Enrico Caruso: Historical Recordings 1902-1914

Antonio Scotti (Performer), Titta Ruffo (Performer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Ruggero Leoncavallo (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Amilcare Ponchielli (Composer), Umberto Giordano (Composer), Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Walter B. Rogers (Conductor), Giulio Setti (Conductor), Ernestine Schumann-Heink (Performer), Metropolitan Opera Orchestra (Orchestra), Nellie Melba (Performer), Alma Gluck (Performer), Enrico Caruso (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Antonio Scotti, Titta Ruffo, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Nellie Melba, Alma Gluck, et al.
• Orchestra: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
• Conductor: Walter B. Rogers, Giulio Setti
• Composer: Giacomo Puccini, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Giuseppe Verdi, Amilcare Ponchielli, Umberto Giordano, et al.
• Audio CD (June 6, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Gala
• ASIN: B000001XLT
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #97,117 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #89 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > C to G

Track Listings

1. La bohème, opera: Che gelida manina

2. La bohème, opera: O soave fanciulla

3. La bohème, opera: O Mimi, tu più non torni

4. Tosca, opera: Recondita armonia

5. Tosca, opera: E lucevan le stelle

6. Pagliacci, opera: Recitar! mentre preso dal delirio... Vesti la giubba

7. Pagliacci, opera: No! Pagliaccio non son

8. La bohème, opera: Musette! O gioia della mia dimora... Testa adorata

9. Rigoletto, opera: Questa o quella

10. Rigoletto, opera: La donna è mobile

11. Il Trovatore, opera: Ah di, ben mio

12. Il Trovatore, opera: Di quella pira

13. Il Trovatore, opera: Quel son, quella preci... Ah! che la morte (Miserere)

14. Il Trovatore, opera: Se m'ami ancor... Ai nostri monti

15. La Traviata, opera: Libiamo, libiamo (brindisi)

16. Un ballo in maschera, opera: Di' tu se fedele

17. La forza del destino, opera: Della natal sua terra il padre... O tu che in seno agl'angeli

18. Aida, opera: Celeste Aïda

19. Otello, opera: Nell'ore arcane della sua lussaria... Ora e per sempre addio

20. Otello, opera: Oh! mostruosa colpa! ... Si, pel ciel

See all 23 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 A truly great tenor, June 25, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Enrico Caruso: Historical Recordings 1902-1914 (Audio CD)

Caruso appears to have been a bit of an acquired taste- one that I certainly have acquired somewhere. In his voice one can hear true warmth and lyric beauty. He also had power, which allowed him to shine in such a role as Rodolfo. Similarly the other tracks on this CD are very fine, demonstrating an all round capability that few posess and that make singling out arias for praise very difficult. Of course the problem of sound quality remains, but it is not so bad as to to prevent you enjoying this legendary voice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Primacy of Caruso's Voice Recovered from Ancient Recordings, June 20, 2010

By 

Ben J Korgen - See all my reviews

This review is from: Enrico Caruso: Historical Recordings 1902-1914 (Audio CD)

Many writers describe Enrico Caruso as the greatest operatic tenor in history. In the early 1900s, rustic recorders captured Caruso's voice for posterity. Compared with modern recording equipment, the pioneering machines of Caruso's time blended high distortion and scratchiness with low frequency response.

Today, acoustics experts use noise cancellation and other techniques to convert seemingly hopeless old recordings into surprisingly listenable CD tracks. The tracks on this CD include twenty three passages from some of the world's greatest operas, all sung by Caruso from 1902 to 1914.

Opera lovers will find these Caruso recordings remarkable for at least three reasons. First, they capture Caruso's voice so well, listeners will forget that the restored recordings are technically inferior to modern ones. Second, opera lovers will find it difficult to improve on the selection of passages used. Third, these recordings are good enough in quality to allow discriminating listeners to estimate differences in talent between Caruso and modern operatic tenors.

Listeners can begin estimating by listening to a favorite passage on this Caruso CD. Then listen to the same passage again, but pay close attention to the extent to which the quality of Caruso's background music is below modern standards. Now listen to the same passage sung by modern tenor A and take special note of the exceptionally high quality of A's background music.

Finally, provide an imaginary boost to Caruso's background music to make it equal to A's background and apply the same boost to Caruso's singing. The result is, if Caruso's singing is anywhere near as good as A's without a boost in quality, it would be much better with a quality equalizing boost.