Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Coro d'Introduzione. Viva Amina!
2. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Cavatina. Tutto è gioia
3. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Stretta dell'Introduzione. Viva Amina!
4. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Recitativo e Cavatina. Care compagne
5. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Recitativo. Io più di tutti
6. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Recitativo e Duetto. Perdona, o mia diletta
7. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Recitativo e Cavatina. Domani, appena aggiorni
8. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Recitativo e Coro. Contezza del paese avete voi?
9. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 1. Recitativo e Duetto. Basta così

Disc 2:

1. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 2. Scena. Davver, non mi dispiace
2. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 2. Recitativo e Duetto. Che veggio?
3. La sonnambula, opera: Act 1. Scene 2. Stretta del Finale Primo. Non più nozze
4. La sonnambula, opera: Act 2. Scene 1. Coro d'Introduzione. Qui la selva
5. La sonnambula, opera: Act 2. Scene 1. Scena ed Aria. Reggimi, o buona madre
6. La sonnambula, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Scene ed Aria. Lasciami: aver compreso
7. La sonnambula, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Quartetto. E fia pur vero, Elvino
8. La sonnambula, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Scena ed Aria, Finale. Signor? Che creder deggio?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #180950 in Music
• Released on: 1997-08-05
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: .41 pounds

Customer Reviews

It was excellent
I had never heard of Orgonasova before, but it was a pleasure to hear this live recording. She has a lyric coloratura that is pleasing. She has nice passagework in the arias and has exquisite high notes. I am talking about notes that are heard and not screeched. I thought that the best part was when she sang Ah non credea....Ah non giunge. It touches you when you hear her sing Ah non credea and when she starts Ah non giunge it is magical. To hear a soprano make this aria sound easy is a triumph. The singer that sings Lisa has atmospheric high notes that you have to hear to believe. Raul Gimenez was very good, better than other Rossini tenors except Ramon Vargas that sang in the Metropolitan broadcast of "La Cenerentola''. Overall it is an enjoyable performance and at a nice price. You should know that the libretto that accompanies this piece does not have an English translation.

An excellent budget-price recording
If I were EMI or DECCA I would be very worried by this recording. Naxos seems to be able to pull together casts of a similar or even better standard and then sell off operas for budget price. All three of the major roles in La Sonnambula call for singers with a high level of Bel Canto virtuosity. The Amina must have a gorgeous legato for her two cavatinas and also a highly developed florid coloratura technique for their cabalettas as well as the ability to pull off stratosphericly high notes. Luba Orgonasova has all these abilities. "Ah non credea mirarti" is bel canto at its most beautiful, but she also has a good dramatic understanding of the work, which is aptly demonstrated by her part in her second duet with Elvino. Luckily her Elvino is the outstanding Raul Gimenez, who copes with the extremely high tessitura well and also has a respectable florid technique of his own. His "Prendi per me sei libero" is stunning stuff. My biggest reservation (and the reason I give this only four stars) is the phlegmatic bass of Francesco Ellero d'Artagna. His attempts at dramatic acting are very much undermined by the generally unpleasant sound of his voice. Papadjiakou is stunning in what is given to her in the role of Teresa, and the Lisa is well-sung if a bit shrill. Alberto Zedda shows a keen understanding of Bellini's marvellous score. Altogether an excellent buy at bargain price.

A SUBLIME BEL CANTO PERFORMANCE!
This live concert performance from the famous Concertgebouw Hall in Amsterdam, under the baton of Maestro Zedda, is how bel canto can triumph but rarely does. Bellini's gorgeous music requires a certain type of interpretation to do it justice. As Elvino, Raul Gimenez is brilliant with sweet tone, soaring high notes, impeccable inunciation and wonderful warmth and expressivity. Luba Orgonosova's Amina is equally outstanding, managing to control her spinto soprano into fragile delicacy when needed. The duets between these two are to die for. The other soloists are adequate; the chorus is outstanding. In the end, the frenzied audience response is the ultimate proof of the excellence of this performance.