Editorial Reviews

The extraordinary popularity of the "Flower Duet" from Delibes' "Lakmé" -- used repeatedly in television commercials and movie soundtracks -- led to a boomlet of duet compilations through the 1990s. To justify its inclusion yet again, but to keep it somewhat inconspicuous, Naxos has assembled 14 operatic duets from its extensive catalog and modestly placed the "Flower Duet" as the third track of The Pearl Fishers. If listeners expect this disc to be full of similarly affecting pieces, then they are sure to be disappointed. That charming number is unique, even for Delibes, and its exotic, perfumed quality is not shared by any of the album's other excerpts. However, if one explores this sampler with an open mind, an appreciation of some fine operatic moments is possible. The singing is consistently agreeable and engaging, and the thick booklet accompanying this CD includes libretti for all the tracks. Two humorous numbers from Donizetti's "L'eliser d'amore" and Rossini's "Il barbière di Siviglia" provide a taste of comic opera, yet the tender and powerful scenes by Puccini and Verdi dominate, giving the collection a lopsidedness that may not appeal to all tastes. This disc is recommended for budding opera buffs, but connoisseurs, especially of Italian opera, are unlikely to find much of interest here. Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide

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