Bellini: (I) Capuleti e i Montecchi

Advantages: Kasarova's personal touch. Virtuosic without showing off
Disadvantages: She doesn't keep singing forever

...any legato line to achieve it. Like her idol, WA Mozart, this gal can operate within the boundary while generating a singing experience that transcends it. The tracks included are: 1. HANDEL: Rinaldo: Or la tromba in suon festante 2. GLUCK: Orfeo ed Euridice: Che faro senza Euridice 3. MOZART: Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete che cosa e amor 4. MOZART: Don Giovanni: Batti, batti, o bel Masetto 5. ROSSINI: La Cenerentola: Nacqui all'affanno/ Non piu mesta 6. ROSSINI: Il barbiere di Siviglia: Una voce poco fa 7. ROSSINI: L'Italiana in Algeri: Amici in ogni evento/ Pensa alla patra 8. DONIZETTI: Anna Bolena: Spossa a Percy/ Per questa fiamma indomita 9. DONIZETTI: La Favorita: Fia dunque vero/ O mio Fernando 10. BELLINI: I Capuleti e i Montecchi: Se Romeo t'uccise un figlio Her repertoire had grown even wider since this CD came out... Read review

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Advantages: about equal!
Disadvantages: high price of the Sutherland set

...Keen opera fans may sometimes be puzzled by the choice available on the shelves of the larger record shops, especially when trying to compare two stellar casts. Bellini's last (and arguably greatest) opera, I Puritani, is a case in point, with recordings by Callas and Sutherland heading the list. Personally I bought both, to avoid having to choose, but each has it's merits. Callas, as always, brings greater warmth and fire to the usually pallid role of Elvira, but Sutherland's effortless roulades and trills are a joy to hear, and a young Pavarotti has a flawless technique in the infamous tenor role which defeated Caruso, complete with a hair-raising top F in his final aria. The Sutherland set also avoids the cuts made in the earlier recording, but is handicapped by Decca's greedy pricing - still at full-price after 30 years? Come on... Read review

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Advantages: Bellini's music. Gruberova, Kasarova, Bernardini
Disadvantages: Morosow

...like 2 parts of the same psyche debating each other. Bellini wrote some drop dead gorgeous ensemble numbers in this work. Act I ensemble finale is superbly blended, and Act II trio 'Angiol di pace' is one of the most beautiful in opera. Maestro Pinchas Steinberg leads the ORF-Symphony Orchestra in a precise and idiomatic manner, taking great care not to cover his singer while keep the tempi flowing. If you are a bel canto fan, this is a great CD recording to buy. It displays bel canto singing at its best. The sound is very good for a live recording with some coughing in the audience occasionally (not excessive, tho). There are 2 CDs. The opera is sung in Italian. Booklet contains track listing, photos of all the principals, note on the history of the opera, synopsis, and libretto in German, English and Italian.... Read review

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