Joan Sutherland - The Greatest Hits

Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Leo Delibes (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Jacques Offenbach (Composer), Niccolo Piccinni (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Francesco Molinari-Pradelli (Conductor), John Pritchard (Conductor), Nello Santi (Conductor), Richard Bonynge (Conductor), London Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), New Symphony Orchestra of London (Orchestra), Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra (Orchestra), Joan Sutherland (Performer), Carlo Bergonzi (Performer), Gabriel Bacquier (Performer), Jacques Charon (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Joan Sutherland, Carlo Bergonzi, Gabriel Bacquier, Jacques Charon
• Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra, New Symphony Orchestra of London, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Orchestra
• Conductor: Francesco Molinari-Pradelli, John Pritchard, Nello Santi, Richard Bonynge
• Composer: Vincenzo Bellini, Leo Delibes, Gaetano Donizetti, Charles Gounod, George Frederick Handel, et al.
• Audio CD (May 12, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000006P4S
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #42,935 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #9 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Sutherland, Joan
  • #19 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Featured Performers, A-Z > Q to T
  • #30 in Music > Classical > Historical Periods > Classical (c.1770-1830) > Vocal & Song > General AAS

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No superlative great enough, July 20, 2000

By 

Rondine "rondine" (Lakewood, Colorado USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joan Sutherland - The Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

This is one of the most astonishing voices of the past 100 years. Dame Joan's vocal technique is impeccable. The voice has a beguiling freshness and warmth to it. All the selections show off her dazzling vocal agility especially the Handel and the Donizetti. In the words of one critic, 'her voice was a miracle'.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars La Stupenda!, February 4, 2002

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"puccinigirl" (Shawnee, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joan Sutherland - The Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

This is an absolutely wonderful collection of the art of Joan Sutherland. It's no wonder she was called La Stupenda. Her voice is at its best in this recording, fresh and full and lovely. Her coloratura is impeccable, and after listening one is certain that there is nothing this diva cannot do! What an inspiration. The Doll Song is particularly incredible, but everything is wonderful, icluding Lucia's Mad Scene, which was apparently recorded early on in Sutherland's career. I can't recommend this enough!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic coloratura singing by Dame Joan, January 20, 2007

By 

Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Joan Sutherland - The Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Joan Sutherland was one of the wonders of coloratura technique in the 1950s and 1960s. Some say that the 1960s represent the peak of her accomplishments. The cuts on this CD represent that period, so this is Dame Joan at her best. Music ranges from Handel to Bellini to Delibes to Donizetti to Verdi, with Gounod, Piccinni, and Offenbach thrown in for good measure. She was not great on characterization (no Tebaldi, Callas, or Moffo here), but, oh, that voice! Some illustrative examples follow. . . .

She began as a dramatic soprano, so that there is a lot of punch behind her coloratura technique. It is amazing that she exhibits such agility, given that background. "Let the Bright Seraphim" from Handel spotlights that agility, as well as one of the best trills of the past 60 years. While some CDs that feature coloratura singing may end up with excessive ornamentation, ornamentation at some level is di rigueur. And a trill is a key part of the coloratura soprano's armamentarium. Also present on this cut is a command of high notes, precisely hit.

Bellini's opera, "I Puritani," includes a "polonaise," entitled "Son vergin vezzosa" that shows off Sutherland's gifts to good effect. Coloratura techniques, again, are evident. The repeat features increased ornamentation and a clean hit on the final high note. The "Bell Song" from Delibes' "Lakme" is included on this CD. Some stunning trills are featured; again, she hits the notes well, including the high ones. This ends with a nice trill and high notes well done.

Verdi's opera, "Rigoletto," features wonderful music, including ""Gaultier Malde. . .Caro nome," where an innocent is messed around with by a genuine cad. But the music is wondrous, one of Verdi's best tunes. Sutherland hits trill after trill. Well conceived and executed effects. From "La Traviata," also by Verdi, a nice rendering of "Sempre libera." Again, characterization is not her forte; for Violetta, go to others like Renata Scotto and Anna Moffo for that. Once more, trills that are glorious are manifest. An agile voice and well done high notes.

The "Mad Scene" from Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor"? Here is one of the iconic recordings. This was one of Sutherland's genuine "greatest hits." Again, forget characterization and acting; that was never her strength. Listen to the voice and the singing. "Spargi d'amaro pianto," the culminating segment of the "Mad Scene," is absolutely stunning. Trills, runs, high notes cleanly hit, other ornamentation (e.g., appoggiaturas) are exemplary.

I have not listened to Sutherland's work in some time and I had begun to wonder if I had romanticized her skills as I was listening to more contemporary coloratura sopranos singing the same repertoire. However, listening to this CD reassures me that I am not simply some old-timer going into the past. While there is talent today (including the voices of Netrebko, Fleming, Dessay, and others), Dame Joan Sutherland is one of "the real deals" among coloratura sopranos.