Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia [Import]

Jennifer Larmore (Artist), Hakan Hagegard (Artist), Samuel Ramey (Artist), Raúl Giménez (Artist), Alessandro Corbelli (Artist), Barbara Frittoli (Artist), Urban Malmberg (Artist), Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Jesus Lopez-Cobos (Conductor), Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne
• Conductor: Jesus Lopez-Cobos
• Composer: Gioachino Rossini
• Audio CD (September 7, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Teldec
• ASIN: B000000SGB
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #431,070 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #21 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Larmore, Jennifer

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Sinfonia

2. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - No. 1 Introduzione

3. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - Cavatina

4. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - Ehi, Fiorello

5. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - Recitativo

6. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - No. 2 Cavatina

7. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - Recitativo

8. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - No. 3 Canzone

9. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - Recitavo

10. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Primo - No. 4 Duetto

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Ecoo qua!... sempre un'istoria

2. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - Recitatio

3. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - No. 10 Duetto

4. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - Recitativo

5. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - No. 11 Aria

6. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - Recitativo

7. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - No. 12 Aretta

8. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - Recitativo

9. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - No. 13 Quintetto

10. Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Atto Secondo - Recitativo

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This is one of the best recordings of Barber currently available and definitely the winning newer version, the result of fine singing and outstanding ensemble work by the delightful mezzo- soprano Jennifer Larmore as a youthful Rosina, tenor Raul Gimenez as an Almaviva who can even handle the Count's long, difficult (and usually cut) final aria, "Cessa di piu resistere," and Hakan Hagegard as a delightful Figaro in good voice. Bass Samuel Ramey sings Basilio's aria with droll wickedness, while Alessandro Corbelli's Dr. Bartolo is a comic delight. Jesus Lopez-Cobos conducts with style and élan. --Sarah Bryan Miller

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rossini would be laughing!, May 27, 2003

By A Customer

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

A reviewer for American Record Guide said that this recording is unfunny (I believe "dreary" was the word he used). I haven't the slightest idea what he means. On the contrary, this performance of Rossini's comic masterpiece, IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA, is delightful, simply because the singers are not TRYING to be funny. Instead, they and the orchestra under Lopez-Cobos carefully observe Rossini's dynamic and expression marks, and in doing so bring out the humor that Rossini wrote into the score. Consequently, this performance sounds the way that I believe Rossini himself, master of comic opera that he was, would have wanted it to sound. The singers are consistently outstanding. Haken Hagegard may not be an Italianate Figaro, but he is very likeable, displaying great personality in "Largo al factotum" and in the recitatives. Raul Gimenez, one of the finest Rossini tenors today, sings beautifully as Count Almaviva, exquisitely shading his voice in his two arias in the first scene and efortlessly handling "Cessa di piu resistere," his long aria at the end. Jennifer Larmore's Rosina is technically flawless, and she sings with a wonderfully light touch; her voice is always beautifully focused. Alessandro Corbelli isn't mentioned enough: he is simply one of the finest and subtlest "bassi-buffi" singing today. He really SINGS Bartolo (rather than "mugging"). And listen to his patter in "A un dottor della mia sorte"! Flawless! Expert Rossinian Samuel Ramey rounds out the cast as a superb Don Basilio, singing his aria, as the editorial reviewer pointed out, "with droll wickedness." To sum up, this is an outstanding modern recording of IL BARBIERE, with a cast and conductor who get the most out of this comic music. Rossini would be laughing!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars marvelous, July 13, 1999

By A Customer

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

This recording was a revelation.The ensemble singing was superb and the conductor had some new readings of some of the best known music in the world.I found the most outstanding element of this recording to be the singing of Raul Gimenez.Especially in the last act.The difficult final section of the opera was delivered with sublime ease!Get this opera,and enjoy!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Digital version, September 11, 1999

By A Customer

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

Outstanding set. Larmore never fails to amaze. Try "Una voce poco fa". True, she does show off a bit, but who cares? It is a stunning vocal display. Whenever I want to introduce someone to opera, I play this aria sung by Larmore because it is so amazing. Gimenez is one of the best Rossini tenors in the world today and he lives up to it on this record. Hagegard is also top notch. "Largo al factotum" jumps out of the speakers and he comes the closest to actually singing all the notes of anyone recently. The one caveat for this recording is the orchestra. I feel they don't support the cast strongly enough, or perhaps the sound engineers placed them too far back. Not enough orchestral bite. Otherwise outstanding.