Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1 [Box Set] [Box set]

Francesco Cilea (Composer), Giacomo Meyerbeer (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Umberto Giordano (Composer), George Frederick Handel (Composer), Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Jacques Offenbach (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Modest Mussorgsky (Composer), Johann II [Junior] Strauss (Composer), Jules Massenet (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Composer), Francois-Adrien Boieldieu (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Amilcare Ponchielli (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Francesco Cilea, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Giuseppe Verdi, Umberto Giordano, George Frederick Handel, et al.
• Audio CD (February 15, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 6
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Nimbus Records
• ASIN: B000042NZP
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,558 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Great Bargains, June 22, 2000

By 

"icaine" (Perkasie, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1 [Box Set] (Audio CD)

This is one of those rare bargains that one dreams about. I discovered it while browsing and I could not believe that one could have six disks for less than the normal cost of two. Nor is this an economy issue, transferred from what I assume is original pirate recordings along the lines of Gala and Opera d'Oro and even Myto. The transfers are clean and the collection is nonpareil. In all transfers I miss texts. But the music itself is glorious, the selection intelligent, and the artists the stars of the opera world. Unlike other collections arranged in chronological order, these use a simple alphabetic sequence of operas, so one can follow in one's own libretto or score more easily. The recordings appear to bridge the two world wars. If this is indeed volume one, I cannot wait for two.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A collection made with taste and savvy, March 9, 2001

By 

D. Lee Edwards "Artist, Musician" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1 [Box Set] (Audio CD)

The English just know how to do things in good taste and I must say, the elements of this Prima Voce collection have been carefully selected and arranged. Arias are grouped so that you have two or three from the same opera together. This is a sensible arrangement and each singer selected for those particular arias is one who sings it very well and in a unique way. I had already been collecting single singer albums from Prima Voce when I discovered this Treasury compilation and wish now I had bought it first, because you get a good sampling of all the great singers in their catalog and will hear artists of whom you may not have been aware. From this Treasury collection you will hear singers that especially please your ear and then you might buy albums just of them. For me, this set confirmed those choices of favorites such as Claudia Muzio and Tito Schipa. Best of all, the six CDs make for a pleasing listening experience as a whole. I listen to them while I drive. There aren't any bad performances here and quite frankly there are few contemporary artists that can match or top these. It's a great way to establish an historical foundation for your recordings if you are building a collection of singers.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, September 11, 2001

By 

G. Greene - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Prima Voce Treasury of Opera, Vol. 1 [Box Set] (Audio CD)

As it happened, I bought Vol. 2 of this collection before Vol. 1, and everything I said in my review of Vol. 2 applies equally here. The breadth and depth of the operas and the singers are incredible, and the price for 6 CDs is an amazing bargain. The sound is remarkable, especially considering that some of the recordings are nearly 100 years old, though most are from the 20s and 30s. Highly recommended, whether you are new to opera or a seasoned veteran!