Catalani: La Wally [Import]

Track Listings

1. Prelude

2. Un Di, Verso Il Murzoll

3. Non C'e Che Dir!

4. Su Per L'erto

5. Ma Si Direbbe

6. Chi Oso Levar Sul Padre

7. L'hagenbach- L'aborro!

8. Sei To Che Domandata Hai La Mia Man-

9. Ebben-... Ne Andro Lontana

10. Ad Ora Cosi Tarda

11. Entro La Folla Che Intorno S'aggira

12. No!... Coll'amor To Non Dei Scherzar

13. La Bella Creatura!

14. Finor Non M'lan Baciata

15. Sei Tu-

16. Che Brami, Wally-

17. Gia Il Canto Fervido

18. Orchestral Interlude

19. Fa Cor, Wally!

20. Ebben..Dunque-

See all 31 tracks on this disc

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:

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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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:

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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La Donna

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:

Not all the arias were her best
DIDN'T QUITE FULFIL MY REQUEST
Fair Enough
Fleming's High Points Well Covered in Compilation CD
Beautiful indeed!

Renee Fleming: By Request
Vincenzo Bellini , Alfredo Catalani , Antonin Dvorak , George Gershwin , Erich Wolfgang Korngold , Jules Massenet , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Giacomo Puccini , Sergey Rachmaninov , Richard Rodgers , Richard Strauss , Giuseppe Verdi , Heitor Villa-Lobos , Georg Solti , James Levine , Jeffrey Tate , Patrick Summers , Sir Charles Mackerras , Lee Ritenour , Chamber Orchestra of Europe , and Renee Fleming
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ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000C3ICO
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Tracks:

O Mio Babbino Caro
Ebben? ... Ne Andro Lontana
Porgi, Amor
Come Scoglio
Casta Diva
E Strano...Ah Fors E Lui...Sempre Libera
Un Bel Di Vedremo
Je Marche Sur Tous Les Chemins...Gavotte
Mesicku Na Nebi Hlubokem (O Silver Moon)
Vocalise
Cacilie
Marietta's Lied
Summertime
Bachianas Brasileiras No.5: Aria (Cantilena)
You'll Never Walk Alone

Amazon.com

This is a compilation--plus three previously unreleased selections--of some of the glorious Renée Fleming's finest work, 15 selections covering 13 composers. The rose-in-full-bloom quality of the voice is staggeringly beautiful: Her rendition of Rusalka's "Song to the Moon" is justly famous and is, alone, worth the price of this CD. Other highlights are Marietta's Lied from Korngold's Die tote stadt, an odd arrangement of the aria from Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilerias No. 5, Manon's Gavotte, and a knock-down-gorgeous reading of Gershwin's "Summertime." The three new recordings are of Violetta's big first-act scene from La traviata, which features one of the most perfect trills heard since Joan Sutherland, a thrilling Cäcilie (R. Strauss), and a version of "You'll Never Walk Alone" which is so over the-top that it might make you look away in embarrassment. On the basis of this CD, one would have to acknowledge that Fleming is more interested in--and more successful at--pure singing than she is at character delineation (Butterfly sounds oddly like Wally who sounds too much like Norma), but it's not hard to tell why she's a superstar. Her voice and technique are one in a million. --Robert Levine

Album Details

"by Request" is a Collection of Fleming's Greatest and Most Popular Recordings Including Works by Mozart, Bellini, Pucchini, Verdi and Dvorak. Featuring Recordings from Renee Fleming's Outstanding Decca Discography Together with Two Glorious Tracks Strauss "Cacilie" and Verdi's "la Traviata" a Role Fleming Performed to Critical Aclaim Earlier in 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Not all the arias were her best.......2005-01-15

There is something lacking. Although most of these are indeed her "Best" releases, some things could have been left out. Her O Mio Babbino Caro and her Casta Diva weren't her best efforts at all. Casta Diva, sung to perfection by other revered artists, sounded too breathy and fearful here. It has good chest notes, and it is definitely better than Joan Sutherland's Norma though. Her O Mio Babbino Caro is the usual aria sung in its usual way, without leaving any trace of awe at an ability of a singer to interpret the aria. Rachmaninov's Vocalise was good, and it was great of Decca to release her Song to the Moon on this disc. However, some new additions weren't all that good as well. For example, if you listen to her excerpt from La Traviata, you will find that she sounds like she was singing jazz when uttering out "Gioir!". I think Decca should have issued the live performance version of this instead. That was so much better. Also, they should have showcased more of the bel canto repertoire she had specialized in. That would have made this CD a gem!

DIDN'T QUITE FULFIL MY REQUEST.......2004-11-22

THIS CD DEFINITELY BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN HER REPERTOIRE. SHE IS SOLID, WARM, AND BRILLIANT ON MOST OF THE SONGS. SINCE I OWN MANY OF HER CDS MOST OF THE TRACKS I HAVE IN DUPLICATE. EVEN SO EACH VERSION HAS A DIFFERENT FEEL TO IT. HER "O MIO" IS GREAT BUT GENERALLY I FEEL THAT KIRI TE KAWANA IS A LITTLE CLEARER THAN RENEE. HER "Ebben?...Ne Andrò Lontana" IS ALWAYS BRILLIANT FROM HER HIGH ENDS TO THE NECESSARY LOW NOTES TO FINISH THIS GLORIOUS TRACK. HER COUNTESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG AND POWERFUL CHARACTERIZATION AND HER BUTTERFLY TEETERS ON HAPPINESS AND PAIN. THESE RICH LYRIC ROLES DESERVE A SOPRANO LIKE RENEE. I WAS HOWEVER, VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT SHE ADDED "SEMPRE LIBERA" TO THIS CD AS SHE'S NEVER BEEN A COMPELLING VIOLETTA AND CAN'T EVEN MUSTER THE HIGH "C" WE ALL EXPECT NOW A DAYS. HER RUSALKA IS ALWAYS MESMERIZING AND HER SIMPLICITY ON GLUCK'S "Das Mir Verblieb" WAS AN INCREDIBLE SURPRISE. I FOUND THE OTHER SONGS BORING DUE TO THE FACT THAT I DON'T LIKE THEM AND I KIND OF WISHED SHE WOULD HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH SOME BETTER WORKS. I MISSED HER SOFT AND DEFEATED "AVE MARIA" FROM OTHELLO OR HER FULL BODIED SPOILED MUSETTA IN "QUANDO MEN VO" OR HER RICH SADNESS IN "DOVE SONO"

Fair Enough .......2004-10-01

This is a compilation. I can't say love them I think thatpeople want to be surprised by new things, instead of um things they already own.On the other hand a die hard fan wouldn't mind having an extra cd by their favorite artist.Fair Enough.There was one aria that was new to me"Cantilena Brasileras"by Villa Lobos that was very striking.Her voice flows like an unimpeded stream with a lush vibrato.Like I read in one kid's review "Renee has a silky,creamy, instrument that is very beautiful and caresses the ear",couldn't have said it better myself. I agree. One smart kid!!! One thing that I have to comment on that will not escape is the dull cover picture. Renee get a better photographer;you're far more beautiful than that. I'm sounding like her mother,dear lord! She is a fox!

Fleming's High Points Well Covered in Compilation CD.......2004-09-06

Just one listen to the high points of this disc will make you realize why Renée Fleming is an opera superstar. Covering a ten-year period, this compilation disc covers a most fertile period for Fleming, absolutely one of the world's leading lyric and dramatic sopranos. What is particularly impressive is how many different styles she has covered, ranging from Italian bel canto to French Romanticism to Rodgers & Hammerstein. She effortlessly sings in six different languages, including what sounds like flawless Czech on Dvorak's "Měsíčku na nebi hlubokén" (which goes back to her family roots). Her powerful voice is expressive, almost buttery, which allows the listener to enjoy the coloratura agility she has mastered over the years and the tonal qualities she specifically defines for each aria. This is most evident on my two personal favorites - "Ebben?...Ne scoglio" from Catalani's "La Wally" (which will sound familiar to fans of the French eighties noir film, "Diva") where her crystalline voice complements the increasing power of the melody, and the haunting "Mariettas Lied" from Korngold's "Die tote Stadt".

Fleming also has a good sense of the characters she is portraying, for instance, on the "La traviata" aria, "È stano...Ah, fors'è lui...Sempre libera", one gets a strong sense of Violetta's conflict between the attractions of true love versus the free life of a courtesan. She also gets some sturdy help from tenor Joseph Calleja as Alfredo in this piece. But even in this number, the effect of her daunting runs and trills can be a bit overwhelming. She does keep this in check with the slower-paced tracks like "Casta diva" from Bellini's "Norma", which uses a choir in the background to great effect, and Rachmaninov's lovely "Vocalise". The well-worn "Summertime" from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" is nicely covered here, and it certainly invites comparisons to even Leontyne Price's definitive version. Fleming ends the disc with a rousing version of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone" from "Carousel" that grows a bit too bombastic for listening comfort. Regardless, this disc provides a nice sampling of what this truly great singer has done over the past decade. A treat for her fans and highly recommended for anyone who wants an ideal introduction to her range of talent.

Beautiful indeed!.......2004-07-19

I'm very happy with this CD. She has a lovely voice! And what a fox! ;)

Average customer rating:

Favorites of the past
Seventh heaven
Excellent CD
Monica
Tuscany: A Romantic Journey is beautiful!!

Tuscany: A Romantic Journey

Manufacturer: Somerset Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Bella Tuscany: Music Inspired by Tuscany
Provence: A Romantic Journey
Under the Tuscan Sun
Mediterranean Nights
A Trip Through Tuscany

ASIN: B0007R8FC6
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

O Mio Babbino from Gianni Schicchi - Puccini (4:09)
Con Te Partiro - Sartori (4:05)
Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana - Mascagni (4:22)
La Donna E Mobile from Rigoletto - Verdi (2:24)
Un Bel Di Vedremo from Madama Butterfly - Puccini (3:54)
Nessun Dorma from Turandot - Puccini (3:26)
Intermezzo from La Traviata - Verdi (3:55)
Musetta's Waltz from La Boheme - Puccini (2:57)
Caruso - Dalla (3:25)
Ebben? Ne Andro Lontana from La Wally - Catalani (3:49)
O Sole Mio - Di Capua (4:19)
Va'Pensiero from Nabucco - Verdi (4:17)
Vesti La Giubba from Pagliacci - Leoncavallo (3:38)
Una Furtiva Lagrima from L'Elisir D'Amore - Donizetti (4:24)
Vissi D'Arte from Tosca - Puccini (3:21)
Winter from The Four Seasons (Largo) - Vivaldi (4:22)

Product Description

Take a romantic journey across the fabled landscape of Tuscany with these beautiful, orchestral recordings of Italian classics. Instrumentation includes an orchestra.

Customer Reviews:

Favorites of the past.......2007-07-19

All the famous favorites are here and done exactly as you remember them. I was hoping for something that put a new feel to the oldies and this was not it. If you are looking for great European relaxing music check out Mediterranean Nights by various artist and Azucar by Luciani.

Seventh heaven.......2007-06-15

Lovely collection of music! Many pieces I already knew but would not have been able to play them all together; this CD has done that for me. I would have liked even more of the mandolin pieces playing some Italian favorites. This instrument is particularly beautiful (the mandolin) and is so Italian and mediterranean. Lovely vocalists for the arias of some of the nicest operas, too! It was all very beautiful and relaxing to listen to and I felt my self reminiscing the few times I spent in Tuscany and other parts of Italy. Thank you!

Excellent CD.......2007-05-13

Have heard the songs before , however, this CD presents them in a very beautiful way. Loved it.

Monica.......2007-01-25

We took a chance on this cd while in the Smoky Mountains. The best money ever spent. Each time we return to the Smoky's we make sure this cd travels with us. What beautiful music.

Tuscany: A Romantic Journey is beautiful!!.......2006-02-24

This selection is by far the best in my collection.

Average customer rating:

Glorious Renee
One of Miss Fleming's absolute bests!
An amazing cd and a great introduction into the world of opera
The New La Divina
Gorgeous

Renée Fleming
Giacomo Puccini , Jules Massenet , Georges Bizet , Alfredo Catalani , Ruggero Leoncavallo , Francesco Cilea , Charles Gounod , Giuseppe Verdi , Vincenzo Bellini , London Philharmonic Orchestra , Sir Charles Mackerras , Renée Fleming , and London Voices
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Renee Fleming - The Beautiful Voice ~ Gounod, Lehaair, Orff, Puccini, Rachmaninov, Strauss
Renee Fleming: By Request
Renée Fleming - Signatures ~ Great Opera Scenes / Sir Georg Solti
Renée Fleming: Bel Canto
Sacred Songs

ASIN: B00004YLU5
Release Date: 2000-09-26

Tracks:

Puccini: O mio babbino caro - Gianni Schicchi
Puccini: Un bel di vedremo - Madame Butterfly
Puccini: Quando men vo - Musetta's waltz - La Boheme
Puccini compl. Alfano: Signore, ascolta - Turandot
Leoncavallo: Stridono lassu - I Pagliacci
Cilea: Io son l'umile ancella - Adriana Lecouvreur
Catalani: Ebben? Ne adnro lontana - La Wally
Massenet: Je suis encore etourdie - Manon
Massenet: Adieu notre petite table - Manon
Bizet: Micaela's aria - Carmen
Gounod: Je veux vivre - Romeo & Juliette
Verdi: come in quest'ora bruna - Simon Boccanegra
Bellini: Casta Diva - Norma
Verdi: Bolero - Les Vepres Siciliennes

Amazon.com essential recording

Surely, Renée Fleming has one of the most beautiful voices to be heard anywhere today. It combines velvety warmth, creamy richness, soaring radiance, and flawless purity, and seems to flow out without effort, every tone impeccably centered and in tune, capable of almost too much variety of color and nuance. Fleming's breath control is incredible; she can spin out long, arching phrases and build up climaxes with thrilling intensity. The program of this recital displays Fleming's vocal and dramatic gifts to full advantage, and includes both familiar and lesser-known arias from Italian and French operas. Although some of these are not in her repertoire, she clearly feels close to them. The three opening Puccini favorites from Gianni Schicchi, Madama Butterfly, and La Bohème are a bit fussy and over-inflected, hardly suited to the characters' simplicity; but, from then on, Fleming seems completely at one with both her tragic and her lighthearted heroines. She captures their warm inwardness, rapture, passion, ecstasy, and desperation; darkening and lightening her voice at will. Her top notes soar gloriously, her trills laugh. The orchestra is splendid, supporting her all the way and sounding wonderful. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Glorious Renee.......2007-03-28

I just love Renee Fleming's voice. It reminds me so much of the fabulous Anna Moffo - my personal favorite since childhood. My mother played Anna Moffo records for me while I was a tiny bit in my crib. So try to reprogram oneself after hearing such loveliness in the universe. Both ladies have a creamy voice, elegant phrasing and classical beauty. I agree with the prior reviewer that every soprano should record "O mio babbino caro". And if Renee did not record it, well then we'd be missing her version.
The more that I listen to Renee's music or see her in recitals, the more I adore the lady. The standouts on this disc are "Casta diva", "Lo son l'umile ancella", "Je suis encor tout etourdie", and "Ah! Je veux vivre", "Signore ascolta", etc.

One of Miss Fleming's absolute bests!.......2006-05-09

This is definitely one of my all-time favorite Renee Fleming albums if not THE favorite! Her voice totally shines in every single aria on here, and she seems can totally drag you into the world of each of the characters. What can I say? Ms. Fleming just never fails to impress me. Everything that she sings she seems to be able to bring something unique to it.

An amazing cd and a great introduction into the world of opera.......2006-04-20

I recommend this cd for those who want to get into opera but don't know where to start. Fleming tackles a diverse range of styles and never disappoints. Her Un bel di vedremo ranks up there with the best sopranos and is the standout track for me.

The New La Divina.......2005-11-22

Renee Fleming is the most sheerly beautiful voice in opera since Montserrat Caballe. Her Casta Diva is stunning, and the high note at the end of Merci jeune amies is pure virtuoso. I love her Puccini, Massenet and Verdi as well. Fleming said that she doesn't class herself amongst "the greats", but I do!

Gorgeous.......2005-09-30

This album says soprano standard repertoire all over it, but Renee will knock your socks off with her interpretations of these standard hits. Although she doesn't sing much Puccini, her Puccini arias are to die for. Her "Un bel di vedremo" (Madama Butterfly) gives me chills everytime I hear it. Her French arias are also breathtakingly gorgeous. Micaela's aria is so warm and beautiful, as is Juliette's. This is a fabulous recording, and I recommend it to everyone.

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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Callas, Maria | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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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!

Average customer rating:

4 stars and stuff, man
Nice segue to opera
Exquisite! My favorite of the Arias and favorite CD by far.
A great follow-up to an outstanding musical experience
Grandiose and inspiring

Aria, Vol. 2: New Horizon
Paul Schwartz , Rebecca Luker , and Steve Barton
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Aria 3: Metamorphosis
Aria
State of Grace II: Turning to Peace
State of Grace
Earthbound

ASIN: B0002IQGFI
Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

Arianna
Ebben
Addio
Horizon
Barcarolle
Cantilena
Sviraj (Lullabye)
Interlude
Pavane
Ave Maria
Leiermann
Lullabye (Sviraj)

Customer Reviews:

4 stars and stuff, man.......2007-05-06

review review review review blah blah blah blah and stuff, man.

Nice segue to opera.......2007-01-10

I have never liked opera, but this music is a gentle introduction with enough contemporary addition to pique my interest. Very well done. I have also purchased the first Aria CD and also number 3.

Exquisite! My favorite of the Arias and favorite CD by far........2006-11-06

This CD speaks to the heart. It expresses powerful emotions of longing, grief, and tenderness. A baring of the soul with such beauty. Clair Marlo's vocals in Lullabye (Sviraj) are absolutely divine. It sends me. Here we are treated to at least three different vocals, not just Rebecca Luker, and they blend and flow so beautifully. It's just wonderful. What a treat. Can't say enough about this CD. I love it.

A great follow-up to an outstanding musical experience.......2006-03-15

ARIA volume 1 was certainly a winner and this follow-up CD is fantastic. I liked the first CD so much that every time I went to the record store or online at Amazon I would look to see if Paul Schwartz and written a sequel. Schwartz selects wonderful works from classical music and re-arranges them so that they maintain the essential spirit and intent of the original but are made accessible for the ears of contemporary listeners. Thus, you owe it to yourself to listen to these gems.

Rebecca Luker's super voice is wonderful as she weaves a mystical mood with Monteverdi's Lament of Arianna; Catalani's "Ebben ne Andro Lontano" from La Wally; "Addio" from Verdi's La Traviata; "Barcarolle" from Offenbach's Contes De Hoffman and "Ave Maria" by Caccini. I looked Luker up on the web and found that she has starred in various Broadway productions. Her voice is incredible and Schwartz integrates her angelic sound into the electronic instrumentation. The "Ave Maria" is somewhat odd, with the strong precussions, but the choir and Rebecca Luker keep it within bounds.

This CD differs from the first ARIA in that we are treated to several instrumental works arranged by Schwartz. "Horizon" is a moody composition anchored by viola and cello. "Cantilena" is a piano solo played by Schwartz, a charming piece that echoes back to Verdi's "Addio" as well as the Croatina Lullabye sung by Clair Marlo.

A second outstanding singer, Clair Marlo, delivers "Sviraj, a Croatian Lullabye" which Schwartz offers in two distinct arrangements, once in Croatian and then again in English.

Faure's "Pavane" is very well done with Marc Antoine playing the guitar solo. The work is improvised so that a contemporary jazz interpretation is offered.

Steve Barton's voice, accompanied by the oboe, offers us "Leiermann" from Die Wintereise by Schubert. This is a dreamy sad odd spacey work with lyrics about a freezing ancient shoeless hurdy-gurdy man. The work is full of mystery and retains Schubert's complexity.

Paul Schwartz makes the outstanding compositions of previous generations come alive for contemporary audiences.

Grandiose and inspiring.......2005-01-31

This is type of music I expect to hear: strong, complex arrangements executed with passion and flair. I first heard Earthbound, and knew instantly that Paul Schwartz is up to something. His work far surpasses others in this genre.

I especially love the vocals here. Some of the intros are a tad cliche, but I can live with that. The voice is convincing and energetic, masterful even. This is one of the best CDs I have bought in years.

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Beneath the Surface

1. Prelude
2. Un Di, Verso Il Murzoll
3. Non C'e Che Dir!
4. Su Per L'erto
5. Ma Si Direbbe
6. Chi Oso Levar Sul Padre
7. L'hagenbach- L'aborro!
8. Sei To Che Domandata Hai La Mia Man-
9. Ebben-... Ne Andro Lontana
10. Ad Ora Cosi Tarda
11. Entro La Folla Che Intorno S'aggira
12. No!... Coll'amor To Non Dei Scherzar
13. La Bella Creatura!
14. Finor Non M'lan Baciata
15. Sei Tu-
16. Che Brami, Wally-
17. Gia Il Canto Fervido
18. Orchestral Interlude
19. Fa Cor, Wally!
20. Ebben..Dunque-