Bellini: Il Pirata

Advantages: Fun and lively comic opera sung in English
Disadvantages: Not in the original language

...The Barber of Seville, Il barbiere di Siviglia is a comic opera full of vitality and fun. Composed by Gioachino Rossini in 1816, it is his most popular opera. Originally entitled Almaviva after the character from the play. The CD released by the label, Chandos as part of its Opera in English Series, on 21st February 2000 presents the opera in full recorded on 2 discs. The CD is available from most good music stores for the price of £17.99. The Opera in English series was launched in 1995 in collaboration with the Peter Moores’ Foundation’s believe that "to enjoy opera to the full, there must be no language barrier”. Rossini wrote the opera as a commission for the manager of the Argentina Theatre, Rome where it was first preformed in the February of 1816. The libretto was written by Cesare Sterbini based upon Beaumarchais' play... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Virtuosic operatic vocalism, unusual repertoire, mad scenes...
Disadvantages: Fleming's voice is maybe not best suited for this...

..." Cavatina, Act 1: Another far-fetched and rather controversial opera plot in which a murderous Queen discovers that her love for the hero Arsaces is incestuous, she is plagued with guilt for having murdered her husband and descending into madness, she hopes that with Arsaces' return it will be a happy end - you guessed, no it won't. This is one of my favourite extracts on the disc, mainly because Rossini writes so well "in character" for his voices. The orchestration is also at his best, really underlining the menacing truth behind the plot. There's real drama here, and it comes over very well not only in Ms Fleming's performance but also in the work of the orchestra, with the traditional Rossini crescendo from quiet to loud and some excellent precise accompanying from conductor Mr Summers and his band. Tracks 10-13 - Bellini - "I pirata... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: The most beautiful voice ever
Disadvantages: She's not very well known

...Norma by Bellini which is the passionate story of a Druid priestess and a Roman soldier. This aria and in fact all that follow are so evocative and uplifting that you become totally immersed in the magical music and Filippa's amazingly versatile voice. It obviously would have a quite different effect on a bloke but some of the songs make me want to dress up in something floaty and dance round the room while others make me sink into deep cushions, close my eyes and dream. Other operatic arias on the album are Puccini's Vissi d'arte from Tosca and O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi; Addio del passato from Verdi's Traviata and s'apre per te il mio cuor from Samson and Dalila. In Habanera from Carmen she uses electronic voice enhancement and while purists might object I found the different approach quite entrancing. Filippa is not your... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful