Barbara Frittoli - Verdi Opera Arias

Giuseppe Verdi (Artist), Colin Davis (Artist), Barbara Frittoli (Artist), London Symphony Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 13, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B000059ZI3
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,721 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Verdi Soprano Worth Singing About!, November 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Barbara Frittoli - Verdi Opera Arias (Audio CD)

I've only heard the beautiful Italian Soprano, Barbara Frittoli, as Mimi at the Met. She was lovely, but didn't leave such a lasting impression. That was about five years ago, and my has she grown up since then. In this Verdi centennial, here at last is a recital of ten scenes from eight Verdio operas ranging from the earliest IL CORSARO to as late as DON CARLO. Frittoli's beautifully schooled soprano is big and ripe. She's got a marvelously even scale. She's musical, cares about the characters she portraying and delivers everything with conviction and skill. This is a big voice of spinto proportions, and while I expected her to sing the lyric arias with simple grace (i.e., SIMON BOCCANEGRA and DON CARLO), I was impressed with the delicate tracery of the aria from IL CORSARO. Caballe, Ricciarelli and Sills have all left memorable recordings of "Non so le tutre immagini," and Frittoli's performance belongs in their same exalted league. Violetta's Act I "E strano...Sempre libera," tests the vocal mettle of any soprano who attempts this great scene. Frittoli not only sings with with consumate ease, but makes me believe this is a woman who falling in love against her better judgement. The coloratura runs are exactly placed,the high notes confidently voiced, and the diction is a wonder in this era of mush-mouthed sopranos who prefer vowels to distinct consonants. What a pleasure to encounter such an Italianiate voice with the verbal dexterity of a Tebaldi or Pavarotti. "Tu puniscimi, o Signore...A brani, a brani, o perfido," offers a tantalizing preview of Frittoli's upcoming LUISA MILLER performances at the Met next Spring. She should bring a welcome shot of excitement to this new production which opened this fall to tepid reviews and deservedly so. Frittoli is not afraid to sing softly when the need arises. Some might notice that the voice has a slighly looser vibration than many big lyrics, but the tone never degenerates into a wobble and the top blooms.

Ms. Frittoli is more than ably supported by Sir Colin Davis, a conductor I've never before thought of as a Verdian. He conducts the Sinfonia from LUISA MILLER and the Act III Prelude to LA TRAVIATA, making this CD very generous nearly-80 minutes.

Before I heard this new CD, I thought Cecilia Bartoli's new release of unknown Gluck arias would be my recommened vocal recital of the year. Barbara Frittoli has a much harder task--a clutch of often-recorded arias by one of the world's most beloved operatic composers. She not only succeeds in successfully establishing her own personality to this music, but manages to deliver fresh, unaffected performances, beautifully sung and memorable for today's audiences who may have thought there are no Verdi singers around today. Guess again. This is essential.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Future superstar, February 15, 2008

By 

leelee (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Barbara Frittoli - Verdi Opera Arias (Audio CD)

I saw Barbara Frittoli in the La Scala dvd "Othello" with Placido Domingo and I was greatly impressed by her dramatic instincts and exquisite voice. I highly recommend this cd as a great introduction to the next operatic superstar. I cannot get into specifics on her singing because technical ability is not as important as making the music sound beautiful. Some opera lovers get all hung up on details, but if does not sound beautiful then I really do not care if it's technically perfect. Moffo is still my favorite soprano. However, Frittoli sounds magnificent and really puts forth wonderful emotions. What a voice!