Puccini
Pene Pati (tenor): Nessun Dorma (Warner Classics)
That Pene Pati is a talented tenor far beyond the ordinary is obvious, and I hope he isn’t tempted to take on heavier roles too early [GF]
Sonya Yoncheva (soprano) The Courtesan (SY11 Productions)
A captivating album of arias on a courtesan theme [MC]
20th Century Foxtrots Vol 6: Southern Europe (Grand Piano)
Delights all round on this Mediterranean exploration [RCh]
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Pristine Audio)
A classic if not definitive recording, in superb sound [MBu]
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Pristine Audio)
A deeply touching Butterfly and a thrilling Pinkerton who are all the more striking in Pristine’s vivid remastering [RMo]
Leontyne Price (soprano) Personal Choice (Alto)
One of the most glorious female voices of the 20th century, in a selection from famous recordings [EJW]
Jacqueline Delman (soprano) More from my archives (Oak Grove)
A valuable documentation of Delman’s versatility, musically, repertoire-wise and linguistically [GF]
New Year’s Concert – Teatro La Fenice 2023 (C Major)
A pleasing concert that will almost certainly cheer you up [MMB]
Puccini: Il trittico (Decca)
Not a first choice recording but worth spending some time with for a few excellent individual contributions [MP]
Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music (Albion Records)
Another transfer of the 1938 Serenade to Music and miscellaneous songs from the 16 singers [JW]
Puccini: La bohème (Warner Classics)
This old recording still has plenty of rewards to offer [MP]
Puccini: A te, Puccini (Signum Classics)
These songs deserve more recordings but here the vocal shortcomings are hard to ignore [MBu]
Puccini: I Canti – Orchestral Songs (BR Klassik)
The youthful Puccini’s complete songs, robustly sung – and an even more pleasing trio of early orchestral pieces [RMo]
Vaughan Williams’s Serenade to Music (Albion Records)
This important historical document must be judged on its own terms [JF]
Puccini: Symphonic Suites (Signum Classics)
Newly edited Puccini operatic suites receive glowing performances [PCG]
Angela Gheorghiu: A Te, Puccini (Signum Classics)
Not my cup of tea – in spite of some sensitive, nuanced singing, Gheorghiu’s vibrato is now too much to stomach [GF]
Puccini: Tosca (Unitel Edition)
The staging will divide opinion, but watch, listen, and let the performers convince you [WH]
Puccini: I Canti (BR Klassik)
A disc that no Puccini admirer can dispense with [GF]
Puccini: Tosca (Unitel Editions)
Three impressive lead singers in a remarkably innovative staging which leaves the historic context far behind [RWe]
Puccini: Tosca (Pentatone)
A sonically splendid recording of Tosca overshadowed by ghosts from the past [PT]
Puccini: I Canti (BR Klassik)
Charles Castronovo breathes new life to these smart orchestrations of Puccini’s piano songs [MC]
Ekaterina Siurina (soprano) Where Is My Beloved? (Delos)
I have enjoyed hearing this praiseworthy collection of ten celebrated opera arias [MC]
Verismo – Preludi e Intermezzi (Onyx)
A disk for all lovers of melodious music with substance; a happy mix, superbly played [GF]
Featured Naxos review |