Customer Reviews

Joan Sutherland: Songs from Mozart, Bellini, Haydn, Handel, Donizetti

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The best pieces here are Constanze's big aria Martern Alle Arten, sung to absolute perfection, and a most beautiful version of Regnava Nel Silenzio. I think Mozart and Donizetti would have written even more challedging and beautiful arias had they heard this most gracious lady of song. Sutherland was in her absolute prime in this cd, which is to say, the greatest coloratura of our time!

it's just amazing to me what sutherland's voice is capable of. sometimes i wonder if a voice like hers will come around again in my lifetime. these arias were sung perfectly. she demonstrate true talent, unlike some other "diva" who gets her fame from sheer hype and publicity.

Its bravo at lease to me, but you judge it yourselve. Sutherland in her supreem, she has struggled elcewhere, but here she is definitif, she was in youth in here about 28 I will say. there is no other. Gigantic sound and supreem artistry, by far. Really outstanding, And the conductors do there job. The Lucia item is a bravo but so is every other, voice is thrilling and I mean that. You can always return it if you dont like.

The Martan alle arten is the best I've ever heard. Callas also does an excellent one. The arias from Alcina are enchanting, and shows Sutherland in the most pure silvery voice I've ever heard from her or anyone else. The trills are as perfect as a flute can do. A spinning of 2 notes that you can tell the difference from its neighbor.
The Lucia aria is the highlight. She sings it better than in all of her studio recording of this aria.
This recital(s) shows the youthful diva as the greatest coloratura of the century as early as 1956!!!!!!!!

Joan Sutherland's voice is ever so fresh here, singing these difficult arias far better than even her recordings ( with the exception of her legendary "Art of the prima donna", of course ). If you want to hear how these arias are supposed to be sung, you have to get this. Comparing any other coloraturas to her is like comparing tap water to champayne.

These live performances from BBC recitals show Sutherland's voice in its early, radiant prime. Some of the performances predate her sensational 1959 Lucia at Covent Garden that propelled her to international stardom. The much-recorded Mozart "Exultate, Jubilate" starts a trifle tentatively, but the slow middle movement and famous "Alleluia" are beautifully sung. "Martern aller Arten" is perhaps the prize of this disc--it's hard to imagine this fiendish aria sung with greater ease or fresher tone. The only sour note is struck by the first of the rare Haydn items, an odd terzett for two sopranos, tenor and obbligato horn. From the first bars it's obvious that even the great Dennis Brain could have off days, peppering missed notes like confetti, while the tenor's efforts to finesse the fact that the entire part is beyond his vocal capacities are unintentionally funny. As if all this weren't enough the transfer sags badly in pitch toward the end. This blot aside, the CD offers many treasurable memories of one of the great voices of the twentieth century.

This is Joan Sutherland in her prime. Which is actually only 10 years. She was fantastic for about 30 years, but the years 1956-1966 are her absolute prime.
This cd covers her earliest years. They say that this is the best "Marten alle arten" ever recorded. I say this is the best "Regnava nel silenzio" ever recorded. As well as the two Alcina arias.
This recordings is a must for the opera enthusiast to hear the possibilities and beauty of the human voice.