Verdi: Aida / Millo, Domingo, Zajick, Morris, Ramey; Levine [Box set]

Samuel Ramey (Artist), Hei-Kyung Hong (Artist), Aprile Millo (Artist), Plácido Domingo (Artist), Dolora Zajick (Artist), James Morris (Artist), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), James Levine (Conductor), Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus
• Conductor: James Levine
• Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
• Audio CD (April 19, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000271B
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,249 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Aida, opera: Prelude

2. Aida, opera: Act I - Scene I: Sì: Corre Voce Dhe l'Etiope Ardisca

3. Aida, opera: Act I - Scene I: Se Quel Guerrier Io Fossi!

4. Aida, opera: Act I - Scene I: Quale Insolita Gioia

5. Aida, opera: Act I - Scene I: Ei Si Turba

6. Aida, opera: Act I - Scene I: Orchestra: Allegro Sostenuto

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Aida, opera: Act II - Scene I: Introduction

2. Aida, opera: Act II - Scene I: Chi Mai Fra Gl'inni E I Plausi

3. Aida, opera: Act II - Scene I: Dance Of The Young Moorish Slaves

4. Aida, opera: Act II - Scene I: Vieni: Sul Crin Ti Piovano

5. Aida, opera: Act II - Scene I: Silenzio! Aida Verso Noi S'avanza

6. Aida, opera: Act II - Scene I: Fu La Sorte

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Disc: 3

1. Aida, opera: Act 3: Introduction

2. Aida, opera: Act 3: Vieni D'Iside Al Tempio

3. Aida, opera: Act 3: Qui Radameès Verrà!

4. Aida, opera: Act 3: Ciel! Mio Padre!

5. Aida, opera: Act 3: Su, Dunque! Sorgete, Egizie Coorti!

6. Aida, opera: Act 3: Pietà! Pietà, Padre

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!, October 25, 2000

By 

D. R. Schryer (Poquoson, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Verdi: Aida / Millo, Domingo, Zajick, Morris, Ramey; Levine (Audio CD)

This is the first recording of Aida that I have found fully satisfying. The conducting is good and the cast is excellent. The oustanding vocal talents of Domingo, Morris, and Ramey are well known. But for me the missing piece is supplied by Aprile Millo as Aida. To my ears Millo is the most outstanding dramatic Verdi soprano to have come along in decades. Her singing is nothing short of phenomenal. If you're an opera lover, please don't deprive yourself of this recording.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Aida's last chance, January 28, 2001

By 

J. Luis Juarez Echenique "pepechenique" (Mexico City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Verdi: Aida / Millo, Domingo, Zajick, Morris, Ramey; Levine (Audio CD)

The sad thing about this recording is that it's probably the last chance Aida will have to be recorded with the right kind of voices for many, many years. Aprile Millo sang an unforgettable Aida at the Met in 1989, and so she does here, with true spinto sound. Of course we could all name better Aidas: Milanov, Price, Caballe and the young Tebaldi, but it's undeniable that Millo is their peer. Domingo in his fourth recording as Radames is still in good form, if inevitably, time has taken some of the brilliance of yore. Zajick is an imposing Amneris, but I especially loved James Morrias as Amonasro. Listening to Millo and Morris in their third act duet, is like having Milanov and Warren together again...and in digital sound! Levine is not as idiomatic as Abbado in Verdi, but he does a good job. If you want Aida in digital sound, this HAS to be it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Aida's grand comeback!, June 21, 2003

By 

Armindo (Greece) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: Aida / Millo, Domingo, Zajick, Morris, Ramey; Levine (Audio CD)

After a number of Aida recordings of the 70s and 80s that lacked a true spinto soprano Aida, Millo brings us back to the essence of the role. She does not always sound firm and stable but on the whole she is one of the finest Aidas I've heard. The voice has some qualities that remind me of Ricciarelli and Milanov, yet Millo is stronger than the former and less secure than the latter. Moreover, Millo understands the character and makes an interesting Aida.

I expected an uninvolved and somewhat tired Domingo considering that this is his fourth studio recording of the role but he surprised me! He does something special with the ending of his big aria and generally sounds more relaxed than ever. I guess I belong to the ones who prefer the older Domingo. The rest of the cast is impressive, led by the famous Amneris of Zajik. Morris and Ramey are equally great.

What I like most about this AIDA is the feeling of a live performance that it gives me. All artists do their best, and work as a team. They obviously benefited from their common stage experiences. Levine is grand and also cares about his soloists.

Even if you own all the other famous Aida recordings, this one is certainly worth investigating. Instead of this expensive 3CD set, you can also consider the superb DVD of a MET performance with almost exactly the same cast.