Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano

Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano

Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano
List Price: $32.98
Our Price: $20.95
You Save: $12.03 (36%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $15.74 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details
Listen soundtracks from this album


(Click here)
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store

CD Details

Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Angela Gheorghiu
Performer: Roberto Alagna
Performer: William Matteuzzi
Performer: Inva Mula
Performer: Alberto Rinaldi
Performer: Patrizia Ciofi / Toby Spence
Performer: Monica Bacelli / London Voices
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1997-05-13
Music Label: EMI Classics
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  2. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  3. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  4. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  5. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  6. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  7. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  8. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  9. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  10. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  11. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  12. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  13. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  14. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  15. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  16. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  17. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  18. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  19. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  20. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  21. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  22. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  23. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  24. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  25. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  26. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  27. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  28. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  29. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
Music CD 2
  1. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  2. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  3. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  4. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  5. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  6. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  7. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  8. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  9. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  10. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  11. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  12. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  13. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  14. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  15. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  16. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  17. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera
  18. La Rondine (The Swallow), opera

Music reviews of Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano

Music Review: Like the swallow... I will keep looking for a good Rondine.
Rating: 3 Stars

Original date of review: May 29, 2001
I was lucky enough to hear La Rondine many years ago in a live from the Lincoln Center telecast from NYCO. It was a great cast with a wonderful conductor. I have since looked and looked for a good Rondine. This one is okay.

Algana is passionate and sounds great as Ruggero. The missing aria is very nice too. But with no one to play off his passion with, it isn't the same. His wife in real life, Angela Gheorghiu as Magda is somehow lost in this. She has a wonderful instrument and a beautiful voice but somehow doesn't seem to know this character. She doesn't seem to have the passion & subtlety and depth that this role requires. She isn't helped any by the conductor, who doesn't properly pace this performace. This opera is all about nuance. If rushed in certain places, it loses its charm. If taken too slowly, it loses interest. Perhaps the most important person in any cast of Rondine is the conductor. (the WORST conductor though is the recording w/Maazel and Kiri TeKanawa- his conducting is SO FAR OFF, it is criminal! The recording w/Anna Moffo she is just totally miscast. The conductor of the NYCO production was Alessandro Sicilliani, I will never forget his masterful conducting!)

This opera was commissioned to be an operetta- but is some kind of a hybrid. Puccini wrote this at a time when he was separated from his usual publisher, Ricordi. I had to order this score from Sonzongo and it was very costly! Because of its hybrid nature, it may not appeal to fans of the mainstream Puccini.

In this story, a young courtesan, Madga is throwing a party and a guest, Prunier a poet, tells the story of a girl named Doretta. In the story a king approches Doretta offering her gold if she will belong to him. She tells him no, that gold doesn't buy happiness. Prunier says he has no end to the story, so Magda completes it by saying a student kisses her on the lips one day, awaking passion in her. Magda says, if only she could love like that. Magda also recounts a trip when she was young to a cafe where she had an interlude with a young student herself. Prunier reads the ladies palms, and tells Magda, that like the swallow (la rondine) she will fly off to find true love. A young man, Ruggero, coming to visit Madga's benefactor(Rambaldo), enters. They all suggest since it's his first visit to Paris, that he goes to cafe Bullier's. After everyone leaves, Magda changes her dress & hair to that of a simple student and also goes to Bullier's. There she is thrown together with Ruggero. They immediately are attracted. She tells him her name is Paulette. Her maid, Lisette and the poet Prunier enter. Her maid thinks she recognizes Magda, but Prunier dissuades her. After a beautiful quartet, Magda's benefactor, Rambaldo suggests she give up this charade and come home with him. She refuses saying she has found true love. In the 3rd act, Ruggero & Magda have eloped. He tells her that he has written his parents for permission to marry her. She is surprised and shocked- not knowing what to do since he doesn't know of her past. Finally when the letter arrives, she painfully reads it. She cannot deceive him anymore- she tells him that she cannot marry him & that she used to live for money alone. He says he doesn't even care, that she taught him about love. She explains that no matter how much they love each other, his parents would never understand. She tells him one day he will forgive her- and that this should be her sorrow alone. And she leaves, just one sung note drifting off into the distance.

This beautiful opera is full of great music. Besides Magda's two beautiful arias, "Chi il bel songo di Doretta" and "Fanciulla, e sbocciato l'amore" in the first act- there is a beautiful duet in the second act. "Scusatemi, scusate..." It is so intimate & lovely. In the same 2nd act, it blossoms into a wonderful quartet and chorus scena. The 3rd act highlights are her tender and poignant letter reading scene and the final scene when she leaves him are so moving musically & dramatically. This opera in so many ways is very contemporary. It is my favorite Puccini opera without a doubt because of this. The feelings are so real, the music so moving! This is so much more than just that one famous aria.

post script: wow! again, it seems no matter how well written your review is, if you offer a dissenting opinion, then you are not being helpful?! 3 out of 14? I have read some of the other reviews & just to let you know, I have no idea what controversy there is about this husband & wife team- don't really care about their living arrangements. I didn't feel the same way about the singing & conducting as the majority here- does that mean a dissenting opinion isn't helpful? I never said it was bad, boring or the worst CD or recording, in fact, I'd say it's the best available right now. Is this place a popularity contest? - if you write a well written, thoughtful and thorough review, then it's a helpful one- even if I disagree. But then I'm open-minded like that.
More Puccini - La Rondine / Gheorghiu · Alagna · Matteuzzi · Mula · Rinaldi · Ciofi · Bacelli · LSO · Pappano free music reviews:
1 2 3 4

Classical CDs
Music Genres
Bestsellers in Classical CDs
Winterscapes ImageWinterscapes
by London Philharmonic
Prophetic Voice; Published: 2000-07; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $2.74
Price in other shops: $6.99
The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee ImageThe Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee
by Dini Petty
Children's Group; Published: 2001-03; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $13.40
Price in other shops: $13.98
Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr ImageClassical Kids - Beethoven Lives Upstairs Cdr
Release date: 2000-04-05; Music CD
Best price: $25.98
Tchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos)) ImageTchaikovsky (Life and Works (Naxos))
by Malcolm Sinclair, Jeremy Siepmann
Naxos; Published: 2003-11; Audio CD; Book
Best price: $35.99
Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS] ImageJose Carreras - Jose Carreras - Jubileum Concert [VHS]
Sling Shot; Release date: 2000-04-18; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $5.87
Price in other shops: $9.99
Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS] ImageTchaikovsky - The Nutcracker / Nureyev, Park, Royal Ballet [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-09-09; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.94
Price in other shops: $29.95
Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS] ImageRambert Dance Company - Lonely Town Lonley Street / Sergeant's Early Dream [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1997-10-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $24.99
Price in other shops: $29.95
Winter Music: Composing the North ImageWinter Music: Composing the North
by John Luther Adams
Wesleyan; Published: 2004-11-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $19.74
Price in other shops: $25.95
Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImagePuccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $29.95
Verdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS] ImageVerdi - Falstaff / Giulini, Bruson, Ricciarelli, Nucci, Royal Opera Covent Garden [VHS]
Kultur Video; Release date: 1999-05-25; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $12.95
Price in other shops: $29.95
Similar CDs
Sicilien ImageRoberto Alagna - Sicilien
Release date: 2009-02-24; Music CD
Best price: $10.60
Price in other shops: $32.98
Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Freni, Pavarotti, Ludwig, Wiener Phil., Karajan ImagePuccini - Madama Butterfly / Freni, Pavarotti, Ludwig, Wiener Phil., Karajan
Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $32.66
Price in other shops: $50.98
Dvorák - Rusalka / Fleming · Heppner · Zajick · Hawlata · Urbanová · Czech Phil · Sir Charles Mackerras ImageDvorák - Rusalka / Fleming · Heppner · Zajick · Hawlata · Urbanová · Czech Phil · Sir Charles Mackerras
Release date: 1998-10-20; Music CD
Best price: $28.71
Price in other shops: $50.98
Puccini: Tosca / Freni, Pavarotti, Milnes, Rescigno, National Philharmonic ImagePuccini: Tosca / Freni, Pavarotti, Milnes, Rescigno, National Philharmonic
Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $22.92
Price in other shops: $33.98
Verdi - Rigoletto / Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, LSO, Bonynge ImageVerdi - Rigoletto / Sutherland, Pavarotti, Milnes, LSO, Bonynge
PAVAROTTI,LUCIANO; Release date: 1990-10-25; Music CD
Best price: $19.69
Price in other shops: $33.98
Puccini: Tosca ImagePuccini: Tosca
Release date: 2011-01-25; Music CD
Best price: $8.62
Price in other shops: $15.98
Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta ImagePuccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta
PAVAROTTI,LUCIANO; Release date: 1990-10-25; Published: 1990; Music CD
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops: $33.98
Bruckner: 9 Symphonies [Box Set] ImageBruckner: 9 Symphonies [Box Set]
Release date: 2008-11-18; Music CD
Best price: $22.80
Price in other shops: $32.98
Puccini: Manon Lescaut (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan ImagePuccini: Manon Lescaut (complete opera) with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano, Tullio Serafin, Chorus & Orchestra of La Scala, Milan
Release date: 1997-08-19; Music CD
Best price: $23.07
Price in other shops: $32.98
Puccini: La Rondine - The Metropolitan Opera Live 2008 ImagePuccini: La Rondine - The Metropolitan Opera Live 2008
Virgin; Release date: 2010-10-12; DVD
Best price: $16.10
Price in other shops: $24.98
Books | DVD Video | VHS Video | Health and Personal Care | Digital Cameras and Photo | Kitchen and Housewares | Tools and Hardware | Sports Equipment | Dresses shirts shoes apparel pants
Copyright © 2004-2007 music-hills.com
Google
 
Web music-hills.com
Compare prices and find music notes for more than one million Music CD titles