Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Sinfonia
2. Atto Prima: Che? Quando già corona Amor
3. Atto Prima: O Amore, vieni a me!
4. Atto Prima: No, non temer
5. Atto Prima: O bella Glauce
6. Atto Prima: Colco! Pensier fatal!
7. Atto Prima: Or che più non vedrò
8. Atto Prima: Ah, già troppo turbò
9. Atto Prima: Pronube dive
10. Atto Prima: Signor! Ferma una donna
11. Atto Prima: Qui tremar devi tu
12. Atto Prima: Taci, Giasone
13. Atto Prima: Dei tuoi figli la madre
14. Atto Prima: Son vane qui minacce
15. Atto Secondo (abridged): Introduzione
16. Atto Secondo (abridged): Soffrir non posso
17. Atto Secondo (abridged): Date almen per pietà
18. Atto Secondo (abridged): Medea, o Medea!
19. Atto Secondo (abridged): Solo un pianto con te versare

Disc 2:

1. Atto Secondo (abridged): Creonte a me solo un giorno dà?
2. Atto Secondo (abridged): Figli miei, miei tesor
3. Atto Secondo (abridged): Hai dato pronto ascolto
4. Atto Secondo (abridged): Ah! Tristi canto!... Dio dell'Amor!
5. Atto Terzo: Introduzione
6. Atto Terzo: Numi, venite a me
7. Atto Terzo: Del fiero duol che il cor mi frange
8. Atto Terzo: Neris, che hai fatto
9. Atto Terzo: E che? Io son Medea!
10. Atto Secondo: Creonte a me solo un giorno dà?
11. Atto Secondo: Figli miei, miei tesor
12. Atto Secondo: Hai dato pronto ascolto
13. Atto Secondo: Ah! Tristi canto!...Dio dell'Amor!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #326163 in Music
• Released on: 2001-09-25
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

A great Medea
This is a great performance of this wonderful opera. Leyla Gencer, the legendary Turkish soprano, was in great voice for this performance from La Fenice in 1968. Her performance was not merely a copy of Callas' great interpretations. Gencer's individualistic timbre, bountiful glottal attacks, ravishing pianissimi and dramatic commitment to this fiendish role produced a Medea that is vivid and hair-raising.

For those not familiar with La Gencer, her vocal production may seem idiosyncratic at times, especially her habit of flattening out the notes during intense situations and the jarring register shifts that she used to great effect. The entirety of Act 3, beginning with "Numi venite a me" rivaled Callas' performances. Her singing here was full of rage, and La Gencer gave herself completely to the moment, producing beautifully intense and almost reckless vocalism. Her cries of "Atre furie" conveyed a woman on the breaking point, and her final "Cola t'aspetta l'ombra mia" left one with chills up and down the spine.

Finally, the cd also contained excerpts of Leonie Rysanek singing act 2 of Medea from Vienna in 1972. As usual, Rysanek sounded fabulous, and this is a wonderful bonus to have.