Leo

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
DANA VALERY CATALANO (Cancer / Taurus). Singer / Song Writer. Performed on television, radio , Broadway, and live concert performances worldwide including major cities such as New York, London, Monte Carlo, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Johanassburg. Recordings include, "The Exciting Dana Valery on CBS", "Dana Valery all'Italiana", and "Dana Valery, Not The Flower But The Root".

DENISE RICH (Aquarius / Sagittarius). Composer/ Lyricist. Has written songs for Celine Dion, Jody Watley , Patti La Belle, and countless others. Denise has received many industry awards.

PETER CATALANO (Leo / Taurus). Pianist / Writer. Studied at the Brooklyn Converatory of Music and majored in Jazz. Has performed in many venues throughout the United States.

Album Description
Original zodiac music created in the frequency of Leo. A series of (4) 15 minute meditation cycles designed to help the listener experience a deep relaxation. Use your Brith audio in the morning and during stressful situtations. Use your Spirit audio in the evening before bedtime to improve your sleep and open your portals to intuitive wisdom.

Tracks:

Carmen: Act 1: Prld - LPO/Sir Georg Solti
La Traviata: Brindisi: Libiamo, Ne'lieti Calici - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Luciano Pavarotti
Lakme: Flower Duet: Dome Epais Le Jasmin - Joan Sutherland/Jane Berbie
Fedora: Amor Ti Vieta - Jussi Bjorling
Carmen: Habanera: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle - Tatiana Troyanos/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis
Nabucco: Chor Of The Hebrew Slaves: Va Pensiero - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hills
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Dove Sono - Kiri Te Kanawa
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile - Luciano Pavarotti
Lohengrin: Bridal Chor: Treulich Gefuhrt Ziehet Dahin - Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor/Walter Hagen-Groll
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Renata Tebaldi
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Leo Nucci
La Wally: Ebben?... Ne Andro Lontana - Angela Gheorghiu
Madama Butterfly: Humming Chor - Wiener Staatsopernchor/Norbert Balatsch
Carmen: Flower Song: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee - Placido Domingo
Les Contes D'Hoffmann: Barcarolle: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'Amour - Joan Sutherland/Huguette Tourangeau/Chor De La Radio Suisse Romande, Pro Arte De Lausanne Et Du...
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle - Placido Domingo
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di - Mirella Freni
Les Pecheurs De Perles: C'est Toi... Au Fond Du Temple Saint - Gregory Cross/Gino Quilico

Tracks:

Die Walkure: The Ride Of The Valkyries - Wiener Phil/Solti
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete - Cecilia Bartoli
Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti La Giubba - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: O Soave Fanciulla - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti/Roland Panerai
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chor: Vedi! Le Fosche - Chicago Sym Chor/Margaret Hillis
Manon Lescaut: Donna Non Vidi Mai - Jose Carreras
Don Giovanni: La Ci Darem La Mano - Lucia Popp/Tom Krause
Mattinata - Andrea Bocelli
Faust: Soldiers' Chor - Ambrosian Opr Chor/John McCarthy
L'elisir D'amore: Una Furtiva Lagrima - Roberto Alagna
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! - Montserrat Caballe
Don Giovanni: Champagne Aria: Finch'han Dal Vino - Bryn Terfel
Cosi Fan Tutte: Trio: Soave Sia Il Vento - Renee Fleming/Anne Sofie Von Otter/Michele Pertusi
Il Trovatore: Di Quella Pira - Luciano Pavarotti/Joan Sutherland/London Opr Chor/Terry Edwards
Tosca: Vissi D'arte - Kiri Te Kanawa
Carmen: Toreador Song - Jose Van Dam/Tatiana Troyanos/Norma Burrowes/Jane Berbie/Thomas Allen/Pierre Thau/John Alldis...
Madama Butterfly: Love Duet: Vogliatemi Bene - Mirella Freni/Luciano Pavarotti
Cavalleria Rusticana: Intermezzo - Nat PO/Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Rusalka: O Silver Moon - Renee Fleming
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi - Angela Gheorghiu
Turandot: Nessun Dorma - Luciano Pavarotti/John Alldis Chor/John Alldis

Amazon.com

The labels that are now gathered under the Universal Classics umbrella have a pretty impressive scorecard in the area of classical compilations. We've seen The Greatest Opera Show on Earth, The Yellow Guide: Classical Music, Best of the Millennium, and now there's The No. 1 Opera Album. But that's no surprise, since Universal has some of the finest interpreters in its catalogue to draw from. This two-CD set (at the price of one), for example, brings together the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti, Herbert von Karajan, and many more. Yet the other key to a successful compilation is canny anthologizing, and here again, you have a nice selection to give you a smattering of opera's heavyweights from the Italian, German, and French repertory (there's even a step outside the standard framework with an aria from Dvorák's lovely Rusalka). Ranging from 1959 to 1997, the choices from back catalogue will doubtless be the entry ticket for many into this grandest of the arts. --Sarah Chin

Customer Reviews:

The beautiful gift of opera..........2007-07-17

This 2-CD set is absolutely wonderful! You can close your eyes and feel like you're actually at the opera, listening to those beautiful voices bringing tears to your eyes. Nessun Dorma still stirs up emotions in me, no matter how many times I hear it. Great examples of opera to give someone wanting to get interested in this style of music.

Pretty darn good.......2007-07-04

This CD set has a lot of familiar music on it, so if you're a newbie, you might want to try starting with this. There are some great pieces on the first CD. I usually don't even make it to the second.

The Opera #1 Opera Album.......2007-06-07

The music is wonderful. The production is terrible!! The sound fades in and out and is very scratchy in some places.

Excellent assortment.......2007-05-12

I'm not a big opera fan but I wanted to expose an assorted selection for my kids. This was perfect since it included several recognizable selections.

Great Selections.......2007-03-31

This Cd, has the very best of Opera
covering mainly from the classcal
to the to the romantic periods, a most
memorable selection here is Leo Nucci
in a lagendary performance of Rossini's
"Largo al Factotum" from "Il Barbiere di Seviglia"
also Andrea Bocelli in his performance of Leoncavallo's
memorable "Matinatta" here in an orchestrated version.
Indeed some of opera's most loved arias are in this recording
various conductors, orchestras, and soloists. All in their
very best. Indeed a five-star recording...

Average customer rating:

Great for kids!
Mediocre Sound Quality
I was pleased
The Most Famous Opera Arias
Okay But.... - a review of "The Most Famous Opera Arias"

The Most Famous Opera Arias

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Nessun Dorma ~ 20 Great Tenor Arias / Pavarotti, Carreras, Domingo, Bergonzi, Aragall, Björling, Di Stefano, Kollo, Corelli, Del Monaco...

ASIN: B000002SCE
Release Date: 1994-07-19

Tracks:

Rigoletto: Act I - Caro nome
Rigoletto: Act III - La donna e mobile
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Carmen: Act I - Habanera: La voila...L'amour est oiseau rebelle
Orfeo ed Euridice: Act III - Che faro senz Euridice
Madama Butterfly: Act III - Un bel di, vedremo
Romeo et Juliette: Act I - Ah! je veux vivre
Le nozze di Figaro: Act II - Voi che sapete che cosa e amor
Samson et Dalila: Act II - Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix
Tosca:: Act II - Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore
Aida: Act I-Celeste Aida
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Act I-Una voce poco fa
Lakme: Act II - Ou va la jeune indoue?
La Wally: Act I - Ebben? Ne andro lontano
La Boheme: Act I - Che gelida manina
Die Zauberflote: Act II-Die Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen

Customer Reviews:

Great for kids!.......2007-06-27

I'm generally not a fan of music "samplers," but opera can be tough to introduce to children. And hey--even adults played cards, ate, and talked through the recitative sections of the early operas while they waited for the next aria! So I feel that getting kids hooked on opera through great arias probably can't hurt (the next 10 years or so will determine whether I'm right or not). My 4-year-old loves this CD; it's a delight to watch her imitate Anna Moffo (the sincerest form of flattery, for sure). Highly recommended resource for introducing young kids to opera. More top picks: Siberell's Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera, and the Black Dog Opera Library CDs.

Mediocre Sound Quality.......2007-03-31

If you note the album was released in 1994, and includes selections from many years prior, you will understand that the quality of the sound engineering is not going to dazzle your ear.

It's a very nice collection to hum along to, but don't expect shivers down your spine as the sound quality is not sufficient to reproduce the dynamic range of these voices.

I was pleased.......2007-02-18

I am by no means an opera expert, but found this to be a wonderful CD. Along with the songs I already knew I liked (such as a song from Carmen,) I found many others I enjoyed. In fact, Samson et Dahlila turned out to be my favorite. If you are just getting started or at any point in your adventure of opera, I would recommend this one.

The Most Famous Opera Arias.......2007-01-05

I was completely surprised in the product as well as the time in which it was delivered.

I would not only refer this seller but I will come back myself.

Okay But.... - a review of "The Most Famous Opera Arias".......2006-08-18

My daughter (6 y.o.) and I like opera; but sitting for two hours to watch Turandot is just not within the realm of possibilities for my 4 year old son right now... so I was looking for an opera CD for the car. He will sit and listen to short arias.

This was the first we purchased and it is okay but not great.

Problem #1 - where is Wagner. No Wagner?
Problem#2 - Elena Obraztsova - she sounds like Carmen's grandmother. Rather matronly for a vixen (imho--lol)

Three Stars. [C+] Great Price and good sound quality for the car. The operatic styles of some of the performers are antiquated and frilly sounding, but I would probably buy this CD again.

Note: We purchased and really preferred "The # 1 Opera Album". It has more selections and better artists in our opinion. Also it's a two CD set. Just something to consider.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's.
Good for relaxing pregnant women
Too much opera
Does what it set out to do, very well
TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written.

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Johann Sebastian Bach , Léo Delibes , Gabriel Fauré , Erik Satie , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Edvard Grieg , Johann Pachelbel , Claude Debussy , Felix Mendelssohn , Camille Saint-Saens , Henryk Gorecki , Antonio Vivaldi , Edward Elgar , Jocelyn Pook , Sergey Rachmaninov , Tomaso Giovanni Albinoni , Luigi Boccherini , Jules Massenet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Jacques Offenbach , Pietro Mascagni , Antonin Dvorak , Giacomo Puccini , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Alexander Borodin , Joaquin Rodrigo , and Samuel Barber
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Classical Album In the World Ever, Volume II
The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe
25 Classical Favorites
Best of the Millennium: Top 40 Classical Hits

ASIN: B00000I93Z
Release Date: 1999-03-30

Tracks:

Air 'On the G String' - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Morning - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Canon In D - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Gymnopedie No.1 - City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra
II. Andante - Stephen Hough
Viens, Mallika - Mady Mesple
In Paradisum - Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
Clair De Lune - Dame Moura Lympany
II. Andate - Yehudi Menuhin
The Swan - Osian Ellis
II. Lento E Largo - Tranquillissimo - Zofia Kilanowicz
II. Andantino - James Galway
II. Largo - Yehudi Menuhin
Nimrod - London Symphony Orchestra
Blow the Wind - Pie Jesu - Jocelyn Pook
Variation 18 - Cecile Ousset
Pavane Op.50 - Gareth Morris

Tracks:

Zion Hort Die Wachter Singen - South German Madrigal Choir
Adagio In G Minor - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
Minuet - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Largo - Andrei Gavrilov
Meditation - Hans Kalafusz
I. Adagio Sostenuto - Dame Moura Lympany
Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
II. Andante - Nigel North
II. Adagio - Jack Brymer
Intermezzo - Philharmonia Orchestra
I. Moderato - London Chamber Orchestra
O Mio Babbino Caro - Montserrat Caballe
Fantasia On 'Greensleeves' - Sinfonia Of London
II. Adagio Sostenuto (Opening) - Cecile Ousset
Nocturne - Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields
II. Adagio (Opening) - Julian Bream
Adagio For Strings Op.11a - The Philadelphia Orchestra
Entr'acte To Act III - Orchestre National De France

Amazon.com

You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Customer Reviews:

Lives Up To The Title, Fine Variety Of Genre's........2007-02-04

This CD is a great way to enjoy a large variety of Classical Composers & many of their best known pieces. Vivaldi's "Four Seasons," is an all time favorite. There are vocals, Piano pieces, & some fine Violins. I found the latter the most enjoyable. Here you can find Rodrigo & Pachelbell. Samuel Barber's haunting Adagio will make your skin tingle. This may not be to everyones taste, but if you wish to relax? Give this a couple of listens.

Good for relaxing pregnant women.......2007-01-17

I stumbled onto this album whilst searching bit torrent websites for classical music. I don't normally listen to classical music but thought it might be relaxing for my pregnant wife. After hearing the quality of the performances, the arrangement, and the recording I decided to buy the album from amazon. All the songs you would expect from a "best album in the world" are there and they are not boring to listen to like a lot of other classical albums. I now play this album in the car constantly and the wife requested it be played at the hospital during the birth.

Too much opera.......2007-01-10

If it wasn't for the opera this would be a great CD.

Does what it set out to do, very well.......2006-11-15

So i'm a classical music veteran, someone who prefers to collect a complete work, rather than classical compilations. I probably would not have listened to this album at all if my dad didnt buy it for me as a gift. By now, i own the complete works that over half of the excepts on this disc come from. I am a purist if ever there was one.

That said, i totally adore this set because i have learned to take it on its own terms. These discs weren't meant for expert classical listeners, so a review from that sort of mindset is useless. This set was meant for pure, easy listening, and for a basic starters kit for classical newbies. Most of all, it was just meant to do what the title says, to relax the average human being. classical expert or not.

Yes, some of these pieces have been altered or shortened, like Mozart's Flute and Harp Concerto Andantino, but they have been edited for a good enough reason: the full versions would have been too long to flow with the rest of the album. And also, the full versions contain so much development that they don't become easy listening anymore. The shortened versions work in the context of the album. Most essentially, the shortened versions on the discs still convey the main flavor the composers were going for. The melodies and themes remain unchanged.

To sum up, it is true that when i want to actually listen deeply to classical music, this album would never be a choice. I would want to hear the complete works like the composers intended. But at certain times when i simply don't mind about that stuff, when i just need to loosen up and free my mind of stress with some nice melodies, this set does the job well enough.

Last but not least: being a purist and a classical buff, i am very particular about performance quality. I was very glad to find that EMI did not get lazy about this. All the artists are world-class, and all the performances are at least exceptional. Some performances are even quite excellent, like the Clair De Lune, which is one of the best i've heard. (Credit to Dame Lympany, the pianist.)

So once again, recommended for its stated purpose, to relax. I am a purist, a classical buff, and i still enjoy this disc. That says something.

TRULY The most relaxing and beautiful music ever written........2006-11-10

This album along with Volume 2 are now the two most valued albums in my music collection. I have all of the songs contained on these two albums but they are scattered through at least a dozen different albums and several are not performed by artists such as those that recorded this album and Volume 2.
SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL !!!!!!!!!!

Average customer rating:

Wonderful melodies
Hayley Westenra - Odyssey
Very soothing
very good pop singer voice
Voice & level head deserve high marks

Odyssey
Hayley Westenra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000AXWHPI
Release Date: 2005-10-18

Tracks:

Prayer
Both Sides Now
Never Saw Blue
Dell' Amore Non Si Sa
What You Never Know (Won't Hurt You)
May It Be
Quanta Qualia
You Are Water
She Moves Through the Fair
My Heart Belongs To You - Hayley Westenra
Ave Maria
I Say Grace

Album Description

Hayley Westenra's new album Odyssey was always going to be a different proposition to Pure, the record-breaking 2003 collection which marked her international debut. A lot has happened to the young New Zealander over the past two or three years--and those changes are clearly reflected by a record which encapsulates her growth from a budding teenage prodigy into a mature young woman.

Now, at 18, Hayley is ready to show the world how much she has grown up, both as an artist and as an individual. Fans of Pure will be pleasantly surprised by her new album. Her wonderful voice retains its crystal-clear purity, but Westenra's singing is now richer and more rounded than before. Touring the world and singing in some of its greatest concert venues, such as the Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, and Carnegie Hall, has worked wonders for her confidence. Suitably emboldened, she has embraced an even wider range of musical styles including classical, hymns, folk and pop.

"I was happy with Pure at the time, but I've moved on so much," says Hayley. "It's really exciting to have something new out there for people to listen to. I wanted to make a record that represented me as a person. And I think I've improved as a vocalist."

Variety is certainly one of the keywords with Hayley's new album. When she first entered a recording studio in New Zealand as a 12-year-old, Westenra restricted herself to classical pieces and show tunes. Now, in addition to impressive takes on classical works, Hayley uses her new album to perform an inspired cover of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" and has arranged and written much of the material. "I like to push myself, and I'm now confident enough to try different things. I have been much more involved behind the scenes with this album--I wanted to put my individual stamp on each song."

With her career stretching out promisingly before her, Hayley is also keen to continue experimenting. She is still primarily a classical crossover artist but she also wants to keep broadening those musical horizons. Three years after her international debut CD, Hayley Westenra is still pure: she exudes pure quality and she remains pure class--but her musical journey continues with her new album Odyssey.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful melodies.......2007-06-08

This is a wonderful CD with beautiful melodies. Hayley Westenra has a very pure voice and sings right on key. The melodies are very relaxing and the musical settings are well arranged.

Hayley Westenra - Odyssey.......2007-06-08

Pure, crystalline, angelic voice. Gorgeously produced. "Prayer" is stunning. "Both Sides Now" wonderful. The rest is good but not her best song selection. When I first heard this girl on the "Celtic Woman" tour I was totally blown away. None of her CDs will disappoint!

Very soothing.......2007-05-14

Hayley Westenra's Odyssey is a very beautiful CD. If you switch on your walkman and listen to the CD's tracks non-stop, you'll soon feel like you're flying in Heaven. It's very soothing and heavenly. It calms you down, without causing you to feel lonely or sad because you're listening to it in solitary, like other vocal or classical songs do sometimes.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested. Quanta Qualia and Ave Maria are my most favourite tracks. Quanta Qualia is pure magic! I really feel as if I'm flying in Heaven when I listen to it.

very good pop singer voice.......2007-05-13

the selections were tasteful and varied. the singer has a very good pop singer voice. i would have liked some voice variation between songs. all were sung in exactly the same style. good singing but without tonal variation the disk tends to be bland. i hope that as she gets more exposure she will vary her voice to make the songs stand out individually instead of letting them blend into one song on the disc. i would rate this 5 stars except for that major fault.

Voice & level head deserve high marks .......2007-04-20

Not only has Hayley Westenra's voice remained "pure", but her good sense and sensibilty has stayed intact when so many similar young performers have gone over the deep end with extreme behavior and disreputable remarks. On this CD Miss Westernra covers a number of songs in her own special style, such as excellent versions of "Prayer", "May It Be" and "Both Sides Now". I hope to hear her renditions of more such tunes, old and new. I would like to hear her sing songs like "Yesterday", "I Still Believe in Love" and All I Know. She has a way with her soaring vocals that never lets the listener down.

Average customer rating:

Can't go wrong
Most Famous???
Only one song knew well
The Most Famous Opera Duets
Good selection of opera highlights

The Most Famous Opera Duets

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ludwig, Christa | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Price, Leontyne | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Scotto, Renata | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Rapture: Opera's Most Heavenly Moments

ASIN: B000002SCA
Release Date: 1994-04-12

Tracks:

Les Peurs des perles Act 1 - Au fond du temple saint
Madama Butterfly Act 1- Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino
Le Nozze di Figaro Act III - Sull'aria - Le Nozze di Figaro
La Traviata Act I - Un di, felice, eterea
Lucia Di Lammermoor Act I - Ah! Verranna a te sull'aure
Tristan und Isolde Act II - O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe
Carmen Act I - Parle-moi de m
Die ZauberflAct I - Bei Mern, welche Liebe F
Lakmct I - Viens, Mallika
Rigoletto Act I - il sol dell'anima
Der Rosenkavalier Act II - Mir ist die Ehre wilderfahren
Don Giovanni Act I - Li darem la mano
La Boh Act IV - O Mimi, tu pi torni
Il Trovatore Act IV - Miserere...Quel suon, quelle preci

Amazon.com

This is a misnomer--not all of these duets are all that famous--but it's a fine compilation nonetheless. You'll hear selections from Bizet's The Pearl Fishers (Nicolai Gedda and Ernest Blanc at their most elegant French), Madama Butterfly (Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Scotto--an impassioned pair), Lucia di Lammermoor (a classy Alfredo Kraus and Edita Gruberova), the lovely Lakme duet, The Presentation of the Silver Rose from Der Rosenkavalier (with the earnest Christa Ludwig and the other-worldly Teresa Stich-Randall), and a fine Trovatore "Miserere" (with Leontyne Price and Franco Bonisolli singing up a storm). There are many others, too--a veritable cornucopia of couplings--and a treat for the opera lover. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Can't go wrong.......2007-07-14

This is a really great CD for the price. It has many of the famous Arias on it and although the singers may not be the best out there they are certainly very good. This is cheaper than the price of a take away lunch; you can't go wrong with this CD.

Most Famous???.......2007-05-14

The title of this cd is misleading and I found myself wondering whose list did they use. That is not to say that there aren't some real treasures included here. The duet from Lakme is lovely in every way, Mady Mesple in particular, very beautful and very french, and far superior to Sutherlands hooty approach. Scotto and Bergonzi are superb, the Tristan and Isolde of Vickers and Dernesch truly other worldly, and the presentation of the rose duet with the young Ludwig and the astonishing Teresa Stich- Randell had me playing it over and over and I still can't believe it, but the most famous??? This cd is definitly worth buying, and I hated giving it only 3 stars but if you're talking most famous you could fill a couple of cd's with Puccini, not to mention Verdi, Mozart, etc. before Bizet's Les Pecheurs des perles, beautiful as it is, made the most famous list.

Only one song knew well.......2007-05-14

I should have done more research. The last song is the only one I could easily recognize. Live and learn.

The Most Famous Opera Duets.......2007-01-05

This seller truly makes a purchaser confident in the product as well the time in which is promised.

Thanks again!!!!!

Good selection of opera highlights.......2006-11-04

Super performances by famous opera artists of the 20th century, most of them no longer performing and some of them deceased. I enjoy having their voices available at home.

The Last 5 Years (2002 Off-Broadway Cast)

Average customer rating:

Best work by the new Sondheim
second time buying this
Jason Robert Brown's newest, not best.
If You Didn't Believe In Jason Robert Brown, You Should Now
The Last 5 Years

The Last 5 Years (2002 Off-Broadway Cast)
Jason Robert Brown , Norbert Leo Butz , and Sherie Rene Scott
Manufacturer: Ghostlight
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Songs for a New World (1996 Original New York Cast)
The Last Five Years - Vocal Selections
Parade (1998 Original Broadway Cast)
Tick, Tick... Boom! (2001 Original Off-Broadway Cast)
Wearing Someone Else's Clothes

ASIN: B000065CXP
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Tracks:

Still Hurting
Shiksa Goddess
See I'm Smiling
Moving Too Fast
A Part of That
The Schmuel Song
A Summer in Ohio
The Next Ten Minutes
A Miracle Would Happen/When You Come Home to Me
Climbing Uphill
If I Didn't Believe in You
I Can Do Better Than That
Nobody Needs to Know
Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You

Amazon.com

Jason Robert Brown burst on the musical-theater scene with a bang when his first Broadway show, Parade, won the Tony for original score in 1999. This new offering is more modest in scale than Parade, but it allows Brown to refine his skills. A two-character, one-act play, The Last 5 Years retraces a relationship through a complex structure that involves varying viewpoints and a chronology that unfurls backward and forward. Brown himself plays the piano and leads a small ensemble, while Norbert Leo Butz (Thou Shalt Not) and Sherie René Scott (Aida) sing the composer's heartbreaking melodies. Brown's lyrics need a bit of work (he can be oddly crass at unexpected moments), but he knows how to write songs that incorporate a pop sensibility and a distinctly theatrical narrative drive. That in itself is quite an achievement. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Description

A fresh and contemporary musical from Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade), "The Last 5 Years" chronicles a young couple's romance in a new and exciting way: Her story starts at the end of their relationship, his begins on the day they met. Funny and uplifting, the show captures some of the most heartbreaking and universally-felt moments of modern romance. Co-star Norbert Leo Butz was last seen on Broadway in Harry Connick Jr.'s "Thou Shalt Not," appeared in the hit musical "Rent," and portrayed the emcee in the touring production of "Cabaret." Sherie Rene Scott, last seen on Broadway in Elton John and Tim Rice's "Aida," also starred in "Rent" and "The Who's Tommy." Songs: Still Hurting, Shiksa Goddess, See I'm Smiling, Moving Too Fast, A Part of That, The Schmuel Song, A Summer in Ohio, The Next Ten Minutes, A Miracle Would Happen/When You Come Home to Me, Climbing Uphill, If I Didn't Believe in You, I Can Do Better Than That, Nobody Needs to Know, Goodbye Until Tomorrow/I Could Never Rescue You.

Customer Reviews:

Best work by the new Sondheim.......2007-06-08

If you like Sondheim, you will like Jason Robert Brown. His music is more sophisticated than Jonathan Larson, and yet still akin to popular music for our generation! I feel this musical is his best-to-date, but I can't wait to see the new pieces in store. If you liked "Songs for a New World", you will not be disappointed in this work. It is a little more like a traditional musical with a plot that weaves between two parts of a couple, and how they move through their relationship together (the trick is, he is going backwards in time, she forwards--they meet at the wedding.)

second time buying this.......2007-03-28

i have bought this cd twice now. the first time it got stolen and i put off buying as long as i could, but it's just too good. jrb is a wonderful composer and w/ nlb and srs singing his stuff; it's just too good to pass up if you dig show tunes.

Jason Robert Brown's newest, not best........2007-01-19

Parade is fantastic in every way shape or form, its deep, emotional, full of everything, great lyrics and singers. The Last Five Years is good in every way shape or form. The concept is amazing (although it doesn't really come through unless you read the synopsis). The Lyrics really capture the internal monologues of relationships. The orchestrations are simple, which is fine for a show like this. The singers... I was surprised by. Norbert Leo Butz, has been stellar in the other shows I've heard him in, but this one has moments that make him sound amateurish. Sherie Rene Scott has an interesting voice, that sometimes sounds like it isn't being treated healthy. That really comes through in this CD, sometimes she doesn't sound very good. But overall, this is a great CD. Brown is wonderful, the singers are broadways hottest, the topics are very close to home. I would suggest this for almost everyone. Its new and edgy, but borrows some mechanics of the classics. Definitely one for collectors, and people who just started listening to musicals. Favorite Song: "Climbing Uphill"

If You Didn't Believe In Jason Robert Brown, You Should Now.......2007-01-10

Jason Robert Brown wrote a splendidly beautiful musical, semi-autobiographical, chronicling the 5 year span of a relationship. The first five minutes had me hooked. In these first five minutes, Kathy is "Still Hurting" after the torential breakup of her marriage due to many particulars including adultery. With this tender introduction to Kathy, I was immediately sucked into her world of pain, loss, and failure. "What about lies Jamie? What about things that you swore to be true?" It is a question we've all asked time and time again. The music here is outstanding as well. Brown has decided to use a piano, drum kit and a string quartet in lieu of full orchestrations. And this works very well for the cast of two characters. Brown's previous musical, the large-scale "Parade" won him accollades of acclaim from critics everywhere on his music and orchestrations. He knows how to write. After Kathy, sung to perfection Sherie Renee Scott (she has such a conversational way of singing, and not to mention seamless voice), Jamie enters the stage with samba beat singing about this "Shiksa Goddess" he's just met...and her name is Kathy! "WAIT!" I said. Didn't he just lie to her, hurt her, and isn't she still pushing through all of the aftermath of their divorce? And isn't he fine with it? It was then that I knew this was no ordinary musical. Brown has done something revolutionary on the Musical Theatre Stage. Throughout the course of the show, the characters are moving in different directions; not only in their relationship, but in time. Kathy starts at the end of the 5 year relationship and regresses to the beginning, whereas Jamie starts at the beginning of the relationship and progresses to the end. They rarely interact until their marriage, where they sing finally sing together. This is of course another beautiful duet ballad Brown has written a la "All The Wasted Time" in "Parade." In this song, they sing their vows which focus on how much they love one another despite what their fault may imply. During one of Kathy's earlier songs "See I'm Smiling," we really get a sense of how hard it can be when you can see the end of a relationship falling upon you. It's a hard song to get through, though mostly quiet as she smiles through her tears and tries to see everything as "fine." But it is not. When she finally breaks, it is because Jamie decided to go to a party celebrating his book, than take her out for her birthday. When this happens, it is some of the best writing musically and lyrically in musical theatre. The way in which the lyrics seamlessly blend into the melody making it sound as though she were really just talking; the ups and downs through the anger; the breaking point where she finally realizes it is no use. And Scott sings her heart out of it. It raised the hair on my arms.
Further into the show, we have some more beautiful melodies arise and wonderful lyrics. You never think that Brown is trying to hard to rhyme. Norbert Leo Butz has the pleasure to sing Jamie, and in "Nobody Needs to Know" we get an sense of the sadness that came with all of Jamie's fortune. He is not happy. He did love Kathy. Fame, however, tainted that and hurt him in the end. As he lies in bed with another woman, we see the regret of his loss of innocense. With his rock-belter voice, Butz pulls this off with just the right amount of self-pity, without over-indulging. The Last 5 Years is definitely one of the bright shining moments of musical theatre in the new millenium. Brown should have received much more acclaim for this, as it is not as widely known as it should.

The Last 5 Years.......2007-01-03

One of the best musicals I have ever heard. It's amazing.

Average customer rating:

HOW DO YOU SAY,"WOW," IN ITALIAN?
Just buy it.
Teamo, Andrea Bocelli
A new style from Andrea.
Not happy with delivery (or non delivery) of this item

Andrea
Massimo Varini , Ensemble of Bologna , London Session Orchestra , Andy Duncan , Leo Z. , Rosario Jermano , Dave Arch , and David Arch
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Andrea Bocelli - Amore
Romanza
Cieli di Toscana
Sogno
Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung

ASIN: B00063M112
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Tracks:

Dell'Amore Non Si Sa
L'Attesa
Un Nuovo Giorno
Tu Ci Sei
Sin Tu Amor
Libert
Per Noi
Le Parole Che Non Ti Ho Detto
Sempre O Mai
In Canto
Quante Volte Ti Ho Cercato
When A Child Is Born
Go Where Love Goes

Amazon.com

It's no mean feat being the world's foremost crossover artist--a task that risks alienating two disparate audiences and everyone in between--but somebody had to do it, and Andrea Bocelli again walks that artistic tightrope with impressive deftness. The title may imply a casual intimacy (indeed, the singer admits to taking a more "hands-on" approach to the album's conception and production), but it's a collection that nonetheless continues to expand on the Italian tenor's ambitious internationalism. His collaboration "Sin Tu Amor" immerses his voice in the Gipsy Kings' own rich Iberian folk-pop fusion with compelling results, while "Where Love Goes" (a musical focal point of the film Lazarus Child), his English language duet with 11-year-old prodigy Holly Stell, achieves an almost liturgical grace. "Tu Ci Sei" (You Are There) continues in the romantic vein of his familiar theme "Con Te Partiro" (Time to Say Goodbye), while the single "Dell' Amore Non Si Sa" (With Love You Never Know) features Bocelli in a signature dramatic tour de force collaboration with arranger Mauro Malavasi, the accomplished producer of the singer's Romanza and Sogno albums. Bocelli's shrewd taste and vocal prowess here not only again redeem an oft-maligned genre, but elevate it considerably in the bargain. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

HOW DO YOU SAY,"WOW," IN ITALIAN?.......2007-06-22

BEFORE I START, LET ME SAY, THAT I AM A DANCE CLUB GUY AND THAT, ORDINARILY, THIS IS NOT MY KIND OF MUSIC. OF COURSE, I LAUGH AS I SAY THAT, AS, APPARENTLY, A NEW DOOR HAS OPENED IN MY LIFE, THANKS TO THIS MAN.
A FEW YEARS AGO I HAD HEARD ANDREA DO, "CON TE PARTIRO," ON A PBS SPECIAL AND MY EYES FILLED WITH TEARS THAT ANY HUMAN COULD MAKE SUCH SOUNDS. I WAS ASTOUNDED; MORE ASTOUNDING, STILL, WAS TO HEAR THIS ALBUM AND FIND THAT HIS VOICE HAD ACTUALLY VASTLY IMPOVED OVER TIME. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? " CON TE..," PALES IN COMPARISON TO THE QUALITY OF THIS WORK; THE TRACKS ON THIS CD ARE PERFECT, FULL, RICH, AND MORE MOVING THAN ANYTHING I HAVE EVER HEARD. I HAVE HAD IT A WEEK, NOW, AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING ELSE FOR VERY LONG, AND I PLAY IT OVER AND OVER. IT HAS BEEN MANY YEARS SINCE I HAVE BEEN AFFECTED LIKE THIS BY ANY VOCAL CD. IF HE NEVER RECORDED AGAIN HE WOULD HAVE MADE A MARK ON THE WORLD OF AUDIO NEVER TO BE ERASED OR FORGOTTEN. WHAT A VOICE! WHAT SONGS! THE CUT, "LIBERTA," ABSOLUTELY KILLS ME WITH FEELINGS OF JOY AND MARVEL. I HAVE EVEN TAKEN UP STUDYING ITALIAN BECAUSE OF IT.
TREAT YOURSELF, AND A GOOD FRIEND, TO THE SOUNDS ON THIS CD. SIT AND WATCH A SUNSET WITH IT ON... I MEAN NOW!

Just buy it........2007-05-30

If you like soft music that make's you feel up beat, just order a Andrea Bocelli CD. Listening to his CD's after being at work all day, is like having an option in life to hear and be somewhere else.

Teamo, Andrea Bocelli .......2007-03-08

One of his best. Need the lyrics translated from the Italian to the English inside the casing next time. Nonetheless, Mr. Bocelli has a beautiful voice. It made my wife and all my female co-workers swoon when they listened to it.

A new style from Andrea........2007-02-24

There were some ugly songs in here.(I absolutely hate to say that about anything Andrea.)But the good far outshone the bad.
Un Nouvo Giorno stunned me the first time I heard it.It was so unlike anything I had heard from Andrea- very pop.But it soon grew on me.
Liberta is amazing.Very catchy and upbeat.
Sempre O Mai is my favorite.It keeps its tempo up and has the best of Andrea and pop.Great song.

So this album was really a double album with pop and classical songs interspersed.A good mix from the master.

Not happy with delivery (or non delivery) of this item.......2007-01-16

When I ordered this on 12/04/2006 they said I would have it before Christmas. Then right before Christmas the delivery date was changed to mid-January. So I had to cancel my order and go, at the last minute, buy it at a store because it was a Christmas present. I wasn't happy about it and won't be buying from amazon for the holidays any longer.

Average customer rating:

Josh is even better in live!
Very Good!
Let me explain...
Re-Live the Concert Experience!
DVD is so worth the price

Josh Groban Live at The Greek (CD/DVD)
Josh Groban
Manufacturer: Reprise / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Josh Groban in Concert (with Bonus DVD)
Closer
Josh Groban
Awake
With You

ASIN: B00063LTH4
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Tracks:

Oceano
Mi Mancherai (il postino)
Mi Morena
Canto Alla Vita
Remember When It Rained
Remember
America
Never Let Go

Tracks:

Oceano
Per Te
To Where You Are
Mi Mancherai (il postino)
Mi Morena
Alejate
Canto Alla Vita
Nocturne/Bohemian Rhapsody (performed by Lucia Micarelli)
Alla Luce Del Sole (special guest artist: Bela Fleck)
My December
Caruso
Remember When It Rained
Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)
Remember
You Raise Me Up
America
Never Let Go

Amazon.com

If Josh Groban's unabashedly melodramatic musical fusion inspires grousing on both sides of the classical/pop pundit divide, the screams of the (mostly) young female fans that punctuate these 2004 performances at L.A.'s historic Greek theater better underscore the real point. This set's CD and more expansive DVD complement each other well; if anything, supplemented by a live string ensemble and crack backing band, they're a warmer, more focused showcase for the singer's talents than the studio albums that made his meteoric fame. In peak form, Groban variously delivers forceful renditions of his pop-operatic powerhouses "Canto Alla Vita" and "Anna Luce Del Sole" (the former featuring a drum solo [!] from Groban, the latter a fine guest turn by Bela Fleck on banjo), takes a surprising solo piano break on Paul Simon's "America," waxes Central Asian on Troy's "Remember" and brings the crowd to its feet with the heart-on-his-sleeve dramatics of Closer's "Never Let Go." They're all informed by the singer's insouciant, youthful enthusiasm, arguing that Groban is gifted with more than just a magnificent voice; he's a complete natural as a performer as well. The DVD also includes a tour diary narrated with typical charm by the singer, as well as bonus live performance of "Believe" from the Polar Express soundtrack. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description

Josh Groban's 2002 PBS "Great Performances" special was a #1 selling DVD and the best-selling long-form music video of 2003. His second "Great Performances" special was taped at L.A.'s Greek Theater in the summer of 2004. For fans of the young sophisticated pop phenomenon who has sold more than 8 million albums, this CD+DVD package is just the latest great performance in the career of Josh Groban. DVD Extras: On the road with Josh for Summer 2004 Tour and a special performance of "Believe" from The Polar Express (it's PBS footage mixed w/ film footage).

Customer Reviews:

Josh is even better in live!.......2007-04-14

I recently saw Josh on his new tour with Awake, and it was so awesome that inspired me to buy this DVD to replicate the experience a little bit. I loved it! Especially loved the few extra songs I've never heard before (Mi Morena, America). Some people were complaining about the nasal sound and quality, but this is a live show so of course it sounds a little different. Bottom line is I think Josh is a great preformer and his very funny also :)

Very Good!.......2007-02-09

This CD/DVD was very good. I watched the DVD and was impresed with the way He handles the "spot light." He seems to be a very humble person and I think that is what makes his music so enjoyable to listen to. Not forgetting his awesome voice!

Let me explain..........2007-01-14

There are several reviews that talk about how annoying it is for the fans to wave light sticks and/or American flags in this DVD. Perhaps if I explain why, it will seem less annoying.

The waving of the light sticks was started at the very beginning of his first tour, mainly to show him how much the fans appreciated the concerts. The first idea was to wave them during the last verse of "You Raise Me Up," when the choir came out. Later, fans added another show of support by waving blue light sticks during "Vincent (Starry Starry Night."

OK, if you still find that annoying, that's your right. However, the flag waving at the end of "To Where You Are" was special. This concert was filmed on September 11, and the flags were waved at the end of "To Where You Are" for those who were lost, and the families of those who were lost, on 9/11/2001.

It's your right if you still find these things annoying. I just thought I'd try to help you to understand.

Since this is a forum for giving our opinions of the DVD, I have to say that I love it. He has a beautiful voice and I love listening to him under any circumstance. The DVD is wonderful, IMHO.

Re-Live the Concert Experience!.......2007-01-09

Was fortunate enough to attend Josh's "Closer" concert tour date at Jones Beach--amazing voice. Getting this album brought back all of the memories of that amazing evening outdoors under a "Starry, Starry Night." I used to not bother purchasing live albums because they had poor audio quality, but not anymore. Love this album! (Actually, I love all of his stuff.)

DVD is so worth the price.......2007-01-08

I disagree with some of the reviewers complaining about a nasal sounding CD. Yes, there are few parts where it may sound a little nasal but people have to remember that this a LIVE concert and if they wanted perfect sound they should buy the studio album instead. He still sounded brilliant and great. The DVD is fantastic for all those who don't have the luck or means to attend a Groban concert. It captures the energy and pure joy of a concert. Sometimes its even better than being at the concert because you can see Groban close up. I hope that there will be a concert DVD released for the AWAKE concerts.

Average customer rating:

6 and 12 String Guitar Leo Kottke
So you want to play the 12 string-2
For guitar enthusiasts, absolutely indispensable
The Holy Grail of Fingerpicking
An Essential

6- and 12-String Guitar
Leo Kottke
Manufacturer: Takoma
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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One Guitar, No Vocals
Best of Leo Kottke
Sixty Six Steps
Home & Away Revisited
John Fahey/Peter Lang/Leo Kottke

ASIN: B000003Z91
Release Date: 1996-04-02

Tracks:

The Driving Of The Year Nail
The Last Of The Arkansas Greyhounds
Ojo
Crow River Waltz
The Sailor's Grave On The Prairie
Vaseline Machine Gun
Jack Fig
Watermelon
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
The Fisherman
The Tennessee Toad
Busted Bicycle
The Brain Of The Purple Mountain
Coolidge Rising

Amazon.com essential recording

For decades, Leo Kottke would inspire generations of fingerpicking acoustic guitarists (and help pave the way for New Age and contemporary instrumental music), but this 1969 album is the one that started it all. Kottke's brilliant debut was released, fittingly, on John Fahey's Takoma label. Showing the influence of Fahey himself (and Takoma labelmate Robbie Basho), Kottke performs impossibly difficult solo compositions that meld blues, bluegrass, and jazz techniques. Whether surefooted and quick ("The Driving of the Year Nail," "Jack Fig," "The Fisherman") or slow and reflective ("Ojo," "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"), Kottke's instrumental work is simply awe-inspiring. He'd forge an entire career out of this music and eventually incorporate singing onto his albums, but this gem is Kottke at his very best. Essential. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

6 and 12 String Guitar Leo Kottke.......2007-05-12

ESSENTIAL CD FOR A GUITARIST

Guitar playing does not get much better than this. A pure delight from start to finish, one of those CD you can play over and over and hear more and more amazing Rifts.

HMR Music Lover

So you want to play the 12 string-2.......2007-05-05

Thought I did this once already, can't find it. Again, I've got maybe half of these tunes in my repertoire. If you play guitar like Leo, you too will get CTS, try doing a little Rory Block or Cory Harris - bust your voice a bit, not your left hand. Try to play like Leo, die. Or just say goodbye to your left hand after five years. There is nothing you have heard or ever will hear that is even in the same category as this album. But you need to buy "Greenhouse" to compliment it- "Last Steam Engine Train" and "Bean Time" should be included in any comprehensive early studies. So you think you know how to play guitar...guess again, bar rag breath, you're not even close. Unless you're an understudy of John Renbourne, you don't know diddly squat about the guitar until you have listeed and tried to learn this album.

Go into a bar with your 12 in a low C tuning. Play "Busted Bicycle". Get drunk for free.

For guitar enthusiasts, absolutely indispensable.......2007-03-26

You have to understand, first off, that all those people who are calling the Armadillo album a "must-have record" or "the best solo guitar record ever" or "breathtaking speed and skill" are not exaggerating one tiny bit. This album is all that, and more. It is a watershed album ... when it came out, something fundamental changed in people's appreciation of what the guitar was capable of. It wasn't just the speed (which was astonishing) or the precision (which is impeccable). Tommy Emmanuel might be as fast, and Chet Atkins as precise, but Leo gives us something more.

What people generally miss is an appreciation of just how many musical genres Kottke has borrowed from and fused into his own unmistakable style. You can hear country, rock, blues, jazz, classical, Hawaiian slack-key ... and, I swear, even a bit of flamenco in there somewhere. It's all grist for his mill, and Kottke probably has more colors on his palette than any guitarist living or dead. And nobody had dared to blend so many of them, so deftly and confidently, into a single recording as he did on this one.

The marvel is that he has continued to develop this eclectic style over the years. Leo Kottke is one of a very, very few guitarists whose style you can identify within a few seconds, even if you've never heard that particular piece before. That he can continue to be this recognizable, yet still sound fresh and experimental, is what makes him a national treasure, and this album is the one that first showed it to us.

The Holy Grail of Fingerpicking.......2007-02-21

It all starts here: anyone who plays knows that; for the sheer reckless abandonment that ultimately cost Leo his speed by way of carpal tunnel; for the articulate melodies and delightful possibilities; for the "what does THAT mean?" bewilderment over his liner notes that fueled our fuzzy minds. (Getting loaded on anything and listening to this was like going aloft like a kite.)

This is what sets Kottke (and later, the late Michael Hedges) apart: they truly understand the guitar as a percussive instrument. By the way, for those lucky to have seen Kottke concerts or found rare CDs of shows, his wandering comments onstage about song titles are often about the ingredients and inceptions of his work: hilarious monologues.

The tunes individually have unique personalities of energy, tones, and presentation: an auditory garden of flowers. Such technique and dexterity! Clarity! And fast--try doing the hop-scotch dance of harmonics that dazzles "The Driving of the Year Nail." It's his touch also--almost maddening for those who had been practicing (or wishing to play) and wondering how he made it sound so effortless and natural. "The Last of the Arkansas Greyhounds" rolls and bounces with a perpetual motion machine behind it (and alerting us to Leo's fetish for titles). "Ojo" is clean and bright, and I see images of an old grandmother-type with a shawl rocking an infant in a cradle over "Crow River Waltz." Leo's slide virtuosity is also introduced here on "The Sailor's Grave on the Prairie," and "Vaseline Machine Gun," an undulating gyration of leaping bottleneck instrumental tribute to a navy submariner buddy of Leo's that kicks off with a brief burst of "Taps").

"Jack Fig" is a treat to understand at this slow pace (it's a buzz saw in concert on My Feet are Smiling), but just as spectacular to see on video for his complex chording and picking. A close cousin is "Watermelon," and Leo's slide squawks show how well suited he is with a 12-string's tunings. Just to show he's done his studying, Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" is showcased for its pristine timeliness--you almost want to bow in tribute. "The Fisherman," a gorgeous tune by its simplicity, just bounds along like a happy puppy out for a walk, but "The Tennessee Toad" (Leo's sly dig at his father-in-law), oozes with molasses-like whining slide.

But "Busted Bicycle" saves the day--and recharges everything/one. Inspired by a wayward car and a friend's chained-to-the-lamp-post 2-wheeler, Leo works in an old blues riff (hey--the Stones used it on the Beggars Banquet LP) around a banjo picking style with a 12-string explosion. (Check it out live; it's a fireworks display.) More Dali-like titles ahead: "The Brain of the Purple Mountain" and "Coolidge Rising," but they're both full of fast and clean picking that just reminds you to hit the repeat button when it's all over.

This is something to share because the guy is making the art of guitar playing sound magical--like it's a universal talent for us all to try. Inspiration at its highest.

An Essential.......2007-02-17

No point in wasting words over this one: it is simply stunning. A real essential in any guitar lover's collection.

The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!

Average customer rating:

Latter-day also-rans
A well-sung compilation
This cant be the best
TRUE OPERA LOVERS CANNOT POSSIBLY LIKE THIS!
Even if you Hate Complilations, Get This One

The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!

Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000084JD
Release Date: 1999-07-27

Tracks:

La Traviata: Libiamo Ne'lieti Calici (Brindisi) (Atto I) - Alfredo Kraus
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum (Atto I) - Thomas Hampton
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina (Atto I) - Roberto Alagna
La Boheme: Si. Mi Chiamano Mimi (Atto I) - Mirella Freni
L'amico Fritz: Suzel, Bon Di (Cherry Duet) (First Part) (Atto II) - Bernard Haitink
Nabucco: Va, Pensiero (Chorus Of Hebrew Slaves) (Atto III) - Bernard Haitink
Rigoletto: La Donna E Mobile (Atto III) - Roberto Alagna
Lakme: Viens, Mallika (Flower Duet) (Acte I) - Mady Mesple
Gianni Schicchi: O Mio Babbino Caro - Victoria De Los Angeles
Tosca: Recondita Armonia (Atto I) - Placido Domingo
Tosca: Vissi D'arte (Atto II) - Maria Callas
Tosca: E Lucevan Le Stelle (Atto III) - Placido Domingo
Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco: Respiro Appena ... Lo Son L'umile Ancella (Atto I) - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
Les Pecheurs De Perles: Au Fond Du Temple Saint (Acte I) - Nicolai Gedda
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Non Piu Andrai (Atto I) - Thomas Allen
Le Nozze Di Figaro: Voi Che Sapete (Atto II) - Ann Murray
Le Nozze Di Figaro: E Susanna Non Vien!...Dove Sono (Atto III) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Martha: M'appari (Ach So Fromm) (Akt III) - Roberto Alagna
Tristan Und Isolde: Mild Und Leise (Liebestod) (Akt III) - Helga Dernesch

Tracks:

Aida: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!...Celeste Aida (Atto I) - Placido Domingo
Il Trovatore: Vedi! Le Fosche Notturne Spoglie (Anvil Chorus) (Atto II) - Bernard Haitink
Samson Et Dalila: Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix (Acte II) - Maria Callas
Carmen: L'amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle (Habanera) - Victoria De Los Angeles
Carmen: Votre Toast (Toreador's Song) (Acte II) - Maria Callas
Carmen: La Fleur Que Tu M'avais Jetee (Acte III) - Roberto Alagna
Les Contes D'Hoffman: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour (Barcarolle) (Acte II) - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Andrea Chenier: La Mamma Morta (Atto III) - Maria Callas
Pagliacci: Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba (Atto I) - Jose Carreras
Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di Vedremo (Atto II) - Renata Scotto
Cosi Fan Tutte: Soave Sia Il Vento (Atto I) - Margaret Marshall
La Rondine: Chi Il Bel Sogno Di Doretta (Atto I) - Montserrat Caballe
Die Zauberflote: Der Vogelfanger Bin Ich Ja (Akt I) - Walter Berry
Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache (Akt II) - Edita Gruberova
Rusalka: Song To The Moon (Act I) - Lucia Popp
La Wally: Ebben? Ne Andro Iontana (Atto I) - Maria Callas
Werther: Toute Mon Ame Est La!...Pourquoi Me Reveiller? (Acte III) - Roberto Alagna
Turandot: Signore, Ascolta! (Atto I) - Montserrat Caballe
Turandot: Nessun Dorma (Atto III) - Jose Carreras