CD-Charts Position 1
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Verdi - La Traviata / Sutherland, Pavarotti, Manuguerra, NPO, Bonynge

Search: Summer
by: Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Matteo Manuguerra, Richard Bonynge, National Philharmonic Orchestra, Della Jones, John Tomlinson, Jonathan Summers, David Wilson-Johnson

Release Date March 05, 1991
In many ways, this was Sutherland's return to form, for the much criticised mooning is largely absent. The voice is firm, rich, and she's fully in control of it. And for me that's the first problem: There's just no getting away from the fact that here is a very mature, matronly heroine, who sounds in the pink of health. Violetta is supposed to be young and desperately ill...

Some singers allow little vocal frailties into their singing to bring the character alive (Cotrubas, Gheorghiu, Callas). Sutherland never does, and her attempts at being expressive strike me as...manufactured. She sounds like a not-so-young diva enjoying a big sing. But in a role she's grown out of. The artful drawing on the cover, which attempts to take back ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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Britten: Peter Grimes

Search: Summer
from: Duo

Release Date April 19, 1999
This was the first opera recording I ever listened to and it got me hooked. I've since acquired the Pears / Britten interpretation on Decca, but (so far) have been unable to relinquish my loyalty to this Philips set. The two major pillars here are Jon Vickers as Peter Grimes and Colin Davis overseeing the whole work. Vickers makes Grimes much more powerful, agressive, threatening and tortured than Pears. Right from the first bars - in the court room scene - it's clear that Vickers is going to put his heart and soul into this role. Indeed, such is the depth of his portrayal that one cannot help a degree of sympathy for the "sadistic fisherman". In fact, it is Vickers' ability to generate a complex mix of feelings in the listener that gives Grimes ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

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Opera Scenes - Renée Fleming

Search: Summer
from: Decca

Release Date September 22, 1997
This was the first opera recording I ever listened to and it got me hooked. I've since acquired the Pears / Britten interpretation on Decca, but (so far) have been unable to relinquish my loyalty to this Philips set. The two major pillars here are Jon Vickers as Peter Grimes and Colin Davis overseeing the whole work. Vickers makes Grimes much more powerful, agressive, threatening and tortured than Pears. Right from the first bars - in the court room scene - it's clear that Vickers is going to put his heart and soul into this role. Indeed, such is the depth of his portrayal that one cannot help a degree of sympathy for the "sadistic fisherman". In fact, it is Vickers' ability to generate a complex mix of feelings in the listener that gives Grimes ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

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Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera

Search: Summer
by: Covent Garden Colin Davis, Covent Garden Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Montserrat Caballé José Carreras Ingvar Wixell Chorus of the Royal Opera House

Release Date October 21, 2002
Now, where would we be with a Verdi opera without conspirators in the cast? Up a gum tree, I suppose, but it all depends on the calibre of the villains. Well, no problems here with Robert Lloyd and Gwynne Howell taking the parts of Samuel and Tom, respectively - a corking pair of desperadoes! Montserrat Caballé is perhaps a wee bit strident as the bashful Amelia who can't decide whether she should or she shouldn't, although that's not really a criticism but José Carreras gives a terrific rendition as Riccardo. Ingvar Wixell isn't too far behind him as Renato who draws lots with Samuel and Tom for the honour of bumping-off Riccardo.

Colin Davis does his usual masterly job of conducting the orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

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Saint-Saens: Samson et Dalila

Search: Summer
by: Agnes Baltsa José Carreras Simon Estes Paata Burchuladze Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks Colin Davis

Release Date November 08, 2004
Now, where would we be with a Verdi opera without conspirators in the cast? Up a gum tree, I suppose, but it all depends on the calibre of the villains. Well, no problems here with Robert Lloyd and Gwynne Howell taking the parts of Samuel and Tom, respectively - a corking pair of desperadoes! Montserrat Caballé is perhaps a wee bit strident as the bashful Amelia who can't decide whether she should or she shouldn't, although that's not really a criticism but José Carreras gives a terrific rendition as Riccardo. Ingvar Wixell isn't too far behind him as Renato who draws lots with Samuel and Tom for the honour of bumping-off Riccardo.

Colin Davis does his usual masterly job of conducting the orchestra of the Royal Opera House and the ... Read More: