Customer Reviews

Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia

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

 

 

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!

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!

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.

I recomend this recording to those who like hearing an exelent sound made by the singers and the orquestra, directed by the great Lopez-Cobos. I like very much Larmore's interpretation, she is one of the best bel canto mezzo sopranos, and her singing is better with Raul Gimenez by her side. Larmore's "una voce poco fa", it's outstanding. Enjoy this opera, interpretated by these fabulous artists.

I really didn't like this recording. I was expecting a great show, and it is not 10% of it. this recording has no attractives.