The Bartered Bride [Box set, Import]

Jindrich Jindrak (Performer), Bedrich Smetana (Composer), Zdenek Kosler (Conductor), Czech Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra), Gabriela Benacková (Performer), Jana Jonasova (Performer), Marie Vesela (Performer), Alfred Hampel (Performer), Miroslav Kopp (Performer), Peter Dvorsky (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Jindrich Jindrak, Gabriela Benacková, Jana Jonasova, Marie Vesela, Alfred Hampel, et al.
• Orchestra: Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Zdenek Kosler
• Composer: Bedrich Smetana
• Audio CD (November 1, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Box set, Import
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Supraphon
• ASIN: B00000DFNA
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,736 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

2. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

3. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

4. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

5. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

6. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

2. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

3. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

4. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

5. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

6. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

See all 10 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

2. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

3. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

4. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

5. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

6. Prodaná nevesta (The Bartered Bride), opera, JB 1:100

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Czech Gem!, May 12, 2005

By 

D. J. Edwards "donaldjedwards" (Cheshire, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bartered Bride (Audio CD)

THIS RECORDING HAS BEEN AVAILABLE FOR QUITE A WHILE. THOSE LEGIONS WHO HAVE APPARENTLY NOT HEARD THIS RECORDING HAVE MISSED ONE OF THE GREATEST RECORDINGS OF THE "BARTERED BRIDE' NOW AVAILABLE OR EVER AVAILABLE ON CD. THE CASTING HAS NO EQUAL. BENACKOVA AND DVORSKY ARE BRILLIANT SINGING ACTORS AND THEIR VOICES ARE STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL. THE WHOLE CAST BREATHES THIS WORK AND KOSLER IN THE PIT MAKES THIS WORK THE MASTERPIECE THAT IT IS. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY NO WEAK LINK ANDTHE SOUND IS TOP NOTCH. THIS BELONGS ON YOUR SHELF ALONG WITH "THE HAUNTED MANOR' AND 'DALIBOR'. THE LATER TWO HAVE WONDERFUL PERFORMANCES ON EMI AND DYNAMIC RESPECTIVELY. PLEASE GIVE THEM A LISTEN AND GIVE YOURSELF A TREAT. THE ORCHESTRATION ON THE 'DALIBOR' IS BREATHTAKING. WARNING; THEY NEED MORE THAN ONE HEARING BUT THEN THEY WILL GRAB YOUR VERY SOUL AND SPIRIT.

27 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful and funny opera for those who appreciate it, January 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Bartered Bride (Audio CD)

I ordered the audio CD of Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride because I knew about the plot and thought it very good. I was right! I really enjoyed it. I did have to read the guide as I listened to it, and because there was an English translation which I read prior to listening to it for the first time, I understood it for the most part. The plotline is simple enough if you understand it. Marenka, a peasant girl in a Czech village, is in love with Jenik, whose past is unknown. However, a marriage broker, Kecal, has encouraged her parents to have her marry Vasek, the second son of a landowner named Tobias Micha. Micha did have another son, an elder one, but that son had disappeared. Marenka persuades Vasek to give her up, and Kecal appears to persuade Jenik to give Marenka up in exchange for money to "the son of Tobias Micha". It turns out that Jenik is the eldest son of Tobias Micha! The singers all did a good job portraying their characters. Miroslav Kopp, who sang Vasek, did a good job portraying Vasek's immaturity. Vasek is nice, but he's just a boy, basically. Kecal believes he's clever enough to get what he wants, and Richard Novak reveals this very clearly. Gabriella Benackova-Capova portrays the essentially serious (though occaisonally gay) Marenka very well also. I especially loved Peter Dvorsky's Jenik. Dvorsky showed us the genuiness of Jenik's love, and Jenik's cleverness as well. I especially loved hearing Jenik bargaining with Kecal, since I knew the joke was on Kecal. I recommend this opera to all opera lovers, though of course those who hate opera probably won't enjoy it, since it is sung in Czech. Belle Book

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great set, December 5, 2008

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Bartered Bride (Audio CD)

This is a classic performance. In fact, I don't think it has many serious contenders in the catalogue. The main characters are excellent. Gabriela Benackova as Marenka gives a splendidly warm characterization and the slightly sharp sounds when she is singing at the top end of the spectrum is no more than a quibble; none at all about Peter Dvorsky as Jenik or Miroslav Kopp as Vasek.

In fact, there are no serious objections to anything on this set. Kosler gives an eminently energetic and vigorous performance (the famous orchestral sections, for instance, are marvelous), and the rest of the cast doesn't really have one weak link.

Sound quality is perhaps not faultless (it is a little clangy in a way which might lead you to believe that the recording is a little older than it actually is), but nothing to complain seriously about. Strongly recommended.