Giacomo Puccini: Greatest Hits

Great Introduction to Puccini

This CD is definitely one of the easiest ways to get into Opera. Puccini, being my favorite opera composer, has produced many great works of art captured here on this CD. While some of these songs are performed better elsewhere, it still is the CD to buy.

Kiri Te Kanawa does an amazing job with "O mio babbino caro." Her unique voice soars all over this aria with astounding grace and beauty. Out of the two different recordings I have heard, this is the best (the other by Angela Gheorghiu, which is beautiful as well). She's got something in her voice that sets this track apart. She does a great job of Musetta's aria "Quando m'en vo'" but she seems to take it too slow and doesn't quite have the "Musetta" sound.

Luciano Pavarotti, while amazing, doesn't appear to be at the top of his game. I've heard better versions of "Che gelida manina" (specifically by Roberto Alagna) and he's version of "Nessun dorma!" cuts off short and doesn't feature a chorus. In my opinion, this song is best heard in its entirety with a chorus (specially by José Carreras). Don't get my wrong, Pavarotti is a fantastic tenor (one of the greatest in my opinion) but don't buy this CD just to hear him, there are many other better recordings of him.

The low points of this CD are the songs in Mono. Both songs from La Bohème have seen better days. Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu perform "O soave fanciulla" better than this CD's offering. "Mario Mario" on the other hand is the worst of the pack. Eleven minutes of horrible sound quality that doesn't exactly flatter the singer's voices is pretty painful.

A few standout tracks include "Recondita armonia" by Richard Tucker. The moment I was about to dismiss the recording Tucker suddenly surprised me by showing that he has the voice of a legend.

Eva Marton does a surprisingly poignant job of "Sì, mi chiamano Mimì" but the best track in my opinion is "In questa reggia." The first time I heard this song also happened to be the first time I heard Marton. Her glorious voice was absolutely perfect for this song. I've heard other singers try and conquer this role but they never really attain the power and might that Marton does. Marton absolutely commands this song. Needless to say, the first time I heard this song I was floored.

This CD is a great way to be introduced to the wonderful world of Puccini. Don't buy this CD for Pavarotti, or for the best recording of "Che gelida manina," but do buy it if you want to hear great versions of "O mio babbino caro" and "In questa reggia" or sample and get acquainted with some of the greatest music ever composed. August 14, 2003

Puccini, Arias

This is truly a historical recording. Kiri Te Kanawa presents an outstanding performance as does Pavarotti. The two soloists together blend magically.

The other two singing roles are slightly weaker, but the beauty of Puccini's orchestrations and the orchestra's performance of it help you forget the strained notes of the baritone. It leaves you wanting to here more of Luciano and Kiri Te. September 23, 2000

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