Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna, Vaduva, Hampson, Swenson, Keenlyside, Ramey, Pappano [Enhanced]

Giacomo Puccini (Performer), Antonio Pappano (Performer), Roberto Alagna (Performer), Leontina Vaduva (Performer), Thomas Hampson (Orchestra), Simon Keenlyside (Artist), Samuel Ramey (Artist), Ruth Ann Swenson (Artist), Philharmonia Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Giacomo Puccini, Antonio Pappano, Roberto Alagna, Leontina Vaduva
• Orchestra: Thomas Hampson
• Audio CD (October 22, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000002RWC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,104 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Questo 'Mar Rosso' Mi Ammollisce E Assidera

2. Abbasso, Abbasso, L'Autore

3. Si Puo?...Chi E La?

4. Al Quartiere Latin Ci Attende Momus

5. Non Sono In Vena

6. Che Gelida Manina!

7. Si. Mi Chiamamo Mimi

8. Ehi! Rodolfo!...O Soave Fanciulla

9. Aranci, Datteri!

10. Chi Guardi?...Odio Il Profano Volgo

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Ohe, La, Le Guardie...Aprite!

2. Mimi?!...Speravo Di Trovarvi Qui

3. Marcello. Finalmente.

4. Addio...Donde Lieta Usci Al Tuo Grido D'Amore

5. Dunque E Proprio Finita?

6. In Un Coupe?...Con Pariglia E Livree

7. O Mimi, Tu Piu Non Torni

8. Che Ora Sia?

9. Musetta!...C'e Mimi...C'e Mimi Che Mi Segue

10. Vecchia Zimarra, Senti

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous, September 18, 1999

By 

Michael K. Halloran - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna, Vaduva, Hampson, Swenson, Keenlyside, Ramey, Pappano (Audio CD)

My admiration for this recording grows more every time I hear it. The agreed-upon classic set is the Bjoerling/De Los Angeles version, but I think this is the one I will listen when I want to hear the opera in beautiful, warm, digital (not to mention stereo) sound. I am not a fan of Roberto Alagna, but he sings quite well and with much commitment here. He manages some lovely piano phrases in the quartet. Leontina Vaduva initially struck me as light-voiced for Mimi, but I now feel there is a lovely, touching pathos in the delicate sound of her voice. It is a beautiful instrument, reservations aside. Thomas Hampson and Ruth Ann Swenson are completely marvelous as Marcello and Musetta, Hampson engaging, intelligent and wry, and Swenson sweeping through the score with a voice that puts most other recorded Musettas to shame. Pappano conducts a performance both lively and lush, and all supporting roles are strongly sung. This is the one to have if you want a good digital recording of the opera.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely recording of Puccini's masterpiece, March 22, 2000

By 

LJW (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna, Vaduva, Hampson, Swenson, Keenlyside, Ramey, Pappano (Audio CD)

The cast on this recording is superb. Roberto Alagna makes an endearing Rodolfo. His sweetly poetic rendering of "Che gelida manina" is a highlight. Leontina Vaduva makes a delicate voiced Mimi in the tradition of Ileana Cotrubas and Bidu Sayao. The smouldering chemistry between Thomas Hampson and Ruth Ann Swenson lights up this set. Swenon's Musetta will utterly captivate you. She is spectacular in the cafe scene and touching in the final Act. An added bonus to this set is Samuel Ramey's warm voiced Colline. Wonderful ensemble work and vivid portrayals of all of the characters. The final scene never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good performance ruined by engineers, April 11, 2000

By 

Marc Neil Jacobs "Opera Director" (Mt. View, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Puccini - La Bohème / Alagna, Vaduva, Hampson, Swenson, Keenlyside, Ramey, Pappano (Audio CD)

The dynamic range on this CD drove me crazy. All of the intimate scenes are done at such a low volume, that you have to crank your player up to hear it at all. Then any fortissimo knocks you across the room. While it sounds like a very good performance, I found I had to keep my hand on the volume control the entire time. I even returned the CD and got another, thinking it was the pressing.