Classical > Bellini, Vincenzo Classical > up to 10 GBP

Does exactly what it says on the tin!

Advantages: easy to find the piece of music you want
Disadvantages: maybe too familiar for the expert listener

...I have begun to explore the world of opera, deciding to inject a little culture in my life! My uncle had definitely been listening to my interests as this CD was one of the great gifts I had. It is a double disc album, cleverly titled 'The Only Opera Album You'll Ever Need! And I can honestly say that this may be a very true claim! Only the most famous arias are included on these cds, covering many composers including Mozart, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, ...
...with the place you'll recognise the song from, such as the British Airways advert, the films Fatal Attraction and Moonstruck and the Baileys tv advert. This is extremely helpful for those times when you just can't place where you know a song from. In my house this has also settled many arguments about which composers feature on which advert! The songs are beautifully performed by Luciano Pavarotti, Lesley Garrett, Placido Domingo and many other ...

fluffyfreak 08.01.2004 · Read full review
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Review of The Only Opera Album You'll Ever Need, Volume 2

A proper journey into emotional Classical Music

Advantages: A decent collection of varied music
Disadvantages: Several 'sections' of music

I am myself a fan of music that particularly illuminates deeper aspects of ourselves; something that makes us 'think', or, as the back of this CD box says, 'uplifting, spine-tingling classical music'. How could I possibly go wrong with this? The answer is; I haven't. This is a lovely CD, the recordings are, if not beautifully clear, crisp and refreshed. The pieces are well played and some interpretations- for instance the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto ...
...beautiful I have heard. This CD obviously lacks the massive buying power of larger compilation producers but through this it has found less well-known, more abstract performers that tend to push a far deeper message through their music. The tracks are well-laid out and sourced; from the opening track of Sunrise from Also Sprach Zarathrustra by R. Strauss to the closing The Lamb by Tavener you feel as though you are not just listening to music, ...

sjmog 04.11.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Euphoric Classics - Classical High

Terrific Selection

Advantages: Golden-age singers in great sound and a good variety of performances
Disadvantages: None

I listen to this CD an awful lot and I am very happy with it. The mixture of French and Italian opera here is excellent. Some of the very best opera singers DECCA have ever had are here, Sutherland, Pavarotti (a lot of Pavarotti), Carreras (rather strained but potent beside Kiri te Kanawa in 1987), Caballe, Freni, Bergonzi all star. Particularly impressive is the duet with Mario del Monaco and Ettore Bastianini from La Forza del Destino which is ...
...but in terrific stereo sound (it is amazing that the recording, the oldest selection on this cd, is from over 50 years ago you simply couldnt tell from the sound. The quality of the stereo is good amongst all the extracts, even the only live performance, Pavarotti and Kiri Te Kanawa in Otello from 1991 with Georg Solti, is free from much background noise. A lot of good singing is brought together here and this proves a invaluable resource for finding ...

operalover2000 01.01.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Great Opera Duets

rocky horror opera-audience participation

Advantages: best time of you lifetoo tired
Disadvantages: to tired to leave

The first time ,by the way that was many years ago my husband introduced me to the rocky horror picture show by Richard o brian, my reaction at first what am i watching ,then we watched it again i began to love. Then there was a knock at my door with my brother in suspender,basque and high heels,all he says will you do my make up i,m off to the rocky horror show audiece participation. You cannot imagine the look on my face when i realised he walked ...
...and told him to let us know when the next show was,unfortunately this was the last in the run.so i,ll have to wait a year. In that next year my brother went on and on about and how billiant it was live,aswell as saying most of the people going dress in the characterd of the film. so a year on i get four tickets my brother and his freind,myself and my husband i chose the character janet a straight laced girl in a pink suit my husband decided on ...

bastet 28.10.2002 · Read full review
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Review of A-Z of Opera

Two great recordings of this famous opera

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 ...
...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! The Callas set is of course slightly inferior in sound quality, but the impeccable credentials of Tullio Serafin may be preferred ...

StephenWeaver 14.08.2000 · Read full review
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Review of Bellini: I Puritani