Bellini: I Puritani - highlights

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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Advantages: everything
Disadvantages: nothing

...epais (Lakme (1883)) 3:27 8 Georges Bizet: Au fond du temple saint (Les Pêcheurs de perles) 5:22 9 Giuseppe Verdi: Va pensiero, sull'ali dorate (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) (Nabucco (1853)) 5:26 10 Vincenzo Bellini: Casta diva (Norma (1831)) 5:33 11 Gioacchino Rossini: Largo al factotum (Il Barbiere di Siviglia (1816)) 4:18 12 Giacomo Puccini: Che gelida manina (Bohème (highlights)) 4:50 13 Giacomo Puccini: Vissi d'arte (Tosca) 3:26 14 Giacomo Puccini: Nessun dorma (Turandot) 4:10 15 Giacomo Puccini: O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi) 2:05 16 Robert Prizeman: Voca me 4:47 17 Gabriel Faure: In paradisum (Requiem op.48) 3:26 18 Paul McCartney: Celebration (Standing Stone) 6:18 Disc 3 78:14 1 Carl Orff: O Fortuna (Carmina Burana) 2:28 2 Johann Sebastian Bach: Toccata und Fuge D minor, BWV565 3... Read review

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