Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One: Sinfonia
2. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 1, Coro D'introduzione: Aggiorna Appena
3. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 2, Scena E Cavatina: O Di Capellio, Generosi Amici
4. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 2, Scena E Cavatina: � Serbata A Questo Acciaro
5. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 2, Scena E Cavatina: L'amo Tanto, E M'� S� Cara
6. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 3, Recitativo, Coro E Cavatina: Vanne Lorenzo
7. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 3, Recitativo, Coro E Cavatina: Lieto Del Dolce Incarco
8. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 3, Recitativo, Coro E Cavatina: Ascolta! Se Romeo...
9. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 4, Recitativo E Romanza: Eccomi In Lieta Vesta...
10. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 4, Recitativo E Romanza: Oh! Quante Volte...
11. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 5, Scena E Duetto: Propizia � L'ora
12. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 5, Scena E Duetto: S�, Fuggire
13. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 5, Scena E Duetto: Ah! Crudel, D'onor Ragioni
14. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 5, Scena E Duetto: Odi Tu?
15. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 5, Scena E Duetto: Vieni, Ah! In Me Riposa
16. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 6, Coro: Lieta Notte, Avventurosa

Disc 2:

1. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Deh! Per Piet� T'arresta
2. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Tace Il Fragor...
3. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Io Te Lo Chiedo
4. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Che Miro? Il Perfido
5. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Soccorso, Sostegno Accordagli...
6. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Accoriam...Romeo!
7. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act One - No. 7, Finale: Se Ogni Speme...
8. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 8, Introduzione - Scena Ed Aria: Introduzione
9. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 8, Introduzione - Scena Ed Aria: N� Alcun Ritorna!
10. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 8, Introduzione - Scena Ed Aria: Morte Io Non Temo Il Sai...
11. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 8, Introduzione - Scena Ed Aria: Prendi, Gl'istanti Volano
12. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 8, Introduzione - Scena Ed Aria: Ah! Non Poss'io Partire
13. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 9, Scena E Duetto: Deserto � Il Luogo
14. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 9, Scena E Duetto: Arresta. Qual Mesto Suon Echeggia?
15. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 10, Finale: Siam Giunti
16. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 10, Finale: Ecco La Tomba
17. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 10, Finale: Deh! Tu, Bell'anima
18. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 10, Finale: O Tu, Mia Sola Speme
19. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 10, Finale: Ei Muore

Disc 3:

1. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - Finale - No. 10, Coro: Addio, Addio Per Sempre
2. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - Finale - No. 11, Scena, Aria E Duetto: � Questa Il Loco
3. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - Finale - No. 11, Scena, Aria E Duetto: Stagnate, O Lagrime
4. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 12, Scena Ed Aria E Finale: Schiusa � La Ferrea Porta
5. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 12, Scena Ed Aria E Finale: Prendimi Teco
6. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - No. 12, Scena Ed Aria E Finale: Tu T'arretri!
7. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - Finale - Cavatina Romeo: Ascolta! Se Romeo...
8. I Capuleti e i Montecchi, opera: Act Two - Finale - Cavatina Romeo: Riedi Al Campo

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #79333 in Music
• Released on: 1998-08-11
• Number of discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .75 pounds

Amazon.com's Best of 1998
While many of his contemporaries had reduced opera to empty displays of vocal prowess, Bellini crafted the gorgeous melodies of bel canto style with a poet's intuition for character and dramatic truth. This recording gives ample evidence of both qualities, above all in the tender, yearning, and almost unbearably poignant blend of Vesselina Kasarova and Eva Mei's voices as Romeo and Juliet, respectively. Roberto Abbado brings loving but unobtrusive authority to the score. Also included is a disc of scenes from a similar opera composed by Nicola Vaccai and long performed in place of Bellini's music--a fascinating vantage point from which to consider the latter's achievement. --Thomas May

Amazon.com essential recording
Make no mistake, this is not William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This version, by Vincenzo Bellini with a libretto by Felice Romani, has often been dismissed for its story line, which is very different from the familiar tale of the star-crossed lovers. Actually, as noted by musicologist-bel canto answer man Philip Gossett in his liner notes, Bellini and Romani hadn't read Shakespeare when they composed the opera. They had, however, read the sources on which Shakespeare based his play, but while both they and the Bard departed from the original, they departed in different directions. No matter: the opera has some gorgeous music, and it's given some gorgeous performances here by some very fine singers. The leads are the same superb pair of young singers heard in RCA's recent set of Rossini's Tancredi, soprano Eva Mei and mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova. Kasarova, a Bulgarian native with a lovely sound and an amazing way with a coloratura line, makes a dashing, ardent Romeo, soaring above the men's chorus and blending beautifully with Mei, whose expressive soprano is consistent up and down the scale. This set, which also features fine work from tenor Ramon Vargas as Tebaldo and thoughtful conducting from Roberto Abbado, has plenty to offer those who appreciate beautiful singing. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews

FINALLY ---- A GREAT RECORDING OF BELLINI'S "I CAPULETI"
Vincenzo Bellini's "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" is far less well known than his "Norma", "I Puritani", or "La Sonnambula", but it deserves to be heard much more frequently. The opera, of course, is Bellini's scoring of the Romeo and Juliet tragedy, but with a "trouser" mezzo soprano for the role of Romeo (the opera, however, has occasionally been done with a tenor Romeo, but, incredibly enough, with considerably less musical effect). If one can get past this (which a few may find a little difficult), they will discover what a lyrically beautiful opera "I Capuleti e i Montecchi" actually is. Bellini, the master of "bel canto melody", wrote for this opera some of the most moving and beautiful vocal music ever conceived for the singing voice. "Capuletti" has been recorded before (Beverly Sills and Janet Baker on EMI in 1976; Edita Gruberova and Agnes Baltsa, also on EMI in 1983), but never has it received a recording on the level of this one. Eva Mei, one of the most accomplished sopranos of recent years, is an exquisite Juliet. Her lyric soprano sound is ideal for the role, bringing out all of the fragility and pathos of the character. Vesselina Kasarova, I believe, is destined to be one of the great operatic artists of the new millenium. She uses her magnificent mezzo soprano like a master cellist, producing sounds that can only inspire superlatives. Each singer not only excells in their respective arias, but they reach mammoth heights in their duets. This is truly great singing ---- and as a bonus, we get to hear the recently up-and-coming tenor Ramon Vargas in the supporting role of Tebaldo. Robert Abbado conducts this beautiful opera as though he were discovering it for the first time ----- it comes off as a fresh and beautiful presentation, infinitely superior to the most immediately recent 1983 EMI recording. As is essential for this particular opera (or for most operas of the bel canto period), he allows his singers to sing ----- and they do some sublime singing. If you want to discover this opera, this is definitely the recording to do it with. If you already own one or both of the previous EMI versions, you need this one too. It's a jewel of a presentation all around.

Bel Canto with Style and Substance!
To me Bellini's operas have the grandeur and magistry of Beethoven's symphonies. They are stately, very beautiful, and carry the listener off into a wonderful world of sound, action and drama. This performance succeeds on so many levels. Next to Norma, this is my favorite Bellini opera. The libretto by Felice Romani, Bellini's favorite collaborator, is a masterpiece in it's way as much as Shakespeare's is in his (they are both based on similar sources of the Romeo and Juliet story). Both the music and the drama of this opera are compelling! Roberto Abbado conducts the orchestra with precision, elan, and transparent clarity. He never intrudes on the singers, but the grandeur of the music both preceeds and continues in the wake of the singers. Eva Mei has an indescribally beautiful voice (soprano). Her arias are a wonder! She can sing in the highest register with amazing control of pitch and dynamics. Vesselina Kasarova (mezzo) portrays Romeo very insightfully and her singing is gorgeous! My worry before I purchased this CD set was that the music might be beautiful in the bel canto style B.C. (Before Callas). This worry proved not to be founded. Kasarova and Mei definitely project drama and emotion into their artful singing, so that they are able to sweep the listener into the heart of this great tragic opera. In fact, their duet "Vieni,ah!in me riposa" has the force, beauty and drive of Callas and Stignani in Norma (1954,1955). And, of course, Roberto Vargas is another reason to own this magnificient recording. Bravo! Bravo! Bravo!

Beautiful Recording
Reviewers and listeners please note: the libretto for this opera is NOT based on Shakespeare, whose Romeo and Juliet was not known in that part of of the world until much later... There is therefore no betrayal of the Bard. As for this recording, it is absolutely stunning: I have long admired Kasarova's voice, and was recently lucky enough to hear her sing Romeo live at the Lyric Opera in Chicago (anyone who can SHOULD... It's here in Chicago until 12/2/01). The other performers are also wonderful: I actually prefer Ramon Vargas to the tenor selected for Lyric's production. In short, there is nothing to disappoint here, so purchase and enjoy!