Amore: Romantic Italian Love Songs

Eduardo di Capua (Composer), Salvatore Cardillo (Composer), Ernesto de Curtis (Composer), Luigi Denza (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Friedrich von Flotow (Composer), Umberto Giordano (Composer), Ruggero Leoncavallo (Composer), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Anton Guadagno (Conductor), Giancarlo Chiaramello (Conductor), Giuseppe Patanè (Conductor), Herbert von Karajan (Conductor), John Alldis (Conductor), John Allids (Conductor), Leone Magiera (Conductor), Nicola Rescigno (Conductor), Oliviero de Fabritiis (Conductor)

Product Details

• Conductor: Anton Guadagno, Giancarlo Chiaramello, Giuseppe Patanè, Herbert von Karajan, John Alldis, et al.
• Composer: Eduardo di Capua, Salvatore Cardillo, Ernesto de Curtis, Luigi Denza, Gaetano Donizetti, et al.
• Audio CD (September 15, 1992)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B000004218
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,578 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #2 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( F ) > Flotow, Friedrich von
  #3 in	Music > Classical > Featured Performers, A-Z > ( P ) > Pavarotti, Luciano
  #6 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( L ) > Leoncavallo, Ruggiero

Track Listings

1. Turandot, opera: Nessu Dorma!

2. O sole mio, for voice & piano (or orchestra)

3. La danza. Tarantella Napolitana ('Già la luna è in mezzo al mare'), for voice & piano (Soirées musicales)

4. Rigoletto, opera: La donna è mobile

5. Martha, opera: M'appari tutt'amore

6. La bohème, opera: Che gelida manina

7. Ah! Maria, Marí, song for voice & piano (or orchestra)

8. L'elisir d'amore, opera: Una furtiva lagrima

9. Tosca, opera: Recondita armonia

10. Fedora, opera: Amor ti vieta

11. Core 'ngrato (Catari), for voice & orchestra

12. Funiculì Funiculà, for voice & orchestra (& chorus ad lib)

13. Tosca, opera: E lucevan le stelle

14. Aida, opera: Celeste Aida

15. Pagliacci, opera: Vesti la giubba

16. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Ch' ella mi creda

17. Torna a Surriento, for voice & piano (or orchestra)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

From Calaf's "Nessun dorma" from Turandot, in which the singer exclaims his love for the ice princess and the victory he will have over her, through Lionel's realization that he will have a new life and be happy with Lady Harriet in Martha ("M'appari"), and on to Rodolfo's falling in love with Mimi in La Bohème when he touches her hand ("Che gelida manina"): here we have some of opera's most beautiful love songs, sung by Pavarotti when he was in his golden-voiced prime. His "Una furtiva lagrima" is touching and gentle, while his rendition of the Neapolitan song "Core 'ngrato"--a diatribe against his lover's rejection of him--is heartbreaking. Radames's hymn to Aida ("Celeste Aida") in which he sees Aida as "the splendor of [his] life," is glorious, and all of the other selections are equally fine. For lovers and others, this is a handsome collection. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luciano's greatest compilation CD, April 27, 2000

By	"tenor_in_training" (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews

For over three decades Maestro Luciano Pavarotti has brought joy to human ears all around the world. Sure, the critics may scoff at the big arena concerts and at the later years' natural darkening of his voice. But we the fans just know that listening to him lifts our spirits and opens our hearts to the glory of human voice.

And that's exactly what this collection is all about. To compile it, the Decca producers used material from three albums: "Arias" (his earliest), "Favorite Neapolitan Songs" and "Passione," as well as some complete opera recordings such as "La Boheme" and "Rigoletto." The song "La Danza," Rossini's engaging tarantella is from a rare album "Pavarotti in Concert in Bologna" with Richard Bonynge. Most of these selections, therefore, are from 60s and 70s, in other words, Pavarotti's prime years. As he was establishing himself as one of the all-time greatest tenors on stage, he gave an all-out effort on recordings. And it shows. Listen to the vocal line in "Che gelida manina"; the breath control on "la speranza" is truly unbelievable. There is his signature aria "Nessun Dorma" and, of course, a song often mistaken for Italian National Anthem - Di Capua's "O Sole Mio!"

In addition to magnificent vocal pyrotechnics, Pavarotti's considerable acting-with-voice skills are represented on such demanding arias as "Celeste Aida" and "Vesti la Giubba". And it's a real treat to hear his Duca singing sparkling "La donna e mobile."

This is an excellent introduction to opera as well as a delightful morsel for seasoned fans. I found that it also makes a great gift idea; after all, no one can resist Pavarotti after the final "Vincero!"

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Pavarotti's best CDs, November 20, 2003

By	green_bamboo (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This is one of the best Pavarotti CDs I have listened to. It contains a great selection of 17 arias and Italian lyric songs. However, if you can afford it, "Pavarotti Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection" will offer more in a 2-CD set (a total of 41 arias and Italian lyric songs).

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mostly as good as usual, some of the selections are excellent, February 22, 2006

By	Billy (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Everybody knows Pavarotti has a good voice, whatever he sings it sounds great. In this CD I think he sounds better than the more recent recordings from him, e.g. the three tenor concerts. In my opinion I like "Una Furtiva Lagrima" the most, when his voice comes out he devoted such a sincerity throughout the song, I can just imagine that I am inside an opera house watching an excellent performance. "Nessun Dorma", which is one of his most "famous in singing well" aria, also excellent, his high notes are so beautiful and always beautiful (well...he is a king of high C man~ for real I rarely heard ppl can sing high notes better than him), but personally I like Franco Corelli singing "Nessun Dorma" more, and "Vesti la guibba" too (but of coz pavarotti also sound really good in this aria). As I read from some books, they said Pavarotti is the biggest lyric tenor nowadays, I think it is pretty true though. But one thing I found Pavarotti not "perfect" is, when he sings, mostly I just feel that "wow he sings this note beautifully", or "he sings everything perfectly", but not always have a feeling of "wow he melts my heart", or "wow he makes such a great atmosphere throughout the song", maybe because of his song selections. In general case I like Domingo and Mario Lanza better, when I heard Domingo sings I almost always feel his passion, musical sense, and communication to the audience; but in Pavarotti I dont always feel that, in this CD some of the song has this tiny problem too (like in "E lucevan le stelle", I really think he just "sounds well", I like Jose Carreras singing this song much better), but well this is just my personal opinion. However, his voice is a "legendary beautiful voice", that's 120% true. Again personally I highly recommend his "una furtiva lagrima", listen it and you won't regret it.