Giulietta Simionato

On this CD:

1. Orfeo ed Euridice, (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Restar vogl'io da sol... Chiamo il mio ben così
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

2. Orfeo ed Euridice, (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Euridice, ombra cara... Cerco il mio ben così
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

3. Orfeo ed Euridice, (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Euridice! Euridice! Piango il mio ben così
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

4. Orfeo ed Euridice, (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Deh placatevi con me
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

5. Orfeo ed Euridice, (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Che puro ciel
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

6. Orfeo ed Euridice, (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Ecco un nuovo tormento... Che farò senza Euridice
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

7. L'italiana in Algeri (The Italian Girl in Algiers), opera Amici, in ogni evento... Pensa alla patria!
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

8. Tancredi, opera Di tanti palpiti
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

9. La cenerentola (Cinderella), opera Nacqui all'affanno
Composed by Gioachino Rossini
Performed by Milan Radio Symphony Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Nino Sanzogno

10. Les Huguenots, grand opera in 5 acts Nell'orror di cupa notte... Ah! L'infido! Quest'anima amante
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Nicolai Ghiaurov, Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

11. Les Huguenots, grand opera in 5 acts Raul... Ove vai tu... Stringe il periglio... Non ascolti un suon funebre?
Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
Performed by La Scala Theater Orchestra with Franco Corelli, Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

12. Anna Bolena, opera Oh! qual parlar fu il suo... La mia fama è a' pie' dell'ara... Ah! qual sia cercar non oso
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
Performed by Milan Radio Symphony Orchestra with Plinio Clabassi, Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

13. Anna Bolena, opera Per questa fiamma indomita... Ah! pensate che rivolti
Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
Performed by Milan Radio Symphony Orchestra with Plinio Clabassi, Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni

14. Il Trovatore, opera Stride la vampa!... Condotta ell'era in ceppi
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Franco Corelli, Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

15. Il Trovatore, opera In braccio al mio rival!... Giorni poveri vivea... Deh!... rallentate, o barbari
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Ettore Bastianini, Giulietta Simionato, Nicola Zasccaria
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

16. Il Trovatore, opera Madre, non dormi?... Ai nostri monti
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Franco Corelli, Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Herbert von Karajan

17. Aida, opera L'abborrita rival a me sfuggia... Ohimè, morir me sento... Empia razza
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Giulietta Simionato
Conducted by Lovro von Matacic

Tracks:

Il Trovatore: Act I: Introduzione: 'All 'erta! All'erta!' (Ferrando, Coro)
Il Trovatore: Act I: Di due figli vivea padre beato... Abbietta zingara' (Ferrando, Coro)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: Scena e Cavatina: 'Che piu t'arresti?' (Ines, Leonora)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Tacea la notte placida...Di tale amor' (Leonora, Ines)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: Scena, Romanza e Terzetto: 'Tace la notte' (Il Conte)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Deserto sulla terra' (Manrico, Il Conte)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Non m'inganno. Ella scende!... Di geloso amor' (Il Conte, Leonora, Manrico)
Il Trovatore: Act II: Coro di Zingari e Canzone: 'Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie' (Coro)
Il Trovatore: Act II: 'Stride la vampa' (Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Act II: 'Mesta e la tua canzon!' (Coro, Azucena, Manrico, Un vecchio zengaro)
Il Trovatore: Act II: Scena e Racconto: 'Soli or siam!' (Manrico, Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Act II: 'Condotta ell'era in ceppi' (Azucena, Manrico)
Il Trovatore: Act II: Scena e Duetto: 'Non son tuo figlio?' (Manrico, Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Act II: 'Mal reggendo all'aspro assalto' (Manrico, Azucena, Un messo)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: Scena ad Aria: 'Tutto e deserto' (Il Conte, Ferrando)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: Il balen del suo sorriso...per me, ora fatale' (Il Conte, Ferrando, Coro)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: Finale II: 'Ah! se l'error t'ingombra' (Coro, Il Conte, Ferrando)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Perche piangete?' (Leonoro, Ines, Il Conte, Coro)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'E deggio, e posso crederlo?' (Leonora, Il Conte, Manrico, Ferrando, Coro, Ines, Ruiz)

Tracks:

Il Trovatore: Act III: Coro d'Introduzione: 'Or co'dadi' (Coro, Ferrando)
Il Trovatore: Act III: Scena e Terzetto: 'In braccio al mio rival!' (Il Conte, Ferrando, Coro, Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Act III: 'Giorni poveri vivea' (Azucena, Ferrando, Il Conte, Coro)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: scena ed Aria: 'Quale d'armi fragor poc'anzi intesi?' (Leonora, Manrico)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Ah! si, ben mio' (Manrico)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'L'onda de'suoni mistici' (Leonora, Manrico)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Manrico?'-'Che?'-'La zingara' (Ruiz, Manrico, Leonora)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Di quella pira' (Manrico, Leonora, Ruiz, Coro)
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Scena, Aria e Miserere 'Siam giunti' (Ruiz, Leonora)
Il Trovatore: Act IV: 'D'amor sull'ali rosee' (Leonora)
Il Trovatore: Act IV: 'Miserere' (Coro, Leonora, Manrico)
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Scena e Duetto: 'Udiste? Come albeggi' (Il Conte, Leonora)
Il Trovatore: Act IV: 'Qual voce!'...'Mira, di acerbe lagrime' (Il Conte, Leonora)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: Finale Ultimo: 'Madre, non dormi? ... Ai nostri monti' (Manrico, Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Che! Non m'inganna quel fioco lume?' (Manrico, Leonora, Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Scene 2: 'Ti scosta!' (Manrico, Leonora, Il Conte, Azucena)
Il Trovatore: Act III, Scene 2: Duettino: 'Solenne in quest'ora'
Il Trovatore: Act III, Scene 2: Scena: 'Morir! Tremenda cosa!'
Il Trovatore: Act III, Scene 2: Aria: 'Una fatale del mino destino... Egli e salvo!' (Don Alvaro: Franco Corelli - Don Carlo di Vargas: Ettore Bastianini Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Francesco Molinari Pradelli, 1958

Customer Reviews:

Price, Corelli and Karajan at their peaks--need any more be said?.......2006-08-07

This 1962 Vienna State Opera performance of Trovatore is now a document of a new Golden Age of opera. Price and Corelli had taken the Metropolitan by storm the previous year in the same roles and the vocal beauty, strength and ardor that propelled them to international stardom are much in evidence, particularly in the former's assumption of Leonora--Price even throws in a few extra high Cs in the "Miserere" for good measure. Her two big arias "Tacea la notte" and "D'amor sull' ali rosee" are replete with her characteristic shimmering vibrato and creamy tone. Corelli sings with big, gorgeous tone and with more care in phrasing than in some of his other recorded performances-only his concluding high note at the end of the third act seems somewhat pressed. Azucena and the Conte di Luna are in the more than capable hands of Giulietta Simionato and Ettore Bastianini.

Despite the ease with which the dictum that "all Trovatore needs is the four greatest singers in the world" is met, ultimately the driving force behind this night is Karajan, who gives this fast-moving melodrama exactly the propulsion it needs without slighting the lyrical moments. The Vienna Philharmonic responds with a razor-sharp rendition of the score. Against such virtues the faults of a live recording can easily be forgiven: mono sound and some questionable balances (the "offstage" harp in Manrico's first solo sounds as if it is about two feet from the microphone). Most of the traditional stage cuts are observed as well: thus the second verses of both Leonora's and Manrico's cabalettas are missing, as well as the whole of Leonora's last-act cabaletta, "Tu vedrai." Nevertheless, for opera lovers, this is a Trovatore not to be missed.

Grab it before it goes away. . ........2005-11-18

This recording is a must have for any real lover of singing: Corelli and
Price together, LIVE, not to mention Simionato.

Karajan keeps things at a white hot clip, and the velvet of Price with
the trumpeting of Corelli make for the kind of over-the-top opera
experience one lives for.

Given the year and conditions of the recording, the sound is excellent.
I'm one who can tolerate less that state of the art sound for the
excitement of live historic performances.

Price occasionally interpolates unexpected high notes, and then
caps the "Mira" with a high c that would have best been left at home,
but these are just a few tiny pimples on an otherwise stunning face.
And at these prices, it is a complete steal. Buy it.

Brilliant Trovatore.......2004-05-13

This is a fabulous Trovatore but the "Spotlight Reviewer" seems not to know the opera at all! The heroine of "Il Trovatore" is called LEONORA, not ELVIRA. He wrote his review to bash Maria Callas who is still the greatest Leonora to this day. (I'm quoting PRICE here!)

Anyway, Price, Corelli and Simionato made MAGIC here. Not to be missed!

A review plus corrections.......2004-02-10

This is a fantastic Trovatore, my favourite after the performance with Callas and Lauri Volpi. (Live, 1951) But as great as this recordings is, these reviews aren't great. I want to correct the most atrocious mistakes. Several persons don't even know how to spell this opera. It's "Il Trovatore" not Travatore. And the heroine is called Leonora and not Elvira.

"Her trills is gorgeous in her second big aria. And lo and behold she sticks a high D that shames every singer alive at that time. I know she's a great Verdi singer. But I didn't know how great she was until this. The voice is sublime. It puts Caballe and Tebaldi and Callas to shame. And I'm a fan of those divas."

As lovely as all her singing is, it's just her trill that is flawed because it's shaky and unstable. That aside Price sounds FANTASTIC. Also, Callas sang E-flats and Ds as Leonora in her live-recordings from 1950-1951.

To sum it up: Excellent singing from Price&Corelli under the baton of the exquisite von Karajan. Two thumbs up!!!!!! A++++++++++++++++

Exceptional and Exciting.......2003-12-05

I reviewed another release of this same recording, which is a bit more expensive, and just as great, though the sound quality of that release is better than this one (however, this is fabulous). To everyone reading the reviews, there is a problem if you read a review from "a European visiting America." That review is not of this opera, or this work, or this composer. That review deals with a live recording of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots. Many of the details are inaccurate in that review as Corelli sings nothing above a hig B in it, and none of the cadenzas for his character.

However, be that as it may, this opera is IL TROVATORE, and I think it only right to let readers know which opera is being reviewed. You won't find a Joan Sutherland in this recording (what role would she sing with Price singing the lead female role). I find it very irresponsible of reviewers who love a particular performer to put their one review on every recording that was issued with that singer, even if the recording reviewed is not the one spoken of in the review. Amazon should really remove that review from this recording as it has nothing what ever to do with this recording.

As for Trovatore, well, this is an extremely energetic fabulous recording and all the principles are in wonderful voice (not to mention ability). The entire performance just rushes forth and we are swept away in it. The orchestra is incredible, and the conductor really sees the drama of the score. Sadly, the cabaletta that comes after the Miserare is missing (it isn't in many live recordings of the work) and it is something Price does so wonderfully well. As far as time goes, it doesn't take that long. It could have been added.

We are witnessing a performance that has few to match it, one where the energy and the "special magic" that seldom occurs in performance is happening.

Tracks:

Preludio
Posa In Pace
La Rivedra Nell'Estasi
Alla Vita Che T'aaride
Volta La Terrea
Ogni Cura Si Doni Al Diletto
Zitti... I'incanto Non Dessi Turbare
Re Dell'Abisso, Affrettati
Che V'agita Cosi?
Della Citta All'occaso
Su, Profetessa, Monta il Treppie
Di' Tu Se Fedele
Orsu, Amici
E' Scherzo Od E Follia
Finisci Il Vaticinio
Preludio
Ecco I'Orrido Campo
Ma Dall'arido Stelo Divulsa
Tecco It Sto

Tracks:

Ahime! S'appressa Alcun!
Seguitemi...Mio Dio!
Ve', Se Di Notte Qui Colla Sposa
A Tal Colpa E Nulla Il Pianto
Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia
Alzati; La Tuo Figlio
Eri Tu Che Macchiavi Quell'anima
Siam Soli. Udite
Dunque I'onta Di Tutti Sol Una
D'Una Grazia Vi Supplico
Il Messaggio Entri
Ah! Di Che Fulgor, Che Musiche
Forse La Soglia Attinse
Ma Se M'E Forza Perderti
Saper Vorreste
Fervono Amori E Danze(rip)... So Che Tu Sai
Ah! Perche Qui Fuggite
Ella E Pura

Customer Reviews:

Wow! It's like dying and going to Heaven!.......2007-05-30

What to say....."AT LAST!"
Yes, at last! Finally, after all these years (I guess it took the passing of Ms Nilsson and many inquiries from me to Decca/Philips/Universal Classics, pleading for it), finally it is available for our hot little hands again.

I love this recording. Another of my "growing-up" opera recordings, so it's like seeing an old friend from my childhood again! Is this the best "un Ballo"...probably not, but it certainly ranks up there. I loved these old singers, and generally will always want the "old" recordings I knew to still be in my collection, even though they have been "surpassed" or replaced with newer efforts. In many cases today, I feel that studio recordings have been "juiced-up" technologically or electronically to sound better than they really are. The singers in these older recordings were doing all this on their own, with no "clean-up" or "beefing" as I call it, except for perhaps occasional phrases or notes being re-recorded and spliced in. This recording is one of my favorite recordings from the beginning of my operatic journey to today. It has been bested by Solti's newer effort in digital sound, etc, and by others, but know what...this will always be in place on my shelves, and I will go to it frequently to listen to Ms Nilsson's efforts, along with Bergonzi's, Macneil's, Simionato's, Solti's and the Accadamia de Saint Cecelia Orchestra of Rome. To Universal Classics I say "Brava" on the re-release of this grand old recording. ~operabruin

How Italian should 'Un Ballo' be? This one isn't very.......2007-05-29

In terms of recording and vocal polish, this 1962 Un Ballo from Rome is exemplary. Bergonzi and Nilsson were world-class voices, and the role of Amerlia suited Nilsson almost as well as Aida. For power, accuracy, ad vocal gleam she has no peers. Yet I always hear her in the shadow of Callas and Tebaldi, who gave us tragic, poingnant Amelias in the true Italian style. If that doesn't matter so much to you, then Nilsson is ealy beyond praise. She displays real heart and is never steely.

In fact, I like her better here than Bergonzi, who is always priased for stylishness yet who lacks heft and passion. His Riccardo is too much like a school lesson in how to sing the role, and by comparison Domingo and Pavarotti create more passion and thrills. I must concede, however, that sparks do fly between Bergonzi and Nilsson in their great Act 2 duet. Macneil is strong and stalwart but not Italiante, either. As for Solti, his aggressive, punchy conducting is actually quite effective, but he would go on to do much better in 1985 with Margaret Price and Pavarotti as his two leads. That set is preferable to this one, I think, because it feels emotionaly ture whereas this one feels put together form bits and pieces. Both are powerhouse readings, however.

ARGUABLY THE BEST "BALLO" EVER RECORDED.......2007-05-22

Deccca is to be congratulated and commended for finally reissuing this superb recording long absent from the catalogue. Georg Solti's way with the weightier Verdi operas is dramatic, compelling, and totally absorbing. He infuses the power of Wagner and Strauss into his orchestration, and it gives this opera an orchestral grandeur that is far less evident on other recordings. He's directing a cast who are themselves legendary. Carlo Bergonzi, the epitome of Italian lyricism, is heard here in his early vocal prime, and the dividends he pays are only slightly less than those paid by Bjoerling on the legendary 1940 Met performance. His voice flows like honey, and his phrasing is exemplary. Cornell MacNeil is captured here in his early prime as well - with a free and sonorous baritone that makes "Eri tu" one of the highlights of the performance. His Renato is appropriately menacing and anguished at the same time. Giulietta Simionato, a veteran Italian mezzo, who specialized in Verdi's mezzo roles, makes the most out of this brief but important role. Her top voice rings out dramatically in Ulrica's climaxes, though one would have liked equal power on those exciting "basement" notes that Verdi actually wrote for a true contralto, which Simionato was not (but then again, real contraltos are as scarce as original Mickey Mouse watches). Sylvia Stahlman was an excellent coloratura who should have had a greater career, as her Oscar here demonstrates. Her passage work is accurate, attractive, and limber. Her contribution to the trio in Act III is formidable. That leaves Birgit Nilsson, the mighty Isolde and Brunnhilde of her generation. Yes, she was a Wagnerian and Strauss soprano, but she was also an Aida, a Tosca, a Lady Macbeth, the most famous Turandot in history, and finally, an Amelia in "Ballo". Nilsson does not have the Italianate sound that we have become accustomed to in these roles, but her Nordic virtues are well known. She sang this role often in Sweden, and did very well by it. The role is very difficult, and is loaded with top B flats, B's, and a couple of high C's. These top notes are child's play for her. Her vocal power is something not to be believed, and her ascent to the climatic top C in the Act II aria is something which must be experienced rather than described. She and Bergonzi blend beautifully in the big duet in Act II and they both end it on a sustained high C (though it must be said that Nilsson's is five times the size of Bergonzi's, and she was probably STILL standing further from the microphone!). This recording is a real recorded achievement, and I don't think you've really experienced Verdi"s "Ballo" until you've heard the possibilities explored here. If I had to part with all my other "Ballo" recordings (and I have plenty of them!), this is most definitely the one I'd be clinging to. At the incredibly low price Amazon is charging for it, my advice is to grab it before it again becomes out of print.

Grazia Decca! Bravo Bergonzi!.......2007-04-22

Thanks and praise to Decca for finally making this Ballo available on CD. Riccardo was one of Carlo Bergonzi's greatest roles -- right up there with Radames, Alfredo, Alvaro, Edgardo, and Nemorino. In addition to this Decca/Solti offering, which is Bergonzi's first commercial recording of Ballo, there is his second commercial recording a few years later for RCA with L. Price, Grist, Verrett, and Merrill under Leinsdorf. There are also pirate CDs of a live performance with Leyla Gencer, as well as pirate VHSs, now available on DVDs, of a fine live televised performance in Tokyo (with Stella and Zanasi, and Japanese subtitles). When Decca recently issued its Bergonzi "Sublime Voice" collection, most of Riccardo's role was included (but not the final masked ball scene with the Amelia-Riccardo duet and Riccardo's death-bed pardon of Renato). That release was welcome, but not enough for those who admire the whole Decca recording which until now was available only on our old LPs.

Comparing the present Decca issue with the RCA studio recording, Bergonzi's performance on both is outstanding, but the Decca is, to my ears, the more exciting of the two. As to the other participants and the two recordings taken as a whole, each has its merits and demerits, and any lover of this opera will be fortunate to own both. The Decca acoustic, as with other Decca recordings of the period (such as the Karajan Aida with Tebaldi, Bergonzi, and Simionato), favors the orchestra and occasionally comes close to drowning out the soloists at a climactic moment (but it's better than the aforementioned Aida in this respect). But all the words and all the music are there and are easily audible, especially if you know what you are listening for, and the quality of the sound -- both near and distant --is excellent. There is also some use of the patented Decca stage movement, which works well. With the soloists in full cry and not close-miked, the Decca comes much closer to simulating the ambience of a live performance than the RCA studio recording. And Solti's account of the orchestral score is exciting in a way that the Leinsdorf for RCA, though excellent, is not.

Birgit Nilsson may not be anyone's first choice for Amelia, and sometimes her loud high notes are so metallic as to be more suited to her Wagner and Strauss heroines than to Verdi. But I find her performance here taken as a whole to be enjoyable, dramatically expressive, in many places exciting, and sufficiently attuned to the Verdi style to be interesting and worth hearing and rehearing. L. Price on the RCA has her good moments, and she was a great Verdian, but she seems not to be in her best voice in many places on that recording.

As for Oscar, Sylvia Stahlman on Decca holds her own with the much more frequently recorded Grist on RCA. Stahlman is quite pleasant to listen to and acquits herself very well in the role, although her low notes are weak and her diction not quite up to Grist's standard. The Grist performance on the RCA is also excellent.

Ulrica is a somewhat ungrateful part which is not the best role in the great Simionato's repertoire (or that of other great Verdi mezzos), but she acquits herself honorably here, sometimes with better volume in the high parts than in the low parts (a bit surprising, in light of her justified fame as Amneris and Azucena, although I think part of the problem on this recording may be the Decca sonics). If mild criticism is justified, the fact remains that the role is well and idiomatically sung. Verrett on RCA is her usual full-toned force of nature, and she gives the kind of thrilling account of this role that one came to expect from her, whether she was Eboli, Dalilah, or Lady Macbeth.

MacNeil as Renato on Decca is fresh-voiced and deploys a beautiful instrument. But Merrill on RCA gives a more seasoned and, perhaps surprisingly to some, a more dramatically characterful account of the role.

John Culshaw recounts in his autobiography "Putting the Record Straight" the difficulties that arose in making this recording, including a sad account of his dealings with Jussi Bjorling, whom Bergonzi replaced on this project. Although Culshaw was "haunted" by the "ghost" of Bjorling "no matter how superbly Bergonzi sang" and appears to think that this recording is not one of Decca's most successful efforts, it has much to commend itself from my perspective. You can turn the volume up for most of the opera for optimal appreciation of the soloists, and you can turn it down in time to avoid being startled by the one or two orchestral climaxes that may fairly be characterized as blasting (including the final notes of the opera). The faults of this recording notwithstanding, the magnificence of the Bergonzi performance is a treasure, and the rest of the recording matches up pretty evenly with the RCA when the pluses and minuses of each are considered, and there are elements in each that could just as well lead someone to favor the Decca over the RCA as vice versa. But since we now have both, there is no need to prefer one over the other.

If Decca's tardiness in preparing and issuing this CD had to do with a perceived conflict with its Bartoletti/Pavarotti and/or its Solti/Pavarotti recordings of this opera (and I have no idea whether that was the case) -- or if it reflected an assumption that there would not be a sufficient market for this Solti/Bergonzi offering in view of the Pavarotti recordings (also entirely speculative) and the reductions over time in the ranks of Bergonzi fans, including those who, like myself, have heard him perform this and other roles at the MET -- those considerations would only make me more grateful. There is more than one good recording of most great operas. It will be interesting to see how the market responds to the current issue. I would guess that there are many people of all ages who cherish Bergonzi's extensive discography and who will be delighted to have this Ballo for the enjoyment it will hold for years to come. Perhaps this review will help encourage others to take advantage of the opportunity to experience the pleasures of this recording.

Carlo Bergonzi - The Sublime Voice ~ 40 Tracks from the Legendary Tenor

Average customer rating:

Complete Solti/Bergonzi Ballo Released
Another dazzled listener
Sublime indeed
The sublime vocal artist
Blown away!

Carlo Bergonzi - The Sublime Voice ~ 40 Tracks from the Legendary Tenor
Giuseppe Verdi , Giacomo Puccini , Ruggiero Leoncavallo , Pietro Mascagni , Amilcare Ponchielli , Tullio Serafin , Herbert von Karajan , Georg Solti , Rafael Kubelik , Nello Santi , Gianandrea Gavazzeni , Lamberto Gardelli , Sir John Pritchard , Carlo Bergonzi , Renata Tebaldi , Ettore Bastianini , Fiorenza Cossotto , Enzo Sordello , Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau , Tugomir Franc , Renata Scotto , Libero Arbace , Fernando Corena , Birgit Nilsson , Giulietta Simionato , Sylvia Stahlman , Joan Sutherland , Dora Carral , and Piero de Palma
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004C8TH
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Tracks:

La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Rodolfo Gianna D'Angelo/Ettore Bastianini
La Boheme: O Soave Fanciulla - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Rodolfo Gianna D'Angelo/Ettore Bastianini
La Boheme: Mimi E Tanto Malata - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Rodolfo Gianna D'Angelo/Ettore Bastianini
La Boheme: Dunque E Proprio Finita! - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Rodolfo Gianna D'Angelo/Ettore Bastianini
La Boheme: In Un Coupe?... O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Rodolfo Gianna D'Angelo/Ettore Bastianini
Madama Butterfly: Dovunque Al Mondo - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Fiorenza Cossotto/Enzo Sordello
Madama Butterfly: Vogliatemi Bene - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Fiorenza Cossotto/Enzo Sordello
Madama Butterfly: Io So Che Alle Sue Pene - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Fiorenza Cossotto/Enzo Sordello
Madama Butterfly: Addio, Fiorito Asil - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi/Fiorenza Cossotto/Enzo Sordello
Cavalleria Rusticana: Ah! Io Vedi, Che Hai Tu Detto? - Carlo Bergonzi/Fiorenza Cossotto
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Carlo Bergonzi
Don Carlo: Dio, Che Nell'alma Infondere - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Tugomir Franc/Chor Of The ROHCG
Rigoletto: Questa O Quella - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Renata Scotto/Fiorenza Cossotto
Rigoletto: Ella Mi Fu Rapita! - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Renata Scotto/Fiorenza Cossotto
Rigoletto: Parmi Veder Le Lagrime - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Renata Scotto/Fiorenza Cossotto
Rigoletto: Possente Amor Mi Chiama - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Renata Scotto/Fiorenza Cossotto
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Renata Scotto/Fiorenza Cossotto
Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Carlo Bergonzi/Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau/Renata Scotto/Fiorenza Cossotto
Otello: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar - Carlo Bergonzi

Tracks:

Un Ballo In Maschera: La Rivedra Nell'estasi - Carlo Bergonzi/Birgit Nilsson/Giulietta Simionato/Sylvia Stahlman/Fernando Corena/Libero Arbace...
Un Ballo In Maschera: Di' Tu Se Fedele - Carlo Bergonzi/Birgit Nilsson/Giulietta Simionato/Sylvia Stahlman/Fernando Corena/Libero Arbace...
Un Ballo In Maschera: E' Scherzo Od E Follia - Carlo Bergonzi/Birgit Nilsson/Giulietta Simionato/Sylvia Stahlman/Fernando Corena/Libero Arbace...
Un Ballo In Maschera: Teco Io Sto - Carlo Bergonzi/Birgit Nilsson/Giulietta Simionato/Sylvia Stahlman/Fernando Corena/Libero Arbace...
Un Ballo In Maschera: Forse La Soglia Attinse - Carlo Bergonzi/Birgit Nilsson/Giulietta Simionato/Sylvia Stahlman/Fernando Corena/Libero Arbace...
Un Ballo In Maschera: Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti - Carlo Bergonzi/Birgit Nilsson/Giulietta Simionato/Sylvia Stahlman/Fernando Corena/Libero Arbace...
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Carlo Bergonzi
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai - Carlo Bergonzi
Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossie!... Celeste Aida - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi
Aida: Pur Ti Riveggo, Mia Dolce Aida - Carlo Bergonzi/Renata Tebaldi
La Gioconda: Cielo E Mar! - Carlo Bergonzi
La Traviata: Un Di Felice, Eterea - Carlo Bergonzi/Joan Sutherland/Dora Carral/Piero De Palma/Chor Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
La Traviata: Lunge Da Lei - Carlo Bergonzi/Joan Sutherland/Dora Carral/Piero De Palma/Chor Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
La Traviata: De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti - Carlo Bergonzi/Joan Sutherland/Dora Carral/Piero De Palma/Chor Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
La Traviata: O Mio Rimorso! - Carlo Bergonzi/Joan Sutherland/Dora Carral/Piero De Palma/Chor Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
La Traviata: Parigi, O Cara - Carlo Bergonzi/Joan Sutherland/Dora Carral/Piero De Palma/Chor Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Il Trovatore: Deserto Sulla Terra - Carlo Bergonzi/Ettore Bastianini/Chor Del Teatro All Scalla Di Milano
Il Trovatore: Ah! Si, Ben Mio - Carlo Bergonzi/Ettore Bastianini/Chor Del Teatro All Scalla Di Milano
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira - Carlo Bergonzi/Ettore Bastianini/Chor Del Teatro All Scalla Di Milano
Adriana Lecouvreur: La Dolcissima Effigie - Carlo Bergonzi
Adriana Lecouvreur: L'anima Ho Stanca - Carlo Bergonzi

Customer Reviews:

Complete Solti/Bergonzi Ballo Released.......2007-04-24

No need to add to what the other reviewers say about this five-star collection. I am writing to alert readers that on April 10, 2007 Decca released the complete recording of Un Ballo in Maschera with Bergonzi, Nilsson, Stahlman, Simionato, and MacNeil, conducted by Solti. To read my detailed review of that release, bring the product up on Amazon.

Another dazzled listener.......2006-12-12

I had to write the same thing for the Sony Classical recording of a Bergonzi recital of Italian songs--this is simply one of the most passionate and intelligent singers I have ever heard, and he sounds as good or better now than when I first played one of his records 25 years ago. Anyone who has the slightest shred of interest in the operatic voice should own this collection from one of the truest and most passionate tenors in recorded history.

Sublime indeed.......2006-05-31

I first came to appreciate the artistry that is Carlo Bergonzi on his magnificnt recording of Butterly with Renata Scotto. Later I got the privelege of hearing him several times in person. He was among the most intelligent of tenors. He knew his voice well and how to use that voice to convey the drama and music in a wonderful combination.

If you appreciate Bergozni, this recording will remind you why. If you are not familiar with "The Tenor's Tenor", you will find out why he has that title. However, in addition to the magnificent Bergonzi, you also get wonderful performances from partners such as Tebaldi, Birgit Nilsson, Sutherland, Scotto, Fischer-Dieskau and Cossotto.

I can only find fault with a couple of the selections. First and foremost is that Bergonzi should never have even attempted the Dio Mi Potevi from Otello. That is the only performance that is in anyway subpar. It is unlike any other performance on this recording (or any other time I heard Bergonzi) -- forced. I would have far preferred a version of Una Furtiva Lagrima, which Bergonzi could sing the sock off of. Or given the presence of E Lucevan Stelle, couldn't they have included Recondita Armonia instead? The only other very minor complaint is the pairing with Nilsson . The duet is fine until the very end. On the final high C you can't even hear Bergonzi due to the sheer size of Nilsson's voice. The music and performance of both are wonderful, but a perfect Alfredo and perfect Brunnhilde do not necessarily mesh. But that is a minor quibble. Aside from a disappearing Carlo, it is quite a wonderful performance.

On the plus side a few things particularly stand out. To me, this is simply the best recording ever of Cielo e Mar. The sections with Tebaldi (Boheme and Butterfly and Aida in particuar) are fabulous. Other standouts include the quartet from Rigoletto with Scotto, Cossotto and Fischer-Dieskau and the Cavelleria duet with Cossotto.

All in all, this is, with a few minor exceptions, a magnificent collection of the best of Carlo Bergonzi.

The sublime vocal artist.......2003-08-15

I have seen most of the great tenors of the past 50 years at the Met: Corelli, Tucker, Vickers, Gedda, Pavarotti, Domingo, etc.. For me, Bergonzi over all, was the superior Italian Opera tenor. His legato, agility, breath control, tasteful musicianship, diction, was superior to most of the great tenors. He was outstanding as Nemorino and Rhadames; Edgardo and Alvaro etc.. This CD shows him at his very best, which is a joy to hear. This CD is a must vocal lesson for any aspiring young tenor, as Carlo Bergonzi is a master singer.

Blown away!.......2003-01-20

This album brings Carlo Bregonzi to life. This is a view from all angels. He commands such an array of singing styles.
No one brings the great composers to life the way Carlo Bergonzi does.

Customer Reviews:

Top notch, Golden-Age cast in ideal Verdi performance; one of the best.......2007-03-11

If I had to name a favorite Verdi opera, it would have to
be his La forza del destino. This opera moves me like no
other among his works. I realize that some others -
Falstaff, Don Carlo, Otello - are considered to have a
greater unity between text and music. But Forza has the
strongest emotional pull. The story may be pure
opera-illogico of the soap variety, but the emotions
expressed within the dilemmas of the characters are
powerful, moving. It is among the gloomiest of Verdi's
operas, tense, brooding, morbid. Classic themes of thwarted
love and revenge. But there's also spirit, quirkiness
(Preziosilla, Melitone), and perhaps most significantly for
me, profound spirituality. The second scene in the second
act is one of the most inspired from Verdi, one I go back
to with eager familiarity. The "Madre, Madre pietosa
Vergine" is a peerless expression of pleading for mercy and
devotional fervor, with the monks' backing chorus creating
a truly haunting effect. Nothing is more beautiful than
that section beginning "Ah! que'sublimi cantici..." (and we
are treated again later to the equally ravishing "La
Vergine degli angeli"). The long duet with Guardiano and
Leonora is an amazing piece of writing, one of the best
musical "dialogues" for soprano and bass; usually these
"father/child" duets are boring, but this scene,
imaginative, urgent and detailed, is powerful drama. One
passage I love in this is the prelude to "Il santo nome di
Dio signore," where there is a long solo for organ; it
achieves pure magic with a lone violin, on high, intoning
the "Deh, non m'abbandonar" melody. The contrast between
the organ and violin produces an ethereal, eerie effect.
This is by far some of the most raptly spiritual music
Verdi ever wrote. And, of course, there's "Pace, pace mio
Dio."

Abetting my enjoyment of the opera is the mid-fifties
recording of it put out by Decca/London, conducted by
Francesco Molinari-Pradelli. It may not be the most "of
the theater" performance of the opera, but it is one of the
greatest overall casts ever assembled on a Verdi recording.
At any time. At least I think so. Here's who we get:
Renata Tebaldi, Giulietta Simoonato, Mario del Monaco,
Ettore Bastianini, Cesare Siepi and Fernando Corena. All
huge voices, all healthy, robust; true Verdi voices,
stylists. All in their resplendent prime. All ITALIAN.
Nothing else like that for ages. And ages.

In my estimation, Leonora was Tebaldi's best Verdi role,
and perhaps the best Leonora of the last several decades.
The voice and manner sound so ineffably, authentically
"right." Don't tell me she's under the pitch in some of
the highest notes: IT DOESN'T MATTER. Pedigreed Verdi
singing of this nature is extinct. The full-bodied
softness, the exquisite diction, the comet-like soaring -
it doesn't get better than this. Her "Madre, madre
pietosa Vergine" is one I listen to the most. The rhythmic
urgency, the fullness of tone - and she sounds as if she's
really talking to God. And I feel; only a devout Roman
Catholic could possibly understand the religious piety of
Leonora, and it's especially important here. With Verdi
and Tebaldi, you Believe. You better believe it.

Hearing del Monaco and Bastianini just effortlessly plunge
their hearts and voices in their music and duets is the
sweetest sound to my ears: they fence as only Italian
uomini can do, and moreover, exhibit not a whiff of stress
doing so. Immense, powerful sounds. Bastianini's "Urna
fatale" is close to being my favorite rendition of the
aria; there is a beautifully imparted bittersweetness to
the voice, a smarting irony that goes right to the heart.
Del Monaco is not all just his usual glorious fire and
brass; "O, tu che in seno agli angeli" has as much
sensitivity as you could want - and are going to get - from
a "confident" Italian tenor.

Simionato rips through an ungrateful killer of a role with
utter nonchalance and great spirit; "Al suon del tamburo"
and "Rataplan"are both a bitch of pieces to sing,
requiring the mezzo to skip up and down nimbly, but
Simionato just laughs merrily through it all. She makes it
sound like a piece of cake.

Siepi delivers the best sung Guardiano of any on record
that I know of. So many magical sections come to mind
immediately: "Venite fidente alla croce...", "Sull'alba il
piede all'eremo", "Il santo nome di Dio signore", "Non
imprecare umiliati" ~~ no other Guardiano has a voice so
beautifully resonant, so well placed, and such consummate
ease with this complex music. So many basses rumble
portentously through this music so that they sound like
gassy, juddering old farts, but Siepi just caresses the ear
constantly, and not just with the sound. He traverses
easily through the difficult writing; listen to how he
manages in the final trio the line `d'ira e furor
sacrilego, non proferir parola; vedi, vedi quest'angiol
vola al trono del Signor.' This section zips up and down
the voice's range, and requires supreme breath control, and
security at either ends of the range. Most basses are
gasping for leverage here, but not Siepi. In fact, he sings
this role with such ease, he's often accused of sounding
uninvolved. Ha. Listen to the way he and Corena, in their
long and legendary partnership, spark each other in the
duet with Melitone and Guardiano.

Others versions I like: the rediscovered 1958 Napoli
performance on video (but Christoff is an unidiomatic major
blot for me). Tebaldi even greater. The young Corelli.
Bastianini. Oralia Dominguez. A priceless document.
(Leontyne is in the 1984 MET performance).

The 1953 Mitropoulos from Firenze. Tebaldi ferociously
intense. Siepi again great. Protti so-so. Barbieri,
Barbieri. Del monaco more sensitive than on Decca.
Mitropoulos - slow tempi, but dramatic.

This may not be the legendary one, but it's legendary enough.......2007-02-08

It rarely gets more golden than this. Despite the legendary status of a 1953 La Forza from Florence conducted by the great Dmitri Mitropoulos, when Decca assembled the same cast in Rome in 1955, they produced a treasure. This is clearly one of a kind, almost on the order of Callas's Tosca from about the same time, but unlike EMI, which was late to record in stereo, by 1955 Decca had ahcieved vivid, clear sonics without any distortion and only the slightest metallic edge to Tebaldi's soprano when she sang at her loudest and highest.

Leonora was one of her best roles, and Del Monaco her greatest partner. His voice is huge, steely, and unsubtle, but he's thrilling and more the artist than Corelli, another blaster. Siminato, Bastianini, Siepi, and Corena fill out the cast splendidly, excelling as an ensemble any rival cast on CD. As others point out, it's a shame that the conductor here was the uninspired Mollinari-Pradelli, but he's no hack, and the score proceeds proficiently, sometimes better than that. (I prefer him to Muti or Schippers in this opera.)

Overall, we get the earthy smell and taste of Italian opera in the great tradition, a pre-war production that happened to be caught ten years after the war ended. Until I came across this La Forza, rather late in the game, I thought this opera was cursed on CD. Every other rival is marred by at least one truly bad singer (except for the often recommended set on RCA under James Levine, where the big problem is Leontyne Price's aging voice and Levine's brisk, superficial conducting). In any event, this set is a joy, and if it has its blemishes (e.g., Del Moncao, after being shot on the battlefield, still sounds as robust as a lion in heat) we'd all pass out in our seats if a cast half this good appeared at the Met today.

IT'S GOOD, BUT NOT THE ULTIMATE "FORZA DEL DESTINO".......2006-03-15

This recording of "La Forza del Destino" is good as far as it goes. The 1955 stereo sound is clear and vivid (London/Decca championed the use of stereo very early in the game), and the cast of singers is legendary. For many years, this was the "Forza del Destino" recording of choice prior to the subsequent versions on RCA Victor starring Leontyne Price. Even today, there are many who continue to cling to this extremely well prepared recording of Verdi's long and involved opera. The problem, for me anyway, regarding this recording is that the conductor, Molinari-Pradelli, completely fails to generate the real excitement (as Tullio Serafin does on the 1954 EMI recording with Maria Callas, whose contribution is also legendary) which should ignite this particular opera. Thus the real satisfaction comes from the singers. Tebaldi, a few blasting top B's apart, sings reasonably well (easily surpassing anyone who would try to attempt this role today) ---- but she is a pale imitation of herself when compared to her work two years earlier on the live Dimitri Mitropolous version (which explodes with passion) from the 1953 Florence May Festival (available right here at Amazon), where her singing is possibly the greatest she ever preserved on any recorded document. Mario del Monaco, also in the Mitropolous cast, can be heard to better advantage there than here, where he sounds loud, unsubtle, and occasionally unpleasant. Plainly, their singing on the Mitropoulos set spoils one with respect to their work here. The other singers here are all excellent - Ettore Bastianini on this recording is probably better than Aldo Protti is on the Mitropoulos set, and Simionato and Siepi are also excellent. Yes, this is a good representation of this opera, but it's not the ultimate. For that you need to acquire the Mitropoulos live performance. And for anyone who REALLY enjoys hunting, there's a live 1952 Metropolitan Opera broadcast with the legendary prime Zinka Milanov (to my ears the only equal of Tebaldi on the Mitropoulos set) partnered by Richard Tucker and Leonard Warren.

A Recording I'm Sure Verdi Would Love.......2005-08-29

If you assembled Renata Tebaldi, Mario Del Monaco, Ettore Bastianini, Giulietta Simionato, and Cesare Siepi, gave them a telephone book and asked them to sing, it would sound great. Put these five performers together and give them the score of LA FORZA DEL DESTINO, and you have a masterpiece and a set that will have a treasured place in any recording library. Each of the principals is in top voice, with each soloist working together and creating a cast that is a true ensemble. The many choral sections of the opera (the crowds, friars, soldiers, etc.) are mesmerizing and the direction of conductor Francesco Molinari-Pradelli pulls the recording together.

I purchased this recording without hearing it, knowing that the pairing of Del Monaco and Tebaldi nearly guaranteed a performance I would enjoy. I also knew that this recording was made when Decca's quality recordings in opera was just about a guarantee. I was correct on both counts, yet I also found a few surprises when I listened to it, especially in Ettore Bastianini's Don Carlo and Giulietta Simionato (my favorite Verdi mezzo) as Preziosilla.

Other reviewers have said they believe this is the greatest FORZA. One even claims it is the greatest opera recording of all time. While I will not so far as to claim that it is the greatest all time recording, it is a great set. In comparison with other sets available, I would select this set. I only own one other copy of FORZA with Leontyne Price under the direction of Thomas Schippers (another great set), and I have heard the other RCA set with a good performance by Price (which is still great) and a youthful and strong Placido Domingo(who is not so youthful but still quite strong). Fortunately there are many good choices available, but for me, the Decca set is the recording of choice. I will also say it is the most "Italian" of the recordings, recorded at a time when being an Italian in opera meant quality performances of Italian works.

Enjoy!!!

Magnificent and authentic Forza.......2005-01-31

This magnificent set which comprises of four Italian principles is the best recorded FORZA available. Although the competition is pretty stiff when this opera was not difficult to cast, I always come back to this recording. And if you love Tebaldi, this recording is a must have.

Average customer rating:

Great recording of a neglected opera
Grand italian singing!
A Gioconda to cherish!

Ponchielli: La Gioconda
Gianandrea Gavazzeni , Anita Cerquetti , Giulietta Simionato , Mario Del Monaco , Cesare Siepi , Ettore Bastianini , Franca Sacchi , Anthos Cesarini , Giorgio Giorgetti , and Orchestre e coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Puccini: La fanciulla del West

ASIN: B00000E4YL
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Customer Reviews:

Great recording of a neglected opera.......2003-12-19

This recording is great! Ponchielli's opera has been unfairly maligned over the years. It contains great, effectively-orchestrated music and six wonderful roles for the leading singers. Sure, the plot is very melodramatic and the ending (Barnaba running away through an alley) is ridiculous, but it's the music that counts. The title role, Gioconda, is a difficult one to sing. It demands many low notes and a fair share of high notes. Anita Cerquetti has a huge, dark voice that is just right for Gioconda. The only problem I have with her voice is that her vibrato sometimes becomes excessive, especially in high-lying passages. She is very convincing as the street singer. Her concern for her blind mother, La Cieca, is believable and the way she conveys Gioconda's different emotions is great. Her low notes are strong and most of her high notes are very good. In the Act Four Gioconda/Enzo/Laura trio, her last high note becomes a screech. Her Italian diction is very fine and her phrasing is exemplary. The power and fury she unleashes in her confrontation with Enzo in Act Four is exhilarating. This confrontation is a highlight of the recording. Enzo is sung by Mario del Monaco. When he makes his entrance trumpeting out "Assassini", your ears are pinned back. He is a great Enzo. He not only sings loudly, but also softly. His golden tenor is thrilling in its power and he gives a glorious account of "Cielo e mar". When he and Cerquetti confront each other in Act Four, the sparks really fly. Laura is sung by Giulietta Simionato. This mezzo-soprano is known for her great acting, both physical and vocal, and here, she does not disappoint. Her voice is a bit heavy for Laura, but she sings her music very well. Her duet with Cerquetti is thrilling in its intensity. Cerquetti's voice blazes with unbridled fury. Simionato holds her own, asserting her love for Enzo. The first note she sings in the phrase "L'amo come il fulgor" is both thrilling and beautiful. Her "Stella del marinar" is fine, but the last high note could have been better captured by the recording engineers. Ettore Bastianini sings Barnaba with evil, insinuating tones. He is truly scary as Alvise's spy. His voice is positively huge on this recording and he is by far the most consistently loud of the six leading singers. His aria "O monumento" is filled with hate and evil. It is gloriously sung and ends on a huge high note. His fisherman's song in Act Two is sung wonderfully. Cesare Siepi is an effective Alvise. He doesn't have much to sing, but what he does sing is great. Franca Sacchi is a good La Cieca. She has strong high notes and effectively portrays her character's piety.

Ponchielli wrote some wonderful music for this opera. He packed this work with numerous ensembles, some of which are very loud. His writing for the orchestra is great. He wrote a wonderful ballet, "The Dance of the Seven Hours", and his writing for the party scene in Scene Two of Act Three is scintillating. The boys' chorus at the beginning of Act Two is charming. The music depicting Laura's escape from Barnaba, played by the orchestra's string section and lasting several seconds, is very effective in evoking the flight of vessels through Venice's canals. The Gioconda/Enzo/Laura trio in Act Four is both moving and melodious.

This recording is well conducted by Gianandrea Gavazzeni. He paces the music just right. The playing of the orchestra is wonderful. Decca supplies multi-lingual synopses and an Italian libretto with English translation. The sound is very good.

Highly recommended.

Grand italian singing!.......2003-03-26

The main reason I bought this set was its leading soprano, Anita Cerquetti. A less famous singer of the 50s-60s with a very short career. I thought: "someone else for a change".

Cequetti shows a good understanding of the vocally dangerous role of Gioconda and sings with grand Italian manner. My problem is her voice. She has a dark voice that makes her sound like a mezzo. She would have been great if I wanted a mezzo Gioconda. (If you want to hear the best of Cerquetti, buy the live Ernani recording...she is superb as Elvira!-that recording made me appreciate her so much)

On the other hand Simionato has a much lighter voice, reaches top notes with amazing ease even if she hasn't got the beauty of Fiorenza Cossotto or Agni Baltsa(Lauras on the Callas and Caballe sets).

In any case, the men on this version will certainly NOT disappoint you! Mario Del Monaco gives one of his best performances in studio. I especially admire him in the Enzo/Laura duet and the famous aria. For a more lyrical approach you may want to try Bergonzi or Pavarotti. The central cast is completed with two legends: Bastianini and Siepi; perhaps the best Barnaba and Alviso on disc. Maestro Gavazzeni is excellent and the stereo sound wonderful.

Concluding, I wouldn't recommend this recording above the Tebaldi or Callas sets simply because I prefer these two ladies. Caballe also has her moments. For Cerquetti fans, on the other hand, this set is a must because it is her only complete studio recording of any role.

A Gioconda to cherish!.......2003-01-17

Gioconda is an underestimated opera. Many consider it not quite beautiful, without beautiful melodies. It may be true but when you have finished listening to it, you will not be sorry at all. Some other operas may have a more firm place in your heart and mind, but this one will not disappoint you.
This recording is considered one of the best.
In the title-role we have Anita Cerquetti, a soprano who was chosen by Decca to become their new star (after the truly great Renata Tebaldi) but didn't quite come off,she retired very early and she didn't record much (I think this is her only complete opera studio recording). She is magnificent. Her voice may sound a little peculiar to the ear but she gives thrilling top notes, her technique is faultless and she presents us a very credible Gioconda. A great bravo!
Then we have Mario del Monaco in one of his best recordings. He portrays the heroic Enzo and his voice is perfect for the role. He also sings quietly (something he didn't do often) and follows the voice markings of the score.Very good indeed.
As the sinister Barnaba we have one of the best baritones ever, Ettore Bastianini. He gets inside the role and gives us the best portrayal on record of this "villain", both vocally and dramatically.
Giullietta Simionato sings the role of Laura, Enzo's beloved. Her voice is in perfect form, her technique also and gives us one of the best "Stella del marinar".
Finally, we have Cesare Siepi as Alvise. His strong bass voice is the perfect instrument for the role and his portrayal is appropriately dark and sinister.
The minor roles are quite adequately cast and Gavazzeni conducts with warmth and tenderness and lets his singers sing and act with ease.
All in all, an excellent recording of this underrecorded work! If you like Ponchielli, don't miss it!

Average customer rating:

Great Ruins
1961 live performance by Callas in one of her greatest roles
Medea Cherubini
EVEN AT THE END -- CALLAS' MEDEA STILL A FIRE EATING DRAGON!
Callas' Last Medea

Cherubini: Medea

Manufacturer: Opera D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Rossini: Armida
Puccini: La Boheme (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Anna Moffo, Antonino Votto, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
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ASIN: B00004TCHM
Release Date: 2000-06-20

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Ov - Orch Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Thomas Schippers
Act One: (Intro) - Orch Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Thomas Schippers
Act One: O Amore, Vieni A Me! Fa Cessar Questo Duol - Ivan Tosini
Act One: No, Non Temer; T'affidi Il Mio Parlar - Nicolai Ghiaurov/Ivan Tosini/Jon Vickers
Act One: (March & Chor) - Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
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Act One: Son Vane Qui Minacce - Jon Vickers

Tracks:

Act Two: Soffrir Non Posso Troppo E L'offesa! - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato/Nicolai Ghiaurov
Act Two: Date Almen Per Pieta - Maria Callas/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Giulietta Simionato/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act Two: Ebben! Tutto Mi Manca! - Maria Callas/Nicolai Ghiaurov/Giulietta Simionato/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act Two: Medea! O Medea! - Giulietta Simionato
Act Two: Solo Un Pianto Con Te Versare - Giulietta Simionato
Act Two: Creonte A Me Solo Un Giorno Da? - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato/Jon Vickers
Act Two: Figli Miei, Miei Tesor - Maria Callas/Jon Vickers
Act Two: Hai Dato Pronto Ascolto Al Mio Pregar - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato
Act Two: (March & Chor) - Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan
Act Two: Il Mio Furor La Vostra Gioia Affina - Maria Callas
Act Three: (Intro) - Orch Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Thomas Schippers
Act Three: Numi, Venite A Me, Inferni Dei! - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: Del Fiero Duol Che Il Cuor Mi Frange - Maria Callas
Act Three: Neris, Che Hai Fatto Tu Del Dono Mio? - Maria Callas/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: E Che? Io Son Medea - Maria Callas/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Jon Vickers/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: Oh Dei, Pieta Di Noi - Maria Callas/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Jon Vickers/Giulietta Simionato
Act Three: Ah Signor La Crudele - Maria Callas/Chor Of Teatro Alla Scala, Milan/Jon Vickers/Giulietta Simionato

Customer Reviews:

Great Ruins.......2007-07-10

I have all the recorded performances of Maria Callas as Medea: Florence 1953, La Scala 1953, the 1957 EMI recording, Dallas 1958, Covent Garden 1959, and this final 1961 version.
I must admit this 1961 Scala live recording is the worst by far. Her voice still possesses some volume but the vibrato is monumental, the high notes flap out of control and sometimes the tonality is completely lost (what the French call "la voix bouge"). She frequently resorts to exaggerated chest notes. The breath control is short. Of course her phrasing and dramatic inflection are always impeccable but the vocal deficiencies make for uneasy listening. Vickers is very good as Jason, Thomas Schippers' conducting and choice of score cuts is erratic. The evening's vocal honours go to Giulietta Simionato who is simply magnificent as Neris and who delivers an unforgettable rendition of the sublime aria "Solo un pianto".
To hear Maria at her pristine best as Medea one must absolutely refer to the live 1953 Scala recording, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. Her performance here is superhuman, the voice fearless. One can understand the price she paid by listening to the 1961 recording back-to-back. Gino Penno is excellent as Jason, and Fedora Barbieri equally magisterial as Neris. Bernstein brings immediate, fiery passion to the Scala orchestra.

1961 live performance by Callas in one of her greatest roles.......2006-02-21

Source: Live performance recorded on December 14, 1961 at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

Sound: Not bad by the standards of live recordings from the 1960s. The voices are generally well-caught, although there is noticeable variation as they move from place to place on the stage. At one point in Act I, while Callas is singing, some backstage bonehead chooses to indulge in a longish monologue. The chorus and orchestra sound all right, but in a more limited and boxy way then customary in digital-era recordings.

The La Scala audience was more disciplined than has sometimes been the case. For the most part, they applauded only at the appropriate places. Quite obviously, they were bowled over by the glorious presence of La Divina. Medea first appears midway through Act I. The recording nicely captures what it is to be in the presence of a true star. When some members of the audience caught sight of Callas, they broke into spontaneous applause while others hissed out sharp shushing sounds, demanding silence.

Cast: Medea (soprano) - Maria Callas; Jason (tenor) - Jon Vickers; Creon (bass) - Nicolai Ghiaurov; Neris (mezzo-soprano) - Giulietta Simionato; Glauce (soprano) - Ivan [sic] Tosini; Captain of the Guards - Alfredo Giacomotti; Maidservants - Edith Martelli and Limbania Leoni. Conductor: Thomas Schippers with the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan.

Text: This is an effective performing text that omits passages that are of interest to the purists and completests who hold every written note sacrosanct and are indifferent both to the second thoughts of composers and to the practical insights of people who actually work each day in the theater.

Documentation: The usual anemic Od'O package. No libretto. A couple of hundred words on the composer and opera. The same in summary of the plot by Act. Track list that fails to identify who is singing or to provide timings.

"Medea" premiered as "Medee" (curses on the Amazon system for not leting me use the proper forms of the letters) in Paris in 1797. It is based on Greek tragedy as interpreted in a 1635 play by Pierre Corneille. The composer, Luigi Cherubini (1760-1842), lived long enough to see his time come and then go. Cherubini arrived in Paris during the heady days of the French Revolution. He became the musical darling of the revolutionaries by grinding out operas in what might be called the French Republican Realist style, providing much the same sort of thing that Shostakovich and Prokofiev provided to Stalin's revolution. By 1797, revolutionary fervor had subsided and a taste for neo-Classicism had emerged, hence this re-entry of Greek legend into French opera.

"Medee" was written in typical French fashion with spoken dialogue connecting the musical passages. It was not until 1855, long after Cherubini's death, that lesser hands converted the dialogue into sung recitatives. The 1855 version of "Médée" was translated into Italian as "Medea," finally to achieve the success that had eluded it among the French.

Beethoven was an admirer of the opera. The extent of that admiration may be measured by comparing the first half hour of "Medea" with his "Fidelio." It can hardly be doubted that Beethoven, who was not instinctively a man of the theater, used the form and musical idiom of "Medee" as a template for his only opera.

All too often, Callas' live recordings fail to achieve the heights by reason of leaden performances from second- and third-rate supporting singers. That is not the case here. La Scala clearly pulled out all the stops to provide a festival-quality cast.

This recording presents Maria Callas in the latter days of her stage career. She takes the stage at La Scala in one of her greatest roles. It is obvious to anyone who hears this performance that her top notes are not what they had been only a few years earlier. It is equally obvious that throughout most of her range, she continued to be one of the greatest singers and dramatic interpreters of all time. Despite bobbles here and there, La Divina's final recorded assumption of the role of Medea is a magnificent and searing portrait.

Each of the three other principal singers, Vickers, Simionato and Ghiaurov, is brilliant in his or her own way.

Thomas Schippers conducts in a workmanlike and, I suppose, sometimes insightful way. His work strikes me as solid rather than brilliant.

Every serious fan of opera should have a recording of Maria Callas singing Medea. This one, though late, is inexpensive and probably the best all-around version.

Five stars.

Medea Cherubini.......2005-11-29

The opera is a very interesting and rarely performed work. However, I purchased it ONLY because the conductor is Thomas Schippers. It is a "live" recording done at La Scala in 1961 and therefore the quality leaves much to be desired as far as the orchestra is concerned. Of course, Maestro Schippers was able to redeem nearly any orchestra he conducted! For those who are Callas fans, her performance is, as usual, exceptional. I would recommend it for its historic value and valid interpretation.

EVEN AT THE END -- CALLAS' MEDEA STILL A FIRE EATING DRAGON!.......2001-07-30

This 1961 performance is a great surprise to me. By 1961 Maria Callas' vocal problems (as well as her relationship with Aristotle Onasis) were fodder for gossip columns all over the world. Her operatic appearances were becoming rarer and rarer and every Callas performance by then had an almost circus-like atmosphere about it. This "Medea" finds Callas in her last La Scala season, and though the later performances of this Medea series in May of 1962 found her in very serious vocal difficulty, the premiere performance recorded here finds her very much at the top of her form. Well, admittedly, the climatic top notes do tend to waver, but never alarmingly so. But the voice as a whole is rock solid, powerful ----- and the fabled chest tones are as menacing as ever. Whether venemous, tormented or triumphant, Callas rises to every dramatic challenge masterfully. After listening to any Callas Medea performance, one does not have to wonder why the opera is not performed today ---- who could even hope to attempt such an Amazonian role? The supporting cast heard here at La Scala may constitute the greatest ever encountered in any Callas Medea performance.As Neris, the faithful maid, the great Italian mezzo soprano Gulietta Simionato makes the most of her role, most notably her beautiful aria in Act II (though it must be said that as good as she is, she is no better than Teresa Berganza and Fedora Barbieri ---- who partnered Callas in previous Medea performances). Jon Vickers IS the greatest Jason of any Callas Medea. Vickers was probably the only tenor capable of meeting Callas on her own musical and dramatic plane --- and he is heard here at the very beginning of his international career. The same might also be said about Nicolai Ghiaurov, who was also at the dawn of what was to be one of the most important careers in opera. Thomas Schippers may not pace this opera with the sheer animal intensity of Leonard Bernstein (at La Scala in 1953) or Nicola Rescigno (in Dallas in 1958), but he generates an excitement that is substantial enough. The sound of this recording is, to my ears, superior to both the 1953 La Scala and 1958 Dallas live recordings. The price is incredibly cheap ----- and Callas proves that, even in 1961, she still had the capacity to wrench more out of this opera than anyone else. A real bargain!

Callas' Last Medea.......2000-08-13

Although some Opera D'Oro releases suffer from over-filtering/noise-reduction techniques, this is not one of them. The sound is clear and undoctored. Moreover the speed seems to be accurate. One had always read that in this, her final series of Medeas (and her last appearances at La Scala), Callas was in sadly diminished vocal form. Not so. True, the highest notes flap about alarmingly, but the middle register is rock-solid and the chest tones are full and without the dessicated quality of her later years. And the remaining cast members are superb!

Average customer rating:

Strauss Forever
Strauss: Die Fledermaus
Opera Singers Enjoy A Masquerade
Superlative recording with lost gala tradition intact
vintage fledermaus, gala sequence disappointing

Strauss: Die Fledermaus

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Die Fledermaus Vocal Score (Dover Vocal Scores)
Donizetti - Lucia di Lammermoor / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Milnes · Ghiaurov · ROH Covent Garden · Bonynge
The Great Moments from Die Fledermaus
J. Strauss: Die Fledermaus / Schwarzkopf, Gedda, Streich, Krebs, Kunz, Christ; Karajan
Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)

ASIN: B0000041TC
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

Act One: Overture
Act One: Taubchen, Das Entflattert Ist (Alfred)
Act One: Da Schreibt Meine Schwester Ida (Adele)
Act One: Nein, Mit Solchen Advokaten (Eisenstein)
Act One: Komm Mit Mir Zum Souper (Falke)
Act One: So MuB Allein Ich Bleiben (Rosalinde)
Act One: Trinke, Liebchen, Trinke Schnell (Alfred)
Act One: Ich Hore Stimmen; Man Spricht Unten! (Rosalinde)
Act One: Mein Herr, Was Dachten Sie Von Mir (Rosalinde)
Act One: Nien, Nein, Ich Zweifle Gar Nicht Mehr (Frank)
Act Two: Ein Souper Heut' Uns Winkt (Gaste)
Act Two: Ich Lade Gern Mir Gaste Ein (Orlofsky)
Act Two: Ach, Meine Herr'n Und Damen (Orlofsky)
Act Two: Mein Herr Marquis (Adele)
Act Two: Dieser Anstand So Manierlich (Eisenstein)
Act Two: Klange Der Heimat (Rosalinde)
Act Two: Im Feuerstrom Der Reben (Orlofsky)

Tracks:

Act Two Continued: Herr Chevalier, Ich GruBe Sie! (Eisenstein)
Act Two-Gala: Vilja-Lied
Act Two-Gala: Domino
Act Two-Gala: I Could Have Danced All Night
Act Two-Gala: Passione
Act Two-Gala: Lullaby
Act Two-Gala: Il Bacio
Act Two-Gala: Dein Ist Mein Ganzes Herz
Act Two-Gala: Summertime
Act Two-Gala: Anything You Can Do
Act Two-Gala: Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein
Act Two: Genug Damit, Genug! (Orlofsky)
Act Three: Entr' Acte
Act Three: Herr Direktor! Wo Is Er Denn? (Frosch)
Act Three: Spiel' Ich Die Unschuld Von Lande (Adele)
Act Three: Ich Stehe Voll Zagen (Rosalinde)
Act Three: O Fledermaus, O Fledermaus (Alle)

Customer Reviews:

Strauss Forever.......2007-03-29

De nuevo una gran version de los clasicos de Straus un gran album y grandes interpretes

Strauss: Die Fledermaus.......2007-01-10

It''s a special edition, with great operastars as guests at von Eisensteins big party.

Opera Singers Enjoy A Masquerade.......2005-10-10

Any serious hardcore fan of classic opera singers will want to own this studio recording from the 60's. Johann Strauss' charming and sempiternally popular "grand" operetta Die Fledermaus as conducted by none other than Herbert Von Karajan and the Vienna Symphony and starring opera singers that reigned supreme during their day-Birgit Nilsson, Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi, Mario Del Monaco, Regina Resnik, Bjussi Bjorling, Ettore Bastianini, Eberhard Wächter, Giuletta Simionato, Ljuba Welitsch, Walter Berry, Teresa Berganza and Fernando Corena. I'm disappointed Beverly Sills wasn't invited or for that matter Maria Callas. These singers are of course part of the long-winded entertainment during the MasqueradeSequence/Orlofsky's Ball. This is what draws operaphiles to this particular studio recording. Karajan is having fun witht the score, and it is a piece of cake for him since it is not the normally demanding music he conducted - Puccini, Strauss, Verdi, Wagner, Mahler, Bruckner, etc. It is lilting waltzes with operatic words to them. The Masquerade strays from the Strauss score and we are treated to unusual "American" music. Wagnerian goddess Birgit Nilsson surprises everyone by taking off her Valkyrie helmet and singing "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady! It must be heard to believe! Of course, it's awful but it makes this recording a cult classic in its campy and cheesy effects. Furthermore to Nilsson singing Broadway, we get to hear Giuletta Simionato and Ettore Bastianini, with their low husky voice singing "Everything You Can Do I Can Do Better". Operatic arias are included, in tidbits as sung by Leontyne Price, Renata Tebaldi, Bjussi Bjorling and the forementioned others. This is a real treat if your'e a fan. At an affordable price on the Used section it should be a real value for you. Don't hesitate to buy this recording now! It is endless pleasure!

Superlative recording with lost gala tradition intact.......2004-11-25

This is one of the grand old recordings from the glory days of the mid-sixties. It has opulent casting and even more opulent sound values. I doubt that anyone will quibble about the overall quality of this venture. Therefore I just wanted to address a couple of complaints that appeared in another review of this recording. First of all, the role of Orlofsky was written for a mezzo and NOT for a tenor. Strauss was very deliberately following the long tradition of having women sing "trouser" roles. Just think of Gluck's Orphee or Mozart's Cherubino in his Marriage of Figaro. To have a man sing the role of the dissolute Fledermaus prince destroys the original vision. Second, the gala that appears is a quaint, and lost, tradition that flourished throughout the early history of this operetta. The second act party scene was a place where opera companies would trot out their roster of stars, or guest artists, to show off their singing in areas of music not usually associated with them. That's why you have Birgit Nilson singing a Broadway show tune. Call it camp if you will, but it was a very deliberate decision for her to have some fun with unusual repertoire. Looked at from this angle, the gala becomes a unique feature of this recording, making it all the more valuable for the collector. Don't hesitate to buy this one!

vintage fledermaus, gala sequence disappointing.......2003-05-12

This performance does effectively evoke visions of a viennese extravaganza at its most bougeouis, with Karajan moulding the lush luxuriant strings of the VPO, giving magnificent support to a fairly strong cast. Comparing this with Karajan's earlier Philaharmonia recording on EMI, however, there is little question to my mind that Schwarzkopf outclasses Hilde Gueden as Rosalinde, one only has to listen to her rendition of the Klange der Heimat in Act 2. The same applies to the peerless Rita Streich on EMI who as Adele tackles the coloratura passages with formidable ease. The men in the VPO recording do better than their counterparts on EMI, and thie later recording is in resplendent vintage Decca stereo sound whereas the EMI is in mono, although one has to say that it was very expertly engineered by Walter Legge. Another important observation is that the Orlorfsky role is played by a man in the EMI recording, while Regina Resnik plays the role here,and I find the result effete and unnatural. The biggest blot on this recording has to be the gala sequence.
While the lineup of big operatic names promised much, I found my expectations deflated quite quickly. Of all the wonderful arias that the great Birgit Nilsson could have sung, why she chose to sing "I could have danced all night" from Loewe's My Fair Lady is quite beyond me. Her majestic wagnerian voice was completely unsuited to Broadway, and suffice to say it was truly truly awful. Think Brunhilde imitating Julie Andrews. Ditto for Giuletta Simionato's and Ettore Bastianini's "Anything you can do" from Berlin's Annie get your gun! Whenever I play this recording I programme the CD player to skip the entire gala sequence. In summary, this is a vintage Fledermaus marred by a gimicky gala sequence.

Average customer rating:

The classic 1959 stereo "Aida" with Tebaldi and von Karajan
A True Verdian Feast
Gil French, Rochester NY
Is there a better Aida ?
Turgid and mannered!

Decca Legends: Verdi: AIDA

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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

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Puccini: Turandot
Verdi: Otello
Verdi: Messa da Requiem /Quattro Pezzi Sacri
Verdi - Aida / Caballé · Domingo · Cossotto · Ghiaurov · Cappuccilli · Roni · NPO · Muti

ASIN: B00001IVQW
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Aida: Preludio
Aida: Atto primo - Scena I: Si: corre voce che l'Etiope ardisca
Aida: Atto primo - Scena I: Se quel gerrier io fossi! ... Celeste Aida (Radames)
Aida: Atto primo - Scena I: Quale insolita gioia (Amneris)
Aida: Atto primo - Scena I: Alta cagion v'aduna (Il re)
Aida: Atto primo - Scena I: Ritorna vincitor! (Aida)
Aida: Atto primo - Scena II: Possente, possente Ftha (Sacerdotessa)
Aida: Atto primo - Scena II: Mortal, diletto ai Numi (Ramfis)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena I: Chi mai fra gl'inni e i plausi (Schiave)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena I: Fu la sorte dell'armi a tuoi funesta (Amneris)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena I: Su! del Nilo al sacro lido (Coro)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Gloria all'Egitto (Popolo)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Marcia e bllabile (Grand March & Ballet)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Vieni, o guerriero vindice (Popolo)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Salvator della ptria, io ti saluto (Il re)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Che veggo! ... Egli? ... Mio padre! (Aida)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Quest'assisa ch'io vesto vi dica (Amonasro)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Ma tu, Ru, tu signore possente (Amonasro)

Tracks:

Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: O Re: pei sacri Numi (Radames)
Aida: Atto secondo - Scena II: Gloria all'Egitto (Il re, Popolo)
Aida: Atto terzo: O tu che sei d'Osiride madre immortale (Sacerdotesse, Sacerdoti)
Aida: Atto terzo: Qui Radames verra!... O patria mia (Aida)
Aida: Atto terzo: Ciel! mio padre! ... Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate (Aida, Amonasro)
Aida: Atto terzo: Pur ti riveggo, mia dolce Aida (Radames)
Aida: Atto terzo: Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti (Aida)
Aida: Atto terzo: Tu! ... Amonasro! ... tu! ... il Re? (Radames)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena I: L'aborrita rivale a me sfuggia (Amneris)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena I: Gia i Sacerdoti adunansi (Amneris)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena I: Ohime! ... morir mi sento! (Amneris)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena I: Radames! Radames! Radames! Tu rivelasti (Ramfis)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena II: La fatal pietra sovra me si chiuse (Radames)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena II: Presago il core della tua condanna (Aida)
Aida: Atto quarto - Scena I: O terra, addio (Aida)

Amazon.com

A compelling Aida, especially for those who revel in a virtuoso orchestra going through its paces. Under Karajan's baton, the Vienna Phil plays with breathtaking elegance and refinement, not perhaps the ideal attributes of a Verdian pit band but undeniably exciting, as are the conductor's tempo choices, often faster or slower than usual. In 1959, Tebaldi remained a great Aida even if she was in fresher voice for her earlier mono recording. Bergonzi is a characterful Radames, Simionato a terrific, full-bodied Amneris, and the rest of the cast vocally fine, if occasionally bland. The excellent transfer is better balanced than earlier releases of this recording, helping to earn its place among the choice Aidas on disc, though I prefer RCA's mono version with Milanov and Bjorling from 1955, also at midprice. But you can never have too many Aidas. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

The classic 1959 stereo "Aida" with Tebaldi and von Karajan.......2007-06-18

SOURCE: Studio recording produced by John Culshaw and made at the Sofiensall, Vienna, during September 1959.

SOUND: Leading edge late 1950s analogue stereo. This recording was intended to be a showpiece of the new stereo revolution. Subsequent digital remasterings have been sympathetic and successful.

This is a John Culshaw production, a contemporary of the famous Culshaw-Solti "Ring" production and this "Aida" shares in both the extraordinary sonic virtues of "The Ring" and its nuisances. Culshaw, more than any other producer, saw the great new possibilities in the stereo medium. He particularly realized that stereo allowed for a "three-dimensional" and endlessly variable sonic picture, These recordings not only provide aural depth, they are positively choreographed. It's all very impressive, no doubt about it, but it's not especially like the actual experience of attending an opera in a real opera house.

All that aside, purely as a matter of personal taste, it seems to me that the orchestra is too far forward in relation to the singers and given undue prominence over them. Others, of course, hold quite different opinions.

CAST: Aida - Renata Tebaldi (soprano); Radames - Carlo Bergonzi (tenor); Amneris -
Giulietta Simionato (mezzo-soprano); Amonasro, King of Ethiopia - Cornell MacNeil (baritone); Ramfis - Arnold van Mill (bass); King of Egypt - Fernando Corena (bass); Messenger - Piero de Palma (tenor); Priestess - Eugenia Ratti (soprano).

CONDUCTOR: Herbert von Karajan with the Wiener Philharmoniker and the Singverein der Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde.

DOCUMENTATION: Libretto in Italian and English. Brief hagiography of Saint Herbert von K by Warwick Thompson. Brief summary of the plot keyed to the tracks on the CDs. Track list showing timings and identifying singers. Photos of Karajan, Tebaldi, Bergonzi, Simionato and Culshaw.

COMMENTARY: This recording has long been justly regarded as classic recording of an opera that has been blessed with a number of classic recordings. The presence of von Karajan, the Vienna Philharmonic, and four of the brightest singing luminaries of the post-War Silver Age of opera, all of them in good form, mandates a five-star rating.

That said, I feel obliged to offer a few comments on why this is not my own favorite recording of "Aida."

Let me be absolutely clear on this point: this is as much Herbert von Karajan's version of "Aida" as Verdi's. It is unquestionably impressive, but in a very precise and a near-icy, un-Italianate way. From beginning to end when I listen to it, I am dogged with the feeling that three of the four leading singers are offering performances at least somewhat at variance from their natural instincts. Opera lore has it that Tebaldi and Karajan clashed repeatedly over tempos and treatments. For once, I am willing to accept the common lore as simple truth.

Tebaldi, Bergonzi, Simionato and MacNeil were just one of the several dream casts that could be assembled for "Aida" in those long-gone, vocally expansive days of the late fifties and early sixties. I do not think that an equally stellar cast could be found today.

In 1959, Renata Tebaldi was on the verge of giving up the part of Aida and her voice is clearly not what it had been when she had previously recorded the role in 1952. Nevertheless, even if slightly deteriorated, Tebaldi remained a vocal wonder. I know of no one singing today who could match this performance of the Tebaldi of 1959--if for no other reason than that teachers and academies are no longer training young singers for her kind of full out, Italianate, operatic [with a capital O!] singing.

Carlo Bergonzi was still in the earlier phase of his career as a tenor, and the sound of his voice was as beautiful as his technique. Bergonzi's characterization of Radames is unexpectedly small-scale in this performance--a foolish lover rather than a rash warrior. I strongly suspect that this approach to the character is more due to Karajan than to Bergonzi. It is intelligent, justified by the text, pleasing to the ear and dead wrong. The range of Radames' emotions is flattened. Radames' fall from foolishly self-confident, conquering general to suicidally despairing, self-identified traitor should be a stupendous drop from the cliff-top into a chasm. Here, it is more like a little hop.

Giulietta Simionato has to be included in any list of the great Italian mezzo-sopranos of the Twentieth Century. Her performance here amply demonstrates why that should be. Even so, I think that she would have given a bit more oomph if any less controlling conductor had been at the podium.

Cornell MacNeil had a magnificent baritone sound but he tended to lack dramatic intensity. I find no significant failings in his Amonasro, but there are better Amonasros on other recordings.

This is a classic performance, not my favorite, but well-worthy for purchase by beginners and experienced opera fans alike.

Five stars.

A True Verdian Feast.......2006-11-29

Spinto voices are an almost extinct breed in today's operatic world. The only spinto voice will the required thrust, power, squillo, and timbre today would probably belong to that of Aprile Millo, whose several Verdi recordings display her excellent musicianship and impressive vocal qualities. Throughout the course of modern operatic recording history, only five true Aidas have been captured in the recording studio. They are Zinka Milanov, Renata Tebaldi, Leontyne Price, Maria Callas, and Aprile Millo. All other Aidas such as Freni, Ricciarelli, Montserrat Caballe, Gwyneth Jones, Birgit Nilsson, Margaret Price, Maria Chiara, and the whole lot of them are either dramatic (Wagnerian) sopranos or lyric sopranos who do not satisfy all the requirements of this Verdian role. Dramatic sopranos like Gwyneth Jones and Birgit Nilsson are certainly more than able to handle all the requirements of the music, but they lack an Italianate sound which while not necessary, make the role all the more endearing. I love Gwyneth Jones in Aida, but she will definitely not compare with Tebaldi or Price in the role, as magnificent as she is in Strauss, Wagner, and Puccini. Lyric sopranos on the other hand, almost die when they try to sing the demands of this Verdian grand opera role. It is not that they cannot sing the notes--lyrics can, but they do not have the squillo of spintos. Unfortunately, with a vocal music education predominated by Mozart and Handelian singing, these golden age singers are rapidly disappearing, and we must turn to the past for great recordings of just about anything except period music.

This recording of Aida is simply put, the best on disc. The conducting, the orchestra, and the singers make this musical experience very special, and it helps that Karajan was in a very romantic-intimate mood while conducting this performance of Aida. With the Wiener Philharmoniker, he produces some of the most intricately detailed orchestral sounds seldom heard in interpretations of Verdi's score. I dare say that although his conducting is not idiomatically Italian, if it is not like Serafin's or Muti's, he perhaps makes the most out of this score and produces a most exciting performance.

Renata Tebaldi is nothing short of amazing in the title role. Although her voice was fresher in the first recording with Decca, it did not change much to make any Aida moments sound difficult for her. Also, her interpretation of the role deepened (perhaps Callas influenced her), so what we get is a more intimate and exciting portrayal of the Ethiopian princess. With her golden voice and that perfect squillo, Tebaldi is perhaps the best exponent of this role. Her Radames is Carlos Bergonzi, and even if he did not have the thrilling power that Franco Corelli gave to the role, he certainly had the best Verdian style of all the tenors who sang the role. There are some moments where one would wish that he would cry his heart out or sob like Corelli did, but Bergonzi is in a class of his own. It is a different, more noble, more controlled Radames than Corelli or Domingo, and I would say that I far prefer him to Domingo. Simionato is simply amazing as Amneris. Everything that this mezzo touches spits fire and blood across the stage, and her ability to color her voice at will makes her Amneris a benchmark upon which others will be judged. She is the best Amneris of the three Italian greats--that is, Barbieri, Cossotto, and herself. Brava! Cornell Mac'Neill was the leading Verdian baritone of the 50's, and his performance in this recording shows why he was sought after in the role of Aida's father. The soloists in this recording perform with a romantic intimacy that is almost absent from the many Aidas on the market, and this is why I would recommend this recording to anyone who would want to discover Aida's music.

Gil French, Rochester NY.......2006-10-22

Don't believe it for a moment! The back of this album quotes Gramophone magazine: "This 'Aida' recording will come to be regarded as a landmark in the art of capturing grand opera on disc." Maybe back in 1959 when it was recorded, but not today. Everything feel exposed: the sound is not integrated. Aida and Ramades are very forward one moment, withdrawn (by the mastering engineer) the next. The orchestra sounds rather raw, let alone out of tune and sloppy at times--easy to hear with such exposed sound. Further, this recording has none of the balance, total integration, sublime delicacy, and overwhelming impact of Karajan's later EMI recording with Freni and Carreras, which, sound-wise, has to be one of the best engineering jobs ever done on an opera.

Also, Karajan is unbelievably stiff and metronomic, especially in Act One, the prelude to which is a snore. Ensemble is especially poor. Soloists are frequently ahead of him, and the orchestra sounds rather scrappy. On his EMI recordings, Karajan is at his peak--poetic and sensitive, with overwhelming climaxes that leave you experiencing just what "grand opera" is all about. His EMI performance is a total experience, sweeping you from beginning to end.

Nor are Tebaldi as Aida and Bergonzi as Radames here that much better than Freni and Carreras on EMI. And Simionato as Amernis is pathetic compared to Baltsa's totally glorious performance on EMI. And, with the exception of riveting MacNeil in the minor role of Amonasro, the rest of the Decca cast is not as good as that on EMI.

"My wife, take her!" I can't wait to sell my Decca recording and get the EMI.

Is there a better Aida ?.......2006-09-20

I always thought the best Aida was 'Georg Sir Solti conductor with Price & Vickers from Decca/Universal' until I heard this one and was bewildered. The 96Mhz 24 bit technology is in a differemt class. It's incredible an opera recorded in 1959 can sound this good. This recording has no weaknesses.

Many thanks to Decca engineers for making this beautiful music and landmark performance available to the public.

Turgid and mannered!.......2006-06-06

Karajan completely undermines what should have been the AIDA of a generation. What a waste of a mag