# Legendary performances of Freni



## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Does anyone out there have this? I can't find any reviews of it anywhere, though it came out over a year ago - so I have no idea how good are the performances, nor how good are the recordings. If anyone can say anything about it, I'd be much obliged.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I don't have this set, but I have three of the operas with Freni that are included in this box set. You know about the _La Boheme_ (if it's the famous Pavarotti/Freni/Karajan set). The _Faust_ recording is with Placido Domingo and Thomas Allen. It's not bad but somehow lacks intensity. The de Los Angeles/Gedda/Christoff/Cluytens set is still the best _Faust_ recording as far as I know. The _Le Nozze di Figaro_ set is solid - featuring your _Four Last Songs_ fave Jessye Norman as the countess. It's not my fave _Figaro_ recording, but it's good and Freni is charming.

All of my above comments only apply if these are indeed the recordings that are included in this box set, because it's entirely possible (even likely) that there are several versions with Mirella available in some of these operas. A 24 page booklet means that there won't be any librettos.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

There's a detailed listing here - and you'll see that none of these performances are the ones you mention.

My guess (I believe they're all live recordings) is that they're from radio broadcasts (like the 69 Boheme that I bought recently - now, if only they were _that_ good ....). So far in my investigations, it seems as if the only way to find out what the recordings are like is to buy one....


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I've found some samples (184, to be precise) here, but unfortunately they're RealPlayer files at 16Kbps, so it's like listening to music over the phone, and one can't deduce anything about the recording quality.


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