Composer: Vincenzo Bellini
Performer: Joan Sutherland
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: Richard Bonynge
Audio CD
SPARS Code: ADD
Number of Discs: 10 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Decca
Size: 2.69 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Beatrice di Tenda
CD 01
01. Preludio
02. Act 1 – Tu, signor! lasciar si presto
03. Act 1 – Ah! non pensar che pieno
04. Act 1 – Silenzio e notte intorno
05. Act 1 – Si: rivale … rivale regnante
06. Act 1 – Respiro io qui
07. Act 1 – Ma la sola, ahime! son io
08. Act 1 – Ah! la pena in lor piombo
09. Act 1 – Vedi? … La tua presenza fugge sdegnosa
10. Act 1 – E quali? quali? spergiura! ingrata!
11. Act 1 – Qui di ribelli sudditi
12. Act 1 – Lo vedeste?
13. Act 1 – Il mio dolore e l’ira
14. Act 1 – Parti…infausto di! infausto di!
CD 02
01. Act 1 – Ah! tal onta io meritai…
02. Act 2 – Introduzione … Lassa! e puo il ciel
03. Act 2 – Omai del suo destino
04. Act 2 – O troppo a mie preghiere
05. Act 2 – Oh! voce! e dessa …
06. Act 2 – Al tuo fallo ammenda festi generosa
07. Act 2 – Filippo! Tu! … ti appressa
08. Act 2 – Rimorso in lei?
09. Act 2 – Qui m’accolse oppresso
10. Act 2 – Prega! Ah! no, non sia la misera
11. Act 2 – Nulla io dissi … Di sovrumana forza
12. Act 2 – Ah! se un’urna e a me concessa
Norma
CD 03
01. Sinfonia
02. Act 1 – Introduzione: Ite sul colle, o Druidi
03. Act 1 – Svanir le voci!
04. Act 1 – Meco all’altar di Venere
05. Act 1 – Me protegge, me difende
06. Act 1 – Norma viene
07. Act 1 – Sediziose voci, voci di guerra
08. Act 1 – Casta Diva
09. Act 1 – Fine al rito
10. Act 1 – Ah! bello a me ritorna
11. Act 1 – Sgombra e la sacra selva, compuito il rito
12. Act 1 – Deh! proteggimi, o Dio!
13. Act 1 – Eccola! va, mi lascia, ragion non odo
14. Act 1 – Va, crudele, al Dio spietato
CD 04
01. Act 1 – Vanne, e li cela entrambi
02. Act 1 – Adalgisa!
03. Act 1 – Oh! rimembranza!
04. Act 1 – Ah! si, fa core, abbracciami
05. Act 1 – Ma di’, l’amato quale fra noi si noma?
06. Act 1 – Oh non tremare
07. Act 1 – Oh! di qual sei tu vittima
08. Act 1 – Oh! qual traspare orribile
09. Act 1 – Norma! de’tuoi rimproveri
10. Act 1 – Perfido!
11. Act 1 – Vanne, si: mi lascia, indegno
CD 05
01. Act 2 – Scena – Introduzione
02. Act 2 – Dormono entrambi
03. Act 2 – Mi chiami, o Norma!
04. Act 2 – Deh! con te, con te li prendi
05. Act 2 – Mira, o Norma
06. Act 2 – Si, fino all’ore estreme
07. Act 2 – Non parti?
08. Act 2 – Guerrieri! a voi venirne
09. Act 2 – Ei tornera
10. Act 2 – Squilla il bronzo del Dio!
11. Act 2 – Guerra, guerra!
12. Act 2 – Ne compi il rito, o Norma?
13. Act 2 – In mia man alfin tu sei
14. Act 2 – Gia mi pasco ne’tuoi sguardi
15. Act 2 – Dammi quel ferro
16. Act 2 – Qual cor tradisti, qual cor perdesti
17. Act 2 – Norma! deh! Norma, scolpati
18. Act 2 – Deh! non volerli vittime
I Puritani
CD 06
01. Act 1 – All’erta! All’erta! L’alba appari
02. Act 1 – O di Cromwell guerrieri
03. Act 1 – Or dove fuggo mai?
04. Act 1 – Ah! per sempre io ti perdei
05. Act 1 – O amato zio, o mio secondo padre!
06. Act 1 – Sai com’arde in petto mio
07. Act 1 – Ad Arturo onore
08. Act 1 – A te, o cara
09. Act 1 – I rito augusto si compia senza me
10. Act 1 – Son vergin vezzosa
11. Act 1 – Ferma! Invan, invan rapir pretendi!
12. Act 1 – Dov’e Arturo?
13. Act 1 – Ma tu gia mi fuggi?
CD 07
01. Act 2 – Ah dolor! Ah terror!
02. Act 2 – Cinta di fiori
03. Act 2 – E di morte lo stral non sara lento
04. Act 2 – O rendetemi la speme
05. Act 2 – Vien, diletto, e in ciel la luna
06. Act 2 – Il rival salvar tu dei
CD 08
01. Act 3 – Son salvo, alfin son salvo
02. Act 3 – A una fonte afflitto e solo
03. Act 3 – Fini…me lassa!
04. Act 3 – Vieni, vieni fra questa braccia
05. Act 3 – Ancor s’ascolta questa suon molesto
06. Act 3 – Credeasi, misera!
07. Act 3 – Suon d’araldi?
La Sonnambula
CD 09
01. Act 1 – Viva! viva! viva! viva! Amina!
02. Act 1 – Tutto e gioia, tutto e festa
03. Act 1 – Viva Amina!
04. Act 1 – Care compagne, e voi, tenere amici
05. Act 1 – Sopra il sen la man mi posa
06. Act 1 – Io piu di tutti, o Amona
07. Act 1 – Perdona, o mia diletta, i breve indugio
08. Act 1 – Prendi: l’anel ti dono
09. Act 1 – Domani, appena aggiorni
10. Act 1 – 6. ravviso, o luoghi ameni
11. Act 1 – Contezza del paese avete voi, signor?
12. Act 1 – A fosco cielo, a notte bruna
13. Act 1 – Basta cosi
14. Act 1 – Son geloso del zefiro errante
15. Act 1 – Davver, non mi dispiace d’essermi qui fermato
16. Act 1 – Che veggio?
17. Act 1 – Oh ciel? che tento?
18. Act 1 – Osservate! L’uscio e aperto
CD 10
01. Act 1 – e menzonga
02. Act 1 – D’un pensiero e d’un accento
03. Act 1 – Non piu nozze
04. Act 2 – Qui la selva e piu folta ed ombrosa
05. Act 2 – Reggimi, o buona madre
06. Act 2 – Vedi, o madre, e afflitto e mesto
07. Act 2 – Viva il Conte!
08. Act 2 – Ah! perche non posso odiarti
09. Act 2 – Lasciami: aver compreso assai dovresti
10. Act 2 – De’lieti auguri a voi son grata
11. Act 2 – E fia pur vero, Elvino
12. Act 2 – Lisa mendace anch’essa!
13. Act 2 – Signor, che creder deggio?
14. Act 2 – Oh! se una volta sol rivederlo io potessi
15. Act 2 – Ah! non giunge uman pensiero
bonynge_sutherland_bellini02.rar – 305.9 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini03.rar – 297.8 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini04.rar – 145.9 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini05.rar – 322.3 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini06.rar – 364.0 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini07.rar – 216.5 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini08.rar – 215.7 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini09.rar – 339.3 MB
bonynge_sutherland_bellini10.rar – 317.7 MB
Good to have — with reservations
Here’s a voice of great quality, a combination of size, warmth, and flexibility that is most unusual, but I have come to the point where I find the diction to be a real distraction. There are times when Sutherland just seems to ignore consonants. What’s especially frustrating is that in earlier recordings — her first “Rigoletto,” “Lucia,” and “Traviata” — her diction is better, and she sounds less swoony and much fresher. Still, it would be going too far to write off altogether the performances in this CD box. Her earliest “Puritani” is here, as is her “Sonnambula” with Nicolo Monti, and the younger voice is very attractive, The “Beatrice di Tenda” was one of Pavarotti’s first complete recordings. The 1965 “Norma” is very good and well-cast, and the Decca sound of the early 1960s — the period of the great “Ring” cycle recordings — was about as good as it got at the time. It’s just too bad that one of the set’s major attractions is also its biggest drawback.
I assume that this box is targeted at opera-lovers who might have Sutherland’s later recordings and who want to hear her earlier self in Bellini. There are no libretti here, but most of us probably have libretti from other sets. I don’t know that there’s another “Beatrice” on CD. Preferable “Norma” recordings are the Callas/Corelli and the Caballe/Domingo.” A “Puritani” that’s just as good is the Sills/Gedda, and an under-rated “Sonnambula” is the old Tagliavini/ Paghluigi. But these early Sutherlands, with the good sound, good casts, and Sutherland’s own real strengths (whatever the reservations), are good to have.
Bob: Possibly some help from
Amazon: This Bellini box of 10 cds features complete recordings of
La Sonnambula, I Puritani, Norma and Beatrice di Tenda
recorded by Joan Sutherland and husband Richard Bonynge
between 1962 and 1966. The first three were recorded a
second time by the couple with different casts in the 1970s
and 1980s. They are not to be confused with these versions.
Joan Sutherland was at her absolute peak when these recordings
were made. In Sonnambula and Puritani the sound she produces
is utterly awesome – the sheer beauty, purity, range and
virtuosity of the voice are quite simply breathtaking –
these are truly dazzling performances. The casting though
not quite at her level is more than adequate.
In Sonnambula tenor Nicola Monti is light and attractive and
though he cannot go all the way at the top he sings with con-
siderable elegance and charm – bass Fernando Corena has a big
colorful voice and offers a very sympathetic portrayal.
In Puritani tenor Pierre Duval has a strong voice with an
impressive upper register and blends excitingly with Sutherland
in their duets – Renato Capecchi and Ezio Flagello are both
sonorous and offer sturdy performances.
The Norma of 1964 is by now a classic – foremost it preserves
the formidable partnership of Joan Sutherland and Marilyn
Horne at their very peak producing a stream of beautiful and
exciting singing. John Alexander and Richard Cross are well
schooled singers and offer strong support – this is also the
only absolutely complete version sung in the original keys.
The somewhat neglected Beatrice di Tenda is no less worthy
than the other three operas – Sutherland is again on top of
things with beautiful and poised singing while Cornelius Opthof
is appropriately malevolant as Fillipo – as the second couple
we have the fine Josephine Veasey and a young and seductive
Luciano Pavarotti. Richard Bonynge presides over all this with
stylish conducting – the sound is excellent. These operas come
with synopsises but no librettos and Puritani is presented in
a slightly abridged version. If you are an early Sutherland
devotee and/or Bellini lover this box is well worth considering.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Bon appetitte
Amazing! Thank you!