Customer Reviews

Leoncavallo: Pagliacci

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I always enjoy listening to Ana Maria Martinez, Andrea Bocelli and Steven Mercurio performing together in recordings and concerts. Ana Maria Martinez has a beautiful voice that perfectly compliments Andrea Bocelli's voice. They both have clear, beautiful voices and both touch your heart with the warmth in their voices. They have created a love of opera in people who would never have thought of listening to an opera. This CD was recorded four years ago. I just heard Andrea Bocelli sing Vesti La Giubba, December 30, 2006 in Madison Square Garden and felt it was even more amazing than the on the CD. I definitely recommend this CD. There may be more bombastic versions of this opera, however I doubt any other could draw you in and make you feel you are really listening to Nedda and Canio.

Andrea Bocelli, the world's most popular tenor (and Best selling) and pop sansation as well, has recorded his fifth full length Opera Recording; Leoncavallo's Pagliacci; which has the opera world's most famous tenor aria, Vesti la giubba, and it is quite good. Bocelli has also recorded Massenet; Werther, Verdi; Il Trovatore, Puccini; La Boheme, And Puccini; Tosca. He also has a sixed coming Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana. Bocelli who did not go the traditional route into the Opera world has garnered much critical disdain and at the same time, much adoration of the people (not unlike Marino Lanza). Bocelli has recorded a series of pop crossover albums that just drive the opera critics out of there (collective) minds. Andrea is another in the line of the peoples tenor, he transcend's the opera world and bring Opera to the general public. In Leoncavallo: Pagliacci it is the story of the clown (thus the clown makeup), who's wife cheets on him, who try's to laugh it off but the tears come, In the end he kills her. Bocelli has a very beautiful voice that expresses much emotion. His tone and diction are excellent and his Volume is much better then the critics claim, he is always moving, his singing touches one's heart. Bocelli is supported hear, by an excellent cast; Ana Maria Martinez plays the role of Nedda the wife of the Clown. She is a soprano and she has a perfectly complimentary voice to Bocelli. Roberto Accurso, Francesco Piccoli and Stefano Antonucci all sing well hear. Conductor Steven Mercurio leads the way and he always works well with Bocelli. Vesti la Giubba is the highlight its and Bocelli delivers perfectly. This is a must have for all Bocelli fan's.

Anytime you have Andrea Bocelli, Steven Mercurio, and Ana Maria Martinez together you can't help but have a winner and this cd is no exception. The only complaint I have is that it had to sit on the shelf so long that Andrea is even more dramatic with Vesti La Giubba now. The whole cast is wonderful together. Anyone that has seen these three together know for certain that there is drama and that certainly goes for the conductor too. A performance that goes straight to the heart and one that shouldn't be missed.

I'd be willing to bet that the writer of the first review hasn't even listened to this cd. It's the best Pagliacci I've heard. This is an opera I've never much cared for. None of the famous arias that even the most novice of listners has heard, and such a sad story that it just wasn't one I'd go out of my way to see. I did, however, see it once, and the performances in this cd were miles above who I saw on the legitimate stage. From the star tenor to the other members of the cast, they all did an excellent job. I've never heard Andrea Bocelli sing with this much power in a recorded opera, and this one was recorded 4 years ago. Just imagine how good he is now. Please listeners...do just that, LISTEN. And not just with your ears, listen with your heart, and I'm sure you'll hear what I heard, and not what the other reviewers "claim" to have heard!

There is a reason that Mr. Bocelli is not first class singer in the major houses (and why he has been booed off the stages of those where he has performed), and that is that he really cannot sing unless the "studio magicians" work their magic. He is the Britney Spears of the opera world, and, the fact that he is the "world's best loved tenor" (and "best selling")only underscores that fact that most people take bad singing and technique so much for granted that they don't know it when they hear it. I defy anyone to compare this recording to ANY other (Donmingo, Pavarotti, Bjorling, etc.) and tell me that the blind lawyer does a better job.

Andrea Bocelli has more heart and pathos in his singing than so many opera singers and this is clearly evident here. Andrea makes any music soulful, and gives so much of himself in all his music. I have all his CD's and wish there were more to purchase!!

Some of the more traditional opera singers are technically perfect but have no soul!! They just sing the notes, not so with wonderful beloved Bocelli!!!! He gives me so much every day just listening to his wonderful voice. If you feel deeply about music I recommend that you try anything of Andrea's wonderful repertoire. You wont be disappointed!!!

I love all kinds of music from opera to rock, but am always looking for that special tenor who can stir my soul and rock my socks off. I've run the gamut from Gigli, to Bjoerling, to Del Monaco, to Corelli, to Pavarotti, etc., and they all have certain songs that just fit them. I wondered if Andrea could do justice to perhaps one of the more difficult operas around, along with Otello, (Mario Del Monaco being my favorite), and this Pagliacci is really good. Andrea simply "rocks my socks off." The supporting cast are well suited to the task and quite complimentary. This is a wonderful addition to my Bocelli collection. I eagerly await his next one, Cavelleria Rusticana.

I agree with the last reviewer who guessed the first didn't even both to listen. I have at least 30 recordings of PAGLIACCI going back to Leoncavallo's own of 1907 and a number of Met broadcasts. I must admit that normally I'm not a Bocelli fan but here he has a darker sound that works well. Yes, there is plenty of drive and drama altho I would have liked a bit more impetuosity from Bocelli. Hard to say whether it was him or the conductor or both. Small quibble. Everyone else is quite good. However, the last line, La commedia e finita, is unfortunately tossed off by the baritone and should have been given with more drama. I say "unfortunately" because I've only heard that line delivered once by a baritone with the power and drama that we get when it's given by the tenor. It has more irony that way and isn't anticlimactic. True, it's given to the baritone in the score BUT since Leoncavallo let the tenor have it in his own recording, I'd use that as evidence that he saw it was more dramatic coming from Canio. Too bad he didn't get around to revising the score. By the way, the one I mentioned where the last line has the power is a broadcast from Berlin, Sept 9, 1943, with Georg Hann as Tonio.

Bottom line here is that this PAGLIACCI (by the way, the title is PAGLIACCI, not I PAGLIACCI) one of the finest in quite some time.

I was going to say "avoid like the plague" but I see that's already been used. Poor Bocelli. I find it to be unkind to continue allowing him to sing major operatic roles when he is clearly not up to the task. This perfomance was especially unbearable and I doubt that I'll ever play it again. It's not only Bocelli as a problem; it is the conducting as well. There is vitually no tension and no drama. There is a wrenching of emphasis on occasion but that usually results in one of Bocelli's worst moments. This one is not even for the most ardent of Bocelli's admirers.

I knew as soon I heard the first "Grazie, Grazie" of Blind Tenor Andrea Bocelli that I was in for a rough time: Bocelli is totally overmatched in the role, without a single redeeming quality to the performance; Bocelli does not even give dramatic compensation. In his unpassionate Canio, there is no fire, no sturm und drang, only the occasional yelp that signifies severe distress.

Luckily, Canio has little to sing beyond his major arias, and Bocelli is surrounded by a compitant (if not wonderful) supporting cast, who manage to weather their below-standard Canio and also their lackluster Conductor. Both Baritones are unexceptional but unobjectionable (the Silvo does some very nice work in the love duet) and the Beppe (a part Bocelli COULD pull off if he wanted to) is sweet-voiced. The Nedda, Ana Maria Martinez, is actually quite good, and it's a shame to see her opposite such a dire leading man. Avoid like the plauge.