Customer Reviews

Aria: The Opera Album

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(16)

 

 

I gave this 3 stars for the main reason that I wasn't crazy about the selection/order of arias, I didn't think it made for a natural flow of tracks. I would have preferred for maybe a few tracks of the same opera before moving onto the next.

But looking over the other reviews it really surprises me how the serious opera listeners think they can dissuade or discourage Bocelli fans by simply running off a list of legendary names (the logic being one listen to these greats and Bocelli will be all but forgotton) or pointing out things like "he could not be heard over an orchestra" and therefore his fans should not enjoy his recordings. This is being very presumtious and completely ignores what Bocelli is all about.

Bocelli is NOT an opera singer in the true sense of the term... he has not built a career that way, but more importantly his sound is not purely opera either. But that's exactly WHY he's been able to carve out a career and a large following and been able to expose people to this kind of music... As great as top-quality serious tenors are (the ones who can be heard over an orchestra), most people's impression from hearing them at first is not favorable. It's just too much of everything for the average ear to take in... Some would say it's a type of singing so highly specialized that it doesn't sound "human" and therefore they cannot relate to it. Bocelli instead has a far more relateable sound, he brings a certain type of popular sensibility to his singing most people instantly find pleasureable. He combines this with seriousness and enough passion and enough technique to the music he is singing that people can't help but equate him with opera. Simply put: his voice has the better qualities the general public associates with opera singing (smooth delivery, beautiful high notes, pleasing tone), and none of the qualities they are usually turned off by (overpowering/piercing power, overwhealming intensity, complex phrasing, sound they cannot relate to).

I don't believe his desired intent with these opera recordings is to make people forget Pavarotti in his prime and turn the opera world on it's ear. Instead he tries to "evoke" an opera singer's image and sound in the minds of people who would otherwise not even begin to have interest in opera. That's a very big difference, so it makes no sense to even try to bring up the legendary tenor names as if these are valid comparison points. Also it makes no difference whatsoever if Bocelli is closely miked or not since he is not competing for stage vocal power agaist real career opera tenors, his aim is for the general public not serious opera buffs.

As for this CD, my favorite track was the first ("Quest o quella"). Bocelli's phrasing was spot on perfect for that. Some of the following tracks seemed less than perfect. My guess is the production was rushed and Bocelli did not have much preparation and study to give his all for so many diverse arias. For example, this was his first recording of "Che gelida manina" and to me it sounded a bit dead, but I prefer the one the recorded for the "La Boheme" full opera CD... it was MUCH better focused and polished, a definite improvement. Same for "E lucevan le stelle" here compared to the much more dramatic, passionate rendition Bocelli delivered on the full "Tosca" CD. This proves to me Bocelli is capable of improving his interpretations and could do better than what was in this earlier attempt but he needs the right direction to accomplish that.

I'm not a fan of so many diverse arias on one CD so that's basically why I prefer some other Bocelli recordings to this one.

Why is there all this continuing controversy after so many years about whether or not Andrea Bocelli is - or is not - Operatically sound? All I know (and that's not saying much for me in this genre), is that after having listened to Amazon.com's sampling of the music on this Audio CD a few moments ago, I wept. Andrea Bocelli always makes me weep - because of his profound spiritual depth. And I don't care what anyone thinks on that issue. All I do know is this. The man sings from his soul...and nothing could surpass that - ever.

Thanks to Rick Holden (Sceptic@traveller.com) for showing Ms Miller how to write a proper review. Having listened to the album myself I can only agree whole heartedly with his comments. Unfortunately there are too many critics out there who try to analyse music note by note and impress us with their technical jargon. The joy of music is all about liking what you hear, and whether or not the music moves you. How can anyone enjoy listening if they're listening for flaws or mistakes instead of enjoying what they hear. Perhaps Andrea Bocelli isn't the greatest Opera singer, I don't know, but I can say that he has one of the most wonderfully melodic voices I have ever heard and he sings like a man who is enjoying every note he delivers. His background or his potential for the future don't bother me, he is the man of the moment, and that's all that matters. I recently watched a video performance of his 'Evening in Tuscany' which I would reccommend to all fans. Maybe Andrea will never be a great Opera singer, but who cares? He can move audiences without all the fancy dress. VIVA ANDREA!

I recently read some reviews from several magazines, all discuss the sound and the unpure identity in classic music of Bocelli. They illustrate and compare the aria sung here by Bocelli with other versions sung by other new tenors (I don't want to recite the list here, since I intent not to offend their fans), And their conclusions are almost the same: Bocelli is a crossover singer, and that's all.

Yes, Bocelli's sound has many(?) flaws, as some critics says or showes. But he can move me! That's most important, isn't it? I listened classic music a lot, many so-called CDs sung by new-stars had me listened for once or twice, then were put it aside. They can not move me. But Bocelli seems always sings from his heart, without over-calculated interpretation or fastidious beautiful voice maintained, as many new singers do. For the tenors recommended by those magazines, indeed they have "purer" or "cleaner" voice than Bocelli, but it sounds that they have only sweet sound.

Sing on, Bocelli.

Pay attention carefully to what me and the guy below me (John) say. You also may want to take a look at the other reviews and note their criticisms. I will start off by saying that I had no knowledge of Andrea Bocelli before his debut on PBS a couple years ago. I don't know if he did pop music before he worked in classical and operatic music. But to me, it doesn't matter if people say he's done a "cross-over," because I hear him for what he brings to these arias. Sure he may be new at this to everyone else, but it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to sing arias. They aren't like pop songs that you just sing the notes and words. I hear much emotion and expression in these arias as he sings. The most spectacular thing about him though is his VOICE. I haven't heard a purer, sweeter, more versatile voice with such control since the early days of dear Luciano Pavarotti. I'm sorry, but I personally cannot stand to hear the nasal voice that many tenors possess. If it's not nasal, then it's whiney. But with Andrea, it is exactly what I consider to be "beautiful." He sings each aria with all the gusto and spunk that they need, yet caresses every note with his silky chords. I hope he continues to pursue work in this area, as we do not have what I consider to be good tenors around. Pavarotti is well past his prime, so someone needs to take his place. I see that it could be Andrea Bocelli. Some of the other reviewers are harsh on Bocelli, saying he's just a pop singer that wants to be an opera star. Even the critic at the top, Sarah Bryan Miller, says he's a wannabe, and that he wouldn't be able to sing over a medium sized orchestra without any amplification. I beg to differ. His voice is very strong, even for his age. It takes many years of singing to get the vocal chords to be the usual strength that we're used to hearing in opera. He still has time. For now though, if you like to hear a "true" tenor sound (even though he has some fantastic baritone notes), I would definitely get this CD. He is unlike any others since Pavarotti, and he's probably better than Pavarotti was. Take it for what it's worth to you, and I won't tell you that you eat whitebread and twinkies either.

Okay - time for a reality check. Here is a fair-minded review from a highly-trained professional musician who is NOT a musical snob. The reviews of Mr. Bocelli at either extreme are wrong. Is his singing as awful as some of these reviewers would have you believe? - absolutely not. Is Mr. Bocelli in the same league as the great opera tenors (Pavarotti, Domingo, Bergonzi, etc.)? - absolutely not. Mr. Bocelli has a lovely pop-styled voice that has some elements of the operatic style. Classical music critics gave this CD poor reviews, but these reviews must put in the correct context. Mr. Bocelli is not singing pop tunes here. He is singing operatic arias that have been the measuring stick by which singers have been judged for over a century. We have recordings of these pieces going back to the second decade of the 1900's that ALL tenors are measured by - NOT just Mr. Bocelli. Any field of expertise, like the competitive world of classical music, has demanding standards (otherwise, the word 'expertise' would lose all meaning). The bottom line is, if you are buying this CD to get to know these lovely, seminal works of art, then you could do much better with similar "Opera's Greatest Hits" CD's by Pavarotti or Domingo. If you are a big fan of Mr. Bocelli, then by all means buy this CD and enjoy!

I have been an opera lover all my life ( even when I thought rock and roll was cool in the fifties) thanks to my father who introduced me to it at a very young age. So I know the difference between opera singers and opera singer wannabes; therefore I am purchasing this album in spite off all the mean (and may I say not too intelligent) things written by some of you other reviewers who do not know pure vocal talent. Andrea Bocelli can sing opera and popular unlike some of the other tenors of our time. His duets with the divas are just as moving as his duets with Celine Dion and Sarah Brightman to name some of his popular partners. Don' sell him short. It's hard enough to sing with music, so think of how much more talent this man has without ever having read a note. Buy this album; you won't be sorry.

I cannot believe how many people huff that Andrea Bocelli is "no opera singer", but is rather a pop-singer trying to sing opera, a la Michael Bolton. Well, having listened to both albums (Bolton's and Bocelli's) one after another, I can definitely say that Bocelli IS most assuredly and definitely an opera singer, hands down. His voice is perfectly suited to the tenor operatic repertoire. His delivery is smooth and assured and he sounds every bit the trained professional opera singer. If he were not blind, I would bet any amount of money that he would be gracing the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House on a regular basis. And the fact that Bocelli is still relatively young means that his voice still has time to mature and grow richer with age. His discovery by Luciano Pavarotti has meant the joy of hearing a young tenor deliver the aria classics in a joyful and passionate way. We are all the richer for having such a talent among us. May Bocelli continue to develop his fine instrument and enrich us all with it. I think he has the potential to become another Pavarotti, given the right amount of time and training. I look forward to hearing more of his work in the future.

I have loved opera all my life and like most found the BIG tenors to be magnificent and awe inspiring. No Bocelli does not have the sustained volume of the "classics" but there is something VERY important to be said about him - - he tends to touch the hearts of people who would not normally listen to opera. His voice has character, texture and tenderness that makes one feel like they are somewhere else. There is nothing wrong with saying he is not the most magnificent tenor ... however, if he instills a love of the music and draws people to the art - - how can one not appreciate how magnificent this is. Emotion is not based on perfection but upon the artists ability to touch others. Bocelli consistantly accomplishes this. The BIG tenors are so disciplined that sometimes they are dry - though technically near perfection. I will take passion over perfection much of the time. I listen to make my heart soar ... not to be a critic. My spouse of 30 years was raised on a farm and could never understand listening to music where one does not understand the words. And yet ... Bocelli's music affects him deeply and often brings tears to his eyes ... this is a miracle. It seems to me that most Bocelli fans love the artist and the passion and emotion that he he brings to the notes rather than the perfection of their execution. I am one of them.

There is nothing wrong with indulging Bocelli's passion for opera, especially since his blindness precluded him from the stage career. But why exaggerate? I'm assuming that Bocelli is a talented pop singer (for I am blissfully unaware of what he sounds like outside of his "Opera Album."). But why does it also follow that he is a great OPERA singer? Why not evaluate his singing in two separate genres separately? Please, stop carping on SBM; and please stop referring to anyone who dares to be unimpressed with Bocelli as a snob. If a three-year-old came up to you and criticized you for something you did (something you're really good at: e.g., what you do for your career or a hobby), how would that make you feel? Would "snobbism" be the word to describe your reaction? Or perhaps "professionalism" would do better?