Puccini - La Boh?me / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan
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Free Music Notes for Puccini - La Boh?me / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan
Free Music Review: Pure Poetry
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this recording so much, of course Karajan is one iof the best conductors of all times, PAvarotti sings with probably the most beautiful and sweet voice; Mirella freni is a great tender Mimi, and when I hear the third act I always end up crying!!The rest of the cast is great too, this is one of my favourite opera recordings, although I think that the recording of La Boheme with Di Stefano, Callas, and Moffo is very good too!!!Free Music Review: The Best
Hit: 5 Stars
This is my favorite recording of my favorite opera.Free Music Review: There's EVEN BETTER
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a classic Boheme. But let me tell you an "open" secret. There are even better Boheme's out there.Yes, Pavarotti can hit all those high notes. But somehow, he can't match Domingo's intelligence of portrayal. And Freni simply cannot match Caballe's exquisite piannisimi. Caballe is, well, Caballe. You can't replace Caballe with Freni. It just doesn't work. Freni works well in theatre because she is beautiful. But when it comes to the voice, CABALLE is the ultimate Mimi.
And Karajan's conducting is simply too "beautiful". Where is the drama??? This is typical smooth and lots of legato Karajan without much else in it. Yes, it is beautiful but devoid of "verismo".
I guess this forum must be flooded with Pavarotti fans. Fact is I owned this set for a long time slightly dissatisfied. I was told that this is the best. But it goes to show how influential critics can be. Whatever they say, the public just swallow - lock, stock and barrel.
If you want to hear a REAL Boheme, get the Solti. After waiting a long time, I decided to explore the Solti set, and now I finally understand what Boheme is all about.
Free Music Review: A Tremendous Recording
Hit: 5 Stars
A few years ago, opera aficionados on a panel during a Metropolitan Opera broadcast were asked which opera was their first love. Each panelist said La Boheme, and each could remember a particular cast that made the opera magical. One panelist said "I think we all remember our first Boheme." I do not recall the cast, but I do remember the first time I heard this opera. I was a senior in high school and I purchased a budget recording of the work. The fact that the quality was sub par did not matter, because I did not know the difference anyway. I had to listen with headphones since my siblings did not appreciate opera the way I did. At the beginning when Marcello sings about his masterpiece to be, a painting of the Red Sea and Rodolfo spoke about his writing, I knew they were both geniuses in the making. Even though I had yet to fall in love, I knew that Rodolfo meant every word he sang when he "O Soave Fanciulla" to Mimi, he meant every word. I understood the struggles between both parts of lovers in Act III even though I had never struggled to keep a rocky relationship alive. When Musetta prayed before Mimi's death, I believed the sincerity of her intentions. And I shared Rodolfo's grief when Mimi breathed her last. After the recording was finished, I recall feeling so moved I could not speak. I can still recall these feelings when I hear the opera performed, or listen to a recording, and Karajan's version of this magnificent work can do it to me all the time.What can anyone say about this recording that has not already been said? Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, and Nicolai Ghiaurov were all in their prime at the time this recording was made, and it captures the magic that each vocalist offers. Even though neither Pavarotti nor Freni are the appropriate age for the young lovers, listeners will excuse this because of the beauty of their voices. The passion and tension that defines the relationship between Marcello and Musetta comes alive with the singing of Rolando Panerai and Elizabeth Harwood. Karajan conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in his usual powerful, controlled manner that gives that is unequaled.
My only fault with the recording is at the end of Act II. When the military band departs, the recording engineers seem to have lowered the volume to create a fade away sound. It probably would have been better if there was a decrescendo by the orchestra, but this is a small fault in an otherwise [perfect recording.
Free Music Review: If you think this is great...
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the greatest recording of Boheme, bar none. Pav is simply the King of tenors. And Freni is nearly his match. But if you think Pav sings well here. Wait until you hear him as the Duke in Verdi's Rigoletto! He hits with ease several high Ds. I repeat, high Ds. And his voice, his voice...ah, his voice.I recommend this Boheme and Pav's Rigoletto with Milnes and Sutherland. Make sure you get his earliest Rigoletto, however. The Pav/Sutherland/Milnes Rigoletto. Pav did several other dukes and they are not nearly as good.