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"The Pearl Fishers: Famous Opera Duets" Georges BIZET (1838-1875) Au fond du temple saint (from Les pecheurs de perles) [5.50] Janez Lotric, Tenor Igor Morozov, Baritone Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Johannes Wildner from Naxos 8.553030 Giacomo PUCCINI (1858-1924) O soave fanciulla (from La Bohème) [3:38] Luba Orgonasova, Soprano Jonathan Welch, Tenor In un coupé (from La Bohème)[4.10] Jonathan Welch, Tenor Fabio Previati, Baritone Mimì! Speravo di trovarti qui (from La Bohème) [4:46] Luba Orgonasova, Soprano Fabio Previati, Baritone Slovak Philharmonic Chorus Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Will Humburg from Naxos 8.553151 Viene la sera (from Madama Butterfly) [4:19] Miriam Gauci, Soprano Yordy Ramiro, Tenor Slovak Philharmonic Chorus Jan Rozehnal, Chorus-Master Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Alexander Rahbari from Naxos 8.553152 Mario! Mario! Mario! (from Tosca) [3.20] Nelly Miricioiu, Soprano Giorgio Lamberti, Tenor Slovak Philharmonic Chorus Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Alexander Rahbari from Naxos 8.553153 O saro la piu bella! (from Manon Lescaut) [9:15] Miriam Gauci, Soprano Kaludi Kaludov, Tenor Jaak Gregoor Choir BRT Philharmonic Chorus and Orchestra/Alexander Rahbari from Naxos 8.554705 Leo DELIBES (1836-1891) Dôme épais, le jasmin ("Flower Duet") (from Lakme) [5:32] Adriana Kohútková, Soprano Denisa Slepkovska, Mezzo-Soprano Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Johannes Wildner from Naxos 8.551171 Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901) Un di felice (from La traviata) [3:03] Monika Krause, Soprano Yordy Ramiro, Tenor Slovak Philharmonic Chorus Jan Rozehnal, Chorus-Master Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Alexander Rahbari from Naxos 8.553041 Solenne in quest'ora (from La forza del destino) [3:29] E Lui... Dio che nell'alma infondere (from Don Carlo) [7.24] Giacomo Aragall, Tenor Eduard Tumagian, Baritone Alexander Rahbari, Conductor from Naxos 8.550684 Era la notte. . . Si, pel ciel marmoreo (from Otello) [6:43] Janez Lotric, Tenor Igor Morozov, Baritone Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Johannes Wildner from Naxos 8.553030 Gaetano DONIZETTI (1797-1848) Venti scudi! (from L'elisir d'amore) 7:19 Giacomo Aragall, Tenor Eduard Tumagian, Baritone Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)/Alexander Rahbari from Naxos 8.550684 Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868) All'idea di quel metallo (from Il barbiere di Siviglia) [8:33] Ramon Vargas, Tenor Roberto Servile, Baritone Hungarian Radio Chorus Failoni Chamber Orchestra, Budapest/Will Humburg from Naxos 8.553436 Recorded at various locations between 1990 and 1995. Notes in English and Deutsche. Complete texts and English translations. NAXOS 8.555797 [77.59]

A collection such as this is an impressive showcase of the Naxos operatic catalogue. We would once have expected such a collection only from the likes of RCA, Decca, or EMI, but these are all from recent Naxos recordings and all are at least very good. The music is well known, and this collection would be a good opera recording for a person with slight interest in opera, or just beginning a collection and wanting a good run through the highlights to serve until the complete operas could be obtained one by one. Throughout, the recording quality, orchestras, and conducting are first rate and often the equal of the finest orchestras in the world. The real star of the collection is the opening number, the Pearl Fishers’ duet. Not only one of the most substantial musically, it’s very well sung and played, and is not heard nearly often enough. Another high point for me is the Mimì of Luba Orgonasova, one of the great voices and great dramatic actresses of our time—although with a work played so often as Bohème, everyone will have a favourite recorded version chosen from among so many available. Miriam Gauci in the Manon Lescaut excerpt is also outstanding. Aragall and Tumagian do a superb dramatic job in their Don Carlo excerpt; but Aragall is disappointingly unsteady in the Venti Scudi from L’Elisir d’Amore, and Tumagian seems to be off his stride there too, although his coloratura is fine. The Rossini excerpt is very good, but we’ve all heard it done a little better. Lotric and Morozov make a lot of noise in the Otello excerpt, but do not hold a candle to Domingo and Diáz, and anyone who likes Otello will probably want the whole opera. Paul Shoemaker Gerard Hoffnung CDs Advertising on Musicweb Donate and get a free CD New Releases   Musicweb sells the following labels Acte Préalable Arcodiva Avie British Music Soc. CDAccord Hallé Hortus Lyrita Nimbus Northern Flowers Redcliffe Sheva Tactus Talent Toccata Classics Follow us on Twitter Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter

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