Mozart: La ci darem la mano (from Don Giovanni)

This magnificent collection features the some of the greatest opera stars of all time:

Cecilia Bartoli, Anna Netrebko, Bryn Terfel, Renée Fleming, Andrea Bocelli Luciano Pavarotti, Dame Joan Sutherland, Plácido Domingo, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and José Carreras.

With a carefully chosen selection of perennially popular arias, duets and choruses, this enchanting collection creates the perfect introduction to opera.

With 40 tracks and over 2½ hours of music this collection is outstanding value for money.

Includes Pavarotti’s classic recording of the most popular opera aria of all, Puccini’s ‘Nessun dorma’.

Cecilia Bartoli is loved the world over for vocal fireworks and spectacular coloratura, but she is also adored for her spine-tingling pianissimi and her ability to shape endless, velvety phrases. For the first time, this product will focus on the irresistibly sensual side of Cecilia Bartoli's art. It has been conceived as a popular “mood” or lifestyle compilation — presenting quieter arias showcasing Cecilia's vocal beauty, sensuality and emotion. “Sospiri” is designed to present this most accessible aspect of Cecilia Bartoli's art to the broadest popular-classical market.

“Sospiri” will contain favourite arias by Mozart and Handel, bel canto jewels by Bellini and Rossini and treasures by Vivaldi as well as music which Cecilia Bartoli has “rediscovered” on her recent record-breaking solo albums.

For Cecilia’s existing fans, the Prestige Edition includes a previously unreleased aria and world premiere recording of Vinci’s Cervo in bosco, one of Farinelli’s calling card arias.

Both formats include a new interpretation of Rosina's aria Una voce poco fa, from Il Barbiere di Siviglia - the dazzling aria of young love, the role in which Cecilia Bartoli first shot to international stardom. She infuses this new interpretation with all her knowledge of the baroque and classical tradition on which Rossini’s music was founded, her experience of period practice and critical reading of the manuscripts, together with a playfulness and variety of colors which she has acquired over the years. On this track recorded during the Maria sessions Cecilia Bartoli is accompanied by a fantastic period practice orchestra, Orchestra La Scintilla.

This world famous singer was Belgian, yet only appeared at La Monnaie on the 20th anniversary of his career. After returning from exile, he took many roles and has worked with some of the greatest conductors. This CD includes works by Wagner, Strauss, Mussorgsky, Verdi, Mozart, Rossini, Debussy, Berlioz and Offenbach. These CDs contain a fragment of history.

After her critically acclaimed Handel album, Danielle de Niese returns with a feast of Mozart’s most beautiful arias.

Her partnership with Sir Charles Mackerras lends her the wise and authoritative support of one of the great modern heroes of Mozart performance style and practice. It’s an added bonus that in the only duet on this album — “Là ci darem la mano” from Don Giovanni — Danielle is reunited after ten years with the great Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel, who had also been in the Figaro in which she made her Met debut.

“a voice seductive enough to woo gods as well as mortals… there is nothing restrained about Ms. De Niese’s warmly voluptuous and passionate singing” New York Times

Fritz Feinhals (1869 – 1940) was a German baritone whose career was mainly centered around Europe and the Metropolitan Opera where he was famous for his performances in Wagnerian opera. This release features recordings of him singing Wagner made between 1907 and 1911.