Customer Reviews

Opera's Greatest Moments

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I recently began collecting compilations of great opera performances as raw material for custom CD's. After listening to this CD side-by-side with others, I ended up using not a single selection from it. Three double CD's that, in my opinion, have much more to offer, in both quantity and quality, are (1) Decca's The #1 Opera Album, (2) EMI's The Opera Album, and (3) Warner Brothers' Simply The Best Night At The Opera. If I could have only one, it would be the Decca product, but each has it's own strengths, unlike the RCA disc. The caveat here is that taste in music is a highly personal matter.

I have to agree that these are some of opera's greatest moments in the later part of the 20th century. The Pearl Fishers Duet (Au Fond du Temple Saint) sung by Jussi Björling, Robert Merrill is a big favorite of mine. Monserrat Caballe sings La Boheme here, and I couldn't believe my ears; maybe the best version of this I've ever listened to.

I like these assortments of opera arias for the variety, for having all my favorites on one CD, and for the great performances you can find sometimes, like Caballe's here.

I could -- and sometimes do -- listen to Nessum Dora over and over. I have never felt music so passionately as I do the selections on this CD. It is truly the best of the best: the best "songs" from the best operas being sung by the best singers at their very best. I challenge anyone who doesn't like opera or ever music to listen to this CD. You will fall deeply in love.

This is a good set as it includes some of the very finest moments of recorded opera history, noticably with Jussi Björlings Pearlfishes, which was one of his most inspired singings, Placido Domingo in his charming interpretation in The Loves Exlire, Anna Moffo outside the Wienniese standards is interesting, and Montserrat Caballe was really the best Mimi that ever sung that role, and I don't think that many today doubt that Lanza was one of the finest and most flexible voice that have sung Verdi. There is a nice querschnitt through the century as old pearls have been mixed with new. I enjoyed immensely to hear Caballes Mimi and Normans "Du bist der Lenz" or Kraus clicky "Donna Mobile" and a fresh new Ben heppner in 3D sound in one and the same hour.

This is the original cd I bought years ago that introduced me to opera. I bought another copy recently to replace the one my daughter and her boyfriend borrowed continuously. It has beautiful voices and the selections from La Boheme are as beautiful as any I have ever heard. I think if anyone is wanting to hear what all the shouting is about re opera, giving this cd a try is a good choice.

I've owned this CD since the early-mid 90s. It is fantastic; a great representation of the great opera tunes sung by great interpreters of arias. One needn't love it as much as I do, but I still have friends from college who are clamoring for copies of their own. Since I don't relish ripping CDs for others' consumption, I'm online to purchase this album as a gift once again (it is now late-2007).

Liked this CD very much, especially my favorite baritone, Dmitri Hvorostovsky. It was a thrill to hear Robert Merrill too. All my favorite arias, so very happy with this purchase.

We decided to learn more about opera in general, so we bought a bunch of CDs in our attempt to educate ourselves in more depth. This CD helped in that goal. What more can we ask?