Montserrat Caballe deluxe limited 15 cd box set incl bonus

Throughout caballé;s illustrious operatic career, one may search her extensive performance annals in vain for her participation in any complete french opera production. Even if she appeared in a 1977 barcelona production of meyerbeer;s l;africaine, available on disc in an unauthorized issue, closer inspection reveals that this was la africana, the spanish-language version of the opera commonly done in spain;s opera houses.


Therefore, this dg recording in 1971 of montserrat caballé;s singt französiche opernarien is probably the only opportunity we have to enjoy caballé in french opera. While la superba;s timbre may not be a totally perfect fit for roles like juliette, and her style not the same as the great french sopranos in these famous arias, her singing is nothing short of exemplary in the truest bel canto way. Her french consonants are a bit soft, but overall her diction is very good.


Track 2, ;voici la vaste plaine et le desert de feu; from gounod;s mireille is something truly special. Others are more familiar french opera arias: the;jewel song; from faust; micaëla;s aria ;c;est des contrebandiers le refuge ordinaries from carmen, juliette;s aria in gounod;s romeo et juliette; and meyerbeers les huguenots is an opera that la stupenda joan sutherland was fond of. Here we are given a wonderful opportunity to hear how la superba negotiate the fiendish fiorature - some thing totally jaw dropping. Again, the aria from charpentiers louise is another favourite `take by lyrical sopranos, yet la superba;s treatment is uniquely superb in its controlled lyricism and ultra-fine emotional shadings.



The aria from thais probably best suits caballé;s timbre and style, and while she did not include any aria from massenet;s manon, which is a pity, the disc comes with a bonus, the duet tu, tu, amore?; From puccini;s manon lescaut featuring caballé with a young and virile plácido domingo. This track, with james levine and the met orchestra, is a live item taken from the rudolf bing gala of 1972 -- it has already appeared on a number of deutsche grammophon compilations.



Montserrat caballé singt französiche opernarien represents an interesting byway for a great soprano best known for other thing. The orchestral accompaniment by the new philharmonic orchestra london under reynald giovaninetti is outstanding; warm, sensitive, and yielding with well-focused solo instrumental playing.