Angela Gheorghiu & Roberto Alagna - Verdi per due

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Today's most glamorous husband-and-wife opera team offer a recital in which energy and enthusiasm more than compensate for lack of polish. Seldom do artists on a studio recording throw themselves into each "scene" as if they were onstage actually performing an opera, as these two do here. Abbado and the Berlin are second to none when it comes to accompanying Verdi, and when needed, extra soloists and chorus are included to complete the production. Although a number of Verdi's most famous moments are included, lesser-known music (e.g., I Lombardi and I Masnadieri) proves equally challenging and dramatic. Fine sound, from the Jesus Christus-Kirche in Dahlem (Berlin). --Paul Turok

Angela Gheorghiu & Roberto Alagna - Verdi per due, Music, Giuseppe Verdi, Berliner Philharmoniker, Claudio Abbado, Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, London Voices, Berlin Philharmonic, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Classical Vocals, Italian Romantic Opera, Opera

Puccini - Il Trittico / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Guelfi, Guleghina, Gallardo-Domás, Manca di Nissa, Palmer, Shicoff, van Dam, Pappano
Average customer rating:

Bravo

The best Suor Angelica is in Pappano's Trittico

Just maybe the greatest recorded "Trittico" ever

Life--It hits you hard

Long overdue...

Puccini - Il Trittico / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Guelfi, Guleghina, Gallardo-Domás, Manca di Nissa, Palmer, Shicoff, van Dam, Pappano
Giacomo Puccini , Antonio Pappano , Roberto Alagna , Angela Gheorghiu , Bernadette Manca di Nissa , Felicity Palmer , José van Dam , Carlo Guelfi , Maria Guleghina , Cristina Gallardo-Domas , Neil Shicoff , Francesca Pedaci , Patrizia Ciofi , Roberto Scaltriti , Dorothea Röschmann , Sara Fulgoni , and Philharmonia Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano

Verdi - Don Carlo / Domingo · Caballé · Raimondi · Milnes · Verrett · Estes · Giulini

Verdi - Simon Boccanegra / Freni, Cappuccilli, Carreras, Ghiaurov, van Dam, Foiani, Teatro alla Scala, Abbado

Handel - Julius Caesar / Treigle · Sills · Forrester · Wolff · NYCO · Rudel

Rossini: The Barber Of Seville with Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Alceo Galliera, Philharmonia Orchestra & Chorus

ASIN: B00000IFQ0
Release Date: 1999-04-06

Tracks:

Il Tabarro - Orchestra
Il Tabarro - O Michele? Michele?
Il Tabarro - O Luigi, ancora una passata
Il Tabarro - Dunque, che cosa credi?
Il Tabarro - O eterni innamorati, buona sera!
Il Tabarro - To'! guarda la mia vecchia!
Il Tabarro - Hai ben ragione; meglio non pensare
Il Tabarro - Segui il mio esempio; bevil!
Il Tabarro - E ben altro il mio sogno!
Il Tabarro - Miei vecchi, buona notte!
Il Tabarro - O Luigi! Luigi!
Il Tabarro - Dimmi: perche gli hai chiesto di sbarcarti a Rouen?
Il Tabarro - Come e difficile esser felici!
Il Tabarro - Sgualdrina!... Bocca di rosa fresca
Il Tabarro - Nulla!... Silenzio!
Il Tabarro - T'ho colto!... Sangue di Dio!
Il Tabarro - Avevo ben ragione

Tracks:

Suor Angelica - Ave Maria
Suor Angelica - Sorelle in umilita
Suor Angelica - Ed or, sorelle in gioia
Suor Angelica - I desideri sono i fiori dei vivi
Suor Angelica - Ho un desiderio anchi'io!
Suor Angelica - Suor Angelica, sentite!
Suor Angelica - Laudata Maria!
Suor Angelica - Chi e venuto stasera in parlatorio?
Suor Angelica - Suor Angelica!... Madre, madre, parlate!
Suor Angelica - Il Principe Gualtiero vostro padre
Suor Angelica - Nel silenzio di quei raccoglimenti
Suor Angelica - Tutto ho offerto all Vergine
Suor Angelica - Orchestra
Suor Angelica - Senza mamma, bimbo, tu sei morto
Suor Angelica - Sorella, o buona sorella
Suor Angelica - La grazia e discesa dal cielo!... [Intermezzo]...
Suor Angelica - Suor Angelica ha sempre una ricetta buona
Suor Angelica - Ah! Son dannata!

Tracks:

Gianni Schicchi - Povero, Buoso!
Gianni Schicchi - O Simone?
Gianni Schicchi - E aperto!
Gianni Schicchi - Dunque era vero!
Gianni Schicchi - C'e una persona sola che ci puo consigliare
Gianni Schicchi - Avete torto!
Gianni Schicchi - Firenze e come un albero fiorito
Gianni Schicchi - Quale aspetto sgomento e desolato!
Gianni Schicchi - Brava la vecchia
Gianni Schicchi - O mio babbino caro
Gianni Schicchi - Datemi il testamento!
Gianni Schicchi - Nessuno sa che Buoso ha resto il fiato
Gianni Schicchi - Era eguale la voce?
Gianni Schicchi - In testa la capellina!
Gianni Schicchi - Schicchi! Schicchi!
Gianni Schicchi - Ecco la cappellina!
Gianni Schicchi - Prima un avvertimento!
Gianni Schicchi - Addio, Firenze
Gianni Schicchi - Ecco il notaro!
Gianni Schicchi - Basta! I testi videro
Gianni Schicchi - Lascio a Simone I beni di Fucecchio
Gianni Schicchi - Ladro
Gianni Schicchi - Lauretta, mia Lauretta!

Amazon.com essential recording

Aficionados are familiar with Puccini's Il Trittico or "Triptych," his three one-act operas that premiered at New York's Metropolitan in 1918; everyday opera lovers should know them as well. Here is Puccini at his most imaginative: Il Tabarro, a shocker about the jealousy of an older man towards his deceitful younger wife on a houseboat on the Seine is dark and foreboding, and is, incidentally, probably his greatest, tightest opera. It is given a superb performance here, with Maria Guleghina and the wonderful Neil Shicoff (the true, underrecorded fourth tenor) as the faithless duo and Carlo Guelfi as the pitiable but murdering husband. Suor Angelica is set in a convent (yes, only women's voices). Until the goings turn tragic--the eponymous heroine is told by her cruel aunt that the child she had out of wedlock and gave up has died--the scoring is light, airy, and pure. Cristina Gallardo-Domas and Bernadette Manca di Nissa as the nun and her aunt, respectively, may not have the vocal glamour or depth of some of their predecessors on CD (Renata Scotto or Christa Ludwig), but their beautiful, meaningful singing carries the show. Gianni Schicchi's soundstage (the bedroom of a recently dead rich man in Florence in 1299, peopled by his greedy relatives) is rambunctious for the composer's only foray into comedy--based on a passage from Dante--and this set comes up roses. It's the best one on records. Jose Van Dam actually is funny and Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna (who also offer a cameo in Tabarro) are super as the young lovers; Gheorghiu's singing of the opera's hit, "O mio babbino caro," is glorious. This set is highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Bravo.......2007-06-11

Very good performances of all three one-acts. Good sound quality, and the orchestra performance is top-notch.

The best Suor Angelica is in Pappano's Trittico.......2005-08-26

This review compares three of the recordings of Suor Angelica, with the finding that the recording of this miniature gem in the boxed set of Puccini's Il Trittico conducted by Antonio Pappano far exceeds the others in various qualities.

The best first. The vocal performances of both the title role (Cristina Gallardo-Domas) and la Zia Principessa (Bernadette Manca di Nissa) offer a great breadth of interpretation and an honest and true attention to pure vocal production. I have the very slightest of quibbles with one specific response from Gallardo-Domas' Angelica to her aunt, "La Vergine ci ascolta e Lei vi giudica!" is offered much too anglrily, where the score is marked "coldly." The wonderful choral work that supports the action and provides so much of the exposition is a well-modulated performance of Puccini's best writing for women's voices in non-starring roles. Indeed, the balance between the soloists, chorus, and orchestra is keenly maintained througout, ever allowing the orchestra and chorus to be equals to the soloists. Lastly, Pappano's pacing seems the most accomplished of all the recordings.

The worst second. The performance of the Rome Opera Orchestra & Chorus with Fedora Barbieri and Victoria de Los Angeles is frightful. The balance is muddy, and the soloists are miked so closely that they become strident. Worse yet is that the editing was inattentive, and several badly pitched tones made their way to the final recording. --And the pitch problems continue throughout, sometimes sharp, sometimes flat. The chorus members' diction is almost slurred, and a sloppy ensemble results in many nice melodies being unintelligible.

The most surprising recording is conducted by Richard Bonynge and stars Joan Sutherland and Christ Ludwig. As another reviewer noted, Dame Sutherland is past her prime, recording the role at age 52. If only we had a recording of Angelica from her at 30! As it is, I believe Richard Bonynge is the one driving a stake through the heart of this work. His readings alternate between a rush through lyric passages and tearing through the recitativo segments at a full tilt. But it seems so strange because the balance favors the women's voices, making the orchestra extraordinarily subservient. Finally, the performances in general seem less than committed. For example, Sutherland lacks both the fire and the meek submissiveness that should complicate the character.

Just maybe the greatest recorded "Trittico" ever.......2003-10-09

Like another previous reviewer, I too came to this set feeling that the old Tito Gobbi recording was something very special, and hard to beat. And it still has a special place in my collection. But this set is exceptional on all counts; it is superbly recorded, the soloists are wonderful, and Pappano's pacing throughout is just glorious...here is a conductor who understands, and has a love for this music. Furthermore, the older Gobbi set is hard to find, and only "Schicchi" is in true stereo. In short, you will not go wrong with these lovely, sensitive recordings. Better yet, get these and the older set if you can find it, and you'll never want for any more.

Life--It hits you hard.......2002-06-16

Once upon a time I was traversing an Interstate Highway on an otherwise uneventful day and Bamm! the sweet intonations of the female soloist singing in the most heavenly voice (by the way not THIS reviewed rendition), was being delivered by the most crappy Amplitude Modulated car radio. I was so mesmorized by the sweet sounds I was hearing that I pulled off the Interstate and just listened. For an hour I just listened. The Opera was 'Suor Angelica'.

I have this particular CD and it is recorded better than the version I had experienced. Yet the rendition I had experienced set me on the path of discovery.

Music is like that.

Long overdue..........2002-05-21

A modern recording of Il Trittico was long overdue, and has been fulfilled magnificently by Alagna, Georghiu, Pappano et al. The only negative reviewer of this disc really criticizes the composer (who he thinks is Verdi!) rather than the performances themselves. But, the question for a review is not "is this a good opera?" That is for the purchaser. Rather, the issue is, given that the purchaser wishes to purcahse a recording of the opera, is it a good recording. This is an excellent one and anyone interested should not hesitate.

Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano

Average customer rating:

One of the best opera records ever
A Top Recording
A PRECIOUS GEM AND LE VILLI HIGHLIGHTS AS A BONUS
A truly fabulous recording
Wow - what a recording!

Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano
Giacomo Puccini , Angela Gheorghiu , Roberto Alagna , Antonio Pappano , London Symphony Orchestra , William Matteuzzi , Inva Mula , Patrizia Ciofi , Monica Bacelli , Toby Spence , Riccardo Simonetti , Enrico Fissore , Patrizia Biccire , and Alberto Rinaldi
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Puccini - Il Trittico / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Guelfi, Guleghina, Gallardo-Domás, Manca di Nissa, Palmer, Shicoff, van Dam, Pappano
Wagner: Lohengrin
La Fanciulla del West
Bizet: Carmen / de Los Angeles, Gedda, Micheau, E. Blanc; Beecham
Puccini: Edgar

ASIN: B000002RYA
Release Date: 1997-05-13

Tracks:

La rondine: Act One: Ah! no! no!...Non dite questo
La rondine: Act One: Chi il bel sogno di Doretto
La rondine: Act One: Chi il bel sogno di Doretto
La rondine: Act One: No. Adesso non burlatemi
La rondine: Act One: Un momento: scusi
La rondine: Act One: Come fate a sopportarla?
La rondine: Act One: Denaro! Nient'altro che denaro!
La rondine: Act One: E poi?... Basta inito
La rondine: Act One: Ah! Ruggero Lastouc
La rondine: Act One: Forse, come la rondini
La rondine: Act One: Parigi! a cittei desideri
La rondine: Act One: Poeta raffinato
La rondine: Act One: Buona sero
La rondine: Act One: Forse come la rondine
La rondine: Act One: T'amo!...Menti!
La rondine: Act One: Chi mi riconoscerebbe?
La rondine: Act Two: Fiori freschi!
La rondine: Act Two: Chi Mai vista!
La rondine: Act Two: Scusatemi...Scusate
La rondine: Act Two: Nella dolce carezza
La rondine: Act Two: Ti prego: dignat
La rondine: Act Two: Che caldo! Che stet!
La rondine: Act Two: Perchai cercate di saper
La rondine: Act Two: Dio! Lei! Guardala!
La rondine: Act Two: Gihe il caso ci unische
La rondine: Act Two: Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso
La rondine: Act Two: Rambaldo!..Ah! M'aiutate!
La rondine: Act Two: Nella trepida luce d'un mattin
La rondine: Act Two: Paulette! nostri amici

Tracks:

La rondine: Act Three: Senti? Anche il mare respira sommesso
La rondine: Act Three: E siam fuggiti qui per nasconderlo
La rondine: Act Three: No. Un segreto
La rondine: Act Three: Dimmi che vuoi seguirmi alla mia casa
La rondine: Act Three: [Orchestra]
La rondine: Act Three: Che pigli? Che fare?
La rondine: Act Three: qui?...Non so!
La rondine: Act Three: No! Non m'inganno!
La rondine: Act Three: Amore mio!
La rondine: Act Three: Figliuolo, tu mi dici
La rondine: Act Three: Donale il bacio mio!
La rondine: Act Three: No! Non dir questo!
La rondine: Act Three: Ma come puoi lascarmi?
La rondine: Morire
La rondine: Le villi: Preludio
La rondine: Le villi: Ecco la casa dio
La rondine: Le villi: Torna ai felici di
La rondine: Le villi: L'abbandono ( Parte Sinfonica 1)
La rondine: Le villi: La tregenda ( Parte Sinfonica 2)

Amazon.com

This is one of the problem operas of Puccini's maturity, something he began writing while under the spell of Lehar's The Merry Widow that never quite came together as a piece of theater. But the score contains some of Puccini's most congenial music and attractive scoring. An alert, resourceful new presence on the opera scene, conductor Antonio Pappano is just the one to make the best possible attempt at holding it together. Stars Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna show you why the opera world was so excited about them before they started cancelling: She has a dusky voice and quivering vulnerability; he has virility and taste. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

One of the best opera records ever.......2002-04-04

This is in my opinion not the best opera Puccini wrote but its not att all bad. Its no Tosca, La Boheme, Turandot etc but it doesnt matter because it is a quite good one AND most importent is that performance is absolutly fantastic on this disc.

Pappano conducts FANTASTIC, GREAT AND Alagna AND Gheorghiu sings ABSOLUTLY FANTASTIC too and so do rest of the cast.

I had a lot of opera records and find a better opera record, talking about singing and conducting (and sound of this excellent record,) you need to look for Björlings best records and/or some of Pavarottis and Domingos best.

Some people dont like Alagna/Gheorghiu but in this case you should give this couple a fair chance because they sing wonderful on this disc.

Mayby everything was right, magic on this session.. their voices is probably at their peak level here? and mayby Pappano did something extra good too in his will and support.

Anyway... fact is that this performance is beutiful and this is NOT a matter of taste because ANYONE with music ear could understand that.

Buy it because of its fantastic performance. If you dont do so you def. miss something really good.

A Top Recording.......2002-01-26

I can dispense with relating the story of La Rondine as that has been admirably done by earlier reviews. But it is difficult for me to account for the harsh criticism offered by some reviews of this set. When this recording of La Rondine appeared in 1997, it was warmly greeting by critics and was (and is still) considered to be the best of the available recordings. The opera was an attempt to emulate the operettas of Lehar and Johann Strauss, and with La Traviata holding particular influence. There was a multitude of influences on La Rondine, even to making it into a comic opera along the lines of Rosenkavalier. However, it more closely resembles Traviata in its story and musical language.

It is the singing by Angela Gheorghiu (as Magda) and Roberto Alagna (as Ruggero) that make this an idea recording. The way they approach and sing their parts convey what Puccini had in mind: Magda's role more complex and filled with emotional expression, and Ruggero an ardent young student. I don't think the singing could be better expressed than on this recording. Antonio Pappano brings out subtle shadings in the score and the recording is bright and clear. The earlier recording by Maazel has its virtues but the better characteriztion of these roles to the Pappano recording.

The fillers are of interest as well. Morire? (a first version of a song Puccini included in the Vienna performances of La Rondine) is superbly sung by Alagna with Pappano at the piano. The excerpts from La Villi, Puccini's first opera, are tantalizing with Roberto Alagna, once again, giving a great account of his abilities as Roberto. Listening to La Villi makes one wish that Pappano would record this work. I can enthusiastically recommend this recording to anyone.

A PRECIOUS GEM AND LE VILLI HIGHLIGHTS AS A BONUS.......2002-01-21

The two musically and vocally sumptuous CDs under review include the enchanting La Rondine, a mature Puccini' score, plus highlights of the tragic opera Le Villi, the composer's first opera. The recording offers a glorious trail of musical discovery to the listener because performance and recording of both operas are rare. Any list of lyrical opera masterpieces does not include either of them. How wrong can people be? It is the first time I heard both operas.

Puccini's publisher Tito Ricordi thought very little of La Rondine and dismissed it as bad Lehar. This opinion is sheer nonsense. La Rondine is a delightful, inspired musical composition in the typical expansive lyricism of the great master. The score evokes the artistic sense, delicate tastes, passionate refinements and French boudoirs of La Belle Époque in Europe (1900-1914). Make no mistakes. The unsurpassable lyrical style of Puccini is there: Heartfelt recitatives, tender phrases with bold colours, ample extensions, top notes of volume, power and timbre. The music is reminiscent of the effusive delicacy mixed with passion of Madama Butterfly.

Now to the plot concisely. Ruggero meets the courtesan Magda at a Parisian ball. Thinking that love has blossomed, they flee to the coast away from city vicissitudes. Ruggero utters "Dimmi che vuoi seguirmi alla mia casa" offering his beloved a life of family affection. Magda is an art- loving, modern charm woman and cannot renounce to her ambiguous circles. They part.

Roberto Alagna as Ruggero sings warm, lirico spinto notes without a French nasal but more with a Franco-Italian pulpy sound. He cannot claim entry yet into the "espada", a group of legendary tenors including Gillion, Escalais, Fleta, Lazaro and Lauri-Volpi. They emitted steel bladed top notes. Alagna is very convincing in the role, which portrays the naïve and immature young man from the provinces. Angela Gheorghiu as Magda sings with pure and soaring notes. She is beautiful, has long black hair and a ravishing scenic personality. She is very convincing as the charming courtesan.

The highlights of Le Villi are part of the second CD and a magnificent bonus. The prelude and two symphonic intermezzi are included. They are admirable pieces of orchestral invention and workmanship. In the first intermezzo, the Abandonment, the orchestra begins quietly, female voices join in, surges to passionate chords and dies away with the chorus' distant echo. In the second, the Witches' Sabbath, the orchestra pours forth an overflowing rush of sounds and extremely talented polyphonic mixtures with great clarity, as in all Puccini's music. "Torna ai felici di' dolente il mio pensier" the protagonist Roberto laments in sorrow on his return home. He had left, fallen for an adventuress and forgotten Anna, his first love. The sweet Anna waited in vain and died heartbroken at the coming of winter. Anna' spirit appears with those of other deserted maidens, Le Villi, and in revenge draws him to a fatal dance.

Alagna sings the aria with surprisingly passionate accents as the masochistic self-tormented Roberto (Le Villi). Alagna sounds distinctly and superbly Puccinian. The conductor Pappano's tempi are magnificent and throw both operas under a new light of incredible musical beauty (listen to the intermezzo, the Abandonment, of le Villi). More stupefying is his sense of opera as musical theatre. The expressive strength, the space he concedes to the singers, the sense of arioso and a sound explosion without limits fly to the listener's ears and heart. The CD sound is resounding and faultless.

The beautiful booklet contains photos of the principal singers, secondary roles, conductor and artistic scenes. The critical review and synopsis are in English. The libretto is in both English and Italian. The CDs track numbers are usefully bolded at the margins of the libretto. BUY AND LISTEN TO LA RONDINE AND LE VILLI ON THESE CDs. YOU WILL GET A STUPENDOUS, NOVEL EXPERIENCE AND DISCOVER MORE OF PUCCINI!

A truly fabulous recording.......2001-09-11

I am in deep shock at some of the poor reviews regarding this magnificent recording of La Rondine. On my stereo the voices of Alagna and Gheorghiu sound absolutely divine. This recording is anything but boring--perhaps some of the other reviewers need to look into replacing their stereo systems with ones that can capture fully the ravishing voices of Alagna and Gheorghiu. While La Rondine is not one of my favorite operas, this recording is nonetheless one of the finest and most beautiful that I own. Alagna and his wife may be controversial and not well liked, yet any unbiased reviewer cannot fail to appreciate the fine singing on this CD. If you are a fan of Puccini, don't hesitate to purchase this CD. If you are unfamiliar with this opera, this is the version you want to have, as it is in a class of its own. Put aside any negative feelings towards Alagna and Gheorghiu and just listen to the singing, which is certain to win you over. Even my non-operatic friends have commented favorably on this CD upon hearing it, and that should speak volumes to anyone interested in this edition.

Wow - what a recording!.......2001-08-10

I'm having trouble believing that other folks reviewing this opera have listened to the same recording that I have. There's an intimate tenderness to it that makes you hold your breath when you're listening. The famous 'Chi bel sono' aria that comes at the beginning is incredibly tasteful...it makes shivers go up and down your spine. I've listened to other recordings of this same aria and have found none that come anywhere close. In particular Kiri Te Kanawa's is grossly oversung. It's like comparing a gossamer silk handkerchief to a kitchen sponge.

Puccini admitted patterning this opera after Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. Some folks have professed not being able to see the connection. It's a no-brainer to me though, though it'd be impossible to put into words. They both make you feel the same...you get the same damned grin on your face when you listen to both, you feel that the music is perfection, that there's not a note out of place. And Puccini's attains a delicate intimacy that pulls you in much closer than any other operas.

Tracks:

Dis (Flower Duet from Lakm Nathalie Dessay and Delphine Haidan
E lucevan le stelle (Tosca): Placido Domingo
Ebben? ne andrntana (La Wally): Maria Callas
Suzel, bon di (Cherry Duet from L' amico Fritz): Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni
Belle nuit, it d'amour (Barcarolle from Les Contes d'Hoffmann): Ann Murray, Jessye Norman
Song to the Moon (from Rusalka): Lucia Popp
Recitar!...Vesti la giubba (from I Pagliacci): Josarreras
Ecco! respiro appena. Io son l'umile ancell (from Adriana Lecouvreur): Kiri Te Kanawa
O soave fanciulla (from La boh): Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna
Un bel di vedremo (from Madama Butterfly): Montserrat Caballe
Ingemisco (from Verdi's Requiem): Luciano Pavarotti
Frondi tenere...Ombra mai fom Xerxes): David Daniels
Non pirai (from Le nozze di Figaro): Thomas Allen
Au fond du temple saint (Temple Duet from Les Peurs de perles): Ernest Blanc, Nicolai Gedda
O mio babbino caro (from Gianni Schicchi): Angela Gheorghiu
La donna obile (from Rigoletto): Roberto Alagna
Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie (Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore): L'Orchestra et Coro del Teatro alla Scala
Der H Rache (from Die Zauberfl: Natalie Dessay
Libiamo ne'lieti calici (Brindisi) (from La Traviata): Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna

Tracks:

Casta Diva (from Norma): Maria Callas
Canzonetta sull'aria (from Le nozze di Figaro): Anna Moffo, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Se quel guerrier io fossi...Celeste Aida (from Aida): Placido Domingo
Vissi d'arte (from Tosca): Angela Gheorghiu
Che gelida manina (from La boh): Roberto Alagna
SMi chiamano Mimfrom La boh): Mirella Freni, Nicolai Gedda
L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera from Carmen): Victoria de los Angeles
Va, pensiero (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves from Nabucco): L'Orchestra et Coro del Teatro alla Scala
Dove sono (from Le nozze di Figaro): Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Un aura amorosa (from Cosan tutte): Placido Domingo
J'ai perdu mon Eurydice (from Orphet Eurydice): Anne-Sofie von Otter
Non mi dir (from Don Giovanni): oan Sutherland
O Mimtu pi torni (from La boh): Jussi Bjng, Robert Merrill
La mamma morta (from Andrea Cher): Maria Callas
Largo al factotum (from Il barbiere di Siviglia): Thomas Hampson
Summertime (from Porgy and Bess): Kiri Te Kanawa
Dich, teure Halle (from Tannher): Jessye Norman
Nessun dorma (from Turandot): Rhine Opera Chorus, Josarreras

Amazon.com

This is a remarkable collection: two and a half hours' worth of opera arias, duets, and a couple of choruses, and nary a dud among them. All the stars are here, from Alagna to Schwarzkopf, with stops at Gheorghiu, Callas, Bjoerling, Dessay, Gedda, Carreras, Popp, Domingo, Norman--and a bunch of others. And the repertoire is wisely chosen: the gorgeous Flower Duet from Lakme, de los Angeles singing Bizet's Habanera from Carmen, the famous Pearl Fishers duet (Gedda, Blanc), Wally's exit into the snow from La Wally (Callas), the Barcarolle from Tales of Hoffmann (Jessye Norman and Ann Murray), "Largo al factotum" with an energetic Thomas Hampson as The Barber of Seville, Domingo in "Celeste Aida," countertenor David Daniels in a Handel aria, the heavenly "Song to the Moon" from Rusalka, sung as in a dream by Lucia Popp, Caballe as Madama Butterfly, and many more--37 tracks in all. Even if you already own some of these, having them all in one place makes for breathless, glorious listening. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Heavenly..........2007-04-03

I am not particularly a fan of opera but do realize it's merit. I also appreciate the talent of it's artists. This 2 disc set offers a wide, wisely chosen selection from most of the popular operas, performed by most of the world's greatest singers, present and yesteryear. Yes, you will find legends such as Maria Callas to Pavarotti to the up and coming Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu; sharing space on these discs. Economically, I was able to obtain this set for under ten bucks. My research could not find a more varied set with such a stellar roster at any price. It will impress any novice to seasoned collecter. I wish that EMI annotated the set better, a brief synopsis of each track would have tutorial value. The sound reproduction flows seemlessly from track to track.

Nice collection of major figures.......2007-01-04

This is billed as "the greatest opera stars on one double album for the first time ever."

Many major voices of the first part of the past half century are presented on this CD (e.g., Shwartzkopf, Moffo, Freni, de los Angelos, Sutherland, Callas, Gedda, Merrill, Bjoerling, Pavarotti, Sutherland, Domingo, et al.). Also represented are some more contemporary singers, among whom are Kanawa, Gheorgiu, Alagna, Dessay, and so on).

So, a nice album. But we are also reminded of the absence of some major figures on CDs (such as Richard Tucker, who is little represented on CDs). . . . Hopefully, in future years, more of those glorious voices will become accessible on CD.

Gran recopilatorio.......2004-02-29

Este recopilatorio ofrece variedad de estilos, versiones siempre de alto nivel y precio medio muy interesante. Muy recomendable para iniciarse en el mundo de la opera de la mano de los mejores artistas de hoy y de ayer, aunque algunos de los grandes cantantes se echan quiza en falta.

blend of great opera for novice or opera buff!.......2003-03-03

Beautiful music for anyone. Even those I know who generally dislike opera have taken an interest! These are truly highlights of some of the greatest peices...breathtaking voices...relaxing and yet movingingly passionate. I reccomend this for anyone wanting a varied and yet stunning collection.

Nessun dorma!.......2002-12-01

This set of two CDs is a great way to listen to some highlights from many different operas when you aren't in the mood to listen to a full opera. Many of your favorite arias are here, such as Nessun Dorma, Habanera, Non piu andrai etc. But what I liked most about it is that it features many different artists. While I love my Pavarotti and Domingo albums, it is nice to hear other singers.

Also, hearing some pieces that sounded familiar have gotten me interested in operas I haven't heard or seen before, such as the Flower Duet from Lakme. I've heard that before--but where? Probably in some car commercial...

Tracks:

Falstaff: Sul fil d'un soffio etesio
Chbin: Aubade: Vive amour qui reve
La Wally: Ebben?... Ne andrntana
Hdiade: Il est doux, il est bon
I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Eccomi... Oh! quante volte
La Boh: Donde lieta usci al tuo grido d'amore
Mefistofele: L'altra notte
Faust: Air des bijoux
Don Pasquale: Quel guardo il cavaliere
La Boh: Si. Mi chiamano Mimi
Valurile Dunarii: Muzica

Customer Reviews:

To me, her best.......2007-07-01

I have several CDs of Gheorghiu. This is the one I prefer. I also have the DVD of her and her husband in Elisir. It was entertaining, but like in her Casta Diva disc, I didn't think her coloratura passed muster. I thought her singing in the Verdi disc was anemic. Every time she bursts into Tu che le vanita, I immediately and always think of Callas. That was one of the things that hooked me on opera in the first place, though I'm not a big fan of Callas. It just isn't there when Gheorghiu does it, though that's only one aria on the disc. I think Gheorghiu is a little overrated (still), and I think it came about when she burst on the scene in lovebird duets with her husband. But in this recital, I think she does an adequate job, and I still have her other CDs (and more amazing, bought them in the first place). She has a pretty voice and uses it well enough I think in at least this recital.

One of Gheorghiu's best recitals.......2007-01-09

I have played this CD numerous times since buying it many years ago. Whilst not 'perfect' to some, I still think it is one of Gheorghiu's best recitals recorded.

exquisite!.......2006-11-02

In this recording Ms. Gheorghiu shows why she is one of the most extraordinary voices of our time. Her phrasing, musicality and expression is impecable. I seriously recommend this CD to anyone who wants to know how an opera singer is supposed to be heard.

Angela Gheoghiu is Wonderful.......2006-08-06

I love this album I can listen to her all day long.

A Pleasant Surprise.......2006-02-24

I purchased this CD for one specific selection, and to my surprise found that I thoroughly enjoyed the entire recording! Ms Gheorghiu has a wonderful voice and knows how to "sell" an aria!!

Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias

Average customer rating:

Poor mix
a fine example of two shining opera stars......
A musical marriage made in heaven!
A Nice Collection, But Something's Missing
Perfection

Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias
Pietro Mascagni , Jules Massenet , Gaetano Donizetti , Jacques Offenbach , Leonard Bernstein , Charles Gounod , Gustave Charpentier , Hector Berlioz , Giacomo Puccini , Richard Armstrong , Roberto Alagna , Angela Gheorghiu , and Covent Garden Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Gheorghiu, Angela | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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The Essential Angela Gheorghiu
Puccini
Diva
Angela Gheorghiu - Arias
Roberto Alagna - Opera Arias

ASIN: B000002RWA
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

Suzel, boun di...
L'amico Fritz, Atto 2: Tutto tace
Manon, Acte 3: Je suis seul! . . . Ah, fuyez
Toi! Vous! . . . Oui, c'est moi! . . .
Manon, Acte 3: N'est-ce plus ma main
Anna Bolena, Atto 2: Al dolce guidami castel natio
Don Pasquale, Atto 2: Tornami a dir
La Belle Helene, Acte 1: Au Mont Ida, trois deesses
West Side Story, Act 1: Only you . . .Tonight
Il se fait tard . . .
Faust, Acte 3: O nuit d'amour
Louise, Acte 3: Depuis le jour
Les Troyens, Acte 4: Nuit d'ivresse
La Boheme, Atto 1: O soave fanciulla

Customer Reviews:

Poor mix .......2006-02-20

There is no climatic piece in the whole album. It appears it was gathered selections...by that I mean, somebody said "oh let's use this one and this one..." The selections just drift from one to the next and carry little emotional impact on this listener. Yet I love Angela, but Roberto is second rate. Overall, not much on here to remember.

a fine example of two shining opera stars.............2005-10-28

How perfect is it that tenor Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are a madly in love, married opera couple with voices like angels? I remember when this album first came out in the mid-1990s. At the time, I didn't have a CD player, and their album was a motivation for me to get one, if that says anything about how much I LOVE both of them, as well as the music samples I first heard on NPR.

Alagna's resonance is clear, but, never piercing. Gheorghiu's clean-sounding soprano is expressive, but never shrill, and exhudes a warmth, as well as a softness, when she attacks the really high notes. What sets Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu apart from the pack of young opera stars is their own original, highly energetic and sincere interpretations of popular opera duets, featured here. They include "Tonight" from West Side Story (which I really wouldn't consider opera, but, more an example of musical theatre), and "O soave fanciulla" from La Boheme. I guarantee that listening to this album will make you fall in love with these two wonderful singers.

A musical marriage made in heaven!.......2003-12-01

In the early 1990s I began following the careers of two immensely talented young singers then on the verge of international stardom. The French tenor Roberto Alagna wowed Covent Garden audiences as Romeo and Rodolfo, and had received rave reviews throughout Europe. The splendid Mimi of Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu enlivened an otherwise lackluster 1994 Metropolitan Opera broadcast, and an astounding triumph at Covent Garden as Violetta followed. I had often longed for these two splendid young artists to sing together, and I got my wish in spades when it was publicly announced that they were madly in love - this disc was recorded 6 months before and released in the U.S. 4 days before their real-life marriage. While I and many opera fans are hopeless romantics who are delighted by such things, what really matters is that their VOICES are married. Let's just say that I have heard other singers who are either married or otherwise romantically involved who do not have nearly the rapport that these two people do. They are supremely sensitive to and supportive of each other's artistry and even more importantly, are ultimately the servants of the composer.

Alagna's sweet, warm, earthy tenor and Gheorghiu's velvety, starlit soprano blend so perfectly that it often seems one voice is coming out of two mouths. Nowhere is this more true than on the triumph of the disc, 'Nuit d'ivresse' from Hector Berlioz's 'Les Troyens'. This is a good candidate for the best joint recording they have ever made and is certainly their best individual duet recording. While it is usually sung by a tenor with a heavier voice and a mezzo-soprano, the sheer lyricism of their voices renders this music utterly ravishing - I have never heard this piece sung more beautifully. And how many typical operatic 'love duet' albums would include something this rare? Their 'one voice' quality is also evident in 'Tornami a dir' from 'Don Pasquale', a triumph of heady sweetness, and again, not exactly standard fare. Throughout these selections, and indeed the entire album, we hear superb dynamic sensitivity and gorgeous pianissimo singing, and everything is sung with such dramatic intensity and immersion in character that you think you're hearing a live performance and not a recording. About the only quibble I have is that Alagna's diction in both French and Italian is so perfect that Gheorghiu's comes up a bit short by comparison.

The Cherry Duet from 'L'Amico Fritz' which begins the album is full of sweet affection and wistfulness. In the Saint Sulpice scene from 'Manon', Gheorghiu is irresistibly seductive and tender and Alagna believably torn between Des Grieux's pain at Manon's betrayal and his love for her. Some may actually prefer this version of the duet to the slightly more 'verismo' and less subtle rendition of their complete recording under Antonio Pappano. The Garden Scene from 'Faust', albeit not quite as intense as in their recent Metropolitan Opera performances, is still a triumph of French style, sensitivity, and drama, again with absolutely gorgeous pianissimo singing, this time at 'Eternelle!'. This should be no surprise to anyone who has heard them sing 'Romeo et Juliette'. And, of course, these masters of Gounod's version of 'Romeo and Juliet' also make something special of Bernstein's. I don't believe I've ever heard 'Tonight' more beautifully and musically sung - and as Gheorghiu pointed out in an interview, this is not 'easy' music to sing. The only problem here is that 'West Side Story' is more about Anglo/Puerto Rican culture clash than about family feuds, and so it hurts somewhat that the singers have the wrong (and more importantly, too similar) accents. Nevertheless, their English is clear and understandable, and as usual they mean every word they sing. The disc concludes with a radiant 'O soave fanciulla', where Rodolfo's and Mimi's romance is off to a tender and teasing start.

In addition to the six duets, each singer has two solo arias. Alagna's first is a splendid 'Ah, fuyez douce image', where he not only begins the aria pianissimo, but he makes more of the words than just about any tenor since Georges Thill. He follows this with a rollicking version of Paris' Entrance from 'La Belle Helene'. While not even Alagna can negotiate the B flat octave leaps with the ease of Jussi Bjorling (in his unsurpassable 1938 Swedish-language recording), he has the considerable advantage of native French speech, and a far better appreciation of the piece's humor. Gheorghiu has surpassed her two solo selections since making this recording - the 'Al dolce guidami' on her 'Casta Diva' bel canto disc and the 'Depuis le jour' on her live Covent Garden recital - but these versions demonstrate her ravishing top, command of legato, and extraordinary emotional expressivity.

Richard Armstrong (the music director of the Scottish Opera, who also conducted Alagna's solo debut album) is with his singers all the way and he has the Covent Garden Orchestra play gorgeously . In particular, his molding of the orchestral line and color in the Berlioz is very impressive. Excellent documentation, with full texts and translations, by British vocal collector John Steane. Although this is focused (as it should be) on the music rather than the singers, there is also brief biographical information on both Alagna and Gheorghiu, which none of their subsequent EMI CDs have had.

In short this album is a triumph from beginning to end and an absolute must for any lover of the human voice, absolutely giving lie to the common whine of 'all the great singers are gone forever'. Of course, you'll also have to buy Alagna's and Gheorghiu's complete opera recordings, their equally stunning Verdi duets CD, and too many individual solo albums to count. Almost anything either of these splendid artists do, separately or together, is worth buying and devouring. They're a Golden Age all by themselves!

A Nice Collection, But Something's Missing.......2003-11-09

Since Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are opera's favorite lovebirds, and real life husband and wife, it is not inconceivable that EMI would release a disk of arias and duets featuring the couple. The disk is reasonably good. It has the standard duets such as "O Soave Fanciulla" from LA BOHEME and "The Cherry Duet" from L'AMICO FRITZ as well as a few lesser known pieces that make the disk interesting. The Broadway stage is also included in a duet from Leonard Bernstein's WEST SIDE STORY. As beautiful as Bernstein's music is, it somehow does not fit in this recording. The two do a reasonably good job, both as soloists and together, but the disk lacks power. The two fail to generate the energy on this disk that the two seem to have on television and in video performances. Their acting abilities surpass many "Golden Age" stars, but their music, while technically good, fails to generate the same excitement as a Corelli--Price, Pavarotti--Freni, or a Callas--Di Stefano pairing would generate. None-the-less, the recording is not bad, and it will certainly be pleasing to fans of the two.

Perfection.......2001-12-06

This is lovely from beginning to end. These two singers really know how to put together a recital CD. It's always satisfying no matter how often I listen to it. The selections they sing are well suited to their voices. It's a pleasure. I can't recommend this CD enough. It's truly a shared program with neither one overwhelming the other. They each get their solo turns and the duets are wonderful.

Verdi - La Traviata / Gheorghiu, Lopardo, Nucci, Covent Garden, Solti

Average customer rating:

Best Modern Version
Wonderful Recording!
Fun, energetic, and well orchestrated.
The best La Traviata!!!!!!!! EVER..........
Gheorghiu is the definitive Violetta of our time!

Verdi - La Traviata / Gheorghiu, Lopardo, Nucci, Covent Garden, Solti
Giuseppe Verdi , Angela Gheorghiu , Frank Lopardo , Leo Nucci , Rodney Gibson , Mark Beesley , Roderick Earle , and Georg Solti
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Gheorghiu, Angela | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Scano · Keenlyside · D'Arcangelo · Di Candia · Chailly
Angela Gheorghiu - Arias
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Bizet: Carmen / de Los Angeles, Gedda, Micheau, E. Blanc; Beecham
Mozart: Don Giovanni

ASIN: B00000427V
Release Date: 1995-09-19

Tracks:

La Traviata: Preludio - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Dell'invito trancorsa e gia l'ora (Coro) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Libiamo ne' lieti calici (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Che e cio? (Coro) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Un di felice (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Ebben? che diavol fate? (Gastone) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Si ridesta in ciel l'aurora (Tutti) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: E strano!... Ah, fors' e lui (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Follie! Delirio vano e questo!... Sempre libera (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Lunge da lei... De'miei bollenti spiriti (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Annina, donde vieni?... Oh mio rimorso! (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Alfredo? (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Pura soccome un angelo (Germont) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Non sapete quale affetto (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Un di, quando le veneri (Germont) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Ah! Dite alla giovine (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Imponete (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Damm tu forza, o cielo! (Violetta) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Che fai? (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Ah, vive sol quel core (Alfredo) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Di Provenza il mar, il suol (Germont) - G. Verdi
La Traviata: Ne rispondi d'un padre all'affetto? (Germont) - G. Verdi

Tracks:

La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Avrem lieta di maschere la notte (Flora) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Noi siamo zingarelle (Coro) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Di Madride noi siam mattadori (Gastone e coro) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Alfredo! Voi! (Tutti) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Invitato a qui seguirmi (Violetta) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Ogni suo aver tal femmina (Alfredo) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende (Germont) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto secondo - Scena II: Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core (Violetta) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Preludio - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Annina? -- Comandate? (Violetta, Annina) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: 'Teneste la promessa... 'Addio del passato (Violetta) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Largo al quadrupede (Baccanale) (Coro) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Signora...---Che t'accadde? (Annina, Violetta) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Parigi, o cara (Alfredo) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Ah, non piioletta) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Ah, Violetta! -- Voi? Signor? (Germont, Violetta) - Verdi
La Traviata - Atto terzo: Prendi, quest''immagine (Violetta) - Verdi

Customer Reviews:

Best Modern Version.......2007-04-11

You cannot go wrong with conducting legend Sir Georg Solti's 1994 version, one of his last recordings before he died three years later. This recording, in outstanding sound and also available as a DVD, debuts the amazing Romanian super-star Angela Gheorghiu as Violetta. She'll have you convinced she's singing on blow.

Wonderful Recording!.......2007-02-03

Traviata is one of those operas which everyone who has a shred of an operatic voice loves to record, and sometimes those who don't have any idea of what the roles in this opera are all about sing it anyways. The carrying power of this opera is the heroine, Violetta, and one only has to look at her transformation, musically and dramatically, to see why a soprano makes or breaks her career with this role. Many people would overlook the opera mainly because too many mediocre singers have performed it, but it was THE work that represented the turning point in Verdi's musical career. The vocal and orchestral writing are perhaps one of the perfect combinations of his late romanticism and early bel canto influences that characterized works like Attila and Aroldo.

Anyways, back to the recording. Much ink has been spilled about Angela Gheorghiu and about how she sounds like Callas and this and that singer. Well, let me tell you...she isn't Callas! Nor was Joan Sutherland, or Montserrat Caballe, or Victoria de los Angeles. Joan was Joan, Montsie was Montsie, and Victoria is Victoria. I think people should get over the fact that if only one interpretation of the role were to be accepted, then perhaps we should bury the score in the ground, get a really nice recording of Maria Callas in the role, clean out the audience interference (all her Traviatas were live), and play it in the opera house while second-rate actors lip-synch it. Or, we can listen to new singers who really know how to interpret their roles, despite the fact that it isn't Maria, and praise them for the wonderful insights they give to the role. I think Angela Gheorghiu is a wonderful Violetta. She may not be a coloratura soprano, but she has a dark grain in her voice that makes her Violetta all the more effective in the rest of the opera. Her Act I, by the way, is magnificent, with all the requisite coloratura in place minus the interpolated E-flat...which isn't in the score, FYI. Her vocal shadings are perfect for the role, her second act emotionally correct and giving, her third act one of the most heartbreaking accounts since Callas. This is her first run of Violettas, I believe, and while her knowledge of the character is already outstanding, I have to say that hearing her in the Met broadcast a few months ago found me realizing that she had developed her insights into the role. She is perhaps the definitive Violetta of the day.

The rest of the cast is good, but not as great as one would have liked for Gheorghiu's partnerships. Frank Lopardo is an ardent Alredo, but he lacks some panache to his voice which gives him the needed ping in certain parts of the opera. Leo Nucci is a very charismatic Germont, but again, he lacks some voice. He is still better than many of the singers out there who TRY to be Verdi baritones.

Solti is one of the best conductors ever to have conducted the score. In his 80's, he remarkably produced one of the most heartfelt and transparent readings I've heard, and all the bombastic drive that he is associated with is absent from this recording.

A definitive Traviata? Perhaps if one were to consider its merits and weigh it with something as legendary as the Giulini Traviata, well...yes, I think this is quite definitive for our day and age.

Fun, energetic, and well orchestrated........2007-01-07

A live recording from 1993 documents Gheorghiu's debut at Covent Garden. And, a wonderful debut it is. Gheorghiu is quite remarkable, although not the greatest interpretor of the role. She brings some fresh ideas and wonderful coloring to the vocal line. Her vocalising sometimes gets a little embellished but stays true to character. Her voice is small but stupendous. Now, her timbre has never been my cup of tea. A little grating to my ears. The supporting cast really shines with Nucci bringing a wonderful gentility to Giorgio Germont. He understands being a father. Lopardo is simply wonderful in the second act intro. Solti as always guides the pit with a wonderful rhythm and idea for logical flow of the music. He really has an idea for Traviata as a whole. Something not often found nowadays. While this would not be my first Traviata it is certainly worth a look.
P.S. - To those suggesting she matches Callas or even Sutherland, think again. She needs time to really interpret the role. Also, the fullness of the voice just isn't there. She is a lyric spinto with a healthy upper extension. Not a dramatic soprano with the range of Callas or pure tonal beauty of Sutherland.

The best La Traviata!!!!!!!! EVER.................2005-07-26

It is very hard indeed to add something to all this great reviews. Before I've seen Gheorghiu in this particular opera it was Callas the Diva to which I compared any performance. I found Callas Violeta very emotional and touching, not to mention the unique voice.
I liked Opera until I heard Solti's La Traviata. Then I felt in love with.....
The great conducting of Solti combined with Gheorghiu's interpretation of Violeta made me see so many colors in the pallet that Opera generally offers. Actually this two (Solti and Gheorghiu) stunning in this performance, made me understand and love Opera.
I am not an expert but it is hard not to see the warmth that Gherghiu is giving to Violeta's role, from a thrilling voice (even with that few mistakes) to a great dramatic presence on the stage (so touchy)!

You didn't understand Opera? See this one and you will.

Are you still wondering what the Opera it's all about? See this one and you will find the answer.

To the experts: You think you've heard it all? Listen to this one and you'll think again...

Gheorghiu is the definitive Violetta of our time!.......2004-07-11

I was so amazed when I first listened to this recording that I decided to buy the DVD, too. Surely it's one of the best recording that have been released in the last years and I doubt you can find a better digital version of La Traviata. If you don't care too much for the sound, we can find even greater advantages in listening to this recording: it was this live performance that led Angela Gheorghiu to the international operatic world, and here she's aided by a great cast under the direction of one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century, Sir Georg Solti.
Frank Lopardo is in very good shape. His voice is sometimes a bit nasal, but he has a quite big and dramatic voice as well as an excellent vocal technique. Besides, Lopardo's interpretation of Alfredo is convincing and involving: he's one of the few tenors that can sing this role while truly interpreting it. Thus, we have a much more than acceptable Alfredo. Leo Nucci is here a few years past his prime, but he's in real good voice, though in the higher parts his voice tends to have a little more vibrato than we're used to. He also delivers a mature characterization of Giorgio Germont. The minor parts are sung by equally good singers, so that we have a very balanced recording of La Traviata.
The real star of this La Traviata is the young Angela Gheorghiu. She's not a simple good soprano of our days, but surely she will be praised in the future as one of the greatest artists of our time. Her voice is rich, creamy and expressive, along with her remarkable pianissimi, vocal colours and melifluous tone. She has the right vocal technique to sing effortlessly the difficult aria "Sempre libera" (please don't expect to hear a new Sutherland!!). I really don't care if Gheorghiu doesn't fit the high E flat in the end of that aria, since Violetta is a much more complex role. What really matters is her expressiveness, the sense of drama. Gheorghiu is the best actress in the operatic scenery nowadays and a very creative artist. Her Violetta is the most dramatic and deeply involved since Maria Callas almost fifty years ago!
Sir Georg Solti was then conducting La Traviata for the first time, but we feel like he has conducted it all his life. His conducting is mature and passionated. It really seems that Solti got to understand what Verdi intended when he composed this music.
A popular opera like La Traviata has so many legendary recordings that it's almost impossible to declare what are the definitive one. So, I prefer to talk about the definitive ones, and it's certainly one of thoses, because it represents an important moment of the opera world: the rising of one of the greatest sopranos of our days and the first and probably last time one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century conducted La Traviata.
Buy this thrilling recording and enjoy one of the most moving operas ever composed!

Average customer rating:

Gheorghiu: Live from LA Scala
Angela Gheorghiu
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000QCUA6Q
Release Date: 2007-08-28

Average customer rating:

Commitment, passion and problems. . . .
Flawed, but nevertheless excellent
Disappointing Puccini recital
Mixed bag
Pitch problems and vocal disappointments

Puccini

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Essential Angela Gheorghiu
Diva
Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias
Angela Gheorghiu - Arias
Angela Gheorghiu - Live from Covent Garden

ASIN: B0006G9HAC
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

Un Bel Di Vedremo
Tu, Tu, Piccolo Iddio
Addio, Mio Dolce Amor - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Nel Villaggio D'Edgar - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Chi Il Sogno Di Doretta
Si, Mi Chiamano Mimi
Quando Me N'vo
Donde Lieta Usci
L'amore E Un'altra Cosa...Laggiu Nel Soledad
In Quelle Trine Morbide
Sola, Perduta, Abbandonata
Senza Mamma
O Mio Babbino Caro
Se Come Voi Piccina Io Fossi
Signore, Ascolta!
Tu Che Di Gel Sei Cinta
In Questa Reggia - Chorus Of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden

Tracks:

Vissi D'arte

Amazon.com

It would be difficult to fault the singing of Angela Gheorghiu on these discs (the second, bonus CD contains "Vissi d'arte" from her complete recording of Tosca). She goes through almost the entire Puccini catalog of heroines--Mimi and Musetta, Liu, Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Liu and Turandot, Lauretta, Suor Angelica, Minnie (from Fanciulla), as well as the gals from La Rondine, Edgar, and Le Villi, and her exquisite, fine-grained, unique sound--with its dusky lower register--is always interesting and beautifully inflected. Her attention to dynamics is admirable, verbally, she seems genuinely involved in each character. The voice can deliver as much power, as in the end of the first Edgar aria, as gentleness, in Suor Angelica's "Senza Mamma" as needed. But somehow she doesn't make any one of the characters entirely her own. This may be a bit picky, but maybe that's the case with recital albums. Let's face it--her voice is irresistible and her husband, Roberto Alagna, adds his bronzed tones to two of the selections. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Commitment, passion and problems. . . ........2007-01-28

Buy this CD and stay with it for a day or two. You'll eventually be won over, even if you belong to another
"camp".

OK: We all know there is a type of "opera queen" of all sexes and sexual orientations that thrive on bashing
certain singers while lauding others. This is not a war. I resisted Gheroghiu for years due to the hype and
marketing. I have not heard her live, so I don't know if she is out-faching herself by singing damn near
everything alla Callas.

What I DO hear is a rather "ugly" voice (again alla Callas) that is so distinctive as to be instantly recognizable. There is that middle European "keening", rapid vibrato quality that Vishnevskaya had.

What I hear above ALL however, is commitment and passion. There are pitch problems, AGAIN alla Callas, sharp
here, flat there, driven "ugly" sounds: all the hallmarks of the Kunstdiva, of which I think she might be the
reigning example in our time.

The Puccini style here is questionable: let's lay that off on the conductor.

Fleming, Gheorghiu, Netrebko, et al: committed, intelligent, driven women who make the world a better place
in which to live and listen.

Have your favorites, and lay off the others in print.

Flawed, but nevertheless excellent.......2006-02-04

My personal rating is 5 stars, but I'm just biased to everything Romanian, the public rating derives from the fact that people need an objective as possible review, and that lead me to the flaws:
Ms. Gheorghiu's voice is there as always, with it's dark, round timbre but, as I beleive a fellow reviewer has noted, they sound a bit alike. The usual passion she injects in this music is not entirely present, she somehow sounds uninspired.
Even so, the good outweighs the bad, and that's what makes this an excellent addition to your musical library; there's not a misplaced note anywhere, her gorgeous voice is a delight to the ears, and the musical selection is quite good and interesting, even if she's not up to the challenge of Turandot (at least not yet). For some reason that I don't share, a few people have found the conducting bad, but that's the aspect I pay less attention to, unless it's enormously obvious.
In short, this is a disc fans of Gheorghiu and good singing can't miss.

Disappointing Puccini recital.......2005-12-06

Angela Gheorgiou can sing Puccini like nobody's bussiness, but something is missing from this collection. It's good, with few rough spots (and admittedly, pitch issues) but I don't want "good" from Angela, I want GREAT! She can do better. She can sing these arias with more passion, better technique and I just don't understand what has happened to her. There is sameness to all these arias, and not much color or variation.
Vissi D'arte is very good, and In questa Regia is great, very different from how it is usually done, but Tu, Tu, Piccolo Iddio is not good at all and I don't like Quando Me N'vo either, I have heard much better performances of this classic, especially by Anna Netrebko, who is hot on Angela's heels as the next great diva. Watch your back, dear Angela!
Also, the programming on this album is strange, why is Vissi D'arte on a seperate disc...?
For anyone who loves this voice, it would still be a nice recital, but I am disappointed, I expected better.

Mixed bag.......2005-12-06

As a great lover of Puccini music, it's difficult to disappoint me when it comes to recordings. This collection of arias sung by Angela Gheorghiu covers every Puccini opera except Il Tabarro (from Il Trittico), so the broad selection is a treat. I've heard many conflicting opinions about her singing, but I consider Gheorghiu's soprano sound to be uniquely rich and beautiful. Moreover, she has made a strong contribution to recorded opera.

Anton Coppola's conducting is too slow for my taste most of the time. He seems to love every note Puccini wrote (which is understandable!), but his pacing undermines the drama in some of these selections. He also doesn't get much force out the orchestra when it is needed, such as in Turandot and the Madama Butterfly finale.

EMI's packaging is ridiculous. One aria, "Vissi D'arte" from Tosca, is on a separate disc, billed as a "bonus CD." It is from her earlier recording of the opera conducted by Antonio Pappano. The case is like a hardcover book, which looks nice, but does not fit in typical CD storage spaces.

Pitch problems and vocal disappointments.......2005-09-27

I really liked Gheorghiu the first time that I heard her. I thought that she was probably the best soprano out there in the spotlight. After hearing this CD, however, I have really changed my mind. First of all, she sings flat in alot in this CD. Secondly, her technique is showing some flaws now in that she can not always pronounce the words correctly. So she makes some strange sounds. For example, "Tu, tu, tu" which should be pronounced with a pure 'oo' sound is pronounced 'tuh'. I also feel that her voice is a bit frantic in alot of parts with her middle range and chest voice being weak and uncoordinated. How unfortunate! She needs to get it together or she is going down the toilet.

Average customer rating:

I know... it's not helpful if I don't agree with you, but....
A True Diva
Excellent voice!
A Diva ? A Copycat
UH WILL THE REAL CALLAS PLEASE STAND UP?

Diva

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

The Essential Angela Gheorghiu
Puccini
Angela Gheorghiu - Arias
Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias
Angela Gheorghiu - Casta Diva / Pido

ASIN: B0001E8C0K
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Tracks:

Casta Diva
Una Voce Poco Fa
Lascia Ch'lo Pianga
Qui La Voce Sua Soave...Ah! Rendetemi La Speme...Vien, Diletto
D'amor Sull'ali Rosee
Werther! Qui M'aurait Dit La Place...Des Cris Joyeux D'enfants
Je Marche Sur Tous Les Chemins...Obeissons Quand Leur Voix Appelle - Nicolas Rivenq
Non! Non!...Ah! Je Veux Vivre Dans Le Reve
L'amour Est Enfant De Boheme
Carreau, Pique...La Mort! En Vain Pour Eviter Les Responses
Depuis Le Jour
Vissi D'arte
Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta
O Mio Babbino Caro

Customer Reviews:

I know... it's not helpful if I don't agree with you, but...........2006-10-26

This is a collection of previously released arias so there's nothing new if you were looking to see if she had improved or something which I was.
Angela has a lovely voice and is lovely to look at. These things are obvious. But one does ask if we have made what you look like more important than what you sound like in opera. I can hear that she sings flat quite a bit. Her rendition of "Depuis le jour" is truly awful. Tremulous, and under pitched singing make it difficult to bear listening to. (If you want to hear a great one check out a young Leontyne Price or Sills) Angela has really great phrasing which makes the under pitched singing all that more of a mystery. Also her low notes, which can be raspy and breathy are very unattractive- as well her transitions between chest & head voice are really glaringly bad. She also slows things down sometimes not out of dramatic effect but when she needs more time to make a "beautiful sound" (something Kiri used to do too.) Which I'm sure the average composer if asked would not be too keen on. Her pronounciation is suspect too. I've heard a tripthong on her Italian vowel u many times. I know, she's from somewhere other than Italy- but so are most opera singers. If one is proclaiming themselves a DIVA then these things should be already taken care of - in my humble opinion- which doesn't matter because she's sold tons of recordings. I listened to the whole CD then admit to having given it away to a friend. Is this the Emperor's clothing or am I the only one that can hear these things? If she had bad phrasing but sang on pitch I would overlook that in view of the loveliness of her voice- but let's face it, these aren't Pendereckian compositions with suggestions for pitches- the composers wrote the pitches indicated for a reason. Sounds like I'm being too harsh? well, I feel the same way about Andrea Boccelli- lovely voice, flat way too much of the time. So now the whole world can hate me for thinking 2 commercial successes don't sing on pitch with the consistency expected at this level.
I know... this isn't helpful because you disagree. It's okay, there may be one person out there who would like an honest opinion even if they disagree, after all, I did cover, in detail, the perfomance and the performer and isn't *that* what these reviews are here for? to help people decide? :)

A True Diva.......2006-04-15

Her interpretation of Casta Diva revealed that Gheorghiu was the true Diva here, sensitive, expressive and yet dignified. She is a wholistic mixture, melting together her talents of beautiful voice, perfect technique and dramatic expression, which not only applies to each song, but often to the phrase or word level. She can convey the emotion of the piece without putting her voice in physical distress. She can also dial in the appropriate amount of "darkness" in her voice for the occasion and dramatic effect.

I do not think she sounded like Callas, whose voice appeared to be stronger and thicker, but less pure and agile than Angela's. Callas always seemed to have some tension in her voice, loud or soft. Gheorghiu can relax or tense up her voice as needed, increasing the dramatic effect, in both her low and higher registers. Finally Angela's lower voice is unmatched in its expressiveness and unstressed purity.

This CD is highly recommended but in order to experience her full artistic talents, including acting, get her DVDs.

Excellent voice!.......2006-02-24

If Maria Callas had a great voice, it would have sounded like this.

A Diva ? A Copycat.......2005-12-24

Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu's "Diva" album: Is this supposed to be a tribute to Maria Callas ? Every time I hear Gheorghiu sing, she sounds like Maria Callas. She's a soprano who is riding on the wave of Maria Calla's past fame. Their voices are very similar..ie. If you put on a Maria Callas record album of the same arias (most notably "Casta Diva", "Una Voce Poco Fa", "D'amor Sull'ari Rosee" "Je Veux Vivre", "Depuis Le Jour" "Vissi D'Arte and "O Mio Babbino Caro." Gheorghiu is an attractive, Mediterrenean-looking woman and her voice is a lot like Callas. I'm assuming audiences adore her because their guilty secret is that they want to see a Maria Callas re-born once more. But on the risk of being too critical, I will admit she has more beautiful tones. She and her husband Roberto Alagna sit on top of the opera world as its most charming, exciting couple/performers. Gheorghiu has a beautiful voice, with dramatic bite and radiant lyrical capacities. However, she has hard one too many Callas records and copied them.

UH WILL THE REAL CALLAS PLEASE STAND UP?.......2004-11-22

WHY IS IT THAT EVERY TIME I HEAR HER SING SHE SOUNDS LIKE MY OLD RECORDINGS OF CALLAS?? THIS CHICK NEVER SEEMS TO DO ANYTHING ORGINAL!!! IN THE ENTIRE CD I FELT LIKE I RATHER LISTEN TO CALLAS THAN TO THIS CALLAS WANNABE

Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Scano · Keenlyside · D'Arcangelo · Di Candia · Chailly

Average customer rating:

just a budding opera listener
Disgusting... what a waste of money.
Better for less
Bets La Boheme. Period.
Not to be missed... This is the future of Boheme!!!

Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Scano · Keenlyside · D'Arcangelo · Di Candia · Chailly
Giacomo Puccini , Riccardo Chailly , Roberto Alagna , Angela Gheorghiu , Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano , Simon Keenlyside , Elisabetta Scano , Ildebrando D'Arcangelo , and Roberto Di Candia
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Puccini - Tosca / Gheorghiu, Alagna, Raimondi, Antonio Pappano (2001 film)
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Verdi: Il Trovatore; Roberto Alagna/Angela Gheorghiu
Sempre Libera [Hybrid SACD]
Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B00001IVPD
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

La Boheme: Quadro primo: Questo Mar Rosso mi ammollisce e assidera (Marcello)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Pensier profondo! (Colline)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Legna!-Sigari!-BordRodolfo) (Marcello) (Colline)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Si puBenoit)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Io resto per terminar larticolo di fondo (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Chi - Scusi (Rodolfo) (Mimi)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Si sente meglio? (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Che gelida manina (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: Si. Mi chiamano MimMimi)
La Boheme: Quadro primo: O soave fanciulla (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro secondo: Aranci, datteri, caldi i marroni! (Venditori)
La Boheme: Quadro secondo: Chi guardi? (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro secondo: Viva Parpignol! (Museta)
La Boheme: Quadro secondo: Oh! - Essa! - Musetta! (Rodolfo) (Schaunard) (Colline) (Marcello)
La Boheme: Quadro secondo: Quando me nvusetta)
La Boheme: Quadro secondo: Chi lha richiesto? (Colline)

Tracks:

La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Ohlle guardie! Aprite! (Spazzaturai)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Sa dirmi, scusi, qualosteria (Mimi)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Mim- Speravo di trovari qui (Marcello) (Mimi)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Marcello, Finalmente! (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Mim una civetta (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Mim tanto malata (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Donde lieta uscl tuo grido damore (Mimi)
La Boheme: Quadro terzo: Dunque roprio finita! (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: In un coup(Marcello)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: O Mimtu pi torni (Rodolfo)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: Gavotta!-Minuetto!-Pavanella!-Fandango! (Colline) (Marcello) (Rodolfo) (Schaunard)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: Cim(Musetta)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: Vecchia zimarra, senti (Colline)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: Sono andati? 'Fingevo di dormire (Mimi)
La Boheme: Quadro quarto: Che avvien?-Nulla. Sto bene (Schaunard) (Mimi)

Amazon.com

Get ready to hear Puccini's star-crossed bohemians as you've never heard them before. To be sure, not only is La Bohème probably the most widely performed opera, but it's one of the most frequently recorded, from the superb account under Thomas Beecham to Karajan's famous Decca version (still a best seller after nearly 30 years). And it's precisely because of the opera's popularity that clichés and overromanticized distortions have settled around performance practice. Riccardo Chailly's goal in making yet another Bohème was to clear these away, using a new critical edition of the score and respecting Puccini's own stated views on how the music should sound, how the drama should unfold. The result is a profoundly moving work of restoration that deserves to join the ranks of its formidable predecessors.

To begin with, this Bohème features a young cast--all in their 30s--of some of today's most characterful singers who together convey the necessary vital sense of ensemble. Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna (the couple first met performing the opera at Covent Garden) bring overwhelming chemistry to Mimì and Rodolfo. For once, we hear the arias of their famous encounter in Act I not as set pieces but as part of a larger momentum in which both are swept up. Alagna, with a thrillingly full sound to his top range, portrays a many-faceted Rodolfo, from dreamy poet and ardent lover to the man broken by loss, while Gheorghiu's radiantly sympathetic Mimì is a study in the use of subtle vocal coloring to dramatic effect. Elisabetta Scano sings an unusually light-voiced Musetta, as transparent as a boy soprano--a fascinating contrast to Simon Keenlyside's robust and charismatic Marcello.

Chailly's urgent, unsentimental approach to the score is, quite simply, a revelation, and the story moves forward briskly. His insight into tempo relation between the "big" numbers and transitional sections highlights Puccini's effect of comic high spirits mingling with intense pathos. Whether it's the aching solo cello in "Mi chiamano Mimì" or the impeccable diminuendo of the final tragic bars, Chailly's well-known mastery of detail foregrounds a lucid variety of colors and dynamics from La Scala's orchestra--its first recording of the opera in more than 30 years--that are often neglected in the music. The result is categorically a Bohème for our time. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

just a budding opera listener.......2006-09-03

Interesting to read all of the succeeding reviews. I would seem to be exposing my lack of musical judgement by admitting that I find Scano's performance exhilarating -- she radiates a tartness & brashness that I associate with Musetta. I wanted to find more recordings of her after listening to this La Bohe