Arias, Duets & Songs, Vol. 2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Perhaps the greatest tenor of the 20th century, Jussi Bjorling possessed a voice of indescribably delicious beauty, with the dramatic depth of Domingo and the lyricism of Pavarotti. It has a unique luster and an edge that enters the body like an erotic electric shock. This recording earns its magnificence by presenting a vast range of arias and songs, including excerpts from Gounod's Pearl Fishers (breathtaking), Offenbach's La Belle Helene (fun and endearing), and Beethoven's Adelaide (scrumptious), as well as standard hits from Rigoletto, Carmen, and Romeo and Juliet. Each delicate gem of music is more magnificent than the previous one. A must have. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Tracks:

El Rey que rabi?: Mi t?o se figura
El Caser?o: Bueno d?as
La Canci?n del olvido: Marinela, Marinela
El Cabo primero: Yo quiero a un hombre
La Leyenda Del Beso: Amor, mi raza sabe conquistar
Bohemios: No quiero que sepa que aqu? vengo yo
La generala: Mi dulce sueno de adolescente
MARINA: Pensar en ?l
La Dolores: !Dolores m ... ! Aquu!
El Nino jud?o: De Espana vengo
Luisa Fernanda: Caballero del alto plumero
La Rosa del Azafr?n: No me duele que se vaya
Don Gil de AlcalBendita cruz
El D?o de la Africana: Comprende lo grave de mi situaci?n

Customer Reviews:

One of he greatest voice ever!.......2007-01-10

A privilege to hear this wonderful voice in these native, for her, works.

overall.......2006-03-16

Great recording
Great music selection, Great orchestration

Every thing is what I was looking for.
I wish you had the same subjects in DVD
Thank you

Beautiful.......2001-09-29

This is a must have if you are not familiar with zarzuela (Madrid's response to Vienna's operetta). It's a nice combination of arias sung by Caballe in beautiful voice and joined by her husband tenor Bernabe Marti for the duets. The CD comes with translations for non Spanish speaking which will greatly improve your satisfaction.
Caballe is in as beautful voice as ever and feels at home with this non very taxing repertoire. She doesn't overindulge in her other times frequent "floatiness" and is very expressive throughout. Thogh sometimes when some coloratura is needed she tends to drop the consonants blurring her enunciation of the words. We are used to this from her opera recordings though she's not as bad as Sutherland.
Marti is a nice tenor but is not in the same league as Caballe. That's why he never got star recognition though he made a few recordings whith his wife, like Bellini's "Il Pirata". His is a lyrical tenor, a little throaty but with nice projection of the sound. He sounds a little strained over the "passagio" but hits all the notes. More importantly, he compensates for his lack of vocal lustre with burning impersonations of his characters. Passionate and burning in some, tender and caressing in others. In this respect is better than his wife who is a little more doll like hidding behind her vocal resources. So I specially enjoyed the many and varied duets in this recording.
Strongly recommended.

Violetta: Arias and Duets from Verdi's La Traviata [Includes DVD]

Average customer rating:

Awesome
Anna Netrebko: a glorious Violetta
Netrebko wins hearts
Heavenly
Exciting new Traviata

Violetta: Arias and Duets from Verdi's La Traviata [Includes DVD]

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Anna Netrebko: Opera Arias
Sempre Libera
Russian Album
The Mozart Album
Anna Netrebko - The Woman, The Voice

ASIN: B000E0OF9S
Release Date: 2006-02-14

Tracks:

Libiamo ne'lieti calici (Brindisi)
E strano! - "Ah, fors'ui"
Follie! Delirio vano uesto!
Sempre libera
Lunge da lei - "De' miei bollenti spiriti"
O mio rimorso!
Pura siccome un angelo
Non sapete quale affetto
Un dquando le veneri
Ah! Dite alla giovine
Imponete "Non amarlo ditegli"
Che fai? "Nulla"
Invitato a qui seguirmi
Ogni suo aver tal femmina
Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende
Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core
Annina? "Comandate?"
Teneste la promessa
Addio del passato
Signora... "Che t'accade?"
Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo
Ah, non pi"Ah! Gran Dio! Morir siovine"
Ah, Violetta! "Voi? Signor?"
Prendi, quest''immagine

Tracks:

Libiamo ne'lieti calici (Brindisi)
Crudele!-Ah no, mio bene! - "Non mi dir, bell'idol" (Donna Anna)
Photo Gallery Anna Netrebko / Bonus-DVD Violetta USA

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-04-05

I LOVE this CD. Her voice is too beautiful, and the duets are fantastic. I get tired of the fancy pants opera listeners from Amazon reviews criticizing minute details. Seriously, who are they ? In the end, her voice is like an angel & the effect is quite pleasant. Close your eyes and enjoy :}

Anna Netrebko: a glorious Violetta.......2006-11-04

While there is certainly no shortage in recordings of Verdi's LA TRAVIATA score (Maria Callas, Beverly Sills and Monika Krause immediately come to mind), a new version is nevertheless always welcome. This is a highlights disc featuring Anna Netrebko taking on the role of consumptive courtesan Violetta Valery, and Ms Netrebko does a credible job.

One of the relatively-recent discoveries in opera, Anna Netrebko brings a great deal of fiery youth and vocal polish to the role of Violetta; she literally sprints through "Folie! folie" and "Sempre libera" at breakneck speed, scaling those delicious high notes with incredible ease, but never makes the music more flashy than it needs to be. Partnering her in the role of Alfredo is the talented Rolando Villazon. Villazon is the perfect anchor for Netrebko's vocal pyrotechnics, and together they create some palpable moments with the duet "Ah non piu!". The hand-picked cast also features Thomas Hampson as Germont, Helene Schneiderman as Flora, Diane Pilcher as Annina, and Salvatore Cordella as Gastone.

Carlo Rizzi leads the Wiener Philharmoniker, and they do complete justice to what is in my book Verdi's single greatest score. The complete score is also available [Deutsche Grammophon 477 5933], but the full flavour of the story, and most of the better arias, are all amply-supplied on this "highlights" disc.

[Deutsche Grammophon 477 5953]

Netrebko wins hearts.......2006-08-07

Anna Netrebko has a rare voice - direct, unaffected, pure enough to stand without need for frills. This CD is a recording of her live opening night performance, it's truly a thrill and her tenor co-star matches her passionate delivery. Sound quality is good, for a live recording excellent. If you're not yet a Netrebko fan this will convert you.

Heavenly.......2006-05-06

Netrebko had the voice of an angle, sang like an angle and die as Violetta like a healthy soprano! Her voice had purity and power few can match, despite some lack of expressiveness in her lower register. As violetta she conveyed effectively strong passion. I hope to see as well as hear her in a DVD of the Saltzburg performance. If the Bonus DVD was an indication, this production should be unconventional and exciting.

On the slightly negative side she seemed to pause (breath?) at strange places and glossed over some notes every now and then. Perhaps these were to be expected in a live performance.

The CD was well produced with nice, clean sound. It was very good for a live recording. The singers and orchestra seemed to be at two different acoustical spaces.

Highly recommended!

Exciting new Traviata.......2006-03-19

In spite of many flaws, which are to be expected in a live recording, this is very exicitng new Traviata! I don't care about comparing this one to old recordings, if you want to hear Verdi sung by today's young, gifted and very engaging singers, this is the album to get. Callas, Moffo and Cotrubas were great, but what's the point of these endless comparisons. This Traviata can stand on its own. The tempi are on the slow side, but there's a feeling of great intensity, especially on this highlight disc, I like the way they put it together. I liked the complete opera recording too, but if you want to hear selection of great arias, this album works very well. Libiamo, Fors'e Lui and all the lyrical pasages are just great. Villazon is marvelous, so passionate. Anna Netrebko has such a beautiful voice and she puts so much drama into her singing, you don't have to see her to understand all the different emotions that Violetta is going through. Of course, these two singers look the part, that's just great, it's time we have such a good looking and talented pair to grace the opera stages. Hampson does not sound his best, but I liked him in Germont's role.
The DVD that comes with this album shows the Libiamo video, and I just can't wait for the DVD of this production! The other video for Donna Anna's aria is taken from Anna's previous DVD collection, but it's somewhat similar in style. This is a very nice bonus, and overall this is a great recording. I am very excited about this new generation of opera singers like Netrebko and Villazon. They may not sing technically perfect, but at least they make you feel something.

Mario Lanza ~ Opera Arias & Duets, from Andréa Chenier · La Bohème · I Pagliacci · Madama Butterfly · Otello

Average customer rating:

Mario Lanza Opera
Outstanding
Unsurpassed!
BMG Needs to hire Folks in the Know
Mario Lanza WAS a trained opera singer

Mario Lanza ~ Opera Arias & Duets, from Andréa Chenier · La Bohème · I Pagliacci · Madama Butterfly · Otello

Manufacturer: RCA
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ASIN: B00000JMH3
Release Date: 2001-10-08

Tracks:

Celeste Aida
Amor Ti Vieta
Di All'azzurro Spazio [From "Andrea Chenier]
O Soave Fanciulla
Fleur Que Tu M'Avais Jetee
O Paradiso
Tal Giocco/Vesti la Giubba
Stolta Paura l'Amor - Mario Lanza,
Donna E Mobile
Vesti la Giubba
M'Appari
Nessun Dorma
Testa Adorata
Come un Bel Di Maggio
Lamento Di Federico
Dio Ti Giocondi - Licia Albanese, Mario Lanza

Customer Reviews:

Mario Lanza Opera.......2007-05-12

This CD of mario is absolutely fabulous. It is the only recording I have managed to find of him singing Nessum Dorma. It is not to be missed. One of operas greatest.

Outstanding.......2006-11-06

Hey, this is Mario Lanza, it can't get any better. A great collection of the best Arias!

Unsurpassed!.......2005-12-13

I am sick and tired of all these technical reviews and critical remarks leveled against everything Mario Lanza did in his short life!

True, musically Mario made some mistakes....but so has every other great tenor in history....from Caruso to Pavarotti and beyond!
And perhaps he sang some arias with too much fortissimo....so what?
Every single song on here, be it among his best or worst work, is a masterpiece when compared to renditions of the same arias by other, more legit and operatically acclaimed tenors.

In order to "get" Lanza one must discard all notions of "finesse", "grace" and " elegance" for Lanza operated, and sang on raw, unadulterated, gut wrenching emotion.
THAT was the genious of Mario Lanza.

We can argue for another 40 years as to his operatic legitimacy...for nought!
Lanza was a VOCAL master and his approach to song was as unconventional and idiosyncratic as was his life.
That's what makes these songs so special and unique.

No one other than perhaps Corelli had the voice and the balls to sing with such uninhibited emotion and that's what this CD is all about.
It is a testament of a great voice.
The fact that Lanza did not have the benefit of a great conductor or teacher guiding him through most of his career, makes these recordings all the more great.

He sang the music as he felt it and that's a big no-no in the stuffy, overbearing and self-righteous world of opera.
Lanza earned millions of dollars because his voice touched all who heard it. His art brought more people to opera than all the leading tenors of his day combined....and this during the golden age of tenors and opera as a whole!

The only word of lesser praise I can offer is the inclusion of the duets. Mario did not have the temprament for duet singing, and subsequently he ended up drowning his partners out, or engaging in a sort of vocal warfare which was the case with much of what he and Grayson recorded during his MGM days.
The arias are great....the duets are medicore on all accounts.

In closing, I apologize for not having spen time on the actual songs. It's been done to death.
All I can say is that, if you wish to hear opera arias sung in a way such as will never be heard again in our lifetime, then this is a CD for you.
If you want proper, technically proficient opera, sung by some big name opera jerk, then stick to that....you'll only end up feeling like all the other good people who have so much negative to say about this CD.

BMG Needs to hire Folks in the Know.......2004-06-15

There are several cuts on this CD that Lnaza did in fact record much better at other times. I have all his records LPs, 78s and movies and I wish BMG would consult a Lanza fan,or me,for the cuts would make the perfect CD. I think its great that we have such a wonderful collection of recordings of Lanza and this one warts and all is still one of the best. The best Lanza set was the RCA LP 2 record set put out in the 70s with Lanza on the cover in M. Butterfly. Where oh where can it be??? Long live Mario Lanza!

Mario Lanza WAS a trained opera singer.......2003-11-13

To the reviewer from Michigan who said Mario never performed an opera on stage, you are wrong. He did two performances as Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly before going off to Hollywood.

Mario had extensive operatic training from some top teachers. He was sought after by many opera companies, including the Met in New York.

Tracks:

La Traviata: Libiamo ne' lieti calici (Brindisi)
Werther: Pourquoi me reveiller
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una parola ... Chiedi all'aura
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar
La Traviata: Parigi, o cara
L'africana: Mi batte il cor ... O paradiso
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Petite Messe solennelle: Domine Deus
Requiem: Ingemisco
La Traviata: Lungi da lei ... De' miei bollenti spiriti
Macbeth: Ah, la paterna mano
I lombardi: La mia letizia infondere
Otello: Gia nella notte densa

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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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.

Average customer rating:

Tebaldi in all her glory (mostly)

Renata Tebaldi sings Arias & Duets

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000JU7N7O
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Customer Reviews:

Tebaldi in all her glory (mostly).......2007-03-14

These 5 budget CDs won't be of much interest to Tebaldi fans, who will already own the widely known operas, almost all in stereo, that have never left the Decca catalog. But anyone, like me, who has a deep fondness for the great soprano but neve really collected her records will find a treasury of great singing. She was gifted with the most feminine, full, powerful voice in Italian opera between 1950 and the mid-Sixties. Not a long career, and overshadowed by the supreme greatness of Callas, who lasted alamost exactly as long. But at the Met, where she was the reigning diva, Tebaldi was the last word in Puccini and almost the last in Verdi.

Amazon doesn't list the contents of this box set, so let me give a thumbnail sketch. The best Verdi excerpts come from Otello, La Forza del Destino, and Aida, often with her favorite tenor, Mario del Monaco. He's the featured player in the majority of the duets here. Lesser Verdi from Tebaldi includes the excerpts from La Traviata (she wasn't enough of a coloratura for Violetta), and Un ballo in maschera (she was caught too old, but the Act II duet with the young Pavarotti finds him in thrilling voice--incomparable, in fact).

The set includes a batch of verismo arias that to tell the truth are probably the best items--Tebaldi had just the right intensity and pathos for Adriana Lecouvreur, La Wally, La Gioconda, and Andrea Chenier. But as her reputation would attest, she was meltingly beautiful in Puccini roles, and it's a shame that her stereo versions found her a bit mature for the girlish parts, not to mention that her chosen conductor was the aging, slack Tulio Serafin. No matter. She sounds great in arias form all the major Puccini operas but especially Manon Lescaut and Suor Angelica, where her deep religiosity adds an especially touching note.

Less necessary--if not totally dispensable--are arias from French operas that Tebaldi sings in Italian (Carmen?), the greatest oddity being Elsa's Act I aria from Lohengrin, which sounds extremely odd in Italian. We also get a hodge podge fifth CD with some popular Italian songs, Christmas carols, and such, at which she is sometimes very charming, sometimes a bit too strained. But that's a minor quibble. I enjoyed this whole collection immensely, especially when it brought back memories of my own youth just learning about opera and the divas who rule them.

Olga Borodina & Dmitri Hvorostovsky: Arias/Duets

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Vocal Companions
two great voices make a great match
Sensational Duet
Oh, the wonderful chemistry here!

Olga Borodina & Dmitri Hvorostovsky: Arias/Duets
Gioachino Rossini , Gaetano Donizetti , Nikolay Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov , Camille Saint-Saens , English Chamber Orchestra , Patrick Summers , and Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Russian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Verdi Arias
Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Dmitri Hvorostovsky in Concert 1998
Dmitri Hvorostovsky: Portrait
Songs of Love and Desire

ASIN: B000006P4K
Release Date: 1998-05-12

Tracks:

Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Largo al factotum
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Dunque io son... Tu non m'inganni?
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa - Io sono docile
La Favorita: Ebben, cosi` si narra! - Quando le soglie paterne
La Favorita: Fia dunque vero, oh ciel! - O mio Fernando
La Favorita: Ma de' malvagi invan - Vien, Leonora
The Tsar's Bride: Zachem ty? Znat' nye lyubish
The Tsar's Bride: Vot da chevo ya dashla, Grigori
The Tsar's Bride: S uma neydot krasavitsa
Samson et Dalila: J'ai gravi la montagne

Customer Reviews:

Vocal Companions.......2002-07-17

The equal strength and drama that Olga Borodina & Dmitri Hvorostovsky can create together is outstanding. Well matched. I got this after being so impressed with Borodina as Amneris several years ago at the Met. Her characterization was rivetting. Mr. Hvorostovsky displays similar talents in the refreshing "Largo al factotum".
Both free spirits.

two great voices make a great match.......2001-06-14

A marvelous mix of solo arias and duets, these two fabulous voices blend beautifully, and have here chosen an interesting selection to delight our ears.

Rossini: Dmitri's glorious voice, and musical sensibilities, manage to bring a freshness even to the perhaps too familiar "Largo al Factotum"...compared with his '92 recording of this, his Italian here is even crisper, and voice even more honey-golden. Olga sings the part of Rosina (as it was originally written) in her wonderful warm mezzo,doing the famous "Una Voce Poco Fa" to perfection.

Donizetti: Sumptuously melodic and wonderfully sung, Olga's "O Mio Fernando" is exquisite. Rimsky-Korsakov: Though his operas are little known, these selections from "The Tsar's Bride" may make you want to hear more, and if you don't already have them, get all the available Dmitri CDs !

Saving the best for last, Saint-Saens' "J'ai Gravi la Montagne" from "Samson et Dalila" is sensational. Their voices really shine in this gorgeous duet...it's a spectacular piece.

The English Chamber Orchestra led by Patrick Summers does an excellent job here (especially in the Saint-Saens) and the little "libretto" is in the original sung language (the Russian in cyrillic) and with an English translation.

As a huge Dmitri fan, and an admirer of Olga Borodina, I find this well-rounded CD of arias/duets make for some very satifying listening.

Sensational Duet.......2001-04-08

This Borodina & Hvorostovsky team created at most dream like sound here. I'd like to hear more of great duet like this but not much chance, no wonder this CD has been a hit since it's release. We are really hungry for good Bell Canto operas. Why there isn't much available? I had a pleasure of attending concert opera performance of La Favorita at the Carnegie Hall in March. Mr. Hvorostovsky sung King Alfonso and he was absolutely wonderful. I thought he was 100 times better than I imagined. If Donizetti could hear, he would be very happy. Complete recording of Tsar's bride is available and I really appreciate if they release complete version of Barbiere and Favorita by these sensational current artists together.

Oh, the wonderful chemistry here!.......1999-06-06

A delightful concept album indeed. Borodina and Hvorostovsky are indeed more than competent equals. If the recordings of the 'Tsar's Bride' music are any indication, they should fill up opera houses and become better known in a very few years. Hooray for the young Russians!

Kirsten Flagstad: Wagner Arias and Duets with Melchior

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Kirsten Flagstad: Wagner Arias and Duets with Melchior

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Flagstad, Kirsten | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003ES8
Release Date: 1990-04-19

Tracks:

Tristan Und Isolde: Mild Und Leise
Lohengrin: Euch Luften, Die Mein Klagen
Parsifal: Ich Sah' Das Kind (Kundry-Parsifal Duet) - Kirsten Flagstag/Lauritz Melchior
Die Walkure: Du Bist Der Lenz
Die Walkure: Ho-Jo-To-Ho!
Gotterdammerung: Vorspiel/Prologue/Prld/Preludio: Zu Neuen Thaten - Kirsten Flagstag/Lauritz Melchior
Gotterdammerung: Starke Scheite Schichtet Mir Dort (Brunnhilde's Immolation)

Opera's Finest Moments: Greatest Tenors Divas Arias & Duets [Germany]

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Opera's Finest Moments: Greatest Tenors Divas Arias & Duets [Germany]
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Deja Vu
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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The Most Famous Opera Arias

ASIN: B000N4S9MY
Release Date: 2007-02-19

Average customer rating:

The favorites are here

Opera Arias And Duets

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Most Famous Opera Arias

ASIN: B000000UWD
Release Date: 1996-03-12

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

Tracks:

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

Customer Reviews:

The favorites are here.......2000-06-19

Well, this is a great introduction to the world of opera for those who are opera novitiates, there's no question there. And they are certainly some of the most popular arias and duets from a large sampling of operas as one may be able to tell. However, there are some not so great renditions of the arias and duets on here. But most of the selections are fairly well done to quite exquisite.

The first CD contains just opera arias. I will make note of certain selections, and the rest you can consider to be of pretty good quality. The first track, "Gualtier Maldé... Caro nome" is wonderfully done by Anna Moffo, even though her high E ending is not quite in keeping with the style of the period, yet still quite nice to hear. Edita Gruberova's version of "Ah! Je veux vivre" is just ghastly. This coloratura soprano goes awry here and sounds as though she was drunk when recording this piece. My advice is to try to skip this track altogether unless you like to hear wobbling all over the place and screaming instead of beautiful high notes. This is probably my biggest criticism of this CD set, due to the fact that there are much better versions, especially the one by Joan Sutherland (the prima donna who was the master of coloratura in her time). Edita does go on to spur a bit of hope that she can do coloratura in the famous Bell song from Lakmé. She shows some wonderful skills with beautifully high pianissimos and scale work, but it falls apart once she gets to the real heavy-duty coloratura part near the end, and is off pitch in places, especially on her final shrieked note which is almost painful. And as for her "Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen" from the Magic Flute, it's so-so in comparison to versions that Sumi Jo, Christina Deutekom, and Lucia Popp have done. Now there's some coloratura sopranos for you. So now you see why I had to at least knock down my rating of this CD a little bit.

When looking at the second CD, for the opera duets, this one is generally much better than the first CD. However, there are some pretty old recordings on here, namely the "Un di, felice, eterea" and "Parle-moi de ma mère" that sound kind of hollow and tin-like. The rest of the recordings are pretty much around the same age or older and these performers sound quite good. I especially like the tracks "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" with Popp and Brendel (note: Lucia Popp has done both the roles of the Queen of the Night and Pamina. I highly recommend these two different versions of the opera the Magic Flute if this track whets your appetite for more), and "È il sol dell'anima" with Reri Grist's wonderful clear soprano voice. Probably the highlight of this CD set though is the beautiful "Presentation of the Rose" duet from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier. This just sends chills through the spine every time with its hauntingly beautiful harmonies.

Overall, this sampling of the various arias and duets are quite good and merit a rating of 4 stars in my mind. Keep in mind though that there are some bad renditions of the arias as I said before, and sound quality is not top-notch with some of the selections. However, this CD set, when its good sampling of artists gone-by and famous arias is combined with the unbelievably low price it is, it's almost a steal! (This is why I believe this CD set redeems itself from a rating of 3 up to a 4 by the way) I can only hope that those new to opera will fall in love with what it has to offer: beautiful melodies, harmonies, and voices that convey emotions and storylines on a whole different level than music and books can by themselves. Enjoy

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

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