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Disc 1 Total Playing Time: 1:11:42 | |
1. Gianni Schicchi, opera: "O! mio babbino caro" (2:11)
Common Name O Mio Babbino Caro, Gianni Schicchi Opera
Composer Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
Sung Text Author Giovacchino Forzano (1884-1970)
Original Text Author Dante Alighieri (1265-1321)
Conductor Lamberto Gardelli
Performer Renata Tebaldi (Soprano)
Orchestra Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Genre Comic Opera / Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1918; Italy
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date July 1962
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Teatro Della Pergola, Florence, Italy
2. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor), Act 3: Va, pensiero (Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves) (4:47)
Common Name Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves Va Pensiero, Nabucco Opera Nabucodonosor
Composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Sung Text Author Temistocle Solera (1815-1878)
Conductor Lamberto Gardelli
Chorus Master Roberto Benaglio
Choir Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor (Vienna State Opera Chorus)
Orchestra Wiener Staatsopernorchester (Vienna State Opera Orchestra)
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1842 Italy
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date September 1965
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
3. Rodelinda, regina de' Langobardi, opera, HWV 34, Act 1: Dove sei, amato bene? (Art thou troubled) (6:55)
Common Name Rodelinda Regina De' Langobardi Opera
Catalog No. HWV 19
Composer George Frederick Handel (1685 - 1759)
Sung Text Author Nicola Francesco Haym (1678-1729)
Original Text Author Antonio Salvi (1664-1724) / Pierre Corneille (1606-1684)
Conductor Henry Lewis
Performer Marilyn Horne (Mezzo-soprano)
Orchestra Vienna Cantata Orchestra
Genre Baroque Period / Opera
Date Written 1725
Period Baroque
Notes Composition written: 1725. Composition revised: Germany.
Recording Date October 1967
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
4. L'elisir d'amore, opera, Act 2: "Una furtiva lagrima" (4:49)
Common Name Una Furtiva Lagrima, L' Elisir D'amore Opera
Composer Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848)
Sung Text Author Felice Romani (1788-1865)
Original Text Author Eugène Scribe (1791-1861)
Conductor France Molinari-Pradelli
Performer Giuseppe Di Stefano (Tenor)
Orchestra Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Genre Comic Opera / Opera / Opera Buffa / Romantic Period
Date Written 1832; Italy
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date September 1955
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Teatro Comunale, Florence, Italy
5. Lakmé, opera, Act 2: Ah ... où va la jeune Indoue (Bell Song) (7:52)
Common Name Lakme Opera
Composer Léo Delibes (1836 - 1891)
Sung Text Author Edmond Gondinet (1828-1888) / Philippe Gille (1831-1901
Conductor France Molinari-Pradelli
Performer Dame Joan Sutherland (Soprano)
Orchestra Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1883; France
Period Romantic
Country France
Recording Date August 1960
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Kingsway Hall, London, United Kingdom
6. Tosca, opera, Act 3: E lucevan le stelle (3:10)
Common Name E Lucevan Le Stelle, Tosca Opera
Composer Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
Sung Text Author Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906) / Luigi Illica (1857-1919)
Original Text Author Victorien Sardou (1831-1908)
Conductor Lorin Maazel
Performer Franco Corelli (Tenor)
Orchestra Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1900; Italy
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date June 1966
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy
7. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act: Easter Hymn: "Regina coeli laetare" (5:26)
Common Name Cavalleria Rusticana Opera Melodramma In 1 Act
Composer Pietro Mascagni (1863 - 1945)
Sung Text Author Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti / Guido Menasci (1867-1925)
Conductor Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Chorus Master Terry Edwards
Performer Julia Varády (Soprano)
Choir The London Opera Chorus
Orchestra The National Philharmonic Orchestra
Genre Opera / Verismo Opera
Period Post-Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date June 1976
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Kingsway Hall, London, United Kingdom
8. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96, Act 3: Prize Song: "Morgenlich leuchtend" (4:22)
Common Name Prize Song Morgenlich Leuchtend, Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg Opera
Catalog No. WWV 96
Composer Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Conductor Dietfried Bernet
Performer James King (Tenor)
Orchestra Wiener Opernorchester (Vienna Opera Orchestra)
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1862-1867; Germany
Period Romantic
Country Germany
Recording Date March 1967
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
9. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70, Act 3: Pilgrim's Chorus: Beglückt darf nun dich, o Heimat (5:03)
Common Name Tannhauser Opera (Paris version)
Catalog No. WWV 70
Composer Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)
Sung Text Author Richard Wagner (1813-1883)
Conductor Sir Georg Solti
Performer Victor Braun (Baritone)
Helga Dernesch (Soprano)
Chorus Master Norbert Balatsch, Wilhelm Pitz
Choir Wiener Staatsopernchor (Vienna State Opera Chorus)
Orchestra Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra)
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1843-1865; Germany
Period Romantic
Country Germany
Recording Date October 1970
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
10. Rusalka, opera, B. 203 (Op. 114), Act 1: Mesícku na nebi hlubokém (O silver moon) (6:11)
Common Name O Silver Moon Mesicku Na Nebi Hlubokem, Rusalka Opera
Catalog No. B 203
Composer Antonín Dvorák (1841 - 1904)
Sung Text Author Jaroslav Kvapil (1868-1950)
Conductor Giuseppe Patanè
Performer Pilar Lorengar (Soprano)
Orchestra Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written Czechoslovakia
Period Romantic
Country Czechoslovakia
Recording Date July 1966
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy
11. Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act: Intermezzo sinfonico (3:57)
Common Name Cavalleria Rusticana Opera Melodramma In 1 Act
Composer Pietro Mascagni (1863 - 1945)
Sung Text Author Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti / Guido Menasci (1867-1925)
Conductor Tullio Serafin
Orchestra Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Genre Opera / Verismo Opera
Date Written Italy
Period Post-Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date July 1960
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy
12. La favorita, opera, Act 4: Spirito gentil (5:28)
Common Name La Favorita Opera (Italian version)
Composer Gaetano Donizetti (1797 - 1848)
Sung Text Author Alphonse Royer (1803-1875) / Gustave Vaëz (1812-1862)
Original Text Author François-Thomas-Marie de Baculard d'Arnaud (1718-1805)
Conductor Sir Edward Downes
Performer Luciano Pavarotti (Tenor)
Orchestra Wiener Opernorchester (Vienna Opera Orchestra)
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1840-1843
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date June 1968
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria
13. Orfeo ed Euridice (Orphée et Eurydice), opera, Wq. 30, Act 3: Aria: Che farò senza Euridice? (3:50)
Common Name Che Faro Senza Euridice, Orfeo Ed Euridice Italian Version Opera In 3 Acts
Catalog No. WQ 30
Composer Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714 - 1787)
Sung Text Author Raniero da Calzabigi (1714-1795)
Conductor Sir Alexander Gibson
Performer Teresa Berganza (Mezzo-soprano)
Orchestra Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Genre Classical Period / Opera
Date Written 1762/1774; Vienna, Austria
Period Classical
Note Sung in Italian/Vienna version (1762)
Recording Date June 1960
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Kingsway Hall, London, United Kingdom
14. Tosca, opera, Act 1: Recondita armonia (2:49)
Common Name Recondita Armonia, Tosca Opera
Composer Giacomo Puccini (1858 - 1924)
Sung Text Author Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906) / Luigi Illica (1857-1919)
Original Text Author Victorien Sardou (1831-1908)
Conductor Lorin Maazel
Performer Alfredo Mariotti (Baritone)
Franco Corelli (Tenor)
Orchestra Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1900; Italy
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date June 1966
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Italy
15. Rigoletto, opera, Act 3: Quartet: Bella figlia dell'amore (5:31)
Common Name Rigoletto Opera
Composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813 - 1901)
Sung Text Author Francesco Maria Piave (1810-1876)
Original Text Author Victor Marie Hugo (1802-1885)
Conductor Richard Bonynge
Performer Huguette Tourangeau (Mezzo-Soprano)
Martti Talvela (Bass)
Sherrill Milnes (Baritone)
Luciano Pavarotti (Tenor)
Dame Joan Sutherland (Soprano)
Orchestra London Symphony Orchestra
Genre Opera / Romantic Period
Date Written 1851; Italy
Period Romantic
Country Italy
Recording Date June 1971
Live / Studio Studio
Format ADD Stereo
Recording Location Kingsway Hall, London, United Kingdom
Album Review
Decca has pulled together a blockbuster collection of many of opera's greatest hits from the standard repertoire. The selection is heavily weighted to the nineteenth century, and to Italian operas, but it does indeed offer a generous sampling of what the general public understands as the staples of the repertoire. It includes one Baroque aria, from Handel's Rodelinda, and several from the Classical era -- two arias from Gluck's Orfeo ed Eurydice, and seven from Mozart's operas -- and the rest range from the bel canto of Rossini to the verismo of Cilea and Puccini. The selection is primarily made up of arias, but includes ensembles, choruses, and orchestral excerpts. The majority of the pieces comes from Decca's catalog of complete studio opera recordings, most of them made in the '50s and '60s. Decca doesn't stint in offering some of its most outstanding performances -- the star-studded list of singers includes Joan Sutherland, Renata Tebaldi, Birgit Nilsson, Marilyn Horne, Jussi Björling, Luciano Pavarotti, Franco Corelli, and Nicolai Ghiaurov. The performances are clearly labeled, identifying the singers, the conductor, and orchestra, making it easy for anyone wanting to seek out the complete recording from which an excerpt was taken to do so. Decca's sound during its golden age was state of the art, so the quality is good. This collection offers just what it claims to, and makes a generous introduction to the highlights of the standard repertoire.
by Stephen Eddins
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