CD-Charts Position 251
Average Rating:

Mozart - Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) / Levine, Battle, Serra, Metropolitan Opera

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
starring: Kathleen Battle, Francisco Araiza, Manfred Hemm, Kurt Moll, Luciana Serra
directed by: Brian Large

Release Date December 12, 2000
For me, the beauty of this Met production was every aria Kathleen Battle participated in. I've read all the stories about her arrogance and general over-the-top "diva-ness", but she certainly has an amazing voice. I've not heard a better Pamina. She brought tears to my eyes.

Manfred Hemm's Papageno is wonderfully acted. He charms the audience and extracts maximum effect from the comedic portions of his part.

This is by far the finest "Flute" production I've seen and heard.

CD-Charts Position 252
Average Rating:

Bach & Beyond - Gabriela Montero

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
from: EMI Classics

Release Date September 12, 2006
I wasn't as over-joyed with this CD as I expected to be. I bought it after hearing the title track on FM radio. The title track is, indeed, a jewel; the rest is, in my view, only high-grade "background" music.The pianist is a marvel (and a beauty, too!) - her popularity is easily understandable. She possesses a remarkable gift for transposing and transcribing classic keyboard to "swing" keyboard. Many Bach purists (this one, for example) don't appreciate that, even though we have to admit that a lot of Bach swings, anyway, without transcribing. Lsten to tracks 3 and 4 and you will get your money's worth - they're worth the price.

CD-Charts Position 253
Average Rating:

Christmas at St. Michael's Abbey: Chants for the Three Masses of Christmas

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
from: JADE RECORDS

Release Date September 09, 2008
It is very difficult to take it all in when you are at St. Michael's Abbey for the midnight Holy Mass. The chant, the warm candle lighting, the incense and much more. I am very visual and in order to appreciate the nuances of the Gregorian chant I close my eyes and take it in. Well, then I miss the beauty of the low light. This recording lets me take in the Chant by itself. Next Christmas I will enjoy again the Midnight Mass with a better appreciation for Gregorian Chant. As the late JPII wrote in his letter to artists "Gregorian chant, were beauty is wedded to truth". Thank you St. Michael's Abbey for this great recording.

CD-Charts Position 254
Average Rating:

Strauss: Four Last Songs / Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
from: Deutsche Grammophon

Release Date January 23, 1996
The Four Last Lieder recorded by Janowitz and Karajan have always raised controversy. Some listeners admire their perfection (orchestral, at least), but Janowitz's singing has often been criticized for being more pretty than meaningful. I cannot but agree - listen to either of the Schwarzkopf studio recordings (there is also a live one with Karajan available) to measure all you have been missing out with Janowitz! These poems depict the retrospective look of a woman upon her experience of life as she approaches the end of the path - and all that Janowitz ever does here is clinical, detached singing, almost devoid of all humanity.

Karajan's Metamorphosen have often been praised for their orchestral beauty - but to be fair he here mainly uses this work ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 255
Average Rating:

The 3 Tenors in Concert 1994

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
from: Atlantic / Wea

Release Date August 30, 1994
I enjoyed this CD because I like the tenors on it very much, and it included a number of selections where the three men are singing together, or cooperatively and that was the best part.

CD-Charts Position 256
Average Rating:

The Knot Collection of Ceremony and Wedding Music Selected by the Knot's Carley Roney

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
by: Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis

Release Date May 02, 2006
I was disapointed in the musical interpretation used in this disk. The selections are fine but the arrangements could be much better.

CD-Charts Position 257
Average Rating:

Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Scriabin, Rachmaninov, Chopin, Bach, Brahms: Alexis Weissenberg - Classic Archive

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
starring: Brahms, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Scriabin, Chopin

Release Date June 24, 2008
My title applies primarily to the 1965 black & white film of Alexis Weissenberg playing Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka, amazingly creatively filmed in Stockholm by Åke Falck. I remember seeing this film on TV almost forty years ago and the memory of it has stayed with me ever since. I am so pleased finally to have a copy of that marvelous film. Weissenberg was in his early thirties at the time and at the very height of his considerable form. The views provided by Falck are highly unusual but each has a clear intention of adding to our enjoyment of the music by showing us in closeup both the hands of Weissenberg and the movements of the mechanism of the piano; the camera actually almost climbs inside the piano. The whole thing is filmed with high-key contrast. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 258
Average Rating:

Mozart - Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) / Keenlyside, Roschmann, Hartmann, Damrau, Selig, Allen, Sir Colin Davis, Covent Garden

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
starring: Mozart, Simon Keenlyside, Dorothea Roschmann, Diana Damrau, Thomas Allen
directed by: Sir Colin Davis, David McVicar

Release Date September 23, 2003
Sir Colin Davis has done it again! The genius has made another beautiful interpretation of the one of Mozart's final pieces. I may be biased since Die Zauberflote is my favorite opera, but this is a fantastic performance! The cast is magnificent, especially Diana Damaru as the Queen of the Night (my reason for the purchase). However Tamino and Pamina both give memorable performances. Papageno, however sticks out as one of the most memorable performances. He gives both humor and drama where needed, and has perfect control over all of his movements and voice.

Both the set and lighting design are stunning. The cinematography is tasteful, in that you see the production as both a movie and a staged opera (or Singspiel). I have no complaints at all about this dvd!
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CD-Charts Position 259
Average Rating:

A Festival Of Carols / Robert Shaw Chorale

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
by: Robert Shaw Chorale

Release Date October 25, 1990
This collection of carols by R. Shaw one of the best I have had the pleasure of experiencing. It is truely a joy.

CD-Charts Position 260
Average Rating:

Hymns

CD-Charts > Music > Opera and Vocal
by: Beth Nielsen Chapman

Release Date November 02, 2004
This album contains some of the most beautiful music one can hear; stunning in its simplicity. The Donna Nobis Pacem brings me to tears and gives me goosebumps at the same time.