A Gala Christmas in Vienna

Christmas Traditional (Artist), Franz Xaver Gruber (Artist), Howard Blake (Artist), Anonymous (Artist), Trevor Horn / Hans Zimmer (Artist), John Francis Wade (Artist), James R. Murray (Artist), James ( (Artist), Barry/ Gibb, Robin Gibb Maurice/ Gibb (Artist), Placido Jr. [son] Domingo (Artist), Roger Whittaker (Artist), Ian Anderson (Artist), Fred Coots (Artist), John Lennon / Yoko Ono (Artist), Christian Kolonovits (Artist), Steven Mercurio (Artist), Paul Bateman (Artist), Placido Domingo (Artist), Sarah Brightman (Artist), Helmut Lotti (Artist), Riccardo Cocciante (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 29, 1998)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000C28T
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #115,602 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
You don't hear many live Christmas records, but then it's seldom you get as many operatic powerhouses under one Austrian town-hall roof with a full orchestra and large children's choir. Placido Domingo (who dominates the proceedings with his commanding tenor), Britain's own Sarah Brightman, Belgian Helmut Lotti, and Italy's Richard Cocciante raise the roof on this international gala recording from 1997 under the skilled baton of Steven Mercurio and choir master Elizabeth Ziegler. Chief among the performances during this black-tie event are the Domingo-Cocciante duet of "Walking in the Air," Brightman's chilling "First of May," (the Bee Gees song) and a strange medley of European-American songs, traditional and pop, ranging from Roger Whittaker and John Lennon and Yoko Ono to Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson and a handful of traditional Welsh, German, and Spanish works, plus that Yank standard "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." For button-down audiences only who still can appreciate pop songs in expanded and exploded arrangements. --Martin Keller

Entertainment Weekly
As long as gorgeous-voiced stars like Placido Domingo and Sarah Brightman stick to traditional fare like "Deck the Halls" and European carols, all is bright.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Christmas in Vienna V, December 23, 2002

By	Ralf (Zurich | Switzerland) - See all my reviews

Hi there

I read the rates here an I would like to explain something for all those who don't seem to know.

As I can see the album is beeing sold here as 'A Gala Christmas in Vienna'. But the original title of the CD is 'Christmas in Vienna V'. In Europe, Christmas in Vienna is a well known christmas concert which has been performed and shown on TV here 7 times since 1992, with Plácido Domingo as host and some guest stars every time, such as Diana Ross, Patricia Kaas, Dionne Warwick, José Carreras, Michael Bolton, Vanessa Williams and so on, and it is a cult for every christmas fan.

So by now there are seven albums, and this one here was the fifth, and in my opinion, by now the best volume.

Anyway, any wishes of having just Sarah and Placido on the CD or to have a double CD with studio versions and so an are completly irrelevant. It could not have been made in any other way since it is a live recording of the concert.

All in all, I love especially this edition of the series, and I really recommend this album.

Have a wonderful christmas time!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still my favorite Christmas album, January 7, 2004

By A Customer

I read all the other reviews and just had to add my thoughts. This is still my favorite Christmas album after listening to it for 5 seasons now. I can hardly wait for next Christmas so I can enjoy it all over. Sarah Brightman is wonderful of course - wish I could find a separate recording of - First Of May - , wow! If you like good Christmas music and the spirit of Christmas you will enjoy this album.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a voice teacher and early music fan, October 21, 2007

By	George Peabody "Ariel" (Carlisle,Pa. USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

FOUR FOR THE PRICE OF ONE; BUT WHO NEEDS IT!?

Herein we have four skilled vocalists who by themselves are most enjoyable, especially Brightman and Domingo. But together singing songs that are wildly different as are their voices is just painful.

Of course, we all know the reason: the commercial money-making powers that be are interested only in doing just that. And their logic we know is that four will sell better than one. NOT ALWAYS TRUE!!!!In fact, there are no two voices on this disc that blend well and somehow the Christmas Medley mixing 'Child in a Manger' with 'Santa Claus is coming to Town' I find downright offensive.

Buy it if you must,but I am certain that each of these singers have individual discs that are much more flattering to their voices.