Agnes Baltsa sings Rossini

1. L'italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers), opera Cruda sorte! Amor tiranno!
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

2. Il barbière di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera Una voce poco fa
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

3. Maometto II, opera Non temer: d'un basso affetto
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

4. L'italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers), opera Amici, in ogni evento - Pensa alla patria
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

5. Tancredi, opera O Patria! - Tu che accendi - Di tanti palpiti
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

6. La cenerentola (Cinderella), opera Nacqui all'affanno e al pianto
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

7. Semiramide, opera Bel raggio lusinghier
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

8. La donna del lago (The Lady of the Lake), opera Tanti affetti in tal momento
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa
Conducted by Ion Marin

Tracks:

L'Italiana In Algeri 'Cruda sorte! Amor tiranno!'
Il Barbiere di Siviglia 'Una voce poco fa'
Maometto II 'Non temer: d'un basso affetto'
L'Italiana In Algeri 'Amici, in ogni evento' - 'Pensa alla patria'
Tancredi 'O Patria!' - 'Tu che accendi' - 'Di tanti palpiti'
La Cenerentola 'Nacqui all'affanno e al pianto'
Semiramide 'Bel raggio lusinghier'
La donna del lago 'Tanti affetti in tal momento'

Customer Reviews:

Better than Horne.......2006-07-06

Agnes Baltsa has such a great voice. The reviewer who gave two stars proclaimed that one would be better off with Horne.... Marilyn Horne in her younger years was absolutely wonderful, but that did not last. She makes some of the ugliest sounds in opera. Also, if you want to talk about evident breaks in a voice, Horne is a prime example. Anyway, Baltsa is an amazing mezzo, with a great upper extension.... you will be pleased

The ice does crack..........2002-10-04

I bought this CD with an aural image of the young Baltsa in Mozart and Rossini in my mind. It turns out that was the wrong thing to do. Baltsa never had a full integration of her lower and higher registers, and the breaks between the two are especially noticable here. It becomes especially apparent in coloratura runs that circle around this area of her voice. The singing tends to be effortful, and she really has no business singing "Bel raggio lusinghier" when she ducks all the high notes and omits a decent cadenza. Coloratura, contrary to my expectations, too often sounds laboured. Occasionally though, you get a glimpse of Bltsa the great Rossinian, with some intelligent musical insights and rythmic touches. On the whole however, you're far better off with Podles, Horne, Kasarova and Larmore, all of whom have produced Rossini discs of far greater distinction...

Absolutely worth while!.......2001-05-05

The first time I heard this CD, I could not help wondering when I would hear Baltsa produce some dreadful sound on it. In other words, I felt she was walking on very thin ice. Well, she did not produce any horrible sounds so I managed to listen to the CD more relaxed the second time and have since then played this disc over and over again. Eventhough some people may feel that Rossini should be sung with more 'finesse', if that is the right word, Baltsa approaches each aria on this CD well-thought, intelligently and - most important - without making a showcase of the arias, as so many singers do with Rossini. The Maometto aria is a pure gem! But I guess as is always the case with Baltsa, you either like her, or you don't, there's no inbetween.