Verdi: Aida (Highlights) [Original recording remastered]

Mario Sereni (Performer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Zubin Mehta (Conductor), Grace Bumbry (Performer), Rome Opera House Orchestra (Orchestra), Rome Opera House Orchestra and Chorus (Orchestra), Birgit Nilsson (Performer), Franco Corelli (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Mario Sereni, Grace Bumbry, Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli
• Orchestra: Rome Opera House Orchestra, Rome Opera House Orchestra and Chorus
• Conductor: Zubin Mehta
• Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
• Audio CD (October 24, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00004ZDLI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,363 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nillson... Corelli... How can you beat them?, October 26, 2001

By 

Rachel Howard (ocklawaha, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: Aida (Highlights) (Audio CD)

This is a passionate and powerful recording of one of Verdi's finest operas. For me, Nilsson and Corelli define my ideals of the voices needed for these roles. Nilsson's voice is stunning, with frightening fortissimos and ravishing pianissimos. Bumbry does a fine job as Amneris, while Sereni is adequate for my tastes. Franco Corelli seemed to be in fine voice during these recording sessions. His is a heroic Radames, rather than a poetic one, as Vickers was in the Solti album, and his voice shines with brilliance. As for the controversial diminuendo in Celeste Aida: unless Corelli himself tells me it's faked, I refuse to believe it. Why? I have my reasons. One critic said his voice sounded different on that last high B-flat. I wouldn't wonder: Franco took that note in head voice. For those who equate head voice with falsetto, think again; head voice can have plenty of ring to it, and can sound thoroughly manly, depending on the singer and the use he makes of it. He does the same with Nilsson in the final duet. Any other examples? His Italian language version of Jose's Flower Song from Carmen has the same effect in the high A leading to the climax. Unless I miss my guess, that was recorded in front of a live audience. (That should be on An Evening with Franco Corelli, available through Amazon.com, just in case you want to listen to it.) Another critic said it had to be faked because he heard a reverberation of Corelli's voice even though he ended the note very softly. Wake up, you nut! That hall was obviously a live environment, acoustically speaking. Even quite a soft sound can reverberate. I know: I've done it myself. (Not Corelli's fabulous diminuendo, but making a reverberation appear, even on a softly sung note.) Did the engineers fade that note? I don't think so. I've heard that done for other singers, and I've tried to do so myself. It just does not sound the same. Not even close. And I have the original recording on vinyl. I doubt if they could have faked it so flawlessly back then.
Anyway, no critic I know of in his or her right mind disputes the power and brilliance and passion of Franco Corelli's voice. They might hate him, but they can't say he's a wimp! This voice could caress the ears, then peel the paint off the walls. For my tastes, Franco Corelli has only one competitor as Radames, and that's Jon Vickers. Bjorling? Beautiful sounds, but he's pushed too far by the demands of the role. Bergonzi? The voice simply does not `open up' enough.(Not enough `sqillo' or `ring' for this role.) Domingo? To me, his technique lacks the freedom needed to tackle this role the way I like it. I must admit I've heard only his first two tries, and I do like the Domingo of the later years better than the early years. I don't even want to think about Pavarotti's version. Pavarotti is absolutely one of my favorite singers of all time, but he is not a Radames to these ears. Del Monaco? Not for me, in the recording I heard.
How about the conducting? Mehta leads a powerful performance, second only to Solti's in all the versions I've heard, in my opinion. This is a grand Aida, and this highlights set has a lot of music. They don't short you here, and, at the price, this CD is a steal. The transfer to CD has stunning sound, still packing a wallop after all these years. Go for it!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the greatest recorded Aidas, January 25, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (Iasi, Romania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: Aida (Highlights) (Audio CD)

The competition on the recorded market of this opera is somehow tough if you only think of Karayan's recording from Decca or Mutti's from EMI. This one comes to the top due to some very strong points. First is Corelli's Radames, in my opinion the best Radames from all. Just listen to the diminuendo in "Celeste Aida" or in the closing aria and you'll understand what I mean. The wagnerian voice of Birgit Nilsson gives Aida a very convincing character. The swedish soprano's technique manages the role beautifully and adds drama to the opera. Grace Bumbry defines her character nicely and you can feel her love and suffering. All the other voices support the soloist compartment very well (a plus for Mario Sereni) under the batton of Zubin Mehta which may not convey as much detail as Karajan or Mutti but his orchestra (of Rome Opera) supports the action very well has very beautiful "solo" performances (the dance or the march) and completes extremely well the soloists. Overall this is a box for every Verdi collector, solid in every department and exceptional in the key roles. you have to listen Corelli's Radames in the best sound capture and the best cast he recorded this role with.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We need more than highlights, June 4, 2001

By 

tenordan (rural, old fashioned, small town Maine) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: Aida (Highlights) (Audio CD)

This is a fabulous recording of Aida. Nilsson is wonderful, Bumbry is passionate, but Corelli steals the show. He is the definition of heroic. There is a full version of this out there. It is put out by Black Dog Opera Library. Do a search and check it out.