Great Operatic Duets

Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Jacques Offenbach (Composer), Amilcare Ponchielli (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Anton Guadagno (Conductor), John McCarthy (Conductor), Shirley Verrett (Performer), Ambrosian Opera Chorus (Orchestra), New Philharmonia Orchestra (Orchestra), Montserrat Caballé (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Shirley Verrett, Montserrat Caballé
• Orchestra: Ambrosian Opera Chorus, New Philharmonia Orchestra
• Conductor: Anton Guadagno, John McCarthy
• Composer: Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti, Jacques Offenbach, Amilcare Ponchielli, Giacomo Puccini, et al.
• Audio CD (August 9, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003F4Y
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,752 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #23 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Caballe, Montserrat
  • #68 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > C to G

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It doesn't get any better than this........., March 14, 1999

By 

Wickie L. Bowman "operalovr" (Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Great Operatic Duets (Audio CD)

The opera world is full of singers who have beautiful solo voices, and yet, it seems difficult to find the perfect blend of two or more voices. Joan Sutherland and Marilyn Horne had that chemistry.......but, can you really instantly bring other names to mind? I was reminded, upon seeing Roberto Benigni's film 'Life Is Beautiful', just how great the combination of the voices of Montserrat Caballe and Shirley Verrett really are. One only has to listen to the 'Barcarolle' from 'Hoffman' or better yet, the 'Mira O Norma' from the Bellini bel canto masterpiece to know what a gem is to be found on this recording............it doesn't get any better than this.....

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Caballe & Verrett dazzle in bel canto, Verdi AND verismo!, March 25, 2003

By 

Armindo (Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Operatic Duets (Audio CD)

One thing that is enjoyable with this CD is that it includes duets from operas of different styles. Here we have bel canto, late Verdi and verisimo.

It is amazing how exquisitely these two ladies sing all the different styles! Moreover, they feel every word they sing. Other reviewers compared this duo with the Sutherland-Horne one. I admire both Joan and Marilyn but they show little understanding of what they are singing; they are too busy impressing us with their high notes and fast coloratura.

The best moments are the bel canto duets (if only there was more). Caballe is unsurpassed in this area. Try to get her complete recordings (Norma, Il Pirata, Lucrezia Borgia). Verrett too had a big success in this repertoire. Pity they didn't record the Stuarda duet as well. The Barcarolle is ethereal, the best I've ever heard while the Aida duet passionate and moving, just as it should be. Caballe and Verrett don't really have verisimo voices but the two selections on this CD are enjoyable.

I join the praise of the previous reviewers and highly recommend this recording!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Magnificent, October 7, 2002

By 

John Jobeless (Corte Madera, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Great Operatic Duets (Audio CD)

Of all the great opera solo and duet recital discs (Jussi Bjoerling singing almost any Verdi or Puccini; Sutherland/Horne in Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti; Fritz Wunderlich, Edda Moser or Margaret Price in Mozart; [name your favorites]), this is probably the most thrillingly beautiful I've ever heard. The gorgeous sound of these 2 great voices and the almost palpable excitement they generate are as glorious now as when I first heard this on LP about 25 years ago. Whenever I'm trying to convince a non-lover of opera what he or she is missing, this is my ultimate weapon when all else has failed -- it always works!