Music CD - Beverly Sills, Sherrill Milnes, Ruggero Raimondi, Gioacchino Rossini, James Levine, London Symphony Orchestra: Rossini: The Barber of Seville (Complete opera); Beverly Sills; Nicolai Gedda; James Levine; London Symphony Orchestra

	Music CD: Rossini: The Barber of Seville (Complete opera); Beverly Sills; Nicolai Gedda; James Levine; London Symphony Orchestra Artist: Beverly Sills, Sherrill Milnes, Ruggero Raimondi, Gioacchino Rossini, James Levine, London Symphony Orchestra List Price: $11.98 Our Price: $9.03 Your Save: $ 2.95 ( 25% ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: EMI Classics
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Tracks: 1. Overture 2. Act 1. Scene 1. Piano, pianissimo, senza parlar 3. Act 1. Scene 1. Ecco ridente in cielo 4. Act 1. Scene 1. Ehi, Fiorello 5. Act 1. Scene 1. Mille grazie, mio signore 6. Act 1. Scene 1. Gente indiscreta! 7. Act 1. Scene 1. La ran la le ra...Largo al factotum 8. Act 1. Scene 1. Ah, che bella vita! 9. Act 1. Scene 1. Non è venuto ancora 10. Act 1. Scene 1. Le vostre assidue premure 11. Act 1. Scene 1. Se il mio nome saper voi bramate 12. Act 1. Scene 1. Oh cielo! 13. Act 1. Scene 1. All'idea di quel metallo 14. Act 1. Scene 2. Una voce poco fa 15. Act 1. Scene 2. Sì, sì, la vincerò 16. Act 1. Scene 2. Ah, disgraziato Figaro! 17. Act 1. Scene 2. Ah! Barbiere d'inferno 18. Act 1. Scene 2. La calunnia è un venticello 19. Act 1. Scene 2. Ah! Che ne dite? 20. Act 1. Scene 2. Ma bravi! Ma benone! 21. Act 1. Scene 2. Dunque io son 22. Act 1. Scene 2. Ora mi sento meglio 23. Act 1. Scene 2. A un dottor della mia sorte
Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0724358552324 Format: Original recording remastered Label: EMI Classics Manufacturer: EMI Classics Number Of Discs: 2 Publisher: EMI Classics Release Date: 2004-06-01 Studio: EMI Classics
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Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: Good starting place - Not the best though Comment: This is a great bargain deal if you want to hear the music from this opera. Is this a great performance? No, it is not. The strongest part of this recording is the conducting, great pacing all the way through. The worst part is Milnes AWFUL falsetto note in Largo al factorum. How the hell did this make it on the final product? Horrible, sounds like a teenage boy. Other than that, it is decent. Customer Rating: Summary: A charming, humane, thoroughly enjoyable Barbiere Comment: In much the same manner that Lucia Popp forever standardized Mozart's Königin der Nacht, Beverly Sills redefines the role of Rossini's capricious Rosina. Her crystalline coloratura voice washes over "Una voce poca fa" with brisk, windswept ease. It is a mystery why any listener would prefer a mezzo-soprano, such as Teresa Berganza, despite the fact that the role was fashioned for a denser voice. (Agnes Baltsa is likely the most delightful deep Rosina on record.) Nicolai Gedda's mellifluous voice provides the ideal characterization for Rossini's vigorous youth, the Conte d'Almaviva. "Ecco, ridente in cielo" and "Se il mio nome saper voi bramate," the role's osciallating cavatina and sensual serenade, shine with two characteristics which often clash during tenor performances: stylistic perfection and taste. Sherrill Milnes is, without a doubt, the finest Figaro recorded since Robert Merrill. The Verdian baritone exhibits atypically droll flare during "Largo al factotum," especially during the aria's feverish repetition of "Figaro." He and Gedda harmonize flawlessly during the duet "All'idea di quell metallo"; his voice also complements the radiant Sills during "Dunque io son ... tu non m'inganni?" Fernando Corena possessed the most pristine and genuinely humorous interpretation of the cranky Dottore Bartolo. Renato Capecchi, a buffo bass whose range is quite impressive though occasionally unstable, provides a performance which can almost parallel Corena's. Where Corena was blusterous, Capecchi is sniveling; where the former was wickedly serpentine, Capecchi is morose and self-pitying. His greatest achievement is that he is never maudlin; his performance is constantly fluid (he is gut-wrenchingly hilarious during the Act II duet "Pace e gioia sia con voi" with Gedda disguised as a garrulous music teacher) and his characterization, though it transcends all realms of reality, is delightful in its over-the-top perfection. Ruggero Raimondi's Don Basilio is quite the opposite; his rendition of the "Slander Song" ("La calunnia è un venticello") is almost doomful. He provides archaic and gloomy weight where the inimitable Nicolai Ghiaurov was effervescent. The illustrious mezzo-soprano Fedora Barbieri supplies a very satisfying performance as Berta, Bartolo's disgruntled old maid, especially during her aria "Il vecchiotto cerca moglie." With James Levine leading the London Symphony Orchestra with exquisite charm, one can barely begin to praise this brilliant 1975 recording of Rossini's landmark opera. It is not only an essential Il Barbiere di Siviglia for aficionados of the comedy, but a touching and compelling accomplishment no music lover should exist without. Customer Rating: Summary: Recorded too late Comment: I wish that I could speak more highly of this performance, as it was made by some of my favorite singers (and conductor). Alas, I can not. Milnes is a fine Figaro. Sills (I love her) should have recorded this role about 10 years earlier. Really unfortunately, I found Gedda's work painful. A fine, stylish tenor in his prime, he is well past it here. Sometimes great talents come together and misfire. But, if you are a Sills fan... Customer Rating: Summary: A real joy Comment: It is a great pleasure which what I hear this wonderful recording of Rossini's masterpeace, vividly conducted by a young James Levine and sung by a cast of first-class singers including Milnes, Sills, Raimondi and the unsurpassable Gedda as Count Almaviva. This production has not lost anything of it's freshness since over 30 years! Customer Rating: Summary: Rossini Does it Again Comment: A wonderful opera that even the "opera hater" would love. Great music that can be recognized by all. More Reviews
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