Bellini: I Puritani

Bellini (Artist), Freni (Artist), Kraus (Artist), Verchi (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 25, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Legato Classics
• ASIN: B0000019X3
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #899,004 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #84 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Freni, Mirella

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: Introduction

2. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: All'erta! All'erta!...Quando la tromba squilla

3. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: O di Cromwell guerrieri...La luna, il sol, le stelle

4. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: A festa!...Garzon, che mira elvira

5. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: Or dove fuggo io mai?

6. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: Ah! Per sempre io ti perdei

7. I Puritani, opera: Act l. Scene 1: T'ppellan le schiere...Bel sogna beato

8. I Puritani, opera: Act ll, Scene 2: O amato zio, o mio secondo padre

9. I Puritani, opera: Act ll, Scene 2: Sai com'adre in petto mio

10. I Puritani, opera: Act ll, Scene 2: Odi...qual suon si desta?...A quel suono al mio contento

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: Ah, dolor

2. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: Qual novella?

3. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: V'appressate...Cinta di flori

4. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: E di morte lo stral

5. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: O rendetemi la speme...Qui la voce sua soave

6. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: Vien, diletto, e in ciel la luna

7. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: Il rival salvar tu dei

8. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: Se tra il buio un fantasma vedrai

9. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: Riccardo! Riccardo!

10. I Puritani, opera: Act ll: suoni la troma, e intrepido

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A GREAT PERFORMANCE THAT CAN BE OBTAINED ON OPERA D'ORO FOR MUCH LESS MONEY!, October 14, 2005

By 

L. Mitnick (Chicago, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bellini: I Puritani (Audio CD)

It is quite possible that the sound on this particular edition may be superior to the one on the much, MUCH less expensive Opera d'Oro (also in Amazon's inventory), but then again it may not be.
The sound basically is no better than what one would have encountered on a 1962 monophonic broadcast - no better and no worse. It is very listenable. The performance itself is a revelation. Mirella Freni, 27 years old at the time of this performance, sings Elvira with a melting beauty that, truth to tell, eludes both Callas and Sutherland. Freni may lack the dark "sock-it-to-'em" vocalism of Callas as well as the sheer coloratura abandon of Sutherland - but she makes a stunning account of the role anyway. Her lyric soprano had a fluidity and color to it that enabled her to sing this role beautifully. She doesn't include any top E flats (as do Sutherland and Callas), but Bellini never wrote them anyway. In Freni's case, the lack of these stratospheric notes matter little - the voice is gorgeous and the singing is superb. Alfredo Kraus is every bit as good ---- he is in superb early prime voice here, and it's a pity that he couldn't have been engaged to sing the role on Sutherland's first studio recording. No --- the robust and flamboyant vocalism of Pavarotti, while effective in it's way, is no match for the lyricism, elegance, and class that was a trademark of Kraus' art for so many years. The man was as smart as a fox - he remained in his particular repertoire and never compromised his instrument. He was a wonderful Bellini and Donizetti tenor and this role could have been written for him.
The baritone and the bass here are fine, and they make a nice enough impression with their duet in the third act, but Freni and Kraus are the thing here, and they are truly something to hear and to treasure as long as people are listening to great singing.
A great performance!