Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A valuable record of great singing, lovingly performed, August 25, 2006
I am at a loss to explain why a previous reviewer complained about the sound of this isuue; it's clear, well balanced and eminently listenable for a live recording 40 years old - unlike some other Opera d'Oro sets. In any case, the other Opera d'Oro account with the same conductor and same two great tenors is put out of court by the fact that it is pitched very, very flat, such that the singers do not sound like themselves (see my review). Furthermore, I prefer Rinaldi's tender, melting tone to Scotto's rather harsh sound - and you can hear both Aragall and Pavarotti in their youthful prime singing the heck out of Bellini's music with evident relish. A further Opera d'Oro documentation (or rather lack of, in their case) oddity is that they list Capellio as being sung by Nicola Zaccaria, who it certainly is not; his distinctive, slightly rasping yet warm sound is most famously heard as Sparafucile in the Callas "Rigoletto", and this is another singer. I suspect that we are hearing the same bass as in the other useless set: Agostino Ferrin. It's true that some of Bellini's musical effects are vitiated by transposing Romeo from the mezzo to tenor tessitura, but with singing this good I am not inclined to object. Pavarotti's merits are all in evidence but fewer people realise what a good tenor Giacomo Aragall was; his tone is reminiscent of a felicitous blend of Carreras' plangency and Pavarotti's thrust and "ping"; a lovely voice. Abbado conducts as if he is prepared to give his singers and orchestra all the air and space we need to savour Bellini's bel canto style. Buy it.
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0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A curiosity that shouldn't really exist, June 15, 2003
When I first purchased this CD, I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed by having both Giacomo Aragall and Luciano Pavarotti in the same opera. What I was not aware of was the fact that Bellini had not written the main male role for a tenor at all, but a contralto. This uses the version created by Claudio Abbado with a tenor as Romeo. And frankly, it sounds weird. The music was obviously written with a contralto in mind, and a contralto in the role can deliver the goods far more than a tenor can (Note Agnes Baltsa on her complete recording).Nevertheless Giacomo Aragall does sing beautifully. It makes one wonder why he has not featured in more mainstream recordings. He outshines even Pavarotti, who appears to be having a very good night indeed. Rinaldi as Juliette has some raw moments, but her quite childlike voice suits the role well. However, the sound is not too good, as it is a live performance, and has been miked strangely. If you're looking for a first Capulets and the Montagues, you'd be ill-advised to go for this one. The switch from contralto to tenor was a poor idea, so you'd be much better to go with Agnes Baltsa and the wonderful Edita Gruberova on the far superior EMI Muti set.
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3 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not even worth having for the price, June 9, 2001
I bought this CD based in the performers and conductor, but the sound is so poor that just out of discipline I finished to listen it.There is not a single good passage.
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