Customer Reviews

Rossini - La Cenerentola / Valentini-Terrani · Araiza · Dara · Trimarchi · Ravaglia · Schmiege · Corbelli · Ferro

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This is one of the classic Cenerentolas. Valentini-Terrani, with her deep rich mezzo voice, is second only to Simionato in this role. Araiza is the best Prince ever, with his voice sweeter and lighter than on his later recording with Baltsa, but still strong. I've never heard a better Rossini tenor and I've never understood why he is not more popular in the U.S. The supporting cast, especially Magnifico and Dandini, are great. This is a subtler, more serious Cenerentola than the Baltsa (just listen to Magnifico's false announcement that Cinders is "moire"--not hammed at all). A lot of fine points are brought out by the singers and orchestra. It lacks some of the fun bluster of the Baltsa (the stepsisters are not as humorous as we might like) and the storm is not so exciting, but it is superior on the whole to the Baltsa and the Simionato recordings.

After hearing Barber of Seville for the first time in High School, I became infatuated with Rossini's music, and searched everywhere for recordings of his other operas. I came across a recording of Cinderella ('La Cenerentola') at my college library-- Luigi Alva in the role of the Prince. It was a terrible disappointment (the singing, and I thought at the time, the music). And then one night, I watched the film of La Cenerentola by Jean-Pierre Ponelle. Frederica von Stade sang the title role, and a young lithe tenor named Francisco Araiza singing the role of the disguised prince. Never, and I repeat NEVER, had I heard such rich vocal tone, effortless agility, and masculine confidence in a tenor! And I have not since! I rushed to find a recording of Araiza singing the role to I could listen to the music over and over... and came across this magnificent recording on LP. (Araiza has since recorded this opera a second time with Agnes Balsta-- and it is excellent as well). Valentini-Terrani has a vibrant mezzo voice, and the Rossini Maestro Singer Enzo Dara sings the role of her step-father. But best of all, you get to hear the young Araiza in all of his glory! With this recording, you can hear why he became the most sought-after Rossini and Mozart tenor in the world during the 1980s. If you have this recording, I guarantee that you will listen to it over and over... a true operatic treasure!

I first acquired this set on LP from CBS Masterworks, and it dates from 1980. Lucia Valentini-Terrani is ideal as Cinderella, and Enzo Dara is her stepfather, Don Magnifico. Francisco Araiza is Prince Ramiro, and Alessabdro Corbelli is Dandini. The Cappella Coloniensis is conducted on this set by Gabriele Ferro, who also recorded "L'Italiana in Algeri" with Miss Valentini-Terrani. I love this set, as Miss Valentini0Terrni is the perfect Cinderella, and the finale of the opera, especially, ought to be on a fan's iPod as well. YOu won't go wrong buying this. One note: this recording uses original instrumentation, so you can hear for yourself what an orchestra would have sounded like in 1817.

Araiza is by far the best tenor who has ever recorded Don Ramiro : forget the poor Luigi Alva.

It is stunning how well this record captures the humour and "magic" of the plot. I is a pity that you cannot listen to the splendid finale of act 1 on the amazon.com excerpts - it is outstanding and alone worth to buy the record.