I have two CDs by this name; indeed I have fairly recently blogged the Classic FM version. What I can't understand is that if CLassic FM produce a CD of 16 tracks. not one of them featuring Andrea Bocelli, they can't take a slightly less dumbed-down attitude to their programming.
Songwise, not a turkey. I would say that the quality of versions differ. But that's 'free' Cds for you...!
Decent versions:
- Verdi's Anvil Chorus from Trov And Chorus of Hebrew Slaves - the Ambrosian Chorus under Muti. The Anvil is not my favourite Verdi chorus (but that's like saying 'not my favourite Thornton's chocolate'), whereas Hebrew Slaves probably is. Mind you, I have countless better versions than this...!
- Jose Cura's E Lucevan le Stelle isn't bad ( I do like the conductor on this...), but again I've heard better - this is one of the arias in my pending sing-off (I haven't forgotten...)
Crap versions:
- Celeste Aida - Krisjan Johannson, an excerpt from Naxos. Okay not CRAP crap, but considering all the at least adequate versions there out there, this is sadly inadequate.
- Sempre Libera from Traviata - Monika Kraus (who?) No, this is bad. I think my favourite version is Renee Fleming, but Angela Gheorgiu is right up there challenging. An I know that many older versions are regarded as much better. It's such a fabulous aria (okay, I know it's really a cabaletta, but WTF), I don't like it being squawked like this;
- Jonathan Welch sinnging Che gelida manina from La Bohème
From this album I really like Kiri Te Kanawa's Se come vol from Puccini's Le villi (an opera I have never really heard of); Plácido Domingo singing the wonderful Vesti la giubba from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci (IMO better than Caruso...!); and Maria Callas's L'amour est un oiseau rebelle from Carmen.
I have another one, on Decca, that I got years ago. It has been played very many times. My faves are
- La flleur que tu m'avais jetée, from Carmen, sung by Plácido, sounding ravishing
- Va pensiero - Solti & Chicago SO
- Belle nuit, o nuit d'amore from Hoffman, sung by Joan Sutherland and Huguette Tourangeau - although I've heard much much better versions...
- Gloria all'Egitto (Grand March and Ballet) from Aida, Maazel and La Scala - I can't believe that for years I had a real downer, almost to the point of detestation of this piece...!
- O mio babbino caro from Gianni Schicchi, sung by Renata Tebaldi
