Customer Reviews

Luba Orgonasova - Favourite Soprano Arias

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This recital is an inexpensive recording that contains pretty good singing. Luba Orgonasova has a distinctive, dark voice that is used with intelligence and skill. Her voice is immediately recognizable, just like Sills', Sutherland's, and Callas' voices. She has a good, but not spectacular, coloratura technique and pretty good high notes, especially fine are the two high E-flats in the "Lucia di Lammermoor" Mad Scene. In that scene, she sings with commitment, but doesn't go quite as far as Beverly Sills does on her recording of the complete opera. The soprano-flute duet contains pretty simple coloratura that is well-executed, nothing fancy a la Sutherland or Sills. This soprano-flute duet reminds me of Maria Callas' simple duet with the fluet in her live Berlin recording of "Lucia di Lammermoor". In this flute-soprano duet, Orgonasova hits a very good trill. Her "Come per me sereno" is quite good, but the fireworks are not as spectacular as the ones in Sutherland's version on "The Art of the Prima Donna". Orgonasova has a good trill and it is amply displayed in the coloratura arias. However, the trills at the end of each of the two verses of "Spargi d'amaro pianto" in the "Lucia" Mad Scene could have been a lot better. She does, however, hit a very good trill in the middle of the second verse of the cabaletta. Her "Signore ascolta" is well-sung, but she fails to maintain the pianissimo on the last high note (the note swells at the end). Her "Tu che di gel sei cinta" is quite good. I also liked her "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta" aria. It is sung with good high notes. "O mio babbino caro" is given a good rendition. The cabaletta to "Qui la voce sua soave" has decent coloratura. She sings a beautiful and moving version of "Oh quante volte, oh quante!" from "I Capuleti e i Montecchi". Of special remark is the distinctive ornamentation she employs for "O luce di quest'anima". This version differs somewhat from Sutherland's on her "La Stupenda" compilation and very much from Sills' version on her first recital disc. In fact, Sills' version contains extremely unique ornamentation written by Roland Gagnon. Orgonasova ends "O luce di quest'anima" with a trill on high C! Quite an amazing feat. Her trills in this aria are so good that they match Sutherland's trills!

If you are looking for a bargain-priced CD with satisfying singing, this CD is it.

Luba Orgonasova is a soprano of classical virtues, and this album of arias is one of the all-time great bargains on Naxos. Once you have heard it, you will be eager to go on to her complete SONNAMBULA (also on Naxos) and to her other recordings, including a superb ENTFUHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL and a magnificent Verdi REQUIEM. Listen, and then ask yourself why we haven't heard her on recent broadcasts from the Met.

Definetly She is one of the best lyric sopranos of this time,
her voice is so beautiful and her coloratura is superb, you should listen to her in some other recordings such as Verdi's Requiem or Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail as well as in Rossini's Stabat mater.

My favorite pieces in this CD are "qui la voce sua soave", "o mio babbino caro" and chi'll bel sogno di Doretta"

You must own this precious recording.

Luba Orgonasova's "Favorite Soprano Arias" is an interesting CD. She ranges from familiar coloratura territory (Bellini and Donizetti) to verismo (Puccini). Her voice is heavier and darker than many who essay the coloratura corpus, but this does add a rich texture to her singing. Some of the singing is ravishing; there are other times when things fall a bit short. But, overall, a good CD.

The CD begins with the great Cantabile-Cabaletta from Bellini's "I Puritani"--"Qui la voce. . . Vien diletto." Immediately, we become aware of her heavier darker voice. The pace begins slowly. Her line is smooth, but there is some harshness in her voice early on. "Vien diletto" demonstrates her agility. There is, in this cut, a certain hard edge to her higher notes. In the repeat, she hits the notes cleanly. There is not much in the way of trills, but the final high note is fine.

From a very different type of work, Puccini's "Turandot," she sings "Signore, ascolta." Her voice seems to fit this work very well. One might, to compare very different voices, listen to Anna Moffo's version. Orgonasova's characterization appears nicely done. She demonstrates a smooth line. She floats a nice set of notes at the conclusion of the piece.

From Donizetti's "Linda di Chamonix," Orgonasova sings "O luce di quest' anima." Her voice is smooth in the opening segment. When she ups the volume for some high notes, there appears some harshness of tone. In the cabaletta, she shows an agile voice. She also demonstrates good appoggiaturas. Her trills? They range from indifferent to awfully good! The repeat of the cabaletta demonstrates good coloratura technique. The final runs are fine and the finale is very well done indeed.

Donizetti's "Lucia di Lammermoor" features one of the gold standards of coloratura singing--"The Mad Scene." She shows off smooth singing in "Il dolce suono." Her heavier voice works pretty well here. The "il fantasma" sequence is dramatically rendered. All in all, nicely done. "Ardon gl'incensi" is smoothly sung. The florid singing is also competently done. Trills are indifferent in this portion of the "Mad Scene"; there is a good high note to finish off this sequence. And, of course, there is "Spargi d'amaro pianto." The first "go through"" is fine and the musicality is good. There are some decent trills. In the repeat, she increases the "floridity" quotient (if there is such a term), but it is not at the same level as a Sutherland or Sills. There is a very well done trill off of a high note late in the repeat. The final note is fine, but she appears to "scoop" a bit.

All in all, a good performance. While there are some problems (some harsh high notes and a trill that varies from mediocre to very good), her rich, dark voice animates the material on this CD. For those interested in good sopranos of the past quarter century, this is worth adding to one's musical library.

The bel canto selections on this recording are absolutely magnificent. She maintains color and consistency throughout her entire range. She has absolutely impeccable intonation. Truly, this music hasn't been sung this well since the days of Joan Sutherland. And truth be told, the legato sections of these famous arias are even better than Sutherland (is that haresy?!) I love Dame Joan, don't get me wrong! And what is even more remarkable is that Ms. Organasova sings just as masterfully in the Puccini arias. Brava, and lets hear more from this magnificent soprano!

orgonasova has a full voice and she sings with authority. she hits all the notes even in the florid coloratura arias and her interpretations have character, although they lack a bit in subtlety at times (such as in the famous "o mio babbino caro". she does better in the aria from la rondine.) highlights include bellini's "qui la sove" and the aria from turandot. this is probably as satisfying a survey of italian arias as any.

This Soprano is so wonderful. She is a true bel canto Soprano. I wish we could hear her in America. Her "O quante volte" is THE ONLY WAY this piece should be sung. Absolutely breathtaking!

Luba Orgonasova, in my opinon, is one of the most brilliant sopranos in the Eastern Europe emanating singing tradition, which has made singers such as Gruberova and Söderström world famous.

Orgonasovas's fantastic recordings and recitals of Verdi's Requiem are impeccable. As a Mozartian and Händel soprano she plays in the hihgest league. The nightingale soprano from Slovakia, helás, have had to sing mainly in German and Suisse operahouses and never entered the most prestigous stages, God knows why.

Naxos did their best to launch this outstanding singer in a recording with arias that are generally well-known and loved, hoping to assist her to get the attention she deserves.

By managing to lift "O, Mio Babbino caro", "Signor, Ascolta!", "Il bel sogno di Doretta", sung by every top bel canto or coleratura singer, to excellence, Orgonasova shows with amplitude her enormous vocal agility and capacity and contributes by means of perfectionsim to give the arias a new dimension.

Her Donizetti and Bellini renditions are flawless and this particular recording of such quality and stamina it ought to be a millioncopy seller, at the least. Not only because of the nice prize but for her vocal excellence.

Do by it, especially if you are on the verge of enetering the operatic world for the first time! Ogonasova will transfer a lovely emotionality without mannerisms, resting on a God given vocal gift of the highest standard.

Douglas Modig
Kristianstad
Sweden

Bellini composes singable music; and, Luba Orgonasova makes it easy listening with her beautiful voice, diction, etc. etc. I could listen to her all day. This one belongs in your home and in your car too.

Vulgarities first: this is an absolute BARGAIN! At this price, there's nothing to complain about.

But the real prize is Ms. Orgonosova's golden, warm and agile soprano! Both in the coloratura and more verissimo roles, she is exemplary. Talk about a lovely tone of voice... Joan Sutherland was mentioned in an earlier review and you'd be well on target, in terms of that calibre.

An excellent rendition of the arias here and a good selection of arias too. Without reservations, I recommend this CD.