CD-Charts Position 161
Average Rating:

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Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Eugene Onegin / Fleming, Hvorostovsky, Vargas, Gergiev, Carsen [Metropolitan Opera 2007]

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
starring: Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ramon Vargas, Valery Gergiev, Elena Zaremba
directed by: Robert Carsen

Release Date February 04, 2008
This is a quite lovely DVD that rightly places Onegin at the heart of the opera, when frequently the whole focus is on Tatiana. While the latter is understandable given the importance of the Letter Scene to the drama of the work - and it was the musical kernel around which the recurring motifs of the opera are based - by focussing so centrally on Onegin himself the final scenes pack a real punch.

The staging is minimalist, the action taking place within the huge white cube of the bare Metropolitan stage, with no scenery. The different scenes are picked out by the simple use of a few judicious pieces of stage furniture - a single table for the opening scene in the Larin's garden, a bed and bureau for Tatiana's room and so on - ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 162
Average Rating:

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Baby Einstein - Travelling Melodies

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
by: Baby Einstein Music Box Orchestra

Release Date July 03, 2006
This is a quite lovely DVD that rightly places Onegin at the heart of the opera, when frequently the whole focus is on Tatiana. While the latter is understandable given the importance of the Letter Scene to the drama of the work - and it was the musical kernel around which the recurring motifs of the opera are based - by focussing so centrally on Onegin himself the final scenes pack a real punch.

The staging is minimalist, the action taking place within the huge white cube of the bare Metropolitan stage, with no scenery. The different scenes are picked out by the simple use of a few judicious pieces of stage furniture - a single table for the opening scene in the Larin's garden, a bed and bureau for Tatiana's room and so on - ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 163
Average Rating:

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Finzi - Clarinet Concerto

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Naxos

Release Date November 02, 1998
What a talent! Finzi is a marvel in 20th century British music. This cd is a wonderful collection, beautifully played, of some of this country's finest classical music. Perhaps Finzi is just too pleasing to the ear for the purest, but the accessibilty of his marvellous music is an absolute treat. Even the kids like this cd.

CD-Charts Position 164
Average Rating:

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Debussy - Clair de lune

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Naxos

Release Date March 29, 2004
What a talent! Finzi is a marvel in 20th century British music. This cd is a wonderful collection, beautifully played, of some of this country's finest classical music. Perhaps Finzi is just too pleasing to the ear for the purest, but the accessibilty of his marvellous music is an absolute treat. Even the kids like this cd.

CD-Charts Position 165
Average Rating:

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Mozart - Le Nozze Di Figaro [2006]

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
directed by: David McVicar

Release Date March 03, 2008
This is the page for the wonderful ROH production. All the other reviews in this section are for a Salzburg production. Don't know what that is like, but this - the ROH production - is great, with a believably young and predatory Count, a splendid Susanna (Persson) and so on.

Amazon - please sort!

CD-Charts Position 166
Average Rating:

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Bach - Cello Suites / Steven Isserlis

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Hyperion

Release Date April 30, 2007
I have loved the Bach Cello Suites ever since I was an almost talent-free teenage cellist getting on for 40 years ago, and in that time I have heard (and often bought) wonderful recordings by some of the world's very greatest cellists including Casals, Tortelier, Fournier and Yo-Yo Ma. Isserlis's recording stands with the very best of them. He is a magnificent musician and has thought and studied for years before tackling the Bach Suites. This shows in his delightful involvement in the music, the way the dances really dance when they should and how the very soul of the music and of Bach shines through what he does. Joy, sorrow, beauty and passion are all beautifully evoked, and it's all exactly appropriate - no flashy tricks or dodgy imposition of things ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 167
Average Rating:

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Mozart: Die Zauberflöte

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Great Recordings of the Century

Release Date September 04, 2000
There really isn't much to say.

Yes, this is an "old recording" and it shows the technology of its age with a slight lack of bright crispness, but DON'T LET THIS PUT YOU OFF.

There are some performances that are genuinely special and even if they were recorded in 1964, before the advent of digital recording techniques, they remain special nevertheless. This performance has gravitas, power, majesty and sublime magnificence.

Yes, I'd accept that Lucia Popp could have done with being a bit more fearsome - she is, after all, the epitome of monstrous evil - but that is the tiniest of criticisms when you're wallowing in her GLORIOUS voice and utterly brilliant coloratura.

This is the best recording of Die Zauberflote I've come ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 168
Average Rating:

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Born

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
by: Bond

Release Date August 25, 2003
I'm a hardened, dyed-in-the-wool classical music lover. I have hundreds of classical cds and maybe one shelf of what you'd call pop.

This cd, as has been said, is not classical. Oh sure, the tunes are familiar, but there's a disco beat to them and they've been heavily arranged. When I first saw this group, I did wonder if they were following the lamentable modern trend of looks over talent.

But you know what? I actually really enjoyed it. These ladies can play. Very well, in fact. It's perfect if you like classical, but are in the mood for something a little wilder, or maybe if you are not at all into classical but want to dip your toe in the water.

In short, this was the first Bond album I bought. I now own three.

CD-Charts Position 169
Average Rating:

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Puccini: Turandot

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
from: Decca

Release Date February 07, 1985
Read all the other reviews for soloist analysis etc. What I wish to add is do not be put off by the age of this recording. This was recorded by Decca in their glory days.The dynamic range, frequency range, soundstaging, capture of the hall sound, can (and does) put many a modern recording to shame. The breathing sounds and creaking stage boards only cement the performance. If you want to know how good your system is, can you hear the tube trains passing underneath and the birds outside.

For many including myself this is and will always be a definitive/landmark recording/performance.

CD-Charts Position 170
Average Rating:

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40 Degrees North

CD-Charts > Music > Classical
by: Xuefei Yang

Release Date April 07, 2008
Read all the other reviews for soloist analysis etc. What I wish to add is do not be put off by the age of this recording. This was recorded by Decca in their glory days.The dynamic range, frequency range, soundstaging, capture of the hall sound, can (and does) put many a modern recording to shame. The breathing sounds and creaking stage boards only cement the performance. If you want to know how good your system is, can you hear the tube trains passing underneath and the birds outside.

For many including myself this is and will always be a definitive/landmark recording/performance.