Terra Mars Music

This CD is an interesting addition to any Verdi opera fan's collection. You can hear the connective tissue between what makes up the songs on this disc and masterworks like Rigoletto and Traviata. While her voice is a bit "edgy," Renata Scotto does a very adept (and musical) job with her songs. Paolo Washington's voice has thrilling gravitas, but he goes flat on occasion. Vincenzo Scalera's playing is sensitive and easy on the ear. The liner notes are nice too, including the words to all the songs (I wish more art song albums contained a transcript of the lyrics).

Wow! What a voice! This 2 CD set features 40 of Carlo Bergonzi's works. It represents a remarkable portrait of his body of work. The "liner notes" observe that he had a reputation "as a singer of rare refinement, exemplary style, and impeccable taste. . . ."

Some examples of his work:

"Che gelida manina": This exquisite work from Puccini's "La Boheme" is superbly sung. There is, to be sure, an occasional affectation, but his rich, smooth voice renders this a trifling concern. Listen to the power and richness of his voice on such words as "millionaria," "forziere," and "la speranza" (hope I came close to spelling the words right!). What a lustrous voice. . . .

"O soave fanciulla": This duet with Renata Tebaldi (talk about a "dream duo") is exquisite. Bergonzi's rendition of the powerful opening produces goose bumps; when Tebaldi begins singing, the good bump production increases further. The twin high notes at the close are done well. An excellent version. . . .

"Questa o quella": The wretched Duke of Mantua is well portrayed by Bergonzi. His singing of this aria captures the miserable spirit of the Duke. His voice adopts the "devil may care" attitude of the character.

"La donna e mobile": The follow up to "Questa o quella" finds Bergonzi again in good voice. His voice moves easily from register to register. His version of this well known work compares well with the best tenors of all time. The final high note sounds rich indeed.

"Bella figlia dell'amore": One of the great ensemble pieces in all of opera. And what a cast! Bergonzi; Renata Scotto; the legendary Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau; Fiorenza Cossotto. Their voices intertwine wonderfully.

"E lucevan le stelle": One of the two twin dramatic tenor arias from "Tosca." His tenor voice fits this work nicely, and Bergonzi essays the aria well. The final "la vita" is powerful.

"Ah, si ben mio": From "Il Trovatore". . . . Bergonzi sings this well. The "shakes" in this work? He actually appears to try to trill (maybe not so well, but I admire the effort)! A for effort. Overall, dramatically rendered.

"Di quella pira": His stentorian voice does justice to this powerful and demanding aria. He sounds great as he moves from middle to higher register. His voice is a powerful instrument. The final high note rings out over the ensemble and orchestra.

So, what to make of Carlo Bergonzi? He stands as one of the top tenors of the later part of the 20th century. Wonder what the best tenors sound like? Take a listen to Bergonzi!

No need to add to what the other reviewers say about this five-star collection. I am writing to alert readers that on April 10, 2007 Decca released the complete recording of Un Ballo in Maschera with Bergonzi, Nilsson, Stahlman, Simionato, and MacNeil, conducted by Solti. To read my detailed review of that release, bring the product up on Amazon.

I had to write the same thing for the Sony Classical recording of a Bergonzi recital of Italian songs--this is simply one of the most passionate and intelligent singers I have ever heard, and he sounds as good or better now than when I first played one of his records 25 years ago. Anyone who has the slightest shred of interest in the operatic voice should own this collection from one of the truest and most passionate tenors in recorded history.

I have seen most of the great tenors of the past 50 years at the Met: Corelli, Tucker, Vickers, Gedda, Pavarotti, Domingo, etc.. For me, Bergonzi over all, was the superior Italian Opera tenor. His legato, agility, breath control, tasteful musicianship, diction, was superior to most of the great tenors. He was outstanding as Nemorino and Rhadames; Edgardo and Alvaro etc.. This CD shows him at his very best, which is a joy to hear. This CD is a must vocal lesson for any aspiring young tenor, as Carlo Bergonzi is a master singer.

I first came to appreciate the artistry that is Carlo Bergonzi on his magnificnt recording of Butterly with Renata Scotto. Later I got the privelege of hearing him several times in person. He was among the most intelligent of tenors. He knew his voice well and how to use that voice to convey the drama and music in a wonderful combination.

If you appreciate Bergozni, this recording will remind you why. If you are not familiar with "The Tenor's Tenor", you will find out why he has that title. However, in addition to the magnificent Bergonzi, you also get wonderful performances from partners such as Tebaldi, Birgit Nilsson, Sutherland, Scotto, Fischer-Dieskau and Cossotto.

I can only find fault with a couple of the selections. First and foremost is that Bergonzi should never have even attempted the Dio Mi Potevi from Otello. That is the only performance that is in anyway subpar. It is unlike any other performance on this recording (or any other time I heard Bergonzi) -- forced. I would have far preferred a version of Una Furtiva Lagrima, which Bergonzi could sing the sock off of. Or given the presence of E Lucevan Stelle, couldn't they have included Recondita Armonia instead? The only other very minor complaint is the pairing with Nilsson . The duet is fine until the very end. On the final high C you can't even hear Bergonzi due to the sheer size of Nilsson's voice. The music and performance of both are wonderful, but a perfect Alfredo and perfect Brunnhilde do not necessarily mesh. But that is a minor quibble. Aside from a disappearing Carlo, it is quite a wonderful performance.

On the plus side a few things particularly stand out. To me, this is simply the best recording ever of Cielo e Mar. The sections with Tebaldi (Boheme and Butterfly and Aida in particuar) are fabulous. Other standouts include the quartet from Rigoletto with Scotto, Cossotto and Fischer-Dieskau and the Cavelleria duet with Cossotto.

All in all, this is, with a few minor exceptions, a magnificent collection of the best of Carlo Bergonzi.

First rate selections, performed by first rate musicians.
Here are some of the most haunting melodies ever created.