Track Listing

1. Carmen, opera: Quand Je Vous Aimerai?...L'amour
2. Pagliacci, opera: Act 1: Recitar!...Vesti La Giubba
3. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2: Un Bel Dì, Vedremo
4. L'elisir d'amore, opera: Act 2: Una Furtiva Lagrima
5. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor): Va Pensiero (Chorus Of The Hebrew Slaves)
6. Gianni Schicchi, opera: O Mio Babbino Caro
7. Rigoletto, opera: La Donna E Mobile
8. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Largo Al Factotum
9. Louise, opera: Depuis Le Jour
10. Lakmé, opera: Act 1: Viens, Mallika...Sous Dome Epais (flower duet)
11. Turandot, opera: Act 3: Nessun dorma!
12. Norma, opera: Casta Diva
13. Gianni Schicchi, opera: A Vete Torto!
14. Tosca, opera: Act 2: Vissi d'arte, vissi d'amore
15. Tosca, opera: Act 3: E lucevan le stelle
16. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera: Act 1: Che Il Bel Sogno di Doretta
17. Il Trovatore, opera: Di Quella Pira

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11200 in Music
• Brand: Aria
• Released on: 1994-02-15
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Amazon.com
If you've ever heard an opera excerpt in a film or TV commercial and wondered from whence it came, this compilation will probably provide your answer. The disk is an extensive superstar sampling of opera's greatest arias, featuring beloved stars from 1958-1987. Newbies will delight in hearing the young Freni's developing, but not yet perfected, artistry; Corelli's soaring tenor emoting in "Vesti la guibba" and "Nessun Dorma"; and Callas being Callas in "Habanera" and "Casta Diva." Megatalents Caballé, Gobbi, Di Stefano, and Domingo round out the mix. It even includes the Lakme duet and the chorus from Nabucco, in case arias aren't enough. An enjoyable variety. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Customer Reviews

Music to Wed By
Corelli's "Nessun Dorma" makes the overplayed Pavarotti version pale by comparison. We (a pair of newlyweds) heard it while sampling this album for wedding reception music and were so blown away that we used this piece for our recessional, earning the following wisecrack from our Cantor, "Oy! You followed me with Corelli? Thanks for nuthin'." We dare you to listen to this track without getting a shiver.

Always on my CD changer
I bought this CD long ago as a neophyte in opera appreciation. I had just seen Turandot and wanted the recording primarily for "Nessun Dorma", which I also love because of its use in the film, "The Killing Fields". But I have also appreciated the exquisite renderings of the other songs on the album. Callas. Caballe. Freni. Often, when a compilation like this comes out, one senses that the interpretations are second rate. In this case, it is just the opposite, or at least it seems that way to me.

The CD contains well known songs like "Vesti la Giubba" from Pagliacci, and "Un bel Di" from Madame Butterfly, but there are lesser known, and beautiful songs as well, such as "Viens, Malilika...sous Dome Epais" from Lakme', an absolutely gorgeous duet for two sopranos. I would highly reccomend this CD if you want to learn more about opera, or if you simply want some beautiful vocal music to listen to.

Wonderful compilation - Great intro!
This compilation features operatic legends like Domingo, Caballe, Freni, Corelli, Callas etc. at their very best. Wonderful for those who want to start to get aquainted with the magic that is opera. TOP NOTCH!!!! A+++++++++++