Starring Fabio Armiliato, Juan Pons, Daniela Dessi.

Here on one disc for the first time are nince extraordinary performances of the aria by tenors ranging from Jussi Bjorling and Mario Lanza to Ben Heppner and Marcelo Alvarez - plus surprising crossover versions by Michael Bolton and Amici Forever. This disc is an absolute afor of "Puccini's greatest hit."

Little did I know when in February I wrote about the Chandos version of this opera (ABR1019), based on an Adelaide Festival production, that an all-star recording, long needed, was so close at hand. That Australian version—John Culshaw's last production—had admirably clear recording as well as crisp orchestral playing, but it was seriously flawed in the singing. That alone would put the new CBS issue with its exceptionally strong trio of soloists into a different category, but the conducting of Lorin Maazel too transforms what I have always thought of as a piece too shortwinded dramatically, seriously lacking in detail of plot and characterization. Maazel with his incisive manner, which yet allows more rubato and more expressiveness than in some of his earlier Puccini recordings for CBS, makes one think of that shortwindedness as economy, a refreshing directness in telling the bald story (parallel with Giselle) of the girl who dies of love and as a spirit in the Black Forest clasps back her faithless (if repentant) lover in death. Here in other words, as Puccini's first operatic essay (in its final revision) is a piece which encapsulates a whole love affair within an hour, concentrating only on bare essentials.

Admirable as the orchestral ensemble was in the Chandos version, the playing of the National Philharmonic here is far subtler with the sharp syncopations characteristic of the piece (particularly in the cross-rhythms of the dances of the spirits, "La tregenda") punched home with much more bite. Maazel is excellent too in drawing out the individuality of the soloists without allowing self-indulgent phrasing of the kind which consistently marred the Australian performance. In Adelaide the soloists tried to make up for their vocal shortcomings by adopting an exaggeratedly grand manner, and the ease and assurance of Scotto, Domingo and Nucci here, as well as their vocal richness, transforms each Puccinian melody. The tunes still often sound more like Mascagni than genuine Puccini, but in this performance at least I find they catch readily in the mind, above all the love duet theme of the first scene which returns, suitably elaborated, at the beginning of the final duet when the spirit of Anna, the heroine, has declared that she is no longer love but revenge.

Though Scotto's voice as usual these days tends to spread at the top of the stave, this is one of the richest and warmest performances I have heard from her for some time, while Domingo as Roberto, rich and firm, manages to bring out the attractive anticipations of Des Grieux's music in Manon Lescaut. Leo Nucci as the hero's father avoids false melodrama in the set-piece aria of Act 2 immediately after the central symphonic interlude, with characteristic tone rather like Cappuccilli's. And if all this was not commendation enough, there is a delightful vignette from Tito Gobbi resonantly speaking the verses (omitted from the Chandos version) which come as a melodrama over the Prelude to Act 2 and then immediately before "La tregenda". The recording, not so sharply detailed as the Australian one, is yet far more spaciously atmospheric, with the chorus—the Ambrosians in excellent, incisive form—far more convincingly placed, not least in the eerie off-stage passages. I now want to see Le villi given on stage in a performance of comparable quality.

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [5/1981]

Italian Opera Arias

[In Suor Angelica] Popp and Patané himself are the main attractions. She...is touching throughout and moving by the end.

-- Gramophone [9/1997]

"When in November 1988 I reviewed both the Maazel box and the separate Eurodisc issues of Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi, I went into some detail over the relative merits. Broadly Patanè at generally faster, more flowing speeds sounds consistently more idiomatic, more concerned over suggesting stage action, and I imagine these performances owe a lot to stage productions with some or all of the same performers. The recording too has greater atmosphere, with singers not so closely recorded...it gains enormously in conviction from the persuasiveness of Patané and the atmospheric warmth of both the performance and the recorded sound. Nimsgern as Michele in Il tabarro give[s a] memorable performance."

-- Gramophone [4/1990] Reviewing Il Trittico

"'Il Tabarro'...is a passionate account of a tale of jealousy and murder on a river barge. Siegmund Nimsgern is brooding and ominous in the role of Michele, the wronged husband...the soprano Ilona Tokody captures Giorgetta's anguish believably and movingly. Giorgio Lamberti's...bright tenor rings out with passion and energy. Among the supporting singers, mezzo-soprano Vera Baniewicz stands out as a ripe and characterful Frugola. Patane provides brisk and propulsive leadership, and the Bavarian players rise to his urging with some rousing climaxes."

-- George Jellinek, New York Times 3/1989

PUCCINI: EDGAR QUELER, SCOTTO

"Well used as I am to the positive advantages of CD over LP equivalents, the gains here more than usual have me revelling in the extra vividness, immediacy and sense of presence. The sweetness, charm and sparkle of a piece still underestimated come over in a way that positively make me want to go on listening. The absence of background here allows the precise placing of voices to be appreciated the more—important when the opening scene and the whole of Act 2 involve potentially confusing groups of soloists — and Puccini's use of special effects, off-stage voices, voices going into the distance, spoken lines, the piano for "11 sogno di Doretta" in Act 1, all come over with extraordinary precision and realism. The subtlety of Puccini's orchestration too is beautifully caught, and the voices — placed on a stage slightly in front of the orchestra — all have a bright face-to-face quality with even Mariana Nicolescu's vibrato less obtrusive than on LP. As for Dame Kiri, her voice has rarely sounded so ravishing. The casting of the second pair may not be ideal — David Rendall too young - sounding for Prunier and Nicolescu not sweet enough — but this certainly stands as one of Lorin Maazel's finest Puccini recordings."

-- Gramophone [10/1985]

Having admitted to only qualified enthusiasm for Dame Kiri's recent CD albums of popular repertoire and folk-songs, it is a pleasure to recommend this programme of Verdi and Puccini arias without reservation. The beautiful voice has never sounded better and the clear well-balanced recording allows us to hear the expressive pointing of meaning and characterization to perfection. Orchestral sound too is excellent, though slightly set back in relation to the ideally perspectived voice.

-- John Borwick, Gramophone [5/1985]

"Though the inevitable snags of live recording come out the more in the CD format—stagenoises, intrusive applause, odd balances—the gains far outweigh any irritations. With the chorus as protagonist in Act 1—Mussorgsky's Boris one of Puccini's influences there, I have long felt—the extra clarity and sense of presence on CD is particularly important. The chorus here sounds cleaner with no congestion, and this is as impressive a live recording of a heavily-textured opera as one could want. Anyone who prefers listening to opera live can safely choose this, for not only is it a fine line-up of soloists, Maazel is here at his warmest and most sensuously persuasive, not for a moment chilly in the way that he can be in the studio."

Gramophone [10/1985] Review of Complete Opera

It makes an apt coupling having the long-buried pieces by Ponchielli (Puccini’s teacher) and Catalani (his contemporary from the same city, Lucca) alongside the three most impressive examples of Puccini’s early orchestral writing. Like Puccini’s Preludio and Capriccio the works by Ponchielli and Catalani have been resurrected by the Italian musicologist, Pietro Spada, and similarly offer easily lyrical invention from composers who, like Puccini, were concentrating on opera.

The Ponchielli Elegia sustains its length well up to passionate climaxes, rather like film music. The two Catalani items were both arranged from piano pieces, the Scherzo a charming dance, Contemplazione much more ambitious, leading to a tender and hushed reprise of the opening theme (track 3, 8'32''). The orchestration was evidently made for the Scala orchestra’s appearance at the Paris Exhibition of 1878.

Welcome as those compositions are, it is striking that the Puccini pieces are markedly more memorable, above all in their melodic writing. That is immediately apparent in the free-flowing Preludio sinfonico, and “La tregenda” (“Witches’ Sabbath”), the dance interlude from Puccini’s first opera, Le villi, is the most brilliant of his early inspirations.

The Capriccio sinfonico, the longest piece here, was written as a graduation exercise, very well orchestrated, with structure well controlled. A moment of revelation comes when the Allegro opens on the theme which Puccini later used for the opening of La boheme. Muti brings out the emotional warmth in all these works.

-- Edward Greenfield, Gramophone [9/1998]

When young Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San marries American naval officer Pinkerton, she believes she is entering a marriage for life. Forsaking her religion and community, she dreams of a future with her new husband, only to learn that for Pinkerton, their marriage is merely an illusion - one with tragic consequences. With it's exquisite score, Giacomo Puccini's poignant 1904 opera is as beautiful as it is shattering. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan, Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier's production stars Asmik Grigorian with Kevin John Edusei conducting.

Filmed in HD at a live 2012 performance in the Teatro Carlo Felice, one of the best known and the last of Puccini’s operas “Turandot” is directed and filmed by Giuliano Montaldo in a cast led by Daniela Dessì in the titular role and Mario Malagnini as the Calaf . Based on a 12th century Persian tale, the story of Turandot has long entranced audiences worldwide with its lyrical pageantry and pentatonic laden score containing an astonishing amount of now beloved arias such as “Nessun Dorma” and “In Questa Reggia”. With the Franco Alfano score to the final act and with the Orchestra and Choir of the Teatro Carlo Felice conducted by Donato Renzetti, this production features the acclaimed stage design of Giuliano Montaldo’s. With generous subtitle availability in Italian, English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese and Korean.

When young Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San marries American naval officer Pinkerton, she believes she is entering a marriage for life. Forsaking her religion and community, she dreams of a future with her new husband, only to learn that for Pinkerton, their marriage is merely an illusion - one with tragic consequences. With it's exquisite score, Giacomo Puccini's poignant 1904 opera is as beautiful as it is shattering. Drawing inspiration from 19th-century European images of Japan, Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier's production stars Asmik Grigorian with Kevin John Edusei conducting.

Puccini Arias & Songs / Te Kanawa, Composer: Giacomo Puccini, Performer: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Roger Vignoles, Conductor: Kent Nagano, Orchestra/Ensemble: Lyon Opera Orchestra, Date of Recording: 05/1996, Venue: National Opera House, Lyon, France. Madame Butterfly, La Boh�me, Turandot, Tosca and more performed by Kiri Te Kanawa.