Velo [Import]

Product Description
Special Guests: Ritchie on "Shy Moon" and Elza Soares on "Lingua".

Velo,Caetano Veloso,Universal,World Music

Average customer rating: Great CD and Voices. The young tenors. UNEXPECTED Pop Op Fabulous!

Duetto Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music General | New Age | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Salvatore Licitra - The Debut Alessandro Safina Sometimes I Dream Follow Your Heart Summer ASIN: B00009QG9Z Release Date: 2003-06-24

Tracks:

1. Oltre La Tempesta
2. Siempre Adorarla
3. Odissea
4. Il Volo
5. Fantasma D'Amore
6. Dovunque Sarai
7. Solo Amore
8. Maria
9. Son Gli Occhi Tuoi
10. Je Crois Entendre Encore
11. Mia Per Sempre
12. Viaggio
13. Vita Mia
14. Au Fond Du Temple Saint
15. Beyond The Storm (Oltre La Tempesta)

Amazon.com

The Italian Salvatore Licitra and the Argentinian Marcelo Alvarez are, arguably the two most exciting, promising (they're in their 30s), big-voiced, bread-and-butter (or steak-and-potatoes) "Italian" tenors around. Yhey have proved themselves on the stages of the great opera houses of the world and on recordings. This CD is designed to present them to a wider audience--it is clearly meant to appeal to Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli fans. And, in fact, it succeeds. These guys have glorious voices: Licitra's is darker and somewhat heavier than Alvarez's, but the latter's shine is irresistible; one might compare them to Domingo and Pavarotti, respectively, to make that point. Neither has any problem throughout his entire range; each has big, secure top notes, and there's an innate musical intelligence at work at all times. Opera fans will relish the fantastic singing--listening to them trade high B naturals in the CD's third song, "Odissea," is thrilling--but will probably be disappointed by the music. It's soupily arranged, sentimental background drivel with catchy melodies (parts of "Salut demeure" from Gounod's Faust show up in something called "Son gli occhi tuoi," complete with a stellar high C from Alvarez), and even the gorgeous duet from Bizet's Les Pêcheurs de Perles (one of two "classical" pieces on the CD, if one doesn't count an instrumental piece by Bach to which trite lyrics have been added) has been re-arranged to include a tinny chorus, when singing it as written would have been a magnificent treat. Their voices are bathed in a phony-pop glow which will please the Bocelli market while continuing to horrify purists. Yet it is impossible not to be bowled over by the singing--a few off-pitch-at-low-volume moments and a mess of a "Je crois entendre encore" aside. In short, two high-power, world-class operatic tenors in their prime, singing, for the most part, music in which the treacle level is obnoxiously--even dangerously--high. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Great CD and Voices........2005-10-18

I love tenors and Italian music. Groban, Safina, Bocelli, Frangolis. These two men are in their category, and one of them even sounds like Safina. Very pleasant to listen in the car and in my office. I can listen more than once a day. You have to listen more than once. Don't expect to fall in love from the first sound.

Some critisizm:
a)One of the tenors is using to much vibrato, since it's popera... otherwise it's sounds great.
b)Duetto needs to be a Tenor - Soprano. These two guys should make separate CDs with two ladies. Groban does it very well!

The young tenors........2005-09-12

The amazing part of this album is that two young tenors can make as much music as three tenors (Carreras · Domingo · Pavarotti) have in the past. Salvatore Licitra and Marcelo Alvarez are the future - there is a balance in how they sing together, adding strength to rather than competing with one another.

UNEXPECTED.......2005-08-09

I bought this CD on suggestion from Amazon.com...I am thrilled with the music. The songs are emotional, beautiful, and well done. It was a great choice.

Pop Op.......2004-05-15

Their voices blend well and the opera duets are a little out of the ordinary. Unfotunately,they have been orchestrated with a Hollywood flair and sung with synthetic flamboyance. What a pity that it is only nice background music. I had hoped for excitement.

Fabulous!.......2004-02-24

I LOVED this CD. I'm a fan of tenors, but not a serious student of their voices, so I can't attest to the flawlessness of phrasing, etc. However, I found the music to be soulful and stirring, and Licitra and Alvarez's voices full and rich. I have given this CD to everyone I know - my parents, cousins, great aunts and friends, even my massage therapist, and everyone has enjoyed it. I listen to it often, pretending to sing along!

Average customer rating: Gets better as it moves along good, but... One of the best in the 90's. You can NEVER get enough Poi! Poi Dog, How do I love the, let me count the ways...

Volo Volo Poi Dog Pondering Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Rock Jam Bands | Jam Bands | Rock | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Wishing Like a Mountain and Thinking Like the Sea The Best of Poi Dog Pondering (The Austin Years) Pomegranate Electrique Plummagram Poi Dog Pondering ASIN: B0000027FY Release Date: 1992-03-03

Tracks:

1. Lackluster
2. Collarbone
3. Get Me On
4. The Hardest Thing
5. Ta Bouche Est Tabou
6. I've Got My Body
7. Jack Ass Ginger
8. Be The One
9. Tall
10. Building
11. Te Manu Pukarua
12. Blood And Thunder
13. Entrance
14. Endtrance

Customer Reviews:

Gets better as it moves along.......2007-02-07

Released in 1991, this is Poi Dog Pondering's third CD. It is 55 minutes long and the sound quality is very good.

Poi Dog Pondering started in Hawaii where they released two EP's that were combined for the group's first major release. They moved to Austin where they did two more CD's, broke up, and reformed in Chicago with mostly different musicians and a slightly different sound.

For the first 3 CD's Poi Dog Pondering had an accoustic, folk, world music sound, very similar to Rusted Root. At the peak, there were 10 members in the band, with instruments include violin, sax and all kinds of percussion. Like many such bands, they stretched out more live than on the studio CD's.

This CD starts out with a bunch of very nice songs. It just gets stronger as the CD goes on. There is more innovation and depth to the music.

It does end on a bad note of a 5 minute instrumental that is mostly just noise. But, it is at the end of the CD so you don't have to listen to it to get to the good stuff.

If you like Rusted Root, you will like this.

good, but..........2001-01-11

For many who were hardcore Poi fans from the Austin days early in the band's career, this cd was a bit of a stumble for a group that had released nothing but masterpieces. Musically, it seemed that the band was in tension with each other, and I think that that's clear from looking at the album cover - see the band divided, and one wearing a shirt that says "Judas"? It was no surprise when after this cd, Poi Dog Pondering changed much of its line-up and moved to Chicago.

But that doesn't mean that this cd was a disaster. Far from it. Perhaps my favorite Poi song of all time - "Lackluster" - is the lead track. Although, having heard it live several times before it was recorded, I was really disappointed in the over-production. I blame the record label for that (why not, it's a paranoid fantasy that might be true). The cd does feature some exceptional moments, but there are enough rough spots on this cd to warrant a rating of simply "good" and not "exceptional."

One of the best in the 90's........1999-05-27

Volo is one astounding album. It is a marriage of 50's rhythm and blues with violin, horns, rock n' roll, and even some hip hop beats. Then it is combined with Frank Orrall's lyrics spun with a gypsie -like wisdom (whatever that means). With the exception of Camper Van Beethoven, no other recent band has been able to combine so many musical types so successfully. This album ages well. Poi Dog is also a great live band.

You can NEVER get enough Poi!.......1999-03-24

Poi is all energy. I love every song on Volo Volo - especially Be The One, I've Got My Body and Jack Ass Ginger. Every song manages to show the wide range of talents of the wonderful Poi Dog Pondering members. Listen once, and you'll see why Poi fans are some of the loyal in the world!

Poi Dog, How do I love the, let me count the ways..........1999-03-07

PDP is my all time favorite band, from my first live show in 1990 in a cafeteria-like college bar to today (1999!). I have been continuously thrilled by the dozens of people that seem to be on stage, the highest energy around, the smart, evocative lyrics, the unique instrumentation... I recommed any Poi album, but I think Volo Volo is the most accessable to the pop crowd. I loved The Hardest Thing and Lackluster from the moment I heard them. THT has fabulous, moving lyrics that touched my heart and the boisterous opening to Lackluster can quicken anyone's pulse. Buy this CD! Then buy the rest of the PDP collection. You won't be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Luzzaschi: Quinto Libro de' Madrigali Manufacturer: Glossa ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Luzzaschi | Luzzaschi, Luzzasco | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Giaches de Wert: La Gerusalemme Liberata Gesualdo: Quinto Libro di Madrigali (1611) Monteverdi: Concerto Settimo Libro dei Madrigali Monteverdi: Sesto Libro dei Madrigali - 1614 Gesualdo di Venosa: 18 Quarto Libro di Madrigali, 1596 ASIN: B00001P4TN Release Date: 1999-10-01

Average customer rating: The first complete opera to have survived in a fine recording Complete opera at mid-price

Peri - Euridice / Banditelli · Fagotto · Cecchetti · Zambon · Foresti · Bertini · Benvenuti · Zanasi · Ensemble Arpeggio · de Caro Sergio Foresti , Rossana Bertini , Monica Benvenuti , Furio Zanasi , and Paolo Da Col Manufacturer: Arts Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Cavalieri: Rappresentatione di Anima, et di Corpo Caccini: Le Nuove Musiche [Germany] Black Orpheus - Criterion Collection Cavalli - La Calisto / Bayo, Lippi, Keenlyside, Pushee, Ragon, Concerto Vocale, Jacobs Lully - Acis & Galatee / Fouchecourt, Gens, Naouri, Crook, Delunsch, Felix, Masset, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski ASIN: B000005AQ4 Release Date: 1996-06-18

Tracks:

1. Prologue: Io, Che D'alti Sospir Vaga E Di Pianti - Gloria Banditelli
2. Scene I: Ninfe, Ch'i Bein Crin D'oro - Sergio Foresti/Mario Cecchetti
3. Scene I: Vaghe Ninfre Amorose - Monica Benvenuti
4. Scene I: Donne, Ch'a' Miei Diletti - Gloria Banditelli
5. Scene I: Credi, Ninfa Gentile - Mario Cecchetti
6. Scene I: In Mille Guise E Mille - Gloria Banditelli
7. Scene I: Al Canto, Al Ballo All'ombra, Al Prato Adorno - Monica Benvenuti/Rossana Bertini/Gloria Banditelli/Giuseppe Zambon/Mario Cecchetti/Paolo Da Col...
8. Scene II: Antri, Ch'a' Miei Lamenti - Gian Paolo Fagotto
9. Scene II: Sia Pur Lodato Il Ciel, Lodato Amore - Giuseppe Zambon
10. Scene II: Tirsi Viene In Scena Sonando La Presente Zinfonia - Paolo Da Col
11. Scene II: Deh Come Ogni Bifolco, Ogni Pastore - Giuseppe Zambon
12. Scene II: Lassa! Che Di Spavento E Di Pietate - Rossana Bertini
13. Scene II: Per Quel Vago Boschetto - Rossana Bertini
14. Scene II: Non Piango E Non Sospiro - Gian Paolo Fagotto
15. Scene II: Ahi! Mort'invid'e Ria - Giuseppe Zambon
16. Scene II: Sconsolati Desir, Gioie Fugaci - Mario Cecchetti
17. Scene II: Cruda Morte, Hai! Pur Potesti - Monica Benvenuti
18. Scene III: Se Fato Invido E Rio - Giuseppe Zambon
19. Scene III: Con Frettoloso Passo - Giuseppe Zambon
20. Scene III: Io Che Pensato Havea Di Starmi Ascoso - Giuseppe Zambon
21. Scene III: Se De' Boschi I Verdi Onori - Monica Benvenuti/Rossana Bertini/Gloria Banditelli/Giuseppe Zambon/Mario Cecchetti/Paolo Da Col...
22. Scene III: Poi Che Dal Bel Sereno - Mario Cecchetti

Tracks:

1. Scene IV: Scorto Da Immortal Guida - Monica Benvenuti
2. Scene IV: L'oscuro Varc'onde Siam Giunti A Queste - Monica Benvenuti
3. Scene IV: Funeste Piagge, Ombrosi Orridi Campi - Gian Paolo Fagotto
4. Scene IV: Ond'e Cotanto Ardire - Furio Zanasi
5. Scene IV: Dhe, Se La Bella Diva - Gian Paolo Fagotto
6. Scene IV: Dentro L'infernal Porte - Furio Zanasi
7. Scene IV: O Re, Nel Cui Sembiante - Gloria Banditelli
8. Scene IV: A Si Soavi Preghi - Gian Paolo Fagotto
9. Scene IV: Sovra L'eccelse Stelle - Sergio Foresti
10. Scene IV: Trionfi Oggi Pieta Ne' Campi Inferni - Furio Zanasi
11. Scene IV: Poi Che Gl'eterni Imperi - Monica Benvenuti/Rossana Bertini/Gloria Banditelli/Giuseppe Zambon/Mario Cecchetti/Paolo Da Col...
12. Scene V: Gia Del Bel Carro Ardente - Giuseppe Zambon
13. Scene V: Voi, Che Si Ratt'il Volo - Mario Cecchetti
14. Scene V: Quand'al Tempio N'andaste, Io Mi Pensai - Mario Cecchetti
15. Scene V: Chi Puo Del Cielo Annoverar Le Stelle - Mario Cecchetti
16. Scene V: Gioite Al Canto Mio, Selve Frondose - Gian Paolo Fagotto
17. Scene V: Quella, Quella Son'io Per Cui Piangeste - Gloria Banditelli
18. Scene V: Modi Or Soavi Or Mesti - Gian Paolo Fagotto
19. Scene V: Felice Semideo, Ben Degna Prole - Mario Cecchetti
20. Scene V: Ritornello Strumentale - Ens Arpeggio/Roberto De Caro
21. Scene V: Biond'arcer, Che D'alto Monte - Gloria Banditelli

Customer Reviews:

The first complete opera to have survived in a fine recording.......2005-11-01

Opera grew out of the court festivals of late sixteenth century Italy. The nobles were quite interested in all the arts and employed skilled painters, sculptors, poets, and musicians. There was also a great deal of interest in reviving all things Greek because they were seen as the ideal model for all things intellectual. Reviving Greek music involved a great deal of conjecture and imagination because only a few fragments of their music survive and it is by no means agreed upon, even to this day, what they actually mean. One of the groups of Florentine intellectuals surrounded a Count Bardi, which he called the Camerata. They wrote letters to each other, so we have some idea of their thoughts about what it was they were trying to do.

They called what they did the "New Music" or the "Second Practice" and music students learn to call this style monody (solo voice with simple accompaniment). It caused quite a furor among those who were proponents of the older style of counterpoint. One of those who opposed Monteverdi was a fellow named Artusi. Every music student reads his articles against those composers with "smoke in their heads". And of course, Artusi always comes out on the wrong side of history and made to look the fool. However, the art of these composers was shocking and their free use of dissonance compared to the rules of Zarlino and the practice of Palestrina, Ockeghem, Josquin, and others is jarring. However, we have a hard time hearing the difference in these musical styles unless you pay close attention and develop some familiarity with what the argument was all about.

Some of these Second Practice composers came to believe that the Greeks sang their plays from beginning to end. This is almost certainly not true, but the point was they believed it. Composers such as Caccini, Peri, and Monteverdi developed a style of solo singing they felt captured this idea and called it the "stile rappresentativo" (the representative style). It is this recitative style that Caccini and Peri used in developing their art. When you listen to Peri's "Euridice" you will notice that most of it is a very expressive version of what we would call recitative - the almost spoken parts between the arias - and that the aria as even Monteverdi developed it a few years later is almost nonexistent. If you understand that they were trying to recapture the Greek storytelling that they believe was a sung style, this makes a great deal of sense.

In fact, this kind of work was not called "opera" until the mid-seventeenth century (opera simply means "work" as in a work of art). Before that term came into general use, the composers referred to their works as musical fables or music dramas. However, our referring to all of it as opera makes sense given the genealogy of the art form.

Peri's "Euridice" is the first surviving opera we have in complete form. His "Dafne" came first, but is now lost. Caccini was a court rival and was working on his own version of "Euridice" and at the first performance there was apparently a mix of the two composer's works. But the nod is given to Peri and Caccini published his own version, but he completed his version later. It is interesting the Monteverdi also did a version of this myth, but called his "Orfeo".

This is a beautiful recording of this work. It is important to know that even though the complete opera in printed form survives, there is a great deal that is not in the score. A great deal of scholarship and artistic sensitivity has to go into recreating a version of this opera that both succeeds musically and has some claim of authenticity to Peri's intentions for performance.

You will also note the vocal style has nothing to do with Verdi or Wagner. This was for a much smaller hall with only a few hundred of the nobility present. And while it was first performed for a wedding festival and did not please those for whom it was written, it began a four hundred year development of an art form that millions adore and consider to be one of mankind's great achievements. I am one of them.

Enjoy! There is a very helpful booklet with these disks to help you understand the history and the libretto is provided in English and Italian.

Complete opera at mid-price.......1999-03-18

As Peri's Dafne of 1598 is largely lost this work of 1600 counts as "the first ever opera" (CD Box). With Gloria Banditelli as Euridice obviously this is a subtantial release for lovers of early opera.

Recorded in Bologna in 1992. Full libretto and English translation. Total time 101'40.

Average customer rating:

Volo's the Best Volo Volo Manufacturer: Edenways ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music Haiti | Caribbean & Cuba | International | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B0000286SQ

Tracks:

1. Haiti Le Kanaval
2. Mwen Tombe
3. Isabelle
4. Volo's The Best
5. Marie - Carmelle
6. Malere
7. Regrets

Album Details

Boston Might Not Sound Like a Haitian Music Center, but it Has Certainly Produced Some Fine Bands. This One was Always Popular with Those in the Know. Volo Volo's Ballad-oriented Lead Vocals Are Balanced by Arrangements with Strong Salsa Overtones, Along with Nice Guitar.

Average customer rating: Themeless Opera Forget the others - buy this one!

Donizetti - Don Pasquale / Hendricks · Bacquier · Canonici · Quilico · Schirrer · Opéra de Lyon · Ferro Gaetano Donizetti , Gabriele Ferro , Barbara Hendricks , Gabriel Bacquier , Choeurs et Orchestre de l'Opéra de Lyon , Luca Canonici , Gino Quilico , and René Schirrer Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000005E79 Release Date: 1992-05-07

Tracks:

1. Ouverture - Orchestre De L'Opera De Lyon
2. Act One, Scene I: Introduzione: 'Son nov'ore' (Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
3. Act One, Scene 2: 'Epermesso?' (Malatesta, Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
4. Act One, Scene 2: Romanza: 'Bella siccome un angelo' (Malatesta, Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
5. Act One, Scene 2: 'E mia sorella!' (Malatesta, Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
6. Act One, Scene 2: 'Ah! Un foco insolito!' (Malatesta, Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
7. Act One, Scene 3: Recitativo e duetto: 'Son rinato' (Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
8. Act One, Scene 3: 'Prender mogile' (Ernesto, Don Pasquale) - Luca Canonici
9. Act One, Scene 3: 'Sogno soave e casto' (Ernesto, Don Pasquale) - Luca Canonici
10. Act One, Scene 3: 'Due parole ancor di volo' (Ernesto, Don Pasquale) - Luca Canonici
11. Act One, Scene 3: 'Ah! Mi fa il destin mendico' (Ernesto, Don Pasquale) - Luca Canonici
12. Act One, Scene 4: Cavatina: 'Quel guardo il cavaliere' (Norina)
13. Act One, Scene 4: 'So anch io la virtu magica (Norina)
14. Act One, Scene 4: Recitativo: 'Il Dottor non si vede' (Norina)
15. Act One, Scene 5: Duetto: 'Bueno nove, Norina' (Malatesta, Norina)
16. Act One, Scene 5: 'Mi volete fiera' (Norina, Malatesta)
17. Act One, Scene 5: 'Vado, carro' (Norina, Malatesta)
18. Act Two, Scene I: Recitaativo: 'Povero Ernesto' (Ernesto) - Luca Canonici
19. Act Two, Scene I: Aria: 'Cerchero lontanna terra' (Ernesto) - Luca Canonici
20. Act Two, Scene I: 'E se fia che as altro oggeto' (Ernesto) - Luca Canonici
21. Act Two, Scene 2: Recitativo: 'Quando avrete introdotto' (Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier

Tracks:

1. Terzetto: 'Via, da brava' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Don Pasquale)
2. 'Non Abbiate paura' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Don Pasquale)
3. 'Misecordia' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Don Pasquale)
4. 'Fra da una parte' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Ernesto) (Notario) (Don Pasquale)
5. 'Pria di parttir' (Ernesto) (Norina) (Malatesta) (Don Pasquale)
6. 'Questo contratto adunque' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Ernesto) (Notario) (Don Pasquale)
7. 'Un uom qual voi decrepito' (Malatessta) (Norina) (Ernesto) (Don Pasquale)
8. 'E rinasto la impietrato' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Don Pasquale) (Ernesto)
9. 'Riunita immantinente' (Norina) (Don Pasquale) (Malatesta) (Ernesto)
10. 'Io? Io?' (Don Pasquale) (Ernesto) (Norina) (Malatesta)
11. 'I Diamanti, presto, presto' (Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Ferro
12. Recitativo: 'Vediamo, alla modestia' (Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
13. Duetto: 'Signorina in tanta fretta' (Don Pasquale)
14. 'E finita, Don Pasquale' (Don Pasquale) (Norina)
15. 'Via caro sposino' (Norina) (Don Pasquale)
16. 'Qualche nota di cuffie e di merlatti' (Don Pasquale)
17. 'Che interminabile andirivieni' - Gabriel Ferro
18. Recitativo: 'Siamo intesi' (Malatesta) (Ernesto) - Luca Canonici
19. Recitativo: 'Don Pasquale' (Malatesta) (Don Pasquale) - Gabriel Bacquier
20. Duetto: 'Chetti, cheti, immantinente' (Don Pasquale) (Malatesta) - Gabriel Bacquier
21. 'Aspetta, aspetta' (Don Pasquale) (Malatesta) - Gabriel Bacquier
22. Sereneta: 'Com e genti' (Ernesto) - Luca Canonici
23. 'Tornami a dir che m'ami (Norina) (Ernesto)
24. 'Eccoli, attenti ben' (Don Pasquale) (Malatesta) (Norina)
25. 'Eccomi' (Ernesto) (Malatesta) (Norina) (Don Pasquale)
26. 'Bravo, bravo, Don Pasquale' (Malatesta) (Norina) (Ernesto) (Don Pasquale)

Customer Reviews:

Themeless Opera.......2006-10-19

As far as I know this work of 1843 is the last major opera buffa to be composed unless the definition of the genre is expanded to include works like Verdi's Falstaff. Although the recording booklet states that Don Pasquale is Donizetti's "undoubted comic masterpiece," I prefer L'Elisir D'Amore (1832), a less formulaic work labeled a "melodrama." There is nothing wrong with formulaic art as long as the formula means something. Paisiello's opera buffa Astrologi Immaginari (1779) satirizes dilettante pretensions to being a "philosopher" and thus disposes of a vestige of Renaissance culture that was fading away after 1740. Paisiello's opera makes good sense and is perfectly matched by the music. I find it more difficult to assign meaning to Don Pasquale; and the opera may well appeal to audiences interested in themeless "mere entertainment." The work synthesizes Rossini's approach to instrumental music with Bellini's style of flowing bel canto arias. The appeal of bel canto might be described as a physical sensation. All art depends on sensation. But opera consists of drama, and themeless drama makes no sense. The recording booklet reports that at Paris, "The critics found the subject somewhat threadbare." Themeless work could not compete, for example, with the striking historical settings of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots and Le Prophete or even with Bellini's Norma and I Puritani. The contrast between these operas and Don Pasquale is analogous to the one between the rich historical settings of Sir Walter Scott's novels and the uncolored, if intelligently worked out settings of Jane Austen. In appreciating Don Pasquale, one must develop a taste for Plain Jane and set aside "Robert the Devil." As Dr. Malatesta sings in Act I, Scene 5, "You have to play the simpleton." Ironically Donizetti based his most popular opera Lucia di Lammermoor on a Scott novel.

Forget the others - buy this one!.......2003-10-02

I originally purchased the RCA Red Seal recording of this opera with Bruson-Mei-Lopardo-Allen never having heard the work before. While the Red Seal recording certainly did not sound bad, I couldn't help but think that, as the heroine, Mei missed a lot of opportunities to hit those incredible highs that Donizetti is so famous for. Since I wasn't familiar with the work, I only assumed that she opted to go an octave lower than Donizetti had originally intended for the part. Well, sure enough I finally saw the opera performed live in San Jose and was blown away by all the highs that the soprano hit throughout the show. I immediately purchased this recording to see if the Norina in this particular performance (Barbara Hendricks) offered a more gutsy performance and boy does she ever! Mei's voice on the Red Seal recording is undeniably beautiful, but Hendricks simply blows her out of the water with all of her vocal fireworks in this recording. The orchestras and male performers are equally good in both, but if you love the sound of a bel canto soprano hitting an incredible high note, then forget about the RCA recording and go for this one instead.

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Real Life Game Miro Manufacturer: M2U ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music ASIN: B000LZPU5E

Product Description

Korean Exclusive Release. Packaged in LP Miniature Cover. 8 Tracks.

Average customer rating:

Symposium Opera Collection 8: Florence Easton Easton , Crimi , Verdi , Puccini , Bizet , and Wagner Manufacturer: Symposium ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Leoncavallo | Leoncavallo, Ruggiero | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000657XE Release Date: 2002-04-30

Average customer rating: Great Italian prog with jazz rock flourishes Ecstatic, Period. Excellent Italian prog rock Instrumental prog rock from Italy

Essere O Non Essere? Essere, Essere, Essere! Il Volo Manufacturer: Pidm ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Italy | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music International | Imports | Stores | Music Rock | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: Zarathustra Hamburger Concerto Darwin! Uomo Di Pezza Ys ASIN: B00004WFF2 Release Date: 1999-02-01

Tracks:

1. Gente in Amore
2. Medio Oriente 249000 Tutto Compreso
3. Canto di Lavoro
4. Essere
5. Alcune Scene
6. Svegliandomi Con Te Alle Sei del Mattino
7. Canti E Suoni

Album Description

Reissue of 1975 album by the Italian prog rock outfit, complete with the original artwork and all six of the cuts that first graced it. 1999 BMG Ariola S.p.A. release. The full title is 'Essere O Non Essere? Essere, Essere, Essere!'.

Customer Reviews:

Great Italian prog with jazz rock flourishes .......2006-09-03

The world of Italian prog really is a great place and this mellow 1975 album certainly adds to the overall quality. In contrast with a lot of prog albums from Italy however, where European classical typically sat in the driver's seat, there are some jazz rock overtones on this album. As such, this album can be neatly lumped with releases by Arti + Mestieri and the late 1976-1977 output of PFM. As a fan of both prog and jazz rock, I enjoyed this album quite a lot although there were tiny moments that sounded just a teeny tiny bit dated. They were far and few between however and did not ruin the listening experience in any way.

The six tracks on the album are pretty short and range from 4'00" to 6'14" - each track is distinct from one another and the six tracks are not arranged in a suite.

Musically, this is largely an instrumental album (about 95%), although there are brief sections where both wordless vocals and vocals (in Italian) are featured. The vocals really are not too bad at all and are typically heavily electronically altered with a lot of echo on them. In terms of instrumentation this is a very keyboard heavy album (e.g. moog, string synthesizer, Hammond organ, acoustic piano, electric piano, clavinet), along with the standard bass guitar, drums, and electric guitar lineup. I think that I also heard the occasional electric sitar bit and a host of percussion instruments are used as well, e.g. tablas, chimes etc.

Like a lot of Italian prog, the ensemble work is fantastic and the use of melodies is unrivaled. All of the musicians are pretty good although there is very little in the way of the breakneck tempos and wildly virtuosic soling that is characteristic of much jazz rock. In fact, I guess it is this property, combined with the abundant use of melodies that places them more fully in the prog camp rather than the jazz rock camp.

Although the production is OK, it is a bit muddy and bass/drum heavy and many of the keyboard instruments are buried deep in the mix. This is unfortunate because the keyboardist is excellent. One other minor drawback is the fact that at 30'48", this album is really, really short. However, I feel that the overall quality of the music more than makes up for the low production values and the brevity.

In summation, I would have to say that this album would make an excellent addition to the Italian prog collection and might also appeal to more open minded jazz rock fans as well. Highly recommended along with stylistically similar Italian albums including Tilt (Arti + Mestieri, 1974), Chocolate Kings (PFM, 1976), and Jet Lag (PFM, 1977).

Ecstatic, Period........2003-06-13

Well, I don't think all of the songs on this CD are great. But you SHOULD have this amazing CD for the last track, Canti e Suoni. I have a huge collection of progressive rocks but there are only a couple of songs I think 'Ecstatic'. One is 'the onlything she needs' by UK (79 Danger money), and 'Canti e Suoni'. Generally I don't buy a CD only for a song or two but this was a true exception. I hardly bother with the other songs on this CD. Canti e Suoni is what I want from this CD. And beautiful album jacket is a bonus. Strongly recommened! ---------Young

Excellent Italian prog rock.......2001-11-03

Il Volo is yet another one of those Italian prog bands that released a couple of albums then went their separate ways. Il Volo was actually a supergroup consisting of some of the best musicians from Italy's pop and prog scene. And while "supergroup" might spell bad news to many people (look at Asia, for example), Il Volo has everything I like so well of the best qualities of prog from the mid 1970s. Two of the members I know for sure came from Formula 3, Alberto Radius and Gabriele Lorenzi. There were also members of Osage Tribe and some other bands I'm not aware of or don't remember. While I only have one Formula 3 album, Sognando e Risognando (1972), it sounds much like PFM and ELP with some experimental passages. Il Volo's Essere o Non Essere, from 1975, which is their second and final release doesn't sound much like the Formula 3 album I have at all. In fact their music tends to be a more funk oriented prog sound that was typical of many bands of the time, like Eela Craig (particularly One Niter) and Goblin (like on Roller). None of the music has elaborate solos, it sounds like a real band effort so each member gets his chance to be heard. The music is really easy to get in to as well. There's often a '70s hi-tech feel to these songs as well, one of the cuts, "Alcune Scene", particularly the string synths, sounds like it should belong on a sci-fi film. The instruments are typical of prog, drums, bass, acoustic guitar, clavinet, electric piano, synthesizers, string synths, and sax (although it sounds more like a Computone Lyricon, which was an electronic wind instrument). Most of the occasional vocals are wordless, so it's mainly instrumental. There's not a bad moment on this album, and I am rather surprised that not everyone likes this album. Certainly it's not particularly complex or challenging, but it's still a truly amazing example of what prog was all about in the 1970s, and is definately right up your alley if you like Goblin's Roller and Eela Craig's One Niter.

Instrumental prog rock from Italy.......2001-05-05

Il Volo was an Italian progressive rock band that released two albums. (This supergroup included former members of Formula 3 and Osage Tribe.) Their music has all the usual keyboard works together with some electric guitar play. This album was their second from 1975 and sounds like a colder and jazzier version of typical Italian symphonic prog rock like PFM, Le orme and Banco. It contains a mainly instrumental work but some fine musicianship ,inventive arrangements and production.

*Il Volo means 'The Flight'

Average customer rating: Full of Handelian Esprit

Handel Arias for Cuzzoni / Saffer · PBO · McGegan George Frideric Handel , Nicholas McGegan , Lisa Saffer , and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000007CS Release Date: 1992-12-14

Tracks:

1. Rodelinda - Act II, Scene 3: Spietati
2. Rodelinda - Act I, Scene 7: Ombre, piante, urne funeste!
3. Riccardo I - Act III, 8: Il volo cosi fido
4. Guilio Cesare - Act II, 8: Se pieta di me non senti
5. Guilio Cesare - Act III, 3: Piangero la sorte mia
6. Guilio Cesare - Act III, Scene 6: Da tempeste il legno infranto
7. Scipione - Act II, Scene 8: Scoglio d'immota fronte
8. Ottone - Act I, Scene 3: Falsa immagine
9. Ottone - Act I, Scene 10: Affanni del pensier
10. Tamerlano - Act I, Scene 5: Se non mi vuol amar
11. Alessandro - Act III, Scene 4: L'Amor che per te sento
12. Flavio - Scene I, Act 13: Amante stravagante

Customer Reviews:

Full of Handelian Esprit.......2006-06-18

George Frideric Handel (1685 -1759), Arias for Cuzzoni. Lisa Saffer, soprano; Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, conducted from the harpsichord by Nicholas McGegan. Recorded November 1990 at Skywalker Sound, Nicasio, California. Released as Harmonia Mundi HMU 907036; also available on HMX 2907171.74. Total time: 72'19".

Francesca Cuzzoni (d. 1770) was one of two Italian soprano “prima donnas” that Handel kept busy at his opera houses in London during the 1720’s and 1730’s. As one can well imagine, the two of them were not on the best of terms, and it is said that it came to blows on stage, something that was made fun of a little later in Gay’s “Beggar’s Opera”. But despite the shortcomings in her character, Cuzzoni appears to have been a wonderful singer, eliciting from some bright spark the memorable phrase: “Damme, she has a nest of nightingales in her belly.” Handel penned a large number of his finest arias with Cuzzoni in mind, and the most difficult decision facing Lisa Saffer and Nic McGegan when they planned this CD of “Arias for Cuzzoni” must have been, which ones to leave out. In the end they made, I think, a fair choice, with two arias each from “Rodelinda” and “Ottone”, three of Cleopatra’s airs from “Giulio Cesare in Egitto”, and single numbers from “Ricardo Primo”, “Scipione”, “Tamerlano”, “Alessandro” and “Flavio.” A further great decision they made was to include the preceding recitative before each aria, thus creating a little bit of context: Handel’s da capo arias were not really intended for a 72 minute recital by a single singer, and the recitatives provide small breaks and introduce the listener at the same time to the situation and the emotions involved in the following aria.

As with David Thomas on his “Arias for Montagnana”, there have been differences of opinion concerning Lisa Saffer’s performance here; and as there, I think this is probably just a matter of taste: personally, I enjoyed Lisa Saffer’s singing greatly, although I did detect some hardness of timbre in exposed passages. Ms Saffer is technically brilliant, but her voice is relatively small, so that I felt she had to replace emotional intensity with brilliant modulation and ornamentation. I compared the “Giulio Cesare” arias on the disc with Roberta Alexander’s performance with the Concentus Wien under Harnoncourt, recorded a couple of years earlier, and came to the conclusion that Lisa Saffer could not match Ms Alexander’s emotional expressivity. On the other hand, Saffer’s voice seems to be more appropriate to the “early music” style – and the McGegan disc is, from the standpoint of both orchestra and engineering, at least head and shoulders better than the Harnoncourt.

Even those who are not enamoured of Ms Saffer’s voice tend to admit that the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra gives a marvellous performance on this CD. The music is full of Handelian esprit and is captured more or less perfectly, including solos by Stephen Schulz, transverse flute, and Judith Linsenberg, recorder, and not to forget Nic McGegan himself at the harpsichord providing great continuo and sometimes more. It is a measure of the quality of the disc that I have just listened to it three times in a row and found myself loving it more each time.

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