Customer Reviews

Puccini - La Bohème / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A long time ago, my father was driving my teenaged self somewhere as he listened to a cassette of "Pavarotti's Greatest Hits" on the car stereo. During "Che gelida manina", he tried to enlighten my ignorance as to what was special about it. "This is one of the great moments in opera," he explained. "The man sings this beautiful aria. Then the woman sings something even more beautiful. Then the two of them sing together and it's even more beautiful than that." I grunted in assent that it must be a whole lot of beautifulness and then returned my attention to whatever science fiction novel I was reading at the time.

Many years have passed since then. My father is dead, and I probably know more about opera now than he did. But, perhaps because of that conversation, the end of Act I still defines "La Boheme" for me. [Moral of the story for parents of teens: Keep sharing yourself with your kids, no matter how much they grunt at you. There's no telling what will stick.] If a performance doesn't convey Dad's Guinness-Book sense that opera really doesn't get any more powerful or moving than this, I have to consign it to the "Not Quite" file. Sorry Tebaldi/Bergonzi and Callas/di Stefano.

All of which is to set up my claim that Freni/Pavarotti are the ones who truly deliver the goods in this virtually impossible-to-sing scene. While di Stefano's voice has a marvelous bronze gleam and crisp pronunciation, he simply doesn't have the sheer tone power to compete with the strength of Puccini's melodies. When Rodolfo sings "In te ravviso / Il sogno ch'io vorrei sempre sognar!", the heroic notes demand that the tenor produce a sound that you would follow into battle. Here Pav unforgettably brings da noise - and "Yes, Giorgio" is forgiven all over again.

Freni is equally virtuosic in the soprano's milieu, somehow managing to convey a waifish bohemian as she robustly full-lungs her way through some of the most cruelly exposed high notes in the music. And how euphoniously their two instruments mesh in the duets! How confidently they surf the surging waves of Karajan's conducting!

I don't know what else to say except that it's all here. Every component of the recorded operatic experience - composer, conductor, musicians, and singers - exercising mastery at world-class levels. There is nothing to impede the plucking of your heartstrings until they fray and snap. If you can listen to the final offstage "Amor!" with dry eyes, there is something dead inside you - I'm sorry to say. I'm verklempt now just thinking about it.

So, yes - all the raves here are true. This is not just the best "Boheme", but one of the best opera recordings ever made. You know what to do.

This is one of the best opera recordings ever produced. For more than a decade, Freni-Pavarotti ruled the interpretation of Mimì and Rodolfo of this opera. This is absolutely the best La Bohème recording available, although some may argue that sometimes Karajan's tempi may be a little bit slow. But Karajan shows his meticulosity in this recording by showing all the poetry and dramatical concept of this opera. The orchestra just sounds perfect, and the singers Freni, Pavarotti and Panerai are exactly Mimì, Rodolfo and Marcello. The combination between Freni and Pavarotti, the way they merge they voices together, is absolutely magic and essential for the results of this recording, because they have the adequate voices for both roles. Panerai sings the nicer Marcello of all, and Ghiaurov nails his Colline role, while Harwood delivers another great role as Musetta, despite her lack of perfect Italian, but with a lot of expressiveness.
Bottomline: this is the best La Bohème available, and it is a must in any opera discography. Thanks for reading!
P.S. If you find my review helpful, vote YES (It does not mean you agree. It just means you found it helpful). You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them.

YES.
Finally a great performance with great sound quality. This DECCA recording has it all. Perfect sound and amazing cast.

And what a cast!!

Pavarotti makes here (with some other Donizetti operas on record) one of his BEST performances ever. The voice shines! It is clear with beautiful ringing and healthy high notes.

I loved Freni. She delivers here a very wonderful sick and vulnerable mimi. Along with De Los Angeles, she made history of her performance here as mimi.

I cannot forget the very precious performance of Ghiaurov! Bravo.

And Karajan's recording...amazing (But I think comes second place after Beecham).

Well...nothing goes bad in this performance...on the contrary...it is just Perfect!

I have returned to this recording, both on wax and on compact disc, for many years. Karajan displays an astonishing feel for the music of Puccini, and the ensemble of singers provides a delightful blend of voices which never fails to touch the heart of the listener. Elizabeth Harwood is a joy to hear as Museta. Freni is in this recording a Mimi beyond compare. This recording is an especially good display of the magnificent vocal gifts of Luciano Pavarotti. His voice is ripe, full, yet easy in this recording. There is, perhaps, no other recording of a complete opera which displays so clearly the fact that Pavarotti's voice is unusually large for a lyric tenor. Even so, his wonderful diction and phrasing make his Rodolfo truly delightful. This is Pavarotti singing serious music with joy! His voice, from the entrance in Act One is liquid sunshine. This recording is a must for every lover of Puccini!

I am writing this review a few days after the death of Luciano Pavarotti. Even if I do not know music, I like opera, and I love Puccini. This recording is one of the most beautiful I ever heard, and will make it clear, if ever there was any doubt, that we just lost one of the most outstanding artists of the 20th century. Forget about his incursions in pop music, forget about his late years marriage with a younger woman and forget about his frequent cancellations and all that. Just listen to "Che gelida manina" in this recording and weep... Mirella Freni is an amazing co-star, and her Mimi' is as superb as Pavarotti's Rodolfo. Everyone in this recording is superb. Here you will truly hear Pavarotti at his peak. Nothing less than magical. For another outstanding recording of the best Pavarotti, try the Turandot from the same label, directed by Mehta, and with an amazing Caballe' in the role of Liu'. Then, you will hear the most memorable "Nessun dorma" you will ever hear.
Thanks Mr Pavarotti for having made this world a better place.

Of course it is, this is one of the finest opera recordings of all time. Pavarotti, Freni and Panerai were born to sing these roles and they can stand comparison with any other singer in history. Pavarotti in his prime was one of the wonders of our time, his God-given voice was a miracle, and his honesty and passion are tailor-made for Rodolfo. You may prefer Di Stefano or Björling, but Luciano is their peer. The same goes for the young Mirella Freni. What a pity some years later she decided to sacrifice quality of voice for sheer power, because as heard here, her voice was a ravishing delight. Karajan conducts with italianate passion and incomparable elegance, and it hardly needs saying that no greater orchestra than the Berlin Philharmonic has ever recorded La Bohéme. You may also want to investigate Beecham's recording with Victoria de los Angeles and Jussi Björling, who next to Pavarotti and Freni are one of the ideal couples on record. Maria Callas and Giuseppe Di Stefano must not be forgotten either, they sing the most passionate Third Act on any recording, and Di Stefano sings those high pianissimi like no other tenor could ever hope.

I am an opera singer and a fan of all Puccini's music. It is so life affirming- as is this Boheme! One of the best things about this recording is Karajan's conducting. His is a passionate and exciting Boheme. Even if you were to say he goes to extremes (which I don't think he does!) isn't that what the youthful exuberance of love is all about? When Pavarotti sings that he loves Mimi above all else in the world (Ebbene no! Non lo so! in the 3rd act w/Marcello) the orchestra just soars with the singer- not over him. That brings us to Pav and Freni. These 2 childhood friends sing with such beauty and passion! Only when your voice is trained to perfection (as theirs were) can you really give voice completely to the music as written. Nothing gets in the way. Harwood's Musetta is the best! She's quirky but has such great control and pianissimos that it gives you chills! Then when Ghiarov's Colline sings that low note as she enters on high! Ooh la la! I could go on, but you must hear it to believe it. I really don't think there will ever be another recording to compare. Especially since Freni (whom I saved for last) IS Mimi. She has been hailed by critics and colleagues as the ultimate Mimi. She is sweet, passionate, and sings to perfection. There will never be another like her. I also recommend the Madama Butterfly with Freni, Pavarotti and Karajan. Falling and love and losing it is such an indispensable part of life- that is what has made this opera an indispendable part of music and life itself!

Karajan always provided a musical featherbed for his singers when he conducted opera, and here he takes La Boheme carefully, with measured tempos to wring every last tear. If you love the opera, this is a wonderful approach (at the very opposite of Beecham's famed mono account with Bjorling and de los Angeles, which is brisk and unsentimental. Well, as unsentimental as one can be with Boheme). On the twentieth hearing I am as moved by this performance as the first time I heard it. Pavarotti in prime voice and Freni as a Mimi to tear your heart out make an unmatched pair--how amazing that they both come from the small north Italian town of Modena.

The orchestra and Decca's sonics are vast for such an intimate opera, but that only adds to the emotional excess--a compliment in this case. Harwood isn't the Musetta of my dreams, but she was a Karajan favorite and does well here, far beter than her embarrassing Merry Widow under him. The La Scala veteran Rolando Panerai couldn't be bettered as Marcello, and he can stand up to Pavarotti's overwhelming presence.

In sum, I wouldn't change a thing, but canny buyers might anticipate that Decca will release a remastered version someday in their Originals line. The sound is fine already, but sonic updating never hurts. Highly recommended.

Von Karajan's recording of Puccini's La Boheme is probably the best all-around; sound, orchestra detail, structure, and magnificent singing, especially from Pavarotti and Freni. Von Karajan's concept of the opera is grand, which isn't exactly to my taste.

I prefer the Beecham-Los Angeles-Bjorling for the conductor's lyrical concept.

Above both of them I love the Toscanini set with Albanese and Peerce with only passable sound. It's a little wacko because you can hear Toscanini humming throughout! But the conducting sears with throbbing vitality. Albanese is superb.

You can't go wrong with either the von Karajan or Beecham sets but the Toscanini will be an acquired taste.

In a recent BBC3 "CD Review" broadcast, Alexandra Wilson made a gallant attempt to achieve the impossible task of choosing amongst forty or so recordings of "La Boheme" - and while I agreed with her ultimate choice of the Beecham recording with Bjorling, Merrill and De Los Angeles, I have rather more regard for this discarded Karajan recording simply because Pavarotti's voice, in its prime, as she herself put it, "runs through the recording like a golden seam". The rest of the cast is wonderful, too, although Karajan's love for the score is manifested in a rather deliberately "beautiful" approach and thereby slightly undercuts the drama. I cannot be without either recording of this eternally youthful and moving opera, and although Freni was captured in slightly fresher, more limpid voice in the earlier Schippers set, for me Gedda is absolutely no substitute for Pavarotti at his best. Both Merrill and Panerai are infinitely touching in the great duet "O Mimi, tu piu non torni" and although Beecham's recording is a little rough around the edges, he conveys greater energy and fun in the slapstick scenes while, Karajan extracts slightly more pathos from the last act, in better sound. Acquire both sets for the complete experience.

P.S. I have since had another careful listen to the Callas/Di Stefano/Votto account re-issued on Naxos (see my review) and must concede that it is up there with these two. So, my review header should read: "One of the three best recordings", perhaps?