Puccini - La Bohème / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan

Giacomo Puccini (Artist), Mirella Freni (Artist), Luciano Pavarotti (Artist), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Artist), Herbert von Karajan (Artist), Elizabeth Harwood (Artist), Rolando Panerai (Artist), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B0000041TD
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (50 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,086 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Questo mar rosso"

2. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Pensier profondo!"

3. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Legna!"

4. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Si può?"

5. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Io resto"

6. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Chi è la?"

7. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Si sente meglio?"

8. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Che gelida manina"

9. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì"

10. La bohème, opera: Act 1: "O soave fanciulla"

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Ohè là, le guardie! Aprite!"

2. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Sa dirmi, scusi, qual'è l'osteria"

3. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Mimì!"

4. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Marcello. Finalmente!"

5. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Mimì è una civetta"

6. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Mimì è tanto malata!"

7. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Donde lieta uscì al tuo grido"

8. La bohème, opera: Act 3: "Dunque è proprio finita!"

9. La bohème, opera: Act 4: "In un coupé?"

10. La bohème, opera: Act 4: "O Mimì, tu più non torni"

See all 14 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

From the exquisite phrasing of the opening orchestra, this recording establishes itself as the standard by which all others should be measured. Herbert von Karajan's orchestra is no less than perfect, as much a virtuostic performer as the singers, evoking each moment's unique mood. Can there be any doubt that Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni were born to sing Puccini? Their sweet, creamy voices splendidly blend, creating a complete aural portrait of the bohemians' souls. Elizabeth Harwood is a wonderfully high-strung Musetta, with the vocal talent to support her many moods. The greatest recording ever of the world's most beloved opera. --Barbara Eisner Bayer

Amazon.com essential recording

The score for La Bohème comes to glowing life under Herbert von Karajan's baton, and Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti make beautiful music together as the ill-fated lovers. The smaller parts are wonderfully sung, the comedy sharply profiled, and the pathos contained in such a way that the opera's ending proves remarkably gripping. London's sound is excellent. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

90 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy, listen, treasure, November 3, 2006

By	Eric Krupin (Salt Lake City, UT) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A long time ago, my father was driving my teenaged self somewhere as he listened to a cassette of "Pavarotti's Greatest Hits" on the car stereo. During "Che gelida manina", he tried to enlighten my ignorance as to what was special about it. "This is one of the great moments in opera," he explained. "The man sings this beautiful aria. Then the woman sings something even more beautiful. Then the two of them sing together and it's even more beautiful than that." I grunted in assent that it must be a whole lot of beautifulness and then returned my attention to whatever science fiction novel I was reading at the time.

Many years have passed since then. My father is dead, and I probably know more about opera now than he did. But, perhaps because of that conversation, the end of Act I still defines "La Boheme" for me. [Moral of the story for parents of teens: Keep sharing yourself with your kids, no matter how much they grunt at you. There's no telling what will stick.] If a performance doesn't convey Dad's Guinness-Book sense that opera really doesn't get any more powerful or moving than this, I have to consign it to the "Not Quite" file. Sorry Tebaldi/Bergonzi and Callas/di Stefano.

All of which is to set up my claim that Freni/Pavarotti are the ones who truly deliver the goods in this virtually impossible-to-sing scene. While di Stefano's voice has a marvelous bronze gleam and crisp pronunciation, he simply doesn't have the sheer tone power to compete with the strength of Puccini's melodies. When Rodolfo sings "In te ravviso / Il sogno ch'io vorrei sempre sognar!", the heroic notes demand that the tenor produce a sound that you would follow into battle. Here Pav unforgettably brings da noise - and "Yes, Giorgio" is forgiven all over again.

Freni is equally virtuosic in the soprano's milieu, somehow managing to convey a waifish bohemian as she robustly full-lungs her way through some of the most cruelly exposed high notes in the music. And how euphoniously their two instruments mesh in the duets! How confidently they surf the surging waves of Karajan's conducting!

I don't know what else to say except that it's all here. Every component of the recorded operatic experience - composer, conductor, musicians, and singers - exercising mastery at world-class levels. There is nothing to impede the plucking of your heartstrings until they fray and snap. If you can listen to the final offstage "Amor!" with dry eyes, there is something dead inside you - I'm sorry to say. I'm verklempt now just thinking about it.

So, yes - all the raves here are true. This is not just the best "Boheme", but one of the best opera recordings ever made. You know what to do.

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bohème, October 13, 2007

By	Benjamin (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This is one of the best opera recordings ever produced. For more than a decade, Freni-Pavarotti ruled the interpretation of Mimì and Rodolfo of this opera. This is absolutely the best La Bohème recording available, although some may argue that sometimes Karajan's tempi may be a little bit slow. But Karajan shows his meticulosity in this recording by showing all the poetry and dramatical concept of this opera. The orchestra just sounds perfect, and the singers Freni, Pavarotti and Panerai are exactly Mimì, Rodolfo and Marcello. The combination between Freni and Pavarotti, the way they merge they voices together, is absolutely magic and essential for the results of this recording, because they have the adequate voices for both roles. Panerai sings the nicer Marcello of all, and Ghiaurov nails his Colline role, while Harwood delivers another great role as Musetta, despite her lack of perfect Italian, but with a lot of expressiveness.
Bottomline: this is the best La Bohème available, and it is a must in any opera discography. Thanks for reading!
P.S. If you find my review helpful, vote YES (It does not mean you agree. It just means you found it helpful). You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them.

50 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, February 8, 2002

By	Mark (United States) - See all my reviews

YES.
Finally a great performance with great sound quality. This DECCA recording has it all. Perfect sound and amazing cast.

And what a cast!!

Pavarotti makes here (with some other Donizetti operas on record) one of his BEST performances ever. The voice shines! It is clear with beautiful ringing and healthy high notes.

I loved Freni. She delivers here a very wonderful sick and vulnerable mimi. Along with De Los Angeles, she made history of her performance here as mimi.

I cannot forget the very precious performance of Ghiaurov! Bravo.

And Karajan's recording...amazing (But I think comes second place after Beecham).

Well...nothing goes bad in this performance...on the contrary...it is just Perfect!