De Que Se Rien? [Import]

Track Listings

1. Fugitiva Perpetua

2. Historia

3. De Que Se Rien?

4. Oda A Lilith

5. Jupiter

6. No Entregues Tu Corazon

7. De Una Vez

8. Profecia

9. Si Faltan Flores

10. Culebron Nacional

11. Caminos Rotos

12. Por Que...

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
1998 Release by Argentinean Pop/Rock Singer. Cantilo was Backing Vocalist for Charly Garcia and also Sang with Fito Paez. In 1990, She Participated in a Festival Called Mi Buenos Aires Rock and Had the Opportunity to Open for International Act Roxette.

De Que Se Rien?,Fabiana Cantilo,Wea,Latin

Tracks:

El rossinyol
El testament d'Amelia
Adios meu homino
Mina nay por me casare
Tengo que subir
Ahi tienes mi corazon
La vi llorando
Ya se van los pastores
Campanas de Belen
Jaeneras que yo canto
A dormir ahora mesmo
Granadinas
Hincarse de rodillas
Cancion de trilla
Parado de Valldemosa
Nik baditut
Andregaya
Din, dan, boleran
Mariam matrem
Ay, triste vida corporal!
Que es mi vida, preguntais?
Porque es, dama, tanto quereros?
No me llames segalaherba
Ay, luna que reluces
En esta larga ausencia
Molinillo que mueles amores
Confiado jilguerillo
Seguidillas religiosas
Cancion de cuna
El jilguerillo con pico de oro
El canape

Tracks:

Ah, el novio no quiere dinero
Coma la rosa en la guerta
Estavase la mora
Aquel rey de Francia
Damos gracias a ti, Dios
Sobre Baca estaba el rey
Ay que non hay!
Rosa das rosas
Maravillosos e piadosos
Tres moricas m'enamoran
Paseabase el rey moro
Dime a do tienes las mientes
Si no's huviera mirado
Dexo la venda
Puse mis amores
Aqui me declaro su pensamiento
Pues que me tienes
Gentil dama, non se gana
Mi querer tanto vos quiere
Una hija tiene el rey
Una matica de ruda
Si la noche se hace oscura
Pastorcico, non te aduermas
Ay triste que vengo
No soy you quien la descrube
Pase el agua, Julieta
Aquel caballero, madre
Duelete de mi, Senora
De Antequera salio el Moro
De los alamos vengo, madre
Enfermo estaba Antioco
Dame acogida en tu hato
Morenica, dame un beso
Senora, si te olvidare
De donde venis, amore?

Tracks:

La rosa enflorece
Ven querida
Adio, querida
Durme, durme, hermozo hijico
Paxaro d'hermosura
Avrix, mi galanica
Irme quiero, la mi madre
Ya viene el cativo
Yo m'enamori d'un aire
Una matica de ruda
Anda, jaleo
Los cuatro muleros
Las tres hojas
Los mozos de Monleon
Las morillas de Jaen
Sevillanas del siglo 18
El cafe de Chinitas
Nana de Sevilla
Los pelegrinitos
Zorongo
Romance de Don Boiso
Los reyes de la baraja
La tarara
El combat del somni: Damunt de tu, nomes les flors
A l'ombra del Lledoner: Canco de grumet
Canciones negras: Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito
Cuatro madrigales amatorios: De los alamos vengo, madre
Coleccion de tonadillas: Callejeo
Coleccion de tonadillas: El tra la la y el punteado
Seis canciones castellanas: No quiero tus avellanas
Seis canciones castellanas: Jota
Panxolina
Tu pupila es azul
Cantos populares espanolas: Malaguena
Cantos populares espanolas: Granadina
Cantos populares espanolas: El Vito
Cantos populares espanolas: Pano murciano
Clavelitos
Adios, Granada
Madrigal

Tracks:

Coleccion de tonadillas: Amor y odio
Coleccion de tonadillas: Callejeo
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo discreto
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo olvidado
Coleccion de tonadillas: El majo timido
Coleccion de tonadillas: El mirar de la maja
Coleccion de tonadillas: El tra la la y el punteado
Coleccion de tonadillas: La maja de Goya
Coleccion de tonadillas: Las currutacas modestas
Tres majas dolorosas: Oh muerte cruel!
Tres majas dolorosas: Ay majo de mi vida
Tres majas dolorosas: De aquel majo amante
Goyescas: La maja y el ruisenor (Rosario)
'La vida breve': Vivan los que rien! (Salud - Act 1)
'La vida breve': Alli esta! Riyendo! (Salud - Act 2)
'Acis y Galatea': Confiado jilguerillo
El tripili
Llorad, corazon
Iban al pinar
No lloreis, ojuelos
Mananica era
Mira que soy nina
Gracia mia
El pano moruno
Seguidilla murciana
Asturiana
Jota
Nana
Cancion
Polo
'La Tempranica': Zapateado (La tarantula e un bicho mu malo)

Customer Reviews:

The most noble voice.......2004-05-28

Victoria de los Angeles' voice not only has a silken quality and fascinating glow to it but it is one of the most regal, noble sounds you'll ever hear. She illuminated those moments of quietness, gentleness and noble, feminine pride and elegance like no other soprano before and after her. This release of her "Spanish Songs" has never been surpassed. The songs of her homeland seem to have been written for her beautiful instrument alone, she fills every piece with special beauty and charm, religious flair and beautiful, noble simplicity. Buy this recording and see why Victoria is one of the best sopranos ever having come from Spain.

PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN.......2002-01-08

FOR A LONG TIME "SONGS OF SPAIN" HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE ALBUM OF CLASSICAL, POPULAR, SECULAR AND RELIGIOUS (CHRISTIAN AND SEPHARDIC) SPANISH SONGS. DE LOS ANGELES DEFIES A RIVAL IN THIS GENRE. DE LARROCHA, SORIANO AND ZANETTI PROVIDE UNEQUALED ACCOMPANIEMENTS. THE RECORDINGS ARE SECOND ONLY TO LIFE PERFORMANCES. I UNDERSTAND THAT EMI INTENDS TO TAKE THIS SET OUT OF PUBLICATION. PURCHASE THIS JEWEL WHILE YOU CAN! I JUST PURCHASED MY THIRD SET FROM AMAZON AND I TREASURE IT AS MUCH AS MY FIRST!

luminous artistry from a genius.......2000-12-26

the vocal artist of vocal artistsdisplays her absolutely gorgeous voice and musical understanding of spanish feeling with a warmth that is unmatched anywhere.the only thing better was to hear her in person!

A special Dignity and an Unfailing Beauty of Voice........2000-09-17

This set offers four generously-filled CDs comprising almost 140 Spanish songs from Victoria de los Angeles' repertoire. To all of them she brings a special dignity and an unfailing beauty of voice. The earliest recordings date from 1950 and the last is the items she sang at the opening of the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. Yes, you will find the ubiquitous "Clavelitos!" here, and a later version of "La maya el ruisenor" from "Goyescas". The enclosed booklet provides illuminating notes by Lionel Salter, who also translated many of the texts which are also included. Accompanists include Gerald Moore and Alicia de Larrocha, and Victoria de Los Angeles provides a guitar accompaniment herself in one song. The last track of all, a zapateado from a zarzuela, recorded live in New York, must almost have brought the house down.

Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy

Average customer rating:

Classic Art Songs Sung with Brilliance and Artistry
Pretty, but not memorable
Returning to the Recital Hall: A Soiree
Pretty sound spoiled by a bad vocal habit
Excellent!

Forgotten Songs: Dawn Upshaw Sings Debussy

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Upshaw, Dawn | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000002B6P
Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

Vasnier Songbook: I. Pantomime
Vasnier Songbook: II. Calmes dans le demi-jour (En sourdine)
Vasnier Songbook: III. Mandoline
Vasnier Songbook: IV. Clair de lune
Vasnier Songbook: Fantoches
Vasnier Songbook: VI. Coquetterie posthume
Vasnier Songbook: VII. Romance - Silence ineffable
Vasnier Songbook: VIII. Musique
Vasnier Songbook: X. Paysage sentimental
Vasnier Songbook: X. Romance - Voici que le printemps
Vasnier Songbook: XI. La Romance d'Ariel
Vasnier Songbook: XII. Regret
Forgotten Melodies: I. C'est l'extase langoureuse
Forgotten Melodies: II. Il pleure dans mon coeur
Forgotten Melodies: III. L'ombre des arbres
Forgotten Melodies: IV. Chevaux de bois
Forgotten Melodies: V. Green (Aquarelle)
Forgotten Melodies: VI. Spleen (Aquarelle)
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: I. Le Balcon
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: II. Harmonie du soir
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: III. Le Jet d'eau
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: IV. Recueillement
Five Poems Of Charles Baudelaire: V. La Mort des amants

Customer Reviews:

Classic Art Songs Sung with Brilliance and Artistry.......2006-11-10

Dawn Upshaw possesses a voice with beautiful bell canto tonal quality and uses the glissando technique, only when effective, rendering this collection of uncommon art songs superbly sung. The entire album is a joy to listen to...

Pretty, but not memorable.......2006-04-29

'Forgotton Songs, Dawn Upshaw sings Debussy' with James Levine at the piano is, to my layman's ear, very pretty to listen to, but not a whole lot to get excited about. If you are especially fond of Upshaw, you must have this recording. If you are especially fond of Debussy, other vocalists may have just a little more to offer. Everything about this recording is 'nice', just not a whole lot to get excited about.

Returning to the Recital Hall: A Soiree.......2005-04-09

Dawn Upshaw is one of the most intelligent and creative and adventuresome singers on the concert stage today. Just reviewing the list of her recordings available and it is obvious that she has paid attention to both contemporary and established composers in a way that is truly refreshing.

Here the program is devoted to the works of Claude Debussy, a composer for whom Upshaw has a particular penchant. Her voice is crystal clear, perfectly focused and yet not afraid to animate when the lyrics demand. She covers three cycles here: 'Ariettes oubliees' (for this listener the most successful on the album), 'Racueil Vasnier', and 'Cinq Poemes de Charles Baudelaire' (contrast these with the recently released Susan Graham version and see what interpretation is all about!).

The collaboration between Upshaw and James Levine is sensitive (if not always the pianism of others..). But the entire recital is uplifting and satisfying for the variation in the songs, recorded sound, the generosity of the disc, and most of all for the musical intelligence in which these songs are performed! Grady Harp, April 05

Pretty sound spoiled by a bad vocal habit.......2004-05-07

Every voice teacher I have ever had, and I have had many, were unanimous in their advice that sliding into notes is something that must be done with great moderation. Dawn Upshaw does it all the time and to the ears of a trained singer it becomes extremely annoying extremely quickly. Constant sliding into notes is less objectionable if one actually reaches the right pitch in the process. Miss Upshaw frequently does NOT, resulting in numerous instances where she is simply not in tune at all on some notes. Her sliding also creates constant dissonances with the piano which are entirely undebussyesque. If it were Webern or Berg she were singing she might get away with it. Here she does not. NOT RECOMMENDED.

P.S. Since writing this review (quite some time ago), I was fortunate to hear a recording of Ms. Upshaw in a production at the Metropolitan Opera where she didn't do any of her annoying sliding at all - not once - (probably because it was music from a much earlier time) The difference was astounding. It was a glorious performance. It was hard to believe it was the same person. This, more than ever, confirms my opinion that she ruined this recording with a bad singing habit.

Excellent!.......2003-11-26

This recording of Debussy's Melodies are really excellent. Dawn Upshaw's voice is exactly right for this kind of music - light, charming, and lyrical, with real sensitivity to the text. The Ariettes Oubliees are the best I've heard, with the exception of Frederica von Stade. In addition, her interpretation of Mandoline from the Vasnier Songbook is perfect - the tempo, piano, voice, and interpretation are exactly right. My only criticism is that the diction, while perfectly clear, has an "American" accent that is sometimes distracting.

Massenet - Werther / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Hampson · Petibon · Courtis · Fouchécourt · Frémeau · LSO · Pappano

Average customer rating:

A star among modern Werthers, but there are others
Another Smash Hit From The French Opera Specialists
¿El mejor Werther despues de Kraus?
Best Werther recording since the 1930s
thoughts on "Werther"

Massenet - Werther / Alagna · Gheorghiu · Hampson · Petibon · Courtis · Fouchécourt · Frémeau · LSO · Pappano
Jules Massenet , Antonio Pappano , Roberto Alagna , Angela Gheorghiu , London Symphony Orchestra , Tiffin Children's Choir , Thomas Hampson , Patricia Petibon , Jean-Philippe Courtis , Jean-Paul Fouchécourt , Jean-Marie Frémeau , James Savage-Hanford , Pierre Dupont , and Sophie Boulanger
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Verdi - Simon Boccanegra / Freni, Cappuccilli, Carreras, Ghiaurov, van Dam, Foiani, Teatro alla Scala, Abbado

ASIN: B00001ZSVU
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Tracks:

Werther: Prelude (Orchestra)
Werther: Act One: Assez! Assez! M'ecouterat-on cette fois? (Le Bailli, Les Enfants)
Werther: Act One: Bravo pour les enfants! (Johann, Schmidt, Les Enfants, Le Bailli, Sophie)
Werther: Act One: Alors, c'est bien ici la maison du Bailli?
Werther: Act One: Je ne sais si je veille (Werther)
Werther: Act One: Jesus vient de naitre!...Chers enfants! (Les Enfants, Werther)
Werther: Act One: Ah! comme ils sont meilleurs que moi! (Werther, Les enfants, Le Bailli)
Werther: Act One: Arrivez donc, Bruhlmann! (Le Bailli, Charlotte, Werther, Sophie)
Werther: Act One: O spectacle ideal d'amour et d'innocence (Werther)
Werther: Act One: Monsieur Werther!...Vivat Bacchus, semper vivat! (Le Bailli, Charlotte, Sophie)
Werther: Act One: Sophie!...Albert! Toi de retour! (Albert, Sophie)
Werther: Act One: Elle m'aime!...Quelle priere de reconnaissance et d'amour (Albert)
Werther: Act One: Interlude (Orchestre)
Werther: Act One: Interlude (continued) ...Il Faut nous separer
Werther: Act One: Mais vous ne savez rien de moi
Werther: Act One: Reve! Extase! Bonheur! (Charlotte, Werther)
Werther: Act One: Charlotte! Charlotte! Albert est de retour! (Le Bailli, Charlotte, Werther)
Werther: Act Two: Prelude (Orchestre) ....Vivat Bacchus! Semper vivat!
Werther: Act Two: Allez, chantez l'office (Johann, Schmidt)
Werther: Act Two: Trois mois! Voici trois mois que nous sommes unis! (Albert, Charlotte)
Werther: Act Two: Un autre est son epoux!
Werther: Act Two: J'aurais sur ma poitrine (Werther)
Werther: Act Two: Si! Katchen reviendra, je vous dis! (Schmidt, Johann)
Werther: Act Two: Au bonheur dont mon ame est pleine...Vous l'avez dit: mon ame est loyale et sincere (Albert, Werther)
Werther: Act Two: Frere, voyez! Voyez le beau bouquet!...Heureux! Pourais-je l'etre encore? (Sophie, Werther, Albert)
Werther: Act Two: Ai-je dit vrai? L'amour que j'ai pour elle Ah! qu'il est loin, ce jour plein d'intime douceur
Werther: Act Two: N'est-il donc pas d'autre femme
Werther: Act Two: Oui, ce qu'elle m'ordonne
Werther: Act Two: Lorsque l'enfant revient d'un voyage avant l'heure
Werther: Act Two: Mais venez donc! le cortege s'approche (Sophie, Werther, Charlotte, Albert)

Tracks:

Werther: Act Three: Prelude (Orchestra)
Werther: Act Three: Werther! Werther!...Qui m'aurait dit la place
Werther: Act Three: Des cris joyeux d'enfants montent sous ma fenetre (Charlotte)
Werther: Act Three: Bonjour, grand soeur! (Sophie, Charlotte)
Werther: Act Three: Va! Laisse couler mes larmes (Charlotte)
Werther: Act Three: Tiens, Charlotte, crois-moi, ne reste pas ici (Sophie, Charlotte)
Werther: Act Three: Ah! mon courage m'abandonne! (Charlotte)
Werther: Act Three: Qui, c'est moi! Je reviens! (Werner, Charlotte)
Werther: Act Three: Ha! bien souvent...Toute mon ame est la!...Pourquoi me reveiller, o souffle du printemps? (Werner)
Werther: Act Three: N'achevez pas! Helas!
Werther: Act Three: Ah! Moi! Moi, dans ses bras! (Charlotte, Werther)
Werther: Act Three: Werther, est de retour...on la vu revenir (Albert, Charlotte)
Werther: Act Four: Entr'acte: La Nuit de Noel (Orchestra)
Werther: Act Four: Werther! Werther! Rien! (Charlotte)
Werther: Act Four: Qui parle? Charlotte, ah! c'est toi!
Werther: Act Four: A cette heure supreme, je suis heureux (Charlotte, Werther)
Werther: Act Four: Noel! Noel! Noel!...Dieu! Ces cris joyeux (Les Enfants, Charlotte, Werther, Sophie)
Werther: Act Four: Ah! ses yeux se ferment!...Non...Charlotte!...je meurs (Charlotte, Werther)

Amazon.com

The modern discography of Massenet's Werther has long been dominated by the (currently out of print) Philips recording starring José Carreras and Frederica von Stade as well as the earlier EMI version with Alfredo Kraus and Tatiana Troyanos. But this EMI newcomer is within shouting distance of greatness, mainly due to conductor Antonio Pappano. Although any Werther succeeds or fails on the strength of its singers, the conductor is a crucial catalyst (on the Philips set, it's Colin Davis, while on EMI it's Michel Plasson) for maintaining the poetic intensity in a drama that can too easily seem like a naive case study in stalking. The Byronic title character essentially practices emotional blackmail on the married woman he loves by never hiding his suicidal tendencies, though one never thinks such mundane thoughts with tenor Roberto Alagna. Although his voice lacks the tenor bloom one might want, he's so at home with the role and the French language that he delivers a characterization full of imagination and immediacy, sometimes bordering on vocal genius. Soprano Angela Gheoghiu's vocal center is too high for this mezzo role, but she makes a vivid impression through the sheer force of her personality. Thomas Hampson gives vocal glamour but surprising dramatic restraint to the role of her husband, Albert. Although the sound quality is somewhat studio bound, Pappano and the London Symphony Orchestra play as if it's a live performance. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

A star among modern Werthers, but there are others.......2006-05-28

The reviewers below have praised this EMI Werther so thoroughly that there's little to add. Gheorghiu is the only soprano besides Victoria de los Angeles (1868, also on EMI) to record this classic mezzo role, and at times one hears the strain as she reaches for the bottom notes. She lacks de los angeles's many emotional shadings, giving us instead a fairly consistent, verismo-tinged passion, but her vocalism as such is thrilling.

Roberto alagna, a native French speaker despite his name, is the only prominent Werther who can claim that distinciton. I've always felt he was much better suited to French opera than the heavier Verdi-Puccini roles that he now sings, and which (shadoes of Carreras) have led to a coarsening of his voice, along with a pronounced wobble and intonation problems. but he is a star, no doubt, and here he brings charisma and style to Wether. He takes care to find many musical shadings throughout, and since the date for this recording is 1998-99, he is nearly in best voice.

Everyone has praised Pappano (are they following the lead of The Gramophone reviewer, who thought he was the best thing here?), but Colin Davis, Georges Pretre, and Kent Nagano had done as well. Pappano;s distinciton is that he is a bit slower, more dleiberate, and self-consciously refined. I'm not sure that's always a great advantage in Massanet, whose music is given to sighs and longueurs--it can use help form an energetic conductor. EMI's recording form London is a bit distant but otherwise quite good.

IN all, this is a gripping peformance that deserves all the praise it has gotten, but it doesn't erase memories of other fine Werthers, an opera that has been amazingly successful on records. The Davis features a remarkable Charlotte in Frederica von stade and a passionate, verismo Carreras in top form (Philips), the Nagano has gorgeous if not quite idiomatic singing from von Otter and Hadley in a more low-key, melliflous style (Erato), and of course there's the classic Pretre version with de los Angeles and Gedda. This only skims the surface, for there is an oustanding live 1977 performance with Domingo and Fassbaender under Lopez-Corbos from Munich (Orfeo). Indeed, when the Amazon reviewer claims that the Plasson set with Troyanos and Kraus on EMI "dominated" the stereo era, he is far from accurate.

Another Smash Hit From The French Opera Specialists .......2006-02-25

Husband and wife singing sensatio Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu, in another stunning EMI recording, dramatically commit themselves to the passionate characters in this now forgotten opera Werther, which quite possibly is Massenet's best work. Although Alagna and Gheorghiu can sing the Italian opera repertoire with aplomb (Tosca, Trovatore, Boheme, Pagliacci, La Rondine) they have proven time and again that their strongest reperotoire is French opera. As soon as their Romeo Et Juliette hit record stores and stage houses, they were immediately hailed as today's finest French opera singers, a rarity. Not only do they possess beautiful voices but they are intensely dramatic and character-driven. Never more so than in Massenet's Werther, a Gothic romantic drama about the tormented love of the titular hero who kills himself. It's drawn from a popular Romantic-Era 19th century novel - The Sorrows of Young Werther. Both Alagna and Gheorghiu are in great vocal shape. They understand the significance of the text and they are blessed with the talents of their champion conductor, Antonio Pappano, who draws out the power in the musical score with the London Symphony Orchestra. All true fans of Alagna and Gheorghiu will want to own this one, as it is indeed their best work yet.

Roberto Alagna has been criticized for his flawed technique- he sings with self-conscious grandeur and often imitates the lyric tones of predecessors Giuseppe Di Stefano and Franco Corelli. He has a nearly "pop" style voice - all razzzle-dazzle, great volume, beautiful tone, but often fails in the more difficult music. He is however, very gifted and intelligent and attempts to sing with as much passion and drama as possible. I for one love what I hear from him, especially in this recording, where he has never sang better. Angela Gheorghiou sings with her usual dramatic diva flair - thrilling high notes, tessitura, chest voice, musicality and all the good things she has used for other great hits like Juliette and Manon. But in this performance, while it is still good, she is not really in her element. This is a mezzo-soprano role. Charlotte, Werther's unattainable love, must sing with mezzo soprano voice in order to seduce Werther a la Bizet's Carmen. While it is definately a role for a high mezzo, it is not for the purely soprano voice of Angela Gheorghiu. You have to be a fan of these two in order to appreciate Gheorghiu's treatment of a mezzzo soprano role. It is basically the same thing as her Carmen, another mezzo soprano role. If you want to hear outstanding mezzo sopranos in Werther check out the dramatic mezzo style of Brigitte Fassbaender who is by far the best intepretor or check out Federica Von Stade who sings a cooler and less intense Charlotte opposite the supercharged Jose Carreras. Pappano does a great job with the music - bloom, brilliance, darkness and this is by far the best modern recording of the opera.

¿El mejor Werther despues de Kraus?.......2004-10-23

Sorprendente acierto de la EMI (la casa para la que grababa Alfredo Kraus, uno de los interpretes de referencia del papel de 'Werther') al confiar a una de las parejas mas activas discograficamente del momento, Roberto Alagna y Angela Gheorghiu, la grabacion de 'Werther' en 1999 (justo el año de la muerte del mitico Kraus)
Y digo sorprendente porque quizas ROBERTO ALAGNA sea el mejor interprete de Werther desde el mitico Kraus. Sus interpretaciones son muy diferentes entre si, ya que Alagna muestra un timbre mas baritonal que el liviano de Kraus y un canto mas afrancesado: Un canto elegante y entregado capaz de llegar a los agudos sin grandes problemas, que hacen de Alagna seguramente el mejor Werther de su generacion (y por tanto el mejor despues de Kraus).
Como Charlotte encontramos a la soprano ANGELA GHEORGHIU, en un papel que aunque habitualmente es cantado por mezzos, le queda francamente bien: la voz doliente y expresiva de Gheorghiu se presta perfectamente a la psicologia de Charlotte, y la quimica con Alagna en los duos de amor (sobra decir que es su esposo en la vida real) es total.
Completando el reparto nos encontramos con los lujos de PATRICIA PETIBON (una Sophie cuyo timbre recuerda mucho al de Natalie Dessay) y el Albert de un THOMAS HAMPSON que es todo sutilidad. El resto del reparto rinde tambien a buen nivel.
ANTONIO PAPPANO dirige a la LONDON SIMPHONY (que suena igual de bien que siempre) y el coro infantil canta con mucha correccion. Si a esto le sumamos un sonido magnifico (podemos oir en algunos momentos incluso los susurros de Pappano a la orquesta), esto nos lleva a pensar que este 'Werther' sea la mas adecuada segunda opcion, despues de tener la obviamente obligada de Alfredo Kraus. Muy buen trabajo.

Best Werther recording since the 1930s.......2000-03-17

I will admit that I am "imprinted" on the Georges Thill/Ninon Vallin recording from the 1930s and no recording since then has even come close. But this recording does. Alagna (who is a native French speaker, in spite of the Italian name) has the diction and, more important, the style to sing poor Werther perfectly. Gheorghiu sings beautifully as well, and there is no problem with the tessitura, in spite of Charlotte generally being more comfortable for mezzos. Pappano is an up-and-coming conductor who does himself proud with this recording. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this one.

thoughts on "Werther".......2000-01-07

Perfect casting for the title role... Alagna feels *good* and sorry for himself...no problems there! Just listen to him belt and bleat through "Pourquoi"...it's no wonder Charlotte changes her mind. "Stop whining!"

This CD is worth your money, provided you already like the opera. Personally, Werther's selfishness drives me up a wall.

There's only one major problem: why is Gheorghiu singing a mezzo role? The middle register of her voice is *not* her best of show.

Offenbach - Les Contes d'Hoffmann / Alagna, van Dam, Dessay, Vaduva, Jo, Lascarro, Dubosc, Ragon, Sénéchal, Bacquier, Lamprecht, Nagano
Average customer rating:

Not a flawless version, but one to be REALLY loved

The best of a mediocre-to-bad lot

Hoffman contines to elude the recording world

Excellent but not definitive

O Dieu, de quelle ivresse embrasse-tu mon âme?

Offenbach - Les Contes d'Hoffmann / Alagna, van Dam, Dessay, Vaduva, Jo, Lascarro, Dubosc, Ragon, Sénéchal, Bacquier, Lamprecht, Nagano
Jacques Offenbach , Roberto Alagna , Natalie Dessay , Kent Nagano , Choeur et Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Lyon , Leontina Vaduva , Sumi Jo , José van Dam , Catherine Dubosc , Gilles Ragon , Gabriel Bacquier , Doris Lamprecht , and Juanita Lascarro
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Alagna, Roberto | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor; Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna

Russian Album

ASIN: B000005E4D
Release Date: 1996-10-29

Tracks:

Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Prelude - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Act 1, Scene 1: Glou! Glou! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets de la muse: La verite, dit-on, sortait d'un puits - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Elle est sur la scene, un peuple l'acclame - La Muse - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 2: Le conseiller Lindorf, morbleu! - Lindorf, Andres - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 3: Vayons? Pour Hoffmann! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets: Dans les roles d'amoureux - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Deux heures devant moi - Scene 4: Vite, vite, qu'on se remue! - Lindorf, Luther - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 5: Choeur des Etudiants - Drig, drig - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Vrai Dieu! Mes amis - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Eh! Luther! Ma grosse tonne - Lindorf, Luther, Nathanael, Hermann, Wolfram, Wilhelm - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 6: Bonjour, amis! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets and Andante: Va pour Kleinzach! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Peuh! Cette biere est detestable! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Duo: Et par ou votre Diablerie - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Simple echange de politesse - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Je vous dis, moi - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ma maitresse? - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Final: Messieurs, on va lever le rideau! - Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Lindorf, Luther, Nathanael, Hermann, Wolfram, Wilhelm - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Act 2: Entracte - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 1: La! Dors en paix - Spalanzani - Scene 2: Ah! Bonjour! Enchacte! - Spalanzani, Hoffmann - Scene 3: Fais allumer partout! - Spalanzani, Cochenille - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 4: Allons! Courage et confiance! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Pardieu! J'etais bien sur - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets: Une poupee aux yeux d'email - Nicklausse, Hoffmann - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 5: C'est moi, Coppelius! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Je me nomme Coppelius - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: J'ai deux jeux, de beaux yeux - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Serviteur - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Ange du ciel, est-ce bien toi? - Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Coppelius - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 6: Hein! Vous! - Hoffmann, Coppelius, Spalanzani - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 7: Choeur des Invites: Non aucun hote vraiment - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Vous serez satisfaits, messieurs - Hoffmann, Spalanzani, Nicklausse - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 8: Mesdames et Messieurs - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Mesdames et Meisseurs, fiere de vos bravos - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Air: Les oiseaux dans la charmille - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Mon ami! Quel accent! - Hoffmann, Spalanzani, Nicklausse, Olympia, Cochenille - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 9: Ils se sont eloignes! Enfin! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Vivre deux! - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Tu me fuis? - Hoffmann, Olympia - Scene 10: Eh! morbleu! modere ton zele! - Hoffmann, Nicklausse - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 11: Voleur! Brigand! Quelle deroute! - Coppelius - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 12: En place les danseurs - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Voila! Assez, assez, ma fille - Kent Nagano
Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Quoi? L'homme aux lunettes, la! - Spalanzani, Cochenille, Hoffmann, Olympia, Nicklausse, Coppelius - Kent Nagano

Tracks:

Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Act 3: Entracte - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Elle a fui, la tourterelle - Antonia - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Malheureuse enfant! - Crespel, Antonia - Scene 3: Desespoir! Tout a l'heure, encore! - Crespel - Scene 4: Frantz! n'ouvre a personne! - Crespel, Frantz - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 5: Jour et nuit je me mets en quatre - Frantz - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 6: Frantz, c'est ici! - Hoffmann, Frantz - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 7: Enfin je vais savoir pourquoi - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Romance: Vois sous l'archet fremissant - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: C'est une chanson d'amour - Hoffmann, Antonia, Nicklausse - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 8: Ah! Je le savais bien - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ah! J'ai le bonheur dans l'ame - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Pourtant, o ma fiancee - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Viens la comme autrefois - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Qu'as-tu donc? - Antonia, Hoffmann - Scene 9: Rien! J'ai cru qu'Hoffmann etait ici! - Hoffmann, Crespel, Frantz, Miracle - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 10: Pour conjurer la danger - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Allons, parle! et sois bref! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: J'ai la certains flacons - Miracle, Crespel, Hoffmann, Antonia - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 11: Ne plus chanter - Hoffmann, Antonia - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 12: Tu ne chanteras plus? - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ah! Quelle est cette voix? - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ta mere, oses-tu l'interroger? - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Non! Assez! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ja cede au transport qui m'enivre! - Miracle, Antonia, La Voix - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 13: Mon enfant, ma fille! - Crespel, Antonia, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Miracle - Jacques Offenbach

Tracks:

Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Act IV: Entracte - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Messieurs, silence! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Recit et Chant bachique: Et moi, ce n'est pas la - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Amis, l'amour tendre et reveur - Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Giulietta - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Je vois qu'on est en fete! - Schlemil, Giulietta, Pitchinaccio, Hoffmann - Scene 3: Au premier reve je t'enleve - Nicklausse, Hoffmann - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 4: Tourne, tourne, miroir - Dapertutto - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 5: Cher ange! - Dapertutto, Giulietta - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 6: Melodrame: Vivat! J'ai tout gagne! - Giulietta, Schlemil, Dapertutto - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 7: Giulietta, palsembleu! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Air de Giulietta: Vous ne jouez pas? - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Que dit-elle? - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Giulietta, je vous jure! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Oui, fut-ce au prix de ma vie - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Sextuor and Choeur: Helas! Je vais encore la suivre - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Morbleu! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Il a ma cle - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Ton ami dit vrai! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Romance: O Dieu, de quelle ivresse - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Jusque-la, cependant - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Si ta presence m'est ravie - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ah! Tu m'as defiee - Giulietta, Hoffmann, Dapertutto, Pitchinaccio - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Alerte, Hoffmann! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Voyez! Il n'a plus le moindre reflet! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Je n'aime pas qu'on me defie! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ainsi, tu mentais! - Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Dapertutto, Pitchinaccio, Giulietta - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Act V: Entracte - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Choeur: Folie! Oublie tes douleurs - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Voila quelle fut l'histoire - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Choeur des Esprits et des Etudiants: Glou! Glou! - Hoffmann, Luther, Lindorf, Nathanael, Nicklausse - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Stella, Stella! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Couplet: Pour le coeur de Phrygne - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Denouement: Hola! Quelqu'un de fort pour emporter Hoffmann! - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ingrat! Et moi? - Jacques Offenbach
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Adieu! Je t'abandonne - Andres, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Stella, La Muse, Lindorf - Jacques Offenbach

Amazon.com

Of all the revisionist Hoffmanns, this one is the best, using the latest (and one trusts) last version of Michael Kaye's edition, based on sketches recently discovered for the unfinished opera. Most of the changes are in the Giulietta act; it now tracks better dramatically, and unlike some restoration attempts, its length is sensible. In the title role, Roberto Alagna is full of imaginative touches of characterization, singing the famous Kleinzach song with an intentional vocal roughness in a worthy effort to convey the Hoffmann's debauched state. As the mechanical doll Olympia, Natalie Dessay proves she's not only a phenomenal singer but a great comedienne. Kent Nagano deploys his Lyon Opera forces with great stylistic authority. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

Not a flawless version, but one to be REALLY loved.......2006-05-09

This is a recording with significant highs and lows. But in overall it is an excellent account of this wonderfully tuneful and beloved opera.
First, about the edition. The Kaye edition restores a lot of music including recitatives written by Offenbach and a number of musical numbers. It also goes for the Guiraud recitatives which some versions totally omit and replace by the dialogues which Offenbach likely might have intended. Compared to, say, the historical Sutherland/Domingo/Bonynge version, this version is significantly longer and more substantial, musically speaking. With more than 30 minutes of music compared to the Bonynge edition, it is understandable why the Kaye version needs up to 3 CDs to bear the substantial amount of music.
While fans of Contes d'Hoffmann would likely be grateful at the ressurrection of so much musical material, I personally find this version sometimes just too painfully long. The Guiraud recitatives sometimes simply are bland and cause the opera to just drag along. Yes, Guiraud obviously has a lot of skills and bright ideas in these recitatives, mostly shown by the quoting of music by Offenbach in these recitatives to give the opera a better sense of unison. But compared to the simpler recitatives that Offenbach himself wrote, the Guiraud sometimes just seems aloof. Unless you really have a lot of time, you might want to stick to the more important musical numbers. Also, the new ending, with Hoffmann facing the Muse in the apotheose is a wonderful ensemble, with sounds from the church organ that gives the scene its necessary "holy" feel.
Now to the singers. Alagna has a masculine voice and is dramatically very effective. He also has a perfect French diction-crisp, idiomatic and a real joy to listen to. His instrument naturally is not very beautiful; and I personally find his Hoffmann a bit beefy and hysterical; but his good understanding of the role still helps him come across as a better Hoffmann. The best Hoffmann is in my opinion either Domingo or Schicoff.
The ladies are provided with quite a luxury cast. Natalie Dessay's Olympia is perhaps second only to Sutherland and Sills. To everyone who honors La Stupenda's E flats, listen: Dessay presents the role of the mechanical doll with FOUR Gs, yes 4 full-voiced, stunning, jaw-dropping Gs!!! Musically speaking, Dessay is not as comedic as Sutherland; her tone is a little thin and nasal but her coloratura and lovely portrayal of the role is simply untterly convincing.
Vaduva's Antonia is excellent: excellent diction, girly tone and very successfully portrays the youngsinger's vulnerability and sensibility. She however lacks power in the trio and that C sharp falls flat. Her "Elle a fui la tourterelle" is however wonderfully touching and moving. The best Antonia, in my opinion, is Victoria de Los Angeles. To one of the reviewers here, Vaduva is not a Slavic singer. She is a French singer of Romanian origin. A totally Latin singer!
Sumi Jo portrays a very convincing Giulietta with very believable spinto qualities, which she provides effectively with chaning in tone. The rediscovered coloratura, with a couple of E flats and spellbinding runs, well, brings the wonderful Korean coloratura soprano to her prime best. Her French is surprisingly idiomatic.
Lascarro's got a small role as Stella. I personally don't like her tone; but she is good enough in the beautiful apotheose ensemble.
Jose Van Dam's quartet villain almost matches Bacquier's famous portrayal. His voice is not as dark or evil-sounding as Bacquier's but still gives a top-notch interpretation. His doctor Miracle might have been the best on record if he took some of those melodramatic laughs in the Trio. His reluctance, combined with Vaduva's small voice, creates a flat Trio. This being said, the French bass's quartet of villains stills ranks among the undisputed best. My favorite villain quartet, Gabriel Bacquier has a cameo role here as Crespel, which he does a great job.
Gilles Ragon's a good tenor and his stuttering in the portrayal of Cochenille is very convincing. I however find him a bit too serious and heavy for these tenore buffo roles. The same can be said for Senechal's Spalanzani. Compared to Charon's Spalanzani on the Bonynge recording, he is very unfunny. The "brigand! Bandit!" quarrel after the destruction of the doll is bland and lifeless.
Catherine's Dubosc has a lovely voice and does great job as Nicklausse. There is nothing to criticize about her singing qualities. My only objection is that the casting of this trouser role for a soprano harms the overall balance of the opera: 5 soprano roles and 1 mezzo role (the voice of the mother): this is not a good balance. The Barcarolle duet, in particular, suffers from both a misbalance and a ridiculous fast tempo.
Kent Nagano's conducting does not have the solid tempos of Bonynge and sometimes overwhelms the singers: most notably in that C sharp of the Trio. But he has really interesting ideas and provides invaluable support.
With the exception of a bland Spalanzani, some strange tempos and the unusual length of the edition, this is a very good Hoffmann. Together with the Bonynge version, this is another very good all-around recording. The set is a tad expensive, but given the substantial amount of music and a very informative booklet, this is a recording to really consider. It will provide a lot of listening pleasures. You will not be disappointed.

The best of a mediocre-to-bad lot.......2003-10-30

I have heard six recordings of "Hoffmann," an opera that is particularly dear to me for sentimental reasons. None of them are perfect, all have flaws, but on balance this is the best of the lot.

Now that musicologists have finished playing with the Mahler 10th Symphony (which ended rather well) and the Beethoven 10th (which ended rather badly), they have been taking a whack at "Hoffmann," rushing to revise music the composer never sanctioned and adding music found in buckets and boxes long after his death. My personal feeling was, if it ain't broke, don't fix it: you're not Offenbach, and to speak for him requires a tremendous amount of chutzpah. And a lot of the revisions, to my ear, simply do not work well, such as turning Giulietta into a coloratura soprano, spinning out an aria that ends much like Olympia's doll song as on this recording.

I'm also not fond of switching the Antonia and Giulietta acts from their traditional positions for both dramatic and musical reasons. To begin with, having the "tales" end with Antonia gives Hoffmann's character a certain sense of redemption that simply isn't there the other way. Also, the Giulietta act is musically the weakest: as primiarily an operetta composer, Offenbach simply had a hard time creating music for this act which is darker and more tensely dramatic than anything else in the work. The superp trio that climaxes the Antonia act, on the other hand, is one of the most brilliant and transcendent things he wrote.

That being said, there is much to admire in this set. Kent Nagano conducts briskly, which is his wont, thereby tying together the music in a cohesive and satisfying way where others (particularly Cluytens and Cambreling) sound slow and rambling. On the other hand, his chorus of the spirits, though light and brisk, just misses the rapt, enchanting sound achieved by Bonynge; and though it was probably Offenbach's intent to have only a few strings play the violin motif in the Antonia trio, they sound too thin, not sweeping or driven enough, for the dramatic situation. Nagano also conducts the famed "Barcarolle" at a shade-too-fast tempo, thus robbing the music of its mysterious charm (even Arthur Fiedler made a better recording of the instrumental version). These moments point to a lack of "theatricality" in Nagano's conducting style that Bonynge, Rudel and even Beecham managed to capture.

Alagna is not as suavely beautiful or haunting in the role as Robert Rounseville or Stuart Burrows were. This is something of an abrupt, nervous reading, though if one knows something about E.T.A. Hoffmann and his tales it is perfectly in keeping with his character. (I have yet, however, to see ANY tenor perform the role made up to LOOK like Hoffmann, a scrawny little man with a square jaw, popping eyes and a shock of unruly, frizzy hair. I guess no tenor really wants to look like that!)

This is unquestionably the finest performance Dessay has ever recorded: her voice is brilliant, in focus, on pitch and wonderfully secure. Only Bond in the Beecham performance and Sutherland come close, though I personally feel that Sutherland was funnier in the role. She had a real flair for comedy, whereas she did not possess enough personal warmth for Antonia or Giulietta.

The Sutherland recording also had the best "villains" in Gabriel Bacquier in his prime, but to my ears Van Dam is an excellent second. (Treigle, in the Sills set, was good but not great, his somewhat gruff voice rather overwhelimg the roles with too much histrionics.)

Vaduva has a pretty tone but your typical "Slavic wobble," more noticeable in the early and late parts of her act. For some reason, the voice is better focused in the middle sections, but she does not efface memories of de los Angeles who was the best Antonia ever.

Jo is surprisingly good as Giulietta: though her voice is even smaller than Dessay's, it had a fuller lyric sound in the mid-range which captured well on records. (I have beel told that her "live" career is just about over on stage as the voice is too small to carry in most modern theaters.) I liked Margherita Grandi in the old Beecham film, but a chesty, spinto Giulietta is apparently persona non grata in the new Michael Kaye edition of the work.

Dubosc is a good Nicklausse, though I preferred Tourangeau and the singer (I forget her name) from the Beecham film. Bacquier, with far less voice, is still predictably good as Crespel; the timeless Senechal is a classic Spalanzani; Ragon is an excellent Cochenille, not so memorable as Franz. (I miss Andrea Velis, the old Met comp, who was brilliant in these roles but was never recorded in them.) The other small roles range from excellent (Tezier as Schlemil) to poor (Juanita Lascarre as Stella).

An ideal modern "Hoffmann" would have Elisabeth Vidal as Olympia, Hong as Antonia, Fleming as Giulietta, Alvarez as Hoffmann, Rene Pape as the three villains, and someone like Pappano or Plasson conducting.....but we can dream all we want. The era of complete opera recordings, according to many inside sources, is over as we know it--even the Bobby & Angela act is being shelved--so we must pick from what we have, and this is simply the finest over all "Hoffmann" on record, with Bonynge's being a good second choice, though I do not like Domingo's hard-voiced, beefy Hoffmann.

Hoffman contines to elude the recording world.......2001-10-03

This is a very good Hoffman, with the new edition of the score and a lot more music than in earlier editions. There is MUCH here to be admired and enjoyed as there is in the classic Domingo/Sutherland recording.

I prefer Domingo's more passionate Hoffman to Alagna's workmanlike effort, which is still quite fine.

On the other hand, having different female vocalists, as this recording does is preferable to my ear than having the same throughout as the Domingo/Sutherland recording does. The three female leads here range from good (Dessay) to excellent (Jo). Having heard Sumi Jo sing Olympia on record and in person, I find it hard to enjoy Dessay's quite as much. Jo is here as Antonia however.

No single recording of Hoffman is clearly preferable and listening to each is recommended. In the meanwhile, there is still an opening here for a more fully satisying Hoffman.

Excellent but not definitive.......2001-04-20

This recording has given me many hours of listening pleasure. Pretty much every artist featured in it gives an excellent performance, and the greatness of Offenbach's opera is conveyed more fully than can be done by other performances that contain less of what he composed for "Hoffmann" before his untimely death. However, the recording has several specific faults that result in my giving it only 4 stars, even though it is among my favorite operatic recordings.

First, the good points. Listening to this recording one definitely thinks of the opera's characters rather than the artists portraying them.... I find Alagna's voice quite beautiful on this recording and feel that he portrays the character of Hoffmann with spectacular success....

Van Dam is one of the recording's great assets as the villains. The three main heroines are each memorable(.).......(Jo's) interpretation of Giulietta's long-lost coloratura aria is spectacular and features a spine-chilling moment in her climactic cadenza ...she sings a rising series of notes almost identical to one sung by Dessay as Olympia in Act II, emphasizing the connection of the heroines. ...Lascarro does a very good job in the small role of Stella (....Dubosc is excellent as the Muse and Nicklausse, giving a truly memorable performance of nearly the entire role. Unfortunately, Nicklausse's Antonia-act aria, arguably the artistic and emotional heart of the entire opera ...,seems somehow disappointing on this recording. Dubosc's voice does not cut through the orchestra as it should when she sings in her lower register, and as a result the aria fails to have the cathartic impact on me that it has when I have heard it in Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. .... Ragon gives an excellent, highly memorable performance in the four "grotesque" roles.

Now I may turn to the disappointing features of this recording. ....(T)his recording contains no extra-musical sound effects whatsoever. To a certain extent this is a valid approach to recording an opera. The problem is that "Hoffmann" contains an unusually high number of passages which were composed with the extra-musical sounds that would be heard from the stage in mind and which lack some of their intended impact without sound effects. The effectiveness of the students' drinking song is reduced when we don't hear them banging their glasses together and on the tables, and without the winding-up sound the pauses in Olympia's song when she runs down make less sense. We also should hear Coppelius smashing Olympia, Hoffmann and Schlemil moving around heavily as they duel, the death-gasp of another character who dies in the new ending of the Giulietta act (I won't spoil the unfamiliar twists of plot here), and various other sound effects which would add to the drama of the story. Moreover, Van Dam's villains never laugh except when their laughter is notated in the score, even though the libretto specifies some additional evil laughs, notably the one as Dr. Miracle disappears and Antonia falls dying at the end of the trio for Miracle, Antonia and the voice of Antonia's mother.

One of the main problems with the recording is that Van Dam, Ragon and Dubosc are the only performers to play multiple roles. Not only are the heroines played by four different sopranos, but none of the artists who play Luther and the students reappear in other roles in the acts devoted to Hoffmann's three stories. All of this goes against what are presumed to be Offenbach's wishes for his opera, despite the fact that this is a recording of Kaye's critical edition (in its "grand opera" version). Moreover, this recording was, unfortunately, made before Offenbach's own finished finale for the Giulietta act, written very shortly before his death, became available for inclusion in Kaye's edition. ....

Finally, it seems bizarre that the aria "Scintille, diamant," which has been one of the most popular numbers in the opera for a long time, is not included on this recording. ....

Despite these flaws, this recording is recommended. It is extremely enjoyable and represents the totality of Offenbach's intentions for "Hoffmann" more fully than any other recording currently available. One hopes that a new recording of Kaye's edition, with the definitive ending for the Giulietta act and with a single soprano playing all four heroines, will be made in the not-too-distant future.

O Dieu, de quelle ivresse embrasse-tu mon âme?.......1999-11-21

Comme un concert divin ta voix m'a pénétré!....

This recording is undoubtedly one of the two benchmark recordings of this opera, the other one being the classic Sutherland/Domingo/Bonynge set. It is the most complete set with the "newly-discovered" Giuletta ending, and even includes the terrific but apocryphal sextet that is missing in the Bonynge recording. Alagna is the true star here, reflecting the spirit of Hoffmann throughout the opera, and singing in a very ideomatic French (unlike Domingo). The four heroines are marvellous, even though I prefer a single soprano singing all the four roles. Van Dam is great as the four villians, but he could have been more sinister in the trio in the Antonia act. Nagano is fine, but has some problems with the tempi at times.

Poulenc - Melodies / Ameling · Gedda · W. Parker · Sénéchal · Souzay · Baldwin
Average customer rating:

Essential for the chansom junkie. Buy It.

Almost completely wonderful

Indisputable Gallic flair

Idiomatic, fresh, cleanly recorded

the best songs ever ruined by uneven performing

Poulenc - Melodies / Ameling · Gedda · W. Parker · Sénéchal · Souzay · Baldwin
Francis Poulenc , Dalton Baldwin , Elly Ameling , Gérard Souzay , Nicolai Gedda , Michel Sénéchal , and William Parker
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Debussy - Mélodies / Ameling · Mesplé · Command · Souzay · von Stade · Baldwin

Fauré - Mélodies / Souzay · Ameling · Baldwin

A French Song Companion

Véronique Gens - Nuit d'étoiles (Mélodies Française) / Vignoles

The Songs of Henri Duparc

ASIN: B000002S31
Release Date: 1992-01-23

Tracks:

LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTEGE D'ORPHEE: I - Le Dromadaire
LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTEGE D'ORPHEE: II - La Chevre Du Tibet
LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTEGE D'ORPHEE: III - La Sauterelle
LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTEGE D'ORPHEE: IV - Le Dauphin
LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTEGE D'ORPHEE: V - L'ecrevisse
LE BESTIAIRE OU CORTEGE D'ORPHEE: VI - La Carpe
COCARDES: I - Miel De Narbonne
COCARDES: II - Bonne D'enfant
COCARDES: III - Enfant De Troupe
5 POEMES DE RONSARD: I - Attributs
5 POEMES DE RONSARD: II - Le Tombeau
5 POEMES DE RONSARD: III - Ballet
5 POEMES DE RONSARD: IV - Je N'ai Plus Les Os
5 POEMES DE RONSARD: V - A Son Page
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: I - La Maitresse Volage
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: II - Chanson A Boire
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: III - Madrigal
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: IV - Invocation Aux Parques
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: V - Couplets Bachiques
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: VI - L'offrande
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: VII - La Belle Jeunesse
CHANSONS GAILLARDES: VIII - Serenade
AIRS CHANTES: I - Air Romantique
AIRS CHANTES: II - Air Champetre
AIRS CHANTES: III - Air Grave
AIRS CHANTES: IV - Air Vif
Epitaphe
3 POEMES DE LOUISE LALANNE: I - Le Present
3 POEMES DE LOUISE LALANNE: II - Chanson
3 POEMES DE LOUISE LALANNE: III - Hier
4 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: I - L'anguille
4 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: II - Carte Postale
4 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: III - Avant Le Cinema
4 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: IV - 1904
5 POEMES DE MAX JACOB: I - Chanson Bretonne
5 POEMES DE MAX JACOB: II - Cimetiere
5 POEMES DE MAX JACOB: III - La Petite Servante
5 POEMES DE MAX JACOB: IV - Berceuse
5 POEMES DE MAX JACOB: V - Souric Et Mouric
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: I - La Couronne
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: II - Le Depart
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: III - Les Gars Polonais
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: IV - Le Dernier Mazour
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: V - L'adieu
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: VI - Le Drapeau Blanc
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: VII - La Vistule
8 CHANSONS POLONAISES: VIII - Le Lac

Tracks:

5 POEMES DE PAUL ELUARD: I - Peut - Il Se Reposer?
5 POEMES DE PAUL ELUARD: II - Il La Prend Dans Ses Bras
5 POEMES DE PAUL ELUARD: III - Plume D'eau Claire
5 POEMES DE PAUL ELUARD: IV - Rodeuse Au Front De Verre
5 POEMES DE PAUL ELUARD: V - Amoureuses
A Sa Guitare
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: I - Bonne Journee
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: II - Une Ruine Coquille Vide
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: III - Le Front Comme Un Drapeau Perdu
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: IV - Une Roulotte Couverte En Tuiles
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: V - A Toutes Brides
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: VI - Une Herbe Pauvre
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: VII - Je N'ai Envie Que De T'aimer
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: VIII - Figure De Force Brulante Et Farouche
TEL JOUR, TELLE NUIT: IX - Nous Avons Fait La Nuit
3 POEMES DE LOUISE DE VILMORIN: I - Le Garcon De Liege
3 POEMES DE LOUISE DE VILMORIN: II - Au-Dela
3 POEMES DE LOUISE DE VILMORIN: III - Aux Officiers De La Garde Blanche
2 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: I - Dans Le Jardin D'anna
2 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: II - Allons Plus Vite
MIROIRS BRULANTS: I - Tu Vois Le Feu Du Soir
MIROIRS BRULANTS: II - Je Nommerai Ton Front
Le Portrait
La Grenouillere
Priez Pour Paix
Ce Doux Petit Visage
Bleuet
FIANCAILLES POUR RIRE: I - La Dame D'andre
FIANCAILLES POUR RIRE: II - Dans L'herbe
FIANCAILLES POUR RIRE: III - Il Vole
FIANCAILLES POUR RIRE: IV - Mon Cadavre Est Doux Comme Un Gant
FIANCAILLES POUR RIRE: V - Violon
FIANCAILLES POUR RIRE: VI - Fleurs

Tracks:

BANALITES: I - Chanson D'orkenise
BANALITES: II - Hotel
BANALITES: III - Fagnes De Wallonie
BANALITES: IV - Voyage A Paris
BANALITES: V - Sanglots
CHANSONS VILLAGEOISES: I - Chanson Du Clair Tamis
CHANSONS VILLAGEOISES: II - Les Gars Qui Vont A La Fete
CHANSONS VILLAGEOISES: III - C'est Le Joli Printemps
CHANSONS VILLAGEOISES: IV - Le Mendiant
CHANSONS VILLAGEOISES: V - Chanson De La Fille Frivole
CHANSONS VILLAGEOISES: VI - Le Retour Du Sergent
METAMORPHOSES: I - Reine Des Mouettes
METAMORPHOSES: II - C'est Ainsi Que Tu Es
METAMORPHOSES: III - Paganini
2 POEMES DE LOUIS ARAGON: I - C
2 POEMES DE LOUIS ARAGON: II - Fetes Galantes
2 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: I - Montparnasse
2 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: II - Hyde Park
2 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: I - Le Pont
2 POEMES DE GUILLAUME APOLLINAIRE: II - Un Poeme
Paul Et Virginie
Mais Mourir
Hymne
3 CHANSONS DE FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA: I - L'enfant Muet
3 CHANSONS DE FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA: II - Adelina A La Promenade
3 CHANSONS DE FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA: III - Chanson A L'oranger Sec
Le Disparu
Main Dominee Par Le Coeur
CALLIGRAMMES: I - L'espionne
CALLIGRAMMES: II - Mutation
CALLIGRAMMES: III - Vers Le Sud
CALLIGRAMMES: IV - Il Pleut
CALLIGRAMMES: V - La Grace Exilee
CALLIGRAMMES: VI - Aussi Bien Que Les Cigales
CALLIGRAMMES: VII - Voyage

Tracks:

Mazurka
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: I - Rayon Des Yeux...
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: II - Le Matin Les Branches Attisent...
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: III - Tout Disparut...
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: IV - Dans Les Tenebres Du Jardin...
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: V - Unis La Fraicheur Et Le Feu...
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: VI - Homme Au Sourire Tendre...
LA FRAICHEUR ET LE FEU: VII - La Grande Riviere Qui VA...
PARISIANA: Le Joueur De Bugle
PARISIANA: Vous N'ecrivez Plus?
Rosemonde
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: I - Pablo Picasso
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: II - Marc Chagall
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: III - Georges Braque
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: IV - Juan Gris
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: V - Paul Klee
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: VI - Joan Miro
LE TRAVAIL DU PEINTRE: VII - Jacques Villon
La Souris
Nuage
Dernier Poeme
Une Chanson De Porcelaine
LA COURTE PAILLE: I - Le Sommeil
LA COURTE PAILLE: II - Quelle Aventure!
LA COURTE PAILLE: III - La Reine De Coeur
LA COURTE PAILLE: IV - Ba, Be, Bi, Bo, Bu
LA COURTE PAILLE: V - Les Anges Musiciens
LA COURTE PAILLE: VI - Le Carafon
LA COURTE PAILLE: VII - Lune D'avril
Toreador
4 CHANSONS POUR ENFANTS: I - La Tragique Histoire Du Petit Rene
4 CHANSONS POUR ENFANTS: II - Nous Voulons Une Petite Soeur
4 CHANSONS POUR ENFANTS: III - Le Petit Garcon Trop Bien Portant
4 CHANSONS POUR ENFANTS: IV - Monsieur Sans-Souci
Fancy
Colloque

Customer Reviews:

Essential for the chansom junkie. Buy It........2006-10-25

'Poulenc Melodies' performed by a really impressive lineup of vocal talent including Elly Ameling and Nicolai Gedda is exactly the kind of recording you need if you are compulsive about having 'complete' collections of things. This shows a range of composition which smaller releases such as single CD 'Voyage a Paris' (Hyperion, with Felicity Lott and Graham Johnson)can give us. For starters, many of these chansom showed a lot more evidence of more modern stylings and a far greater range of interpretation. In fact, I even had to check the lyrics in the included booklet to verify that on some songs, the performers were singing in French. Even though I have a smattering of knowledge of French, I would have sworn that the singers were performing songs in Russian.

I am happy that all four discs run for more than 60 minutes. No cheap short changing here. If you don't want to spring for the large set, the Hyperion release is great, but this is worth every penny.

Almost completely wonderful.......2005-04-29

Its very considerable advantage lies in its completeness. Poulenc was one of the very greatest songwriters of any era. If you have no Poulenc songs in your collection, start here. The recommendation of Kruysen is a fine one, but only after you have heard this as a basis of comparison. Of Ameling, Senechal, Souzay, Gedda, and Parker, the only disappointment is Parker, who - I'll just say it - sings with his usual bleat. Souzay is a shade past it in vocal quality, but he still understands these songs as well as anybody, with great declamation (and that, after all, is what most of French singing is about). The dryness of the voice is nowhere close to disastrous, as it might have been in Italian opera. Indeed, it lends an air of life lived, without excuses. Gedda is okay. The standouts are Souzay, Ameling, and Senechal. Baldwin accompanies superbly.

Indisputable Gallic flair.......2004-06-06

These performances are piquant and stylistically right on target. Even if Souzay is past his best here, he brings a lifetime of experience to bear and the other performers are wonderful. Ignore the curmudgeon who blasted this set. You will enjoy this tremendously if you love Poulenc.

Idiomatic, fresh, cleanly recorded.......2001-05-12

This is a fine set. Dalton Baldwin accompanies each singer with clarity and zest. And who can resist the affectionate singing of the likes of Nicolai Gedda and Elly Ameling? The "melodies" themselves are magnificent--among Poulenc's finest creations. Whether you have other performances of these works or not, I think you'd be pleased with this beautifully recorded set. Certainly the 70's-vintage performances are more individual in profile, more "romantic," if you will, than those conjured by most of the "anonymous" singers of our own age. Recommended with enthusiasm.

the best songs ever ruined by uneven performing.......2001-05-05

This is a warning for all Poulenc fans NOT to take the bargain route and purchase this immense collection -- you might think you're getting a great deal but: the singing and pianism is substandard and doesn't do the music justice (remotely). Songs like Bonne Journe'e or Ho^tel are all but ruined... Here's what to buy: Bernard Kruysen's CD of selected Poulenc masterpieces (favoring the Elouard settings)... nobody will ever come close to Kruysen in interpreting Poulenc. Avoid THIS CD. They still get 2 stars for (1) being encyclical and (2) delivering clear and even sound quality.

Leontyne Price (The Prima Donna Collection)

Average customer rating:

A brilliant collection from a great soprano
If I could have only one collection......
Yes this is great!
The Grandest Collection of Leontyne Price Arias
The Greatest Soprano Ever Recorded

Leontyne Price (The Prima Donna Collection)

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Opera Arias
Ed Sullivan Show 2: Great Moments in Opera
Voices of Firestone: The Great Sopranos / Steber, Price, Tebaldi, Sayao, Nilsson, Moffo, Albanese, Peters, Munsel, Traubel, Sutherland
The Great Recordings
Handel: Arias

ASIN: B000003FAF
Release Date: 1992-08-11

Tracks:

Dido and Aeneas: Act 3: Thy Hand, Belinda!
Dido and Aeneas: Act 3: When I Am Laid In Earth
Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: E Susanna non vien!
Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Dove sono
La traviata: Act 3: Teneste la promessa
La traviata: Act 3: Addio del passato
L'africaine: Act 2: Sur mes genoux, fils du soleil
Manon: Act 2: Allons! il le faut!
Manon: Act 2: Adieu, notre petite table
Otello: Act 4: Era piu calma?
Otello: Act 4: Mia madre aveva una povera ancella (Willow Song)
Otello: Act 4: Ave Maria
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 1: Ecco: respiro appena
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 1: Io son l'umile ancella
Louise: Act 3: Depuis le jour
Turandot: Act 2: In questa reggia
Die tote Stadt: Act 1: Marietta's Lied
Vanessa: Act 1: He Has Come, He Has Come!
Vanessa: Act 1: Do Not Utter A Word

Tracks:

Atalanta: Act 1: Care Selve
Don Giovanni: Act 1: Don, Ottavio, son morta!
Don Giovanni: Act 1: Or sai chi l'onore
Der Freischuetz: Act 2: Wie nahte mir der Schlummer
Der Freischuetz: Act 2: Liese, leise
Tannhaeuser: Act 2: Dich, teure Halle
Macbeth: Act 2: La luce langue
Macbeth: Act 4: Vegliammo invan due notti (Sleepwalking Scene)
Macbeth: Act 4: Una macchia e qui tuttora
Mefistofele: Act 3: L'altra notte in fondo al mare
Rusalka: Act 1: Song To The Moon
L'Enfant Prodigue: Air de Lia: L'annee en vain
Andrea Chenier: Act 3: La mamma morta
Francesca da Ramini: Act 3: Paolo, datemi pace
Suor Angelica: Senza mammo, o bimbo, tu sei morto!
Amelia Goes To The Ball: While I Waste These Precious Hours

Tracks:

Alceste: Act 1: Divinites du Styx
Don Giovanni: Act 2: Crudele? Ah, no, mio bene
Don Giovanni: Act 2: Non mi dir
I lombardi: Act 2: O madre, dal cielo
I lombardi: Act 2: Se vano e il pregare
Martha: Act 2: The Last Rose Of Summer
Simon Boccanegra: Act 1: Come in quest'ora bruna
La Perichole: Act 3: Tu n'es pas beau
Die Walkuere: Act 1: Du bist der Lenz
Die Fledermaus: Act 2: Czardas: Klange der Heimat
Carmen: Act 3: Ces des contrebandiers
Carmen: Act 3: Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Thais: Act 2: Ah! je suis seule
Thais: Act 2: Dis-moi que je suis belle
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Les dialogues des Carmelites: Act 3: Mes filles, voila s'acheve

Tracks:

Semele: Act 2: Where 'er You Walk
Idomeneo: Act 3: O smania! O Furie!
Idomeneo: Act 3: D 'Oreste, d' Ajace!
La damnation de Faust: Part 4: D'amour l'ardente flamme
Oberon: Act 2: Ozean, du Ungeheuer!
Norma: Act 1: Sediziose voci, voci di guerra
Norma: Act 1: Casta diva
Norma: Act 1: Ah! bello a me ritorna
Rigoletto: Act 1: Gualtier Malde
Rigoletto: Act 1: Caro Nome
Tristan und Isolde: Act 3: Liebestod: Mild und leise
Pagliacci: Act 1: Ballatella: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 4: Poveri fiori
Gloriana: Act 1, Scene 2: Soliloquy & Prayer: On Rivalries 'tis Safe For Kings
Gloriana: Act 1, Scene 2: Soliloquy & Prayer: O God, My King, Sole Ruler Of The World

Customer Reviews:

A brilliant collection from a great soprano.......2007-04-30

Leontyne Price was much admired and this 4CD collection shows her outstanding vocal gifts to the best advantage. Numerous reviewers have commented on the wide-ranging styles present and I can agree wholeheartedly with them. You would be hard-pressed to find a greater compilation of Ms Price, showcasing her amazing gifts as a great singer!

If I could have only one collection.............2006-11-12

....it would be this. Such fine singing in so many periods, languages, and styles. She is truley a great artist and this set helps you see just HOW GREAT she is. I won't go thru all the tracks but will say Cara Selve drives me wild. "When I am Laid in Earth..." comes across very nicely. There are some rare exerpts too like Gloriana, Menotti's Amelia goes to the Ball. Overall most tracks are inspired. The musicianship is to the highest standards. I JUST lOVE IT!

Yes this is great!.......2006-10-14

But "When I am Laid in Earth" was written by PURCELL! Handel's "Care Selve", however, is also on this set, and it is GORGEOUS!!! I love just about everything on here. A few items from the fourth CD are a bit telling of her age (D'oreste d'ajace!")- but even they are fabulous. THe price of this set is unfortunate - however, it has dropped a little! :) I originally purchased it from BMG in 1994, for next-to-nothing, then "gave" it to my best friend! Two years ago, she lost hers to Hurricane Ivan, and paid a LOT for a new set!

The Grandest Collection of Leontyne Price Arias.......2005-08-08

If you're a fan of Leontyne Price, this should be at the top of your list of her recording albums. I don't know when this was issued, but it's from the RCA Label which was her best promotional record company. It's a box set featuring dozens of arias from magnificent grand operas (some of which Leontyne Price never sang on stage in full and instead sang some bits in concert). Leontyne Price sings in fresh, beautiful and strong voice in dramatic and versatile roles, mastering each music from each composer. She masters such strikingly different masters's works as Samuel Barber (Vannessa) Webber (Der Freischutz) Wagner (Tristan and Isolde, Tannhauser) Falla (Atalanta) Mozart (Le Nozze Di Figaro). She sings the title roles of Massenet's Manon, Bizet's Carmen, Bellini's Norma, Verdi's Lady Macbeth, Amelia in Un Ballo Di Maschera, Nedda in I Pagliacci, Turandot and Suor Angelica, Flotow's Martha, and even oratorio such as Handel's Semele and Benjamin Britten's Gloriana. This is a vast repertoire, far grander in variety than I have ever known any one soprano sang. While critics will indeed compare Leontyne Price to Maria Callas (as another review critic brought up) these two sopranos could not have been any more different. It's not even a matter of their different racial backgrounds- Callas was born in Greece and became an American citizen then gave it up for French citizenship..and Price was born in Mississippi and was African-American) it's a matter of how different their approach at opera was and their vocal category. Callas was a dramatic soprano sforzando (literally "forced dramatic soprano")who would prefer to produce a choking, ugly, harsh sound merely for the dramatic effect and the integrity of the text in her lines. Leontyne Price was the definition of a soprano lyrico-spinto ("pushed" lyric-dramatic singing)which meant above all, to sound beautiful and to fill up those dramatic lines with as much vocal and tonal beauty as possible. Price had a more thrilling mezzo di voce and high soaring top register and a cleaner, smoother sound than the wobbly Callas, no offense to Callas fanatics of which there are many. It is true that Price did lose her touch in a sense in her older years (the 1970's and 80's) when her voice lacked the vibrant lyricism and attention to diction. Her 1970's Toscas and Aidas are therefore a sloppier than her 1950's and 60's Toscas and the same went for her Leonoras in both Trovatore and Forza Del Destino. Nevertheless, Price is an ageless singer. Her voice, dark, messy or bright and smooth, is still what was said of her in her debut at the Met as Leonora in Trovatore - a "bright, unfurling banner". She was goddess of the opera and paved the way for the new generation of black sopranos of today.

This collection does not showcase the more famous roles that were in fact her signature ones - Leonora from Trovatore and Forza, Aida is'nt even in here and that one even she considered her greatest role, we don't find her Madame Butterfly here. Instead we find rare pieces that she sings beautifully and dramatically, making us wish she had sung the entire operas in full on stage. She never sang a full-length Norma and that's a pity- even Grace Bumbry and Shirley Verrett did in their careers. Price seemed to enjoy singing Samuel Barber's vocal works - she opened the 1965-1966 Met season with Barber's Antony and Cleopatra (a bad production by the way but not through any fault of Miss Price but the overblown spectacle of the design of the opera itself) and here she sings his Vanessa. Benjamin Britten's Gloriana sounds lovely in her hands. Her Norma and Dona Anna in Mozart are dramatic and fiery, her Lady Macbeth darkly mysterious, her Suor Angelica peaceful with powerful inner fire and her Dialogue Des Carmelites are also sensational. Yes, many of these arias are beautiful to hear, and thank God she doesn't have any of the flaws critics keep hearing in her later recordings. Without a doubt, this is her finest album. I think you should listen via audio samples here the following to make you get this recording: the Countess aria from Nozze Di Figaro, her Manon (Adieu Petit Table) La Mamma Morta, her version of Sediziose Voce/Casta Diva from Norma, the excerpt from Carmen, "Don Ottavio son Morta...Or Sai Chi L'Onore" from Don Giovanni, Care Salve, the Dido and Aeneas excerpts, the La Traviata excerpts (Addio Del Passato) and the beautifull, mystic, haunting and well-executed Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde, which I even feel surpasses Birgit Nilsson's version. Just listen to how heart-felt that Liebestod is! I have not heard the likes of it anywhere else.

The Greatest Soprano Ever Recorded.......2005-03-20

O.K. So that is only my opinion. But Leontyne Price was one of the most dedicated singers of the 20th century. Her vast repertoire is showcased in this extensive collection of arias. While to many Maria Callas will forever be the ultimate and the greatest of them all, Leontyne Price had the same poswerful, high dramatic voice, in addition a more generous chest register and a regial presence. Moreover, she overcame so much to get to the top. In her day, African-American women in opera was new. Marian Anderson was the first to get into the mainstream opera world, with much difficulty and intervention, such as Eleanor Roosevelt's support. After Marian Anderson finally landed her first role at the Met in the 50's, a new generation of black women in opera began. The 60's and 70's would see the rise of mezzo sopranos later turned to dramatic sopranos such as Grace Bumbry, Shirley Verrett and it would follow into the 80's with Jessie Norman and Kathleen Battle. Today, black women have made opera one of their highest achievements. Leontyne Price began singing in the 50's. A televised production of Tosca was not shown in some Southern states that were racistad opposed the idea of seeing a black woman in a "white" role. Leontyne Price would master the role of Tosca as successfully as Maria Callas. I think that while she is at her best in the Puccini and Verdi operas she recorded and performed (not showcased here)- Trovatore, Aida, Forza Del Destino, Madame Butterfly, Tosca, Suor Angelica. However, there is so much that she is absolutely remarkable in. I love her as Violetta in Traviata (few black women sing the traditionally white role of Violetta), Massenet's Manon, Verdi's Lady Macbeth (which was another of Shirley Verrett's great roles)Dido from Dido and Aneas, Dona Ana and Elvira in Don Giovanni, The Countess in Figaro, Bellini's Norma (she is outstanding in that powerful druid diva role). I think if we narrow it down to a few roles that she really made her own it would be 1: Aida....2:Tosca...3Dona Ana/Dona Elvira 4 Desdemona from Otello and 5..Leonoras from Trovatore and Forza.

This collection is pretty impressive. I didn't know a soprano could be that versatile. Leontyne Price is remarkable. Her rich, lyric voice, capable of plaintive and melancholy lines as well as powerful high C's and dramatic whoops, was always clean, smooth and intense. Of course, like most sopranos, she had her bad days. Her later Toscas (in the mid or late 70's) became too melodramatic and sloppy, when she used to be more mannered and poised with the role, her Cleopatra in Samuel Barber's opera was a fiaco because the production was too bizarre and messy, etc. But for the most part, mostly in Verdi, Puccini, Mozart and as Norma, she was radiant, glorious and perfect. Her background in Church music made her incredibly suited to singing Requiems, such as Verdi's Requiem. There will never be another Leontyne Price. She was a one woman Golden Age of Opera, and sang with the best of the best- Bjussi Bjorling, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Franco Corelli, Placido Domingo.

Bizet: Carmen / Price, Corelli, Merrill, Freni; Karajan

Average customer rating:

A relative success
AN ALMOST GREAT CARMEN
Leontyne Price a Great Carmen
A Gloriously Sung Carmen
Maybe I'm a little partial...

Bizet: Carmen / Price, Corelli, Merrill, Freni; Karajan
Georges Bizet , Wiener Philharmoniker , Herbert von Karajan , Leontyne Price , Franco Corelli , Vienna State Opera Choir , Mirella Freni , and Robert Merrill
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000009W7K
Release Date: 1997-02-03

Tracks:

Carmen: Overture - G. Bizet
Carmen: Sur la place, chacun passe - G. Bizet
Carmen: Regardez donc cette petite (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Avec la garde montante (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: C'est bien la (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: La cloche a sonne - G. Bizet
Carmen: La voila, la voila (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Carmen! sur tes pas - G. Bizet
Carmen: Quels regards! Quelle effronterie (Don Jose) (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Parle-moi de ma mere (Don Jose) (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Reste la maintenant, pendant que je lirai (Don Jose) (Micaela) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Que se passe-t-il donc la-bas? - G. Bizet
Carmen: Mon officier, c'etait une querelle (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Tralalalala, coupe-moi, brule-moi (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Pres des ramparts de Seville (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Voici l'ordre; partez (Carmen) - G. Bizet

Tracks:

Carmen: Entr'acte - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Les tringles des sistres tintaint (Gypsy Song) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Messieurs, Pastia me dit (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Vivat! vivat le Tor - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre (Toreador Song) (Escamillo) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - La belle, un mot (Escamillo) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Eh bien, vite, quelles nouvelles? (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Nous avons en t une affaire (Quintet) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Mais qui donc attends-tu? (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Halte lQui va l(Don Jose) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Enfin c'est toi! (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Lalalala - Attends un peu, Carmen (Don Jose) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - La fleur que tu m'avais jet(Flower Song) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Non! tu ne m'aimes pas (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - HolCarmen! HolHol(Don Jose) (Carmen) - G. Bizet
Carmen: Act 2 - Bel officier, bel officier (Carmen) (Don Jose) - G. Bizet

Tracks:

Carmen: Entr'acte - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Ecoute, ecoute, compagnon, ecoute (Carmen) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Reposons-nous une heure ici (Carmen) (Don Jose) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Melons! Coupons! (Card Scene) (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Eh bien? - Eh bien (Carmen) - Georges Bizet
Carmen: Act 3 - Quant au douanier, c'est notre affaire (Carmen) - George