Puccini
Puccini: Heroines (Pentatone)
An impressive, if not vocally perfect, recital from an experienced Puccini singer [DJa]
Puccini: La fanciulla del West (Walhall)
Tebaldi’s best Minnie, well-partnered, too – but in mono [RMo]
Lise Davidsen: Live at the Met (Decca)
The greatest soprano of our age in recital from the stage of the Met [PH]
Puccini: Orchestral Music (Chandos)
A succession of Romantic, richly scored melodies, exhibiting typically seductive Puccinian tropes [RMo]
Franco Corelli (tenor): The Alternative Repertoire (Urania Records)
A marvellous reminder of one of the best voices on record [DJa]
Gundula Janowitz (soprano) In Concert (VAI)
I’d be willing to stay up all night to hear her [RMo]
The Golden Age of Singing Vol 1, 1900 – 1910 (Nimbus Prima Voce)
There is a reason why “The Golden Age of Singing” is so named here… [RMo]
Puccini: Messa di Gloria (Naxos)
An attractive collection of Puccini’s non-operatic juvenilia, performed in spirited fashion [RMo]
Puccini: La bohème (Decca)
(Déjà Review) One of the greatest opera recordings of all time! [GF]
Kévin Amiel (tenor) Backstage (Aparté)
An enjoyable debut aria collection from Kévin Amiel [MC]
Maria Callas (soprano): Arias Volume 1 (Pristine Audio)
Once again, Pristine breathes new life into two established and indispensable recital classics [RMo]
Puccini: Tosca (Decca)
A rare misfire in Decca’s hugely impressive opera back-catalogue [LD]
Puccini: Tosca (Pristine Audio)
Much here is vivid and compelling, especially with Pristine’s enhanced sound, but for me de Sabata prevails [RMo]
Puccini: Le Villi (BR Klassik)
As satisfying an account of the youthful Puccini’s first success as one could wish to encounter [RMo]
Puccini: Tosca (Deutsche Grammophon)
An important Tosca from Deutsche Grammophon [PH]
Puccini: Tosca (Deutsche Grammophon)
The best Tosca released in the past half-century [GF]
Puccini: La bohème (Decca; Warner Classics)
Quite similar recordings, both with many but different strengths, so difficult to choose between [RMo]
Puccini: Turandot (Pristine Audio)
A thrilling live performance, worth hearing, if not the last word in Nilsson/Corelli versions of Turandot [PT]
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (Opus Arte)
This complements but does not replace Opus Arte’s 2018 filmed performance [RWe]
Puccini: La Bohème (Opus Arte)
(Déjà Review) A cinematographic representation helped by the stunning sets and Mula’s Mimi [RJF]
Puccini: Turandot (Pristine Audio)
A thrilling – though not flawless – performance enhanced by Pristine’s remastering [RMo]
Puccini: Love Affairs (Sony Classical)
Not a great recital disc, but of enough quality and interest to make it worth considering [PSt]
Maria – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Warner Classics)
Callas’ voice restored for a film score; if you love her voice, maybe this is one for you [KT]
Puccini: Turandot (Pristine Audio)
Birgit Nilsson’s first Turandot now remastered on Pristine Audio brings the recording back into the field of comparison [PCG]
