UMBERTO GIORDANO
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Giordano: Andrea Chenier (Complete opera recorded in 1976 with libretto) Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Jean Kraft, Sherrill Milnes / National Philharmonic Orchestra, James Levine [ RCA Red Seal / 2 CD Box Set - released 20/Feb/1997 ] "for Scotto's sake and to a slightly lesser extent for Domingo's, I think I would choose RCA" Gramophone |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: Tosca (Highlights from the complete opera) Renata Scotto, Placido Domingo, Renato Bruson / Philharmonia Orchestra. James Levine [ EMI Classics / CD - released 1/Oct/1991 ] Original recording made at Kingsway Hall, London, July, august 1980 |
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 |
GIACOMO PUCCINI / GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Great Love Duets Renata Tebaldi, Franco Corelli, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Leontyne Price, Frano Corelli, Carlo Cossutta. Margaret Price [ Decca Opera Gala / CD - released 5/Apr/1988 ] Decca's recorded legacy is dominated by the huge number of complete opera recordings and vocal recitals. These extracts are taken from complete recordings. |
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 |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Il Trovatore (highlights from the opera) Renata Tebaldi, Mario Del Monaco, Giuletta Simionato, Ugo Savarese, Giorgio Tozzi / Grand Theatre de Geneve Orchestra, Alberto Erede [ Decca Eloquence / CD - released 1/Nov/2000 ] One of the great troubadors of his time, Mario del Monaco has power, masculinity and virility to burn in his portrayal of Manrico on this recording of Trovatore. Tebaldi is a sweet and moving Leonora, excelling in such moments as 'Tacea la notte' |
MOZART / DONIZETTI / LEHAR / DVORAK & OTHERS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Renee and Bryn - Under the Stars Renee Fleming, Bryn Terfel / The Orchestra of Welsh National Opera / Gareth Jones / Paul Gemignani [ Decca DVD / DVD - released 24/Mar/2003 ] Filmed 'live' in the magical mountains of Wales at Bryn Terfel's Faenol Festival, this exclusive 'Under The Stars' DVD is released to co-incide with the CD of the same title. |
RICHARD STRAUSS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Strauss, (R.): Der Rosenkavalier (complete opera) BLU-RAY Renee Fleming / Diana Damrau / Sophie Koch / Franz Hawlata / Munich Philharmonic Orchestra / Christian Thielemann (cond) [ Decca Music Group Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 5/Nov/2009 ] Renée Fleming finally appears on DVD in one of her greatest roles - the Marschallin, in Richard Strauss's magnificent period-comedy of ever-changing love, Der Rosenkavalier. Her peerless performance is supported by "a galactic cast" (Thielemann). |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: La Traviata (complete opera) BLU-RAY Los Angeles Opera / Renee Flemin, Rolando Villazon, Renato Bruson / James Colon (cond) [ Decca Music Group Limited Blu-ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 9/Mar/2009 ] "With the benefit of the latest picture technology, this performance goes to the top of the list for those preferring a traditional production." (Recording of the Month May 2008) |
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 |
CARL MARIA von WEBER
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Weber, completed Mahler: Die Drei Pintos (The Three Pintos) [complete opera] Robert Holzer, Sophie Marilley, Peter Furlon / Wexford Festival Opera Chorus, National Philharmonic Orchestra of Belarus Paolo Arrivabeni [ Naxos / 2 CD - released 1/Mar/2004 ] Recorded: 22, 25, 28 & 31 October 2003 Recording Venue: Theatre Royal, High Street, Wexford, Ireland |
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 *** |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: La Boheme (complete opera recorded in 1992) Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Elisabetta Scano, Simon Keenlyside / Orchestra & Chorus of Teatro alla Scala, Riccardo Chailly [ Decca / 2 CD Box Set - released 15/Mar/2012 ] "Gheorghiu's glorious singing is powerfully matched by the heroic tones of Alagna, culminating in a deeply moving death-scene." (Penguin Guide) |
JULES MASSENET
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Massenet: Manon (complete opera) Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu, Jose van Dam, Gilles Ragon / Chorus & Orchestra of the Theatre Royal of the Monnaie, Brussels, Antonio PappanoPappan [ EMI Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 8/Mar/2000 ] "Major praise must go to Angela Gheorghiu. Not only does she draw a portrait of the irresistible, impetuous, selfish, luscious Manon from the very beginning, but she's totally in control of her vocal resources as well." ClassicsToday |
GIACOMO PUCCINI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Puccini: La Boheme (Complete opera recorded in 1995) (with complete libretto) Roberto Alagna, Leontina Vaduva, Thomas Hampson, Ruth Ann Swenson / Philharmonia Orchestra, Antonio Pappano [ EMI Classics / 2 CD Box Set - released 18/Aug/2006 ] "Pappano's recording of Boheme is the finest in over 20 years or even longer - sumptuously played and recorded, and characterfully sung by a starry cast. This is a version to stand alongside the classics of the past." Rosette. Penguin Stereo Guide. |
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) |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: La Forza Del Destino (complete opera recorded in 1987 with complete libretto) Rosalind Plowright, Agnes Baltsa, Jose Carreras / Renato Bruson / Ambrosian Opera Chorus / Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli [ Deutsche Grammophon / 3 CD Box Set - released 12/Dec/1987 ] GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE AWARD - Best Opera Recording 1987 |
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) |
PAUL DUKAS
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Dukas: Orchestral Works (with D'Indy - Symphony on a French Mountain Air) Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, David Zinman / Orchestre National de l'Opera de Monte Carlo, Paul Capolongo [ Philips Solo / CD - released 10/Jan/1996 ] At a time when French musicians were divided into conservative and progressive factions, Dukas adhered to neither but retained the admiration of both. His compositions were influenced by composers including Beethoven, Berlioz, Franck, and d'Indy. |
GIUSEPPE VERDI
MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Verdi: Aida (Complete opera) Ruggero Raimondi, Elena Obraztsova, Katia Ricciarelli, Placido Domingo, Nicolai Ghiaurov / Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala / Claudio Abbado [ Deutsche Grammophon Opera House / 2 CD - released 1/Jul/2005 ] 'None is better or more thoroughly and thoughtfully conducted - and in Verdi, that is of the essence.' Gramophone |