I Capuleti E I Montecchi

Bellini (Artist), Pavarotti (Artist), Rinaldi (Artist), Aragali (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Opera D'oro
• ASIN: B00000DCS6
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #531,555 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A valuable record of great singing, lovingly performed, August 25, 2006

By 

Ralph Moore "Ralph operaphile" (Bishop's Stortford, UK) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: I Capuleti E I Montecchi (Audio CD)

I am at a loss to explain why a previous reviewer complained about the sound of this issue; it's clear, well balanced and eminently listenable for a live recording 40 years old - unlike some other Opera d'Oro sets. In any case, the other Opera d'Oro account with the same conductor and same two great tenors is put out of court by the fact that it is pitched very, very flat, such that the singers do not sound like themselves (see my review). Furthermore, I prefer Rinaldi's tender, melting tone to Scotto's rather harsh sound - and you can hear both Aragall and Pavarotti in their youthful prime singing the heck out of Bellini's music with evident relish. A further Opera d'Oro documentation (or rather lack of, in their case) oddity is that they list Capellio as being sung by Nicola Zaccaria, who it certainly is not; his distinctive, slightly rasping yet warm sound is most famously heard as Sparafucile in the Callas "Rigoletto", and this is another singer. I suspect that we are hearing the same bass as in the other useless set: Agostino Ferrin. It's true that some of Bellini's musical effects are vitiated by transposing Romeo from the mezzo to tenor tessitura, but with singing this good I am not inclined to object. Pavarotti's merits are all in evidence but fewer people realise what a good tenor Giacomo Aragall was; his tone is reminiscent of a felicitous blend of Carreras' plangency and Pavarotti's thrust and "ping"; a lovely voice. Abbado conducts as if he is prepared to give his singers and orchestra all the air and space we need to savour Bellini's bel canto style. Buy it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Romeo is a Man!, September 16, 2010

By 

Lorenzo Moog (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Capuleti E I Montecchi (Audio CD)

Quite sometime ago this CD was my first acquaintance with Bellini's "i Capuleti e i Montecchi" so I was ignorant of the fact that Romeo was written for a mezzo (I hadn't read Bill Parker's notes). Imagine my suprise, used as I was to a male voice in a male role when I read otherwise. It was raining in November, I remember the day. I now have four versions of the girl-pairing as Bellini intended but I return to this Rinaldi/Aragall/Pavarotti version with pleasure. I agree about the sound not being tip top but I have listened to much, much worse (i.e mid-century live recordings). This one is manageable for me but others have their own experience; ears are like palates and we all have naturally different (or similar) tastes. There is no libretto. There are performance notes & synopsis by Mr. Parker and a play list. Claudio Abbado superbly conducts the Resident Orchestra of the Hauge with the Chorus of the Teatro Communale, Bologna, a live recording,1966.
Abbado kicks it off with Bellini's oddly jaunty overture with Male Chorus immeadiately enjoined by Pavarotti's Tebaldo; his young,sumptuous tenor is thrilling most especially in his aria "E serbata a questo acciaro" which falls in the first ten minutes of Act 1. Aragall, as the transposed-to-tenor-Romeo, manages with distinction, the kind of rich tenore any girl would fall for and Margherita Rinaldi as Giulietta does fall for him and he does for her and we know the rest. Rinaldi and Aragall are very well paired, each bringing high dramatic presence to their roles. He gives a fine performance throughout as does Rinaldi with a few bits of metallic scrape on the top (in both acts) but overall she is pleasing and is accomplished with the deep Bellinian line that inhabits her role. Following Bellini's beautiful orchestral introduction she shows her talent with "Eccomi in lieta vesta" followed by "Oh! quante volte, oh! quante" sung with passionate restraint & moving. Abaddo has a strong presence start to finish, totally focused on supporting the singers and bringing out the best of this beautiful opera.
If i Capuleti is to be performed in original voice for mezzo and soprano I long for a Lesbian Version set in Verona in the 1930s; that would be euro-lesbo-deco, a nice change for 21st century audiences. For a boy-girl performance a counter-tenor might do quite well. As to this Tenor Version it's important historically and all concerned give a wonderful performance exploring Bellini's beautiful writing (from Felice Romani's libretto) with care and purpose. It has some flaws but mostly shines and has an audience generated excitment that is contagious. Bravo Bellini! Very recommended!

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A curiosity that shouldn't really exist, June 15, 2003

By 

Simon (Auckland, NZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Capuleti E I Montecchi (Audio CD)

When I first purchased this CD, I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed by having both Giacomo Aragall and Luciano Pavarotti in the same opera. What I was not aware of was the fact that Bellini had not written the main male role for a tenor at all, but a contralto. This uses the version created by Claudio Abbado with a tenor as Romeo. And frankly, it sounds weird. The music was obviously written with a contralto in mind, and a contralto in the role can deliver the goods far more than a tenor can (Note Agnes Baltsa on her complete recording).

Nevertheless Giacomo Aragall does sing beautifully. It makes one wonder why he has not featured in more mainstream recordings. He outshines even Pavarotti, who appears to be having a very good night indeed. Rinaldi as Juliette has some raw moments, but her quite childlike voice suits the role well. However, the sound is not too good, as it is a live performance, and has been miked strangely. If you're looking for a first Capulets and the Montagues, you'd be ill-advised to go for this one. The switch from contralto to tenor was a poor idea, so you'd be much better to go with Agnes Baltsa and the wonderful Edita Gruberova on the far superior EMI Muti set.