# Choices, choices... arias



## classitone (Apr 11, 2012)

So many versions, so little time!

I am at just starting to collect some operatic music and I would like some opinions on favourite arias, which is where my enjoyment lies at present.

I am looking to buy MP3 versions of Habanera, maybe the one that a forum member 'Truvianni' recommends, performed by Angela Gheorghiu.






Truvianni also recommends the same artist for her rendition of Libiamo Libiamo Ne' Lieti Calici, would others agree, as there are an awful lot of versions of that (and Habanera) out there to choose from?

I would love to hear the preferences of other members on the above and more, to help inform my choices. I have just bought Belle Nuit, O Nuit d'Amour, performed by Netrebko and Garanca, which I think is superb!

Cheers,


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I'll leave advice on arias by the wimmin to my more knowledgeable friends.  This is one on my favourite tenor arias.


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## classitone (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks sospiro. 

I'm don't think I have learned to appreciate the male tenors just yet, though I cannot doubt their voices are immensely powerful, they just don't stir me in the same way as a female soprano.

I'm still a bit of a heathem, but I have time


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

I haven't heard a better habanera than Maria Callas and Gheorghiu's version is actually off her CD entitled "Homage to Maria Callas"

Annie's recommendation of Carreras's "Tu che a dio spiegasti" is a big winner with me as well.

Libiamo - I'd go for the TC recommended CD's version: Ileana Cotrubas and Placido Domingo or the Callas again.

Quick six recommended soprano arias off the top of my head? 1) Casta Diva (Maria Callas); 2) Der Holle Rache (Diana Damrau); 3) Sempre Libera (Natalie Dessay); 4) O mio babbino caro (Gheorghiu/Callas); 5) Coppia iniqua (Beverley Sills); 6) Son vergin vezzoza (Joan Sutherland)


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

As for the Mezzo's I'd go for 1) Habanera (Callas); 2) Una voce poco fa (Cecilia Bartoli); 3) O mio Fernando (Vesselina Kasarova); 4) Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix (Shirley Verrett); 5) E amore un ladroncello (Teresa Berganza); 6) Voi che sapete (Many excellent versions - one version I have is Fiorenza Cossotto)


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

classitone said:


> I'm don't think I have learned to appreciate the male tenors just yet, though I cannot doubt their voices are immensely powerful, they just don't stir me in the same way as a female soprano.


Perhaps you might prefer a sweeter sounding tenore leggiero such as Juan Diego Florez:


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## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

MattExcell said:


> Quick six recommended soprano arias off the top of my head? 1) Casta Diva (Maria Callas); 2) Der Holle Rache (Diana Damrau); 3) Sempre Libera (Natalie Dessay); 4) O mio babbino caro (Gheorghiu/Callas); 5) Coppia iniqua (Beverley Sills); 6) Son vergin vezzoza (Joan Sutherland)


Must also include 'visi d'arte' by Montseratt Cabelle


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

Dster said:


> Must also include 'visi d'arte' by Montseratt Cabelle


Good call - I would have personally gone for Callas again, but can't fault the aria. I'd recommend Caballe's two Guillaume Tell arias "Sombre foret" and "Pour notre amour" as exquisite


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

This is a great box set to start with:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/images/B0000582FG/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=229816&s=music


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

My personal favorite is the final trio from Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier. Carlos Kleiber conducted a pretty amazing version of it with the Munich Opera that can be found on youtube! Strauss actually wrote quite a lot of music for sopranos so if you like that he may be worth checking out more. And since I didn't see much baroque in here: Handel's "Cara Sposa" from Rinaldo and "Ah, Belinda!" (I think that's the official name lol) from the beginning of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas are some of my tops from the era.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

classitone said:


> Thanks sospiro.
> 
> I'm don't think I have learned to appreciate the male tenors just yet, though I cannot doubt their voices are immensely powerful, they just don't stir me in the same way as a female soprano.
> 
> I'm still a bit of a heathen, but I have time


I don't for a moment regard you as a heathen. And neither will anyone else on here. One of the great things about this forum is that even if you know only a little bit, nobody thinks any less of you - interest & enthusiasm count just as much as knowledge.

If tenor arias aren't quite your thing yet (& I confess they're not mine either), then how about a good baritone or my favourite fach, a gorgeous deep chocolatey velvet bass? 






I think the aria below _Cinta di fiori_ is one of the most beautiful bass arias. (starts properly at about 1:55)


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Some of my favorite sopranos/arias:

Anja Harteros singing one of Leonora's arias from Verdi's _Il Trovatore_:





Sena Jurinac singing Donna Elvira's aria, "_Mi tradi_," from Mozart's _Don Giovanni_:





More Mozart -- Anna Netrebko singing Servillia's aria, "_S'alto che lagrime_," from _La Clemenza di Tito_:





Finally, the beautiful "_Canon Quartet_" from Beethoven's _Fidelio_:


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

sospiro said:


> I think the aria below _Cinta di fiori_ is one of the most beautiful bass arias. (starts properly at about 1:55)


Oh dear, Annie and I have rather turned this into the "I Puritani appreciation thread"

Ah well - it is a gem: I regret nothing!


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## classitone (Apr 11, 2012)

Wow... overload 

Thank you all for your recommendations, not time tonight for me to relax and listen properly to all of the above, but I have given mostly all a cursory play.

MattExcell, I think Juan Diego Florez has a superb voice, I shall look out for more examples... shame the audio compression in the video has affected the high notes. I've put him on my purchase list, thanks. I'll look at the CD collections and see if I can get audio file equivalents, I am trying to limit myself to audio files for portability and storage reasons. Thanks for the info.

Dster, I do like Mme Cabelle, so I will look up that aria... my Grandfather loved Maria Callas and was a font of knowledge, shame I didn't appreciate it when he was still around to share it! I used to have an old CD of her arias, that sounded pretty good, though I think I am coming up against a quality issue with the digital compression on YouTube again with Callas, as I haven't been so enamoured with what I have discovered thus far.

Stargazer, I've not really given Der Rosenkavalier a fairt chance tonight, stepped into the finale at about 3:30+ and though there was a lack of harmony... I need to give it more of a chance and go from the beginning, as I really liked the voice of one of the trio (the cross-dressing one) when she sang alone. The dischord is probably with me tonight, need to be more chilled! Thanks for your input, I'll come back to it.

Sospiro, thank you, I'm sure you are all far too polite to call me a heathen. See, I would have said philistine would be a bit strong, heathen I think is quite apropos in this case :lol:
Those deeper bass voices are quite soothing, though I find myself somewhat surprised not to like Jose Carreras, as I know he is very highly regarded... another of my Grandfathers idols I believe. I keep finding myself very much enjoying the score from La Traviate (Verdi is already becoming a favourite of mine), so I think I prefer that of your two suggestions, though not necessarily for the voice. Again, more time is needed to let them sink in!

And MAuer, thanks. The Canon Quartet stood out among those and I also really liked the aria from Il Trovatore.

That's an hour gone and I don't even feel like I've given any of it a fair hearing, a few more days this week would be welcome! Combination of work for the next week and vacation the week after will mean I have limited time for idulgence for a while, but I would like to thank you all for your input and I will post with some follow up when I have had a chance to have a Proper listen.



MattExcell said:


> I regret nothing!


An Edith Piaf fan too?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

classitone said:


> Sospiro, thank you, I'm sure you are all far too polite to call me a heathen. See, I would have said philistine would be a bit strong, heathen I think is quite apropos in this case :lol:
> Those deeper bass voices are quite soothing, though I find myself somewhat surprised not to like Jose Carreras, as I know he is very highly regarded... another of my Grandfathers idols I believe. I keep finding myself very much enjoying the score from La Traviata (*Verdi is already becoming a favourite of mine*), so I think I prefer that of your two suggestions, though not necessarily for the voice. Again, more time is needed to let them sink in!


A discerning & intelligent chap as well


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

classitone said:


> An Edith Piaf fan too?


No, just a slave to pop culture references!


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

classitone said:


> MattExcell, I think Juan Diego Florez has a superb voice, I shall look out for more examples... shame the audio compression in the video has affected the high notes.


You might be interested in my Bel Canto play list project that I've been putting together for the last ten months:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A01C9EBEF335ECC&feature=mh_lolz

Lots of JDF on offer across all three bel canto masters (Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti)


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## FranzKroger (Apr 6, 2012)

maybe something from the west would be interesting..


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## classitone (Apr 11, 2012)

Thanks Frantz, I quite liked that... am finding that audio quality on youtube for many of these perfomances is not sufficiant to do them justice, though I suppose good enough to give an idea!

Wow Matt, that's quite a list. Now, I think it's gonna be a long, long time... before I get to the end of that!


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## Dster (Oct 3, 2011)

classitone said:


> Dster, I do like Mme Cabelle, so I will look up that aria... my Grandfather loved Maria Callas and was a font of knowledge, shame I didn't appreciate it when he was still around to share it! I used to have an old CD of her arias, that sounded pretty good, though I think I am coming up against a quality issue with the digital compression on YouTube again with Callas, as I haven't been so enamoured with what I have discovered thus far.


Here is the rendition of 'vissi d árte' by Monserrat Cabelle. Listen careful at 2.50 min. I have not heard any other singer who did it the same way.


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## MattExcell (Jun 15, 2011)

classitone said:


> Wow Matt, that's quite a list. Now, I think it's gonna be a long, long time... before I get to the end of that!


Ha! Yeah - I'm still adding to it as well. Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti are considered the immediate forerunners of Verdi, which is how I got interested in them. As a budding Verdi fan, you may feel the same.


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