Bellini - La Sonnambula / Orgonasova, Giménez, Ellero d'Artegna, Dilbèr, Papadjiakou, Zedda

Vincenzo Bellini (Artist), Alberto Zedda (Artist), Luba Orgonasova (Artist), Raúl Giménez (Artist), Francesco Ellero d'Artegna (Artist), Alexandra Papadjiakou (Artist), Dilbèr (Artist), Nanco de Vries (Artist), Ioan Micu (Artist), The Netherlands Radio Choir (Artist), The Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 5, 1997)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B0000014BC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #13,724 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #34 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Operettas
  • #41 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Arias > General AAS
  • #66 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Historical Periods > Romantic (c.1820-1910)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A SUBLIME BEL CANTO PERFORMANCE!, May 13, 2002

By 

Gretta H Jacobs, MD (Moreland Hills, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bellini - La Sonnambula / Orgonasova, Giménez, Ellero d'Artegna, Dilbèr, Papadjiakou, Zedda (Audio CD)

This live concert performance from the famous Concertgebouw Hall in Amsterdam, under the baton of Maestro Zedda, is how bel canto can triumph but rarely does. Bellini's gorgeous music requires a certain type of interpretation to do it justice. As Elvino, Raul Gimenez is brilliant with sweet tone, soaring high notes, impeccable inunciation and wonderful warmth and expressivity. Luba Orgonosova's Amina is equally outstanding, managing to control her spinto soprano into fragile delicacy when needed. The duets between these two are to die for. The other soloists are adequate; the chorus is outstanding. In the end, the frenzied audience response is the ultimate proof of the excellence of this performance.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent budget-price recording, November 21, 2003

By 

Simon (Auckland, NZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bellini - La Sonnambula / Orgonasova, Giménez, Ellero d'Artegna, Dilbèr, Papadjiakou, Zedda (Audio CD)

If I were EMI or DECCA I would be very worried by this recording. Naxos seems to be able to pull together casts of a similar or even better standard and then sell off operas for budget price. All three of the major roles in La Sonnambula call for singers with a high level of Bel Canto virtuosity. The Amina must have a gorgeous legato for her two cavatinas and also a highly developed florid coloratura technique for their cabalettas as well as the ability to pull off stratosphericly high notes. Luba Orgonasova has all these abilities. "Ah non credea mirarti" is bel canto at its most beautiful, but she also has a good dramatic understanding of the work, which is aptly demonstrated by her part in her second duet with Elvino. Luckily her Elvino is the outstanding Raul Gimenez, who copes with the extremely high tessitura well and also has a respectable florid technique of his own. His "Prendi per me sei libero" is stunning stuff. My biggest reservation (and the reason I give this only four stars) is the phlegmatic bass of Francesco Ellero d'Artagna. His attempts at dramatic acting are very much undermined by the generally unpleasant sound of his voice. Papadjiakou is stunning in what is given to her in the role of Teresa, and the Lisa is well-sung if a bit shrill. Alberto Zedda shows a keen understanding of Bellini's marvellous score. Altogether an excellent buy at bargain price.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It was excellent, June 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Bellini - La Sonnambula / Orgonasova, Giménez, Ellero d'Artegna, Dilbèr, Papadjiakou, Zedda (Audio CD)

I had never heard of Orgonasova before, but it was a pleasure to hear this live recording. She has a lyric coloratura that is pleasing. She has nice passagework in the arias and has exquisite high notes. I am talking about notes that are heard and not screeched. I thought that the best part was when she sang Ah non credea....Ah non giunge. It touches you when you hear her sing Ah non credea and when she starts Ah non giunge it is magical. To hear a soprano make this aria sound easy is a triumph. The singer that sings Lisa has atmospheric high notes that you have to hear to believe. Raul Gimenez was very good, better than other Rossini tenors except Ramon Vargas that sang in the Metropolitan broadcast of "La Cenerentola''. Overall it is an enjoyable performance and at a nice price. You should know that the libretto that accompanies this piece does not have an English translation.