Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Parisina, opera: Act I: Ouverture
2. Parisina, opera: Act I: � desto il Duca?
3. Parisina, opera: Act I: Che mi rechi?
4. Parisina, opera: Act I: Per veder su quel bel viso
5. Parisina, opera: Act I: Lieta al par de' tuoi desiri
6. Parisina, opera: Act I: Dall'Eridano si stende
7. Parisina, opera: Act I: Con giostre, e con tornei
8. Parisina, opera: Act I: Oh! chi mai veggio?
9. Parisina, opera: Act I: Io l'amai fin da quell'ora
10. Parisina, opera: Act I: Or che badi?...
11. Parisina, opera: Act I: Per le cure, per le pene
12. Parisina, opera: Act I: Qui, qui posiamo... ombroso
13. Parisina, opera: Act I: Forse un destin che intendere
14. Parisina, opera: Act I: Qual suon!
15. Parisina, opera: Act I: V'era un d�
16. Parisina, opera: Act I: La mia repulsa, o prodi
17. Parisina, opera: Act I: Ma girne in bando ancora
18. Parisina, opera: Act I: Dillo... io te 'l chieggo
19. Parisina, opera: Act I: Quando pi� grave e orribile
20. Parisina, opera: Act I: Giunge il duca.
21. Parisina, opera: Act I: Ah! tu sai...
22. Parisina, opera: Act I: Voga, voga

Disc 2:

1. Parisina, opera: Act II: Lieta era dessa, e tanto?
2. Parisina, opera: Act II: Un seggio, Imelda.
3. Parisina, opera: Act II: Sogno talor di correre
4. Parisina, opera: Act II: S�; non mentir le ancelle...
5. Parisina, opera: Act II: Tu, signore?
6. Parisina, opera: Act II: Non pentirti... mi ferisci...
7. Parisina, opera: Act II: N� ancor vien ella!
8. Parisina, opera: Act II: Io sentii tremar la mano
9. Parisina, opera: Act II: Repente ne congeda...
10. Parisina, opera: Act II: Questo amor doveva in terra
11. Parisina, opera: Act II: Ite; e condotta anch'ella
12. Parisina, opera: Act II: Per sempre, per sempre...
13. Parisina, opera: Act II: Protettor d'un'empia madre
14. Parisina, opera: Act II: Non � vita, � lunga morte
15. Parisina, opera: Act II: Muta, insensibile
16. Parisina, opera: Act II: No... pi� salir non ponno
17. Parisina, opera: Act II: Silenzio...
18. Parisina, opera: Act II: Ugo!... � spento!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #354778 in Music
• Released on: 1998-11-01
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

A Great Find for a Donizetti Fan
This was one of Donizetti's favorite operas, and he seemed to have a special affection for stories dealing with marital problems (Maria di Rohan, Gabriella di Vergy). What to me distinguishes this opera from his many others is its beautiful and very deeply felt melodies. Ugo's aria in Act One, Parisina-Ugo duet and all three of Parisina's arias show Donizetti at his most melodic. And it really helps that this version has Caballe at her most involved. Her voice is in a very good shape, pianissimos and melisma are effortlessly done, and at the end of her aria "Sogno talor di correre" the audience goes insane with a very good reason. The other soloists are not as good. Pruett is serviceable, but he doesn't have the most beautiful tenor one can imagine, and Quillico is not a quite a bel-canto singer. But they are both committed, and Eve Queler commands the orchestra with panache. The sound is not great (the booklet says its stereo, but I would not bet on it), and it seems that it was an in-house tape, but we are not likely to encounter a better performance of this opera in near future.

A live performance of some great Donizetti
This release by Myto Records of Donizetti's PARISINA is very welcome indeed. Previously the performance was available on Legato (and perhaps some other labels). La Caballe is simply superb; at this time in her career (1974) she could float out the pianissimi with abandon. James Morris, in robust voice, is equally fine, as is Louis Quilico. Jerome Pruett is quite serviceable (he compares well with some present-day stars!). The recording was made from the audience, apparently (you'll hear a bit of coughing, etc.), but the sound is quite decent, despite that, and captures the range of the performance generally. Occasionally, someone will step too far back, but even that doesn't really mar this performance. Myto continues to give us fine live performances. This is one you should not pass up.

A Donizetti opera worth a listen
Donizetti's 'Parisina d'Este' was composed (1833) one year after 'L'elisir d'amore', and the same year as 'Lucrezia Borgia'. Here, he has already developed his unique 'style', the melodies, the arias and ensembles, etc... And there are real jewels to be found.

The recording, from a live 1974 performance in New York, recorded in stereo, under Eve Queler's direction (with an unnamed orchestra), is a real find. Montserrat Caballe (Parisina) is in great form, as are Louis Quilico (Azzo) and James Morris (Ernesto). Less known, Jerome Pruett (Ugo) and Eleanor Bergquist (Imelda) also sing admirably.

Being 'live', you get, as another reviewer pointed out, coughs, but also comments from the audience accompanying the applause. And the applause is usually well deserved ! It does give one the feeling of being present, in a small hall, intimately involved in the show.

A much cheaper recording of this evening's event can be found on the SRO (Standing Room Only) label produced by Legato Classics. The sound quality is excellent. The skimpy booklet offers only a brief introduction to the opera's origins, a synopsis of the plot, and a listing of the tracks (which are well partitioned).

For fans of Donizetti's works, and devotees of Caballe's art, this is a rare recording to satisfy both passions.