Mirella Freni: A Celebration

Mirella Freni (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 12, 2005)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0007404H8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #330,866 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How beautiful is the female voice? try this!, May 4, 2005

By 

OperaOnline.us "OperaOnline.us" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mirella Freni: A Celebration (Audio CD)

This 2005 two CD compilation of operatic favorites will likely please Mirella Freni fans for two reasons: first reason is the selection of songs chosen to highlight such a long and lustrous career. DECCA chose wisely by not going off and producing a "little known" salute, but rather focused on the singer herself, and those songs and characters she has become identified with over the years. How beautiful is Mimi's "Si, mi chiamo Mimi" from Puccini's , La Boheme? How passionate and poignant is Butterfly's, "Vogliatemi beni", especially when sung against Pavarotti's Pinkerton? How dramatic can a soprano shade Verdi's Elisabetta voice in Don Carlo', "Tu che le vanita"? How much emotion can one pump into poor Desdemona's final "Ave Matria" in Verdi's Otello? And without going over the edge, how much innocent excitement can a soprano bring to Tchaikovsky's "Pulskai poginbnu ya, no pryezhde (Letter scene) in Eugene Onegin?
DECCA's "In Celebration" answers these questions unequivocally. This CD answers such questions and leaves the listener in awe - at least it did me - of the beauty, power and subtlety of the female voice.
Second reason to own this CD is the voice itself. Mirella Freni's soprano is round, open and full. Said another way: no nasal lapses from this singer. Her tone is rich and smooth, and her diction is - well, she was born in Modena, Italy. It's a voice that needs no further explanation. Musically and vocally, this 2-CD set is a winner all around.
As readers of these reviews know, it is this reviewer's opinion that a CD has to set and hold a mood and not break that mood once established. It's no joy to have to reach for the "skip" button on the remote when listening to music. That's not to say this collection doesn't have variations or that it's all maudlin - not that there's anyting wrong with being maudlin. By consistent theme I mean it doesn't have unnecessary interruptions in its overall operatic mood. You expect to hear Mirella Freni's voice in some of her most communicative moments, and that's what you get. Lasty, accompaniment is provided by different orchestras at different times in her career, but the different orchestras present no problem. The overall sound quality of this CD set is superb throughout. The transition to digital is balanced and won't necessitate any adjustment in volume in any of the 23 enjoyable and vocally descriptive cuts. I recommend it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars La Regina, May 30, 2005

By 

G. Golding (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mirella Freni: A Celebration (Audio CD)

I believe Mirella Freni to be one of the greatest artists of all time, as these discs will attest. The aria from La Wally is definitive, nobody sang it better. Her Mimi is legend and she is considered the ideal Butterfly. The way she wraps her voice around Tschaikovsky is miraculous. She is a fabulous Verdian and Tebaldi said that "Freni is the last of the Italian spintos." Her progression from lyric to dramatic roles is totally convincing. Hearing Freni as Fedora in Washington was a revelation. Her voice was big and beefy. Having heard Jane Eaglen in Seattle many times, I feel that Freni's voice is every bit as big.
Enjoy this tribute to a simple Modenese goddess.
Thank you for the music, Miss Freni.