CD-Charts Position 1
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Mozart: Don Giovanni

Search: Fernando
from: Decca

Release Date June 12, 2000
This recording of "Don Giovanni" has for years been a benchmark to rank with the Karajan/Schwarzkopf "Rosenkavalier" or any Callas "Norma." Note that none of these great recordings has been without detractors, but the fact remains that they are to be reckoned seriously in any comparison of performance quality.

I find myself appalled at the casual, hoity-toity dismissal by your professional reviewer of an ensemble of singers, the like of which is not be found today in all the world. The back-of-the-hand to Siepi merely because he is a bass demonstrates a lack of familiarity with long-established performing traditions. Yes, Brownlee, a baritone, was an excellent Don Giovanni, but Pinza, a bass, was a better one. The airy sniffs ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera

Search: Fernando
by: Birgit Nilsson Giulietta Simionato Carlo Bergonzi Cornell MacNeil Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia Georg Solti

Release Date April 16, 2007
This recording of "Don Giovanni" has for years been a benchmark to rank with the Karajan/Schwarzkopf "Rosenkavalier" or any Callas "Norma." Note that none of these great recordings has been without detractors, but the fact remains that they are to be reckoned seriously in any comparison of performance quality.

I find myself appalled at the casual, hoity-toity dismissal by your professional reviewer of an ensemble of singers, the like of which is not be found today in all the world. The back-of-the-hand to Siepi merely because he is a bass demonstrates a lack of familiarity with long-established performing traditions. Yes, Brownlee, a baritone, was an excellent Don Giovanni, but Pinza, a bass, was a better one. The airy sniffs ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Donizetti: Don Pasquale

Search: Fernando
by: Graziella Sciutti Juan Oncina Tom Krause Fernando Corena Wiener Staatsopernorchester István Kertész

Release Date June 11, 2007
This recording of "Don Giovanni" has for years been a benchmark to rank with the Karajan/Schwarzkopf "Rosenkavalier" or any Callas "Norma." Note that none of these great recordings has been without detractors, but the fact remains that they are to be reckoned seriously in any comparison of performance quality.

I find myself appalled at the casual, hoity-toity dismissal by your professional reviewer of an ensemble of singers, the like of which is not be found today in all the world. The back-of-the-hand to Siepi merely because he is a bass demonstrates a lack of familiarity with long-established performing traditions. Yes, Brownlee, a baritone, was an excellent Don Giovanni, but Pinza, a bass, was a better one. The airy sniffs ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore

Search: Fernando
from: Double

Release Date January 10, 1995
Lovely jubbly! These singers were all at their peak when this was recorded, based on a stage production and so the performance on records exudes character and feeling for thsi work. Gueden's Adina is unbeatable, sweet and pert. Corena relishes his role, fruity of voice and superb in diction and characterisation. Capecchi's voice is the least ingratiating, but his singing is very characterful. Di Stefano's Nemorino is hors de concour, irresistible, luscious of voice, exhuberant, melting, and moving in the moments of pathos. Excellent sound and idiomatically conducted by Molinari Pradelli.

CD-Charts Position 5
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Puccini: La Bohème

Search: Fernando
from: Opera Double Decca

Release Date January 18, 1999
Decca have released this classic recording of La Boheme (in my opinion the best recording of the opera) at a bargain price and it's not to be missed. The singers are truly outstanding. Tebaldi was at the height of her powers here, and though some purists would criticise her for not being frail enough, her voice is truly outstanding. Bergonzi matches her and really pulls all the stops out - his 'Che gelida manina' is outstanding. Bastianini is also in his best voice and really uses his distinctive and powerful baritone voice to it's best as Marcello. All three of them have provide singing that is truly breathtaking. Siepi is luxury casting as Colline, but d'Angelo is a little shrill and a bit disappointing as Musetta, but does not spoil the recording. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
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Puccini: The Great Operas

Search: Fernando
by: Renata Tebaldi Mario Monaco

Release Date January 22, 2008
Although I dearly wanted Tebaldi, Bergonzi & del Monaco in these marvellous operas, I fought shy of buying this set for weeks after reading the previous reviews as I understood that these were all mono recordings although Boheme and Butterfly had been re-recorded in stereo. Eventually I couldn't resist (especially at some of the marketplace prices).
I thought I'd start with the earliest recording - Manon Lescaut from 1954. Imagine my sheer unalloyed joy when glorious Decca ffss twin-channel sound poured out of the speakers. I hastily checked the booklet and the box, but no word of what might be stereo or mono - then I looked at all the individual disks. Each one declares itself to be Stereo. Yeehah! I have hours of Puccini in classic Decca ripe ... Read More: