CD-Charts Position 21
Average Rating:

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: Richard Wagner, Georg Solti, Karita Mattila, Iris Vermillion, Herbert Lippert, José van Dam Ben Heppner, Richard Byrne, Alan Opie, Albert Dohmen, René Pape, Kevin Daes Roberto Saccà, Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Release Date February 11, 1997
This is the only Die Meistersinger I have, so unlike the first reviewer, I can't compare to any other recording.

What I will tell you is this: you've got to be a complete grouch to dislike this Solti version. Solti wasn't magic to everything he touched, but he had his enourmously sucessful moments, and this is one of them.

This was my first Wagner opera, and still one of my top favorite operas, second only to Berlioz's Les Troyen.

Considering the fact that the opera is four and a half hours long, this opera will hold your attention. I remember those evenings when I would sit with the libretto and read along. I learned the story and dialogue through and through, consequently I can enjoy the humor of it without ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 22
Average Rating:

Puccini: Suor Angelica / Bonynge, Sutherland

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
from: Decca

Release Date May 12, 1998
This review compares three of the recordings of Suor Angelica, with the finding that the recording of this miniature gem in the boxed set of Puccini's Il Trittico conducted by Antonio Pappano far exceeds the others in various qualities.

The best first. The vocal performances of both the title role (Cristina Gallardo-Domas) and la Zia Principessa (Bernadette Manca di Nissa) offer a great breadth of interpretation and an honest and true attention to pure vocal production. I have the very slightest of quibbles with one specific response from Gallardo-Domas' Angelica to her aunt, "La Vergine ci ascolta e Lei vi giudica!" is offered much too anglrily, where the score is marked "coldly." The wonderful choral work that supports the action and provides so much of the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 23
Average Rating:

Britten - War Requiem / Vishnievskaya · Pears · Fischer-Dieskau · LSO · Britten

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: Benjamin Britten, Peter Pears, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Melos Ensemble of London, London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Release Date October 25, 1990
Britten's reading is raw, transparent, vicious, thunderous, and very original. Especially nice is to actually understand the words of the two male soloists without having to refer to the booklet. His soloists are strong and clear, his choruses are tip-top perfect, the LSO is divine. It's hard to say something bad about this performance, except perhaps that Vishnevskaya can be slightly grating in certain sections.
In a lot of ways I like Robert Shaw's more "glossed" "mainstream" performance, and that performance also has a lot of punch behind it, especially the purely orchestra/chorus sections. Britten's of course, is definitive. It certainly is the strongest case to convince you of the effectiveness of the integrated texts. In the Shaw version you can hardly make English ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 24
Average Rating:

Danny Boy

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: John McDermott

Release Date June 19, 1996
God is it good music, but, God is it depressing. Be warned that listening to the entire album will require either copious amounts of chocolate or someones shoulder to cry on...

CD-Charts Position 25
Average Rating:

Wagner: Lohengrin

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: Richard Wagner, Sir Georg Solti, Plácido Domingo, Jessye Norman, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoperchor, Eva Randova, Hans Sotin, Siegmund Nimsgern Anna Gonda, Peter Jelosits, Thomas Mohr Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau

Release Date October 25, 1990
First let me point out this opera is one of my favorites. I do prefer it live and exciting. Generally I don't care for studio recordings at all. This recording has Solti/Domingo and that is special right there. In the early 1960s I found Solti's work wonderful and exciting. Here I find it easy going with toned down climaxes. I blame a portion of it on those Decca/London studio engineers. Like Solti's Ring I find too much sound and not enough spontaneity. Domingo is a great singer, perhaps the greatest to come out of the last half of the twentieth century. Watch the dvd Abbado/Domingo what a difference! Domingo pours out glorious sound not only in the solo moments but in the big ones as well. A riveting performance with Abbado.The rest of Solti's recording is fine even with a dull Norman. Funny ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 26
Average Rating:

The Irish Tenors Live in Belfast

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: Irish Traditional, James L. Molloy, Philip Martin, Lynette Johnson, Thomas Moore, Frank Lambert, Raymond Loughborough, Percy French, Richard Farrelly, William Wallace, Tempest Sanderson, Francis McPeake

Release Date January 08, 2007
My wife and I saw these tenors live and on stage and we were truly impressed. Their voices blend beautifully and they present a well rounded variety of songs. We so enjoyed the first CD that we bought this current one.

CD-Charts Position 27
Average Rating:

La Damoiselle elue / Opera Arias

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
from: Sony

Release Date December 09, 1997
....is a joy forever. Since Madame Sayao sang her last notes more than 50 years ago, few will know her. That is truly sad...from the mid 1930's to the early 1950's, Bidu made the lyric soprano repertoire her own. Trained in Europe as the last student of the great Jean de Reszke, she combined a beautiful voice with a perfect technique. Bidu sang the whole lyric gamut, from Mozart to Puccini, but Violetta, Juliette, and Mimi were roles for the ages. To my mind, she remains the absolutely definitive Mimi....

In this absolutely wonderful collection, we get to hear arias from two of her three greatest roles, Juliette being found elsewhere. In addition, her Mozart sparkles, and the "Butterfly" and "Gianni Schicchi" selections will make your heart flutter. [OK, I know; Albanese was the definitive ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 28
Average Rating:

Vesselina Kasarova - A Portrait

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: George Frideric Handel, Christoph Willibald Gluck, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Munich Radio Orchestra, Friedrich Haider, Vesselina Kasarova, Bavarian Radio Chorus, Tim Hennis, Isolde Mitternacht-Geibendorfer, Barbara Muller, Dankwart Siegele, Leonid Savitzky, Andreas Schulist

Release Date November 12, 1996
Vesselina Kasarova has been one of the most sublime and radiant mezzos in years. Divine majesty, fascinating timber, wide range tonality, warm tune, engaging expressiveness spiced with high musical sensitivity are some of her virtues that undeniably have led her to that coveted status in the musical stages.

This album was the debut on RCA label and presents a marvelous of renowned and well known selections. Special kudos for her memorable Rossini and radiant Mozart.

Friedrich Haider remarks too with his precise attacks and notable accompaniment.

Acquire without hesitation this radiant and inspired album that surely will reward you every time you return for it.

CD-Charts Position 29
Average Rating:

Long Time Ago - Copland / Dawn Upshaw & Thomas Hampson

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
from: Teldec

Release Date May 31, 1994
Thomas Hampson has an amazing artistic range and this CD compilation shows his lighter side. The first time I heard him sing the children's nursery rhyme Fiddle I Fee, I laughed out loud. Who knew he did animal noises too? My six year old daughter also loves this compilation.

CD-Charts Position 30
Average Rating:

My Wild Irish Rose

CD-Charts > Music > Voices
by: John McCormack

Release Date February 11, 1997
I do enjoy John McCormack. But, I am not as gung-ho as the previous four reviewers. Yes, the lyricism is there. Yes, the pianissimos are brilliant. Yes, the diction is superb. But, there is an abiding sameness to this cd, due in part at least to the limited recording capabilities of the 1910s and 20s.
Please, do not misunderstand. I like this recording. But I prefer it placed with others on a multi-disk changer and played in a shuffle setting.
If you like Irish music, by all means, you need this recording. But you may find, as I did, that it is better in bits and pieces than in the continual sixty-eight minutes.