Verdi: Alzati…Eri tu che macchiavi quell'anima (from Un Ballo in Maschera)

The name Verdi is synonymous with Italian opera. No other composer embodies all the fascination and passion of Italian music drama like Verdi. The special magic of his music comes out especially vividly when it's performed by the very greatest of vocal stars: Plácido Domingo, José Carreras, Montserrat Caballé and Mirella Freni.

The privileged position of the baritone-voice in Verdi´s operas was something new at the time and developed into a vocal category of its own: the "Verdi-baritone".

Verdi's baritone-roles can roughly be divided into two categories: the fathers and rulers, who are in moral conflict between the love for their children and moral and/or political duties (Rigoletto, Amonasro, Simon Boccanegra, Nabucco, Jacopo Foscari, Guido di Montfort or father Germont), and youthful men of honour and/or villains, who usually turn out to be the tenor's rival (CarIo in "Forza", Renato, Carlo V, lago. Cote di Luna).

Forming part of Presier’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of Verdi, this collection is a unique and fascinating account of the performances over the years 1904-1950.

Arias from the legendary Sunday concerts from 1966, 1972, 1988 and 1992.

His Papageno was historic and turned Hermann Prey into the most popular opera singer in Germany. This CD contains a collection of hitherto unpublished recordings made during the legendary Sunday Concerts with the Münchner Rundfunkorchester from 1966 to 1992. In a representative series of roles ranging from Bach to musicals, the great baritone shows us all his facets: from the sensitivity of the comic actor to the intense, inmost sincerity of the Lieder performer. At a time when the opera was still an integral part of Germany's media landscape, Hermann Prey made it impressively clear that a broad repertoire and depth of interpretation are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Prey ends this CD with a performance of “They say falling in love is wonderful”, inviting us to fall in love with his art yet again.

Two of opera’s biggest stars, on the crest of solo album triumphs, team up for this long-awaited duet album of Verdi Scenes.

It is high drama and great Verdi, with Dmitri Hvorostovsky, widely recognized as “the Verdi baritone of our time” (Los Angeles Times), and Sondra Radvanovsky, the fastest-rising “true Verdi soprano” (Opera News) in international opera today. The electricity is palpable in the emotional duet scenes from Il Trovatore, Un Ballo in Maschera, and Simon Boccanegra. Dmitri sings a favorite among his signature arias, “O Carlo, ascolta,” from Don Carlo; and Sondra gives us a memorable glimpse of her Tosca in “Vissi d’arte.” We are treated to delightful Mozart and tender Dvorak. Dmitri’s favorite conductor, Constantine Orbelian, leads the Philharmonia of Russia in masterful fashion.

This Catalan baritone was famous for roles such as Figaro in the Barber of Seville. He made his debut at the Teatro Liceu in a performance of “Anna Bolena” to mark the centennial of the house. He remained there for 23 seasons but made guest appearances in other opera houses. He was very popular in South America and was a highly popular zarzuela singer in addition to his operatic career.

The German baritone Josef Metternich (1915-2005) sang with the Cologne and Bonn choruses, before making his solo debut in 1941 with the Berlin State Opera in Lohengrin. His career was delayed by the war, it really took off in 1946, when he was able to return to the opera stage and was re-engaged at the “Berlin Städtische Oper”, where he appeared in roles such as Jago, Alfio, Simone, Pizarro, Escamillo, Figaro (Rossini), and Amonasro.

Metternich made his debut at Covent Garden in 1951, as Flying Dutchman. From 1952 until 1959 he was a member of the Vienna State Opera and appeared at La Scala, the Grand Opéra of Paris and the Edinburgh Festival. From 1953 until 1956 hejoined the Met, where he debuted as Don Carlos (La forza del destino).

The biggest stars seize centre stage to sing the greatest scenes and arias of opera’s heroes and villains. This is a compilation of the calibre which only Decca and DG can offer. With 147 minutes of music, it offers remarkable value too.

2 CDs for the price of 1.