Giuseppe Verdi, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti, MA¼nchner Rundfunkorchester, Miguel Gomez-Martinez, Thomas Hampson, Samuel Ramey, Domenico Cimarosa - No Tenors Allowed: Famous Duets for Baritone and Bass

This disc is remarkable in many ways. Not only does it bring together two of opera's reigning lower-voiced superstars, it shows them at their best and presents, in addition, repertoire we rarely get to hear. In the past, Samuel Ramey has occasionally come across as bland and Thomas Hampson as just a bit too eager for a man with what is essentially a very lyric baritone voice. But their chemistry here works: Ramey is filled with passion--some of it comic (as Don Pasquale), some of it vitriolic (as Fiesco), and some of it loony (as Attila); throughout, his burnished tone never lets him down. Hampson is charming and in handsome voice as well--equally light and patterful when comic (a delicious Malatesta), and nicely dire (Ezio and Rodrigue). He isn't up to Simon Boccanegra's stature either vocally or emotionally (for that, listen to the classic performance of Piero Cappuccilli, but the sheer loveliness of his singing is enough to carry the day. A must for fans of either gent, and an intelligent, unhackneyed collection of music to boot. --Robert Levine Amazon.com

More LOW voices please

I absolutely LOVE This CD. FOr all its faults, I LOVE this CD.

I saw "I Puritani" 2x in 2006 and fell in love with the bass-baritone duet. I bought the CD because I wanted to hear it again. That the bass-baritone duet from Don Pasquale was on it was a plus. I'm thrilled with most of the selections, my only complaint is there is too much of the patter-stuff. (Didn't Puccini write a duet for bass-baritone in Tosca? And what about the bass-baritone duet in Rigoletto?)

The duets from Puritani and Don Pasquale and Secret Marriage are marvelous and I thought the singers were at their best in those roles.

I'm not a huge fan of either singer. Hampson sometimes bellows and sometimes creates a really, really ugly sound. Ramey is not always as smooth or as rich as I like a bass to be. He strains a bit in the Boccanegra piece. I think Ramey does marvelously on most of the other arias, though.

Having said all that, I play this CD over and over again. I wish I could find more of these duets for low voices. (Duets for contraltos and basses, anyone?) July 8, 2008

Baritones/bass--Yes!

I had recently heard Hampson at a symphony; his voice and stage presence are magnetic. I have always admired Ramey's performances. This disc for the two of them is equally as impressive. It is a superb recording. May 30, 2008

Chest vibration of deep voiced men - wow!

Older gal here. With all the young singers and popera stars around I missed
the sound of a "mans" voice.
The men in my family happen to inherit the deep chest vibrating male vocal
cords. So I am partial to real "manly mens voices".
So wonderful to hear these "men" sing with emotion and such passion - lets
face it ladies - the only place you are gonna here that!
So grab a glass of wine, a good magazine turn on the cd and enjoy bass / baritone with feelings.
P.S. I put this on before a date - to get into the mood. October 28, 2007

The Troubles with Thomas

This could have been a fantastic album, but ends up falling well short of that owing to Thomas Hampson. I have never understood the fawning praise Mr. Hampson receives. His voice is unpleasant, his musical interpretations are well-below average, and his coloratura is completely non-existant -- for an excellent example of this, compare, in the Pasquale duet, Ramey's exquisite descending scales in the "aspetta, aspetta, cara sposina" phrase with Hampson's sloppy counterpart, "il poverino, sogna vendetta". The "i" in "poverino" is supposed to carry over four separate notes, and not one note, a whooping cough, and a closing note! Judging by some interviews I've read and/or seen, Mr. Hampson appears to be a decent, down-to-earth gentleman. As an opera singer, however, he's mediocre at best. This recording is worth owning thanks to Ramey, who is absolutely top-notch. December 31, 2005

Make sure you buy 2!

One to keep, one to give away. You'll wind up burning one for the car and one for the office regardless. A friend lent me this CD and I've bought 4 so far. One of the best! I can't recommend it enough. January 5, 2005

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