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The #1 Opera Album

by: Giacomo Puccini, Giuseppe Verdi, Léo Delibes, Georges Bizet, Umberto Giordano, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Richard Wagner, Gioachino Rossini, Alfredo Catalani, Jacques Offenbach, Ruggiero Leoncavallo, Charles Gounod, Gaetano Donizetti, Pietro Mascagni, Antonin Dvorak, Richard Bonynge, Herbert von Karajan, Alberto Erede, Lamberto Gardelli, Giuseppe Patane, John Mauceri, Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, Gyorgy Fischer, Riccardo Chailly, Istvan Kertesz, Leone Magiera, Evelino Pido, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Renée Fleming, Cecilia Bartoli, Luciano Pavarotti, Jussi Bjorling, Renata Tebaldi

February 27, 2001
I heard this CD on a PBS pledge drive (it was a premium) and found myself loving every cut on it! I was in my car and just wanted to keep on driving and listening. This is by far my most-played CD - I've had to make it a weekend only listen to prevent getting burned out on it. HIGHLY recommend it. Even if you are unfamiliar with some of the pieces, you will quickly learn to love them. . . . I must end this review - I'm off to listen to the "flower duet" for the 100th time. . .

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The Best of Italian Opera

from: EMI Classics

January 21, 1997
This is an excellent CD of singers from the past century, origonally recorded in analog and very well remastered.

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The Most Famous Opera Arias

from: EMI Classics

July 19, 1994
The conductor and the singers can make a beautiful song the opera that everyone jeers and hates. To have a Russian singer doing o mio babbino caro is just plain silly...give the woman a break and play something from Russian opera...give a beautiful melodic aria to a lyrical singer like Caballe...boo hiss. Try Opera's Greatest Moments where they give Hvorostvsky an aria from Pique Dame and leave the bel canto to bel canto singers.

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Essential Verdi - 40 of His Greatest Masterpieces (2 CD Set)

from: Decca

February 13, 2001
I don't know opera.

Last summer we had an incredible 20th anniversary trip to Italy. As a side trip from Venice, we planned a night in Verona. Neither my wife or I had been to an opera.

Is this how its supposed to be...

...an incredible star filled night with a three quarter moon, the largest stage and outdoor theatrical production on the planet, all taking place in a roman colleseum (arena) built in 180 a.d., an incredible colorful set and production with a full symphony orchestra and voices that don't come easy. Aida.

Now I know what all the hpye is as you opera fans sure are lucky to have such a beautiful setting for all your productions.

Okay, we got spoiled. But I also found ... Read More:

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Movie Adagios

from: Decca

October 09, 2001
This CD was all that I hoped for. Beautiful, evocative music just made for a relaxing evening at home.

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100 Best Opera Classics

from: Emd Int'l

May 14, 2007
this really is an amazing set. rarely are compilation sets filled with such consistently good music as well as offering the breadth and diversity found here. also, this is THE introduction to opera, as far as i'm concerned. if you don't enjoy opera after listening to this set, then opera is probably just not for you.

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Puccini and Pasta: A Romantic Italian Feast for Your Ears

from: Philips

August 13, 1996
Your listing for this CD leaves Jose Carerras off the performer list. These recordings were made when all these people were young, unsullied lyric artists, and are sensitive, powerful and masterful-as good as it gets. This CD is for anyone who loves Pucinni sung by the few people who can sing it. I'm a Pavarotti afficianado, and a Carerras afficianado. These recordings, done before his illness, show a lyric tenor voice that has a beauty and expression rarely encountered. The sopranos are the best in time as well. Spectacular. Enjoy.

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The Very Best of Montserrat Caballé

by: Montserrat Caballe

April 22, 2003
Leaving the hype aside, EMI would have been more accurate to entitle this 2-CD ssurvey "Opera Arias by the Young Caballe." In the whole generous 151 min. there are only 6 songs to represent her extensive recital repertoire, and no Zarzuela. For those items you have to go to rCA. Here we get Caballe mostly from the Seventies (1971-79) with bits form the early Eighties.

The reviewers below have given deserved praise to Caballe's abilities as diva. My onw opinion is that she was better on records than in the opera house. She wasn't gifted as an actress and cut a short, wide figure onstage. But as a vocal actress on disc she was very convincing, despite her over-reliance on pathos and delicacy. One longs at times, amid all the beauitful floated notes, ... Read More:

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Amor--Opera's Great Love Songs

from: Decca

August 11, 1998
I absolutely love opera music, and this c.d. is great for the most part. However, I am completely shocked that Maria Callas is nowhere to be found! In my opinion Callas' versions of Vissi D'arte, Vissi D'amore, L'Amour Est Un Oiseau Rebelle, Oh! MI Babbino Caro, Signore, Ascolta!, and Un bel di vedremo were much better than the versions feature on this c.d. Even Tribaldi made the list! If people enjoy amazing opera music, they would be better off buying a c.d. by Maria Callas. Of course, Pavarotti is also amazing.

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Opera Obsession! - Opera d'Oro's Greatest Hits

from: Opera D'oro

March 05, 2002
OperaD'Oro has issued a number of artistically excellent performances, however the technical quality is sometimes not up to today's standards. These (this CD is the first in a series of which there are currently 4 CDs) collections of excerts are of excellent technical and artistic quality. At the price, it is a real bargain.