Britten Conducts Britten: Operas, Vol. 2 [Box set, Collector's Edition]

Benjamin Britten (Composer), Benjamin Britten (Conductor), Steuart Bedford (Conductor), Charles Mackerras (Conductor), English Chamber Orchestra (Orchestra), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Welsh National Opera Orchestra (Orchestra), English Opera Group Orchestra (Orchestra), Janet Baker (Performer), Elizabeth Harwood (Performer), Philip Langridge (Performer), Peter Pears (Performer), John Shirley-Quirk (Performer), Owen Brannigan (Performer), Alfred Deller (Performer), Heather Harper (Performer), Thomas Hemsley (Performer), David Kelly (Performer), Norman Lumsden (Performer), Kenneth MacDonald (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Janet Baker, Elizabeth Harwood, Philip Langridge, Peter Pears, John Shirley-Quirk, et al.
• Orchestra: English Chamber Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Welsh National Opera Orchestra, English Opera Group Orchestra
• Conductor: Benjamin Britten, Steuart Bedford, Charles Mackerras
• Composer: Benjamin Britten
• Audio CD (March 15, 2005)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 10
• Format: Box set, Collector's Edition
• 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: Decca
• ASIN: B000654OU6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,154 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lesser, indeed!, November 14, 2007

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Finnamon "finnamon" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Britten Conducts Britten: Operas, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

How someone can refer to Rape of Lucretia and Turn of the Screw (or Midsummer Night's Dream, for that matter, my personal favorite among his many operas) as lesser works of Britten's is beyond me. I guess it is just a matter of taste, but especially in these performances, those who truly love Britten could hardly do wrong. Libretti lacking, but don't let that stop you. You never know when these will go out of print again!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Britten's lesser operas?, May 29, 2007

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Laszlo "CD Explorer" (Ashburn, VA (USA)) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Britten Conducts Britten: Operas, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

Of course it's all a matter of taste. I find most of Britten's operas first class with no exception. 'Gloriana' is an under-recorded jewel, full of melody and emotion. 'Turn of the Screw' a masterpiece of claustrophobic sense. 'Rape of Lucretia' full of chamber sensibility. And the performances cannot be bettered.
Need I say more? DECCA is paying an enormous service to collectors with these releases, especially those who have a real concern with storage space. They deserve 10 stars, if available.

5 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Britten's lesser operas, May 12, 2007

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frothy (IN, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Britten Conducts Britten: Operas, Vol. 2 (Audio CD)

I loved Britten's Operas 1. So I snatched this item up right away. It's o.k. but not as good as the first collection. Death in Venice and the Turn of the Screw were the only operas on these discs that I really cared for. Bedford's version of Death in Venice is every bit as good as the Hickox version so if you already have one there's really no need to get the other. As for the other operas they're nowhere near as good as Billy Budd, Peter Grimes, or Albert Herring. For those just discovering Britten's operas start out with the first boxed set.