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Donizetti: Caterina Cornaro | 
 enlarge | Creators: Gaetano Donizetti, Carlo Felice Cillario, Covent Garden Orchestra, Montserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras, Anne Edwards, Enrique Serra, Lorenzo Saccomani, Maurizio Mazzieri, Neville Williams
Label: Opera D'oro
Category: Music
List Price: $13.98
Buy New: $6.94
You Save: $7.04 (50%)
New (18) Used (6) from $6.94
Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 245146
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
UPC: 723723938923
EAN: 0723723938923
ASIN: B000055X2D
Release Date: January 16, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
Disc 1
| • | Prologue. Salve o beati, al giubilo | | • | Prologue. Tu l'amor mio | | • | Prologue. Or che l'astro in mar...Torna all'ospite tetto | | • | Prologue. Vieni, o tu che ognora io chiamo | | • | Prologue. Ah! Vieni t'affretta | | • | Prologue. Spera in me | | • | Act 1. Sei bella, o Cipro! | | • | Act 1. Da che sposa Caterina | | • | Act 1. Core e pugnale | | • | Act 1. Vedi: io piango |
Disc 2
| • | Act 1. Gemmata il serto | | • | Act 1. Io non vengo a suscitare | | • | Act 1. Indietro! Io, vil carnefice! | | • | Act 2. Misera Patria! | | • | Act 2. Io trar non voglio | | • | Act 2. Oh ciel! Che tumulto! | | • | Act 2. Pieta, o Signor | | • | Act 2. Orsu della Vittoria |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Horrible sound - beware April 20, 2007
Ralph Moore (Bishop's Stortford, UK)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm afraid that this is one of those Opera d'Oro issues where you wondered why they bothered. Obviously the fact that this is a rare performance by two artists in top form swayed the decision - but I cannot envisage attempting to listen to it again with much pleasure as the sound is muffled, boomy, indistinct and mono - why so bad for a 1972 concert recording? A pity; consign it to that list of Opera d'Oro sets to be wary of - very much for the devoted Donizetti completist or die-hard fans of the two singers in question. It's a good performance, the chorus and supporting cast are lusty, but, but but...I'm listening as I write to the live Karajan 1958 "Don Carlo" which is horribly cut but so much clearer and more pleasant to listen to.
 early Caballe and Carrers are hard to bit July 17, 2006
bel canto fan (edmonton, canada)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I am often surprised by the fate of some Donizetti operas. Why Caterina Cornaro is not as well known as Lucrezia Borgia. It is not an inferior work as this recording shows. There are enough dramatic moments and sure plenty of interesting musical moments. br /But there it is Caterina Cornaro belongs to "lesser" works of Donizetti and as such is not often recorded or performed. This alone should be enough reason to buy this recording, but there are more reasons than that. br /Caballe and Carreras give outstanding performance on this recording. Both are in their prime here. If you ever wondered why Carreras is considered outstanding tenor, you should listen to his recordings from the 70th and this one is an exelent example. br /Caballe is a fairly recent discovery for me (I've been Callas only fan for years). This recording of Caterina Cornaro opened my ears to the beauty of Caballe singing and converted me to into her most ardent admirer. br /Very highly recomended.
Confusion January 27, 2006
Canzone (California)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
The origins of this recording are muddied, though presumably somebody knows the real info. The Amazon blurb says it's the Covent Garden Orchestra, but the recording may in fact be the one that came out on MRF records. The MRF box had a 4-page spread of pictures, and a cast list the same as the one given here. BUT, the leaflet states that the MRF records are from a July '72 performance with the LSO at Royal Festival Hall. Oddly, the MRF box has a complete libretto containing pictures of a completely difference performance at San Carlo in May '72, with different singers [Gencer/Aragall/Bruson - but still Cillario]. Perhaps someone knows if CC was given both at Covent Garden and the RFH - or?? The detective work is fun, if a bit frustrating at times.
Prime Caballe - Carreras delight! August 18, 2005
Armindo (Greece)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Not many recordings have both stars in their absolute prime. Caballe's top started loosing its freshness after 1973 although she kept her aristocratic phrasing and fine piano singing for many years. This is therefore an absolute must for bel canto lovers since both roles are very congenial for our stars. br / br /For some reason I expected a lot from this rather rare Donizetti opera but it didn't thrill me as much as I hoped. It's still an interesting piece though and Caballe - Carreras really justify their fame. Their dreamy voices blend in beautifully and it's no wonder they were among the singers who ruled those years. Shame that this was a concert performance though since I believe they would have sounded even more involved in a fully staged production. Caballe's delivery of the entrance aria is by the way one of her finest moments EVER! br / br /The rest of the cast sings well and there is enough music for low male voices too but they lack the star quality the soprano and tenor have. Still very good singing though! The sound is only adequate unfortunately. Lets hope a better copy will sometime surface. Cillario is experienced in bel canto and conducts with style and discreet, allowing the performers to do their best. br / br /Because of the sound, I should give this one 4 stars but I enjoyed the singing so much so it deserves a 5 star rating. br /
Some electrifying singing July 5, 2001
John Cragg (Delta(greater Vancouver), B.C Canada)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
Caterina Cornaro was one of the last two of Donizetti's operas. (Dom Sebastien, the other one, is no better known.) By that point the old (and sick) dog had few new tricks, but the old tricks still had a lot of magic. The opera in its initial staging in Naples was considered to be a fiasco. Whether this was due to poor quality of the music, a weak libretto, or the fact that the Neapolitan opera goers had been exposed to the much more innovative works of Mercadante may be an open question, but one can really eliminate the first reason. This opera is mature Donizetti, with much worthwhile in it even if it does not sound strikingly different from much else that he wrote.pThis recording (apparently from a live concert performance rather than a theatrical performance) features a very strong cast. Monserrat Caballe was at the height of her powers and produces some lovely singing, though her trademark failures are also evident. Some of these, however, do make the music more interestingly distinctive! Jose Carreras was also at the height of his powers and this music matches well the really fine aspects of his voice and the strengths of his musicianship. The choral singing (the chorus and orchestra are from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden) is impressive and the conducting sound.pThe recorded sound leaves much to be desired, and surprisingly for a concert performance is rather variable. At its best, it is acceptably clear and some of this features Caballe. At its worst it is very muddy and distorted. (Where does Opera d'Oro get its raw material - the booklet gives no indication?) Usually it is not bad enough to scrap the opera though there are parts where one reaches for the jump button. The booklet is the usual Opera d'Oro disgrace-a short essay by Bill Parker and a track index which only gives the first phrases of the tracks, with no indication of who might be singing or why. Similarly, it gives no indication of the provenance of the recording.pWe are not likely to get a major new production of this opera any time soon and at the price one can overlook the weaknesses for the star-quality of the singing and coherent conducting if one has more than a passing interest in Donizetti. I don't know the alternative listed at Amazon - but it may well be better - though its price is higher.
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