Customer Reviews

Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am in deep shock at some of the poor reviews regarding this magnificent recording of La Rondine. On my stereo the voices of Alagna and Gheorghiu sound absolutely divine. This recording is anything but boring--perhaps some of the other reviewers need to look into replacing their stereo systems with ones that can capture fully the ravishing voices of Alagna and Gheorghiu. While La Rondine is not one of my favorite operas, this recording is nonetheless one of the finest and most beautiful that I own. Alagna and his wife may be controversial and not well liked, yet any unbiased reviewer cannot fail to appreciate the fine singing on this CD. If you are a fan of Puccini, don't hesitate to purchase this CD. If you are unfamiliar with this opera, this is the version you want to have, as it is in a class of its own. Put aside any negative feelings towards Alagna and Gheorghiu and just listen to the singing, which is certain to win you over. Even my non-operatic friends have commented favorably on this CD upon hearing it, and that should speak volumes to anyone interested in this edition.

I can dispense with relating the story of La Rondine as that has been admirably done by earlier reviews. But it is difficult for me to account for the harsh criticism offered by some reviews of this set. When this recording of La Rondine appeared in 1997, it was warmly greeting by critics and was (and is still) considered to be the best of the available recordings. The opera was an attempt to emulate the operettas of Lehar and Johann Strauss, and with La Traviata holding particular influence. There was a multitude of influences on La Rondine, even to making it into a comic opera along the lines of Rosenkavalier. However, it more closely resembles Traviata in its story and musical language.

It is the singing by Angela Gheorghiu (as Magda) and Roberto Alagna (as Ruggero) that make this an idea recording. The way they approach and sing their parts convey what Puccini had in mind: Magda's role more complex and filled with emotional expression, and Ruggero an ardent young student. I don't think the singing could be better expressed than on this recording. Antonio Pappano brings out subtle shadings in the score and the recording is bright and clear. The earlier recording by Maazel has its virtues but the better characteriztion of these roles to the Pappano recording.

The fillers are of interest as well. Morire? (a first version of a song Puccini included in the Vienna performances of La Rondine) is superbly sung by Alagna with Pappano at the piano. The excerpts from La Villi, Puccini's first opera, are tantalizing with Roberto Alagna, once again, giving a great account of his abilities as Roberto. Listening to La Villi makes one wish that Pappano would record this work. I can enthusiastically recommend this recording to anyone.

I'm having trouble believing that other folks reviewing this opera have listened to the same recording that I have. There's an intimate tenderness to it that makes you hold your breath when you're listening. The famous 'Chi bel sono' aria that comes at the beginning is incredibly tasteful...it makes shivers go up and down your spine. I've listened to other recordings of this same aria and have found none that come anywhere close. In particular Kiri Te Kanawa's is grossly oversung. It's like comparing a gossamer silk handkerchief to a kitchen sponge.

Puccini admitted patterning this opera after Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. Some folks have professed not being able to see the connection. It's a no-brainer to me though, though it'd be impossible to put into words. They both make you <em>feel</em> the same...you get the same damned grin on your face when you listen to both, you feel that the music is perfection, that there's not a note out of place. And Puccini's attains a delicate intimacy that pulls you in much closer than any other operas.

I feel this is Puccini's strongest work musically..that he's gone waaaay beyond what he was able to do in other operas. He's been able to do subtle, understated but delicious things in this chamber opera that he just couldn't do before. I'm extremely glad I found this opera, and especially glad that I found this recording. Buy it. Don't bother with any other recordings.

The two musically and vocally sumptuous CDs under review include the enchanting La Rondine, a mature Puccini' score, plus highlights of the tragic opera Le Villi, the composer's first opera. The recording offers a glorious trail of musical discovery to the listener because performance and recording of both operas are rare. Any list of lyrical opera masterpieces does not include either of them. How wrong can people be? It is the first time I heard both operas.

Puccini's publisher Tito Ricordi thought very little of La Rondine and dismissed it as bad Lehar. This opinion is sheer nonsense. La Rondine is a delightful, inspired musical composition in the typical expansive lyricism of the great master. The score evokes the artistic sense, delicate tastes, passionate refinements and French boudoirs of La Belle Époque in Europe (1900-1914). Make no mistakes. The unsurpassable lyrical style of Puccini is there: Heartfelt recitatives, tender phrases with bold colours, ample extensions, top notes of volume, power and timbre. The music is reminiscent of the effusive delicacy mixed with passion of Madama Butterfly.

Now to the plot concisely. Ruggero meets the courtesan Magda at a Parisian ball. Thinking that love has blossomed, they flee to the coast away from city vicissitudes. Ruggero utters "Dimmi che vuoi seguirmi alla mia casa" offering his beloved a life of family affection. Magda is an art- loving, modern charm woman and cannot renounce to her ambiguous circles. They part.

Roberto Alagna as Ruggero sings warm, lirico spinto notes without a French nasal but more with a Franco-Italian pulpy sound. He cannot claim entry yet into the "espada", a group of legendary tenors including Gillion, Escalais, Fleta, Lazaro and Lauri-Volpi. They emitted steel bladed top notes. Alagna is very convincing in the role, which portrays the naïve and immature young man from the provinces. Angela Gheorghiu as Magda sings with pure and soaring notes. She is beautiful, has long black hair and a ravishing scenic personality. She is very convincing as the charming courtesan.

The highlights of Le Villi are part of the second CD and a magnificent bonus. The prelude and two symphonic intermezzi are included. They are admirable pieces of orchestral invention and workmanship. In the first intermezzo, the Abandonment, the orchestra begins quietly, female voices join in, surges to passionate chords and dies away with the chorus' distant echo. In the second, the Witches' Sabbath, the orchestra pours forth an overflowing rush of sounds and extremely talented polyphonic mixtures with great clarity, as in all Puccini's music. "Torna ai felici di' dolente il mio pensier" the protagonist Roberto laments in sorrow on his return home. He had left, fallen for an adventuress and forgotten Anna, his first love. The sweet Anna waited in vain and died heartbroken at the coming of winter. Anna' spirit appears with those of other deserted maidens, Le Villi, and in revenge draws him to a fatal dance.

Alagna sings the aria with surprisingly passionate accents as the masochistic self-tormented Roberto (Le Villi). Alagna sounds distinctly and superbly Puccinian. The conductor Pappano's tempi are magnificent and throw both operas under a new light of incredible musical beauty (listen to the intermezzo, the Abandonment, of le Villi). More stupefying is his sense of opera as musical theatre. The expressive strength, the space he concedes to the singers, the sense of arioso and a sound explosion without limits fly to the listener's ears and heart. The CD sound is resounding and faultless.

The beautiful booklet contains photos of the principal singers, secondary roles, conductor and artistic scenes. The critical review and synopsis are in English. The libretto is in both English and Italian. The CDs track numbers are usefully bolded at the margins of the libretto. BUY AND LISTEN TO LA RONDINE AND LE VILLI ON THESE CDs. YOU WILL GET A STUPENDOUS, NOVEL EXPERIENCE AND DISCOVER MORE OF PUCCINI!

As with the Maazel version with Te Kanawa and Domingo, one exhausts superlatives on these two Rondines. The principals are marvelous, the sound is superb, although the Pappano version possibly profits from newer technology in the years between them, with the orchestral and vocal voices more distinct and separable in the Pappano. Gheorghiu and Alagna are just a bit more intimate and fresh, where Te Kanawa and Domingo more polished, but there is no way to choose between these two invaluable sets. Both are solid investments for anyones opera library.

While not one of his most polished works, _La Rondine_ is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting and provocative operas Puccini composed. Filled with the seemingly compulsory romantic flourishes Puccini is famous for (ala _Madame Butterfly_ and _Tosca_), _La Rondine_ also includes some less conventional but nonetheless haunting moments. This particular version is hands above the rest, especially vis-a-vis the one starring Kiri Te Kanawa, whose voice is simply inappropriate for this demanding role (as well as not high enough).

A must for those not only enamored with the belle epoque period during which this opera takes place, but also for opera aficionados and novices alike drawn to especially lachrymose works of the medium. _La Rondine_ also goes well for those engaged with such fin de siecle women authors as Kate Chopin (_The Awakening_), Edith Wharton (_The Age of Innocence_) and Charlotte Perkins Gilman ("The Yellow Wallpaper"). Although not penned by a woman, Flaubert's _Madame Bovary_ also comes to mind.

This recording ranks among my favorites. Sure, the emotional level doesn't rage at the same level as in a Butterfly, or a Tosca, but that's not what Puccini was trying to achieve here. The theme is not tragedy, but rather, regret. And when Magda starts reading the letter in act III, it's still heartbreaking. It must certainly be one of Puccini's most consistantly melodic scores, and Angela Gheorghiu send chills up the spine when, at a piano, she hits those high notes in "Chi il bel sogno di Doretta". It's hard to imagine someone bettering this fabulous recording.

I have a rather large collection of opera recordings and this dazzling recording has been one of my most cherished for a few years now. I can not comprehend how anyone could devise a recording that would top this one. First off, the cast is ideal. The chemistry between the real-life lovebirds, Angela Gheorghiu and Roberto Alagna is extraordinary. Angela makes as an electrifying a Magda as she does a Violetta; transcending brilliantly all of the dreaminess and turmoil of a most ideal Magda. Roberto is a wonderful,ardent,and sincere Ruggero. I own all of their recordings and this is the best I have have heard the duo d'amor together. However, the accomplishments of the rest of the cast cannot be ignored either. Even the most minor roles are executed with alot of sincerity and spunk. Each respective character is completely believable. The comic couple, Lisette and Prunier (sung by Inva Mula and William Matteuzzi) are sparkling and amusing and provide a comic relief from the tension of Magda's desperate urgency for her dream of romance to become a reality, to her apprehension and despair when she realizes that it can not stay that way.

The sound of La Rondine's score can be described as elegant, luxorious, in every sense of the word. There are reoccurences of themes in dreamy flourishes used to dramatic effect throughout the opera. Act One exists in a sort of dreamy and alluring anticipation of what takes place in Act Two. Act Two is rich in lovely harmonizing dance themes, a great Puccinian love duet, and an enraptured quartet as the two pairs of lovers express their ardent passion, contentment and joy on this most wonderful night. Act Three has a different feel from the other two. It starts off peaceful and content, but then quickly turns desolate (represented in sparse orchestration), then desperate. Magda realizes that her dream must come to end. Up until now, the opera had been quite light-hearted, but now it is more serious. There are some moments that are reminiscent some of Puccini's more tragic heroines. No, there is no imminent death or such like which was the case with Mimi,Tosca or Butterfly; but there is still some intense turmoil within the final seen. When you realize that these lovers cannot stay together, and witness Magda's agony and Ruggerro's insistence and desparation, it actually is quite heartbreaking. Magda's not-so-nice past which prevents her from marrying the student that loves her, is a tragedy in itself. An exquisite, exquisite, recording. A must have!

This is in my opinion not the best opera Puccini wrote but its not att all bad. Its no Tosca, La Boheme, Turandot etc but it doesnt matter because it is a quite good one AND most importent is that performance is absolutly fantastic on this disc.

Pappano conducts FANTASTIC, GREAT AND Alagna AND Gheorghiu sings ABSOLUTLY FANTASTIC too and so do rest of the cast.

I had a lot of opera records and find a better opera record, talking about singing and conducting (and sound of this excellent record,) you need to look for Björlings best records and/or some of Pavarottis and Domingos best.

Some people dont like Alagna/Gheorghiu but in this case you should give this couple a fair chance because they sing wonderful on this disc.

Mayby everything was right, magic on this session.. their voices is probably at their peak level here? and mayby Pappano did something extra good too in his will and support.

Anyway... fact is that this performance is beutiful and this is NOT a matter of taste because ANYONE with music ear could understand that.

Buy it because of its fantastic performance. If you dont do so you def. miss something really good.

Original date of review: May 29, 2001
I was lucky enough to hear La Rondine many years ago in a live from the Lincoln Center telecast from NYCO. It was a great cast with a wonderful conductor. I have since looked and looked for a good Rondine. This one is okay.

Algana is passionate and sounds great as Ruggero. The missing aria is very nice too. But with no one to play off his passion with, it isn't the same. His wife in real life, Angela Gheorghiu as Magda is somehow lost in this. She has a wonderful instrument and a beautiful voice but somehow doesn't seem to know this character. She doesn't seem to have the passion & subtlety and depth that this role requires. She isn't helped any by the conductor, who doesn't properly pace this performace. This opera is all about nuance. If rushed in certain places, it loses its charm. If taken too slowly, it loses interest. Perhaps the most important person in any cast of Rondine is the conductor. (the WORST conductor though is the recording w/Maazel and Kiri TeKanawa- his conducting is SO FAR OFF, it is criminal! The recording w/Anna Moffo she is just totally miscast. The conductor of the NYCO production was Alessandro Sicilliani, I will never forget his masterful conducting!)

This opera was commissioned to be an operetta- but is some kind of a hybrid. Puccini wrote this at a time when he was separated from his usual publisher, Ricordi. I had to order this score from Sonzongo and it was very costly! Because of its hybrid nature, it may not appeal to fans of the mainstream Puccini.

In this story, a young courtesan, Madga is throwing a party and a guest, Prunier a poet, tells the story of a girl named Doretta. In the story a king approches Doretta offering her gold if she will belong to him. She tells him no, that gold doesn't buy happiness. Prunier says he has no end to the story, so Magda completes it by saying a student kisses her on the lips one day, awaking passion in her. Magda says, if only she could love like that. Magda also recounts a trip when she was young to a cafe where she had an interlude with a young student herself. Prunier reads the ladies palms, and tells Magda, that like the swallow (la rondine) she will fly off to find true love. A young man, Ruggero, coming to visit Madga's benefactor(Rambaldo), enters. They all suggest since it's his first visit to Paris, that he goes to cafe Bullier's. After everyone leaves, Magda changes her dress & hair to that of a simple student and also goes to Bullier's. There she is thrown together with Ruggero. They immediately are attracted. She tells him her name is Paulette. Her maid, Lisette and the poet Prunier enter. Her maid thinks she recognizes Magda, but Prunier dissuades her. After a beautiful quartet, Magda's benefactor, Rambaldo suggests she give up this charade and come home with him. She refuses saying she has found true love. In the 3rd act, Ruggero & Magda have eloped. He tells her that he has written his parents for permission to marry her. She is surprised and shocked- not knowing what to do since he doesn't know of her past. Finally when the letter arrives, she painfully reads it. She cannot deceive him anymore- she tells him that she cannot marry him & that she used to live for money alone. He says he doesn't even care, that she taught him about love. She explains that no matter how much they love each other, his parents would never understand. She tells him one day he will forgive her- and that this should be her sorrow alone. And she leaves, just one sung note drifting off into the distance.

This beautiful opera is full of great music. Besides Magda's two beautiful arias, "Chi il bel songo di Doretta" and "Fanciulla, e sbocciato l'amore" in the first act- there is a beautiful duet in the second act. "Scusatemi, scusate..." It is so intimate & lovely. In the same 2nd act, it blossoms into a wonderful quartet and chorus scena. The 3rd act highlights are her tender and poignant letter reading scene and the final scene when she leaves him are so moving musically & dramatically. This opera in so many ways is very contemporary. It is my favorite Puccini opera without a doubt because of this. The feelings are so real, the music so moving! This is so much more than just that one famous aria.

post script: wow! again, it seems no matter how well written your review is, if you offer a dissenting opinion, then you are not being helpful?! 3 out of 14? I have read some of the other reviews & just to let you know, I have no idea what controversy there is about this husband & wife team- don't really care about their living arrangements. I didn't feel the same way about the singing & conducting as the majority here- does that mean a dissenting opinion isn't helpful? I never said it was bad, boring or the worst CD or recording, in fact, I'd say it's the best available right now. Is this place a popularity contest? - if you write a well written, thoughtful and thorough review, then it's a helpful one- even if I disagree. But then I'm open-minded like that.