The Best of Italian Opera Reviews

• Fabulous bargain for anyone

  
  By A1PR2UBXKTEL9M on 2002-11-24
  I would recommend this CD to anyone, from opera novice to experienced listener...

  These are older recordings -- I would guess mostly from the 1960's. The recording quality is exceptional for the day and, while not the equivalent of modern engineering, is sufficient to allow sheer physical pleasure from the music and an immediate appreciation of the vocal qualities of the artists. The sound quality is the only mild drawback...

  The performances are magnificent! The voices are almost entirely lighter and more agile than the great voices of the 80's and 90's. In fact, the ear of the editor is apparent in his preference for lighter and more agile voices.

  For example, there is a beautiful rendition of "Che Gelida Manina" from someone I had never heard before, Guiseppe Campora. He does not have the weight or volume of Pavarotti or Domingo, but has more elegance and a pure, charming tone. A connoisseur performance, but nevertheless a true operatic rendition by a tenor who can hit the high C with authority -- as good for a newcomer to opera who wants to hear the real thing, as for an opera lover who would like to hear something a bit different.

  Some of the artists were among the most famous singers of their day: Moffo, de los Angeles, Gedda.

  Anna Moffo, one of the greatest sopranos of her day (and all time), is in magnificent voice in famous blockbusters from Rossini's Barber of Seville, Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, and the Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor.

  De Los Angeles is at her best in "Libiamo" from La Traviata, but the recording quality (the one inadequately engineered track on the CD) and her lack of oomph make for a second-rate version of "Un bel di".

  In keeping with the light and lyrical orientation of the selections, Moffo -- a famous Gilda and hardly a dramatic voice -- is bypassed for the even lighter, sweeter and more agile colatura Reri Grist (while she still had her voice), in a lovely "Caro Nome".

  Another nice selection is Mario Sereni performing "Di provenza, il mar". Both this and "Libiamo" are taken from one of my favorite recordings of Traviata -- also a great chance to hear Serafin at the helm of the Rome Opera House orchestra. (The 2-CD version of this is still available from EMI, I think.) Newcomers will love this pretty tune, and Sereni's archtypal Verdi baritone is good, although hardly the best ever.

  Franco Corelli has never been a favorite of mine, but he sounds the best I've ever heard him in his rendition of "Cielo et mar".

  Anyway, I didn't intend to list every cut. Whether you are an opera lover who would like to hear some of opera's most famous arias performed in a new light, or an opera lover who would like to hear great performances at a cut-rate price, this CD gets my unqualified approval.
  
  

• Not a better cd at this price

  
  By A1MC1HLL9OMPDL on 2000-10-27
  Whether you are an opera lover already or want to find out if opera is something you would enjoy, this is a cd for you. I bought this cd on a whim because of the price and now I would gladly pay five times that to replace it in my collection. The voices are phenomenal and filled with emotion as I think they should be in opera.
  
  

• excellent

  
  By ATUG1HITW67GB on 2000-01-28
  This CD is an excellent introduction to Opera for those who don't think they like Opera. This CD introduced some Italian music to me that I was not familiar with. I listen to this music very often.I have never heard more beautiful music together on one CD. You won't regret getting this one!
  
  

• Not a good choice.

  
  By A3QA36WOC7E3C9 on 2001-02-21
  To the contrary of one of the other ratings, I think if you are new to opera, this is NOT the CD I would recommend as an introduction. While it DOES have many of the very well known, it is, in my opinion, very poor quality, done by people with hardly any feeling for the music. They are good singers, but that's all they are doing. Hearing someone sing words is much different than hearing someone accomplished sing the soul of the story. All in all, a very boring, poorly done CD. I guess you get what you pay for though. I just recived mine yesterday, and will probably return it. If you are new to opera, I would suggest Pavarotti. The 2 star rating is because the orchistra was good.
  
  

• A Great Introduction to Italian Opera

  
  By A2WS0EKOZGXW5A on 2005-05-01
  The artists on this CD succeed in their goal to create a CD that displays great Italian opera. Carlo del Monte and Victoria de los Angeles open the disc with the Brindisi from La Traviata. Victoria de los Angeles is not the best Violetta, but she does the job, along with her parner Carlo del Monte, an underappreciated tenor. Victoria de los Angeles also appears on the CD in "Un bel di vedremo" from Madama Butterfly, a role she was well known for. Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda appears on the disc twice. His first appearence is a superb rendition of "La donna e mobile" from Rigoletto. His final performance on this disc is in the heroric aria "Celeste Aida", a performance in a role that was not in his voice range. Anna Moffo is the star on this CD, appearing three times in three very different roles. First is her beautiful "Una voce poco fa", normally a role that calls for a mezzo-soprano. Her second is "Voi che sapete" from Le Nozze di Figaro, another mezzo-soprano role. Her final appearence is her best, "The Mad Scene" from Lucia di Lammermoor. Underrated tenor Giuseppe Campora performs "Che gelida manina" with a great tenor voice. Soprano Reri Girst is excellent in her performance of "Caro nome" from Rigoletto. One of my favorite baritones appears on this CD. Robert Merrill is a perfect Count di Luna, and it is evident in his rendition of "Il balen del suo sorriso". Another baritone appears on this CD: mario Sereni. He is not a world famous baritone, but he should have been. Overall, this is an excellent introduction to the world of Italian opera.
  
  
• Great songs for a low price.
  By A2Q7APXN12TBUA on 2001-08-16
  Ranging from selections of La Traviata, Il Trovatore and other popular Italian operas, this is a great cd for under four bucks. The singers may not be well recognized, but they do possess powerful voices.
  
  
• The Ultimately Unbeatable
  By A2K9PS1U52VOKV on 2001-01-14
  Best deal of Italian opera CD collection is found from this album. Although featuring Verdi's opera works, Mozart's Voi Che Sapete from Le Nozzi di Figaro was excellently recorded. Sound quality is excellent, and what a great gift idea this is!
  
  
• Best of the best!
  By A2ZP72G4UM2KGX on 2003-01-11
  The performers, the selections, the quality... almost divine!
  
  
• Great Stuff
  By APS1QYAETXXR7 on 2007-07-22
  The sound quality of this disc is surprisingly good, very good for an ADD. All the selections captured each singer in his/her top form. It is a real treat that this disc contains many work that were not normally in certain singer's repertoire. Gedda's Aida, Moffo's Rossini-Rosina and Cherobino, for example, all were superbly sung. Even Moffo's Lucia sounds much better than I have ever heard in other places.
  
  
  
• Italian Opera CD
  By A1RZXHZWR4PBI8 on 2007-08-09
  This was advertised as a salute to Robert Merrill. It is not, it a collection of Opera stars and more arias are sung by Victoria de Los Angeles than anyone else which is okay because the recordings are superb. I would be a bit more specific in the future.
  
  
  

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