Customer Reviews

Montserrat Caballe: Opera Arias

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This is a live recording of a recital that Caballé gave at the Château du Tholonet, France on July 25, 1974. Her voice is in great shape and she phrases masterfully. Being in front of a live audience makes Caballé totally involved in the music she is singing. Her voice is not as plush in this live recording as it is in her earlier studio recordings, but it is still gorgeous. Her pianissimos are also not as ethereal as they are in her earlier studio recordings, but they are still very good. "Vivi, ingrato" is marvelously sung. The "Il Pirata" Mad Scene is one of Caballé's signature arias and she sings it very well here. Her "Tanti affetti" is as good as any mezzo's version. "Non so le tetre immagini" is not as gorgeous as it is in her collection of Rossini, Donizetti, and Verdi rarities, but it is still good nonetheless. Mina's aria from Act 2 of "Aroldo" is wonderfully sung. Throughout the five arias, Caballé's diction is crystal-clear. The sound of this recording is fantastic. There is hardly a cough and the audience is super quiet, except at the end of each aria when they explode into bravas and applause.

Two interesting points about Caballé's singing on this disc. First, she makes a few minor, and one major, mistakes in pronouncing a couple of words. In "Vivi, ingrato", she sings "Ah! non fia chi dica in terra" instead of "Ah! non sia chi dica in terra". In Imogene's Mad Scene, she sings "il figlio è spento" instead of "il figlio è salvo". This is the major mistake I had mentioned earlier. The second point I wanted to make concerns the first track, Elizabeth's "Vivi, ingrato". From 3:47 to about 3:57 into the track, she hums along with the orchestral introduction to the aria proper. Very interesting. Her humming voice is as distinctive as her singing voice.

Get this inexpensive recording if you are a true fan of Caballé.