Fioravanti: I Matrimoni per Magia

On this CD:

1. I matrimoni per magia, opera
Composed by Valentino Fioravanti
Performed by Giorgio Gatti, Luigi Petroni, Floriana Sovilla
Conducted by Roberto Tigani

Tracks:

Children's March [From Carmen]
Doll Song [From Tales of Hoffmann]
Anvil Chorus [From II Trovatore]
Bird Catcher Am I [From the Magice Flute]
Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! [From The Magic Flute]
Pa, Pa, Pa, Pa [From the Magice Flute]
Flower Duet [From Lakm
Largo Al Factotum [From the Barber of Seville]
Three Little Maids from School [From the Mikado]
Sun Whose Rays Are All Ablaze [From the Mikado]
Tit-Willow [From the Mikado]
Brother, Come Dance With Me [from Hansel and Gretel)
I Am the Little Sandman [from Hansel and Gretel)
Children's Prayer [from Hansel and Gretel)

Album Description

OPERA IS FOR EVERYONE and so, The Classical Child At the Opera was created to give children a taste of the magic, majesty and humor of this glorious art form. Well-known songs and arias have been selected that appeal to young sensibilities, while easy-to-follow English translations bring these delightful stories and characters to life. Care has been taken by the singers to present the music in a way that is light hearted and accessible sometimes gentle, sometimes raucous, but always positive and engaging.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent teaching tool.......2006-05-10

I use this CD is my classroom for a wide variety of activities including art instruction for which it is ideally suited. It is hard to recommend this CD enough! Thanks for putting it together.

I have only one complaint about this CD.......2006-04-16

My one complaint is that after I listen to this CD, the catchy tunes get stuck in my head! And then I want to keep listening to it more and more. I love the selections on this CD, the fact that the songs are in English (I always wondered what the "Figaro, Figaro, Figaro" song was about!), and that a little background is given to each piece as well.

What every kid (and parent needs!).......2004-02-06

All I can say is my family LOVES this CD! We have a blast singing along, dancing, etc. It's made opera a new discovery for all of us.

What's Opera Doc?.......2003-03-29

No, this isn't Bugs Bunny's version of opera. It is, however, an excellent introduction to opera, for young and old alike. The the translations to English are quite clever, and the singers' voices are, for the most part, excellent and clear (overly florid voices can be such a turn-off). Grant Doyle, the baritone, is a particular stand-out: rather than sing "at" you, he manages to convey humor and emotion in his parts... you can almost *see* the funny bird catcher, Papageno, in the three songs from Mozart's "Magic Flute", which happent to be my 5-year old's favorite tracks. Doyle's turn as Figaro in "Largo al Factorum" from "The Barber of Seville" is pure joy. The children's chorus in "The Children's March" from "Carmen" is also delightful, and Gabriella Santinelli's(?) voice as the doll from Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman" is simply amazing.

As much as I enjoy this album, I question the inclusion of the last three songs, which come from "Hansel and Gretel". The voices on the songs are of the overly florid nature, and I can see my daughter lose interest. I think it would have been more interesting to include more "Carmen," or arias from other such popular operas "Rigoletto" or "Aida". Or if the album needed to end on a slower note, the overcoat song from "La Boheme."

IAC, I have caught my daughter humming bits and pieces from the operas. Even I have managed to amaze people by correctly identifying the Flower Duet from "Lakme"! I strongly recommend this album.

Lots of Fun Music.......2002-11-29

Our baby seems to enjoy this operatic CD almost as much as her parents enjoy it. Maybe she doesn't even really hear it, but she does see her parents acting silly and singing along to the catchy opera songs. I think we'll be listening to this one for many years to come. You'll probably really enjoy this CD if you have an appreciation for opera already.

Average customer rating:

Brings back visit to Hawaii
I judge all my other slack key cds against this one...

Slack Key Guitar
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Palm Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Slack Key Guitar Volume 2
Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters
Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters Collection, Vol. 2
Black Sand
6 & 12 String Slack Key

ASIN: B00000J10I
Release Date: 1998-09-01

Tracks:

Give a Lei, Bryan Kessler
Island Style, Randy Lorenzo
Dolphin Days, Charles Michael Brotman
Kiho'alu Jam, Sonny Lim
Hi'ilawe, Sonny Lim
Milili'i Slack Key, Ken Emerson
Mehameha, Sonny Lim
Kaulana Na Pua, John Keawe
Saddle Road, Kevin Teves
Pu'uanahulu, John Keawe
Hapuna Sunset, Charles Michael Brotman

Album Description

"Ki ho'a lu," or slack Key guitar, refers to the altered tunings of the acoustic guitar that are unique to the musical heritage of Hawaii. The beautiful slack Key sound is synonomous with the majic of the Hawaiian Islands. This collection of solo performances features 7 well known slack key guitarists.

Customer Reviews:

Brings back visit to Hawaii.......2005-12-10

I had no idea what Slack Key Guitar was until finally took the wrapper off this CD and played it. Love this CD. Very relaxing. Great backgound music-can let it play all day. Brings back the memories of our visit to Hawaii.

I judge all my other slack key cds against this one..........2000-06-02

Bought it on May 17. Ended up buying 11 (and counting) other slack key music cds. But still my favorite overall. I can't sing, but do want to learn to play slack key, so this instrumental cd of solo (no other instrument) slack key inspires me. You will not go wrong buying this one!

The mellow performances match my personality, and bring to mind images of balmy breezes and swaying trees.

I've been looking for another instrumental cd of solo slack key performances, but have yet to find one that matches this one...except maybe Ozzie Kotani's, and Ledward Kaapana's live CD.

Customer Reviews:

Great collection but the title's a misnomer.......2006-07-17

The producers of Essential Opera 1 and 2 finally decided to give us a wonderful gift and combined the two for the price of one. The effect is an exciting collection for opera lovers and opera beginners alike. Thank you, producers.

However, I can't agree that the collection lives up to its name. How can it be essential when where is Maria Callas in the line-up? Absent Maria, any opera collection that deems itself "essential" deludes itself. Callas is as indispensable to opera as, say, Picasso is to cubism. To paraphrase Franco Zeffirelli, Callas showed us the maximum of what opera is. Callas IS essential opera.

This misnomer is made the more stark and jarring when one sees that a contemporaneous rival, Renata Tebaldi, is given two tracks to sing and Callas, none. Tebaldi was Callas' rival like Clementi was Mozart's--whoever remembers the rivals now? History has judged well who the masters are. So I listen to arias in this CD, arias that Callas have incomparably defined like Tosca's Vissi d'Arte, La Wallys's Ebben Ne'andro Lontana", to disappointment.

I'd give this disc four and a half stars for Callas' omission, but the Amazon rating system does not allow it. In any case, Tatiana Troyano's Habanera, Cecilia Bartoli's "Una Voce Poco fa," Krause, Popp, and Fassbaender's "Saove sia il vento," and Sutherland and Berbie's Lakme duet, and ten other tracks still make this compilation wonderful, exciting, and highly commendable. Do yourselves a favor and get this cd.

Average customer rating:

Magic of old 78 rpm recordings
An historical treat
An important part of any collection

Great Singers, 1909-1938

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Galli-Curci: Prima Voce
Marcella Sembrich
Prima Voce - Covent Garden: An Early History on Record
The Very Best of Beniamino Gigli
The Very Best Of Maria Callas

ASIN: B0000037J2
Release Date: 1992-12-02

Tracks:

La Somnambula: Ah! Non Giunge - Luisa Tetrazzini
Pagliacci: No! Pagliaccio Non Son - Enrico Caruso
Lucrezia Borgia: Brindisi - Ernestine Schumann-Heink
Don Giovanni: Il Mio Tesoro - John McCormack
I Puritani: Son Vergin Vezzosa - Amelita Galli-Curci
Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum - Riccardo Stracciari
Norma: Casta Diva - Rosa Ponselle
I Puritani: A Te O Cara - Giacomo Lauri-Volpi
Turandot: In Questa Reggia - EVA TURNER
Un Ballo In Maschera: Eri Tu - Lawrence Tibbett
Carmen: Habanera - Conchita Supervia
La Boheme: Che Gelida Manina - Beniamino Gigli
Samson Et Delilah: Softly Awakes My Heart - Marian Anderson
L'Amico Fritz: Suzel, Buon Di - Tito Schipa/Mafalda Favero
Refice: Ombra Di Nube - Claudia Muzio
Die Zauberflote: Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Schon - Richard Tauber

Customer Reviews:

Magic of old 78 rpm recordings.......2007-07-21

This excellent compilation of famous operatic pre-WW2 recordings start with a blast - Luisa Tetrazzini oompah-pah her way through Bellini with cartoonish abandon and her impact is such that nothing that comes afterwards can compare to her genius.Sure,they are all excellent in their way,after all we are talking about Caruso,Ponselle and Tauber here but its Tetrazzini I always return to and this CD inspired me to search for her own "Prima Voce" CD.Special mention: Richard Tauber who had a golden touch with everything and Marian Anderson who stand out.Excellent introduction.

An historical treat.......2007-04-19

This is a worthy addition to the collections of music from opera from the early part of the 20th century. Names that are famous come to life as one listens to their music; one comes to see differences in technique from the earlier part of the 20th century to today. This includes some of the greatest names in opera from the time period, such as Enrico Caruso, Beniamino Gigli, Amelita Galli-Curci, and so on. Let's consider a sampling. . . .

The redoubtable Luisa Tetrazzini sings "Ah! Non giunge" from Bellini's "La Sonnambula." We experience a different coloratura technique from that of the past 50 years; in itself, this makes this version interesting. The singer takes this song at a nice pace. Tetrazzini shows nice agility; her higher notes are cleanly hit in the first "go through." In the repeat, there is greater ornamentation. She uses higher notes as opposed to more trills and other florid techniques characteristic of the more recent past. There are some nice high notes toward the finale. She displays an attractive voice and good technique, although the c lose is a bit wild and wooly.

John McCormack sings "Il mio Tesoro" from "Il Trovatore." He shows a rich voice, although a bit wooden to me. The song is competently sung, but not much characterization comes through (compare with Stracciari's manic "Largo al factotum").

Amelita Galli-Curci, the well regarded coloratura soprano sings "Son vergin vezzosa," a piece well rendered by the likes of Joan Sutherland and Beverly Sills and Sumi Jo. Again, different technique from what we are used to, but nicely sung. She demonstrates a smooth and agile voice. The ornamentation is well done (if not as we are accustomed to). She hits some high notes, although the last one seems a bit thin. All in all, a nice version.

And then there is Riccardo Stracciari, singing the wonderful "Largo al factotum" from "Il Barbiere de Siviglia." He sings with great enthusiasm and creates a character with just his voice (mirabile dictu!). He begins at a quick pace and goes from there. His voice is attractive, with a nice lower tone. He seems to enjoy singing this; he also shows nice breath control. After his repeating "Figaro" many times, he then accelerates the pace of the music, putting the music into high gear. He hits the notes well, remains musical, and generates great energy. A terrific version (he's in the same league with Tito Gobbi, whom I think did a stellar job on this work).

Others? Gigli, Caruso, Marian Anderson, Tito Schipa, Richard Tauber, Lawrence Tibbett, Rosa Ponselle, and so on. This would be a very nice addition to the musical library of anyone who is interested in the voices from an earlier era. Despite the more primitive technology, the voices ring out and leave one with a sense of what once was in the world of opera.

An important part of any collection.......2002-01-18

While noone will rave about the sound quality of these recordings, they are none the less important documents regarding the transition of operatic style from the 19th to the 20th centuries. Most pieces are at a quicker tempo or edited due to recording restrictions of the time, however, these imperfections vanish when one hears the stunning diction and speed of Stracciari's "Largo" from Barbiere, or the halting dignity of Ponselle's "Casta Diva" foreshadowing Callas and Sutherland. Ernestine Schumann-Heink's glorious "Brindisi" and Marian Anderson's supple English version of "mon couer ouvre a ta voix" from Samson are beautiful examples of 19th century technique and vocalism captured by 20th century technology. Not to be missed!

Average customer rating:

Wonderful
PLEASE...
A great introduction to CB
Not her best work!
Sampler of Bartoli's recordings over the years

Art of Cecilia Bartoli (Dig)
Cecilia Bartoli
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Cecilia Bartoli - Live in Italy / Jean-Yves Thibaudet
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Cecilia Bartoli - A Portrait
Cecilia Bartoli - An Italian Songbook (Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini)

ASIN: B00006JIC4
Release Date: 2002-10-01

Tracks:

Handel: Lascia ch'io pianga" (from Rinaldo)
Handel: "Scherzano sul tuo volto" (from Rinaldo)
Vivaldi: "Dell'aura al sussurrar" (from Dorilla in Tempe)
Vivaldi: "Gelido in ogni vena" (excerpt) (from Farnace)
Vivaldi: "Anch'il mar par che sommerga" (from Il Tamerlano)
Gluck: "Di questa cetra in seno" (from Il Parnaso confuso)
Gluck: "Se mai senti" (excerpt) (from La clemenza di Tito)
Mozart: "Non so piy cosa son, cosa faccio" (from Le Nozze di Figaro)
Mozart: "Voi che sapete" ((from Le Nozze di Figaro)
Mozart: "L` ci darem la mano" (from Don Giovanni)
Mozart: "Un moto di gioia" (from Le Nozze di Figaro)
Mozart: "Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa" (from Die Zauberflvte)
Rossini: "Nacqui all'affanno ... Non piy mesta" (from La cenerentola)
Rossini: "Dunque io son...tu non m'inganni?" (from Il barbiere di Siviglia)
Rossini: "Squallida veste, e bruna" (from Il turco in Italia)
Donizetti: "Una parola, o Adina ... Chiedi all'aura" (from L'Elisir d'amore)
Verdi: "Libiamo ne'lieti calici" (Brindisi from La Traviata)

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful.......2005-10-02

This is a fabulous album!!! Her arias by Handel, Gluck, Mozart, and Rossini are unbelievable. Her and Bryn Terfel sound great together, especially on the "Dun'que io son" from Il Barbiere di Siviglia. The Handel duet from Rinaldo, featuring the acclaimed countertenor David Daniels is brilliant!! I, however, do not care for the duets with Pavarotti. Her voice is too light to sing Verdi. Pavarotti's voice is also not what it used to be. I'm still rating it with five stars, because despite a couple of bad duets with Pavarotti, the album is a wonderful collection of Cecilia Bartoli.

PLEASE..........2005-08-31

I don't understand why Cecilia Bartoli is loved for a lot of people. In a many cases, there are high notes with estridence, gasping, and also the vibrato is excesive . If you want to enjoy a great Rossini's opera, listen Maria Callas and Victoria de los Angeles.

A great introduction to CB.......2003-10-13

Cecilia Bartoli has been around since the 1980s, and her career has been nothing short of spectacular. This CD provides a great introduction to her world, but most Bartoli lovers will already have most of the tracks on this CD. This CD opens with 2 extracts from her recording of Rinaldo, with David Daniels in the title role. She gives a moving performance of Lascia ch'io pianga, and a delightful rendition of the duettino with David Daniels. The CD then moves on to excerpts from Cecilia's most popular album to date - The Vivaldi Album. This album consists of mainly world premiere recordings, and the 3 samples we get here show Cecilia's ability to move, amazing coloratura ability, and the skill to popularize rare pieces. Indeed, the next samples, from the Gluck CD, also contains world premiere recordings, and we get to hear 'Di questa cetra in seno' beautifully sung, and also 'Se mai senti', which is devastatingly heartbreaking. Of course, we get a large portion of Mozart, a composer central to her career, and Cherubino's 2 arias, are delightfully sung, as is 'Un moto di gioia'. 2 duets with Bryn Terfel are also featured, from their album Cecilia and Bryn. Rossini is another composer associated strongly with her, and she show off her vocal acrobatics and extraordinary range in 3 excerpts, from Le Cenerentola, Il Barbiere, and Il Turco in Italia. Lastly, there are 2 previously unreleased duets with Pavarotti, which are more commercial, but they are fun nonetheless.

Overall, this is a great introduction to Cecilia and her singing, though if you are already a fanatic you will not find much new here.

Not her best work!.......2003-02-10

Don't get me wrong, Cecilia Bartoli is one of my favorite singers, but this just was not her best work! Most of the pieces on this CD are the'popular' arias, but are not the arias that represent her the best. If you want to hear cecilia at her best listen to her Rossini CD's, as well as her Italian Songbook CD.

Sampler of Bartoli's recordings over the years.......2002-12-01

Soprano Cecilia Bartoli garnered international acclaim with her first recording fourteen years ago and has continued to build on that success. This CD is a sampler of her recorded work over those years, supplemented by two new duets with Luciano Pavarotti. Ranging from the languid sorrow of Handel's Lascia ch'io pianga to the good cheer of Verdi's Libiamo ne' lieti calici, these operatic duets and arias are a wonderful cross-section of Bartoli's career to date, demonstrating her remarkable range of emotional expression.

Bartoli is a master of technique, as shown in her astounding performance of Vivaldi's frenetic show-stopper Anch'il mar par che sommerga. She also has a glorious timbral command, darkening her tone color to superb effect in that same composer's Gelido in ogni vena. This is one of the highlights of the disc, as Bartoli adds an eerie breathy quality to her voice, singing at the softest possible dynamic level, exactly matching the effect of the text "I feel my blood like ice coursing through every vein./The shade of my lifeless son afflicts me with terror."

Customer Reviews:

Valuable compendium.......2007-01-24

This set is extremely valuable, not only as an overview of Dame Joans career but because it contains three complete LP sets that have been very hard to find. The sets are the 2 LP French opera (operetta) set, the Mozart album and the Wagner album. Although some of these do not show her to her best advantage (the Wagner set) they all have some very beautiful things and the French items are superb. The annotations and photos are interesting as well and there are some piano songs with Bonynge that are released here for the first time along with a scene from a live Covent Garden Norma.

Rareties available on CD at last!.......2006-03-29

While Joan Sutherland has recorded a number of impressive aria collections throughout the many years of her recording career, they tend to get lost in the shuffle of the countless reissues Decca/London has endlessly repackaged. While some of the original collections have appeared intact on CD--"The Art of the Prima Donna," "The Age of Bel Canto," "Love Live Forever" (her operetta collection that was originally titled "The Golden Age of Operetta"), to name a few--others are currently represented in the CD catalogue by only a few selections on discs that also include excerpts from complete opera recordings or duplicates of selections from other original collections. As a result, it has been impossible to assemble a CD collection of her recordings without a LOT of duplication, and some of the most interesting collections are still unavailable (e.g. "Command Performance" and "Serate Musicale").

While this newest set does include a lot of bits of this and that, ranging from her very first LPs to excerpts from complete recordings most Sutherland fans already have and a few "live" performances, what is perhaps most significant about it is that it features the complete contents of the "Sutherland Sings Wagner" LP--a real repertoire departure for her--and the double-LP album called "French Opera Gala" (in the U.S.--the British title was "Romantic French Arias"), neither of which, to the best of my knowledge, has been available on CD before. "Opera News" magazine once ran an article in which they asked various stars to name the one album that they felt best represented their artistry for future generations, and Dame Joan selected the "French Opera Gala," so for Sutherland fans, this is a long-awaited treat.

I'm not going to waste space saying how miraculous I consider Dame Joan's artistry. If you are familiar with her work already, you know whether you adore her or not; and if you aren't, this massive set is probably not the best place to start (that would be "The Art of the Prima Donna" album that introduced her to most listeners decades ago)--especially since this newest set doesn't contain the lyrics, a must for newcomers. Let's hope Decca/London gets around to releasing the rest of her recordings intact instead of endlessly scrambling and repackaging the same selections over and over.

Heavenly.......2006-01-31

I first heard of Dame Sutherland while on the internet while listening to a internet radio station. I was instantly a fan, her control, technique, and tone is perfectly executed and rivals the equally fantastic Maria Callas. She has a powerful voice and presence that will evoke every emotion from her listeners. Highly recommended to all Opera Diva fans.

WHO ELSE CAN SING LIKE THIS TODAY?.......2005-04-10

This is Decca's second multi disc evaluation of this fantastic singer's long career and many recordings. True that a lot on the first set is duplicated here, but there are a few exceptions here and there that make it a worthy addition. Of particular interest are the very early items of Handel and Italian baroque arias, some forgotten song recordings and a live performance of the duet from Norma. It can't be said too many times - who can sing like this today? For sheer vocalism it's hard to find anyone on the same wavelength. This set will give very young opera goers an idea of what they missed.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro / Don Giovanni / Così fan tutte / Die Zauberflöte - The Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra & Chorus / Arnold Östman

Average customer rating:

Refreshing and Surprising!
Some of the most thought-provoking recordings ever, combined with some of the most perfect performances I have ever heard.
Best ever!!

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro / Don Giovanni / Così fan tutte / Die Zauberflöte - The Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra & Chorus / Arnold Östman
Barbara Bonney , Arleen Auger , and The Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra & Chorus
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9 (Fra)
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Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin

ASIN: B00006IU7V
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Album Details

These Pioneering Performances of Four of Mozart's Greatest and Most Popular Operas under the Direction of Arnold Östman were Recorded at Nacka Aula, Stockholm. They all Attracted Great Critical Acclaim at the Time of their Original Release and have Been a Part of Decca's Vast Opera Catalogue Ever Since. The Da Ponte Trilogy (One of the Greatest Librettist/Composer Collaborations in the Entire History of Music), Comprising Le Nozze Di Figaro, Don Giovanni and Così Fan Tutte, is Paired with One of Mozart's Last Operas, Dating from the Last Year of his Life, Die Zauberflöte. The Superb Casts Assembled for These Recordings Include Such Experienced Mozart Interpreters as Arleen Auger (Countess, Donna Anna), Barbara Bonney (Susanna, Zerlina, Pamina), Håkan Hagegård (Count, Don Giovanni, Speaker), Sumi Jo (Queen of the Night), Della Jones (Marcellina, Donna Elvira), Petteri Salomaa (Figaro), Kurt Streit (Tamino), Lillian Watson (Papagena), Gösta Winbergh (Ferrando), Rachel Yakar (Fiordilig

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing and Surprising!.......2006-11-24

I would strongly recommend this collection to anyone who is seeking a new approach and sound world for these Mozart operas. Ostman opts for brisk tempi and transparent textures, but hardly ever at the expense of characterization or expressivity. The singers respond to the challenge with performances that bristle with excitement and fun. The cast blends with the orchestra like a chamber music ensemble, inspiring the listener to experience the opera as a conversation between the text and the intimations expressed in Mozart's musically and psychologically penetrating orchestration. Occasionally one may miss the lyric line and warmth associated with such great Mozart conductors as Bruno Walter or Karl Bohm; but the brio, virtousity, and brilliant insights of Ostman compensate with different kinds of rewards. Also, there is an intimate atmosphere in these recordings that is most faithful to the ethos and meaning of the libretti themselves. After listening to this period approach, my understanding of Mozart has changed radically, and I continue to relish the challenge that these performances have given to my interpretative sensibilities.

Some of the most thought-provoking recordings ever, combined with some of the most perfect performances I have ever heard........2005-09-14

First of all, I must state first that I was ANXIOUS to write this rave review. Ever since I got these cd's and realized the treause that is to be found in these recordings I just couldn't wait until I'd had the chance to tell everybody else about it... I honestly believe these recordings should be heard by anybody who is interested in this repertoire and music in general, since this are also some of the most perfect pieces of music in the repertoire.

As for the music itself, I am not going to write about. I think it is enough to read my last sentence to realize exactly what I think about it - and it is really just a must. That's composition taken to the highest possible level.

What I do want to write is about the performances.
Arnold Ostman, not the most known figure in the musical world, (not even amongst musicians- I come from Juilliard, and that name is definitely not one everybody knows) has created in the 80's in Mozart the equivalent of what Harnoncourt and Gardiner have done in Bach performance practice, i.e. has totally changed the conecption which was assimilated into everybody's mind regarding notions about how music of that era should sound like.

Trying to create a performance experience which emulates Mozart's period performance practice he changed everything starting from tempos, through ornamentation and of course- the voices themselves.

For us, most people indoctrinated by the post-romantisicm eastablished especially by Herbert von Karajan and the ilks of him, the first initial response will be a shock. The almost imperceptible swift tempos, the small voices etc. are sure to knock over anybody who haven't heard these recordings before. It might create an intial negative response but hang-on there, as the result is so much more gratifying then of hearing a recording of Karajan, Giulini, Furtwangler or any GREAT other conductor from that era- They were obviously incredible musical figures, but in terms of style and total perception of the piece it just doesn't work on the same level, in Mozart of course. (You'd still want to keep your Furtwangler's ninth copy...)

What is so great about Ostman is the freshness of mind with which he walks into every piece. Just like a real iconoclast
it seems as if he has landed from an entire different planet, and is just coming to conduct these pieces and give their debut. I can't give a more sincere and true compliment than that, musically speaking.

The results are the most fresh interpretations up to date of Mozart most important operas which also derive from some of the best vocal performances I have ever heard.
Under Ostman's direction it seems as though all the singers bloom and give their most musical and inspired performances,
holding on under the swiftest tempos in an admirable way. There is no point in pointing out names because it is as in a rule that the performances are just stellar one by one, even though not carrying around sometimes the most famous names.

This is not to say that all of the recordings in this set are equally perfect, and that I agree to all of the interprations and the insights given by Ostman, but you can't disregard the feeling that he knew EXACTLY what he wanted and executed it almost flawlessly. (the one exception might be small part of Cosi, mainly the overture, which was recorded very early in the stages of period instruments playing- therefore not always as perfect as you would have liked to hear it, but the performance as a whole is still the most beautiful Cosi I know.)

As for the packaging itself: The price is a complete steal, (incredible especially if you order it through other sellers, got mine for about 40$). What you DON'T get are the librettos, so you'd HAVE to get them from a different source. Either a different recording you might have, (you just might want one of the standard reference recordings one usually hears about like Giulini's) or you could just buy the librettos through Amazon, would still cost you very little.

Should not be missed by any terms by anybody who cares for music.

Ran

Best ever!!.......2004-01-12

Ostman created a stir when he made these recordings in the 1980s. And now it available in a collectors' edition box. I'm so excited. Sumi Jo's Queen of the Night here is even better than her recording for Solti. Ostman's Don Giovanni is the fastest I've ever heard, not to mention the most exciting. This Cosi Fan Tutte is Gramophone's reference Cosi. And this Figaro has many "alternative" arias that other recordings never bother with. Don't worry, the alternative is at the back so you can program it out. In fact, this is the only set of Mozart operas with ALL the alternative arias available. Even Gardiner does not have some of these. So this is a supreme set of importance.

Tracks:

Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail

Tracks:

Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Die Entf Aus Dem Serail
Cosan Tutte: Come Scoglio
Cosan Tutte: Der Odem Der Liebe (Un' Aura Amorosa)
Cosan Tutte: Ei Parte...Senti! ...Ah, No!
Cosan Tutte: Per PietBen Mio, Perdona
Die Zauberfl Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaubernd Sch
Die Zauberfl Wie Stark Ist Nicht Dein Zauberton
Die Zauberfl In Diesen Heil'gen Hallen

Customer Reviews:

Mozart by the Mozarteans for the Mozarteans.......2001-01-29

In general, I agree with the previous reviewer. The voices are well-recorded but the orchestra is a little compressed and muddy by current DDD standards, although remarkably good for 1945.

The opera heaps fiendish difficulties on the lead soprano and tenor. In Act II, the voice of Constanze is carpet bombed by almost a quarter of an hour of brilliant and difficult coloratura warbling with only a short orchestral interlude in the middle to regain her breath. Belmonte has one long, long piece of vocal pyrotechnics after another.

Elizabeth Schwartzkopf does a fine job. Yes, she bobbles a note-but even great Homer and Jove occasionally nod. Anton Dermota is the star of the set, undoubtedly the Mozart tenor of the recording era. He did not have the prettiest voice on record, nor the longest breath control, but he was simply right in every thing he did. As a singing performer, he is matched only by Maria Callas and Tito Gobbi, very rarified company, indeed. Here, his voice is well caught. The man sang Mozart as nearly perfectly as any mortal is likely to do. What a pity that his active singing career did not extend into the digital era so that the orchestra could be matched to the near-perfection of the singer. Emmy Loose, as always, does with seeming ease what Mozart asks of her. One cannot give higher praise. She is particularly amusing when she follows Osmin down into the basso-profundo depths.

I cannot agree on the smaller parts. Pedrillo, the second tenor is a clown. I am not particularly upset to hear a clown part sung by a man who sounds very like Eddie Cantor, the old vaudeville and radio comedian. He sings that lovely, but unregarded gem in Act III, "In Mohrenland", very well. Osmin is sung by Herbert Almen, a woefully under-recorded performer who seems to have been a reliable house basso all over Germany in the years straddling World War II. In every performance of the Serail that I have seen, the weak link has always been Osmin (not Constanze). On this recording, Almen is a true bass who produces controlled and focused sound from the top to the bottom of his range-providing us with a performance rather than a gargle. In the recital portion of the disc he gives a very clean-sounding aria from Die Zauberfloete which, to my astonishment, I found I preferred to outings by Greindl and Hotter.

The recital portion of the CD showcases pieces from Cosi fan Tutte and Die Zauberfloete by Schwartzkopf, Dermota and Almen. It is a nice little benefit and almost makes up for the failure to record Constanze's Act I aria. I suppose this omission must reflect some standard performance cut of the era, although I cannot imagine why it should have been done.

A must-have for lovers of Mozart's best neglected opera.......1999-05-18

This historical recording of Mozart's most technically difficult opera will change your mind about its standing as one of his greatest. If you've suffered through endless bad recordings of Die Entfuhrung performed by inept interpreters, this will be a revelation. Because of its age (recorded in 1945) you will wish the sound quality of the orchestral and choral numbers were a little clearer, but the arias and ensembles are just fine, and the splendid art of the performance shines through. It is well worth the purchase just to hear Anton Dermota's mastery--probably the best Belmonte in recorded history. Instead of following tradition by playing the role heroically, he interprets the words and music correctly by highlighting the character's sensitivity and sweetness. Elisabeth Schwartzkopf flounders a little on her high C in "Martern aller Arten," but the rest of her work shows an intelligent, brilliant understanding of the role and is thoroughly enjoyable. Emmy Loose as Blonde also gives a notable performance. The Osmin and Pedrillo could be much better, but you will be glad to have this CD just for the others. The low cost is a particular bonus. It is recorded without the recitatives--just straight, glorious music, and has no libretto. Also absent is Constanze's first aria, "Ach ich liebte," but Traurigkeit" is so good you'll never miss it. The bonus tracks from Cosi Fan Tutte and Die Zauberflote are also outstanding.

Tracks:

Non Piu Andrai
Voi Che Sapete
E Susanna Non Vien...Dove Sono
Giunse Alfin Il Momento...Deb, Vieni, Non Tardar
Madamina, Il Catalogo E Questo
Dalla Sua Pace (Vienna Version)
Finch Han Dalvino
Batti, Batti, O Bel Masetto
Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata (Vienna Version)
Smanie Implacabili
Come Scoglio Immota Resta
Un Aura Amorosa
Per Pieta, Ben Mio, Perdona
Dies Bildnis Ist Bezaudernd Schon
Der Holle Rache Bocht In Meinem Herzen
Ach, Ich Fubl's
Der Vogelfanger Bin Ich Ja

Average customer rating:

Bon appetit!

Essential Mozart Opera

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00008J2NZ
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture
The Marriage Of Figaro: Voi, Che Andrai
The Marriage Of Figaro: Non Piu Andrai
The Marriage Of Figaro: Dove Sono
The Marriage Of Figaro: Se Vuol Ballare, Signor Contino
The Marriage Of Figaro: Cosa Mi Narri!...Che Soave Zeffiretto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Pace, Pace, Mio Dolce Tesoro
The Magic Flute: Der Vogelfanger Bin Ich Ja
The Magic Flute: Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Pa-Papagena!
The Magic Flute: Der Holle Rache Kocht In Meinem Herzen
The Magic Flute: O Zittre Nicht, Mein Lieber Sohn!
The Magic Flute: Ach, Ich Fuhl's, Es Ist verschwunden
The Magic Flute: Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm! Hm!
The Magic Flute: O Isis Und Osiris, Welche Wonne
Idomeneo: Placido E Il Mar, Andiamo
Idomeneo: Zeffiretti Lusinhieri
Idomeneo: Scenda Amor, Scenda Lmeneo
La Clemenza Di Tito: Overture
La Clemenza Di Tito: Parto, Parto, Ma Tu, Ben Mio

Tracks:

The Abduction From The Seaglio: Overture
The Abduction From The Seaglio: Martern Aller Arten
The Abduction From The Seaglio: Vivat Bacchus, Bacchus Lebe
The Abduction From The Seaglio: O, Wie Will Ich Triumphieren
Don Giovanni: Madamina, Il Catalogo E Questo
Don Giovanni: La Ci Darem La Mano
Don Giovanni: Dalla Sua Pace
Don Giovanni: Fin Ch'han Dal Vino Calda La Testa
Don Giovanni: Batti, Batti, O Bel Masetto
Don Giovanni: Il Mio Tesoro Intanto Andate A Consolar
Don Giovanni: In Quali Eccessi, O Numi...Mi Tradi Quell'alma Ingrata
Don Giovanni: Deh, Vieni Alla Finestra, O Mio Tesoro
Cosi Fan Tutte: Un'aura Amorosa Del Nostro Tesoro
Cosi Fan Tutte: E Amore Un Ladroncello
Cosi Fan Tutte: Soave Sia Il Vento
Cosi Fan Tutte: Ei PArte...Per Pieta, Ben Mio, Perdona
Cosi Fan Tutte: Temerai! Sortite...Come Scoglio

Customer Reviews:

Bon appetit!.......2006-09-01

This 2CDs set is quite a good compilation of arias from Mozart's best known operas. The cast is awesome, too.

The trouble is Mozart wrote so many wonderful arias that when you try to compile them from many operas, lots of the great ones like 'Non piu di fiori' and 'Deh per questo istante solo' from La clemenza di Tito get left out (tho having Teresa Berganza's version of 'Parto ma tu ben mio' makes up for it somewhat). A lot of chorus pieces from Idomeneo but none of Idamante's arias, no Elettra's famous rage aria, and no 'Traurigkeit' from 'Die Entfuehrung'?

Bottom line, all the arias included are marvellously sung. I think the line up could have been better, tho. It won't fill you up, perhaps, but it will wet your appetite for complete set of the operas included.

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