Vissi d'arte: The Magnificent Voice of Montserrat Caballé

Disc 1
1	Cosě fan tutte, opera, K.
2	Cosě fan tutte, opera, K.
3	Cosě fan tutte, opera, K.
4	Il Corsaro, opera: Nč sul
5	Il Corsaro, opera: Ah con
6	Il Corsaro, opera: La ter
7	I Masnadieri, opera: Vene
8	I Masnadieri, opera: Lo s
9	I Masnadieri, opera: Qual
10	Elisabetta, regina d'Ingh
11	Elisabetta, regina d'Ingh
12	Les Huguenots, grand oper
13	Turandot, opera: Signore,
14	Turandot, opera: Tu che d
15	La Gioconda, opera in 4 a
16	La Gioconda, opera in 4 a
17	Andrea Chénier, opera: La
18	Andrea Chénier, opera: Vi
19	Andrea Chénier, opera: La
Disc 2
1	Un ballo in maschera, ope
2	Un ballo in maschera, ope
3	Un ballo in maschera, ope
4	Luisa Miller, opera: Padr
5	Mefistofele, opera in pro
6	Tosca, opera: Vissi d'art
7	Louise, opera: Depuis le
8	Lucia di Lammermoor, oper
9	Lucia di Lammermoor, oper
10	Lucia di Lammermoor, oper
11	Norma, opera: Mi chiami,
12	Norma, opera: Deh! Con te
13	Norma, opera: Mira, o Nor
14	Norma, opera: Sě, fino al
15	Salome, opera, Op. 54 (Tr
Vissi d'arte: The Magnificent Voice of Montserrat Caballé
1.	Cosě fan tutte, opera, K. 588: Temerari! Sortite ... Come scoglio immoto resta 5:36
	Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra
2.	Cosě fan tutte, opera, K. 588: Ei parte, senti, ah no! 1:34
	Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra
3.	Cosě fan tutte, opera, K. 588: Per pietŕ, ben mio, perdona 7:36
	Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra
4.	Il Corsaro, opera: Nč sulla terra creatura alcuna 4:29
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Ambrosian Singers, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra and Alexander Oliver
	Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
5.	Il Corsaro, opera: Ah conforto č sol la speme 2:59
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Ambrosian Singers, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra and Alexander Oliver
	Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
6.	Il Corsaro, opera: La terra, il ciel m'abborrino 2:20
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Ambrosian Singers, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra and Alexander Oliver
	Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
7.	I Masnadieri, opera: Venerabile o padre 2:43
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Carlo Bergonzi, Montserrat Caballé and Philharmonia Orchestra
	Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
8.	I Masnadieri, opera: Lo sguardo avea degli angeli 4:00
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Carlo Bergonzi, Montserrat Caballé and Philharmonia Orchestra
	Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
9.	I Masnadieri, opera: Qual mare, qual terra 3:25
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Carlo Bergonzi, Montserrat Caballé and Philharmonia Orchestra
	Conducted by Lamberto Gardelli
10.	Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra, opera: Quant' č grato all'alma mia 3:28
	Composed by Gioachino Rossini
	Performed by Ambrosian Singers, Montserrat Caballé and London Symphony Orchestra
	Conducted by Gianfranco Masini
11.	Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra, opera: Questo cor ben lo comprende 3:09
	Composed by Gioachino Rossini
	Performed by Ambrosian Singers, Montserrat Caballé and London Symphony Orchestra
	Conducted by Gianfranco Masini
12.	Les Huguenots, grand opera in 5 acts: Ô beau pays de la Touraine 7:11
	Composed by Giacomo Meyerbeer
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé and Philharmonia Orchestra
	Conducted by Reynald Giovaninetti
13.	Turandot, opera: Signore, ascolta! 2:44
	Composed by Giacomo Puccini
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Wandsworth School Boys' Choir, John Alldis Choir and London Philharmonic Orchestra
	Conducted by Zubin Mehta
14.	Turandot, opera: Tu che di gel sei cinta 2:33
	Composed by Giacomo Puccini
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Wandsworth School Boys' Choir, John Alldis Choir and London Philharmonic Orchestra
	Conducted by Zubin Mehta
15.	La Gioconda, opera in 4 acts: Suicidio! 4:59
	Composed by Amilcare Ponchielli
	Performed by Agnes Baltsa, Montserrat Caballé, London Opera Chorus, Nation Philharmonic Orchestra and Luciano Pavarotti
	Conducted by Bruno Bartoletti
16.	La Gioconda, opera in 4 acts: La barca s'avvicina 7:50
	Composed by Amilcare Ponchielli
	Performed by Agnes Baltsa, Montserrat Caballé, London Opera Chorus, Nation Philharmonic Orchestra and Luciano Pavarotti
	Conducted by Bruno Bartoletti
17.	Andrea Chénier, opera: La mamma morta 5:35
	Composed by Umberto Giordano
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Giuseppe Morresi, Nation Philharmonic Orchestra and Luciano Pavarotti
	Conducted by Riccardo Chailly
18.	Andrea Chénier, opera: Vicino a te 3:40
	Composed by Umberto Giordano
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Giuseppe Morresi, Nation Philharmonic Orchestra and Luciano Pavarotti
	Conducted by Riccardo Chailly
19.	Andrea Chénier, opera: La nostra morte č il trionfo dell'amor! 3:21
	Composed by Umberto Giordano
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Giuseppe Morresi, Nation Philharmonic Orchestra and Luciano Pavarotti
	Conducted by Riccardo Chailly
20.	Un ballo in maschera, opera: Ecco l'orrido campo 1:27
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra
21.	Un ballo in maschera, opera: Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa 5:08
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra
22.	Un ballo in maschera, opera: M'ami, m'ami! 4:19
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras and Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra
23.	Luisa Miller, opera: Padre, ricevi l'estremo addio 5:28
	Composed by Giuseppe Verdi
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Bonaldo Giaiotti, London Opera Chorus, Nation Philharmonic Orchestra and Luciano Pavarotti
	Conducted by Peter Maag
24.	Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue: Notte cupa, truce 3:13
	Composed by Arrigo Boito
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, London Opera Chorus and Nation Philharmonic Orchestra
	Conducted by Oliviero de Fabritiis
25.	Tosca, opera: Vissi d'arte 3:40
	Composed by Giacomo Puccini
	Conducted by Colin Davis
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé, Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus and Orchestra and Ingvar Wixell
26.	Louise, opera: Depuis le jour 6:14
	Composed by Gustave Charpentier
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé and Philharmonia Orchestra
	Conducted by Reynald Giovaninetti
27.	Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Ah! Verranno a te sull'aure 5:29
	Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
	Performed by Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Vincenzo Bello, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra and Samuel Ramey
	Conducted by Jesús López-Cobos
28.	Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Il dolce suono mi colpi di sua voce! 6:49
	Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
	Performed by Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Vincenzo Bello, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra and Samuel Ramey
	Conducted by Jesús López-Cobos
29.	Lucia di Lammermoor, opera: Ardon gli incensi 4:04
	Composed by Gaetano Donizetti
	Performed by Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Vincenzo Bello, Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Philharmonia Orchestra and Samuel Ramey
	Conducted by Jesús López-Cobos
30.	Norma, opera: Mi chiami, o Norma! 2:16
	Composed by Vicenzo Bellini
	Performed by Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé and Welsh National Opera Orchestra
	Conducted by Richard Bonynge
31.	Norma, opera: Deh! Con te, con te li prendi 3:48
	Composed by Vicenzo Bellini
	Performed by Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé and Welsh National Opera Orchestra
	Conducted by Richard Bonynge
32.	Norma, opera: Mira, o Norma 5:14
	Composed by Vicenzo Bellini
	Performed by Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé and Welsh National Opera Orchestra
	Conducted by Richard Bonynge
33.	Norma, opera: Sě, fino all'ore estreme 2:17
	Composed by Vicenzo Bellini
	Performed by Joan Sutherland, Montserrat Caballé and Welsh National Opera Orchestra
	Conducted by Richard Bonynge
34.	Salome, opera, Op. 54 (TrV 215): Es ist kein Laut zu vernehmen (Closing Scene) 17:13
	Composed by Richard Strauss
	Conducted by Leonard Bernstein
	Performed by Montserrat Caballé and Orchestre National de France

Barnes & Noble

No one floated soft high notes as exquisitely as Montserrat Caballé. The great Catalan lyric soprano had a big, powerful voice, too, that could fill the balcony, but when singing sotto voce, she was in a class by herself. Listen, for example, to her way with a rarity such as "Depuis le jour" from Charpentier's Louise, included on this excellent two-disc overview of Caballé's art, to sample some stunning pianissimos high above the staff. She was also blessed with a richly colored voice that remained remarkably even throughout its range (try the virtuoso "Come scoglio" from Mozart's Cosě fan tutte, which opens the program, for some impressive vocal acrobatics), and she had a seemingly innate ability to shape a melodic line beautifully (listen to the blissful way she begins Meyerbeer's "O beau pays de la Touraine" or her heartrending performance of Liu's "Signore, ascolta!" from Turandot -- talk about soft high notes!). She may have lacked the burning intensity of Callas or the sparkle of Sutherland -- arguably her two greatest contemporaries -- but Caballé's voice, certainly one of the finest of the century, was uniquely adaptable to a wide range of roles. And, indeed, wide-ranging is a fitting description of this collection, including 18th-century and bel canto music, selections from Verdi, French and verismo composers, and even the stirring final scene from Strauss' Salome. Perhaps it's best that there's no sample from Barcelona, Caballé's infamous duet album with Freddie Mercury, but we do get some great tenors singing along here -- Pavarotti, Bergonzi, Carreras, and others -- as well as Dame Joan in the great duet scene from Norma. As for the title track, Puccini's celebrated "Vissi d'arte," Caballé's fervent and touching performance is worth the price of the album alone. EJ Johnson

All Music Guide

With the 70th birthday of arch-diva Montserrat Caballé at hand, major classical record companies are falling over one another in releasing appropriate tribute packages. BMG has three of them in the pipeline, and EMI has launched a double-disc "very best" already. Decca's handsome double-disc edition Vissi d'arte: The Magnificent Voice of Montserrat Caballé should not go ignored. Decca has thankfully shied away from the typical "best of" and/or "greatest hits" monikers and has focused instead on Caballé's marvelous instrument itself -- probably necessary as all of these selections consist of excerpts from complete opera sets, rather than selections from recital-styled albums. These recordings were made from 1970 to 1984, an entirely comfortable period for Caballé's voice. In addition to the usual suspect arias and ensembles from operas such as "Cosě fan tutte," "Turandot," "Tosca," and "Norma," there are representative slices drawn from such rarities as Verdi's "Il Corsaro" and "I Masnadieri" and Rossini's "Elisabetta." Almost all of the selections are drawn from Italian opera, save those from Meyerbeer's "Les Hugenots," Gustave Charpentier's "Louise," and the finale from Richard Strauss' "Salome." There is no bad Caballé here, and the sound quality is consistent (and good) throughout. Nonetheless, a small number of these excerpts feature Caballé in secondary parts or as a member of an ensemble cast -- a less than ideal situation given that Caballé is the main subject of the compilation. Depending on what you are looking for in a Caballé collection, this may be viewed as an entry that is at least different from the rest, and may help shed some light into corners of Caballé's career that are not visible at a cursory glance. Uncle Dave Lewis