Rossini: Il Barbiere Di Siviglia [Limited Edition, Original recording remastered]

Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Vittorio Gui (Conductor), Victoria De Los Angeles (Performer), Sesto Bruscantini (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Victoria De Los Angeles, Sesto Bruscantini
• Conductor: Vittorio Gui
• Composer: Gioachino Rossini
• Audio CD (April 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000063UMC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #327,676 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Sinfonia

2. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Piano, pianissimo, senza parlar

3. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Ecco ridente in cielo

4. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Ehi, Fiorello?...Mio signore

5. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Mille grazie, mio signore

6. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Recitativo: Gente indiscreta!

7. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: La ran la le ra... Largo al factotum

8. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Recitativo: Ah, che bella vita!

9. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Recitativo: Non è venuto ancora

10. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Recitativo: Le vostre assidue premure

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Finora in questa camera

2. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Ehi, di casa, buona gente

3. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Ah, venisse, il caro oggetto

4. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Dunque, lei vuoi battaglia?

5. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Che cosa accadde

6. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Fermi tutti, Nessun si mova

7. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Fredda ed immobile

8. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Ma signor...ma un dottor

9. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Recitativo: Ma vedi il mio destino!

10. Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville), opera: Pace e gioia sia con voi

See all 28 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Barber That Plays It Safe, January 4, 2006

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rossini: Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (Audio CD)

Rossini's IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA is a comic opera that performers and audiences have had fun with almost since its beginning. In its first performance the fun was in trashing the work, but that was due more to jealousy than anything else and has become the stuff of opera legend. Opera lovers all have their own favorite performances of the opera's highlights. There are fans that swear by Callas' version of "Una Voce Pocco Fa" as the only authoritative performance with its trills and embellishments. The list of baritones who have tackled the role of Figaro is endless and no one possibly agree on the best version of "Largo Al Factotum." Why wouldn't a baritone not love such a role where he is young, fun loving and mischievous, rare fare for baritones that are often evil, dark figures or long lost fathers who sometimes are dark and evil? Basses even get a share in the fun. Basilio's "La Calunnia" can be hammed up so often that it's difficult to determine the melody.

Sometimes the antics and embellishments add to a recording, and at other times it distracts. Listeners to this set from EMI will not find the theatrics often associated with this work. Instead, they will find a straightforward recording that is of quality and honors the score.

The first thing I noticed in this recording was the orchestra. From the beginning, conductor Vittorio Gui is in control of the orchestra and brings out nuances often ignored on other sets. We see the skill of Rossini as a composer and at time the listener is pleasantly surprised. It's no surprise that Victoria de los Angeles is a wonderful Rossina. As is so often the case she is a consummate performer with beautiful sound that almost seems effortless it flows so freely. Luigi Alva as Almaviva, one of his better known roles, has the light and airy voice necessary for the role and in most of the set he is strong, but at time she seems to strain which is often the case with Alva. I'm not sure I'd put Sesto Bruscantini at the top of my lost as favorite Figaros, but he is invested in his singing. Ian Wallace and Carlo Cava both do adequate jobs as Bartolo and Basilio respectively.

While the lack of personal touches by the performers may make some listeners feel that something is missing, this is a consistent set with an ensemble cast which does make it unique. So many sets have a great Rossina and clownish basses, or great basses and a weak Figaro. This cast is evenly matched and overall it's a wonderful set. My only criticism is its lackluster finale, but one fault in an otherwise great set is not a catastrophe.

Enjoy!!!

4 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, February 18, 2006

By 

Howard Roark "Kumar" (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rossini: Il Barbiere Di Siviglia (Audio CD)

First of all, I will say that I am not an expert on
opera. I have recently started to explore opera
seriously, and had the chance to see a production of
this opera here at the Royal Opera House in London.
That blew my socks away. Seeking to remember/recreate
that experience, I went to the opera shop of the ROH,
a phenomenal place if you are an opera buff ... they
have so much stuff there ... and bought this recording.
I was very disappointed. This recording simply does not
have the life that was in the live performance; it is
too stilted. It seemed (not simply because I could see
the opera) that the performers in the live production
were really having fun, and it showed in their singing.
This recording is way too stiff ... the scene that first
introduces us to Figaro is a perfect example. This
version is dull and slow compared to the live version,
which is a bad thing considering the role of Figaro, who
is quite an enthusiastic and lively chap. I wish
I could recommend an alternative version, but I do not
know enough to do so. I hope you find this useful.