Verdi: (Il) Trovatore

Advantages: Glorious recorded sound, a fine group of soloists
Disadvantages: Some fans may not like Sutherland in this music

...This version of Verdi's Requiem sounds absolutely terrific. The chorus has lots of presence -so important in the famous Dies Irae and the soloists are miked beautifully. The 'Hostias' and 'Ingemisco' are some of the finest recordings of Luciano Pavarotti available. Arguably he had more character by the time of his later recording from the late 80s with Riccardo Muti but he is caught here at his finest vocally with the hushed ingemisco amongst the best of that much recorded aria. Joan Sutherland's performance has been criticised quite a lot by critics that think she should not have recorded Verdi roles (similar complaints surround her Traviatas, her Leonora in Il Trovatore and her Elvira in Ernani). I really like her in this music. She is certainly preferable in my opiion to Schwarzkopf (Giulini/EMI and De Sabata (Naxos)) or Nelli... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Classic recordings from a master of his trade.
Disadvantages: Mono recordings, Crackly in parts.

...pure by Charles Gounod La reine de Saba: Inspirez-moi, race divine by Charles Gounod Serse, HWV 40: Ombra mai fu "Largo" by George Frideric Handel Le Cid: O Souverain, ô juge, ô père by Jules Massenet Manon: Ah! fuyez, douce image by Jules Massenet L'Africaine: O paradis sorti de l'onde by Giacomo Meyerbeer Les Huguenots: Plus blanche que la blanche hermine by Giacomo Meyerbeer La Gioconda: Cielo e mar by Amilcare Ponchielli La Bohème: O soave fanciulla by Giacomo Puccini La Bohème: Che gelida manina by Giacomo Puccini Tosca: Recondita armonia by Giacomo Puccini Tosca: E lucevan le stelle by Giacomo Puccini Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai by Giacomo Puccini Eugene Onegin, Op. 24: Lensky's aria by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky Aida: Celeste Aida by Giuseppe Verdi Il trovatore: Di quella pira by Giuseppe Verdi Il... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Everything you could ever want from a classical CD
Disadvantages: none

...by Giacomo Puccini 30. Madama Butterfly Composed by Giacomo Puccini 31. Nabucco Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 32. Les pêcheurs de perles Composed by Georges Bizet 33. (Il) trovatore Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 34. Turandot Composed by Giacomo Puccini 35. Carmina Burana Composed by Carl Orff 36. Messa da Requiem Composed by Giuseppe Verdi 37. Messiah Composed by George Frideric Handel 38. Also sprach Zarathustra, 'Thus spake Zarathustra' Composed by Richard Strauss 39. (The) Planets Composed by Gustav Holst 40. Toccata and Fugue in D minor Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach 41. Symphony No. 40 in G minor Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 42. Symphony No. 5 in C minor Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven 43. Romeo and Juliet Composed by Sergey Prokofiev 44. Concerto... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful