Verdi: La Traviata ~ Pretre [Enhanced, Original recording remastered]

Flavio Tasin (Performer), Gene Boucher (Performer), Sherrill Milnes (Performer), Thomas Jamerson (Performer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Georges Prêtre (Conductor), Dorothy Krebill (Performer), RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra (Orchestra), Montserrat Caballé (Performer), Nancy Stokes (Performer), Camillo Sforza (Performer), Carlo Bergonzi (Performer), Fernando Iacopucci (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Flavio Tasin, Gene Boucher, Sherrill Milnes, Thomas Jamerson, Dorothy Krebill, et al.
• Orchestra: RCA Italiana Opera Orchestra
• Conductor: Georges Prêtre
• Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
• Audio CD (October 24, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000B5Y00U
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,068 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. No. 1, Prelude

2. Act I, No. 2, "Dell'invito Trascorsa E Gia L'ora" (Chorus)

3. Act I, No. 3, "Libiamo, Ne'lieti Calici" (Alfredo) (Brindisi - A Drinking-Toasti

4. Act I, No. 4a, "Che E Cio?"

5. Act I, No. 4b, "Un Di, Felice"

6. Act I, No. 5, "Si Ridesta In Ciel"

7. Act I, No. 6a, "E Strano! E Strano!" (Violetta)

8. Act I, No. 6b, "Ah Fors'e Lui Quest'anima" (Violetta)

9. Act I, No. 6c, "Follie! Sempre Libera"

10. Act Ii, No. 7a, "Lunge Da Lei" (Alfredo)

11. Act Ii, No. 7b, "Dei Miei Bollenti Spiriti" (Alfredo)

12. Act Ii, No. 7c, "O Mio Rimorso!"

13. Act Ii, No. 8a, "Madamigella Valery?" (Germont)

14. Act Ii, No. 8b, "Pura Siccome Un Angelo" (Germont)

15. Act Ii, No. 8c, "Bella Voi Siete"

16. Act Ii, No. 8d, "Dite Alla Giovine"

17. Act Ii, No. 9a, "Morro! La Mia Memoria"

18. Act Ii, No. 9b, "Dammi Tu Forza O Cielo" (Violetta)

19. Act Ii, No. 10a, "Al Vivre Sol Quel Core" (Alfredo)

20. Act Ii, No. 10b, "Di Provenza Il Mar" (Germont)

See all 35 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

CABALLE / BERGONZI / MILNES / PRETRE VERDI: LA TRAVIATA

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great Violetta, but a mixed blessing otherwise, July 3, 2006

By 

Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Verdi: La Traviata ~ Pretre (Audio CD)

For the long time that this performance was out of print, it became legendary. Caballe in her prime in 1968 sang more easily than de los Angeles, more beautifully than Sills, with more technical security than Callas. She was paired with the elegantly stylish Carlo Bergonzi, always a critics' favorite. The only fly in the ointment was said to be the wayward, push-pull conducting of Georges Pretre--but how bad could that be?

Astonishingly bad, actually. Pretre takes it upon himself to distort every single number in the opera, adding arbitrary taffy pulls to the tempo, stopping the music in mid-phrase, and generally throwing the listener off balance. As a result, his lead singers are timid about cutting loose, and despite their vocal beauty, both Bergonzi and Caballe sound trapped in Pretre's grip. Of course, there's lots to love anyway. In terms of temperament, both leads are cooler than what we usually hear--these two aren't wildly passionate about each other. But they are warm, and abovee all the sounds they make are gorgeous.

If you listen to key arias (Sempre libera, De' miei bollenti spiriti) you'll know immeidately if this calmer view of Violetta's tragedy is dramatically to your liking. Callas on the one hand and Pavarotti on the other make more vivid impressions. Sherrill Milnes records his first Germont here, his second being on the great Carlos Kleiber set (DG). He has a magnificent voice but also a tendency to shout, particularly as a younger singer--the Gramophone reviewer said that Milnes seems to be addressing a public assembly--but the voice per se is mesmerizing.

In sum, a great Violetta in her prime is set in a production where things aren't perfect. But a lot is very fine.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars vocal delights but ..., November 19, 2007

By 

Michel (Montreal, Quebec) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Verdi: La Traviata ~ Pretre (Audio CD)

The main interest of this Traviata is of course the performance of
Montserrat Caballé. Caught in her youthful prime (1967) her sound
is utterly gorgeous from top to bottom. She negociates the colora-
tura of Act I with considerable ease and elsewhere her singing is
often exquisitely beautiful. She brings elegance and refinement to
the role but ultimately her style and manner are a bit too regal
and stately for Violetta. Carlo Bergonzi is likewise all elegance
and refinement but he brought more spirit to Alfredo on his earlier
recording with Sutherland. Sherrill Milnes also caught in his youth-
ful prime sings superbly but at this early stage of his carreer he
simply sounds too young for Germont. Georges Pretre has been harshly
criticised for his conducting but despite a few erratic passages he
is fine. The score is complete with second stanzas and cabalettas in-
cluded. In sum there are a lot of vocal delights on this set to enjoy
but the end result is somewhat unconvincing dramatically.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars VERDI WOULD'VE BEEN HAPPY, December 8, 2006

By 

Bartolome Mesa Gil "TOLO" (Malaga, SPAIN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Verdi: La Traviata ~ Pretre (Audio CD)

This is for me the best Traviata on records. True, it's not perfect. What is in this world? But nobody has matched the Violetta and Alfredo of this recording. Caballé is truly magnificent, her rich creamy sound following like no other soprano on records Verdi markings. She doesn't need "to be dramatic", she finds the drama in the music. And if you listen carefully you will see how many details are subtly illuminated by her performance. This is not one on your face interpretation. She doesn't scream her pain, she sings it. Her Alfredo is a perfect match, with unequalled phrasing and style. Their breath control is the stuff dreams, not to say legends, are made of. Do listen to Callas and Di Stefano of course, but give this recording a chance. If only Verdi could have heard it!