Premieres Rare Verdi Arias

Giuseppe Verdi (Performer), Alfredo Giacomotti (Orchestra), Giuseppe Morresi (Conductor), Luciano Pavarotti (Artist), Antonio Savastano (Artist), Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala (Artist), Claudio Abbado (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Giuseppe Verdi
• Orchestra: Alfredo Giacomotti
• Conductor: Giuseppe Morresi
• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000025M8
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,781 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Simon Boccanegra, opera: Prelude / Vorspiel

2. Ernani, opera: Act 2: 'Odi Il Voto'

3. Attila, opera: Act 3: 'Oh Dolore'

4. Io la vidi, aria for tenor & orchestra

5. I due Foscari, opera: Act 1: Scene & Cavatina, 'Dal Più Remoto Esilio

6. I due Foscari, opera: Act 1: Cabaletta Di Jacopo, "Sì Lo Sento, Iddio Mi Chiama"

7. I Vespri siciliani, opera (Les vêpres siciliennes): Act 4:'A toi Que J'Ai Cherie

8. Aida, opera: Overture

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A True Rarity, December 6, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Premieres Rare Verdi Arias (Audio CD)

This recording of Verdi rarities is a must have for any Verdi fan (and I am). I had read in Budden's excellent books(years before this recording was released) that Verdi composed alternative arias for some of his operas. I was so pleased to finally be able to hear them. Pavarotti has since sung (and now recorded) Ernani with the additional aria. I personally prefer the Vepres alternate to the original, (not that I would lose it). The Aida overture is typical of Verdi's pastiche overtures, and well constructed, but he was correct in leaving the original shorter prelude in place. It is always fascinating to hear how a composer develops his works. With Verdi there are existing recordings (if you look around hard enough) of the early versions of works later heavilly revised (MacBeth, Don Carlos, Boccanegra, et al).Here's a chance to hear the aria second thoughts or special requests. They provide insight and belie the common belief that Verdi ignored performers' requests. It's a peek into the workshop of a master, and certainly worth a look.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Verdi rarities, June 25, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Premieres Rare Verdi Arias (Audio CD)

These recordings of alternative arias, written for demanding tenors or special circumstances, date from 1978 and 1980 and until Domingo's 4CD complete Verdi Tenor arias box set appeared on DG in 2001, were pretty well the only recordings available. Even now, though this CD is short measure at 42'50", this is still a bargain. Particularly since the full price but textless highlight disc DG have also issued from Domingo's 4CD set contains none of the rarities.

In any case this recording from over 20 years earlier finds Pavarotti in fine voice and responding well to Abbado and La Scala's orchestra. The gem of the collection is A toi que j'ai chérie from Les vêpres sicilliennes, making one wonder why there still isn't a recording of this marvellous opera in the original French.

NB: This reviewer has the Warner Fonit version of the current CD "Verdi Pagine Inedite" which has Italian texts but no translations, so cannot comment on whether the US version provides a libretto.

5.0 out of 5 stars Pavarotti's Finest 42 Minutes On Disc, June 4, 2010

By 

James S. Eisenberg - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Premieres Rare Verdi Arias (Audio CD)

The great tenor is in fine form in this recording of what were at the time of release, extreme rarities. (All of the pieces have been re-recorded elsewhere by now.)
I have always found Pavarotti's repertoire severely limited. (The two "other" tenors performed works from the Baroque to modern atonal composers, Luciano ranged only from Mozart to the Verismo School.) The current disc enlivens his output with some real rarities.
Claudio Abbado succeeds in getting accurate, sensitive work from the tenor. This may in fact be Pavarotti's finest recital.
The prize here is the cabaletta from I DUE FOSCARI which has perfectly placed high notes.
The timing (this is a reissue of an LP) is not generous.
The tenor's bright sound is a little too closely miked, but he is unquestionably in top form.
The two orchestral pieces, the Prelude to the original SIMON BOCCANEGRA and the full scale overture that Verdi wrote for the Italian premiere of AIDA are beautifully done by Abbado and the La Scala Orchestra.
There are interesting liner notes and full texts and translations.