Customer Reviews

Great Recordings

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Deutsche Grammophon has done more for Beverly Sills' Westminster/ABC recordings in this age of the CD than EMI (Angel) ever did with their CD versions of her later recordings. And I hope they continue their track record by releasing her "Norma". While some felt that Sills was not right for the role of Norma and others have critisized Levine's conducting, the recording is far from a disaster. It's actually quite good when held up to what's being released today - and it holds its own on any level if one loosens up on their preconceived notions of "how" Norma should be sung. And furthermore it features the great (and underated)Shirley Verrett as Adalgisa. Please Deutsche Grammophon, I'm waiting!

Regarding this collection, well, its some of Sills' best work for Westminster/ABC. Here her voice was still primarily in top form and the coloratura is not to be matched. And of course there's "the first time on CD" aria "Mira, o Norma". Buy it for this alone! Sills and Verret always sounded great together - be it the "Anna Bolena", "The Siege of Corinth" or this tantalizing bit from the complete "Norma".

And while I would love to see the Capuleti recording see the light of day on CD, it was an EMI recording and their non- promotion of their Sills' recordings means we'll probably never see it. It even featured fine performances from Janet Baker and Nicolai Gedda!

Now I wish that Deutsche Grammophon would release the Westminster/ABC solo discs that Sills recorded, especially the French disc - complete, without truncating the Meyerbeer.

This is the newest album of Beverly Sills to be released in a while since The Art Of Beverly Sills and Plaisir D'Amour. It is an arrangement of some unreleased material and some old favorites. The reviewer that mocked Beverly Sills for being shrill and unpleasant was rude and unpolite. It's true that not everyone is a Beverly Sills fan. For a long time, fans have had their quarrels and rivalry, claiming their own diva idol as the best. Joan Sutherland vs Beverly Sills, Maria Callas vs Renata Tebaldi, it never ends. But the truth is there is no greatest singer. It's up to you to decide which voice you prefer to invade your stereo, which diva is your personal favorite. If you are a fan of either Maria Callas or Joan Sutherland, there is no need to bash, insult or attack Beverly Sills. The negative reviewer probably did'nt even hear the entire album.

Beverly Sills won international acclaim as an opera legend in 1964 with her performance as Cleopatra. She moved on to sing all three Hoffman heroines -we get to hear arias from Tales Of Hoffman on this album. She sang The Queen Of The Night in Mozart's Magic Flute, Lehar's Merry Widow, whose aria is also on this recording, as well as the ever popular concert aria "Wien Wien" a favorite of Elisabeth Schwartzkopf. Beverly Sills has a light instrument, but her flute voice can definately impress and when singing with dramatic power she can truly electrify. Her coloratura is the best in the business. Her spiraling roulades and cadenzas, free vocal glissando up and down scales and octaves are mesmerizing. Her control of breath and lyrical splendor enables her to sing the long bel canto lines so standard of the operas of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. From 1969-1975, Sills reached the peak of her career and her vocal glory with the difficult and demanding roles of Donizetti's Three Tudor Queen trilogy- Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux. As Queen Elizabeth I in Roberto Devereux, she was unsurpassed. Here in this album is the finale to that opera.

She sings here the best of all the bel canto- Rossini's Barber Of Seville, whose Rosina was a role she made entirely her own, Juliet in Bellini's Montagues and Capulets, which after an orchestral introduction, she sings with the most melancholy sweetness. The duet "Mira O Norma" from Bellini's Norma is here, and has never been recorded on to a disc before. Sills performed the role of Norma numerous times to great success and recorded it once for LP opposite Shirley Verrett as Adalgisa. The role of Norma may be written for a giantess' voice such as Callas or Sutherland but Beverly Sills produces a noble, intimate portrait of Norma and stands her own in the role. Beverly Sills. The truly unique and wonderful diva of the 20th century. She is in her seventies now and chairman at New York City's Metropolitan Opera. Her legacy lives on, eternally, as hopefully newer recordings are made into compact disc like the entire Norma hopefully one day on cd.

I became an opera lover in 1986. Not until 1990 was I made aware of Beverly Sills. A friend loaned me one of her cd's
and I was hooked. This newest release is just one more example
of the amazing artistry this woman possessed. Her dead accurate
coloratura cannot be matched. Just listen to her recording of
Donizetti's "L'Assedio di Corinto" (The Seige of Corinth), especially the first four tracks of Disc 2. I was especially
thrilled when her "Lucia" was re-released on cd. (I also have
a vinyl recording in mint condition!) I purchase everything of hers I can get my hands on. I really wish there was a biographical documentary about her life!!! If you read this Beverly, PLEASE!!!!

The new recording is not at all disappointing. What can I say except that one must purchase this recording for one's self to
discover or re-discover this remarkable, exciting singer. There will always be those who look for faults and flaws in the voice. I don't listen to those people. Purchase this cd and you will see why Beverly Sills still thrills with her magnificent instrument. Beverly, you are loved and remembered
with the utmost adoration and respect.

I also recommend purchasing her recording of Moore's "The Ballad of Baby Doe". Her voice is absolutely exquisite and gives testimony that even back then, she possessed a voice that reaches far beyond the expectations of the listener. "Manon" is another must for any Beverly Sills fan!!!!

A very nice compilation of Sillsiana. The different cuts on this CD provide a nice illustration of her work. Let me briefly describe my response to a sampling of the works on this CD:

Bellini, I Puritani, "Son vergin vezzosa." Wonderful. Sutherland owns this--but so does Beverly Sills. Contemporary sopranos such as Netrebko and Gruberova have also sung this on their respective CDs, and while their product is nice, it simply does not compare. Sills is remarkably agile with her voice; the trills are well done; she cleanly hits high notes; the overall effect can only be described as wonderful.

Bellini, Norma, "Mira, o Norma". This is smoothly sung and very melodic. The technique that she exhibits does not overwhelm the music.

Rosini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, "Contro un cor che accende amore." Again, her agile voice is well deployed. The florid singing is well done.

Donizetti, Roberto Devereaux, "Che m'apporti." Her clean, light voice matches well with this aria. Smoothly sung. Her "Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza," which follows, is well done. High notes cleanly hit, a smooth line.

Verdi, La Traviata, "E strano. . . .Sempre libera." Again, what agility! In "Sempre libera," she reveals a rich voice and, again, wonderful agility. This is an animated version of one of Verdi's showcase pieces.

Lehar, Giudetta. "Meine Lippen." A lot of fun! This is smoothly sung.

In the final analysis, this is a nice potpourri of Beverly Sills' repertoire. Those not familiar with her work will find this a nice entree to her oeuvre; those familiar with her will find this a good compilation.

This compilation of opera arias is awesome. Beverly Sills is one of the greatest singers of all time. I disagree that her voice is small and shrill. I remember reading an article on New York City Opera's amplification controversy. It was noted that so many singers that sing there could not be heard. It also said that nobody had trouble hearing Beverly Sills.
If you can get ahold of her singing the Samson, her earlier una voce poco fa, silliana, ach ich liebe, the Ariadne are (the best there is), Je veux vivre, O luce di quest'anima, her early Oh! quante volte, Santa di Patria, Corsara aria, Sombre Foret (to name but a few) you will melt!
I agree, please release her Norma and also her Capuleti recordings! Oh, and she became really famous for her Cleopatra in 66, not 64.
Cheers

The great American diva's passing was announced today.

This wonderful CD set is a perfect compilation of her art as can be found anywhere. Her finest roles and performances are captured here, most of them derived from the Westminster/Audio Treasury recordings from her prime. Listening to them again demonstrates to me why she was so special, and such an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.

We listen to opera for many reasons. Sure we love to hear a lyric tenor caress the lines of Rodolfo and the attractions of a great Tristan or Otello are obvious. But can you imagine opera without a great dramatic coloratura soprano? Sopranos that fit that bill are almost as rare as a great Tristan. Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, Deutekom, Sills: these are the greats who could give us fireworks and the big, thrilling high note. Each have their fans and each had their faults. But for me, Sills' combination of vocal agility, fullness of tone, commitment to drama and her exciting upper range make Sills a voice to treasure. This recording features ensembles and arias while The Art of... concentrates on arias so there is no duplication. Buy both and enjoy one of the great voices of the last golden age of singing.

This recording is another in an all too small CD collection of Sills recordings. I eagerly await more.

Possibly one of the greatest musical artists in the last 75 years,
Beverly Sills, gave to everyone a supreme sense of inspiration, not only with her sublime voice, but her humanitarianism and consumate humility. She experienced tragedy and ectasy and was a great credit to the human race.

This is an outstanding collection of Beverly Sills's arias and moving performances. Even if you are not a Beverly Sills fan this CD is a must in any opera lover's collection. A sublime voice in an outstanding collection.