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CARL MARIA von WEBER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Weber: Der Freischutz (complete opera with libretto) Hermann Prey, Elisabeth Grummer, Lisa Otto, Rudolf Schock / Berlin Philharmonic, Joseph Keilberth [ EMI Studio / 2 CD - released 6/Mar/1989 ] "All soloists in this effort shine like the stars. Particularly the lovely (as always) Elisabeth Grummer...my God this lady was wonderful, and is, I am sure, greatly missed by all the great German opera houses today." (review) |
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ETIENNE-NICOLAS MEHUL
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mehul: Stratonice (complete opera recorded in 1996) Patricia Petibon, Yann Beuron, Étienne Lescroart, Karl Daymond / Capella Coloniensis & Corona Coloniensis, William Christie [ Erato / Warner Classics The Opera Collection / CD - released 12/Oct/2009 ] "William Christie brings out all the nuances in Méhul's score; and the dialogue is admirably spoken and paced by all - obviously well produced and intelligently performed." Gramophone |
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FRIEDRICH SMETANA
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Smetana: The Bartered Bride (Highlights recorded in German in 1962) Pilar Lorengar, Gottlob Frick, Fritz Wunderlich / Bamberger Symphoniker / Rudolf Kempe [ EMI Classics Electrola Collection / CD - released 24/Aug/1987 ] "There, as elsewhere, Pilar Lorengar is better than in any other recording I have heard. Her quick vibrato, which later in her career tended to widen and give a feeling of unsteadiness, is here beautifully controlled and she sings warmly." MusicWeb |
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VERDI / DONIZETTI / BIZET / BELLINI / ROSSINI / THOMAS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Opera Gala Placido Domingo, Thomas Hampson, Ruth Ann Swenson / Philharmonia Chorus & Orchestra, Eugene Kohn [ EMI Classics / CD - released 1/Aug/1996 ] 'An opera gala with a difference. Instead of cherry-picking the usual highlights, it gives us arias and duets in the context of complete scenes, which affords the added novelty of the stars taking on supporting roles they would never usually sing' |
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PUCCINI / VERDI / MASCAGNI / MOZART / BOITO / HANDEL / GOUNOD / MEYERBEER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Placido Domingo: Opera Classics Placido Domingo, various orchestras and conductors [ EMI Classics / CD - released 20/Dec/1993 ] This CD brings together an unrivalled selection of the most popular tenor arias, performed by the popular Placido Domingo |
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RICHARD WAGNER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Wagner: The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg (Complete opera in English) Norman Bailey, Derek Hammond-Stroud, Noel Mangin, Sadler's Wells Chorus & Orchestra, Reginald Goodall [ Chandos Opera in English / 4 CD Box Set - released 30/Jun/2008 ] "An ensemble singing an ensemble opera: that is perhaps the performance's greatest strength, but there are many moments when it rises far above that… Whether you were around or not, do listen to this supremely humane account of a supremely humane... |
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GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: La Boheme (Highlights from the opera) Renata Tebaldi, Carlo Bergonzi, Gianni d'Angelo / Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Tullio Serafin [ Decca Opera Gala / CD - released 28/May/1988 ] "it still sounds astonishingly vivid,with a very convincing theatrical atmosphere. Vocally the performance achieves a consistently high standard, with Tebaldi as Mim the most affecting." Penguin Guide |
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ALFREDO CATALANI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Catalani: La Wally (complete opera recorded in 1960 with libretto) Renata Tebaldi, Giacinto Prandelli, Dimitri Lopatto, Jolanda Gardino / Orchestra Sinfonica Di Roma Della RAI, Arturo Basile [ Hommage / 2 CD Box Set - released 16/Jan/1979 ] Recorded Rome 1960 |
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FRANCESCO CILEA
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur (complete opera recorded in 1962) Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Giulietta Simionato, Giulio Fioravanti / Orchestra & Coro dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Roma, Franco Capuana [ Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/1991 ] Cilea's opera is based on a popular play which was itself based on the real life story of Adriana Lecouvreur - the great actress of early 18th Century Paris - and her relationship with the aristocratic soldier Maurizio, Count of Saxony. |
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ALFREDO CATALANI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Catalani: La Wally (Complete opera with libretto, recorded in 1968) Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Piero Cappuccilli, Justino Diaz / Coro Lirico di Torino & Orchestre national de l'Opera de Monte-Carlo / Cleva [ Decca / London / 2 CD Box Set - released 1/Oct/2007 ] "Tebaldi in the title role who "...gives one of her most tenederly affecting performances on record, a glorious example of her singing late in her career...her poise and control of line...provide a model for any generation...the recording is superb." |
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VERDI / PUCCINI / ROSSINI / CILEA / REFICE / BOITO / MASCAGNI / etc
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: La Tebaldi Renata Tebaldi (soprano), Orchestre National de l'Opera de Monte-Carlo, Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, New Philharmonia Orchestr [ Decca / CD Box Set - released 10/Aug/2005 ] In May 1946, when Milan's venerable La Scala theatre reopened after World War II, conductor Arturo Toscanini selected Renata Tebaldi, then 24, to sing music by Rossini and Verdi... the voice of an angel - Toscanini's reported. |
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JACQUES OFFENBACH
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Offenbach: La Perichole (Highlights) Regine Crespin, Alain Vanzo, Jules Bastin, Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Rhine Opera Chorus, Alain Lombard [ Erato Opera Collection / CD - released 14/Jun/1996 ] "It is 67 minutes of unalloyed joy. I strongly recommend it" MusicWeb July 2004 |
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FREDERICK DELIUS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Delius: A Village Romeo and Juliet (complete opera recorded in 1971) Robert Tear, Elizabeth Harwood, John Shirley-Quirk, Benjamin Luxon / Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, John Alldis Choir, Meredith Davies [ EMI / 2 CD - released 1/Feb/2002 ] "Elizabeth Harwood and Robert Tear are both excellent as Vreli and Sali, winningly characterful and clearly focused...[Shirley-Quirk] is firm and forthright with an apt hint of the sinister" Penguin Guide, 2010 edition *** |
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FREDERICK DELIUS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Delius: Fennimore and Gerda (complete opera) Robert Tear (tenor) Brian Rayner Cook (baritone), Hedwig Rummel (Mezzo Soprano) Elisabeth Söderström (Sop) / Danish national radio symphony, Meredith [ EMI Classics / CD - released 12/May/1997 ] "Throughout his career, (Meredith Davies) championed the cause of Frederick Delius, and his most celebrated association with Benjamin Britten came in May 1962, when he directed the premiere of Britten's War Requiem" Guardian |
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HECTOR BERLIOZ
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Berlioz: Opera Arias & Songs plus La Marseillaise Roberto Alagna (tenor) / Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Le Choeur de l'Armee Francaise / Bertrand de Billy [ EMI / CD - released 1/Jun/2006 ] "There are few tenors, from any era, who could embrace the many and varied challenges presented here and do so with such success." Editor's Choice - Gramophone Magazine (March 2003) |
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JULES MASSENET / CHARLES GOUNOD
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Massenet/Gounod: French Opera Arias Rolando Villazon (tenor) / Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France, Evelino Pidò, with natalie Dessay (soprano) [ Virgin Classics / CD - released 14/Feb/2005 ] "Villazón has established himself as one of the most promising among the new generation of tenors.....Accompaniment, recording and presentation are first-rate." Gramophone |
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W. A. MOZART
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Mozart: Cosi Fan Tutte (complete opera recorded in 2002 at the Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin) Dorothea Roschmann, Katharina Kammerloher, Hanno Muller-Brachmann, Werner Gura / Daniel Barenboim (cond) [ TDK/Euroarts DVD / 2 DVD - released 1/Nov/2008 ] "It is very well performed. All the singers are on good form, and work well together in this most ensemble-based of Mozart operas. The picture quality and sound quality are both excellent, and there are loads of index points." (MusicWeb) |
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JOHANN STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Strauss (J.): Die Fledermaus (operetta in English) Rosemarie Arthars, Paul Barnhill, Lynton Black, David Fieldsend, Ade Grummet, Deborah Hawksley / D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, John Owen Edwards [ Sony music / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Jan/1995 ] "John Owen Edwards never forces the tempo but allows the melodies to unfold naturally, and eases gently into the big waltz tunes. " Gramophone |
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GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: La Traviata (Complete opera recorded in 1994) Royal Opera House, Covent Garden / Frank Lopardo, Angela Gheorghiu, Leo Nucci / Sir Georg Solti (cond) [ Decca Classics DVD / DVD - released 1/Jan/2017 ] "The singing is glorious, and this is one of the DVDs that should be the cornerstone in any collection. A superb stage spectacle." Penguin Guide Rosette Winner |
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EMIL NIKOLAUS von REZNICEK
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Reznicek: Ritter Blaubart [Knight Bluebeard] (complete opera recorded in 2002) David Pittman-Jennings, Arutjun Kotchinian, Robert Wörle, Celina Lindsley / Rundfunk Symphony Orchestra Berlin, Michail Jurowski [ CPO / 2 CD - released 2/Jun/2003 ] "..the musical result is impressive, and the performance here under Michail Jurowski utterly convincing. All the soloists are more than equal to the task, some of it as demanding as anything Wagner ever made of his singers." MusicWeb |