Puccini - The Great Opera Collection [Box Set]

Puccini - The Great Opera Collection [Box Set]

Puccini - The Great Opera Collection [Box Set]
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Music CD Cover

Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Conductor: Alberto Erede
Conductor: Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Conductor: Franco Capuana
Conductor: Lamberto Gardelli
Conductor: Tullio Serafin
Orchestra: Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Orchestra
Orchestra: Saint Cecilia Academy Orchestra
Orchestra: Santa Cecilia National Academy Orchestra Rome
Performer: Adelio Zagonara
Performer: Agostino Lazzari
Performer: Angelo Mercuriali
Performer: Antonino di Ninno
Performer: Antonio Sacchetti
Performer: Athos Cesarini
Performer: Attilio d'Orazi
Performer: Bianca Maria Casoni
Performer: Carlo Bergonzi
Performer: Cesare Siepi
Performer: Cornell MacNeil
Edition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Box set
CD Release Date: 2008-03-11
Music Label: Decca
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Ave, sera gentile
  2. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. L'amor?... l'amor?!
  3. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde
  4. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Ma bravo!
  5. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Discendono, vediam!
  6. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Cortese damigella
  7. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Donna non vidi mai
  8. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. La tua ventura ci rassicura
  9. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. La tua Proserpina
  10. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Vedete? Io son fedele
  11. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Non c'è più vino?
  12. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 1. Di sedur la sorelline è il momento
  13. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Dispettosetto questo riccio!
  14. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. In quelle trine morbide
  15. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Poiché tu vuoi saper
  16. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Che ceffi son costor?... Sulla vetta tu del monte
  17. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Paga costor!
  18. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Minuetto
Music CD 2
  1. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Oh, sarò la più bella!
  2. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Ah!... Affé, madamigella
  3. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Senti, di qui partiamo... Ah! Manon, mi tradisce
  4. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Lescaut?!... Tu qui?
  5. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 2. Intermezzo
  6. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 3. Ansia eterna, crudel
  7. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 3. ...e Kate rispose al Re
  8. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 3. All'armi! All'armi!
  9. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 3. Rosetta!
  10. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 3. Presto! In fila!... No! pazzo son!
  11. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 4. Manon, senti, amor mio
  12. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 4. Sei tu che piangi?
  13. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 4. Sola, perduta, abbandonata
  14. Manon Lescaut, opera: Act 4. Fra le tue braccia, amore
Music CD 3
  1. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Questo Mar Rosso mi ammollisce e assidera
  2. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Pensier profondo!
  3. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Legna! - Sigari! - Bordò!
  4. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Si può?
  5. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Io resto per terminar l'articolo di fondo
  6. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Chi è là?! - Scusi
  7. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Si sente meglio?
  8. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Che gelida manina
  9. La bohème, opera: Act 1. Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì
  10. La bohème, opera: Act 1. O soave fanciulla
  11. La bohème, opera: Act 2. Aranci, datteri, caldi i marroni!
  12. La bohème, opera: Act 2. Chi guardi?
  13. La bohème, opera: Act 2. Viva Parpignol!
  14. La bohème, opera: Act 2. Oh! - Essa! - Musetta!
  15. La bohème, opera: Act 2. Quando me n'vò
  16. La bohème, opera: Act 2. Chi l'ha richiesto?
Music CD 4
  1. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Ohè, là, le guardie! Aprite!
  2. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Sa dirmi, scusi, qual'è l'osteria
  3. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Mimì! - Speravo di trovarvi qui
  4. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Marcello. Finalmente!
  5. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Mimì è una civetta
  6. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Mimì è tanto malata!
  7. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Donde lieta uscì al tuo grido d'amore
  8. La bohème, opera: Act 3. Dunque è proprio finita!
  9. La bohème, opera: Act 4. In un coupé?
  10. La bohème, opera: Act 4. O Mimì, tu più non torni
  11. La bohème, opera: Act 4. Gavotta! - Minuetto! - Pavanella! - Fandango!
  12. La bohème, opera: Act 4. C'è Mimì!
  13. La bohème, opera: Act 4. Vecchia zimarra, senti
  14. La bohème, opera: Act 4. Sono andati? Fingevo di dormire
  15. La bohème, opera: Act 4. Che avvien? - Nulla. Sto bene
Music CD 5
  1. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Ah! Finalmente!
  2. Tosca, opera: Act 1. E sempre lava!
  3. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Dammi i colori... Recondita armonia
  4. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Voi! Cavaradossi!
  5. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Mario! Mario! Mario!
  6. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Ã? buona la mia Tosca
  7. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Sommo giubilo, Eccellenza!
  8. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Un tel baccano in chiesa!
  9. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Or tutto è chiaro
  10. Tosca, opera: Act 1. Tre sbirri, una carrozza
Music CD 6
  1. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Tosca è un buon falco!
  2. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Ha più forte sapore
  3. Tosca, opera: Act 2. O galantuomo, come andò la caccia?
  4. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Ov'è Angelotti?
  5. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Sciarrone, che dice il Cavalier?
  6. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Orsù, Tosca, parlate
  7. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Floria... Amore
  8. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Vittoria! Vittoria!
  9. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Quanto?... Quanto?... Il prezzo
  10. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Vissi d'arte
  11. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Chi è là?
  12. Tosca, opera: Act 2. Io tenni la promessa
  13. Tosca, opera: Act 3. Io de' sospiri
  14. Tosca, opera: Act 3. Mario Cavaradossi? A voi
  15. Tosca, opera: Act 3. E lucevan le stelle
  16. Tosca, opera: Act 3. Ah! Franchigia a Floria Tosca
  17. Tosca, opera: Act 3. O dolci mani
  18. Tosca, opera: Act 3. Come è lunga l'attesa!
  19. Tosca, opera: Act 3. Presto, su! Mario! Mario!
Music CD 7
  1. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Gran ventura
  2. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. L'Imperial Commissario, l'Ufficiale del registro, i congiiunti
  3. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Vieni, amor mio! Vi piace la casetta?
  4. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Ieri son salita tutta sola in segretto alla Missione
  5. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Tutti zitti!
  6. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. O Kami! O Kami!
  7. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Cio-Cio-San! Cio-Cio-San! Abbominazione!
  8. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Bimba, bimba, non piangere
  9. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Viene la sera
  10. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Vogliatemi bene
  11. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. E Izaghi ed Izanami
  12. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Un bel dì, vedremo levarsi un fil di fumo
  13. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. C'è. Entrate
  14. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. E soffitto e pareti
  15. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Sorride Vostro Onore?
  16. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Dovunque al mondo lo Yankee vagabondo
  17. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. America for ever
  18. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Ier l'altro, il Consolato sen' venne a visitar
  19. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 1. Ecco. Son giunte al sommo del pendio
Music CD 8
  1. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Non lo sapete insomma
  2. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Si sa che aprir la porta e la moglie cacciar
  3. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Udiste?
  4. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Ora a noi. Sedete qui
  5. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Ebbene, che fareste, Madama Butterfly, s'ei non dovesse ritornar
  6. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. E questo?... e questo?
  7. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Che tua madre dovrà prenderti in braccio
  8. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Vespa! Rospo maledetto!
  9. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Una nave da guerra
  10. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Scuoti quella frondo di ciliegio
  11. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Or vienmi ad adornar
  12. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 1. Humming Chorus
  13. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Intermezzo
  14. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Twittering of birds from the garden
  15. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Già il sole! Cio-Cio-San!
  16. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Chi sia?
  17. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Io so che alle sue pene non ci sono conforti!
  18. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Non ve l'avevo detto?
  19. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Addio, fiorito asil di letizia e d'amor!
  20. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Suzuki! Suzuki! Dove sei?
  21. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Tu, Suzuki, che sei tanto buona, non piangere!
  22. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. Come una mosca prigioniera l'ali batte il piccolo cuor!
  23. Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera: Act 2. Part 2. 'Con onor muore chi non può serbar vita con onore.'
Music CD 9
  1. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Introduzione
  2. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Hello... Nick!
  3. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Che faranno i vecchi miei
  4. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Jim, perchè piangi?
  5. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Andiam, ragazzi
  6. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Un poker? Nick, gettoni!
  7. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Mrs Rance, fra poco
  8. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Hello, Minnie!
  9. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Dove seavamo?
  10. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. La posta! La posta!
  11. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Ti voglio bene, Minnie
  12. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Minnie, dalla mia casa son partito
  13. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Laggiù nel Soledad
  14. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Chi c'è per farmi i ricci?
  15. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Vi ricordate di me?
  16. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Mister Johnson, voi m'avete seccato!
  17. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Mister Johnson, un valzer?
  18. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Mister Johnson, siete rimasto indietro
  19. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Io non son che una povera fanciulla
  20. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Quello che tacete
  21. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Come voi leggermi in cor non so
  22. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 1. Ah, non temete, nessuno ardirà!
Music CD 10
  1. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Il mio bimbo è grande e piccino
  2. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Billy, è fissato?
  3. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Voglio vestirmi tutta
  4. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Oh, se sapeste
  5. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Ugh!... Neve!
  6. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Hello!
  7. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Vieni fuori!
  8. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Non mi difenderò
  9. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. L'han ferito... Che importa?
  10. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Che c'è di nuovo, Jack?
  11. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. � là! � là!
  12. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 2. Una partita a poker!
  13. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Ve lo giuro, sceriffo
  14. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Maledetto cane!
  15. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Ah! Ah! Ah!
  16. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Sceriffo Rance!
  17. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. E così, Mister Johnson, come va?
  18. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Risparmiate lo scherno
  19. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano
  20. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Ah-ah-ah!!
  21. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Non vi fu mai
  22. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. E anche tu lo vorrai
  23. La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West), opera: Act 3. Le tue parole sono di Dio
Music CD 11
  1. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Popolo di Pekino!
  2. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Gira la cote!
  3. Turandot, opera: Act 1. O giovinetto! Grazia, grazia!
  4. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Figlio, che fai?
  5. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Fermo! Che fai? T'arresta!
  6. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Signore, ascolta!
  7. Turandot, opera: Act 1. Non piangere, Liù
  8. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 1. Olà, Pang! Olà, Pong!
  9. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 1. Ho una casa nell'Honan
  10. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 1. O mondo
  11. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Introduzione
  12. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Gravi, enormi ed imponenti
  13. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Un giuramento atroce mi costringe
  14. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Popolo di Pekino!
Music CD 12
  1. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. In questa Reggia
  2. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Straniero, ascolta
  3. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Gloria, gloria, o vincitore!
  4. Turandot, opera: Act 2. Scene 2. Tre enigmi m'hai proposto
  5. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Introduzione / Così comanda Turandot
  6. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Nessun dorma!
  7. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Principessa divina!
  8. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Tu che di gel sei cinta
  9. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Liù! Liù! Sorgi!
  10. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Principessa di morte!
  11. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Che è mai di me?
  12. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. Del primo pianto
  13. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 1. So il tuo nome!
  14. Turandot, opera: Act 3. Scene 2. Diecimila anni al nostro Imperatore!
Music CD 13
  1. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: O Michele? Michele?
  2. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Dunque, che cosa credi?
  3. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: O eterne innamorati, buona sera!
  4. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: To'! guarda la mia vecchia!
  5. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Hai ben ragione
  6. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Ho sognato una casetta
  7. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: O Luigi! Luigi!
  8. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Dimmi: perché gli hai chiesto
  9. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Come è difficile esser felici!
  10. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Nulla!... Silenzio!
  11. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: T'ho colto!
  12. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Avevo ben ragione
  13. Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera: Alternative aria. Scorri, fiume eterno!
Music CD 14
  1. Suor Angelica, opera: Ave Maria, piena di grazia
  2. Suor Angelica, opera: Sorelle in umità
  3. Suor Angelica, opera: O sorelle in pio lavoro
  4. Suor Angelica, opera: Ho un desiderio anch'io!
  5. Suor Angelica, opera: Laudate Maria! - E sempre sia!
  6. Suor Angelica, opera: Suor Angelica! - Madre, Madre, parlate!
  7. Suor Angelica, opera: Il Principe Gualtiero vostro padre
  8. Suor Angelica, opera: Nel silenzio di quei raccoglimenti
  9. Suor Angelica, opera: Tutto ho offerto alla Vergine
  10. Suor Angelica, opera: Senza mamma, o bimbo, tu sei morto
  11. Suor Angelica, opera: Sorella, o buona sorella
  12. Suor Angelica, opera: La grazia è discesa dal cielo
  13. Suor Angelica, opera: Ah, son dannata!
Music CD 15
  1. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Povero Buoso!
  2. Gianni Schicchi, opera: O Simone?
  3. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Ai miei cugini Zita e Simone
  4. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Dunque era vero
  5. Gianni Schicchi, opera: E non c'è nessun mezzo...
  6. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Firenze è come un albero fiorito
  7. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Quale aspetto sgomento e desolato!
  8. Gianni Schicchi, opera: O mio babbino caro
  9. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Datemi il testamento!
  10. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Nessuno sa che Buoso ha reso il fiato?
  11. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Era uguale la voce?
  12. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Ecco la cappellina
  13. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Proma un avvertimento
  14. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Ecco il notaro
  15. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Ladro!
  16. Gianni Schicchi, opera: Lauretta mia, staremo sempre qui

Free Music Notes for Puccini - The Great Opera Collection [Box Set]

Free Music Review: Great, but...
Hit: 5 Stars

The operas in this set are:

Manon Lescaut
La Bohème
Tosca
Madama Butterfly
La fanciulla del West
Turandot

Il trittico (The Triptych, or the three one act operas that were intended to go together):

Il tabarro
Suor Angelica
Gianni Schicchi


This set is in some ways easy to review, as it is a collection of solid performances at an unbelievably great price (typically, Amazon sells this for about half of the low retail price of $49.98, or, in other words, about the full price of one opera). The sound quality is quite good considering when it was recorded, and is good enough to be rewarding on a good stereo (I played this set through some Apogee Stage speakers; just do an online search for reviews of these speakers). Really, if one is on a tight budget, this is well worth getting as one's only set of Puccini operas, and if one is rich, one ought to buy it for comparison with other performances.

But it is not an ideal set, for several reasons. First, as others have noted, there are no libretti. So if you are the sort of person who wants to read along as they sing, so that you will know what they are singing, this is a significant drawback. Even if you obtain a copy of the libretti elsewhere, there will be no markings in it to tell you what track the passage is on, so if you get lost or just want to know what they are singing at a particular point in the opera, you may have difficulties finding what they are singing.

Second, although the sound quality is very good, it is certainly not the best, and certainly not state of the art. So if one is very picky about sound quality, then one might want to look elsewhere (and, if one is that picky, one ought to generally avoid recordings this old, as this sounds better than one ought to expect for that time period [1950's to early 1960's]).

Third, although the performances are great, and deserve 5 stars generally, they are not all the best that money can buy. The three operas recorded by Pavarotti in the early 1970's Puccini - La Bohème / Freni, Pavarotti, Harwood, Ghiaurov, Karajan, Puccini - Madama Butterfly / Freni, Pavarotti, Ludwig, Wiener Phil., Karajan, & Puccini - Turandot / Sutherland · Pavarotti · Caballé · Ghiaurov · Krause · Pears · LPO · Mehta are probably definitive, and have better sound quality as well (though still fall short of current state of the art, for the obvious reason that recording technology has progressed since the early 1970's). However, they typically cost as much each as this entire set.

(If one wants all three of them, buying the boxed set that contains them will cost about the same as buying those three separately, and one will get two more operas, in which one can hear that Pavarotti was singing past his prime Puccini: The Definitive Collection, though it seems not to have bothered many of his fans. The operas that that set lacks that this Tebaldi set has are, in my opinion, less famous and well-known for good reason, but it obviously hurts nothing to have more, and others may disagree with my opinion on this matter. Interestingly, that set is the same label, Decca, as this Tebaldi set.)

So, should you buy this set? Well, they are great performances and the sound is very good. But they are not the very best performances of the operas that can be had (at least of the three mentioned above with Pavarotti in the early 1970's), and the sound quality isn't the best either, though as already stated repeatedly, they are great performances with good quality sound. The lack of libretti may also disappoint. But at this price, I think it can confidently be asserted, you will never do better. If the sets were the same price, I would recommend the other Decca set above, but it typically costs about three times as much and lacks four of the operas in this set. If you have the money and love Puccini (everyone should!), buy both sets. If you don't have the money for both sets, think carefully about what, exactly, matters most to you, and buy accordingly.

One more thing. If you order this set, like with all boxed sets, immediately when you receive it, check to make sure that all the CDs are there and seem to be in good condition. The first set I got from Amazon was missing a disc. But buying from Amazon is great, as they paid the return shipping for that set and sent me a replacement. 5 stars for Amazon.com!
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More free music notes:
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Puccini - The Great Opera Collection [Box Set] Poster

Celebrating the composer's 150th Anniversary in 2008, this is a 15-CD definitive collection of his most popular operas in classic performances! Decca's recordings of Puccini's operas rank among the very finest ever committed to disc. This legacy was started in 1951 when Renata Tebaldi made her first recording of Madama Butterfly, and throughout the rest of the 1950s Tebaldi recorded Puccini's other major operas. Tebaldi was cast alongside such distinguished colleagues as Carlo Bergonzi and Mario del Monaco. Acclaimed opera maestri at the helm of these recordings include Francesco Molinari-Pradelli and Tullio Serafin. This collection of the great Puccini operas includes the stereo versions of Madama Butterfly and La Bohème and is the ideal collection of some of the world's most popular and enduring operas in acclaimed recordings that have been an integral part of Decca's legendary opera catalogue for the past fifty years.

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