Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Pido, Opéra de Lyon

Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Evelino Pido (Conductor), Orchestre de l'Opera de Lyon (Orchestra), Roberto Alagna (Performer), Angela Gheorghiu (Performer), Simone Alaimo (Performer), Roberto Scaltriti (Performer), Elana Dan (Performer), Choeur de l'Opera de Lyon (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Simone Alaimo, Roberto Scaltriti, Elana Dan, et al.
• Orchestra: Orchestre de l'Opera de Lyon
• Conductor: Evelino Pido
• Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
• Audio CD (September 23, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000042HJ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,527 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #11 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Gheorghiu, Angela

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available.
Genre: Classical Music
Media Format: Compact Disk
Rating:
Release Date: 16-SEP-1997

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Intoxicating Elixir of Love, June 17, 2000

By 

Hamish Elliott (Dunedin, New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Pido, Opéra de Lyon (Audio CD)

From the opening bars of the preludio, Pido sets the stage for a lively, well paced, well fused and electrifying performance of Donizetti's intoxicating opera, L'elisir d'amore.

Leading the stage is Roberto Alagna as the love plagued Nemorino. I find Alagna's voice rich and warm, but the well known La furtive lagrima, is lacking when compared with the likes of Pavarotti's recordings. I concede that I have not listed to the Pavarotti, Sutherland and Bonynge set in full, but Pavarotti's widely found recordings of this beautiful, if slightly out of place, solo, certainly stand out a lot more. Despite this, Alagna does a brilliant job, portraying the lovesickness that plagues Nemorino, in a comically pitiful way.

Of stand out performance, yet again, is the amazing Angela Gheorghiu. From the passion and thrill of Verdi to the comical bel canto of Donizetti, she has an amazing grasp of not only the music, but the character; a virtue that I find so vital in opera. She has a dreamy yet strong and powerful voice that floats above the soloists and chorus. Effortlessly reaching high notes, she portrays the true tease that Adina is.

Simone Alaimo does a superb job as the "itinerant quack" Dulcamara. He conveys the fun and deciept of the role with ease. His voice glides effortlessly with the orchestra in his opening solo. The duet (Quanto Amore) with Adina, is exceptional: gripping!

Roberto Scaltriti offers a fine performance. Elena Dan plays a fine supporting role, offering a beautiful voice and lead for the opening chorus, but sadly, tragically died soon after the recording.

Of exceptionally high standard is the chorus. The singing is fresh, crisp and well balanced - not too overpowering. They portray the lively and happy atmosphere of the village, and fuse together with the orchestra and soloists to give an outstanding performance.

Recorded in 1997, this latest Decca set offers a modern, well balanced sound. At mid-price, this is a bargain. An excellent recording offering the vital interpretation of drama and excellent grasp of music that opera so desires and requires.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best recoding currently in circulation., June 20, 2003

By 

Maximilian Pop (Carlsbad, Ca United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Pido, Opéra de Lyon (Audio CD)

This version of Elisir is simply the best recording in many years. The opera moves at a brisk pace and the singing by the cast is simply brilliant. Angela Gheorghiu (who is Romanian NOT GREEK!!) delivers yet another brilliant performance. Her voice is powerful and clear, once again defining herself as the finest soprano of her generation. Roberto Algana is a wonderful Nemorino, playing the role with a brilliant flare. I do however agree with other reviewers that his Una Furtiva Lagrima lacks the passion of Pavarotti's version(s). Despite this minor flaw his voice is in fine form, combining warmth, power and his usual perfect intonation.

Special praise must also go to Simone Alaimo who captures the comedy of Dulcamara as few have done.

Simply put a must buy.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely singing, August 8, 2002

By 

Mr JB (Karlskrona Sweden) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Donizetti - L'elisir d'amore / Alagna, Gheorghiu, Pido, Opéra de Lyon (Audio CD)

This is, in some parts, the greatest studio performance of 'L'elisir'. Those parts include the humor of the whole ensamble, and surely the singing of Romanian godess Angela Gheoghiu. There's more passion and drama than in many other version, as well as intelligence. Every bar from Ms Gheorghiu is astonishing. Just listen to the duets with Nemorino, and you'll understand why she's today's star and the future of soprano singing (You just can't have missed her Violetta). This one's just as engaging, though totally different in style.

Her male companions, then? Well. Alagna fares just as well as he can - the other reviewer is unjust when blaming him for the somewhat strange 'una furtiva lagrima', since this recording uses a version, by the composer himself, written a third below the version we're used to hear, also with different variations. And that may be a great miss to what might have been just an unbelievable performance.

No, The main roles are perfectly played - not since the mid 70:ies has this opera done so well - look out for an obscure version with Carreras and Pritchard from Covent Garden - that's the only version to beat this one. Those two are the most engaging versions. Lovers of Pavarotti may object - But if not listening to the single arias, remember what I've explained above about the special version on this one, I find this preferrable in style. And comparing Gheorghiu to Sutherland, is hard. La stupenda is more aristocratic, Gheorghiu more genuinly funny. And both voices are greatly beautiful, as you all know.

Pido is interesting at times, though his was the bad idea of bringing forth the 'new' version of 'una furtiva...'. He is sometimes also rather hurried, sometimes too fast for my taste. Another minor objection to this recording may be the singing of Scaltitri, he simply breakes his lines too often for my taste. But the darker voices are generally very good.

To round of - if you want a perfectly home-listeable version of this funny opera - this is perfect for you. Considering the males - If you just want the 'arias', you might prefer the Pavarotti/sutherland version, also on Decca. And the ladies are even more a matter of taste. The Pavarotti/Sutherland/Bonynge is more 'perfect' - This is more funny. Clearly recommended.