This is probably the best introduction you could have to Pavarotti. It has everything, early work (1960s) and more mature work (1970s/1980s) it also has earlier composers such as Donizetti and Rossini as well as later greats such as Bizet (not a big figure in Pavarotti's career but beautifully sung) and Puccini with Nessun Dorma taking pride of place. The inclusion of Italian songs is good fun and very well sung, listen to the high notes in the mattinata, but there are not any of pavarotti's collaborations with celebrities like Sinatra etc which for me is a major plus but to others may be a bit of a let down depending how much you enjoy his 'pop' music output. His major early success are here including his breakthrough role from la fille du regiment and Rodolfo in La Boheme the role he debuted in in very early 1960s. The roles are lyrical (Nemorino in Elisir d'amore) , middle weight (Boheme, Tosca) and quite heavy roles (Radames in Aida) so there is a good variety of work, probably the lyrical is more succesful but that is really just my preference (probably relates to the fact I like bel canto music which he sang so well in the 60s and 70s - A te o cara by the way is probably the finest thing he ever recorded if you ask me) to conclude lots to enjoy and a good buy from various retailers
CD1 1. Turandot / Act 3 - Nessun Dorma! 3:00 2. La fille du régiment / Act 1 - "Ah mes amis - Pour mon âme" 6:55 3. Tosca / Act 1 - "Recondita armonia" 3:01 4. La Bohème / Act 1 - "Che gelida manina" 4:39 5. Der Rosenkavalier, Op.59 / Act 1 - "Di rigori armato il seno" 2:24 6. Mattinata 1:59 7. Soirées Musicales - La Danza 3:07 8. Torna A Surriento 4:24 9. La Favorita - Italian version / Act 4 - Favorita del re...Spirto gentil 4:44 10. Carmen / Act 2 - "La fleur que tu m'avais jetée" 4:29 11. I Puritani / Act 1 - "A te, o cara" 6:31 12. Il Trovatore / Act 3 - "Di qual tetra luce...Ah si ben mio" 4:17 13. Il Trovatore / Act 3 - "Di quella pira"
CD2 1. Rigoletto / Act 3 - "La Donna è Mobile" 2:26 2. Panis Angelicus 4:02 3. Vanne, o rosa fortunata 2:27 4. Faust / Act 3 - "Quel trouble inconnu...Salut! Demeure chaste et pure" 5:30 5. Messa da Requiem - 2. Ingemisco 3:37 6. Rigoletto / Act 1 - "Questa o quella" (Ballata) 1:49 7. Aida / Act 1 - "Se quel guerrier io fossi!" - "Celeste Aida" 4:31 8. Ave Maria, "Ellens Gesang III", D839 4:48 9. Pagliacci / Act 1 - "Recitar!" - "Vesti la giubba" 4:06 10. La Gioconda / Act 2 - Cielo e mar! 5:09 11. L'elisir d'amore / Act 2 - "Una furtiva lagrima" 4:47 12. Tosca / Act 3 - "E lucevan le stelle" 3:03 13. Funiculì, Funiculà
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Advantages: Pavarotti at his best in core repertoire in clear beautiful sound Disadvantages: 'Pavarotti's Greatest Hits' is only a few pounds more for 2cds
operalover2000 01.01.2009 ·
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