Donizetti: Anna Bolena / Sutherland, Ramey, Mentzer, Bonynge

Gaetano Donizetti (Artist), Richard Bonynge (Artist), Welsh National Opera Chorus & Orchestra (Artist), Joan Sutherland (Artist), Samuel Ramey (Artist), Ernesto Gavazzi (Artist), Jerry Hadley (Artist), Susanne Mentzer (Artist), Giorgio Surian (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Label: Polygram Records
• ASIN: B0000041TG
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #248,825 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #23 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Voices > Baritones
  • #48 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Sutherland, Joan

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Overture - Richard Bonynge/Orch of Welsh Nat Opr

2. Act One: Scene 1: Ne venne il Re? - Chor of Welsh Nat Opr/Andrew Greenwood

3. Act One: Scene 1: Ella di me, sollecita - Susanne Mentzer

4. Act One: Scene 1: Si taciturna e mesta - Joan Sutherland

5. Act One: Scene 1: Deh! non voler costringere - Joan Sutherland

6. Act One: Scene 1: Come, innocente giovane - Joan Sutherland

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Act One: Scene 3: E' sgombro il loco - Bernadette Manca Di Nissa

2. Act One: Scene 3: Ah! parea che per incanto - Bernadette Manca Di Nissa

3. Act One: Scene 3: Taci, taci, tropp'oltre vai - Joan Sutherland

4. Act One: Scene 3: S'ei t'abborre, io t'amo ancora - Jerry Hadley

5. Act One: Scene 3: Ah! per pieta del mio spavento - Joan Sutherland

6. Act One: Scene 3: Alcun potria ascoltarti - Joan Sutherland

See all 12 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Act Two: Scene 2: Ebben? Dinanzi ai giudici - Chor of Welsh Nat Opr/Andrew Greenwood

2. Act Two: Scene 2: Scostatevi...il Re giunge - Ernesto gavazzi

3. Act Two: Scene 2: Ambo morrete, o perfidi - Samuel Ramey

4. Act Two: Scene 2: Al Consiglio sien tratti - Samuel Ramey

5. Act Two: Scene 2: Sposa a Percy - Samuel Ramey

6. Act Two: Scene 2: Per questa fiamma indomita - Susanne Mentzer

See all 17 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Past her prime? Maybe, but I'll take Dame Joan anyday!, August 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Donizetti: Anna Bolena / Sutherland, Ramey, Mentzer, Bonynge (Audio CD)

Dame Joan was 62 at the time of this recording. However, I would take Dame Joan at 62 over singers half her age anyday. Her sound isn't as fresh as it was ten or twenty years earlier and the flexibility is slightly diminished. But think about who we are talking about here. Dame Joan singing with diminished resources is still a heck of a lot better than most. Her voice did darken with age, but I would not, under any circumstances, say that Dame Joan's voice was ever ugly. Even up to her very last performance in 1990, it was still that special Sutherland sound. She was able to make many people very happy by performing well into her mid 60's. This recording is an example of just that. Dame Joan's interpretation of Bolena is tragic and emotional and I'm glad that she added it to her repertoire before she retired. Sutherland was more successful at comic roles early in her career, and she was admittedly never a born actress such as Sills or certainly the great Callas. However, as she got older, her interpretations matured as well. dame Joan would not be as convincing in this complex role if she had done it twenty years earlier. Vocally she would have been great, but there is more to it than that. Listen to Act II when Seymore confesses to Anna. At first, Anna is FURIOUS, then full of sorrow, and finally at peace and forgives Seymore (though I think she is secretly thinking ha ha ha you can't even be mad at me now which increases your suffering all the more!) all within ten minutes of music. Sutherland is emotionally perfect here, maybe not as fresh sounding as twenty years ago, but to me (an opera singer in training) opera should be more than just the most beautiful sound possible. Past her prime, sure, but still beautiful nevertheless, ABSOLUTELY!

Note: One of the previous reviews is incorrect. There is no E flat in alt at the end of the mad scene. The end of the mad scene is transposed down a full step top accomodate Dame Joan's diminished resources. You instead get a glorious D flat in alt. Dosent' bother me in the least however.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sutherland does a wonderful job in a great recording!, June 1, 2004

By 

Ygor (Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Donizetti: Anna Bolena / Sutherland, Ramey, Mentzer, Bonynge (Audio CD)

The other reviewers emphasized the comparison between Sutherland in her early days and in her late career. Here the question is not that, but what Joan Sutherland can do in this recording. Every singer and Sutherland herself in her late years will be nothing if we compare them with the young Sutherland, a vocal miracle which will never be heard again.
Joan Sutherland was 61 years old when this Anna Bolena was recorded. Her voice had darkened and lost some vocal power, but it's not unsufficient or terrible (!!) as some exagerated reviews said before. It would be wonderful if Sutherland had recorded it in the period between 1975 and 1980, but here she does a real wonderful job. Her dramatic skills are in her ultimate best, her diction is much better. Thus, we have a more moving and thrilling Anna Bolena than we could have ever had. Her high notes are still wonderful and she has gained an amazing low register, which emphasizes the dramatic parts of the opera. Her vibrato is really a bit too present, but it doesn't bother me when I hear so many qualities in her voice.
Susanne Mentzer does a wonderful performance here, with a youthful and beautiful voice. Samuel Ramey is known as one of the best interprets of Enrico VIII and Jerry Hadley could be considered the best Percy ever. Bonynge's conducting is amazing as always.
This recording is highly recommended, especially if you are looking for good interpretation and not simply good singing.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great recording................, July 3, 2004

By 

Mr James Cole (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Donizetti: Anna Bolena / Sutherland, Ramey, Mentzer, Bonynge (Audio CD)

This CD was recorded and released to coincide with Sutherland's performance as Anna Bolena in Covent Garden in 1988. These proved to be her last perfomances in a full operatic role in that House. I bought the recording on vinyl after attending the opening night in Covent Gardne and later replaced it with the CD version.
I have heard and concur with all those who write amount the many incredible qualities of the Sutherland voice in her earlier recordings, the voice and technique is unbelieveable. Anna Bolena for the heroine is a huge role and it suits the later Sutherland voice, what's lost in the ability to open her mouth and produce subliminal vocal pyrotechnics is compensated by an artist who portrays vunerabilty which is, for me is the main focus of the score.
The voice is totally Sutherland, the middle voice is rich and lucious, the (very) high notes ringing and clear but age brings a vibrato and slight beat to the tone that adds to the pathos and does not detract from the pleasure of listening to a mistress of her craft.

The acting, phrasing, diction and artistry (which all got better as she got older) she produces far outweigh the loss of vocal power her age brings and produce for me a memorable and one of my favourite recordings.

Her lack of acting abilit is often discussed, having seen her on stage in this role and listened to the recording she is as good as any actor or actress I have ever seen on an operatic stage (I am sure there are better, and may worse).

Sutherland compared to what she could produce in the 1960's, 70's or early 80's may not be the same, but at this stage in her career she still commands a beauty of voice and technique that no one I have heard today can match.