Diva Collection [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
16 track compilation of hits by legendary divas, including Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, Dinah Shore, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Eartha Kitt, Rosemary Clooney, Julie London and Lena Horne. 1998 EMI Gold release.

Tracks:

Phantom Of The Opera
Music Of The Night
Pie Jesu
Who Wants To Live Forever
Tu Quiereres Volver
Just Show Me How To Love You
Deliver Me
Nella Fantasia
Scarborough Fair
Whiter Shade Of Pale
It's A Beautiful Day
What You Never Know
A Question Of Honour
Time To Say Goodbye

Amazon.com

Sarah Brightman Photos

More from Sarah Brightman

Time to Say Goodbye
Classics
Eden

Diva: The Video Collection
Live from Las Vegas
La Luna (Live in Concert)

Customer Reviews:

Gorgeous Divas.......2007-07-05

This CD is absolutely gorgeous - it's a must have for everyone who enjoys music that makes the soul happy and eases the mind.

Same old, same old.......2007-05-12

Though the beautiful voice of Sarah Brightman is still a wonder, the songs are repetitive of all her earlier works. I suggest getting Time To Say Goodbye and her Classics albums. Save your money on this latest one.
Loretta Collins

Gorgeous Voice.......2007-05-07

What a beautiful voice. We are thoroughly enjoying her album - particularly the selections from Phantom.

loyal sarah fan and love it!!!!.......2007-04-26

i have loved sarah brightman for a long time now and I just love this album. True..there isn't anything new on it, but a new mix is nice. I do hope she is working on something different at this time, but until then its DIVA!!!!

Perfect for New Fans, but . . ........2007-04-12

This album is really perfect for people who are just being introduced to Sarah Brightman. However, it really isn't for fans who have been with Sarah since the 1990s. All of the pieces are on her previous CDs, and, if you're a loyal fan, you probably already have them. Also, some really good hits are left out. "Harem" should have been put in place, instead of "What You Never Know". It seems as though Ms. Brightman hasn't put her "best" on this album". There also isn't a lot of Sarah from her "early years", such as her albums DIVE and FLY. There's a little bit of Phantom of the Opera, and then there are a lot of pieces from the album Time to Say Goodbye and Eden. A few from La Luna and a few from Harem. I am a LOYAL Sarah Brightman fan, but Sarah didn't out-do herself on this album. It almost seemed as though she was trying to make this a very CLASSICAL collection. I mean, she had some great pop tunes earlier on in her career. It's still a great collection, but I just wish that there was a little bit more! It's perfect for any new fan just coming in to the world of Sarah Brightman!

Average customer rating:

The Best of Erick Satie
A forerunner to minimalism
Wonderful
Richard review of Best of Satie
Got Satie?

The Best of Erik Satie
Erik Satie , Jérôme Kaltenbach , Klára Körmendi , and Orchestre Symphonique et Lyrique de Nancy
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Best of Fauré
After the Rain...The Soft Sounds of Erik Satie
Satie: Piano Works
Satie: Gymnopédies No1-3; Gnossiennes No1-6
The Magic of Satie

ASIN: B00004SYFP
Release Date: 2000-05-16

Tracks:

Trois Gymnopedies (Pno Version): No.1. Lent Et Douloureux
Trois Gymnopedies (Pno Version): No.2. Lent Et Triste
Trois Gymnopedies (Pno Version): No.3. Lent Et Grave
Six Gnossiennes: No.1. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: No.2. Avec Etonnement
Six Gnossiennes: No.3. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: No.4. Lent
Six Gnossiennes: No.5. Modere
Six Gnossiennes: No.6. Avec Conviction Et Une Tristesse Rigoureuse
Je Te Veux (Valse)
Avant-dernieres Pensees: 1. Idylle/2. Aubade/3. Meditation
La Diva De L'Empire (Intermezzo Americain D'apres La Celebre Chanson)
Les Trois Valses Distinguees Du Precieux Degoute: 1. Sa Taille/2. Son Binoche/3. Ses Jambes
Sarabandes: Premiere Sarabande
Sarabandes: Deuxieme Sarabande
Sarabandes: Troisieme Sarabande
Trois Nocturnes: Premier Nocturne
Trois Nocturnes: Deuxieme Nocturne
Trois Nocturnes: Troisieme Nocturne
Reverie Du Pauvre
Trois Gymnopedies (Orchestral Version): No.1. Lent Et Couloureux - Orchestre Symphonique Et Lyrique De Nancy
Trois Gymnopedies (Orchestral Version): No.2. Lent Et Triste - Orchestre Symphonique Et Lyrique De Nancy
Trois Gymnopedies (Orchestral Version): No.3. Lent Et Grave - Orchestre Symphonique Et Lyrique De Nancy

Customer Reviews:

The Best of Erick Satie.......2007-06-11

The reason I bought this product, is because I was familiar with the 3 Gymnopedies of Erick Satie and also another of his work: The Gnosiemme (I'm not sure about the spelling) No. 4. After listening to the CD I felt very happy with it because include both versions of the Gymnopedies, the Orchestral and the one for piano and of course the Gnosiemme No. 4 which I now like it very much. The pianist makes justice to Satie's work and if you like his work is a good buy.

A forerunner to minimalism.......2007-04-13

Satie is a forerunner to minimalism. Each piece of his music is a beauty. He also had great influence on many famous composers and musicians in his age. This album is one of the best piano classical.

Wonderful.......2006-07-07

Just a great collection from Erik Satie. I would highly recommend this one!

Richard review of Best of Satie.......2005-09-02

The recording is well done. Eric Satie is not the type of music that many people will appreciate. I like his music and this particular recording.

Got Satie?.......2005-07-27

... Well folks. This may be the perfect album to get started. This features some of the best-known works by the wierd and witty Erik Satie, including the Gymnopedies (both the original piano and the orchestrated versions), the Gnossiennes, just to name a few.

The performance done by pianist Klara Kormendi is relatively plain and simple, just as Satie might have wanted. Some of his music is actually not too difficult to play... A great CD at a budget price. Kudos to Naxos for a good performance at a good price.

Also, what I'm equally impressed is the fact that in this "appreciation" album, the listener will actually be listening to many "sets" of pieces. Some of those albums (Beethoven and Mozart for example) are mere collections of selected tracks, many just one movement of a large work, such as a symphony. In some you will only be listening to selected numbers of different large "sets" of pieces. In Chopin's for example one may listen only few of the 20+ nocturnes (No. 2 for example), 15+ waltzes, and 20+ mazurkas he wrote, so one would not feel complete listening to the whole "cycles" of short pieces. Satie, fortunatley, prefered using tiny sets of pieces, most of them only comprising of three movments each. Plus each piece is short. ALL of the three Gymnopedies. ALL of the six Gnossiennes. ALL of the three Sarabandes. ALL of the three nocturnes. One can already feel happy listening to couple "sets" within a single CD.

Once again, this may be the perfect album to get started with Erik Satie. And get ALL out of those pieces!!!

Romance Of The Violin (Live From New York In Concert)

Average customer rating:

Excellent performances, both audio and video
Great music, lousy format!

Romance Of The Violin (Live From New York In Concert)
Joshua Bell
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Voice of the Violin
Ladies in Lavender
The Essential Joshua Bell
Joshua Bell - Gershwin Fantasy
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]

ASIN: B00076ZZB6
Release Date: 2005-02-08

Tracks:

O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi
The Girl With Flaxen Hair
Nocturne
The Swan
Serenade
Casta Diva from Norma
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orfeo ed Euridice
Nocturne from String Quartet No. 2 in D Major
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Pur ti Miro from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea
Elegie: O doux printemps d'autrefois
Trerei

Album Description

CD AUDIO SIDE: Entire Album

DVD SIDE: * Entire album in Enhanced LPCM Stereo * Video of highlights from Joshua Bell Romance of the Violin Live from Lincoln Center with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra * Complete Discography This disc is intended to play on standard DVD and CD players. May not play on a limited number of models.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent performances, both audio and video.......2007-01-09

I was delighted with this Dual Disc. Performances are excellent, both audio and video. Recording quality is very good.

I must report some problems with CD side (cracks) on older CD player.

Great music, lousy format!.......2007-01-03

I love the music, but was VERY unhappy to be unable to play this CD on my computer. The DVD side works okay, but I can't load this to itunes on my macintosh. And I can't load the DVD to my computer and store this disk at home. If I had it to do over, I'd buy the plain vanilla CD!

Average customer rating:

Timelessly Innovative
Outstanding!
Michigan Swing Dance Association!
sophistication and downhome grease
Anytime

I Want

Manufacturer: www.WomenInRock.com
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary Blues | Blues | Styles | Music

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Tear Me Apart
Marshall Road Apocalypse
Little Sick Twist
Bury Him at the Crossroads
Do I Move You?

ASIN: B00000IYI6
Release Date: 1998-12-15

Tracks:

Be Glad
I Want
**4 in the Morning**
Unfinished Business
How Many
Leave Me Alone
Why Don't You See Me
Tallow Shuffle
Please Stop Seeing that Girl
I'm Your Girl
See You Tomorrow
Blues Singin' Alcoholic
I Want your Mother to Know/Rotten B
Suffer
Blues Psalm

Customer Reviews:

Timelessly Innovative.......2005-12-17

It is well known that this album has inspired many women to enter into the blues music industry. I recently purchased this smart cd-- I am sorry to say that I waited so long to do so. Between the sheer anger of the song "Suffer" to the soul-full desparation of "*4 in the morning", I am completely impressed, and a permanent fan.

Outstanding!.......2002-12-03

Outstanding! Really made my day. Cathy Jean's not only the best looking female blues singer in the biz, but her voice can make the hair on my back stand up. She and her band got it going on.

Michigan Swing Dance Association!.......2002-02-10

This is another in the fine outings by the very sexy Cathy Jean. The emotion she displays is certainly displayed on the Louisiana style cut, "Unfinished Business". "Leave Me Alone" is a song of an entirely different style being that it's more bluesy in the traditional sense. Dancers will be knocked out by this hard driving tune along with "I'm Your Girl" which is just a bit quicker but with the same power to make you get up and dance.

sophistication and downhome grease.......2001-12-19

Cathy Jean is a singer/songwriter out of Baltimore, Maryland. This is her second CD, and her sound has moved towards a sophisticated blues and rock, with some contemporary influences. She has a voice that is well suited to this eclectic approach, capable of crooning in one song, and belting out a hard shuffle in the next. The music kicks off with "Be Glad", a hard shuffle, followed by the title track, a crisp blues rocker. Cathy and band then move into some jazzy funk in "**4 in the Morning**", a little of the Bo Diddley beat in "Unfinished Business", then back into the funk with "How Many". "Leave Me Alone" is a rocker with a definate soul feel, which gives way to "Why Don't You See Me", a jazzy ballad. The band then cranks out a sharp shuffle, that recalls the 70's Albert Collins sound, followed by "Please Stop Seeing That Girl", a funky acoustic blues that showcases yet another facet of Cathy Jean's voice. Dancers in the crowd are served next with the catchy rocking blues, "I'm Your Girl", then comes the sultry "See You Tomorrow", and the acoustic country-blues of "Blues Singin' Alcoholic". Next up is the New Orleans style rocker, "I Want Your Mother To Know/Rotten B." which Cathy belts out with authority. This CD closes with a nice slow blues and a gospelish blues that is a inventive synthesis of genres. SUMMARY: Cathy Jean has come up with an energetic set of blues, jazz and contemporary-blues that fits the 90's to a T. She has real fire in her voice, and all of the music here is driven by a genuine sense of passion that makes the songs literally jump out at you from the speakers. A great mix of sophistication and downhome grease. --Al Handa, Delta Snake Daily Blues

Anytime.......2001-11-24

I am a manager of a public library and also play blues harmonica. I bought her CD, "I Want", for the library... it kicks. Listening to her and looking at her is a deadly combination, makes my head swim.

Régine Crespin - Songs of Ravel & Satie, Beethoven "Ah! Perfido", Concert Arias

Average customer rating:

Régine Crespin - Songs of Ravel & Satie, Beethoven "Ah! Perfido", Concert Arias
Maurice Ravel , Erik Satie , Ludwig van Beethoven , New York Philharmonic , Thomas Schippers , Régine Crespin , and Philippe Entremont
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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The Very Best of Régine Crespin
Susan Graham - La Belle Époque (The Songs of Reynaldo Hahn)

ASIN: B00000C28S
Release Date: 1998-09-22

Tracks:

Histories Naturelles: Le Paon
Histories Naturelles: Le Grillon
Histories Naturelles: Le Cygne
Histories Naturelles: Le Martin-Pecheur
Histories Naturelles: La Pintade
Melodies - Songs: Le Chapelier
Melodies - Songs: Tendrement
Melodies - Songs: Dapheneo
Melodies - Songs: L'Omnibus automobile
Melodies - Songs: La Statue de bronze
Melodies - Songs: Je te veux
Melodies - Songs: Chanson du chat
Melodies - Songs: La Diva de 'L'Empire'
'Ah! Perfido', Op. 65

Amazon.com

The now-retired Régine Crespin is easily the greatest soprano voice to come out of France since World War II, notable not just for its body and luster but for such an effortless sense of line that you're never aware of the individual notes, only the overall musical idea they're meant to create. This was recorded a bit late in her career and some wobble is apparent. But her characterization of the words--so important in Ravel's precise animal portraits in Histoires Naturelles--is peerless. Too bad that the Satie songs--in terms of quality--veer between serious endeavors and cabaret toss-offs. The disc is filled out by Crespin's performance of Beethoven's concert aria Ah! Perfido, which illustrates why she was a formidable Tosca in her day. --David Patrick Stearns

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Rosa Ponselle Prima Voce
Avatar or envoy of gods
The most ravishing soprano voice. Ever.
The richest, most beautiful voice in history!
Callas was correct...

Ponselle Prima Voce

Manufacturer: Nimbus Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Ponselle, Vol. 2
Ponselle, Vol. 3
Galli-Curci: Prima Voce
Luisa Tetrazzini, Vol.2
Prima Voce: Tetrazzini

ASIN: B0000037J6
Release Date: 1992-12-02

Tracks:

La Gioconda: Suicidio
Otello: The Willow Song
Otello: Ave Maria
Aida: Qui Radames Vera!...O Patria Mia
Aida: Pur Ti Riveggo - Rosa Ponselle/Giovanni Martinelli
Ernani: Surta E La Notte...Ernani, Involami
La Vestale: Tu Che Invoco
La Vestale: O Nume Tutelar
La Forza Del Destino: Alzatevi...La Vergine Degli Angeli - Rosa Ponselle/Ezio Pinza
Norma: Sediziose Voci...Casta Diva
Norma: Mira, O Norma
Carme
Maria, Mari!
On Wings Of Dream
The Nightingale And The Rose
A Perfect Day

Customer Reviews:

Rosa Ponselle Prima Voce.......2006-03-18

These are old recordings, but great from the standpoint that it is the only way we can hear an almost faithful representation of her great voice.

It is a very fine selection of opera arias.

Albert C. Ruocchio

Avatar or envoy of gods.......2006-02-14

Nasal ringing sound, like one of Caruso, Bechi but better. Frequent intrusions into men's repertoire ('Song of Indian merchant', 'In questa tomba oscura', 'Tre giorni son che Nina', 'Der Tod und das Madchen', etc).
Best singer, best voice.
Early retirement because of higher nasal impedance.

The most ravishing soprano voice. Ever........2005-08-23

Many would argue that this was the most beautiful soprano voice ever - or at least ever recorded. And it's a strong argument. Such richness, such depth, such warmth, such glorious freedom, such security - who else, before or since, can match them. Destinn? A bit blousy. Boninsegna? The voice changes through the passagio. Rethberg? Close, but no cigar. Tebaldi? A bit shrill by comparison. Callas? Dramatic, yes, but beautiful, I don't think so. Gheorgiu? Good by today's standards, but no contest.

No, this thick double-cream stream of tone is something to relish, to sit back and just enjoy. Try her 'Casta Diva' or 'Un bel di' to see how it feels when you approach every high note with joyous anticipation and not with the prospect of a wince (cf. Callas). The Nile aria from Aida is as near perfection as we have any right to expect this side of Opera Heaven - a wondrous piano high C. And on these discs you will also find one of my all-time favourite records - La Vergine degli Angeli from La Forza del Destino where you get, not only Ponselle's wondrous soprano at the top, but also her bass equivalent, Ezio Pinza, below. Two wonderful voices for the price of one.

The Nimbus sound, achieved by recording what actually emerges from the record into a room rather than directly off the shellac, is not to everyone's taste. But it is to mine. It allows the singer's voice to develop and bloom and sound, to my ears, very natural.

The richest, most beautiful voice in history!.......2004-02-10

More beautiful than Caballe and Sutherland combined! A voice like a gleaming red ruby, the greatest lirico spinto of the century. Her Verdi-recordings have found their equals only in Callas' insightful performances but she did not quite possess the creamy, gleaming luxury timbre that Ponselle had. Being reported as one of the biggest voice in history (On occasions she drowned out Titta Ruffo!!!!) she will dazzle you like only Callas could afterwards. She debuted as Leonora in Forza in her teens (I think she was 18) with Caruso as Don Alvaro and made operatic history. Her Gioconda was as legendary as her Giulia (Vestale), repertoire only to be sung by Callas to the same perfection. Her brilliant Aida puts most others to shame, as do both of her Leonoras. Two complete opera-recordings with her exist: La Traviata and Carmen. Get them both and be charmed by the most gorgeous voice in history!

Callas was correct..........2002-11-19

When I read that Maria Callas credited Rosa Ponselle as her vocal idol and only inspiration, the first thought I had was that if a soprano as great as Callas said this, is because it should be true. When I bought this CD I proved the affirmation was correct: you only have to hear Rosa Ponselle's voice and verify that she is one the best sopranos of the century, and why her voice was the inspiration of many Callas's roles, including Norma, La Gioconda and La vestale. The sound quality of this CD is incredible if we consider that the recordings dates from the 1920's

The Ultimate Aria Collection ~ A Passion for Opera

Average customer rating:

OPERA HEAVEN
Incredibly Beautiful . . .
Ultimate Aria
Ultimate indeed

The Ultimate Aria Collection ~ A Passion for Opera
Georges Bizet , Giuseppe Verdi , Giacomo Puccini , Gaetano Donizetti , Ruggero Leoncavallo , Gioachino Rossini , Gustave Charpentier , Leo Delibes , Vincenzo Bellini , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Pietro Mascagni , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Francesco Cilea , Edouard Lalo , Camille Saint-Saens , Arrigo Boito , George Frideric Handel , Alfredo Catalani , Amilcare Ponchielli , Charles Gounod , Jules Massenet , Ambroise Thomas , Fritz Wunderlich , Rome Opera Theater Orchestra & Chorus , Maria Callas , Elisabeth Schwarzkopf , Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala , Wiener Philharmoniker , Orchestre de Paris , Carlo Maria Giulini , Tullio Serafin , Sir Charles Mackerras , Francesco Molinari-Pradelli , Riccardo Muti , and Leone Magiera
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Most Famous Opera Duets
Aria: A Passion for Opera
Aria II: A Passion for Opera
Rapture: Opera's Most Heavenly Moments

ASIN: B000009OQL
Release Date: 1998-08-11

Tracks:

Carmen: Quand je vous aimerai? ...L'amour (Habanera)
I Pagliacci: Recitar!... Vesti la giubba
Madama Butterfly: Un bel di vedremo
L'Elisir d'Amore: Una furtiva lagrima
Nabucco: Va pensiero (Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves)
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Rigoletto: La dona e mobile
The Barber Of Seville: Largo al factotum
Louise: Depuis le jour
Lakme: Flower Duet
Turandot: Nessun dorma
Norma: Casta diva
Gianni Schicchi: A vete torto!
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
TOSCA: E lucevan le stelle
La rondine: Chi il bel sogno di Doretta
Il Trovatore: Di quella pira

Tracks:

L'Elisir d'Amore: Quanto e bella, quanto e cara!
Orphee et Eurydice: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice
La Boheme: Che gelida manina
La Boheme: Si, mi chimano Mimi
La Traviata: Di Provenza il mar
L'amico Fritz: O amore, o bella luce del core
Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete
TOSCA: Recondita armonia
Adriana Lecouvreur: Ecco, respiro appena...lo son l'umile ancella
Le Roi d'Ys: Puisqu'on ne peut... Vainement, ma bien-aimee
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre a'ta voix
Mefistofele: Dai campi, dai prati
Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide
Serse: Ombra mai fu
Turandot: Signore, ascolta
Manon Lescaut: Donna non vidi mai
La Wally: Ebben? ne ando lontana
La Gioconda: Cielo e mar

Tracks:

Aida: Se quel guerriero io fossi...Celeste Aida
Romeo Et Juliet: L'amour, l'amour...Ah, leve-toi soleil
Mefistofele: L'altra notte in fondo al mare
Werther: Toute mon ame est la...Pourqui me reveiller
Barber Of Seville: Una voce poco fa
Cosi Fan Tutti: Un aura amorosa
Le Villi: Se como voi piccina
Un Balle en Maschera: `Se come voi piccina`
Carmen: La fleur que tu m'avais jette
La forza del destino: Pace, pace mio Dio
Adriana Lecouvreur: L'anima ho stanca
La Gioconda: Suicidio
Don Giovanni: Dalla sua pace
La Traviata: De' miei bolenti spiriti
La nozzi di Figaro: Porgi amor
Turandot: Non piangere, Liu
Mignon: Elle ne croyait pas dans sa candeur naive

Amazon.com

Put together in evident haste, this collection is nevertheless a surefire, appetite-whetting starter kit both for the budding operaphile and for the simply intimidated. The samplings include some of the greatest voices from EMI's vaults: here you'll find the polar opposites Callas and Caballe, the golden wonder of Wunderlich and early Carreras, and a host of other singers who've made their stamp on this century. Emphasis is on the soprano and tenor range, while the lower voices are given short shrift, and the selections cleave predictably to standard Italian and French repertory (with an occasional surprise, such as an aria from Lalo's Le Roi d'Ys). Still, the nearly three and a half hours of music represented will make a ready convert of anyone who hasn't experienced the specially heightened, time-stopping expressivity--beyond the power of mere song--that is the aria's function and will likely spark a desire to explore the larger operatic context in several cases. And though the lack of a booklet with texts or at least bios of the artists is frustrating, this is a good place to begin for an overview of the mesmeric power extraordinary voices can wield. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

OPERA HEAVEN.......2002-12-13

Probely this is a good buy for someone who is gest getting into the world of OPERA.Still a very good purchaes with fimiluar songs.

Incredibly Beautiful . . ........2001-10-27

If you love opera - this collection of some of the lovliest arias ever sung by artists from Caballe to Freni, from Delibes to Puccini - will inspire you. It is a wonderful gift for friends or for yourself.

Ultimate Aria.......2001-08-03

In my small operetic mind, this set of Cd's has completely captured me for the Opera. I was a young and upcoming musician in my youth. I'v been around the block "as it were" with the Classics. This collection is indeed, the benchmark upon which all others would hope to aspire.

Congradulations EMI for an incredible vision of the greatest opeatic moments recorded.

Gosh what's next?

Ralph Hassman

Ultimate indeed.......2000-08-02

If you don't like the idea of buying whole operas, or if you're a newcomer to opera - this is an extremely good collection / introduction, worth every single cent. The collection features many of the worlds greatest singers, giving their interpretations of some of the world's greatest arias. The compilation itself is very tasteful and covers a wide range from Handel to early 20th century composers. You won't miss any important stuff from the history of opera, except maybe Wagner and the most modern operas - I'll come back to that fact later. The compilers have actually put some lesser known, although no less beautiful, arias here, that oftenly are neglected on ordinary opera-collections, why the name `ultimate collection' is more than correct in that aspect.

EMI have a enormous archive to pick their recordings from, and that of course makes it easy to find first rate interpretations of all the arias included in this collection, and I do think that almost all of the arias are wonderfully sung here. It may be possible to find better performances of single numbers here and there, but I've not yet heard a more complete, wellmatched, and so thrillingly sung collection.

Well then, is there nothing wrong with this compilation? You might find it a little odd that there are so many soloarias and so few duets, terzettos a.s.o, especially since the drama in operas oftenly is greater in numbers with more than one singer. You might also wish that some of the recordings had been a little more modern (most of these recordings were made during the 50's, 60's & 70's) giving place to younger performers that still are singing on the stages, but those are minor objections when the over all quality is so high.

Tracks:

La Boheme: Si. Mi chiamano Mimi
Norma: Casta diva
L'Assedio di Corinto: Giusto ciel! In tal periglio
Sapho: O ma lyre immortelle
Semiramide: Serbami ognor... Alle piu calde immagini
Otello: Piangea cantando (Willow Song) -
Otello: Ave Maria
Herodiade: Il est doux, il est bon
Lucrezia Borgia: Tranquillo ei posa... Com'e bello!
Suor Angelica: Senza mamma
Rigoletto: Caro nome
La Sonnambula: Ah! non credea mirarti

Tracks:

La Traviata: E strano, e strano! -
La Traviata: Follie! Follie! -
La Traviata: Sempre libera degg'io
TOSCA: Vissi d'arte
Il corsaro: Egli non riede ancora!
Il corsaro: Non so le tetre immagini
Armida: D'amore al dolce impero
I Pagliacci: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo!
Roberto Devereux: E Sara in questi orribili momenti... Vivi, ingrato
Il Trovatore: D'amor sull'ali rosee
Stabat Mater: Inflammatus et accensus
Adriana Lecouvreur: Io son l'umile ancella
Anna Bolena: Al dolce guidami
Adelson e Salvini: Dopo l'oscuro nembo
I Vespri Sicillani: Arrigo! Ah, parli a un core

Customer Reviews:

A fab collection of the loveliest soprano voice ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1.......2005-12-23

First off this two cd set is for the price of one,that is always great.Montserrat caballe is the star of this cdset,and she demonstrates all that is beautiful in singing,on ever track.Her ave maria from othello is included here.It is one of the best performed arias by caballe ever,she ends it with a heavenly piano top note.Also included is her magical casta diva from norma.Caballe sings all these arias with her legendary sound and breath control.On this set there are plenty of examples of long sustained notes,seemless legato,glorious high notes,and magically floated soft notes.Check out the cover to,there are some great photos of Caballe in opera costumes.These cds have great sound,and play for over two hours,too.

LA SUPERBA!.......2005-11-22

Montserrat Caballe is an amazing person and an amazing singer. In my opinion she has a more beautiful voice than Maria Callas. The high notes she reaches are just fantastic! Her Sempre Libera is the best ever! Her Ave Maria is stunning and her Vissi D arte is really moving. Her voice is so beautiful, it's as if it's an angels voice coming from her.

Madame Caballé is great!!!.......2003-04-06

This collection of Caballé's recordings is fantastic! Her soprano is the most beautiful that has been recorded. L. Price, Tebaldi, Ponselle, and a few others have gorgeous voices, but can any of those voices compare with Caballé's? Caballé's singing throughout is of the highest standard. Her "Ave Maria" is spectacular. "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore" has never sounded more beautiful. I love her "Non so le tetre immagini". Such beautiful singing does not come any better than this. Her "Caro nome" is disappointing. She is clearly not suited to this aria. "Inflammatus et accensus" is glorious. The later recordings are nice, but they are not the best Caballé has committed to disc. "Il est doux, il est bon" betrays a slight wobble in her otherwise still beautiful voice. "Dopo l'oscuro nembo" features very respectable soft singing from Caballé. This version does not do justice to Bellini's exquisite orchestration. For a version that does, check out Opera Rara's "The Collection: Volume 2". That version features competent singing from an inferior-voiced soprano, but the orchestra is ravishing. The one reviewer who mentioned the aria from "I Vespri Siciliani" as having "fioriture effects Berio could sign on to" is incorrect. The aria included here is not "Mercè, dilette amiche". That aria is more famous and much more florid than the aria included in this collection, "Arrigo, parli a un core". By the way, Caballé performs this aria ravishingly well. This is a superb testament to one of the all-time greats in opera.

Amazing collection!.......2003-04-05

I will write this review objectively, but I will not avoid praising Caballé when praise is due.

First off, this compilation is amazing! I have always thrilled to hearing Caballé's voice and this compilation is no different. I am amazed at Caballé's instrument; such extraordinary purity combined with great power! Even when she sings pianissimo, she can be clearly heard! Her voice literally fills up the room. These arias really show off her remarkable voice. Of special note is her rendition of the hauntingly beautiful "Non so le tetre immagini". Amazing! Her "D'amor sull'ali rosee" is exquisite, but she sings it too softly. Her trill is quite weak. Voices like hers don't respond well to being forced to trill. The tracks from the 1990's show off the remarkable preservation of her voice. The voice retains its purity and beautiful timbre, but is now heavier and darker. "Sempre libera" is not that good. Her coloratura is not up to par with Verdi's demands and she cannot hit the high E-flat at the end. However, she sings the main part of Violetta's aria very well, with supple, gorgeous tone and ravishing pianissimos. "Ah! non credea mirarti" is ravishing, but it is missing its energetic cabaletta. Presumably, it was cut because Caballé could not deal with the coloratura. Caballé's legato lines in this aria are superb. Her version of the "Lucrezia Borgia" Prologue is masterful. Elizabeth's last aria from "Roberto Devereux" is noble and touching. She is not quite Sills, but that aria benefits from a spinto voice instead of a soubrette one. Her aristocratic phrasing is very well used throughout the selections, with a few exceptions. Her "Willow Song" is beautiful, first time on CD. However, she fails to completely show Desdemona's despair. Some parts were good, but the whole thing failed to touch the heart. Her phrasing here is too indulgent. I have to say that I prefer Sutherland's touching version on her "The Art of the Prima Donna" recording. However, I loved "Ave Maria". Caballé sounds most beautiful when singing softly and this selection really shows her in the best light. Her cadenzas are intoxicatingly beautiful. "Caro nome" is not really her aria. The coloratura is suspect and some of the staccati are replaced with upward flourishes. She avoids the last short passage of staccati. Her phrasing in this aria is way too indulgent and she really fails to suggest Gilda's innocence. Even Sutherland is better at portraying Gilda's girlish qualities. Her "Armida" aria has some nice coloratura. She does the runs really well and is fearless in the triplet passages. For some reason, she does not sing the second "fronde" in the first line of the third stanza nor does she sing the last line of this stanza, "i muti abitator". She also does not sing the last line of the fifth stanza, "il tempo vorator". Caballé's first recorded version of "Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore" is included here. This just may be the most beautiful version of this aria ever recorded. It certainly is Caballé's best version of the aria. The climax is handled in one breath by Caballé. She diminuendos the big high note twice in the same breath. Amazing! The rolling of the "r" in "Signor" after the last diminuendo is quite nasal and reminds us that the sound we are hearing is coming from a human throat. It also shows that these diminuendos are natural and not studio produced. She infuses Tosca's aria with real feeling and piety. The compilation ends with a knockout reading of "Arrigo, parli a un core". Caballé is at her best in this aria. She sings softly to stunning effect. This version may be the most beautiful of this particular aria ever recorded. RCA has done Caballé justice with this wonderful collection. Caballé is truly a remarkable artist with a million-dollar voice. Brava!

Cannot be called an "ultimate" collection.......2003-02-05

This is a prime example of the a major recording label being fickle with the goods, in order to force you to continue buying other recitals and full-length studio recordings. Of course, any Caballe fan would already want to own those other recordings anyway, so the point is moot.

Other reviewers here have cried out against the exclusion of one of her most essential and artistic roles, Imogene from Il Pirata. I would like to emphatically express the same. In fact, I would even have settled for the exclusion of Casta Diva, in favor of Col Sorriso di Innocenza.

Some other stellar recordings not represented her are the Sleepwalking Scene from MacBeth, and Pace, Pace Mio Dio from La Forza del Destino. Also worth mentioning is her O Patria Mia from Aida. She might not be Leontyne Price or Martina Arroyo, but she gives a superb reading of this wonderful aria.

Of course, brevity does require some editing- a true "Ultimate" Caballe collection would span four or five CDs, at least- but to include late-career and less-than-best selections at the expense of others is a crime.

Tracks:

Dido and Aeneas: Act 3: Thy Hand, Belinda!
Dido and Aeneas: Act 3: When I Am Laid In Earth
Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: E Susanna non vien!
Le nozze di Figaro: Act 3: Dove sono
La traviata: Act 3: Teneste la promessa
La traviata: Act 3: Addio del passato
L'africaine: Act 2: Sur mes genoux, fils du soleil
Manon: Act 2: Allons! il le faut!
Manon: Act 2: Adieu, notre petite table
Otello: Act 4: Era piu calma?
Otello: Act 4: Mia madre aveva una povera ancella (Willow Song)
Otello: Act 4: Ave Maria
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 1: Ecco: respiro appena
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 1: Io son l'umile ancella
Louise: Act 3: Depuis le jour
Turandot: Act 2: In questa reggia
Die tote Stadt: Act 1: Marietta's Lied
Vanessa: Act 1: He Has Come, He Has Come!
Vanessa: Act 1: Do Not Utter A Word

Tracks:

Atalanta: Act 1: Care Selve
Don Giovanni: Act 1: Don, Ottavio, son morta!
Don Giovanni: Act 1: Or sai chi l'onore
Der Freischuetz: Act 2: Wie nahte mir der Schlummer
Der Freischuetz: Act 2: Liese, leise
Tannhaeuser: Act 2: Dich, teure Halle
Macbeth: Act 2: La luce langue
Macbeth: Act 4: Vegliammo invan due notti (Sleepwalking Scene)
Macbeth: Act 4: Una macchia e qui tuttora
Mefistofele: Act 3: L'altra notte in fondo al mare
Rusalka: Act 1: Song To The Moon
L'Enfant Prodigue: Air de Lia: L'annee en vain
Andrea Chenier: Act 3: La mamma morta
Francesca da Ramini: Act 3: Paolo, datemi pace
Suor Angelica: Senza mammo, o bimbo, tu sei morto!
Amelia Goes To The Ball: While I Waste These Precious Hours

Tracks:

Alceste: Act 1: Divinites du Styx
Don Giovanni: Act 2: Crudele? Ah, no, mio bene
Don Giovanni: Act 2: Non mi dir
I lombardi: Act 2: O madre, dal cielo
I lombardi: Act 2: Se vano e il pregare
Martha: Act 2: The Last Rose Of Summer
Simon Boccanegra: Act 1: Come in quest'ora bruna
La Perichole: Act 3: Tu n'es pas beau
Die Walkuere: Act 1: Du bist der Lenz
Die Fledermaus: Act 2: Czardas: Klange der Heimat
Carmen: Act 3: Ces des contrebandiers
Carmen: Act 3: Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante
Cavalleria Rusticana: Voi lo sapete
Thais: Act 2: Ah! je suis seule
Thais: Act 2: Dis-moi que je suis belle
Gianni Schicchi: O mio babbino caro
Les dialogues des Carmelites: Act 3: Mes filles, voila s'acheve

Tracks:

Semele: Act 2: Where 'er You Walk
Idomeneo: Act 3: O smania! O Furie!
Idomeneo: Act 3: D 'Oreste, d' Ajace!
La damnation de Faust: Part 4: D'amour l'ardente flamme
Oberon: Act 2: Ozean, du Ungeheuer!
Norma: Act 1: Sediziose voci, voci di guerra
Norma: Act 1: Casta diva
Norma: Act 1: Ah! bello a me ritorna
Rigoletto: Act 1: Gualtier Malde
Rigoletto: Act 1: Caro Nome
Tristan und Isolde: Act 3: Liebestod: Mild und leise
Pagliacci: Act 1: Ballatella: Qual fiamma avea nel guardo
Adriana Lecouvreur: Act 4: Poveri fiori
Gloriana: Act 1, Scene 2: Soliloquy & Prayer: On Rivalries 'tis Safe For Kings
Gloriana: Act 1, Scene 2: Soliloquy & Prayer: O God, My King, Sole Ruler Of The World