Verdi: I Due Foscari

On this CD:

1. I due Foscari, opera
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Carlo Bergonzi, Aldo Bertocci, Giangiacomo Guelfi, Maria Vitale, Gianni Barbieri, Mario Bersieri, Pasquale Lombardo
Conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini

Tracks:

Rigoletto: La donna e mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Nabucco: Va pesiero - Chicago Symphony Orchestra
La forza del destino: Overture - Kirov Orchestra
La Traviata: Un di felice - Joan Sutherland
I Vespri Siciliani: Merce dilette amiche - Maria Chiara
La Traviata: Libiamo ne' lieti calici - Joan Sutherland
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira - Jose Carreras
Il Trovatore: Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Il Trovatore: Stride la vampa! - Stefania Toczyska
Aida: Ritorna vincitor! - Leontyne Price
Don Carlo: Dio che nell'alma infondere - Carlo Bergonzi
La Traviata: Prelude - Orchestra E Coro Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Rigoletto: Caro nome - Joan Sutherland
Don Carlo: O don fatale - Olga Borodina
Aida: Se quel guerrier io fossi! Celeste Aida - Carlo Bergonzi
Emani: Ernani! Ernani involami - Joan Sutherland
Un Ballo in Maschera: Di tu se fedele - Jussi Bjorling
Un Ballo in Maschera: Morro ma prima in grazia - Margaret Price
Luisa Miller: Quando le sere al placido - Luciano Pavarotti
Aida: Gloria all'Egitto - Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Tracks:

Requiem: Dies irae - Wiener Philharmoniker
La forza del destino: Pace pace mio Dio - Angela Gheorghiu
Rigoletto: Questa o quella - Carlo Bergonzi
Rigoletto: Bella figlia dell'amore - Luciano Pavarotti
Otello: Ave Maria - Renee Fleming
La Traviata: Parigi o cara - Frank Lopardo
Macbeth: Ah la paterna mano - Luciano Pavarotti
Il Trovatore: Squilli echeggi la tromba guerriera - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Don Carlo: O Carlo ascolta - Dmitri Hvorostovsky
Requiem: Ingemisco - Luciano Pavarotti
Simon Baccanegra: Come in quest'ora bruna - Kiri Te Kanawa
Macbeth: Salve o Re! Si colmi il calice - Lucia Aliberti
Aida: O patria mia - Leontyne Price
I lombardi: La mia letizia infondere - Placido Domingo
Aida: Lo sguardo avea degli angeli - Montserrat Caballe
La forza del destino: Solenne in quest'ora - Nikolai Putilin
Macbeth: Patria opressa - Chicago Symphony Orchestra And Chorus
Il Trovatore: Tacea la notte - Katia Ricciarelli
I due Foscari: Dal piu remoto esilio - Odio solo ed odio atroce - Jose Carreras
Don Carlo: Spuntato ecco il di esultanza - Orchestra E Coro Del Teatro Alla Scala Di Milano

Customer Reviews:

OKAY, TAKE ME AWAY........2006-01-20

I don't know opera.

Last summer we had an incredible 20th anniversary trip to Italy. As a side trip from Venice, we planned a night in Verona. Neither my wife or I had been to an opera.

Is this how its supposed to be...

...an incredible star filled night with a three quarter moon, the largest stage and outdoor theatrical production on the planet, all taking place in a roman colleseum (arena) built in 180 a.d., an incredible colorful set and production with a full symphony orchestra and voices that don't come easy. Aida.

Now I know what all the hpye is as you opera fans sure are lucky to have such a beautiful setting for all your productions.

Okay, we got spoiled. But I also found myself getting spoiled on the Italian composer Verdi.

For me, this set is not only a "take me back to Verona" trip, but a great introduction to Verdi's other works. With some of the biggest names in the opera world in starring roles, I listened to both discs twice the first night they arrived.

And, of course, we are planning a return trip to Verona in the very near future to see some more Verdi...perhaps Nabucco or Otello or Macbeth...I'll even settle for Aida again. It was such a magical experience and a superb introduction to opera and Verdi.

This set continues that magical moment for us and provides a great introduction to a master of the opera...Verdi.

Great music...stunning recording quality.......2002-11-01

This is a marvelous compendium of Verdi's opera works that even the serious opera fan wouldn't turn his nose up at. These are the top contemporary soloists singing with first tier orchestras. When I saw the Decca label, I expected reasonable quality, but this disk is stunningly well engineered. Most of the vocals match the best jazz cds for immediacy and intimacy, and the orchestras are equally well done.

Incredible.......2002-06-05

I don't say incredible about too many things, but Verdi was the zenith of Italian Opera and Solti and the Chicago Symphony and the Vienna Philharmonic are the quintessential ensembles for modern classical performance. Not to mention that most of the voices showcased have their own lines of CDs (Pavarotti, etc.) This CD is the best Verdi album available, and it has EVERYTHING. BUY THIS CD!

Just Stunning!.......2002-01-26

In my opinion this recording is stunning. I am not usually a fan of compilations in classical music, as they're usually watered down representations made under the presumption that the listener would find the full-blown version intimidating or boring. This one, however, is not only an exception in my view, but a recording that deserves a high place of honor in every serious listener's collection. The representation of artists, both vocal and orchestral, is breathtaking and impressive for the span of years. A great big thank you to the people at Decca responsible for putting this collection together, as it is obvious to this listener that a great deal of thought and care went into looking for the most beautiful version of every piece on here. I have purchased two copies, one for home and one for the office, and have gotten two friends similarly hooked. I am also feverishly searching for more pairings of Joan Sutherland and Carlo Bergonzi. In the meantime, I'm on to Essential Puccini!!

Average customer rating:

Yay for Yu Qiang Dai
Cura a Tenor is. A good one he is not.
Not a great effort
Disappointing after his Puccini CD
Beautiful

Verdi Arias

Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Jose Cura - Puccini Arias / Domingo
Verismo
Anhelo: Argentinian Songs
Boleros
La Traviata à Paris / Gvazava, Cura, Panerai; Mehta (2000 TV film)

ASIN: B00004WIID
Release Date: 2000-10-10

Tracks:

Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida
Don Carlo: Io I'ho Perduta!
Simon Boccanegra: O Inferno!...Sento Avvampar Nell'Anima
La Traviata: Lunge Da Lei...De' Miei Bollenti Spiriti
I Due Foscari: Notte, Perpetua Notte...Non Maledirmi, O Prode
Macbeth: O Figli, O Figli Miei!...Ah, La Paterna Mano
Un Ballo In Maschera: Forse La Soglia Attinse...Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti
Il Trovatore: Ah! Si, Ben Mio...Di Quella Pira
La Forza Del Destino: La Vita E Inferno...O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli
Otello: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar
Otello: Niun Mi Tema

Amazon.com

This recital shows off the extraordinary dual talents of José Cura as tenor and conductor, and, much as envy might compel one to say he should stick to one or the other, conscience demands otherwise. He does a superb job in both spheres--and, more than that, his intuitive and gripping sense of drama links them inextricably. The accompaniments are bound up with the vocal line in compelling and exciting ways: every slight expansion of a phrase, every passionate quickening of tempo, every moment of vocal calm or storm, is felt in the orchestra. His choice of tempi are not always conventional, either: "De' miei bollenti spiriti" from La traviata is speedier than you might have heard it before, for example, but it perfectly captures Alfredo's youthful ardor. Cura's feeling for the heart of a situation is backed up by a glorious voice, with a remarkably full baritonal range and a thrilling top--and he seems to have a rainbow palette of colors to lighten or darken the sound as necessary. One quibble is that he sings "Di quella pira" from Il trovatore a semitone low. But, overall, this is a wonderful recording of a wonderful voice. --Warwick Thompson

Customer Reviews:

Yay for Yu Qiang Dai.......2005-01-28

It was a big shock to hear Yu Qiang Dai's debut cd. He is, I think, the best lirico-spinto tenor nowadays. He has a lovely voice, which is very well produced. The center is wonderful, the lower notes are good, the high notes are shining and of fantastic quality... the singing through the passage is very well handled. He is an itelligent musical interpreter and singer, with an interesting and appealing line and sense of style. Very good dynamic changes. He offers some of the absolutely best renditions of some arias (nessun dorma and cielo e mar, for example) that I have heard in many years.

He still has to work his Italian (specially the consonants) and his French. But there were great historical tenors with bigger idiomatical problems.

Despite taking spinto repertoire, Yu never pushes, never tries to make the voice sound darker than it is, everything is always under control, and he takes the chance to give very stylish renditions (for example, of una furtiva lagrima), which is strange for tenors who "want to sing spinto".
The tenor is a fantastic discovery, one of the best ones around. Actually, all my criticism goes to EMI and the production of the CD: no choirs, no solists (for example, for the aria of Cavalleria, where the mother should sing her line), and the acoustic "atmosphere" has made some people to doubt if Yu's voice is really as big as it seems (people who saw his Cavaradossi at Covent Garden say that it is very big, actually).
Not a the best production job by the people of EMI, but five stars (ten if possible) for the singer. Simply wonderful.

Cura a Tenor is. A good one he is not........2002-06-28

Per the review from Mr. Gonzales, it is difficult to judge from listening to a recording that Cura is not a tenor, I believe he definitely is. He does not have the big bottom that a baritone should have. However there definitely are problems with his top. Cura suffers from an aversion to darkening his tone. He makes himself sound quite hooty sometimes. If he would just sing with correct italianate vowels he would'nt have such trouble with his high notes. I believe its that simple. He darkens his vowels, thus pulling down the lift he should have on his soft pallet. Its a beatiful voice in there, he just never received enough training. And I would venture to say that he is not continuing with his training (as the smartest opera singers do). But hey while his voice holds up under his bad technique hes pulling in the bucks. It would be nice if he would take sometime to repair his voice, I believe he would last much longer, and sound much much better. As mentioned previously this disk does demonstrate some vocal damage, it was inevitable with his over darkened tone.

Not a great effort.......2002-06-26

Simply put, Cura does not use his powerful voice to great effect. I've listened to his collection of Puccini arias where his strength finds better application. I even liked him in the TV production of La Boehme. But sadly, there appears to be no real interpretation in this recording, just sound. It's like listening to a horn player who can create a great sound from the instrument, but can't make music.

Disappointing after his Puccini CD.......2001-05-20

I was favorably impressed with Cura's debut recital of Puccini arias (recorded June 1997), and on the strength of that favorable impression I bought his Verismo arias CD (recorded July 1999) and his Verdi arias CD (recorded Feb. 2000). I found both disappointing; neither is up to the standard of the Puccini disc. What is alarming is that I believe there has been audible deterioration in his voice in the short period of only two and three years between recording the Puccini disc and recording the next two. He is singing heavy roles usually, and advisedly, taken on by tenors later in their careers (e.g., Samson, Otello), and I hope this promising tenor won't sing himself out prematurely.

In addition, the Verdi arias CD gives poor measure for a full-priced disc, only 11 arias at 54 minutes timing (both the Puccini and Verismo CD's are over 70 minutes).

Beautiful.......2001-02-20

I have seen several performances by Cura and he does Verdi beautifully. Viva Cura!

The Pavarotti Edition (includes bonus disc with previously unreleased 1964 debut Decca recording session)

Average customer rating:

Beyond all description...
An Absolute Must-Have for Any Pavarotti Fan
Wonderful!!!!

The Pavarotti Edition (includes bonus disc with previously unreleased 1964 debut Decca recording session)

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Borat - Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Widescreen Edition)

ASIN: B00005O841
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Album Description

Disc 1: Donizetti Arias from L'elisir d'amore, Maria Stuarda, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Fille du Regiment, Linda di Chamounix, La Favorita, and Don Paquale

Disc 2: Bellini/Donizetti/Verdi Includes arias from I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, La Sonnambula (1976 Duet Recording), I Beatrice di Tenda, I Puritani, Don Sebastien, Il Duca d'Alba, I Lombardi, I due Foscari, Ernani, and Attila

Disc 3: Verdi 1 Includes arias from Macbeth, Luisa Miller, Rigoletto, Il Trovatore, La Traviata, and Les Vepres Siciliennes

Disc 4: Verdi 2 Includes arias from Un Ballo in Maschera, La Forza del Destino, Don Carlos, Aida, Otello, and Requiem

Disc 5: Puccini Includes arias from La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot

Disc 6: Puccini and Verismo Includes arias from Cavalleria Rusticana, Manon Lescaut, Pagliacci, Andrea Chenier, and Tosca

Disc 7: Arias 1 Includes arias from La Griselda, Atalanta, Orfeo ed Euridice, Don Giovanni, Cosi fan Tutte, Guillaume Tell, and more. Includes Unreleased Material.

Disc 8: Arias 2 Includes arias from Martha, Mefistofele, La Giocanda, Adriana Lecouvreur, Rosenkavalier, Fedora, Werther, Faust, Carmen, and more

Disc 9: Italian Songs Includes: In questa tomba oscura, Me voglio fa'na casa, Non t'amo piu, Pace non trovo, and more

Disc 10: Neapolitan and Italian Popular Songs Includes: O sloe mio, Torna a Surriento, Core 'ngrato, Funiculi Funicula, Non ti scordar di me, Mamma and more

Bonus CD: The 1964 EP (previously unreleased) "Che Gelida Manina," "E lucevan le stelle," "Questo o quella," "La Donna e mobile," and "Parmi veder" with Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Edward Downes conducting

Customer Reviews:

Beyond all description..........2006-09-19

As a boy, I heard so many hyperbolic references to the legendary Enrico Caruso that I chose to purchase a remastered copy of his "Greatest Hits" when I first began to acquire recordings as a young man. Soon after, I discovered Pavarotti and my life was changed by his music. Caruso ended up in the Goodwill Store. I am convinced that in 500 years, should the earth cool again and the Muslim hoards abate, the civilized world will still tell tales of the greatest tenor. I have often found myself grumpy when searching for recordings of Pavarotti because of the inconsistent fidelity of the recordings. That search for the definitive Pavarotti recordings, regarding both content and fidelity, has ended with the release of this extraordinary collection. Worth it's weight in gold, the Puccinni Volume (#5) alone is enough to send someone like me into hyperspace. I am astounded by the beauty and power of these performances. I will always remember the day, not long ago, when a NPR commentator glibly mentioned between the weather and the night's playlist the terrible words, "Luciano Pavarotti has announced that he is retiring from Opera." I felt as if something indescribably beautiful was fading from the world. Of course, beauty in all of its earthly forms is fleeting at best, but these discs contain a reflection of it that will surely bolster any soul.

An Absolute Must-Have for Any Pavarotti Fan.......2004-01-09

...and that certainly goes without saying. My one tiny little problem with it is that his recordings of "Santa Lucia" and "Caruso" are not on this incredible box-set. Even though I have those recordings on other CDs, I still think those are very important pieces to include on this set (assuming that this set of Pavi hits would be the only compilation that that any fan of this phenomenal tenor would have). He is probably my biggest idol, and he deserves to have been one of the biggest opera stars in history.

Wonderful!!!!.......2002-11-07

This Pavarotti set; The Pavarotti Edition; is a wonderful collection of Arias and songs that cover Luciano's great career. Pavarotti is THE Voice of the 20th Century and this set does him justice. It includes 10 CDs with over 750 minutes of music; Includes Music from All of His roles; has a beautiful 76 page full color booklet; Has a wonderful write up; and includes a bonus CD of Pavarotti's fist album, a 45, from 1964, which has never been released on CD before this set. Every Song is hear, This SET is a must have for every Pavarotti Fan.

Average customer rating:

Ramón - Tenor Extraordinaire!
bel canto at 5 stars plus
Truly "Bel Canto!"
Splendid!
The 'wrong' voice does right by Verdi

Ramón Vargas - Verdi Arias
Giuseppe Verdi , Edoardo Müller , and Ramón Vargas
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ramón Vargas - L'amour, l'amour / Viotti
Between Friends
Rolando Villazon: Opera Recital
Rolando Villazon - Gounod · Massenet Arias
Ramon Vargas - Canzoni (Neapolitan Songs and other Italian Classical songs)

ASIN: B00005B6FX
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Tracks:

Ernani: Part II. Scena Ed Aria: Padre, Con Essi Intrepido/Odi Il Voto, O Grande Iddio
I Due Foscari: Act I. Scena E Cavatine: Qui Ti Rimani Alquanto/Dal Piu Remoto Esiglio/Odio Solo, Ed
Alzira: Act II. Scena Ed Aria: Miserandi Avanzi/Irne Lungi Ancor Dovrei/Non Di Codarde Lagrime
Attila: Act III. Romanza: Oh, Dolore! Ed Io Vivea
Macbeth: Act IV. Scena Ed Aria: O Figli, O Figli Miei!/Ah, La Paterna Mano
I Masnedieri: Part I. Scena Ed Aria: Quando Io Leggio In Plutarco/O Mio Castel Paterno/Nell'argilla.
Jerusalem: Act II. Scene Et Air: L'Emir Aupres De Lui M'appelle/Je Veux Encore Entendre
Luisa Miller: Act II. Scena Ed Aria: Oh! Fede Negar Potessi/Quando Le Sere Al Placido
Rigoletto: Act II. Scena Ed Aria: Ella Mi Fu Rapita/Parmi Veder Le Lagrime/Scorrendo Uniti Remota
Il Trovatore: Part III. Scena Ed Aria: Ah! Si, Ben Mio, Coll'essere/Di Quella Pira L'orren
Les Vepres Siciliennes: Act IV. Romance: A Toi Que J'ai Cherie
Falstaff: Act III. Aria: Dal Labbro Il Canto Estasiato Vola

Amazon.com

The Mexican lyric tenor Ramón Vargas displays an impressive range of Verdian skills in this selection of arias from 12 operas. His tone is open and full, with well-placed high notes and a vigorous delivery, while technique and style combine in a solid bel canto approach. There's some particularly graceful phrasing in the Ernani extract, while the more dramatic Luisa Miller aria is given an especially forthright reading, with the character's disbelieving anger at his emotional betrayal conveyed with spirit.

Vargas is good with words, too. His interpretation of Macduff's aria of loss from Macbeth benefits from committed diction, and he produces some lovely effects throughout this number. Equally memorable are items in French from Les Vêspres siciliennes and Jérusalem (Verdi's 1847 Parisian revision of the 1843 I Lombardi). These are among several rarities included--alternative arias Verdi wrote for later productions of some operas, while Alzira must be one of the least known of all his works. The English translations in the booklet are clumsy, but Vargas's singing is going to give a lot of pleasure. The accompaniments from Edoardo Müller and the Munich Radio Orchestra are topnotch. --George Hall

Customer Reviews:

Ramón - Tenor Extraordinaire!.......2003-04-10

First, let me start by saying that I agree with the review by Joy Fleisig of this CD. She was right on the mark with everything. A gorgeous sounding light tenor who did a great performance of Verdi which I didn't think would turn out as good as it did. Ramón gives us exquisitely beautiful pianissimos, but Joy Fleisig was right, there were a few slightly weak and closed throated sounding high notes, but they are made up with a middle range to die for and a rich lower register. Ramón does need to add greater drama and needs to give more character to the roles.

Ramón does a particularly exciting ending to "Nell'argilla maledetta" from Verdi's "I masnadieri". He is also very good in "Ah! Si, ben mio" and "Di quella pira" from Il trovatore. However, in "Di quella pira", Ramón does sound a little weak at the very end of the aria. On the other hand, Pavarotti actually sounds a little strained at the ending of "Di quella pira"(Decca 417 713). If you want to hear "Di quella pira" the way it should be done, listen to Carlo Bergonzi on Decca (289 467), wow, what a thrilling ending that shakes the rafters. In my opinion Ramón needs to open up his throat more during those high notes to let them loose. It sounds like he is trying to protect his voice.

I wanted to give this CD a 4 ½ star rating but there are no half stars, so I am forced to give it a 4 star rating because it is not quite good enough for 5 stars.

I would love to hear Ramón expand his light tenor repertoire to do Tamino in the Magic Flute and other Mozart operas and Handel's Oratorios which his voice is perfectly suited for.

Also, and more importantly, my wish is for Ramón to do Puccini's "La Boheme" and to come out with a CD of Puccini arias and a CD of verismo arias. Can Ramón create the power and, more so, the DRAMA to do versimo? That is yet to be seen. I would like to hope so, because I love listening to Ramón's honey sounding voice.

bel canto at 5 stars plus.......2003-01-18

This guy really knows how to sing. I give this cd 5 stars plus.

Truly "Bel Canto!".......2002-12-29

Ramon Vargas is a wonderful, musical singer. I used to limit myself to the "biggies" such as Pavarotti, Bjoerling, Corelli etc., but I am so glad I have broadened my scope to include non-"legendary" voices.
For, while a tenor like Ramon Vargas may not have the sheer natural vocal endowment to become a "legendary" tenor for the ages, he certainly has the ability in the here-and-now to sing with surpassing beauty and exquisite musicality. He gives these arias a freshness that is, well... refreshing!
He also sings in a very self-effacing and humble manner-- being more interested in letting his voice serve the music rather than his own ego. This type of singing is, for my money, where it's at and you sometimes dont get it with the "legends", perhaps because they know they are "legendary"!

Ramon Vargas sings purely and without artifice and it is moving. I will buy more of his CDs for sure. Buy and enjoy.

Splendid!.......2002-12-20

Indeed, this disc is a treasure of tenor singing. Ramon Vargas once again demonstrates his mastery of Verdian line (listen to Alzira on Philips under Luisi for a complete role). He has a voice that easily lends itself to recordings; it's light, but incredibly bright, clear, and focused. He pays a great deal of attention to the texts, it's remarkably easy to understand every word. One thing that stood out for me was the care with which Vargas approaches every phrase, I am certain he worked relentlessly on polishing each note, each line, to make it just right. In this day & age when half-baked "tenors" are popping up everywhere, it's marvelous to hear a singer whose love and care for the music is so genuine.
Like several folks here, I find Vargas most at home at purely lyric repertoire. But the way Verdi created some of his characters, it's not obvious under what vocal fach do they fall. Case in point - the Troubadour. The part is essentially lyric, but there are some outbursts, such as relating the duel with the Count, or Di Quella Pira that call for dramatic delivery. Lyric tenors have a bit more freedom in Verdian roles than spinto or di forza tenors in a sense that they can negotiate the legato lines with dazzling control, yet some, like Vargas, are able to muster enough power to deliver exciting dramatic moments. Yes, there might a slight lack of dramatic punch to some moments, but all selections impress with a great deal of commitment.
The absolute favorite for me on this CD is "Quando la sere al placido", thankfully sang without the "ohime" at the end. The scene from "I Masnadieri" is fantastic too with some insightful vocal acting. Vargas makes his Duca really sympathetic in "Parmi veder le lagrime", just keep telling yourself "it's the bad guy!" He even adds some nuance at the end (before Borsa et al march in), but, alas, does not sing "per te che le sfere agl'angeli" on a single breath (that makes Duca sound possessed, which he is). Can't wait for the full version, hopefully with Hvorostovsky in title role.
Do yourself a favor and get this disc, there are treasures to be discovered there and old favorites done in fresh ways to be enjoyed.

The 'wrong' voice does right by Verdi.......2002-05-10

For the past 10 years or so, the marvelous Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas has been one of the leading lights of the bel canto repertory. His voice has the sweet, rich, juicy quality shared by many contemporary Mexican and South American tenors. By and large, Vargas has until now limited himself to roles for light voices. Now that he has turned 40, he has decided that he is ready to move on into the fuller lyric repertory, including Verdi. While I do think Vargas' big, bright voice is a bit light for a lot of the 'major' Verdi roles, most of the repertory he sings on this disc suits him to a tee, and at least on record or in a small theatre is well worth hearing. I also give him credit for singing comparative rarities, including alternates for arias from `Ernani', `Attila' and `Les Vepres Siciliennes'.

There are a great many opera fans who, unfortunately, judge fitness for singing Verdi only on the volume and power of the voice, and most of these people would not consider a lyric tenor, certainly a light lyric tenor like Vargas, appropriate to sing Verdi's music. Verdi himself might actually disagree. The 'big' sound that we now associate with Verdi has more to do with 20th Century performance practice than with what was actually done in Verdi's time. Verdi's early work essentially is bel canto in style, far more similar to Bellini and Donizetti than to his later work. In fact, the alternate `Ernani' and `Attila' arias Vargas sings were written for the noted Rossini tenor Nikolai Ivanoff - at Rossini's request.

The `Ernani' selection (which Verdi later reworked into `Ah si, ben mio' in `Il Trovatore') actually does show a slight degree of strain, with some passagio notes and even high notes on the 'o' vowel sounding pinched and nasal, but this is rarely evident anywhere else on the CD. Actually, this nasality is also common among the new generation of Hispanic tenors. With "I Due Foscari", Vargas is in marvelous vocal fettle once again. His rendition of the aria and cabaletta from "Alzira" makes me eager to hear the recording of the entire opera he has made. Throughout the disc he sings with superb legato, great sensitivity, fine diction, and excellent technique. Certainly Vargas' bel canto experience makes coloratura passages easy for him. It is a pity that so few tenors today have these virtues in Verdi, and it is particularly a joy to hear them in the `Il Trovatore' excerpt, even though I think the entire role is beyond Vargas on stage. All the sixteenth-notes in `Di quella pira' are beautifully articulated and he has a fine trill. `Rigoletto', in which I have seen Vargas three times at the Met, seems to be my `unlucky' opera with him - difficult to believe considering his superb performance here. Not only does he sing both verses of `Possente amor' with great elan, but he gives the Duke a sympathetic characterization he rarely gets today. He also produces genuinely sweet, heady tone in the `Falstaff' aria. Finally, Vargas shows great aplomb with the two French selections from `Jerusalem' and `Les Vepres Siciliennes', more so than in the previous work I have heard from him in that language.

I very much appreciate that this CD gives us extended scenes instead of just arias, giving Vargas ample chance to interact with other singers and chorus, especially in `I Masnadieri'. Although James Anderson does a fine job with all the comprimario tenor parts, the shrill and wobbly Annegher Stumphius proves herself totally wrong for the 'Trovatore' Leonora even in her limited contribution. I suspect the production team realized this because they didn't record 'Il dolci suoni mistici'. The men of the Munich Radio chorus do a fine job, although they are miked from a bit too far away and that hurts their diction a bit, especially in the 'Rigoletto' scene.

Conductor Eduardo Muller is sympathetic to and supportive of Vargas and keeps the music going at an exciting clip. He also has the Bavarian Radio Orchestra shine in some brief prelude passages. He conducted some very fine performances of 'Rigoletto' and 'I Puritani' at the Met, and I eagerly await his 'La Cenerentola' there in September 2002.

There are only a few negative points. With the exceptions of Fenton and the Duke of Mantua, roles that he has sung often onstage, Vargas really doesn't make any of these characters that different from each other. Admittedly most Verdi heroes are noble, troubled, and hot-headed, but the situations they deal with here aren't always identical. Along those lines, I wish Vargas had done slightly more with dynamics, especially since we do hear some lovely diminuendi in several selections. It would have been nice, for example, if he had contrasted the two verses of 'Quando le sere al placido' a bit more. None of this is enough to detract from a firm recommendation.

Full texts and translations are provided. There is also an essay on how both Verdi and his compositions are very different than a lot of contemporary myths would indicate, brief notes on the composition of each opera and synopses of the arias (these last a bit scrunched together), and biographies of Vargas and Muller.

Although I enjoyed this album immensely, I advise Vargas to proceed further into this and similar repertory with extreme caution. I admit that I'm not entirely pleased that he is taking on heavier Verdi than this (the Italian version of 'Don Carlo' and the Requiem), albeit in relatively small spaces. If Roberto Alagna, whose voice is a size larger than Vargas' and whose middle voice is more solid and baritonal, must go very slowly and carefully into this repertory, all the more so for Vargas. Still, this is one of the loveliest tenors of our time, who merges a beautiful voice with grace and dignity.

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Richard Tucker Sings Verdi--and Illustrates His Power

superb memento

Richard Tucker Sings Verdi

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000029PI
Release Date: 1997-01-14

Tracks:

Celeste Aida - From Aida (Act I)
Ma se m'e forza perderti - Ballo (Act III)
La mia letizia infondere - From I Lombardi
Non maledirmi, o prode - From I Due Foscari
Vieni a mirar - From Simon Boccanegra (Act I)
Sento avvampar nell'anima - From Simon Boccanegra (Act II)
Ah si, ben mio - From Il Trovatore (Act III)
Vienna State Opera Orchestra: Quando le sere al placido - From Luisa Miller (Act II)
Parmi veder le lagrime - From Rigoletto (Act II)
Giornio di pianto - From I Vespri Siciliani (Act III)
O tu che in seno agli angeli - From La forza del destino (Act III)
Di quella pira - From Il trovatore (Act III)
Gia nella notte densa - From Otello (Act I)

Customer Reviews:

Richard Tucker Sings Verdi--and Illustrates His Power.......2007-02-27

One reviewer mentioned that Richard Tucker is a "much underrated and often overlooked tenor. . . ." Indeed, I find it mystifying that so little of his recorded legacy appears to be available on CD today. This is a singer who, as I recall, said in an interview with a major publication in the later 1960s (Time?) something like: "Yes, it is a great responsibility being the world's greatest tenor." In his time, he was one of the world's most renowned tenors. He had certain mannerisms, such as a "cry" in his voice that could be distracting. But there was steel in his voice; he had one of the mightiest sounds among tenors in the 20th century.

Some reflections on a sampling of the cuts on this welcome CD. . . .

"Celeste Aida" from Verdi's opera is classic Tucker. Big voice, little subtlety. The booklet accompanying the CD notes that Tucker sang with "the assurance of a battle-hardened warrior" as opposed to the more common "romantic" version of this aria. He eschewed the piano at the end of this work, but it is a powerful version.

"Ah si, ben mio" (from Verdi's "Il Trovatore") is an interesting version. His "shakes" in this work are actually closer to trills than others such as Mario del Monaco (not a pretty sound!) or even Luciano Pavarotti. There are those Tuckerian mannerisms, such as the little "cry" in his voice here or there. But one either accepts those mannerisms or not, and I see the other strengths of his singing as more than making up for these.

"Di quella pira" is a real classical "hit" in opera. Tucker's power works well with this work. His voice easily rises above the orchestra backing him. While he interpolates the final top C to high B, the effect is still striking. Indeed, I find his version of this classic among the better manifestations.

Other works in his repertoire are included here as well, such as works from Rigoletto, La Forza del Destino, I Vespri Siciliani, and Simon Boccanegra.

I surely hope that more of Tucker's works will see the light of day. He was one of the top tenors of his era, and we would all be better off were more of his body of work available.

superb memento.......2003-04-17

This recording offers a superb memento of Richard Tucker -
a much underrated and often overlooked tenor - true he was
not the subtlest of singer but he had fine musicianship and
a rock-solid voice and his singing was always heartfelt. In
this Verdi recital he is partnered in a few duos with another
great american singer - Eileen Farrell.

Verdi: Complete Preludes, Overtures and Ballet Music

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Verdi: Complete Preludes, Overtures and Ballet Music

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000BLI35W
Release Date: 2005-11-22

Tracks:

Overture To Oberto, conte Di San Bonifacio
Overture To Un Giorno Di Regno
Overture To Nabucco
Prelude to Ernani
Prelude To I Due Foscari
Overture To Giovanna D'arco
Overture To Alzira
Prelude To Attila
Prelude To Macbeth
Ballo I
Ballo II
Ballo III
Prelude to I Masnadieri
Prelude To Il Corsaro
Overture To La Battaglia Di Legnano

Tracks:

Prelude To Jerusalem
1. Pas De Quatre
2. Pas De Deux
3. Pas Solo
4. Pas D'ensemble
Overture To Luisa Miller
Overture To Stiffelio
Prelude To Rigoletto
1. Pas De Bohemiens
2. Seviliana
3. La bohemienne
4. Galop

Tracks:

Prelude To La Traviata, Act I
Prelude To La Traviata, Act III
Overture To Les Vepres Siciliennes
I. L'Hiver
II. Le Printemps
III. L'Ete
IV. L'Automne
Prelude To Simon Boccanegra
Prelude To Un Ballo In Maschera

Tracks:

Prelude To La Forza Del Destino
Prelude To Don Carlo, Act II
I. Andante/Tempo Di Valzer/Allegro Vivo
II. Finale. Prestissimo
Overture To La Forza Del Destino
Prelude To Aida
I. Danza Sacra Delle Sacerdotesse, Act I
II. Danza Di Piccoli Schiavi Mori, Act II
Ballet Music From Aida, Act II
Overture To Aida
Ballet Music From Otello, Act III

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A Wonderful Recital with Caballe at her Best
no news
Montserrat Caballe's Claim To Fame
Welcome to the Caballe school of singing!

Rarities: Donizetti, Rossini, Verdi

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0002VYE0O
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Recital with Caballe at her Best.......2006-12-10

At the wake of Maria Callas' explorations into the bel canto repertoire, great sopranos such as Joan Sutherland, Leyla Gencer, and most importantly, Montserrat Caballe, dominated the Italian repertoire during their careers to revive the forgotten operas of Donizetti, Bellini, Verdi, and Rossini. I say that Caballe is the most important of these three post-Callas sopranos because more so than any of these divas, she epitomized the true bel canto style needed to make her characterizations come to life. Sutherland had an excellent technique, but her characterizations were sadly lacking in verve, and Leyla Gencer was too often in an undesirable state of voice despite her thespian histrionics. Montserrat had both, and she championed the great operas of Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, Bellini, Rossini, Massenet, Wagner, Strauss, Mozart, Giordano, Pergolesi, and all the other great, almost-unknown composers who became part of her core repertoire, if there was any at all. Her excellent technique allowed her to continue assuming roles that displayed her magnificent artistry well into her 70's...up to today! Yes, she is still singing, and in fact she is going to be starring in a role in the Vienna Opera next year.

This recital shows Caballe in the repertoire that was arguably her best. Although I found her compelling in some Verdi, I thought that she lacked the spinto sound needed to set those Verdi roles on fire. In this recital, Caballe shows her knack and ability to make the earlier Verdi operas shine. She had a coloratura facility that was simply astounding for an instrument of her particular smoothness, beauty, and timbre, and I believe that her excerpt from Aroldo is a must hear. Her Donizetti is brilliant as well, a highlight being the Parisina and the Belisario excerpts. It makes us wish that there were a Belisario lying around somewhere with her singing. Her Rossini makes us hope for an Armida and a Tancredi. This recording finds her in superb voice, much more so than many of the recordings of her latter years that find her singing with a trademark Caballe bleat. For people who love bel canto and tasteful singing, I think this is a recital that anyone should own.

no news.......2006-02-21

If you have the earlier release of this set (1992 I think), there's really no need to replace it. This current (2004) release was supposedly remastered, but I can hear little if any difference. Amazon shows both versions, but I'd bet the earlier one may well be out of print. You get all the Caballe trademarks here: floated pianissimos, gorgeous mid-range singing - and the usual glottal stops. Even if you're not a big MC fan, the set is worth getting for all those arias you're not likely to hear elsewhere, or done as well.

Montserrat Caballe's Claim To Fame.......2005-11-09

Bel canto opera was soprano Montserrat Caballe's claim to fame. Blessed with both a huge and lyrically resplendent voice, she was a refreshing change from the purely dramatic style of singing provided by Maria Callas. Her pianissimi are still talked about even long after they disappeared, her coloratura is dynamic, her stamina and breath control impressive and her orutund, vigorous but beautiful tone made her particularly suited for the roles of queens or strong women- Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia and Bellini's Norma especially. The other reviewer says she was perfect for the roles of mothers, queens and wives, and this is true because she was able to portray seemingly powerful women dying of love underneath. She would have made an exceptionally terrific Turandot but she never sang the role in her career.Her career in opera spanned the decades of the 60's, 70's and even part of the 80's. The arias from Parisina and Torquato Tasso are indeed outstanding. These operas are obscure bel canto operas by Donizetti, Rossini and even early Verdi operas. These operas will never be staged again and some of them enjoyed only mild success in their original stage premieres in the 19th century. This is the work of young and energetic composers who had not yet mastered character insight and thrilling dramatic elements. Mostly, it's beautiful singing, the actual definiton of the term bel canto. What we get in place of dramatic potency is ornate, lush singing. In the very least, these arias should be sung in recital. Caballe sang numerous bel canto pieces in recital, displaying her gift for this type of singing. She is the very embodiment of bel canto. Not even Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills, considered her fellow peers in the same "back to bel canto" movement could essay the arias with such grace, elegance and majestic beauty. Sutherland sang with obvious gloss and no real dramatic power, Sills sang beautifully but focused on the significance of text as drama and therefore "spoke" some of her lines or cried or raged instead of singing. Callas was the same way only hers was a bigger voice. Caballe gave us simply beautiful singing. And we thank her for that.

Welcome to the Caballe school of singing!.......2004-12-18

This re-released recitals indisputably rank among Caballe's best recording material. Each "rarity" has something different to offer. In Rossini, Caballe mostly displays her coloratura ability which was not in the same league as Sills', Callas' or Sutherland's but had a magic of its own. One never expects such agilty from such a firm and full voice. The Tancredi scene is my favourite.

In Donizetti, Caballe truly reigns! If only she'd recorded these operas completely. I've always found her sound perfectly suited to roles of wifes, mothers and aristocratic ladies in general. The operas chosen here deal with marrital problems and Caballe is the definition of the Donizzeti roles she sings here! My favs are the Parisina and Torquato Tasso moments. Comparing her and the lighter sopranos who nowadays perform these operas makes one realise that high notes are not the issue here. The full, sumptuous sound of a Monsterrat is what these operas need!

Early Verdi has a lot in common with bel canto and Caballe is again sublime! The Un Giorno extract stands out. It's breathtakingly perfect! Caballe finds meaning in every phrase she sings. But all other tracks are unforgettable as well. Needless to say that the voice at this moment of her carreer was at its best!

These recitals will always have a special place in my opera collection and my heart!

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Rare but well-polished Verdi gems.

Les Introuvables Du Chant Verdien

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Les Introuvables du Chant Français
The Verdi Recordings
Songs by Mahler, Handel & Peter Lieberson

ASIN: B000051W4C
Release Date: 2001-02-13

Tracks:

Ernani: Act I: Surta E La Notte... Ernani! Ernani, Involami - Frieda Hempel
Ernani: Act I: Che Mai Vegg'io!... Infelice!... Infin Che Un Brando Vindice - Boris Christoff
Ernani: Act II: Vieni Meco... - Mattia Battistini/Emillia Cors/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala
Ernani: Act III: O De' Verd'anni Miei - Giuseppe Kaschmann/Salvatore Cottone
Ernani: Act III: Gran Dio!... O De' Verd'anni Miei - Benvenuto Franci
Ernani: Act III: O Sommo Carlo - Mattia Battistini/Emillia Corsi/Luigi Colazza/Aristodemo Silich/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala
Il Trovatore: Act I: Tacea La Notte Placida - Giannina Arangi-Lombardi
Il Trovatore: Act I: Deserto Sulla Terra - Francesco Tamagno
Il Trovatore: Act II: Stride La Vampa! - Fedora Barbiera
Il Trovatore: Act II: Condotta Ell'era In Ceppi - Margarete Klose
Il Trovatore: Act II: Perigliarti Ancor (Sung In German) - Margarete Matzenauer/Heinrich Knote
Il Trovatore: Act II: Il Balen Del Suo Sorriso - Giuseppe Pacini
Il Trovatore: Act III: Ah! Si Ben Mio, Coll'essere - Charles Dalmores
Il Trovatore: Act III: Di Quella Pira (Sung In French) - Cesar Vezzani
Il Trovatore: Act III: Di Quella Pira - Jussi Bjorling
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Timor Di Me?... D'amor Sull'ali Rosee - Emmy Destinn
Il Trovatore: Act IV: D'amor Sull'ali Rosee (Sung In German) - Frida Leider
Il Trovatore: Act IV: D'amor Sull'ali Rosee - EVA TURNER
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Udiste?... Mira, D'acerbe Lagrime... Vivra! - Carlo Galeffi/Giannina Arragi-Lombardi
Il Trovatore: Act IV: Si M'ami Ancor... Ai Nostri Monti - Beniamino Gigli/Cloe Elmo

Tracks:

Macbeth: Act II: La Luce Langue (Sung In German) - Martha Modl
Macbeth: Act IV: O Figli, O Figli Mie!... Ah La Paterna Mano - Enrico Caruso
Macbeth: Act IV: Una Macchia E Qui Tuttora - Margherita Grandi/Vera Terry/Ernest Frank
Rigoletto: Act I: Questa O Quella - Alfred Piccaver
Rigoletto: Act I: Questa O Quella - Dino Borgioli
Rigoletto: Act I: Pari Siamo! - Tito Gobbi
Rigoletto: Act I: Gia Tre Lune... Veglia, O Donna (Sung In German) - Claire Dux/Joseph Schwartz
Rigoletto: Act I: E Il Sol Dell'anima (Sung In French) - Miguel Villabella/Elde Norena
Rigoletto: Act I: Caro Nome (Sung In Russian) - Lydia Lipowska
Rigoletto: Act I: Caro Nome (Sung In German) - Maria Ivogun
Rigoletto: Act II: Cortigiani, Vil Razza Damnata (Sung In German) - Joseph Schwarz
Rigoletto: Act II: Cortigianni, Vil Razza Damnata - Pasquale Amato
Rigoletto: Act II: Ciel! Dammi Corraggio! Tutte Le Feste - Olimpia Boronat
Rigoletto: Act II: Tutte Le Feste... Piangi Fanciulla - Lotte Schone/Herbert Janssen
Rigoletto: Act II: No, Vecchio, T'inganni... Si Vendetta - Maria Galvany
Rigoletto: Act III: La Donna E Mobile - Enrico Caruso
Rigoletto: Act III: La Donna E Mobile - Tino Folgar
Rigoletto: Act III: Bella Figlia Dell'amore - Beniamino Gigli/Louise Homer/Amelita Galli-Curci/Giuseppe De Luca
Rigoletto: Act III: O Mia Gilda... Lassu In Ciel - Tito Ruffo/Graziella Pareto

Tracks:

Simon Boccanegra: Prologuo: A Te L'estremo Addio... Il Lacerto Spirito - Francesco Navarini
Simon Boccanegra: Prologuo: A te L'estremo Addio... Il Lacertato Spirito - Alexander Kipnis
La Traviata: Act I: Un Di, Felice - Bjorn Talen/Lola Artot De Padila
La Traviata: Act I: Ah Fors' e Lui (Sung In Russian) - Antonina Neshdanova/Umberto Mazetti
La Traviata: Act I: Ah Fors'e Lui - Maria kousnezoff
La Traviata: Act I: Ah Fors'e Lui... Follie!... Sempre Libera - Luisa Tetrazzini
La Traviata: Act II: De' Miel Bollenti Spiriti - Fernando De Lucia
La Traviata: Act II: Lunge Da Lei... De' Miei Bollentti Spiriti - Giuseppe Di Stefano
La Traviata: Act II: Dite Alla Giovine - Nellie Melba/John Brownlee/Harold Craxton
La Traviata: Act II: Madamigella Valery?... Pura Siccome Un Angelo... Dite Alla Giovine - Rolando Panerai/Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
La Traviata: Act II: Che Fai? Nulla Scrivevi? (Sung In German) - Helge Roswaenge/Maria Cebotari
La Traviata: Act II: Mio Figlio... Di Provenza - Mattia Battistini
La Traviata: Act II: Alfredo, Alfredo... - Lilli Lehmann
La Traviata: Act III: Teneste La Promessa... Addio, Del Passato - Claudio Muzio
La Traviata: Act III: Teneste La Promessa... Addio De Passato - Margherita Carosio

Tracks:

Nabucco: Act I: Sperate, O Figli - Nazzareno De Angelis
Nabucco: Act II: Anch'io Dischiuso Un Giorno - Ines De Frate
Nabucco: Act III: Ah! Prigioniero Io Sono... Dio Di Giuda - Carlo Galeffi
La Forza Del Destino: Act I: Ma Pellegrina Ed Orfana - Gina Cigna
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Madre, Pietosa Vergine - Celestina Boninsegna
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Son Giunta!... Madre, Pietosa Vergine - Dusolina Giannini
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Chi Puo Legger Nel Futoro (Sung In German) - Ivan Andresen/Meta Seinemeyer
La Forza Del Destino: Act II: Alzatevi... La Vergine Degli Angeli - Ezio Pinza/Rosa Ponselle/Chor Of The Metropolitan Opr
La Forza Del Destino: Act III: O Tu Che In Seno Agli Angeli - Francesco Merli
La Forza Del Destino: Act III: Solene In Quest'ora - Enrico Caruso/Antonio Scotti
La Forza Del Destino: Act III: Morir!... Urna Fatale... E Salvo (Sung In German) - Heinrich Schlusnus
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Invano, Alvaro - Gino Bechi/Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Pace, Pace, Mio Dio - Salomea Kruszelnicka
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Pace, Pace, Mio Dio - Zinka Milanov
La Forza Del Destino: Act IV: Non Imprecare - Ezio Pinza/Rosa Ponselle/Giovanni Martinelli

Tracks:

Don Carlo: Act I: E Lui... Dio, Che Nell'alma - Giuseppe De Luca/Giovanni Martinelli
Don Carlo: Act II: Nell Giardin Del Bello (Sung In German) - Margarete Arndt-Ober
Don Carlo: Act II: Restate - Boris Christoff/Tito Gobbi
Don Carlo: Act IV: Ou Suis-je!... Je Dormirai Dans Mon Manteau Royal (Sung In French) - Pol Plancon
Don Carlo: Act III: Ella Giammai M'amo!... Dormiro Sol - Boris Christoff
Don Carlo: Act III: O Don Fatale - Frida Leider
Don Carlo: Act III: O Don Fatale - Clara Butt
Don Carlo: Act III: I. Convien Qui Dirci Addio... Per Me Giunto/II. O Carlo Ascolta... Lo Morro - Tito Gobbi
Don Carlo: Act IV: Tu Che Le Vanita - Hertha Stolzenberg
I Vespri Siciliani: Act II: O Tu Palermo - Boris Christoff
I Vespri Siciliani: Act III: In Braccia Alle Dovizie - Riccardo Stracciari
I Vespri Siciliani: Act IV: Giorno Di Pianto (Sung In German) - Helge Roswaenge
I Vespri Siciliani: Act IV: Arrigo! Ah Parli A Un Core - Ester Mazzoleni
I Vespri Siciliani: Act IV: Merce, Dilette Amiche - Rosa Raisa

Tracks:

I Lombardi/Jerusalem: Act II: Je Veux Encore Entendre - Leonce Escalais
I Lombardi/Jerusalem: Act II: Grace, Mon Dieu!... O Jour Fatal - Paul Payan
I Lombardi/Jerusalem: Act III: Or Non Piu... Qual Volutta Trascorrere - Elisabeth Rethberg/Beniamino Gigli/Ezio Pinza
Aida: Act I: Celeste Aida (Sung In French) - Paul Franz
Aida: Act I: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!... Celeste Aida (Sung In German) - Helge Roswaenge
Aida: Act I: I Sacri Nomi (Sung In French) - Felia Litvinne
Aida: Act I: Ritorna Vincitor - Giannina Russ
Aida: Act I: Ritorna Vincitor - Florence Austral
Aida: Act III: O Patria Mia (Sung In German) - Emmy Destinn
Aida: Act III: Qui Radames Verra... O Patria Mia (Sung In Russian) - Natalia Yushina
Aida: Act III: Pur Ti Riveggo - Giovanni Martinelli/Rosa Ponselle
Aida: Act III: Fuggiam Gli Ardori Inospiti (Sung In German) - Elsa Bland/Leo Slezak
Aida: Act III: Lo L'amo Sempre... Gia I Sacerdoti (Sung In German) - Sabine Kalter/Richard Tauber
Aida: Act III: Ohime!... Morir Mi Sento - Ebe Stignani/Chor Del Teatro Dell'Opr Di Roma
Aida: Act III: Morir Si Pura E Bella (Sung In German) - Leo Slezak/Sofie Sedlmair
Aida: Act III: O Terra, Addio - Johanna Gadski/Enrico Caruso

Tracks:

I Due Foscari: Act I: O Vecchio Cor - Riccardo Stracciari
I Due Foscari: Act I: Questa Dunque - Pasquale Amato
Otello: Act I: Esultate - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Otello: Act I: Esultate - John O'Sullivan
Otello: Act I: Qua, Ragazzi... Inaffia L'ugola! - Apollo Granforte/Nello Palai/Piero Girardi/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scala, Milano
Otello: Act I: Gia Nella Notte - Tino Pattiera/Meta Seinemeyer
Otello: Act II: Credo In Un Dio Crudel - Cesare Formichi
Otello: Act II: Tu! Indietro... Ora E Per Sempre Addio (Sung In French) - Jose Luccioni
Otello: Act II: Tu! Indietro... Ora E Per Sempre Addio - Mario Del Monaco
Otello: Act II: Era La Notte - Eugenio Giraldoni
Otello: Act II: E Qual Certezza... Era La Notte - Lawrence Tibbett
Otello: Act II: Si Pel Ciel - Giovanni Zenatello/Paquale Amato
Otello: Act III: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar (Sung In German) - Lauritz Melchior
Otello: Act III: Dio! Mi Potevi Scagliar - Renato Zanelli
Otello: Act IV: Piangea Cantando (Sung In German) - Lotte Lehmann
Otello: Act IV: Mia Madre Aveva Una Pavera Ancella - Yvonne Gall
Otello: Act IV: Ave Maria (Sung In German) - Tiana Lemnitz
Otello: Act IV: Niun Mi Tema - Francesco Tamagno/Salvatore Cottone
Otello: Act IV: Niun Mi Tema - Giuseppe Borgatti

Tracks:

Luisa Miller: Act I: Ah! Tutto M'arride... Il Mio Sangue - Tancredi Pasero
Luisa Miller: Act II: Oh! Fede Negar Potessi... Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Giuseppe Anselmi
Luisa Miller: Act II: Quando Le Sere Al Placido - Aureliano Pertile
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act I: Zitti... L'incanto... Re Dell'abisso - Irene Minghini-Cattaneo
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act I: E' Scherzo Od E Follia - Aureliano Pertile/Ines Maria Ferraris/Luis Bertana/Antonio Righetti/Cesare Baromeo
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act II: Ma Dall'arido Stelo - Eugenai Burzio
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act II: Ma Dall'arido Stelo - Hina Spani
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia (Sung In German) - Melanie Kurt
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Morro, Ma Prima In Grazia - Elisabeth Rethberg
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Eri Tu - Giuseppe De Luca
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Saper Vorreste - Selma Kurz
Un Ballo In Maschera: Act III: Forse La Soglia Attinse... Ma Se M'e Forza Perderti - Antonio Cortis
Falstaff: Act I: L'onore! - Mariano Stabile
Falstaff: Act II: Alfin, T'ho Colto... Quand'ero Paggio - Antonio Magini-Coletti/Elisa Petri
Falstaff: Act II: Quand'ero Paggio - Victor Maurel
Falstaff: Act III: Ehi! Taverniere - Mariano Stabile
Falstaff: Act III: Da Labbro Il Canto - Tito Schipa
Falstaff: Act III: Sul Fil D'un Soffio Etesio - Toti Dal Monte/Chor Del Teatro Alla Scal, Milano

Amazon.com

This collection, whose French title might be translated "Verdi Vocal Rarities," is a unique contribution to the Verdi centennial year. Its 136 selections on eight compact discs offer an in-depth survey of singers who recorded notable Verdi performances during the era of 78-rpm recording. Coincidentally, this period covers, within a few years, the half- century after the composer's death, in 1901. Some of the singers in the earliest cuts--tenor Francesco Tamagno and bass Victor Maurel, for example--had known Verdi and sung for him. Many of the singers will be familiar to connoisseurs of Verdi discography--Enrico Caruso, Boris Christoff, Fedora Barbieri, Ezio Pinza, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Tito Gobbi, Beniamino Gigli, and Jussi Bjoerling, to name a few. Others, such as Frieda Hempel, Emmy Destinn, Martha Modl, Joseph Schwarz, Gino Cigna, and Mattia Battistini, are names you come across in books about opera, but you have heard their voices only if you spend a lot of time with historic recordings. And a lot of performances, including some of the best, are likely to be the work of singers encountered for the first time.

Most of the big moments from Verdi's operas are included--grouped by opera, not by chronological order of recording. There are a few strange omissions; for example, the "Miserere" scene from Il trovatore. But other selections, such as "Ah fors' e lui" and "La donna e mobile," are given in two or three performances--sometimes in French, German, or Russian as well as Italian. Some of the performances are classics; many are mind-boggling.

Some favorite Verdi singers--Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Placido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti, among them--are absent because they began recording after the collection's cutoff date. Other problems are mostly related to the dates of the original recordings. The sound is all pre-high-fidelity and sometimes quite primitive, though some remarkable work has been done to optimize the earliest items. The annotations are minimal--mostly the date, venue, and performers in each cut, with pictures of the biggest stars. This decision was probably made to keep the price low, and those who already know most of the arias and ensembles will likely find the tradeoff acceptable. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

Rare but well-polished Verdi gems........2001-10-21

Classical music enthusiasts will have become aware that EMI have been marketing several boxed sets with a French title containing the word "introuvables". The word suggests that when you open the box you'll find items that are so rare as to be almost unobtainable. It suggests also that their rarity is not due only to age or production limitations, it is also due to the incomparability of their quality.

Few would quibble about the quality of what is to be found in this splendid collection of Verdi "introuvables". You will hear how Emmy Destinn portrayed Aida yearning for her homeland in 1908, and how Elisabeth Schwarzkopf portrayed Violetta intereacting with her lover's father in 1953. You will hear several items duplicated. Francesco Navarini, recorded in 1907 with a piano, makes a stunning Fiesco in the "Simon Boccanegra" prologue, as is not up-staged by the more familiar Alexander Kipnis version which follows.

You might regret that your favourite Verdi record is not here. You'll have opportunities to make comparisons, however. I could never believe that anyone could equal Giuseppe de Luca'a 1930 "O sommo Carlo" from "Ernani, but here I have a chance to hear for the first time how the famous baritone Mattia Battistini did it in 1906.

Keith Hardwick compiled and transferred this collection originally in the late 1980s. He has augmented and transferred that issue onto 8 CDs, and provided the annotations. Full recording details are provided, there are many singer photographs but no singer biographies.

The recording dates range from 1903 to 1953. Sadly, almost all the singers - Dame Elisabeth Schwarzkopf being a notable exception - are all dead by now. Those of us who have opportunities to hear and collect their work, however, can be grateful that the older we get the better it sounds. Indeed, I have never heard any of the items included here in better transfers. Elsewhere I have given this issue a five star rating. Subsequent hearings have made me aware of a technical matter which may bother some listeners. This set has been transferred from the long playing records on which it was originally issued. Their pristine sound quality has been preserved but also some of the ghostly "swish" that accompanied each revolution.

I Due Foscari
Average customer rating:

Really Wonderful!

Early Verdi Perfection! Carreras-Ricciarelli at their BEST!

I Due Foscari
Verdi , Carreras , Gardelli , and Ricciarelli
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00000E3VU
Release Date: 1989-10-19

Customer Reviews:

Really Wonderful!.......2006-12-04

I Due Foscari is pretty much overlooked, but in my opinion it's very beautiful from start to finish. And this version, as Armidio in his review so thoughtfully and accurately described, is absolutely excellent. I have just a couple of additional pieces of information that might be helpful to some.

I Due is relatively short - just about 1 1/2 hours, and there is more chorus than in many Verdi operas.

We owe a debt of gratitude to ArkivCD for reissuing (with permission) this previously unavailable masterpiece. It has no libretto. It also has no synopsis. The plot involves, of course, two Foscaris. The father (Cappuccilli) is the old Doge of Venice. The son (Carreras) is falsely accused of murder. The son's wife (Ricciarelli) tries to save her husband from exile, while the enemy of Foscaris (Ramey) plots to become Doge himself. Needless to say, they do not all live happily ever after.

Archiv also did not see fit to list the tracks. Unless you rip the CD and look at the playlist, you'll have to look at the track listing of another version of I Due to follow along. However, rather than scold Archiv for this deficiency, they should be praised for making this wonderful recording available.

Early Verdi Perfection! Carreras-Ricciarelli at their BEST!.......2003-01-30

I due Foscari is another neglected early Verdi opera. Like Masnadieri and Giovanna D'Arco it has many beautiful duets and arias. We are very fortunate that the superb maestro Gardelli chose the young but promising artists Carreras and Ricciarelli to record the main roles. Besides the fact that they are in perfect vocal condition (this was recorded in 1976, before they started singing heavier roles), they both are excellent early Verdi performers.

She sings a difficult soprano role, full of cabalettas and high notes but does everything to perfection! The quiet parts are moving (she was a good actress) while the faster sections exciting, enriched with her golden tone. The same can be said about Jose Carreras who had one of the most beautiful tenor voices, pure velvet! He sings and feels every phrase. The show goes on with the experienced, rich-voiced Piero Capuccilli and the new bass sensation of that time, Samuel Ramey.

Customer Reviews:

A reminder of what once was a great, great voice.......2005-07-29

Forget the wheezing & bellowing of the Three Tenors performances, or getting booed at La Scala. This will remind you that, once upon a time, there was a good reason that Pavarotti was the most celebrated Italian tenor of his generation. All one gets to enjoy is a pure, uncorrupted voice of the most stellar nature. The sound quality on these recordings is sometimes less than perfect --- there are times he sounds like he singing from inside a box --- but this is a minor quibble. A magnficent tone, good phrasing --- it will make one almost forgive Luciano for become the besotted grotesque that he is today.

LUCKY LUCIANO .......2005-03-31

Decca has reissued this, the first Pavarotti recital recording. Forget all the recent hype, innumerable recent CDs (both studio and live) and extramusical noise be it admirable or otherwise. Turn the clock back and enjoy what all the excitement was originally about. Here is the voice - warm, sincere, pure, unspoiled and undeniably Italian. This is how I like to think of Mr. P as the handsome, whiskered, dimpling, lovely fellow in the gold scarf peeking around the corner. The original LP issue knocked me out when I first heard it, and it still does.

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