|
|
AIDA
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
Performed by Rome Opera Theater Orchestra with Grace Bumbry, Franco Corelli, Birgit Nilsson, Mario Sereni,Bonaldo Giaotti.
Conducted by Zubin Mehta
|
|
Nillson... Corelli... How can you beat them?
This is a passionate and powerful recording of one of Verdi's finest operas. For me, Nilsson and Corelli define my ideals of the voices needed for these roles. Nilsson's voice is stunning, with frightening fortissimos and ravishing pianissimos. Bumbry does a fine job as Amneris, while Sereni is adequate for my tastes. Franco Corelli seemed to be in fine voice during these recording sessions. His is a heroic Radames, rather than a poetic one, as Vickers was in the Solti album, and his voice shines with brilliance. As for the controversial diminuendo in Celeste Aida: unless Corelli himself tells me it's faked, I refuse to believe it. Why? I have my reasons. One critic said his voice sounded different on that last high B-flat. I wouldn't wonder: Franco took that note in head voice. For those who equate head voice with falsetto, think again; head voice can have plenty of ring to it, and can sound thoroughly manly, depending on the singer and the use he makes of it. He does the same with Nilsson in the final duet. Any other examples? His Italian language version of Jose's Flower Song from Carmen has the same effect in the high A leading to the climax. Unless I miss my guess, that was recorded in front of a live audience. (That should be on An Evening with Franco Corelli, available through Amazon.com, just in case you want to listen to it.) Another critic said it had to be faked because he heard a reverberation of Corelli's voice even though he ended the note very softly. Wake up, you nut! That hall was obviously a live environment, acoustically speaking. Even quite a soft sound can reverberate. I know: I've done it myself. (Not Corelli's fabulous diminuendo, but making a reverberation appear, even on a softly sung note.) Did the engineers fade that note? I don't think so. I've heard that done for other singers, and I've tried to do so myself. It just does not sound the same. Not even close. And I have the original recording on vinyl. I doubt if they could have faked it so flawlessly back then.
Anyway, no critic I know of in his or her right mind disputes the power and brilliance and passion of Franco Corelli's voice. They might hate him, but they can't say he's a wimp! This voice could caress the ears, then peel the paint off the walls. For my tastes, Franco Corelli has only one competitor as Radames, and that's Jon Vickers. Bjorling? Beautiful sounds, but he's pushed too far by the demands of the role. Bergonzi? The voice simply does not `open up' enough.(Not enough `sqillo' or `ring' for this role.) Domingo? To me, his technique lacks the freedom needed to tackle this role the way I like it. I must admit I've heard only his first two tries, and I do like the Domingo of the later years better than the early years. I don't even want to think about Pavarotti's version. Pavarotti is absolutely one of my favorite singers of all time, but he is not a Radames to these ears. Del Monaco? Not for me, in the recording I heard.
How about the conducting? Mehta leads a powerful performance, second only to Solti's in all the versions I've heard, in my opinion. This is a grand Aida, and this highlights set has a lot of music. They don't short you here, and, at the price, this CD is a steal. The transfer to CD has stunning sound, still packing a wallop after all these years. Go for it!
|
One of the greatest recorded Aidas
The competition on the recorded market of this opera is somehow tough if you only think of Karayan's recording from Decca or Mutti's from EMI. This one comes to the top due to some very strong points. First is Corelli's Radames, in my opinion the best Radames from all. Just listen to the diminuendo in "Celeste Aida" or in the closing aria and you'll understand what I mean. The wagnerian voice of Birgit Nilsson gives Aida a very convincing character. The swedish soprano's technique manages the role beautifully and adds drama to the opera. Grace Bumbry defines her character nicely and you can feel her love and suffering. All the other voices support the soloist compartment very well (a plus for Mario Sereni) under the batton of Zubin Mehta which may not convey as much detail as Karajan or Mutti but his orchestra (of Rome Opera) supports the action very well has very beautiful "solo" performances (the dance or the march) and completes extremely well the soloists. Overall this is a box for every Verdi collector, solid in every department and exceptional in the key roles. you have to listen Corelli's Radames in the best sound capture and the best cast he recorded this role with.
|
|
|
Tosca, opera
Compositor: Giacomo Puccini
Conductor: Lorin Maazel
Performer: Libero Arbace (Vocals), Franco Corelli (Vocals), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Vocals), Silvio Maionica (Vocals), Dino Mantovani (Vocals), Alfredo Mariotti (Vocals), Birgit Nilsson (Vocals), Piero de Palma (Vocals), Patrizio Veronelli (Vocals)
|
Great Tosca!
Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli are a well matched and
thrilling couple, both have glorious voices and plenty of
temperament, and they certainly deliver the goods. Dietrich
Fischer-Dieskau is not the ideal Scarpia, his voice is too
light and gentle for the role and perhaps to compensate he
sometimes overacts, but it is still a fine performance.
Very well recorded and beautifully conducted. A real bargain!
|
UNEVEN YET THRILLING.
Recorded in Rome in 1966, Maazel's Tosca has always been something of a dark horse in the Decca catalogue. If it has never attained the prominence of other recordings, it has never been forgotten either, a situation that stems from its strange mixture of strengths and weaknesses. At its best, this Tosca is considerably more enjoyable than the average studio recording, and yet at its worst, it's terrible. Because of the soprano and tenor, however, all fans of great singing should hear it.
Although she was not everyone's ideal for the title role, Nilsson included Tosca in her stage repertoire and her performance here is impeccable both vocally and dramatically. For these sessions she attempted, with some success, to make her tone rounder, fuller, and more Italianate. Her singing has a richness one misses in her German roles, and I find it quite beautiful. Her strengths carry over, too: the bigness, the technical security, and those fearless, rock-solid high notes. In the final act, her "Io quella lama gli piantai nel cor" and "O Scarpia, avanti a Dio!" are the stuff of legend. Corelli has his drawbacks, most noticeably some coarseness and that distracting lisp. But even with these handicaps, he's a dream Cavaradossi who sings with exactly the required ardor and his powerful, bright, ringing sound is a huge plus. When he and Nilsson step on the gas, we are treated to big singing of a kind virtually nonexistent today. It's tremendously thrilling.
On the minus side is Fischer-Dieskau, who is a nightmare from beginning to end. Contrary to opinion, he could sing Italian opera quite well, but not here. Instead of singing, we have unidiomatic pitched speech, barks and croons, with little sense of legato or a Puccinian line. His voice is too light for the part and his "characterization" adds little to the drama. Add to this his gritty, unpleasant tone, and you'll wish Tosca would reach for that knife a little sooner. His performance is one of the most serious miscalculations to be heard on a modern commercial opera recording. Also a minus, unfortunately, is Maazel's conducting. He strives for transparency, lightness, and grace in an opera that needs dynamism and energy to make its impact. Worse yet, there are many moments of blankness, as if the conductor hadn't prepared the score enough to have something to say. A missed opportunity.
My advice: listen to Act I until Scarpia arrives, select choice nuggets from Act II, and then sit back and enjoy Act III in its entirety.
|
BRILLIANTLY ACTED AND SUNG.
Being a fan of Italian opera, and Nilsson having mainly German works in her repetoire, I've heard very little of this great voice. This intensely dramatic, full-bodied and mellifluous soprano is the reason to own this rendering. I cannot remember better vocal control or power in the other Toscas that I've sampled; even the mighty Tebaldi is equalled. As well, the listener has no difficulty imagining her jealousy, or her rage and vengeful satisfaction as she murders Scarpia.
Franco Corelli has a beautiful and expressive voice. He evokes pity as the unfortunate Cavaradossi.
The conducting seems appropriate for the mood; nervous and almost violent. Maazel attacks the music.
A good addition to a collection, especially if you've never had the occasion to hear Nilsson.
|
|
|
|
|
Compositor:Charles Gounod
Franco Corelli (Faust)
Nicolai Ghiaurov (Mephistopheles)
Dame Joan Sutherland (Marguerite)
Margreta Elkins (Siebel)
Robert Massard (Valentin)
Raymond Myers (Wagner)
Monica Sinclair (Martha)
Ensembles
The Ambrosian Opera Chorus
The London Symphony Orchestra (Conducted By: Richard Bonynge)
|
|
|
DECCA/LONDON: Franco Corelli, Joan Sutherland, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Bonynge conducting; the only commercially available stereo recording I know of where all three principals are in fine vocal shape throughout, making some attempt at real music; unfortunately, vocal health does not necessarily mean idiomatic style; this is an exercise in committed, fearless and reasonably accurate singing, but not thoughtful musicianship; though Corelli's Faust establishes a benchmark for opulent vocal tone and boasts respectable legato, genuine commitment and striking dynamic variety, his French is awkward; though Sutherland is a bit more into Marguerite's emotional world than one might sometimes expect of her and her coloratura is, as ever, dazzling, her imprecise French (what she lets you hear of it) seems as awkward in its way as Corelli's; though Ghiaurov's Mephisto maintains an imposing vocal presence, his phrasing is a bit more ham-fisted than it would be later in his career (though it's still preferable to Christoff's fragmented approach, whose sheer choppiness effectively disqualifies the older, more stylish EMI set [not itemized here] from any serious consideration); and so on; still, to hear such an ambitious performing edition (this one is much more complete than either A or B) with such game--generally musical--singers is unusual--and the stereo is superb
|
|
Hey! It's great!
Just a short review for now- I love this performance. Corelli, Sutherland, Massard (A FINE Valentine!), and Ghiaurov are all in excellent voice. True, this is not a showcase of proper French style, so if you prefer that, one of the others would be preferable. (I simply don't know which other version of Faust is truly in a French style. Of the other Fausts I've heard, the one with Cluytens conducting Gedda, De Los Angeles, and Christoff should be the closest to the French style. It's also an excellent performance!) As for this one- it's very Italianate and passionate in its approach. To me, Corelli does not come off as a lout- just impetuous and VERY much in love.
Sutherland's voice might not be perfect for the role, but she captures the character quite well for me. Massard is a prim and proper sounding Valentine (And he's also quite French!), with a beautiful voice. In other words, he fits perfectly. And what can I say about Ghiaurov here? The voice is simply stunning and his characterization is superb. Also, as another reviewer mentioned, the orchestra and choruses are simply superb... and I love the way Bonynge conducts this opera.
|
|
|
Puccini: Turandot
Giacomo Puccini (Compositeur), Bonaldo Giaiotti (Basse), Guido Mazzini (Basse), Francesco Molinari-Pradelli (Chef d'orchestre), Gianni Lazzari (Chef d'orchestre), Rome Opera Theater Orchestra & Chorus (Orchestre), Birgit Nilsson (Soprano), Renata Scotto (Soprano), Angelo Mercuriali (Ténor), Franco Corelli (Ténor), Renata Scotto, Birgit Nilsson.
|
|
The definative recording of Turandot.
This has to be the best recording of Turandot ever made. The singing is magnificent. Firstly, there is one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th Century, Birgit Nilsson in her prime. Her rendition of 'In Questa Reggia' is at once chilling, startling and awesome. There is really no other soprano I have ever heard to compare with her in this role. I've heard the Sutherland recording and La Stupenda is wonderful but she would never have sung this role in an opera house as her voice was not big enough. Nilsson sang Turandot regularly throughout her long career. The only lady who possibly matched her in this role is another Swede named Inge Borkh. Secondly, we have Franco Corelli, who sings so beautifully and with such passion. He is every bit Nilsson's equal. This is really very fine singing and the 'famous' tenors that have followed him are in his shadow in my opinion. Thirdly, Renata Scotto sings Liu with great simplicity, warmth and beauty. You really need look no further. This is the best.
|
GREAT TURANDOT!
This is an historical recording of Turandot and maybe the best to find. Why? Beacause of its expression that seems so right for this demanding opera. Too often we hear the duet between Turandot and Calaf where she totaly dominates or they sing it beautiful together. But here it`s different; Nilsson and Corelli sing against each other with enormous power! And in my opinion it`s how it should be done. Scotto as Liu is also very beautiful.
This version may not have the most beautiful sound, may not have the most beautiful Nessun dorma, if you`re comparing with other versions, BUT it has an icy Turandat and a powerful Calaf who`s her equal and believes in the Victory!
Go for it!!!
|
THRILLING.
This features an extraordinary recording of Turandot...one of the best available.
All the interpreters are at their prime.
Scotto is a very fragile Liu singing beautifully and emotionally.
Corelli is outstanding!! This is surely one of his best recordings.
Nillson will always remain the Turandot of reference. She is really a princess of Ice at 1st and then melts in the last scene...amazing!!
About the EMI release...I was extremely disappointed. Be sure to own your libretto before buying this CD otherwise you will only get an italian libretto with no translations. However, each act is divided into so many tracks so that you can choose any part of the recording...for everybody's conveniance.
Overall...despite libretto problems...This recording Is A MUST...and not only to Nillson and Corelli's fans.
|
|
Roméo et Juliette
Cast:
Juliette - Mirella Freni, Roméo - Franco Corelli, Frère Laurent - Xavier Depraz, Mercutio - Henri Gui, Stéphano - Élaine Lublin, Le Comte Capulet - Claude Calès, Gertrude - Michèle Vilma, Tybalt - Robert Cardona, Le Comte Pâris - Yves Bisson, Gregorio - Christos Grigoriou, Benvolio - Maurice Auzeville, Le Duc de Vérone - Pierre Thau
Conductor: Alain Lombard
Orchestre et Choeurs du National de l'Opéra de Paris
Studio, 1969
|
|
One of my favourite photographs is the opera "Romeo and Julia" from
Charles Gounod with Franco Corelli and Mirella Freni in the title
parts. (because probably as "too romantically and kitschig"
verschrien) the unfortunately much too little well-known and specified
work consists of moving and improbably passionate music, and who would
know - once apart from the beautiful new bringing with Roberto Alagna
and Angela Gheorghiu - passion and better obtain pain than Corelli and
Freni? For me there is no more beautiful and beschwingteres "ever veux
vivre" than more of the really incomparable Freni and none to hearts
going Rome EO air ("Salut, tombeau sombre") than sung of Corelli. With
us to a large extent little admitted, but although under Alain Lombard
do very good French singer, with which the other roles are occupied,
as well as the great orchestra the ihrige, in order the admission to a
true delicate-eats to make.
|
|
|
