Halevy: La Juive

On this CD:

1. La Juive, opera
Composed by Fromental Halevy
Performed by New Philharmonia Orchestra with Brian Ehteridge, Edgar Fleet, John Frost, Leslie Fyson, David Gwynne, Yasuko Hayashi, John Noble, Richard Tucker, Michele Le Bris
Conducted by Anton Guadagno

Tracks:

Pagliacci: Vesti la giubba
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
Rigoletto: Questa o quella
Rigoletto: La donna e mobile
L'africana: O paradiso
La Juive: Rachel, quand du Seigneur
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi; Celeste Aida
Andrea Chenier: Come un bel di di maggio
La Favorita: Romanza: Spirto gentil, ne' sogni miei
La forza del destino: O tu che in seno agli angeli
Otello: Ora e per sempre addio
Les pecheurs de perles: Je crois entendre encore
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar!
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jetee (Flower Song)
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
Faust: Salut, demeure chaste et pure
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Martha: M'appari tutt'amor
Serse: Ombra mai fu (Largo)
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira

Amazon.com

There's a plethora of single-disc Caruso collections, but this one's the preferred choice for opera fans who treasure this golden- voiced epitome of Golden Age singing. It's a Greatest Hits collection to beat all Greatest Hits collections. Selections span Caruso's career, from the lyric effusions of 1906-7 to the darker-voiced later recordings, including one of his last records, the 1920 La Juive aria, "Rachel, quand du Seigneur," which he invests with a heartbreaking poignancy that hasn't been bettered. Caruso shines brightest in the Italian repertory, capturing the pathos of Vesti la Giubba, the insouciance of the Duke's Rigoletto arias, and the hero's dilemma in Celeste Aida, among much else. But everything here is wonderful--great music, great singing. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Great to hear the Great Tenor.......2007-04-11

I am impressed how well these almost 100 year old recordings have been transfered to CD. Of course they aren't perfect but considering their age it is still a miracle. It is nice to hear Caruso in his prime and not on a scratchy vinyl. I would recommend this to any lover of Caruso's singing.

A childhood memory.......2006-05-28

I do not really know Opera. I am writing this review because I remember hearing Caruso's voice coming from a seventy- eight on an old Victor gramophone in my paternal grandparents house. The power and lyric quality of the voice struck me so strongly especially in 'Pagliacci'. The phrase has been with me, and comes back occasionally through all the years.
Caruso was then, and I believe still is considered at the very top of operatic singers. And it is a remarkable experience to hear so many years later , and in a stronger and clearer way sounds which one heard long ago in childhood, and have for years only lived in the mind.

Great collection........2000-11-04

This CD is an older RCA release, but still one of the best! A great introduction to Caruso.

Average customer rating:

The Art of Gigli
Gigli Is A Wonderful Singer!

The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Very Best of Franco Corelli
The Very Best of Giuseppe di Stefano
Carlo Bergonzi - The Sublime Voice ~ 40 Tracks from the Legendary Tenor
Beniamino Gigli: Historical Recordings 1927 - 1951
Giuseppe Di Stefano Sings Neapolitan Songs

ASIN: B0000A5BXR
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Tracks:

Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi...Celeste Aida
La Donna E Mobile
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Qual Turbamento...Salve Dimora
O Dolce Incanto...Chiuder Gli Occhi
Che Gelida Manina
Recondita Armonia
E Lucevan Le Stelle
Dovunque Al Mondo
Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba
Intanto Amici, Qua...Viva Il Vino Spumeggiante
Mamma, Quel Vino E Generoso
Non Colombelle!...Ah! Tu Ch'Odi Lo Mio Grido
Che Avvien?...Ah! Non V'Avvicinate...No! Pazzo Son!
Cujus Animam
Panis Angelicus
Ingemisco
Ave Maria
Core 'Ngrato
Funiculi, Funicula - Chorus

Tracks:

'O Sole Mio
La Serenata
La Danza
Aprile
Mattinata
Torna A Surriento
L'Ultima Canzone
La Vita E Inferno...O Tu Che In Seno
E La Solita Storia Del Pastor
Un Di All'Azzurro Spazio
Andrea Chenier...Corragio!...Si, Fui Soldato
Come Un Bel Di Di Maggio
Di' Tu Se Fedele
Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M' E Forza Perderti
Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur
Puisqu'on Ne Peut Flechir...Vainement, Ma Bien-Aimee
Io Son Sol...Ah! Dispar, Vision
Ah! Non Mi Ridestar
Quanto E Bella - Chorus
Nessun Dorma - Chorus

Customer Reviews:

The Art of Gigli.......2007-03-09

After Caruso's death, Beniamino Gigli became one of the most renowned tenors in the world. His rich voice well justified his reputation. While some of his mannerisms (the little "cries" and "catches" in his voice) can be a bit overdone, they were not atypical of the time. A few reactions to specific cuts.

"Celeste Aida" from Verdi's opera is smoothly sung; his rich voice serves to good effect. As already noted, the little "cries" are unfortunate, but hardly an issue. His higher notes flow smoothly from lower ones, in a seamless fashion. It would have been nice to hear him try for the piano at the end, but he did not choose to do so. Any way you slice it, a nice version of a glorious aria.

"La donna e mobile" is taken at a rather slow pace. It is smoothly sung but does not really catch the spirit of the wretched Duke. He shows wonderful breath control. This is more a workmanlike than scintillating version. On the other hand, "Che gelida manina" is wonderful. Smooth, elegant singing. A very well done high note. An iconic version.

The twin arias from "Tosca," "Recondita armonia" and "E lucevan le stelle" are very well executed. His rendering of the final "la vita" in the latter aria is, again, noteworthy.

And now for something completely different. . . . "Funiculi funicula" is spritely sung, in good spirits, and it is a lot of fun! Most enjoyable. "O Sole mio," likewise, is well rendered. As previously noted, some "off putting" cries, but the warm, full voice more than makes up for such mannerisms. He does not overpower this song with operatic technique. The end result is most satisfying.

"La danza" befuddled the great Caruso (in his version, his breathing fell apart at one point). But not Gigli. Well sung, good breath control. Bravo Gigli!

Back to opera. . . . "Nessun dorma" is well sung. The vocalization is smooth. Gigli's voice soars over orchestra and other voices. The final "Vincero" rings out.

While this CD is not without some questions, as noted above, it is worth 5 stars for its full portrayal of the work of Gigli. As such, it can be recommended for anyone who wants a comprehensive introduction to this singer.

Gigli Is A Wonderful Singer!.......2006-07-31

It's an honor for me to be "the first" to review this recording for Amazon. As "opera lovers" know, Gigli was "the greatest tenor in the world" for many years after the death of Caruso. If you haven't heard Gigli, a great treat is in store for you! He had "penache" and drama in the way he sang. Plus he had a beautiful tonal quality! I could go on and on but if you "pass this guy up" you'll be missing some beautiful and dramatic singing from a "world class" singing actor.

Besides listening to Gigli on Cd, you'd be doing yourself a favor to buy a movie in which Gigli appears and sings. The movie is called "Non Ti Scordar di Me". I'll try to find it on amazon or from "The Bel Canto Society" and give it a "review" also. It's an "old movie" but it has a VERY touching story, is well acted, and you get to see and hear Gigli which is a great treat since he has been gone for at least 50 years. He "comes alive" in this CD and in the movie. You will "thrill" to the sound of his voice. Enjoy! Email:boland7214@aol.

Average customer rating:

Great Voice
Florez shines in enticing variety, versatility of repertoire
Third album by Florez
Florez in another dazzling disc!
Muy bien cantado...Pero falta algo

Great Tenor Arias

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Juan Diego Florez ~ Rossini Arias
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Sentimiento Latino
Sentimiento Latino
Rossini - Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / Juan Diego Florez, Maria Bayo, Pietro Spagnoli, Ruggero Raimondi, Bruno Pratico, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Madrid Opera

ASIN: B0002K6ZWU
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Tracks:

J'ai Perdu Mon Euridice
Pietoso Al Lungo PiantoAlfin M'arride Amore...Deh! Lasciate A Un'Alma Amante
La Speranza Piu Soave Gia Quest'Alma Lusingava
Eccomi Finalmente...Feste? Pompe? Omaggi? Onori?
Loin De Son Amie Vivre Sans Plaisirs
Languir Per Una Bella
La Donna E Mobile
Pria Che Spunti In Ciel L'aurora
Com'e Soave Quest'Ora Di Silenzio Al Mio Dolente Cor... Anch'io Provai Le Tenere Smanie D'un Puro Amore
Avete Torto!...Firenze E Come Un Albero Fiorito

Amazon.com

Here the remarkable young Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez not only offers us what we've become accustomed to---gorgeous, graceful singing of very difficult bel canto gems (in this case, high-flying, virtuosic arias from Rossini's Semiramide and L'Italiana in Algeri. He also ventures into unknown waters. He sings an aria added by Donizetti for an Italian production of The Daughter of the Regiment ("La figlia" rather than the usual "La fille") which turns out to be just right for his voice, and he charms with his crisp diction and youthful approach. Paolino's aria from Cimarosa's Il matrimonio segreto is a substantial piece of bel canto writing, with some nice coloratura fireworks near the end which Florez sails through with ease, and Rinuccio's ditty from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi---perhaps the most heavily orchestrated piece he's sung and stylistically the opposite of anything else on the CD---is also tossed off with true élan. On the other hand, Florez has a lot to learn about the Gluckian style, judging from his Romantic approach to Orphée's aria, and his French could use some brushing up if he's going to sing anything from Halévy's La Juive, although the vocal hurdles that the composer put in the tenor's way do not seem to bother him at all. A surprising disappointment is "La donna e mobile," which is over-sung and charm free. But can any tenor around be expected to sing all of these (and a few others, too) perfectly? Florez remains a true delight, his sound beautiful, his production easy from top to bottom. Despite reservations, highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Great Voice.......2007-05-13

This young tenor is a worthy successor to Carreras, he will be a superb singer.

Florez shines in enticing variety, versatility of repertoire.......2005-03-14

An altogether delightful disc. The arias on here that do not require heavy pryotechnics are delightful and reveal a very pleasant insouciance of tone and character that are very fitting, only very intermittently offset by a slight hardness of tone on top. The aria from Semiramide and cabaletta to the charming Cimarosa aria serve up the fireworks, so common on the first disc and perhaps the one that followed it, for those listeners who are attracted to this disc by having heard especially the first and highly brilliant all-Rossini outing. Rossini is also well represented here by a charming romanza and lively cabaletta from Italiana in Algeri.

Several rarities are included, unlike with the above, and he makes something very charming and inviting of the selection from Verdi's Un giorno di regno (Verdi's rarely performed comedic second opera). The alternate Italian aria from Fille du regiment is a welcome supplement to his having recorded the more famous aria for Tony on his second recital disc. The aria from Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia (an easy equal to Lucia in inspiration) is also a highlight, Florez's insouciance of manner here particularly telling, as it has fatal consequences for his character and all this character's buddies in this opera. Eleazar's aria, or one of them, from Halevy's La Juive reveals the possibility of a little greater reach into repertoire that approaches the dramatic for this tenor - but one senses as well that he will and can, should take his time getting there. The tribute to Firenze from Gianni Schicchi at or toward the end of this recital is compelling enough to convince the most hardened travel cynic buying this disc to call the airlines/hotels, inns to book for there right away. The "Che faro" from Orfeo (but sung in French) is an ideal vehicle from which Florez can deliver such a sublime and heartfelt lament, as heard here, albeit a bit too closely recorded.

Carlo Rizzi, not always dependable, gives fine accompaniments here. The engineering does place the voice just a bit too forward, however, yet ironically a voice that has developed full body and better evenness than when his first all-Rossini disc was recorded (yet still certainly too early to tackle the part of Eleazer on stage as of yet), erasing any concerns I may have had at that time. For some readers, any problem with the sound quality here might demote this outing to four stars, but taking the singing, the interesting repertoire chosen for this disc, and the fine, deft accompaniments from Rizzi and the Verdi orchestra from Milan (some alternate band to Muti's peerless one at La Scala? - the endless nature of so much politics in music), have me sticking with five, and with a mind about several other vocal recital discs that have been getting rated too highly on this website.

Ditto. Just received credible correction from Vince Chau of one piece of misinformation I submitted here. The aria that Florez sings from La Juive belongs to the second tenor part of Leopold, not that of Eleazar. While I am on the subject of corrections of my reviews, he also had said that I had incorrectly challenged Gheorghiu's Laggiu nel Soledad for having ended on a high C. Not having been so graphic as that in how I describe what happened there, I had led him to believe and perhaps a few others that I was saying there was no high C in the aria at all, so I have just taken pains to fully explain the situation on the new Gheorghiu Puccini recital by thereby editing my review of it. I would not trade Gina Cigna's ONLY high C TOWARD the end of Laggiu nel Soledad for all the gold in Fort Knox, or Nilsson's or Tebaldi's ...

Third album by Florez.......2005-01-01

This, the young Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez' third album, includes more of the bel canto repertory with which he has risen to international fame. Hearing Lindoro's scene from L'Italiana in Algeri, to cite one example, will make the first-time listener realize why. The tenor's firm, even tone, agility in coloratura and secure high notes--all the way up to a solid high D in one selection--are still sources of wonder.

"Great Tenor Arias" also includes forays into other areas of the repertory, from operas which Florez has not yet sung and may never sing on stage. Indeed, one hopes that no one talks him into trying Verdi's Duke of Mantua any time soon--his rendition of "La Donna e Mobile" is solid, if a bit lacking in charm, but the entire role would surely overtax his vocal resources. Puccini's Rinuccio, from the evidence of Florez' take on the aria from Gianni Schicchi that concludes this somewhat short (less than an hour of music) CD, would be a more comfortable fit, but he is already too much of a marquee name to take on what is basically a supporting role.

If this CD as a whole leaves a slightly unsatisfying impression, it is because the experiments by Florez remain just that--vocal explorations rather than performances undertaken out of deep dramatic or musical conviction. In addition, some of the more obscure music, Cimarosa and early Verdi in particular, is not of the highest quality, and here Florez' comparative inability to characterize vocally becomes a liability. All in all, despite the outstanding singing, a newcomer to this tenor's art would probably be better served by starting with one of his two earlier albums, the first of Rossini, the second Bellini/Donizetti.

Florez in another dazzling disc!.......2004-11-25

Juan Diego Florez is definitely on a spin and that well-deserved
journey is the product of fine training, excellent coaching, and a keen sense of pacing in a career that tends to push the gifted ones too quickly. Though Florez' crowning gifts are in the bel canto repertoire, with this recording he just starts there and pushes into the range of more lyrical arias, and to these ears he succeeds in demonstrating how special is this beautiful voice.

Even the decision about lineup of arias on this fine recording is intelligent: Florez moves from Gluck, Cimarosa and Rossini into Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini with great ease. Here is a tenor who can belt out the high notes to please the balcony but who is equally sensitive to the diminuendos and barely audible phrases that mark the true artist.

Dashingly handsome, and physically as well as vocally a fine actor on stage, this CD simply further demonstrates that Juan Diego Florez is one of the brightest tenors before us today. It is interesting to see how many Latin American tenors are suddenly becoming so important - Villazon, Calleja, Alvarez, Florez, etc. Refreshing! GRady Harp, November 2004.

Muy bien cantado...Pero falta algo.......2004-11-07

JUAN DIEGO FLOREZ es sin duda alguna el mejor tenor de la actualidad en su repertorio (Rossini y ciertos roles belcantistas) y sus trabajos discograficos siempre consiguen los mas fervientes aplausos. Yo mismo, ya elogie en su dia aqui sus dos registros anteriores en solitario con este mismo sello.
Pero ahora, en este tercer trabajo, la magia no se produce de igual manera que las veces anteriores: la voz sigue estando ahi, bellisima y con un alarde de agudos bastante importante...Pero el repertorio no es el mas adecuado a la vocalidad de Florez, por lo que le ofrece escasas posibilidades de lucimiento. Un repertorio como este, en la voz de un tenor desconocido que comienza pudo haber sido interesante, pero en la voz de un tenor ya consagrado como es Florez, deja una sensacion de vacio bastante grave. Habra que esperar al cuarto (ya se anuncian "Canciones latinoamericanas" en lo que puede ser un interesante cambio de registrio) para ver si se vuelve a producir la magia.
CARLO RIZZI y la orquesta rinden a un buen nivel, mucho mayor que la orquesta y el director del disco anterior de Florez.

Average customer rating:

The Voice of France

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

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Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000075A80
Release Date: 2002-11-12

Tracks:

La Marseillaise (French National Anthem) - Placido Domingo
Dome Epais Le Jasmin (Flower Duet) - Joan Sutherland
L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - Regina Resnik
C'est Toi...Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Gregory Cross
Belle Noit, O Nuit D'amour - Joan Sutherland
Apres Un Reve - Renee Fleming
L'invitation Au Voyage - Gerard Souzay
Cantique De Jean Racine, Op.11 - Choir Of St. John's College, Cambridge
Rachel, Quand De Seigneur - Leopold Simoneau
O Vin, Dissipe La Tristesse - Sherrill Milnes
Je Suis Titania - Beverly Sills
Ah, Ou Va La Jeune Indoue - Joan Sutherland
Les Filles De Cadix - Angela Gheorghiu
Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix - Marilyn Home
Alerte! Alerte!...Anges Pur - Nuccia Focile

Tracks:

Frere Jacques - Rita Streich
Air De Letter: Mon Chet Amant - Regine Crespin
Marthe Dieu Soit Loue...Deposons Les Armes (Soldiers' Chorus) - Robert Massard
In Paradisum - L Union Chorale de La Tour De Peliz
Villanelle - Regine Crespin
Je Veux Vivre - Joan Sutherland
Chanson A Boire - Gerard Souzay
L'Enigme Eternelle - Suzanne Danco
Sur Le Pont D'Avignon - Hilde Guden
Phidyle - Gerard Souzay
Les Gars Qui Vont A La Fete - Gerard Souzay
Notre Amour - Sylvia McNair
Beau Soir - Elly Ameling
C'est L'extase Langoureuse - Sylvia McNair
Puisqu'on Ne Peut Flechir Ces jalouses Gardiennes-Vainement Ma Bien-Aimee - Alfredo Kraus
Il Est Doux, Il Est Bon - Angela Gheorghiu
Hotel - Gilles Cachemaille
Petite Dinde, Ah! Quel Outrage - Maggie Teyte
Bailero - Kiri Te Kanawa
Brezairola - Kiri Te Kanawa
Malurous Qu'o Uno Fenno - Kiri Te Kanawa

Average customer rating:

Caruso 2000 - The world's greatest Tenor ever...
Simply Disgraceful
a wonderful effort
Exellent!
A Great Effort

Caruso 2000

Manufacturer: RCA
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The Legendary Enrico Caruso: 21 Favorite Arias
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Great Caruso

ASIN: B000031WTO
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Tracks:

Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile
Aida: Se Quel Quel Guerrier Io Fossi... Celeste Aida
Macbeth: O Figli, O Figli Miei... Ah, La Paterna Mano
Il Trovatore: Ah, Si Ben Mio
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira
Un Ballo in Maschera: Forse La Soglia Attinse
La Juive: Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur
L'Africaine: Mi Batte Il Cor... O Paradiso!
Manon: Je Suis Seul... Ah, Fuuyez, Douce Image
Le Cid: Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini!
Martha: M'Appari Tutt' Amor
La Gioconda: Cielo E Mar
I Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba
TOSCA: Recondita Armonia
Petite Messe solennelle: Domine Deus
La Danza: Taratella Neopolitana
I Pagliacci: Comparison Track - Orig. Version: Recitar... Vesti La giubba

Amazon.com

The idea behind Caruso 2000 is actually not new. In the early '30s, RCA rerecorded some of the legendary tenor's acoustic recordings with newly added orchestral accompaniments, to rather crude results. With today's computer know-how, one can carry out this concept with infinitely more finesse and musicality, as the present release proves. What we have are some of Caruso's most famous and memorable sides, with the voice's overtones pretty much intact, minus the shellac surface noise. Likewise, the blatty orchestras are virtually rubbed out, replaced here in new performances by the Vienna Radio Symphony. It's amazing how accurately conductor Gottfried Rabl pinpoints accompaniments around Caruso's very personalized rubatos. In fact, Rabl sometimes anticipates the singer's special effects rather than reacts to them. The basic problem is that you don't get a tangible sense of Caruso's projection. Compare, for instance, the 1907 "Vesti la Giubba" from I Pagliacci (track 17) to its reconstituted counterpart (track 13). The unadulterated recording reveals the voice in proportion to the blatty orchestra in a finite space, with no dial twiddling or body miking to beef things up. In the new version, voice and orchestra are miraculously matched, yet don't blend. A vocalist will normally adjust his or her voice to the environment, but singers can't do such things when they're dead. Still, a release like this will surely instigate Caruso awareness among budding opera fans, just as Ted Turner's colorized films make classic movies palatable to viewers allergic to black and white. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Caruso 2000 - The world's greatest Tenor ever..........2007-01-11

Tenor Enrico Caruso - who died in 1921 - in the year 2000?!? YES, if you like Caruso or if you just like opera and would like to hear Caruso, this is a good starter. It is Caruso's voice with a new recorded orchestra. Almost 100 years between!
I find this CD VERY entertaining. For Caruso specialists this might be of lesser interest, because it is so different from the originals - being the scratchy old 78s recorded acoustically.

Use this CD as you would use any other music CD, listen and enjoy. I have to rate this as a 5 star release.

I love it!
René

Simply Disgraceful.......2005-04-12

What they have done to Caruso's voice for the sake of fitting his voice to the modern orchestration is simply disgraceful and offensive. The producers of this CD clearly must have assumed that anyone listening to it, would not have heard the original recordings on '78. But I have--all of arias compiled on the CD. And the Caruso voice is so distorted in most of the arias that it is almost unrecognizable. It is as though the producers sped up or slowed down the tempos of the Caruso original recordings to best fit the orchestration. If you want to hear Caruso's voice as it really sounded, don't buy this CD. Stick to the original '78's.

a wonderful effort.......2002-11-24

After reading the lastest negative reviews of this cd. I am compelled to answer the critique. Ok the cd is not perfect. But we are talking about recordings almost a century old. To be able to sit and listen to Caruso without annoyance is marvelous. The reviewer starts his dialogue by saying the Caruso's voice is over rated and this is where he is coming from. I have heard and seen the best and they are all compared to Caruso.

Exellent!.......2002-08-01

This Enrico Caruso CD sounds great! His voice has been remastered, to sound richer and clearer, more like himself. The music on the CD is just wonderful. There is no noise, or static-sound on the CD like the origional recordings. This is just one of the best Enrico Caruso CD's as far as sound, and the songs are favorites.

A Great Effort.......2002-06-24

This Caruso 2000 CD is a great effort to show us what The Great Caruso actually sounded like. Unfortunately no modern creations can really fix the old recordings and give us what He really sounded like; BUT, if you suspend your disbelief, just a little bit, this is not bad at all; and in fact is quit good. All the pops and static in the orgnakl recording is completely gone, its very clean in that regard, the vocals still sound like they were recorded mono, but with this clearer recording you can get glimpses of how great Caruso was. For example on Vesti la Giubba Caruso's vocal power is fantastic; as well as on just about every other selections hear (Great choice of song's). I give this CD a 5 for effort, and for being the best Caruso collection I have ever heard. I only wish we could go back in time with Digital recording equipment and record Caruso, then we would all know if he really was the greatest or not. But, I will tell you this, even with the mono sounding vocals hear, if he was not the best, he sure was one of them, the power and emotion are still evident even without being recorded by modern technology.

Cesare Siepi: Classic Recitals - Operatic Arias for Bass

Average customer rating:

Profundo......
Fascinating Bass.
Profundo!

Cesare Siepi: Classic Recitals - Operatic Arias for Bass

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Samuel Ramey - Operatic Arias
Operatic Arias for Bass, Vol. 2
Lebendige Vergangenheit: Cesare Siepi
The Very Best of José Van Dam

ASIN: B0009ND41A
Release Date: 2005-08-09

Tracks:

Ella Giammai M'Amo
Vieni, O Levita!... Tu Sul Labbro Dei Veggenti
Che Mai Vegg'Io... Infelice! E Tu Credevi
Di Sposo, Di Padre Le Gioie Serene
Il Lacerato Spirito
Seigneur, Rampart Et Seul Soutien/Piff, Paff, Piff
Nonnes, Qui Reposez
Si La Rigeur

Customer Reviews:

Profundo.............2007-06-08

I had the LP of this when I was a kid, and was delighted to find it in CD. It has stood the test of time, and memory. Cesare is still with us, though well stricken in years. Of course, he hasn't sung in years. I remember him as a superb Don Giovanni. The perhaps apocryphal story of the live performance where the trap door to hell didn't work is a classic. The recorded legacy is, sadly, small. All the more reason to grab this. You won't be sorry.

Fascinating Bass........2007-02-13

Cesare Siepi's recordings aren't many these days. I've got Kleiber's Figaro and Krip's Don Giovanni. Glorious singing by Siepi in those two great recordings.
But the songs in this album none the less present Siepi's bass cantante to great effect.
The role of Philip II in Verdi's Don Carlos is well-presented here, very moving. It is a big shame that Cesare did not otherwise leave many recordings for this role that fits him so well! If you like "Don Carlos", and want to have a superb version of Philip II's famous aria, this CD is the answer.
The arias from Meyerbeer's Les Hugenots are also great, the latter one 'Piff-paff' sung to a great rhythmic lilt by Siepi following the greaat Lutheran hymn from the same opera.
I could not imagine a bass could be so melodious. The album is a great joy to listen, and a true gem to own. In fact, of all my solo recital albums, Siepi's album has always remained on the top as being one of the most listened to at whatever time of the year, whatever hour of the day.

Profundo!.......2005-10-24

You have to love bass ... the unsung heroes of the operatic aria world ... and I do, perhaps because my father had a bass voice and sang in paid choirs on Sundays (for joy), while earning his living as a lawyer. Somehow you descend to the depths with the bass, and Cesare's voice is beautiful. I coach, teach and train emotional intelligence, and there's a theory in psychology about the bass voice and depression. Whatever it is true or not, that males with higher voices have more emotional resilience, the bass voice takes you to the profound depths of things. You can't help going there. I find it soothing, like an anchor. If you're a bass fan, buy this and listen, you'll love it. If you're not, buy it and learn! I think it's an acquired taste. The tenors get the big roles, but the bass bears the weight.

Average customer rating:

Tucker is wonderful in a surprisingly good opera
TUCKER SHINES

Halévy: La Juive

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

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Massenet: Manon

ASIN: B000062Y9E
Release Date: 2002-06-04

Customer Reviews:

Tucker is wonderful in a surprisingly good opera.......2004-06-02

Source: Live 1973 performance before a well-disciplined London audience.

Performing version: Heavily cut to create a practical and performable three act opera out of the original, sprawling, grand opera in five acts.

Sound: Good to very good, overall. The sound is as crisp and clean as one can reasonably hope from a live recording in 1973. Voices are generally given predominance over the orchestra.

Documentation: Opera d'Oro is even worse in this set than its usual abominable standard. Neither the theater nor the orchestra is identified. The track list omits timings. No libretto. No comments on the cast except for a few words about Richard Tucker. Very limited comment on the opera and a hint about its performance history. Brief (and possibly misleading) plot summary.

I have been distantly aware of the existence of an opera called "La Juive", largely because of its often recorded tenor aria, "Rachel, quand du Seigneur" and its association with the final days of the great Caruso. I also knew that it was a once popular work that had long-ago fallen out of the standard repertory. Assuming that good reason existed for its faded state, I had no particular desire to hear it until I attended a concert of operatic choral music and was impressed by a rousing chorus. "La Juive", I was surprised to find, had at least two good pieces of music in it. "The Pearl Fishers" has no more and "Lakme" does not have even that much. Some time later, while pondering over whether I (or anybody else) needed a second "Wozzeck", I stumbled on this recording and bought it out of curiosity.

Listening to the opera was a series of surprises. There were not just two good pieces of music; there were a whole bunch of them, one after another. Language aside, "La Juive" did not sound at all like a French opera. Instead of the lyric and graceful wit so common to French art, it had a bumptious, Italianate muscularity. In fact, it sounded like nothing so much as early Verdi, even to the extent of using the orchestra as a sort of giant guitar. I began to wonder if its composer had ever been accused of the sin of "Verdisme"--or I did until I noticed that it dates from 1835, four years before Verdi's first opera, "Oberto" and seven years before "Nabucco". (Was Verdi ever accused of "Halevismo"?) Another surprise was the unusual casting requirements: a dramatic tenor, a high-flying lyric tenor, two sopranos and a bass. That combination is so odd for the 1830s that I can only speculate that it was created for a specific ensemble. The last surprise can be summed up in a single question. Why did this very impressive opera disappear?

The plot of "La Juive" seems to have arisen out of the same gumbo of ideas that eventually led to "Il trovatore". The opera takes place in the year 1414. Some years prior to Act I, the infant daughter of a man who is now a cardinal disappeared during a siege. The opera starts with a crowd in anti-Semitic passion giving the Jewish jeweler, Eleazar, a hard time. He is saved by the cardinal, an old enemy, now in a more mellow mood. Meanwhile, Eleazar's daughter, Rachel, is being wooed by a nice, supposedly Jewish boy who just happens to a Christian prince in disguise. Prince Leopold is tomcatting around the town in anticipation of his forthcoming wedding to Princess Eudoxie. As might be expected, Rachel learns of the two-timing proclivities of the prince. She quite properly denounces the cad and, of course, finds herself arrested for feloniously allowing herself to be seduced by a Christian. The prince and old Eleazar end up in the slammer, too. Confrontations follow. The cardinal and Eleazar snarl at each other as the old jeweler throws out hints that he knows something about the whereabouts of the missing girl. Eudoxie, dismayed at the prospect of going from bride to widow with unseemly haste, faces off with Rachel. Eventually, Rachel, like Leonora in "Il trovatore", decides to sacrifice her life so that her lover might get off. Rachel's plan, unlike Leonora's, works and the utterly worthless and heartless tenor goes scot free while the innocent girl is executed, although whether by fire at the stake, as the Od'O booklet states, in boiling oil as another source reports, or in boiling water according to a third source, I cannot say. Eleazar, like Azucena, gets the last good line, for the cardinal has just executed his own daughter.

Jaques Francois Fromental Halevy (1799-1862) was born as Elias Levy. He was both an academic and a practical man of the theater. He was a student of Cherubini at the Paris Conservatory, later becoming a professor there, himself. For fifteen years, while also serving as a professor of composition, he was the chorus master at the Opera. Among his students were Bizet, Gounod, Saint-Saens and Lecocq. He completed twenty-eight operas, including these intriguing titles, "Les mousquetaires de la reine", "La tempesta" and "La dame de picque". Mahler loved "La Juive" and Verdi ridiculed it. Its greatest champion--and certainly its most surprising one, considering its composer and subject--was Wagner.

On this recording, Richard Tucker at age 60 is simply wonderful. There is no other word for him. The audience reaction after "Rachel, quand du Seigneur" is thunderous and absolutely deserved. This recording shows how the really great ones should finish their careers. The other tenor, Juan Sabate, is hard-edged, but he has the goods and the required high notes. He sounds just right as that unmitigated heel, Prince Leopold. The two sopranos, Yasuko Hayashi as Rachel and Michelle Le Bris as Princess Eudoxie, both sound fine, although they are sometimes difficult to tell apart. David Gwynne has a big and appropriately dark voice for Cardinal de Brogni.

Update, March 2006 . . .

The gentleman who writes the notes for the Od'O series has taken me to task for that wisecrack about the "Brief (and possibly misleading) plot summary." He was perfectly justified in doing so and I herewith apologize to him.

What I had in mind was the description of the specific manner of the death of the heroine. In nearly fifty years of being an opera fan, I have never stumbled on a score or libretto for "La Juive." In consulting the secondary sources that came to hand, I found two other versions which contradicted one another and the version that appears with this recording.

As Mr. Parker has assured me--quite firmly, you may believe--that he carefully consulted the original text before writing his notes, I now have no reason to doubt the accuracy of his plot summary.

The jibes and potshots I have made (and will doubtless make in the future) about the quality of the documentation in Od'O sets are directed at the publisher, not at the industrious contracted writer who makes the most of the obviously narrow limits placed on him by Opera d'Oro.

By the way, yeah, I know that at these prices I can't reasonably expect a libretto. That doesn't mean I have to like it!

TUCKER SHINES.......2003-06-23

La Juive is the best known work of compositor Halevy and along
Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots the epitom of "French Grand Opera".
This is a live concert performance from London taped in 1973.
The score is heavily cut but still offers a fine representa-
tion of the work. Richard Tucker - a devout jew in real life -
was born to sing the role. At 60 the heroic voice is in top
shape - firm and powerful - and his portrayal of Eleazar is
anything if not fervent - his rendition of "Rachel quand du
Seigneur" is feverish and devastatingly intense - it brings
the house down. The rest of the cast is more than adequate -
the two sopranos are well constrasted and sing very well -
David Gwynne is a somber Cardinal and Juan Sabate copes well
with the high tessitura of Leopold. The sound is not high-tech
but quite good and with fine contribution from chorus and
orchestra under the leadership of Anton Guadagno - this bar-
gain set is highly recommandable.

Average customer rating:

Feed the hunger of my mexican soul.....
Great Excerpts
Beautiful, the Master at his best!

Bravo Domingo

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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Very Best of
The Young Domingo
Essential Placido Domingo
José Carreras: The Golden Years
Por Amor

ASIN: B00000AFRF
Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

Nessun Dorma
Largo Al Factotum
Je Crois Entendre Encore
Pays Merveilleux... O Paradis
Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur
Il etait Une Fois A La Cour D'Eisenach
Vesti La Giubba
Niun Mi Tema
O Figli, O Figli Miei!...Ah, La Paterna Mano
Morgenlich Leuchtend Im Rosigen Schein
Hor An, Wolfram!...Inbrunst Im Herzen
Una Furtiva Lagrima
Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
Quando Le Sere Al Placido
E Lucevan Le Stelle

Tracks:

Granada
Non Ti Scondar Di Me
Munequita Linda
Be My Love
Nostalgias
El Dia Que Me Quieras
Ella Mi Fu Rapita!
Parmi Veder Le Lagrime
La Donna E Mobile
Von Jugend Auf Im Kampfgefild
La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee
Fontainebleau! Foret Immense Et Solitaire!...Je L'ai Vue
Donna Non Vidi Mai
Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
Ch'ella Mi Creda Libero
O Lola Ch'hai Di Latti La Cammisa
Lunge Da Lei...De Miei Bollenti Spiriti
Tombe Degl' Avi Miei...Fra Poco A Me Ricovero
Di Quella Pira

Customer Reviews:

Feed the hunger of my mexican soul............2003-10-13

This man brings up the wonderful tones of my youth, the songs of generations before me, and sends them forth into the atmosphere of my soul in such a way that brings pride, tears, and love for all I grew up with. A most definite recommend for anyone who loves both Mexican music and a glorious vocalist.

Great Excerpts.......2002-01-20

Incredible 2 CD set at a very affordable price. The arias and ensemble chosen show Domingo at his very best in almost all the roles of the repertoire.
The set also features Granada and few other songs including two tangos sung in a baryton voice....again greatly...

GREAT Domingo.

Beautiful, the Master at his best!.......1998-11-18

The clarity of his voice, the range, and the power is unsurpassed! The selections are fantasic. Granada sung by Domingo is stirringly beautiful and deeply moving, you can feel his love for Spain and mastery of his art.

Beniamino Gigli: Historical Recordings 1927 - 1951

Average customer rating:

Beniamino Gigli: Historical Recordings 1927 - 1951

Manufacturer: Gala
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001XLX
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Tracks:

Rigoletto: Bella Figlia Dell'Amore
Les pecheurs de perles: Mi Par D'udir Ancora
Xerxes: Fronde Tenere... Ombra Mai Fu
Lelisir d'amore': Una Furtiva Lagrima
I Pagliacci: No, Pagliaccio Non Son!
Cavalleria Rusticana: Mamma Quel Vino E Generoso
Andrea Chenier: Si Fui Soldato
TOSCA: E Lucevan Le Stelle
Carmen: Il Fior Che Avevi A Me
Aida: Se Quel Querrier
La Boheme: O Soave Fanciulla
Don Giovanni: Il Mio Tesoro Intanto
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira
La forza del destino: La Vita E Inferno All'infinito O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
Andrea Chenier: Come Un Bel Di Maggio
La Juive: Rachel, Quand Du Seigneur
Werther: Ah! Non Mi Ridestar
Otello: Gia Nella Notte Densa