Puccini

Puccini canti 900349

Puccini: I Canti (BR Klassik)

Charles Castronovo breathes new life to these smart orchestrations of Puccini’s piano songs [MC]

Where is my Beloved Siurina Delos DE3602

Ekaterina Siurina (soprano) Where Is My Beloved? (Delos)

I have enjoyed hearing this praiseworthy collection of ten celebrated opera arias [MC]

Verismo preludes Onyx4242

Verismo – Preludi e Intermezzi (Onyx)

A disk for all lovers of melodious music with substance; a happy mix, superbly played [GF]

Puccini manon PACO205

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Pristine Audio)

A jewel of a recording, splendidly remastered by Pristine [MP]

Puccini: The Great Puccini (Deutsche Grammophon)

Yes – we are hearing something special here [RMo]

Puccini: Tosca (Pentatone)

An indifferent Scarpia, so this is not a premier choice, but great singing by Melody Moore and Ștefan Pop [GF]

Ekaterina Siurina (soprano): Where Is My Beloved? (Delos)

A stream of imperturbably sedate tone, virtually devoid of characterisation [RMo]

LOpera de Paris Malibran CDRG215

The Paris Opera 1900-1960 (Malibran Music)

Ten very well-filled discs documenting six glorious decades at the Paris Opera [RMo]

Puccini manon PACO205

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Pristine Audio)

A palpable improvement over the remastering of the original mono recording and a fine performance in itself [RMo]

Jonathan Tetelman (tenor) The Great Puccini (DG)

A star Is born! Let’s hope he will resist overexposure [GF]

Puccini trittico 808908

Puccini: Il trittico (Unitel Edition)

The superb Asmik Grigorian sings all three female leads in the generally impressive performances from the 2022 Salzburg Festival [RWe]

Siurina beloved DE3602

Ekaterina Siurina (soprano) Where Is My Beloved? (Delos)

Ekaterina Siurina’s voice is in mint condition, with perfectly controlled vibrato and a glowing delivery [GF]

Puccini: Le Villi (naïve)

(Déjà Review) Not just for anoraks, this is a marvellous introduction to Puccini [CF]

puccini turandot pristine callas

Puccini: Turandot (Pristine Audio)

Not an ‘icon’ perhaps, but unmissable for admirers of Callas and Puccini [WH]

Tebaldi remembering PTC5187070

Remembering Tebaldi (Pentatone)

A lovely recital presenting Melody Moore as a worthy inhabitant of the pantheon of the present generation of sopranos [GF]

puccini manon scotto

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Deutsche Grammophon)

(In Memoriam Déjà Review) Forget the limitations of this early video transcript and glory in Puccini’s music and the committed acting and singing [RJF]

Puccini: Turandot (C Major)

A dazzling Turandot that spectacularly misses the point [LD]

Puccini Lescaut PACO201 [RMo]

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Pristine Audio)

A gramophone stereo classic from the 50s is given yet more lustre by this splendid remastering [RMo]

Puccini Turandot Pappano Warner 5419740659

Puccini: Turandot (Warner Classics)

Great sound, conducting, choral singing and orchestral playing, but only one principal singer who really comes up to scratch [RMo]

Puccini Manon Lescaut Netrebko Armiliato DG 4796828

Puccini: Manon Lescaut (Deutsche Grammophon)

Netrebko’s star shines brightly in the otherwise dull Salzburg night’s sky [LD]

Puccini basile 8573874792

Puccini: Tosca (Warner Fonit)

(Déjà Review) There are plenty of reasons for having this as well as the Callas/De Sabata [CH]

puccini turandot pristine callas

Puccini: Turandot (Pristine Audio)

Revitalised sound permits us to re-appreciate the manifest virtues of this recording, despite its flaws [RMo]

barstow final scenes decca

Josephine Barstow (soprano) Final Scenes (Decca)

For me, the two outer tracks alone make this anthology of final scenes compulsory [RMo]

puccini turandot lombard

Puccini: Turandot (Warner Classics)

(Déjà Review) The pleasure that Caballé’s beautiful tone and imaginative approach gives is enormous [JS]