Rarities

Francisco Ernani Braga (Composer), Alberto Costa (Composer), Barrozo Netto (Composer), Carlos Gomes (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Jules Massenet (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Pietro Mascagni (Composer), Friedrich von Flotow (Composer), Brazilian Traditional (Composer), Gaetano Merola (Conductor), Bidu Sayao (Performer), Italo Tajo (Performer), Jussi Björling (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Bidu Sayao, Italo Tajo, Jussi Björling
• Conductor: Gaetano Merola
• Composer: Francisco Ernani Braga, Alberto Costa, Barrozo Netto, Carlos Gomes, Gaetano Donizetti, et al.
• Audio CD (November 30, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Video Artists Int'l
• ASIN: B00000C2C8
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,643 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #4 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Sayao, Bidu

Track Listings

1. A casinha pequenina

2. Canto da saudade

3. Cisnes

4. O luar da minha terra

5. Cancao da felicidade

6. Cantiga

7. Il Guarany: C'era una volta un principe

8. Il Guarany: Gentile di cuore

9. L'Elsir D'Amore: Quanto amore

10. Romeo et Juliette: Je veux vivre

11. Romeo et Juliette: Va! je t'ai pardonne

12. Carmen: Je dis que rien ne m'epouvante

13. Manon: Voyons, Manon

14. Manon: Adieu, nore petite table

15. Manon Lescaut: In quelle trine morbide

16. La Boheme: Donde lieta usci

17. L'Amico Fritz: Son pochi fiori

18. Martha: The Last Rose Of Summer

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The lovely Brazilian soprano, Bidu Sayao, who was born in 1902 (and still with us), had a small, silvery, and very expressive voice. It was for her that Villa Lobos composed his famous Bachianas Brazilieras No. 5. On this CD we hear Sayao's first studio recordings, from the early 1930s, comprising some nice Portuguese songs and excerpts from an opera by Gomes (Il Guarany), which exhibit a smooth legato and a bright tone. The other (and more interesting selections) are taken from broadcasts made between l948 and l951. A lovely duet from L'elisir d'amore (with Italo Tajo), two poignant selections from Massenet's Manon and one from Puccini's, Mimi's tender farewell from La Bohème, and a couple of other pieces take a back seat to the 10-minute duet which closes Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. Here, Sayao is partnered by Jussi Bjoerling, and if you haven't heard it, you don't know what you're missing. In all, an important release. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The great Bidu Sayao at the start and finish of her career, June 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rarities (Audio CD)

Rarities contains 8 gems from the early part of Sayao's career (early 1930's, pre-dating her Met debut) and 10 radio recordings from 1948 - 1951. The disc is the perfect compliment to the two HERITAGE recordings which are responsible for the renewed interest in Sayao. The disc is worth the price if only to hear the pairing with the great Jussi Bjoerling (Va! je t'ai pardonné from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette). The early recordings, which were made in her native Brazil, suffer from weak playing in the orchestra; but her youthful voice has a brilliance and ease in the high range unequaled in her later years. The sound quality is VERY grainy.

The radio recordings include excerpts from L'elixir d'amore (1, with Italo Tajo), Romeo et Juliette (2), Carmen (1), Manon (2), Manon Lescaut (1), La Bohème (1), L'Amico Fritz (1) and Martha (1). The sound quality hear is greatly improved and are all live recordings. Her "Last Rose of Summer" from Flotow's Martha is a study in beautiful simplicity. As always, Sayao's shading, dynamics and phrasing set (in my opinion) the highest standards in singing and musicianship.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sensational Sayao, February 26, 2006

By 

herman joseph (nyc, ny United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rarities (Audio CD)

The great Sayao is now heard in impressive recordings from the the early 1930s and radio broadcasts from 1948 to 1951. The early recordings reveal a higly flexible voice with great ease in coloratura and an expansive upper range. The pieces are by Brazilian composers. There are no selections from her early European operatic career --no Donizetti (Lucia) or Bellini or Rossini, Lakme, Zerbinetta, Melisande or Traviata. This is a real loss since her voice in the early years of her career was of a subtle unique beauty throughout the range ---again with perfect technique and a deeply moving esthetic and expressivenesss. The recordings from 1948-1951 reveal a great Juliette in the Waltz song -better than in the commercial release- also the magnificently vocalized duet with Jussi Bjorling--There is an enchanting duet from L'Elisir with Italo Tajo, a lovely Micaela's aria and beautifully rendered selections from Manon Lescaut, Manon and La Boheme -comparable to the released commerciel performances. The recital ends with an exquisite performance of The Last Rose of Summer. The material itself unfortunately does not reveal more of the great Sayao such as French art songs--she sang Debussy, Ravel and Poulenc and even early French and Italian selections including Pergolesi --That Sayao is not adequately represented on discs in definitive interpretations of the variety of music that she sang during her long career is a tragedy. She was one of the truly great singers of the first half of the 20th century and one of the great Mozartians--could you imagine an Exultate Jubilate. Well just be grateful for the three CDs that were released.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GORGEOUS, February 9, 2008

By 

L. E. Roberts "Larry" (Escondido, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Rarities (Audio CD)

A superb remastering of one of the greatest sopranos of the last century. I enjoyed the "First recordings" from Brazil in the early 1930s of eight folk songs, but it was the radio broadcast recordings from 1948-1951 that make the album for me. The two pieces from Romeo and Juliet are worth the entire album. As much a I love Victoria de Los Angeles and Joan Sutherland, I think Sayao's voice is the equal of any soprano in French and Italian opera. I definitely recommend this to any opera lover.