Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Leoncavallo: Pagliacci [Import]

Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Ruggero Leoncavallo (Composer), Georges Prêtre (Conductor), La Scala Theater Orchestra (Orchestra), Orchestra del Teatro alle Scala di Milano (Orchestra), Plácido Domingo (Performer), Fedora Barbieri (Performer), Renato Bruson (Performer), Axelle Gall (Performer), Yelena Obraztsova (Performer), Florindo Andreolli (Performer), Juan Pons (Performer), Alberto Rinaldi (Performer), Teresa Stratas (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Plácido Domingo, Fedora Barbieri, Renato Bruson, Axelle Gall, Yelena Obraztsova, et al.
• Orchestra: La Scala Theater Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro alle Scala di Milano
• Conductor: Georges Prêtre
• Composer: Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo
• Audio CD (September 6, 1996)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Philips Import
• ASIN: B0000041F5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #209,459 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A marvelous recording of Cavaleria Rusticana/Pagliacci!, February 24, 2000

By 

Rod Tierman - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Leoncavallo: Pagliacci (Audio CD)

The main attraction on this recording, I guess, would be Placido Domingo as Turridu and Canio, and boy does he deliver here! Of The recordings of Cav/Pag recordings by the individual Three Tenors (Domingo, Pavarotti, and Carreras) I think that this one is by far superior. First of all, Domingo's voice is the most suited for the role of Canio (Pagliacco) of the three. Domingo's high notes also ring true and clear on these two operas (which are actually soundtracks for two Franco Zeffirelli films). Domingo is a very vibrant sounding Turridu and an extremely compelling Canio. Teresa Stratas turns in a very lovely sounding Nedda. Of special merit, and worthy of particular praise is the Tonio of Juan Pons. Pons possesses a very rich Baritone voice with extremely free sounding and well placed high notes. Renato Bruson sings a very good and virile Alfio and Elena Obraztsova is exceptional as Santuzza, in the Cavelleria recording. The conducting is very masterfully done by Georges Prêtre. The price of this recording is a steal! There is no libretto in this package, only synopsis notes, so you might want this as a secondary recording, but if the libretto doesn't matter to you, I could highly recommend this as a primary recording. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this recording for everyone's CD collection of two of Opera's all time timeless masterpieces

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A marvelous recording of Pagliacci/Cavelleria Rusticana, May 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Leoncavallo: Pagliacci (Audio CD)

The main attraction on this recording, I guess, would be Placido Domingo as Turridu and Canio, and boy does he deliver here!! Of The recordings of Cav/Pag recordings by the individual Three Tenors (Domingo, Pavarotti, and Carreras) I think that this one is by far superior. First of all, Domingo's voice is the most suited for the role of Canio (Pagliacco) of the three. Domingo's high notes also ring true and clear on these two operas (which are actually soundtracks for two Franco Zeffirelli films). Domingo is a very vibrant sounding Turridu and an extremely compelling Canio. Teresa Stratas turns in a very lovely sounding Nedda. Of special merit, and worthy of particular praise is the Tonio of Juan Pons. Pons possesses a very rich Baritone voice with extremely free sounding and well placed high notes. Renato Bruson sings a very good and virile Alfio and Elena Obraztsova is exceptional as Santuzza, in the Cavelleria recording. The conducting is very masterfully done by Georges Prêtre. The price of this recording is a steal! There is no libretto in this package, only synopsis notes, so you might want this as a secondary recording, but if the libretto doesn't matter to you, I could highly recommend this as a primary recording. Nonetheless, I highly recommend this recording for everyone's CD collection of two of Opera's all time timeless masterpieces.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Recordings!, October 17, 2003

By 

Josh Rappaport (Harrisburg PA, 17110) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana / Leoncavallo: Pagliacci (Audio CD)

There are no other recordings of cavalleria rusticana or pagliacci like this one. The way Georges Pretre conducts is how these operas should always be conducted. Too bad about Gavazeni, Levine, Karajan(maybe not him), Santini, Sinopoli, and Cellini. Their Cavalleria Rusticanas and Pagliaccis sound totally the same even the singers, but not on this recording. This kind of conducting is what most conductors of these 2 operas don't seem to realise. Some other conductor should study with Georges Pretre.