TRACKLIST AND REVIEW FOR "THE MOST FAMOUS OPERA ARIAS"
Rigoletto, opera Caro nome Composed by Giuseppe Verdi Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Anna Moffo Conducted by Sir Colin Davis >This is a dreamy, beautiful performance of this famous aria with Anna Moffo's beautiful soft high notes really capturing the vulnerability and love Gilda feels at this stage of the opera. Arguably the aria is performed a little slow in places but it is one of the best recorded versions.
Rigoletto, opera La donna é mobile Composed by Giuseppe Verdi Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Alfredo Kraus Conducted by Julius Rudel >Kraus was a classy tenor with lots of style. Initially you may find his voice a little bit nasal or even worn compared to say Domingo and Pavarotti but Kraus is very good in this opera - so often it is sung in an overblown and rather silly way - that is not the case here - he is more stylish and smooth than Pavarotti and Domingo and I think he is slghtly more convincing as the Duke who after all sneaks about the place sweet-talking ladies. He has exciting highnotes as well. The sound is good in this version.
Gianni Schicchi, opera O mio babbino caro Composed by Giacomo Puccini Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Ghena Dimitrova Conducted by Anton Guadagno >Maybe not the first version that I would choose for this aria. Dimitrova's voice is a little fierce compared to say Mirella
Freni and Angela Gheorghiu in this music but she does have a lovely big strong instrument and as a sheer piece of singing this is good work. Just maybe doesnt sound like a young girl - needs a sweeter voice for that.
Carmen, opéra-comique in 4 acts Habanera: La voila... L'amour est oiseau rebelle Composed by Georges Bizet Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Yelena Obraztsova Conducted by Giuseppe Patane >Yelena Obraztsova has a fine strong voice and is quite subtle in places. Her voice is not smooth - very different from say the Carmen of Leontyne Price or Grace Bumbry - rather she is powerful and vivid - a performance that you either love (for all the passion and excitement) or hate (quite a hard voice and manner).
Orfeo ed Euridice (Italian version), opera in 3 acts, Wq. 30 Che faro senza Euridice Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Agnes Baltsa Conducted by Riccardo Muti > Baltsa gives a full force performance here, very different from the famous performance by Kathleen Ferrier, very italianate and her vivid voice can be exciting - unusually so for this sort of music.
Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera Un bel di, vedremo Composed by Giacomo Puccini Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Ghena Dimitrova Conducted by Anton Guadagno > A strong big voice but is she at all like a young girl? probably not. She is fierce in the extract leading up to the aria and we can guess that she would have been amazing in the 'Death of Butterfly' scene at the end of the opera. But here, the first thing you notice is the rather wobbly start to Un Bel Di - maybe less a wobble and just a big broad vibrato (a pulse going through the voice) either way a little too strong. She improves after that but really does not match Renata Tebaldi (smooth and strong) or beautiful voiced Butterflys (Victoria de los Angeles and Mirella Freni)
Roméo et Juliette, opera Ah! je veux vivre Composed by Charles Gounod Performed by Munich Radio Orchestra with Edita Gruberova Conducted by Gustav Kuhn > A beautiul voice for this music, maybe not so much character as Callas but so amazing technically
Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro), opera, K. 492 Voi che sapete che cosa è amor Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performed by Munich Radio Orchestra with Lucia Popp Conducted by Leonard Slatkin > Lucia Popp is amazing here. Her voice is sweet and technically excellent. Along with good phrasing this is probably the best version I have heard anywhere.
Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47 Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix Composed by Camille Saint-Saens Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Yelena Obraztsova Conducted by Giuseppe Patane > This suits Obraztsova better than Carmen in my opinion and she is very good here. She is not the softest voiced Dalila - this cd seems to have been chosen by people that like big strong voices - but we must remember than Dalila is not a pushover. Interesting and exciting
Tosca, opera Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore Composed by Giacomo Puccini Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Ghena Dimitrova Conducted by Anton Guadagno > Much th best we hear of Dimitrova on this CD. Her voice is excellent seems lush and strong - points that go in her favour for this opera compared to in Gianni Schicchi or Madama Butterfly - and she can be tender without resorting to crooning.
Aida, opera Celeste Aida Composed by Giuseppe Verdi Performed by New Philharmonia Orchestra with Placido Domingo Conducted by Riccardo Muti > Domingo gives a dedicated account in this difficult aria. His voice is warm and virile with plenty of attack for the high notes. Franco Corelli is more inclined to sing softly than Domingo and Pavarotti has a smoother voice but Domingo is very very good here
Il barbière di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera Una voce poco fà Composed by Gioachino Rossini Performed by London Philharmonia Orchestra with Anna Moffo Conducted by Sir Colin Davis > a really nice sparkling performance of this famous aria. Moffo's sweet soft highnotes make her Rosina a softer creation than say Callas or some mezzosopranos but it makes some of the things she says funnier - you have this sweet voiced woman being really calculating an strong-willed. The conducting is a little soft - more drive would be appreciated so it doesnt sound too sentimental.
Lakmé, opera Ou va la jeune indoue? Composed by Leo Delibes Performed by Munich Radio Orchestra with Edita Gruberova Conducted by Gustav Kuhn > Beautiful, rather more dramatic than Joan Sutherland and also nice clear diction and glorious soft singing
La Wally, opera (dramma musicale) in 4 acts Ebben? Ne andrò lontano Composed by Alfredo Catalani Performed by Munich Radio Orchestra with Ghena Dimitrova Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli > a dramatic performance of this aria. Could do with clearer diction. Her high notes are terrific and hugely exciting. The recorded sound is very good here with the orchestra big and proud.
La bohème, opera Che gelida manina Composed by Giacomo Puccini Performed by Rome Opera House Orchestra with Nicolai Gedda Conducted by Thomas Schippers > A stylish, ardent performance here - different from say Pavarotti or Domingo but nice in its own way. From a great complete recording with the beautiful voiced Mirella Freni.
Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), opera, K. 620 Die Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Performed by Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra with Edita Gruberova Conducted by Bernard Haitink > Terrific, rivals evan Lucia Popp's glorious performance with Otto Klemperer on EMI. Brilliant, confident singing in a taxing aria.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Very good review, but I tend to shy away from classical "hits" type recordings. They tend to reflect the taste of the compiler which isn't always my taste.
headcase44 05.04.2008 12:41
Very good review.....Music to appreciate. Thanks. J.
tigerthecat 05.04.2008 12:39
Great review, covering a subject I kbnow nothing about.
very helpful by (75%):
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