Ruth Ann Swenson: Positively Golden ~ Colaratura Arias

Ruth Ann Swenson (Artist), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Giacomo Meyerbeer (Composer), Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Nicola Rescigno (Conductor), London Philharmonic (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: London Philharmonic
• Conductor: Nicola Rescigno
• Composer: Gaetano Donizetti, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Vincenzo Bellini, Charles Gounod
• Audio CD (August 16, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Angel Records/EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000002RTG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,019 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite, October 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ruth Ann Swenson: Positively Golden ~ Colaratura Arias (Audio CD)

Ruth Ann Swenson possesses one of the most beautiful voices that you will ever hear. Close your eyes and imagine a silvery coloratura voice capable of great sweetness and purity of tone. Now imagine that sound intermingled with a rich, opulent tone color like spun gold. That's Swenson!

This disc shows her off at her best. She handles the fleet passagework and tricky cadenzas of "Ombre legere" with graceful ease. "Adieu, mon doux rivage" is sung with gleaming tone and a moving sense of longing. Swenson is an impeccable singer and she brings emotional involvement into everything that she does. A truly remarkable singer. Don't miss her in this beautiful bel canto repertoire, a perfect showcase for her immaculate voice.

16 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VOICE EVER TO GRACE THE OPERATIC STAGE, October 2, 1999

By 

"sstadler" (Rome, Italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ruth Ann Swenson: Positively Golden ~ Colaratura Arias (Audio CD)

Words cannot begin to describe how I feel about Ruth Ann Swenson, but I'll try. Imagine listening to a voice so beautiful, so honest and clear, in the most staggeringly beautiful arias of bel canto and French grand opera. Listening to Swenson, you never have any doubt that she won't pull it off, or that she's struggling (like Callas, for example). In each aria, she radiates pure joy, sensuality, thoughtfulness, longing, and despair, depending on what mood the aria requires. Her voice is rich and creamy, with a wonderful vibrato and glorious high notes. Each aria is truly special, but for me, the hightlights are "Qui la voce" from I Puritani and "O beau pays de la Touraine" from Les Huguenots. If you are a new fan of opera, and want to get to know some new singers, or if you are familiar with this repertoire, but are tired of Callas and Sutherland, then I could not reccomend any other CD in the world more highly than this one. We love you, Ruth Ann!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positively golden...!, June 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Ruth Ann Swenson: Positively Golden ~ Colaratura Arias (Audio CD)

I first heard Ruth Ann Swenson when she was in the Merola Opera Program at SFO, saw and heard her on several occasions that year and have followed her career with interest since then. This album showcases the beauty and perfection of Miss Swenson's voice, and immediately became one of my most favorite coloratura soprano arias recordings.