Voices of Italian Opera 5 CD Disc Box Set EMI Classics

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This listing is for Voices of Italian Opera 5 Disc Box Set.  

Language: English

Manufacturer: Warner Classics

Date First Available: June 21, 2012

Label: EMI Warner Classics

Number of discs: 5

A unique collection of voices of the Italian opera tradition from the catalogues of EMI Classics and Virgin Classics from 1902 to the present day with more than 70 singers on 5 CDs. This 5-CD collection from EMI's archives surveys the Italian opera repertory chronologically by composer, starting with Bellini (1801-1835) and ending with Zandonai (1883-1944) with the majority of selections from Verdi and Puccini. Some well known operas may have as many as four or five selections. Inevitably some well known operas are skipped in the interest of time and disc space. The goal seems to be the presentation of a pleasing selection which samples a wide variety of singers from early (Caruso) to contemporary (Villazon). I wonder why Bellini's Norma and Sonnambula were included but nothing from I Puritani; and Verdi's I vespri Siciliani was included but not Un Ballo in Maschera? That is all the prerogative of the compilation producer, in this case Tony Locantro. There are some odd choices here and there such as Donald Smith singing the tenor aria from Macbeth. Perhaps the most unconventional is Margherita Grandi singing Una macchia e qui tuttora from Macbeth, conducted by the venerable Sir Thomas Beecham. 

There are some odd interpolations or accents added to the orchestral score and provided by the singer which sound untypical of Verdi performance practice. Nevertheless it's interesting to hear how that score was sung in such a spooky manner in 1948. Some legendary Italian opera singers such as Renata Tebaldi are omitted because they did not record for EMI. Others are given several arias in the collection when just one would have been preferred to allow for a greater variety of singers. For instance, in the Verdi selections we hear from Tito Gobbi and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau but not Sherrill Milnes. Some singers presented are a real revelation to me such as the baritone Paolo Silveri singing an aria from La Favorita which shows his beautifully resonant voice over a wide range with powerful high notes reminiscent of Leonard Warren. A real gem is the recording of Ljuba Welitsch singing Quando m'en vo from La boheme. Her very feminine and passionate voice is heard in its prime. Some selections make one want to find the full-length opera recording such as the love duet from Madama Butterfly with Jussi Bjoerling and Victoria de los Angeles. Perhaps that is the point: this is just the starting place to get familiar with the highlights. As a listening experience it's enjoyable from beginning to end if you like vocal music. I look forward to hearing the other issues in this series: Voices of German Opera, Voices of French Opera, and Voices of Russian Opera.

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