Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

It was my first time to hear the voice of Luba Orgonasova, I was stunned by her totally. This opera was simply written for her. Lisa, who was played by Dilber was at least equally good as Luba, for a few moments I thought Dilber overshadowed Luba. I have to admit that it sounds so easy for her to singe the high notes and manipulate the quite difficult technique.

I just love this CD.

I think this is NAXOS best opera recording, so good it is, that it could easily be sold full-price and it still would be a good buy. Luba Orgonasova is a sensational soprano, and I am glad she permited NAXOS to issue her Sonnambula since they discovered her first some 10 years ago. Her Amina is gorgeously sung, and should be ranked next to Callas, Sutherland and Scotto as one of the finest ever. Edoardo Gimenez is meltingly lyrical in the taxing role of Elvino, also a very good performance. Alberto Zedda conducts with supreme affection and the orchestra and chorus are first rate. This was recorded in concert live at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw but the sound is just fine. Do buy this recording.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. I was not familiar with this Opera, but was familiar with the beautiful voice of Luba Orgonasova, and simply had to hear more, and found this rare recording, and of course had to own it. Well, it is simply gorgeous. And Raul Fimenez is a tenor who I was not familar with at all, but could not believe the beauty of his singing.
I highly recommend this recording to anyone who loves Bel Canto.

If this were a studio recording, it would be superb; as the record of a live performance, it is astounding. In my opinion, Mme. Orgonasova's assumption of the title role combines the drama of Callas and the facility of Sutherland without the vocal flaws of the one or the droopiness of the other. Dessay comes close, but the less said about the latest recording with Bartoli, the better. Gimenez handles HIS killer role beautifully, and the rest of the cast is fine. The theater audience is amazingly silent, not even stepping on the closing notes with their thunderous (and well-deserved) applause. For those who place this opera at the bottom of the Bellini barrel, Zedda makes the best case yet in its favor.

This is a recording of a live performance made more than 10 years ago.
The sound is a bit distant, but clear enough.
The performance itself is simply first class. The protagonists all performed well: Raul Gimenez is a true bel canto tenor, but of course, grossly underrated. He may not have the looks, but his voice and technique are truly first class. Whether in solos or in ensembles, his singing are just right on the spot - not one bit more, nor one jot less. Listening to him sing, you really know why the style earned its name 'bel canto'. The musical lines just simply float with his voice. His Elviro is every bit on par as any other top performer of this role these days. Organasova is no less good vocally than Giemenez. Yes, she is a lyrical spinto, not lyrical coloratura. But her coloratura is so well balanced that you would not hear one bit of jarring tone from her. Also, her voice balanced out well with that of the secondary soprano role sung by Uighur soprano Dilber, who is true lyrical coloratura. Listen to her solo in Act II, and listen how the audience responded with thundering applause. I don't hear any shrillness in her voice in this recording. Rather, it is so light and girlish that you would at once realise that she is a contrasting character with Organsanova's principle role Amina. But she does rise up to the occasion in that single solo aria, demonstrating for once that Lisa is truly jubilant in succeeding to supplant Amina.
The only slight disappointment is the bass role of the Count, who should have been more affecting in the aria of home coming.
The orchesetra and choir are equally good in this performance.
It would have been worth a much more expensive pricing, but for the slightly distant sound.

This is a superb quality recording; and, a joy to listen to with the great Luba Orgonasova voice to enjoy. It will make for many enjoyable hours of listening.

...I quite agree with the review of May 3. Anyone who loves Bellini, qua composer, will love this set.