La Traviata: E Strano!...Ah, Fors'e lui...Sempre libera (Atto I): La traviata
La Boheme: Si, Mi chiamo Mimi (Atto I): La boheme
La Boheme: Donde Lieta Usci (Atto III) (Mimi's Farewell): La boheme
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel di Vedremo (Atto II): Madama Butterfly
TOSCA: Vissi D'arte (Atto II): tosca
Turandot: In questa reggia (Atto II): Turandot
La Wally: Ebben? ne andro lontana (Atto I): La Wally
Andrea Chenier: La mamma morta (Atto III): Andrea Chenier

Tracks:

Orphee et Eurydice: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice (Acte V)
Alceste: Divinites du Styx (Acte I)
Dinorah: Ombra leggiera (Atto II) (Shadow Song)
Romeo et Juliette: Ah! Je veux vivre (Acte I) (Waltz Song)
Faust: Les grand seigneurs...Ah! je ris (Acte III)
Lakme: Dov'e l'indiana bruna? (Atto II) (Bell Song)
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence (Acte I)
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Acte II)
Les Pecheurs De Perles: Me voila seule...Comme autrefois (Acte II)
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera)(Acte I)
Carmen: Les tringles des sistre tintaient (Acte II)
Le Cid: De cet affreux combat...Pleurez mes yeux! (Acte III)
Manon: Je ne suis que faiblesse...Adieu, notre petite table (Acte II)
Louise: Depuis le jour (Acte III)

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Collection of Songs.......2006-07-15

I have listened samples of 5 Callas CDs before buying this one. This one has a very beautiful collection of songs on just 2 CDs. he sings with so much expression. Most the recordings are from the fifties and early sixties when her voice was very young and lovely. I'll try to get her on DVD so I can see her sing.

A Legend in all.....La Callas........2005-04-24

I would just like to refer to an article that was published by a German Newspaper in 1959, mentioned on the Callas Edition (CED:100342)
'...her voice is of unparalleled beauty, having an inimitable, completely own timbre of sopranos and altos...a performance of superior musical quality..a phenomenon amongst contemporary singers'
' ...One of the most spectacular Verdi arias, of Elizabeth from Don Carlo, and one, In Germany tottaly unknown, terrific scene from Bellini's opera Il Pirata were enough to enchant huge numers of television viewers, who can say at her next performance: 'we have seen La Callas''(Hamburg concert 1959)
'- from the contra-alt-f to the f - thats Callas' voice range, spanning over 37 half-tones. Callas herself has drawn the range of her voice. In her concert repertoire the contra-alt-f can be found in e.g. the aria from I Vespri Siciliani. In an aria from Rossini's opera Armida she reaches the 'F'. five half-tones above the high C. Normal voices couldnt possibly even whistle this high F. Though there are other singers, whose voices contain these three octaves - Erna Sack with her coloratura soprano, the lyrical singer Ema Berger and the dramatical singer Zinka Milanov from the New York Metropolitan Opera - simple fact is that the phenomenon Meneghini-Callas lies in her fabulous vocal versatility. She is a coloratura singer, drama-player and lyrist in one person - and an exceptionally talented ac-tress at that.'
Excuse from a journalist of the German Newspaper for the Diva :

Article Title : 'I am sorry!'

'I owe Maria Callas an apology. She is a unique vocal talent, a great artist. She is a primadonna. And she has her moods. Moods for which i ask her to forgive me. Because i misunderstood them - and many others too. That much i gathered from her latest television concert. Even in the flickering of the screen this woman's nervousness and enormous effort were visible.
La Callas is a fragile, rather shy person. Her moods are fear of failure. The moloch audience expects her to always go to any lenght, show the brilliance others just dont have. She is not allowed to get weak. Decent country singers are not decapitated for a false note. La Callas, on the other hand, is the identifying mark of the extraordinary. Even the slightest hint of a mistake would cost her her uniqueness, her stardom....a perverse triumph for all bathtube singers.
That explains her inhibitation to perform when she isnt well, her cancellations when she is not in the right mood. I understand them now. If she werent moody, she wouldnt be a primadonna, would not be La Callas.
Stars like her do not fit in our world of standards and programmed data. They pay dearly for their moods, have to put up fights and, undoubtedly, shed many a tear. So one more, my apologies, Maria Callas'
(Hans im Bild)
That's all folks!:D

Excellent compilation of La Divina's arias.......2005-03-21

This is one of the best compilations EMI has ever made for Maria Callas' arias. Each and every aria lets us listen to the best of her voice from each period of her career. An excellent collection!

Holly Mathews doesn't know how to appreciate art. Kathleen Battle and Renee Fleming themselves have admitted to the supremacy of Callas' singing over theirs, even if their voices seem more beautiful than La Divina. Why else would Callas be a legend and they wouldn't? They are equally good in their own right, but none of them would surpass the accuracy of La Divina's singing and phrasing. Holly Mathews' left side of the brain must be made of clay or foam, dead material that couldn't absorb any beauty.

Some people have no business reviewing this.......2005-01-25

My goodness, what is a non-musical person like Holly Mathews doing in this board? Do you know what other album she has reviewed? Hayley Westenra! And she's not even an opera singer! She obviously doesn't know her business! Disgraceful review! Ignore it! It obviously was not based on good judgement. I'm sure she is a pop fan who just likes tender music. Oh, her insulting language! What an ignorant Maria basher!

Anyway, this is an excellent compilation of SOME of Maria Callas' greatest arias. Although I do wish some arias like Pace Pace Mio Dio were included here, I do think it is a very good compilation all in all. Although she has many detractors, they still have to admit that Callas is the sheer embodiment of singing and drama. She was an actress...a panther on the stage. Listen to her La Mamma Morta and her Suicidio...those brought chills to my spine when I listened to them. Maria is the only singer in the history of opera besides the great Caruso-tenor Franco Corelli who touched me, moved me even. This is probably the reason why I love Maria Callas' music so much. If you want to hear Medea's anger and Norma's anguish and Butterfly's hopeful blindness, listen to Maria Callas. If you just want a golden voice, then go to Renata Tebaldi or Joan Sutherland. And don't even compare her with Charlotte Church or Hayley Westenra! The distaste of some people!

BELLA BELLA BELLA!.......2004-11-23

THIS WAS THE FIRST ALBUM I EVER BOUGHT FEATURING ANY OPERATIC SOPRANO. I WAS 15 AND WAS GIVEN MY VERY FIRST CLASSICAL PIECE "CARO MIO BEN" WHICH WAS NOT AN OPERA ARIA BUT DUE TOTHIS SONG I WAS SUDDENLY IN LOVE WITH OPERA. I HAD HEAR OF HER A FEW TIMES IN THE PAST BUT MY IDEA OF A GOOD SOPRANO AT THE TIME WAS SARAH BIRGHTMAN (YES I KNOW I KNOW!!!BUT I WAS YOUNG!)BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO REALIZE HOW WRONG I WAS!! THIS CALLAS RECORDING HAD THE MOST PROFOUND EFFECT ON ME WHICH LED TO MY OBSESSION WITH MY OWN OPERATIC ASPIRATIONS. IT WAS STRANGE AS SHE DID NOT SOUND LIKE A FAT WOMAN SCREAMING HER HEAD OFF IN FULL BODY ARMOR. YES YES...I AND MANY MANY SAD AMERICANS HAVE THOUGH OF THIS WHEN GIVEN THE WORD OPERA. (NOW NOW, WE ALL FELT LIKE THAT AT SOME POINT) I NEVER REALIZED THAT THERE COULD BE SUCH PASSION. HER NORMA WAS IS SO BEAUTIFUL IN IT'S SIMPLICITY AND UNDERLINING STRENGTH. HER TAKE ON "COME OER ME SERENO" AND "UNA VOCE POCO FA" WERE SWEET AND APPROPRIATELY INNOCENT. HER BEL CANTO ROLES WHICH INCLUDED HER FANTASTIC LUCIA (ALTHOUGH LATER I WOULD PREFER SUTHERLAND) AND GILDA JUST THRILLED ME. I HAD NO IDEA SOMEONE COULD ACTUALLY SING THOSE PIECES! OF COURSE UP UNTIL THIS POINT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW OPERA COULD SOUND LIKE THAT!! (SILLY ME!) I WAS SURPRISED TO REALIZED I KNEW THE ARIAS SHE SUNG FROM LA BOHEME, LA TRAVIATA, AND MADAME BUTTERFLY. THEY DIDN'T MAKE A HUGE IMPRESSION BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE FIREWORKS I WAS LOOKING FOR BUT I STILL FOUND THEM TO BE BEAUTIFUL. AFTER ALL OF THIS I LANDED ON CALLAS' TAKE OF TOSCA'S "VISSI D'ARTE". IT WAS AND HAS BEEN THE ONLY TIME I'VE BEEN SO MOVED BY A PERFORMER THAT I CRIED. IT WAS SO PURE BUT THE PAIN WAS SO EVIDENT THAT IT JUST CHILLED ME. I MUST HAVE LISTENED TO IT THOUSANDS OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND STILL HAVE YET TO HEAR A MORE STIRRING RENDITION. DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING FIRST CD I MUST ADMIT I KIND OF IGNORED THE SECOND HALF. EVENTUALLY I DID GET TO IT AND FOUND WHAT I FELT WAS THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN. MY WHOLE BEING LIVED FOR LAKME'S BELL SONG. AFTER LISTENING TO HER I WAS CONVINCED THIS WOMAN WAS MAGICAL BECAUSE I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW SHE OR ANY HUMAN COULD SING LIKE THAT! HER SECOND DISC WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WENT FROM WHITE HOT COLORATURA TO MEZZO? AAHHH BUT YES SHE WENT THERE. INTO THE INTENSITY OF SAMSON ET DELILA. I THOUGHT THEY WERE BEAUTIFUL!!! OF COURSE I KNOW PREFER MARILYN HORNE TO CALLAS ON THOSE SONGS....BUT IT SHOWED ME THAT NOT EVERY SONG HAS TO BE HIGH TO BE BEAUTIFUL. I LOVED AND STILL DUE LOVE THIS COLLECTION....IN FACT I HAVE BOUGHT IT THREE TIMES AS MINE DETERIORATED QUICKLY 'CAS I PLAYED THEM SO MUCH! AND I'VE GIVEN THIS COLLECTION TO COUNTLESS FRIENDS AND FAMILY. THIS IS THE BEST COLLECTION OF CALLAS' WORK AND I WOULD RECOMMEND IT TO EVERYONE AND ANYONE! VIVA LA DIVA!

Delibes - Lakmé / Dessay, Kunde, van Dam, Petibon, Haidan, Konsek, Leguérinel, Plasson

Average customer rating:

The Greatest Lakme ever!
Wow....
Excellent
Dessay and Plasson display the beauty of an exquisite work
THE Lakme of our time!

Delibes - Lakmé / Dessay, Kunde, van Dam, Petibon, Haidan, Konsek, Leguérinel, Plasson
Léo Delibes , Michel Plasson , Choeur & Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse , Franck Leguérinel , Xenia Konsek , José van Dam , Patricia Petibon , Charles Burles , Bernadette Antoine , Delphine Haidan , Natalie Dessay , and Gregory Kunde
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Natalie Dessay - French Opera Arias
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Bizet: The Pearl Fishers (Complete opera); Hendricks, Aler, Plasson, Capitole de Toulouse
The Miracle of the Voice
Delibes - Lakme / Joan Sutherland, Huguette Tourangeau, Henri Wilden, John Pringle, Richard Bonynge, Opera Australia

ASIN: B00000C2JP
Release Date: 1998-10-20

Tracks:

Lakme: Prelude
Lakme: Act I: No. 1 Introduction: 'A L'Heure Accoutumee' (Nilakantha)
Lakme: Act I: Priere: 'Blanch Dourga' (Lakme, Nilakantha)
Lakme: Act I: N. 1 Bis - Scene: 'Lakme, C'Est Toi Qui Nous Proteges!' (Nilakantha, Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: No. 2 - Duetto: 'Viens, Malika' (Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: Scene: 'Miss Rose, Miss Ellen' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act I: No. 3 - Quintette & Couplets: 'Quand Une Femme Est Si Jolie' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act I: Recitatif: 'Nous Commettons Un Sacrilege' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act I: No. 4 - Air: 'Prendre Le Dessin D' Un Bijou' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act I: No. 4 Bis - Scene: 'Non! Je Ne Veux Pas Toucher' (Gerald, Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: No. 5 - REcitatif & Strophes: 'Les Fleurs Me Paraissent Plus Belles' (Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: No. 5 Bis - Recitatif: 'Ah! Malika! Malika!' (Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: No. 6 - Duo: 'D'Ou Viens-tu? Que Veux-tu?' (Lakme, Gerald)
Lakme: Act I: No. 6 Bis - Scene: 'Viens! La! La!' (Nilankantha, Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: Entr'Acte
Lakme: Act II: No. 7 - Choeur & Scene Du Marche: 'Allons, Avant Que Midi Sonne'
Lakme: Act II: No. 7 Bis - Recitatif: 'Enfin! Nous Aurons Du Silence!'
Lakme: Act II: No. 8 - Airs De Danse: Introduction
Lakme: Act II: No. 8 - Airs De Danse: Terana
Lakme: Act II: No. 8 - Airs De Danse: Rektah
Lakme: Act II: No. 8 - Airs De Danse: Persian
Lakme: Act II: No. 8 - Airs De Danse: Coda Avec Choeurs
Lakme: Act II: No. 8 - Airs De Danse: Sortie
Lakme: Act II: Recitatif: 'Voyez Donc Ce Vieillard'
Lakme: Act II: No. 9 - Scene & Stances: 'Ah! Ce Viellard Encor!' (Nilankantha, Lakme)

Tracks:

Lakme: Act II: No. 9 Bis-Recitatif: 'Ah! C'Est De Ta Douleur' (Lakme, Nilankantha)
Lakme: Act II: No. 10 - Scene & Legende De La Fille Du Paria (Air Des Clochettes): 'Ah!... Par Les Dieux Inspires... Ou Va La Jeune Indoue' (Lakme, Nilankantha)
Lakme: Act II: No. 11 - Scene: 'La Rage Me Devore' (Nilankantha, Lakme)
Lakme: Act II: No. 12 - Scene & Choeur: 'Au Milieu Des Chants D' Allegresse' (Nilankantha, Lakme)
Lakme: Act II: No. 12 Bis - Recitatif: 'Le Maitre Ne Pense Qu' A Sa Vengeance'
Lakme: Act II: No. 13 - Duo: 'Lakme! Lakme! C' Est Toi!' (Lakme, Gerald)
Lakme: Act II: No. 14 - Finale: 'O Dourga, Toi Qui Renais' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act II: Entr'Acte
Lakme: Act III: No. 15 - Berceuse: 'Sous Le Ciel Tout Etoile' (Lakme)
Lakme: Act III: No. 15 Bis - Recitatif: 'Quel Vague Souvenir Alourdit Ma Pensee?' (Gerald, Lakme)
Lakme: Act III: No. 16 - Cantilene: 'Lakme! Lakme! Ah! Viens Dans La Foret Profonde' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act III: No. 17 - Scene & Choeur: 'La, Je Pourrai T' Entendre' (Lakme, Gerald)
Lakme: Act III: No. 18 - Scene: 'Vivant!' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act III: No. 19 - Duo: 'Ils Allaient Deux A Duex' (Lakme, Gerald)
Lakme: Act III: No. 20 - Finale: 'C' Est Lui! C' Est Lui!' (Nilankantha, Lakme, Gerald)

Amazon.com

For all its exotically tinged, trademark Orientalism, so fashionable in late-19th-century France, Delibe's opera Lakmé is at heart a simple story of tragically misplaced love. This marvelous and sensitively wrought interpretation renders the intensity of that love story with a surprising emotional credibility. Conductor Michel Plasson allows the music's arching melodies to breathe and unfold leisurely, like a lovingly cultivated floral display; he even discovers hidden nuances within the formulaic fluff that pads Delibe's score. And his vision is shared by the outstanding principals here. As the titular Hindu princess, Natalie Dessay gives a jewel-like performance, full of stunningly shaped phrases and tapered notes that sound like spun silk (and one that can favorably compare with Joan Sutherland's account on London). Yet she also offers substance where others are satisfied with mere vocal beauty, conveying both the fatal innocence of her character and an intense capacity to suffer. Gregory Kunde portrays the English interloper Gerald with moving tenderness, while he manages the high tessitura of the part with elegance and flexibility. There's a sense of shared vulnerability that the pair bring to their first duet, one of several unforgettable touches on this recording. The cast is filled out with rich characterizations, most notably José Van Dam's imposingly authoritarian Nilakantha. The subtle intimacy of detail Plasson inspires throughout as well as the fine engineering makes this recording a winner. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

The Greatest Lakme ever!.......2005-02-03

With her ability to color every phrase delicately, Natalie Dessay is undoubtedly this century's greatest coloratura soprano. Highly underrated, she could easily bring truth to her interpretation of this Lakme through her very good reading of the score and her ability to enunciate her French very well. Gregory Kunde is one of the greatest rising French tenors. Michel Plasson showcases Delibes' mystical and erotic music through a very passionate, delicate, and at the same time flowing reading of the music. A must for any fan of this great opera. I would recommend it highly over the Mady Mesple and definitely over the Sutherland version. Own it today, you won't be disappointed.

Wow...........2004-08-19

I shall not go into individual performers...there are several other reviewers that do that very well. My somewhat disjointed impressions are the following:
.....If there is a better Lakme...I don't think I could listen to it. This is as much beauty as I can tolerate.
.....I have listened to other recordings of Lakme but none matches this (and this is the only one that I actually own).
.....You usually find what you are looking for...if it is imperfections there are some within this recording; however, if it is beauty that you seek then you have found it.
.....One disclaimer: This was the first recording of Lakme that I heard, that may have biased my opinion relative to other recordings (i.e., First Loves being the most intense, etc.).

Cheers!!

Excellent.......2004-07-23

This is an opera full of beautiful moments and with one small exception, I could not ask for better soloists. Plasson's conducting carefully nurtures stunning sounds from the Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse and the Choir is equally attentive. The "Bell Song," for example, is done at a more graceful pace (a little slower) than normally performed and the result is exquisite.

Natalie Dessay's sweet, crystalline voice lovingly captures Lakme's delicate character. She produces each note with such finesse and emotion that you are almost completely taken. The other singer to capture your appreciation is Gregory Kunde. There are tenors that I hold in great and high esteem, Placido Domingo is foremost for me. Giuseppe Di Stefano and Sergei Larin are examples of other tenors who I find just amazing but NEVER have I encountered a voice as stunning in a role as Kunde's. His Gerald is never strained, always smooth, and passionately urgent without being the slightest bit overdone. The most immediately likeable tenor voice I have ever heard on disc.

Jose Van Dam is a singer I came to appreciate most for his Amfortas in Wagner's "Parsifal". Here, devoid of Wagner's tortured arrogance, his voice is even warmer and more expressive. Bernadette Antoine (the small exception) is an overly "fruity" Mistress Bentson and this is the recording's only minor flaw, in my view (her chest register is rather poor and the sound isn't pretty). The other roles are all excellently sung, particularly Delphine Haidan's Malika, whose Flower duet with Lakme is the definition of 'sublime'.

The sound is clear digital. I can't recommend this opera enough. It's a very human story from the plot to the music (whatever the French word for 'verissimo' is). Speaking of 'French' the diction is totally convincing to my ears. I can find no faults.

Dessay and Plasson display the beauty of an exquisite work.......2004-05-17

This delightful work by Léo Delibes deserves to be on the standard operatic repertoire. To hear this music is like to be transported to a beautiful garden full of colorful flowers with enchanting fragrances. There is a delicacy, a charm in the arias and duets that is typically French, even with the composer's intention of giving some Oriental atmosphere. Michel Plasson has much to do with the success of this recording. His conducting is always observant of the delicacy of the score and requires of the orchestra and soloists a great observance of dynamics. Of course, a great conductor will not achieve anything in Lakmé without an outstanding coloratura soprano in the very difficult title role. Natalie Dessay has the perfect voice for Lakmé and also brings consummate artistry, making the Hindu maiden a flesh and blood character. Dessay portrays the delicacy and innocence of Lakmé using different colors in her voice, apart from mastering exquisite pianissimos. And her Bell Song is a dream, with a vivid interest in the words of the legend and echo effects on the bell refrains. Her high notes are totally effortless. In summary, an extraordinary performance in every respect. The rest of the cast complement Dessay nicely. Gregory Kunde has a sweet lyric tenor and matches Dessay beautifully in their duets, only there is some difficulty with the very high tessitura of Gerald. José Van Daam brings his usual vocal and theatrical flair to the role of Nilakantha. The rest of the cast is adequate. The Choeur and Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse are superb. There is no better recording of this opera than this one, even though it is also fascinating to hear Mado Robin and Mady Mesplé on their recordings. Dessay continues the heritage of these singers and Plasson gives the work an effective reading that gives justice to this neglected jewel.

THE Lakme of our time!.......2004-02-08

I first heard Lakme with Mady Mesple and subsequently Joan Sutherland. The music by Delibes is simply exquisite - breathtaking, fresh, delicate, intoxicating. I agree with the other reviewers that although The Bell Song is a highlight in Lakme, the rest of the opera features beautiful music ALL the way through. However, the attraction of this set is Dessay and Kunde. Their diction and finesse is so present in this opera that it puts Dame Joan's recording to shame. Mesple had a little bleat in her voice at that time but her diction was also superb although her voice tended to be a bit tinny. Sutherland's hashed diction leaves much to be desired and I feel that the role is not suitable for her. The crispness of the voice simply isn't there. But Dessay has a voice of pure brilliance and Kunde compliments her with a silvery tenor. Simply beautiful!

Delibes - Lakmé / Mesplé, Burles, Soyer, Millet, Opéra-Comique, Lombard [highlights]

Average customer rating:

Great treat for the musical omnivore
Delibes Lakme
did not order
Lakme
Classic Lakme

Delibes - Lakmé / Mesplé, Burles, Soyer, Millet, Opéra-Comique, Lombard [highlights]
Léo Delibes , Choeurs et Orcestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique , Alain Lombard , Mady Mesplé , Danielle Millet , Charles Burles , Roger Soyer , and Jean-Christophe Benoît
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000002S1Q
Release Date: 1990-05-15

Tracks:

Lakme: Prelude
Lakme: Act I: Duettino: 'Viens, Mallika...'
Lakme: Act I: Air: 'Prendre Le dessin...' (Gerald)
Lakme: Act I: Recit Et Strophes: 'Les Fleurs Me Paraissent Plus Belles' (Lakme)
Lakme: Act I: Duo: 'D'ou Viens-Tu?' (Lakme, Gerald)
Lakme: Act II: Stances: 'C'est Un Pauvre Qui Medie ... Lakme, Ton Doux Regard Se Voile' (Nilakantha)
Lakme: Act II: Scene De La Legende De La Fille Du Paria (Air Des Clochettes): 'Par Les Dieux Inspires ... Ou Va La Jeune Hindoue' (Nilakantha, Lakme)
Lakme: Act II: Duo: 'Lakem, Lakme, C'est Toi' (Gerald, Lakme)
Lakme: Act III: Berceuse: 'Sous Le Ciel Tout Etoile' (Lakme)
Lakme: Act III: Recitatif Et Cantiene: 'Quel Vague Souvenir...' (Lakme, Gerald, Frederic, Nilakantha, Choeur)
Lakme: Duo et finale: 'Tu M'as Donne Le Plus Doux Reve' (Lakme, Gerald, Nilakantha)

Customer Reviews:

Great treat for the musical omnivore.......2007-05-18

'Lakme', a lesser known work by Leo Delibes is not 19th Century opera at it's zenith, but then who wants to listen to 'Tannheuser' or 'Aida' all the time. For those like me who enjoy poking around some of the less familiar corners of world music, this is a great find. It has lots of the same feel of later, 20th century stage music, and the French is a nice change from the German and Italian heaviweights. It also has a few of the very nicest operatic duets in this collection of highlights.

Delibes Lakme.......2007-05-13

The music was beautiful and haunting. I am especially fond of Flower Duet and have loved it from the first time I heard it some years ago. This whole recording is great and I have much enjoyed it!

did not order.......2007-03-11

I did not order anything and did not receive anything and i told my credit card company to put the charge in "debate"
murray coe

Lakme.......2006-01-14

Mady Mesple is simply the best for this role. Yes, Joan Sutherland is known for this song (and I love Sutherland), but I have to say this opera is Mady's. When I hear the Bell Song sung by Mady - chills go up my spine. Definitely a keeper!

Classic Lakme .......2003-07-07

Mady Mesple in her signature role - she made her debut in 1953
in Lakme and has been considered one of the best exponent of
the role throughout her distinguised carreer. The archetype of
the light french coloratura soprano - the voice is small and
slightly tremoulous but well focused and her technical assu-
rance (stupendous high notes) refined musicianship and idioma-
tic phrasing make for a highly polished performance. Charles
Burles is light and musical and blends exquisitely with Mesple
in their duets while Roger Soyer's rich voice makes him a
strong presence. The supporting cast is in very capable hands.
Well recorded and conducted - a classic performance indeed.

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