Customer Reviews

Carmine Meo

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I heard one song from this cd in a restaurant and spent the next day on a mission to find out what CD it was and to purchase it. Ms Shapplin has put together a collection of songs in different languages that transport the listener to the depths of one's hearts and then to the mystery of one's soul. Her voice is exquisitely pure and the music transports you to worlds one never imagined. I am not an opera fan and yet Emma's music and vocals have awakened a deep appreciation of a classically trained voice.

I recommend this CD to anyone who wants to hear a voice that is unparrelled in its purity, accompanied by music that will awaken your soul

I first got Emma Shapplin's "Carmine Meo" album a few years ago as my mother had bought it for me as a present. She had heard a song on this CD and said that I should listen to it because I would love it. This song was "Spente Le Stelle". I listened to the song and that was when I fell in love with Emma Shapplin's music...

Emma has such a gorgeous and wonderful voice which just words are not enough to tell. She sings opera that is combined with Pop. Her songs are written and composed by Jean-Patrick Capdevielle. She has a choir joining her on some of her songs which makes her songs very dramatic as well as haunting.

Some tracks are very short (about 1 minute long) and these are basically the "introductions" for the following track. These "introductions" on Emma's "Carmine Meo" are: "De L'Abime Au Rivage", "Une Ombre Dans Le Ciel" and "A La Frontiere Du Reve".

But to understand and appreciate Emma Shapplin's voice, you have to witness it... I live in Istanbul, Turkey and just yesterday (21 November, 2004) Emma came to Turkey for a special concert as a guest for Kia Motor Car Company for the Turkish distributors of the new car "Spontage". She sang 12 songs in total for about 1 hour and 45 minutes and I noticed then that Emma's voice is more powerful than it sounds on the CD.

After the concert, I waited for her to come out of the backstage room for about 20 minutes and when she finally came out, I had the chance to talk to her! I talked with her for about 5 minutes and told her I was a great fan of hers and sang her songs together with her everytime I listened to her album! She was very glad to hear this and seemed very pleased to have met me. She has a much more higher and softer voice when she speaks then when she sings...

At the end, she told me she'd be coming to Turkey again for her newest album (her album after Etterna) and she said she'd be giving a concert again! Then I said that I'll be gladly coming to her next concert as well, and she smiled...

I had the chance to take a couple of photographs together with Emma and I'll never forget this moment of my life!!!

If you ever have the chance of going to one of Emma Shapplin's concerts, don't miss it! Try to grab the chance to talk to her, just like I've done, because you'll never get that chance ever again in your lifetime!!!...

I first heard of Emma Shapplin when a friend of mine recommended her music to me. I became very interested in her and soon purchased 'Etterna'. My mother got me this for Christmas, and it was a complete suprise.

This album is a masterpiece. Emma's gorgeous, soaring vocals are supported by Gregorian chants, pop beats, soaring strings, and howling wolves. The lyrics are written in medieval Italian, adding a very romantic feel to the album. I strongly urge all fans of classical crossover to grab this. Emma is one of the best classical crossover artists out there- right up there with Sarah Brightman and Josh Groban. If you are a fan of either of these two or any other similar artists, don't miss this. My vocabulary must be limited because I have trouble finding the right words for this.

Also, make sure you grab 'Etterna', Emma's most recent release. You won't be disappointed with either. Both are wonderful masterpieces.

This CD may connect with your soul and spirit in way that few others will. I say "may" because there must already be something inside of you that yearns for deep expression and can also recognize this same desire in another. Emma Shapplin (Crystelle Joliton is her real name) does something very, very well--and that is sing. Singing is her calling. Her voice is exceptional. I listen and listen and listen to this CD, and I am always moved by her voice.

Some of the words and phrases in the (written) English translation that is provided with the CD brochure may not seem adequately poetic for music. However, when you go from 14th century Italian/Latin to 21st century English, you can't expect a perfectly smooth literal transition. I found that the foreign tongue actually adds a welcomed dimension to the music. Besides being no less than beautiful as sung by this beauty herself, I am freed up from my usual expectations of literary precision. I am immediately carried beyond the words, and I am tucked within the choir where I listen in awe to agony, to love, to truth, to lies, to despair, and to hope. And somehow they are all sorted out, and I come away better for the experience.

There are some lyrics that could be considered to concede too much ground to forces of darkness, but if you read the Psalms you will find similar expressions of spiritual warfare. If you are seeking pure praise music that can stand up to the test of the letter of the law, then this album is not for you. But if you are walking in Job's shoes, give it a listen and be lifted up. The 5th song on the CD, "Cuor Senza Sangue," will likely be my all time favorite song. I've been in those valleys, and I know where to look for help. And so did the person who penned the words.

I have purchased five copies of this CD. Some for friends, and an extra one for myself to ensure that I am never deprived of Shapplin's voice. She is that good.

I was in an antique store in Cape May, New Jersey and this beautiful, haunting music was playing in the background. I could not concentrate on my shopping and finally asked the owner of the store to identify the artist. I had never heard of Emma before and could not find the CD anywhere. Finally I tried Amazon and was able to locate it. I have only had the CD for about six weeks and have probably just about worn it out. The combination of the beautiful orchastration, the backround choral and her exquitiste voice is quite a combination. Everyone who has heard the CD loves it and has ordered it for themselves and/or as gifts. I own a small barber/beauty salon and my customers love this CD. Hope Emma does more!!

I bought this disc on spec with a lot of others and when I played it I thought what a bargain it would have been at almost any price. It has rapidly became a firm favourite to which I listen each night as I drift off to sleep. It is by no means a lullaby but I find the combination of music, choir and Emma Shapplin's voice so mentally soothing it acts in the same way.
I am not happy that some opera buffs want to pan the voice. This is not opera, just an unclassifiable perfomance that produces a sensation of pure pleasure. It lets you float along with it: no matter if you do not understand any lyrics. It is the sound which stimulates the senses.
This may seem a strange contrast bearing in mind what I said at first: a performance which stimulates me to sleep! I know that sounds a bit contrary, but believe me, I really want to listen each time I play it, but I am now so used to it that sleep is almost induced by hypnosis. I fall into the performance which carries me into the fantasy which it produces.

It is easy to think of Emma Shapplin's passionate music having arisen from the noble shadow of a lost, classical world. Nevertheless, her beautifully artistic voice begs the limits of the descriptive powers of human language. The pleasure of listening to her simply cannot be overstated. One could more easily overstate the beauty of a rose. Moreover, one need not understand Italian or French to appreciate the music...after all, it was not the language of the Sirens that plagued the ship, but the song...

I bought Carmine Meo a year ago. I had a long wait of teasing samples befor it got to the US and into my hands. It is one of the few CD I listen to now. The so so Carmine Meo 2 which is the new Atylantos CD was released last week. I have seen the promo. It will be a great addition to this collection. I have ordered it through Amazon.fr since it is not avaliable in the US yet. Emma Shapplin is a great new sound and should become a great world renound singer. I recommend this album for anyone that loves music. You may not understand the language but the sound is wonderful. The words in english and 14th century latin can be found on the internet at various fan sites. Good Listening ***** Garrett

When I was young I used to listen to opera. It was not until a year ago when I heard Emma Shapplin that I grew a passion for opera. The single 'Spente Le Stelle' from her album 'Carmine Meo' best describes Emma's music. She takes opera classics and mixes it with pop and techno music to give it modern approach. Sarah Brightman, another opera singer, also mixes pop and opera. But Emma appeals more to the younger listener with her Sarah Brightman meets Moby sound. This girl can hit the high notes better than Sarah. Her sex appeal also adds spice to what was dull opera. Check out this album and you will have a passion for opera.

emma Shapplin has been duly praised for her wonderful soprano voice and style; however, I believe the true strength of this album is the musc as a whole. the singing is beautiful no doubt, but it's the music and the orchestration that work so wonderfully with the voice to produce what I might call a unique sound. It's not really opera, but it combines elemnts of this artform with classical and pop. Many other singers form Sarah Brightman to Celine Dion - the latter with disastrous results - have attempted to achieve something similar, but Emma Shapplin comes closest to hitting the right note and balnce between musical genres. Apart from any technical or genre considerations, the melodies are simply beautiful, while lyrics and titles evoke a romantic passion, which though overdone at times, captures the romantic immagination. Titles such as "Cuor senza sangue" (A bloodless heart) in my mind immediately evoke the characters of Puccini. I also think that song happens to be the best one of the album and all by itself worth the price of admission. It builds with a conspicuous but soft beat into an almost Rossinian crescendo expressing pathos and optimism at the same time. It's also teh song where Emma Shapplin's voice truly shines.