Verdi - I Lombardi / Anderson, Leech, Pavarotti, Ramey; Levine

Giuseppe Verdi (Artist), James Levine (Artist), Luciano Pavarotti (Artist), Samuel Ramey (Artist), Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus (Artist), June Anderson (Artist), Richard Leech (Artist), Antony Dean Griffey (Artist), Patricia Racette (Artist), Ildebrando D'Arcangelo (Artist), Jane Shaulis (Artist), Yanni Yannissis (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 16, 1997)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000042GP
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,638 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars James Levine offers a new reading of I Lombardi, November 1, 2001

By 

Dr. Armando R. Trigueiros (9760 Praia da Vitória, Azores Portugal) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Verdi - I Lombardi / Anderson, Leech, Pavarotti, Ramey; Levine (Audio CD)

I must admit and confess that this is a good recording of this not to much recorded opera, I Lombardi by Verdi. The recorded sound is of the best quality, the best modern digital sound for this opera. James Levine offers us a reading with drive, straightness and drama, which is his personal new achievement for this opera. But, altough I enjoyd the performance, such fast speed given to the performance does not permit a certain lyricism and elegance in Verdi's melodies,(as in the old and very good Lamberto Gardelli version in the Philips label), in such a way that we fell a certain superficiality in the whole work. The soloists are first rate: the aged Pavarotti is good, but not to expressive; June Anderson has beautifull color of voice, but could give much more of herself if the tempos were a little bit slower. However Samuel Ramey is the singer that seems not to be afected by the tempos Levine adopts, and sings with drama and deepness. Anyway, this is surely the best modern digital version of I Lombardi by Giuseppe Verdi.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the best possible given the situation, October 8, 2010

By 

Pietro Zanette - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Verdi - I Lombardi / Anderson, Leech, Pavarotti, Ramey; Levine (Audio CD)

Levine has here 2 singers well over their best (Pavarotti in his last full opera recording and Ramey) one dull (Anderson)and only one at his best (Leech) but in the least important of the 4 roles. The impression at first is of a marekting attempt to squeeze the last drops from some old lemons. Then things go better and quite better in many instances, Pavarotti is inferior to himself only, no match for all the others, Ramey even with his now wobbling voice is still Ramey and I prefer him to any other in circulation. Leech is vigorous and ardent, his voice is in perfect shape for the arduous role.Levine is the Verdi conductor of the present day, he feels it like no one else and conveys it to the listener. I left Anderson last because she is a disaster, the voice suffered preamture decline, but this is not the point (others in this recording have already gone over the hill) the point being an approach middle of the road good for all, she sings everything the same with such a dull phrasing that in the long run is irritating. In the dull moments she is at ease, in the lyric ones she falls victim of mannerism. I have all of her younger days recording both recitals and operas with Kraus and more and she seemed destined to a far greater carrer but helas this was not going to be, what a loss. With such a cast Levine yet performs the miracle of giving us an outstanding Lombardi squeezing the last drops from the all the lemons or almost.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Zwei wunderschöne Stunden, April 7, 2008

By 

M. Zimmermann-lauper "ramey fan" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Verdi - I Lombardi / Anderson, Leech, Pavarotti, Ramey; Levine (Audio CD)

Die Oper "I Lombardi" von G. Verdi beeindruckt mich mit dieser Aufnahme auf sehr positive Art. Als jahrelanger Fan von Samuel Ramey komme ich auf meine Rechnung, indem er den Pagano mit wundervoller, intensiver Stimme darstellt. June Anderson, als Semiramis in bester Erinnerung, singt schnörkellos und trotzdem einfühlsam die Giselda. Ebenso berühren Luciano Pavarotti und Richard Leech in ihren Rollen. James Levine fand einmal mehhr die richtigen Tempi und hielt die Musiker zu optimaler Lautstärke an.
Ich würde die Aufnahme gerne weiterempfehlen.