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Cecilia Bartoli presents Vincenzo Bellini’s “Norma” like you have never heard it before – a new complete studio recording of one of the most iconic operas in music history, in its original form. For generations Bellini’s “Norma” has been looked at from the vantage point of the Verismo era at the beginning of the twentieth century. Now Cecilia Bartoli unveils the opera’s original pre-Romantic style and colour by taking Norma back to its roots. For the first time ever the entire music is recorded with period instruments from Bellini’s time. Traditional cuts are reinstated. Keys and tonalities are put back into place and the music is executed according to Bellini’s own tempo indications. A new critical music edition was compiled from the autograph score and many manuscript sources. | 
| Decca - 4783517 (CD - 2 discs) Normally: $34.75 Special: $30.75 |
| | (Sorry, download not available in your country) | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Netherlands Opera, October 2009
Daniel Borowski (Lord Gualtiero Valton), Mariola Cantarero (Elvira), Riccardo Zanellato (Sir Giorgio), John Osborn (Lord Arturo Talbot), Scott Hendricks (Sir Riccardo Forth), Gregorio Gonzalez (Sir Bruno Roberton), Fredrika Brillembourg (Enrichetta di Francia) Chorus of the Netherlands Opera & Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Giuliano Carella (conductor) & Francisco Negrin (director) In Vincenzo Bellini’s last opera, Elvira’s love for Arturo overcomes the power-games in Puritan England, staged with darkly dramatic flair by Francisco Negrin as a world of blind dogma. Mariola Cantarero is compelling as the heroine on the verge of insanity in one of the greatest mad scenes in the history of opera. One of the leading lyric tenors today, John Osborn sings Arturo with fearless commitment and some spectacular top notes. In the pit is the bel canto specialist Giuliano Carella. Running time: 173 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/DU Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS “Negrin gets some excellent performances from his cast, who are able to express emotion without being either hammy or cheesy. Scott Hendricks as the rejected lover sings nobly after a gusty start...Osborn manages a stupendous top F, non-falsetto, and his singing in the trio, lyrical but desperate, is even more wonderful...Go on, give it a whirl.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2013 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Netherlands Opera, October 2009
Daniel Borowski (Lord Gualtiero Valton), Mariola Cantarero (Elvira), Riccardo Zanellato (Sir Giorgio), John Osborn (Lord Arturo Talbot), Scott Hendricks (Sir Riccardo Forth), Gregorio Gonzalez (Sir Bruno Roberton), Fredrika Brillembourg (Enrichetta di Francia) Chorus of the Netherlands Opera & Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Giuliano Carella (conductor) & Francisco Negrin (director) In Vincenzo Bellini’s last opera, Elvira’s love for Arturo overcomes the power-games in Puritan England, staged with darkly dramatic flair by Francisco Negrin as a world of blind dogma. Mariola Cantarero is compelling as the heroine on the verge of insanity in one of the greatest mad scenes in the history of opera. One of the leading lyric tenors today, John Osborn sings Arturo with fearless commitment and some spectacular top notes. In the pit is the bel canto specialist Giuliano Carella. Running time: 173 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/DU Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS “Negrin gets some excellent performances from his cast, who are able to express emotion without being either hammy or cheesy. Scott Hendricks as the rejected lover sings nobly after a gusty start...Osborn manages a stupendous top F, non-falsetto, and his singing in the trio, lyrical but desperate, is even more wonderful...Go on, give it a whirl.” Gramophone Magazine, March 2013 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Renée Fleming continues her reign as ‘Queen of the MET’, starring in a bel canto rarity specially staged for her – a showcase for her extraordinary vocal virtuosity. This bel canto extravaganza is presented here on 2 DVDs. In addition to the great prima donna title role, Armida uniquely features no fewer than six tenor roles, here led by the acclaimed young American tenor Lawrence Brownlee. In Mary Zimmerman’s magical new production, supported by striking sets and colourful costumes and a fully-staged ballet, the ‘real world’ of the Crusaders and the fantastical realm of Armida’s enchanted island are clearly contrasted Of Renée Fleming’s performance, the The Opera Critic said: “The beautiful singing and appearance of Fleming make this an event worth seeing… She was especially brilliant in her long final scene which calls for rich legato singing as well as flashy ornamentation”. “musically, there is a great deal to commend. In terms of a live performance, Renée Fleming’s Armida is amazing: consistently beautiful sound, all the notes at top and bottom, spot-on agility in even the trickiest fioriture, all made to sound almost too easy...And all those tenors? Lawrence Brownlee also fields beautifully liquid tone as Rinaldo, and has a technical proficiency to match Flórez...Banks, in his double assignment, gives him a good run for his money” Opera | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Maria Malibran, like Pauline Viardot, was a daughter of the influential vocal pedagogue, Manuel García. In Halévy’s obscure Clari, composed for Malibran in 1828, Cecilia Bartoli, in whose vocal “footprint” she follows like a third Garcia sister born into another time, revives a work that dazzles like she does This first recording may resurrect Clari onto the stages of the world, since this captivating tragicomedy’s beauties are floral, but unfading, in their allure. The story – an innocent suspected of infidelity by her fiancé – is familiar, but the score is wondrous treasure. Bartoli’s Zürich Clari won unanimous hosannas. “We must bow down to la Ceci for locating this morsel . . . it requires a mezzo of superhuman abilities and three good octaves.” (Intermezzo). Zürich Opera’s period instrument band La Scintilla contributes stylish support under Adam Fischer. Classification: Exempt Region: 0 “Bartoli launches into 'T'arresta, or barbaro' with all the venom of the woman scorned, showing a power that one does not often hear from her. John Osborn matches her with strong vocalism...he completes the [Act Three] aria with a terrific top D... Adam Fischer draws lively playing from the orchestra in all aspects of this opera semiseria, and the contributions of the small chorus are well sung.” International Record Review, April 2011 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Gerald Finley (Guillaume Tell), John Osborn (Arnaud), Malin Byström (Mathilde), Marie-Nicole Lemieux (Hedwige), Matthew Rose (Walter Furst), Frédéric Caton (Melchtal), Elena Xanthoudakis (Jemmy), Carlo Cigni (Gesler), Carlo Bosi (Rodolphe), Celso Albelo (Ruodi), Dawid Kimberg (Leuthold), Davide Malvestio (Un Chasseur) Orchestra e coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano Rossini’s complete final French Grand Opera William Tell in its definitive critical edition brough vividly to life by Antonio Pappano, Orchestra e coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under his musical directorship and a stellar international cast. Recorded live in concerts in October and December 2010 at the Accademia’s home Auditorium Parco della Musica led by Canadian baritone Gerald Finley in the title role and American tenor John Osborn, discovered by Antonio Pappano for this recording, in the notoriously challenging high role of Arnold of which he is a rare exponent. Rossini’s opera established the structure of Grand Opera in separate scenes which was used by Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi. The music Rossini wrote for Arnold took operatic tenor singing style out of “chest” and “falsetto” (for the high notes), as was the norm until then, creating the powerful extended full vocal range we know today and which continues to make Italianate operatic tenor singing so thrilling. The work had a huge influence on music history and is a fitting one for Pappano to champion in his active role as presenter of the history of opera by Italian composers from the beginning to the 20th century. “The orchestra is fleet and wonderfully together, with crunch, buoyancy, a keen sense of collective phrasing and its own very distinctive sound…An excellent cast, led by Gerald Finley, on magnificent form…[Pappano’s] singers brought meaning to every phrase, giving us driven motivated vocal lines”. The Financial Times “Pappano gives it his all throughout, and manages to keep the sluggish first hour going at a fair lick, masking its shortcomings. But things really take fire when Rossini’s genius kicks into top gear with the heroine Mathilde’s achingly beautiful aria Sombres forêts...Gerald Finley makes an excellent Tell, crisply authoritative and committed...The Santa Cecilia chorus is thrilling.” The Telegraph, 7th July 2011 **** “There's so much to enjoy about William Tell, and Pappano unerringly brings it all out: the story's ingenious entwining of romance and revolution and the great range of choral parts, from Austrian soldiers to Swiss women, huntsmen to shepherds, which more than compensates for the relative infrequency of truly great arias. Malin Byström excels on Mathilde's lonely "Sombre Fôret", while Gerald Finley captures Tell's nobility perfectly in "Sois Immobile". Superb.” The Independent, 15th July 2011 ***** “What comes across in this excellent French-language recording from Rome is its native Italian inspiration, its melodic variety and magnificent choral ensembles. Pappano’s brisk tempi and light textures give it a fast-moving, easy-to-digest feel, almost contradicting the work’s grand-operatic status. The Orchestra and Chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia respond as if they love the music” Financial Times, 2nd July 2011 **** “fantastic singing comes from John Osborn in the stratospheric tenor part, rising Swedish soprano Malin Byström, and Gerald Finley in the title role. Antonio Pappano conducts this epic wonderfully. Why doesn’t he bring it to Covent Garden?” The Times, 23rd July 2011 *** “Finley [is] an excellent, lyrical hero, heard at his best in the marvellous aria just before he’s forced to shoot the apple perched on his son’s head, sweetly portrayed by Elena Xanthoudakis. Tenor John Osborn’s Arnold sings with incredible control and allure...From the famous overture onwards, the orchestral playing is unbelievably fleet and responsive, and the choral singing is immaculate.” Graham Rickson, The Arts Desk, 23rd July 2011 “In the tenor spotlight is John Osborn, whose liquid voice often takes to the air with ease...Finley is at the top of his game...Where the set gains the bulk of its authority is in Pappano's conducting: passionate, alert to detail and ideally placed.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2011 **** “[Finley] soon settles into a noble account of the role, sung with great warmth of tone and fastidious subtlety. John Osborn is a spectacular Arnold, opposite Malin Byström's grippingly intense Mathilde. You can't fault either Pappano's conducting or the choral work, which is sensational in the extreme.” The Guardian **** “in the hands of Pappano and a superb cast, the drama is brought to life with vivid details of light and shade...Pappano creates sudden dramatic pianissimi in 'Gloire au pouvoir supreme', a chorus in praise of the Austrian tyrant Gesler. It's a masterstroke. It's as if the villagers are actually cowering in fear, and being forced to celebrate.” Classic FM Magazine, September 2011 ***** “Collectors may want to hear this set for Gerald Finley's quietly authoritative Tell and for John Osborn's eloquent and affecting Arnold, small-scale by post-1830 standards but beautifully tailored and expertly sung. There is also an exceptional Jemmy from Elena Xanthoudakis.” Gramophone Magazine, October 2011 “What a combination of conductor, orchestra and chorus!...Pappano balances his forces well, the a cappella Tyrolean chorus in Act 3 being especially fine...[Finley] presents a younger, fresher-voiced Guillaume Tell than we're used to hearing, which, dramatically, makes a lot of sense. His Tell is believable as the hero...Osborn uses his tenor intelligently, given the almost impossible tessitura.” International Record Review, September 2011 “[Osborn's] combination of supreme vocal agility, phenomenal stamina and tonal beauty is a principal asset of this new set...the sound is vivid and atmospheric...EMI has gone to town on the packaging, from the fat booklet full of photos, intelligent notes and complete libretto (unusual these days) to the witty cover image.” Graham Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 27th July 2011 “offering consistently thrilling singing from the chorus, and a vividly energetic orchestral response, Pappano's new live recording of William Tell (in the original French) tends to sweep the board. The performance is cast from strength...But it is the ensembles that one remembers most, especially the splendour of the powerful closing affirmation of Swiss liberty.” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition  BBC Music Magazine
Opera Choice - September 2011 |
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