Cheap Arias (Music) (Georges Bizet, Leo Delibes, Charles Gounod, Giacomo Meyerbeer, Giacomo Puccini, Gioachino Rossini, Tullio Serafin, Rome Opera Orchestra, Anna Moffo) Price

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Customer Reviews of Arias

My Introduction to Anna Moffo
This album served as my introduction to the artistry of Anna Moffo. She, like other sopranos who had the "misfortune" of appearing on the opera scene during the [...] of Joan Sutherland, is often overlooked. Ms. Moffo is sometimes reduced to being little more than a footnote in the catalog of 20th century sopranos and is often referred to as simply being "a good soprano." However, she was more than good, she was one of the greats. <
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>Overall, I was pleased with the majority of the selections on the CD. Her interpretation of the Lakme's Bell Song is not the best on record. Indeed, Sutherland's recordings of the aria are technically superior, but Moffo's performance here is not unsatisfactory. Her coloratura technique is excellent and pleasant, but she seems to be in a rush to get the final High E out of the way (so does Maria Callas on the La Divina 3 album). <
>Her "Signore, Ascolta," is breathtaking. She takes on the broken spirit of Liu and delivers an emotionally fluid performance. <
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>In similar fashion, she performs the absolute BEST "Tu che di gel sei cinta" I have ever heard. If you buy the CD for no other reason, listen to the way she executes the emotional turmoil of Liu in her singing. Moffo is in total control. For some reason, most sopranos rush through this aria way too quickly, but here, Moffo takes advantage of the beautiful melody/orchestration and offers us a lush, legato performance. She sings in perfect synchronization with the orchestra. It's almost the same effect as if she were accompanying herself on the piano in free meter. I know there are many Maria Callas fans out there (including myself) but not even she can match the emotional depth and sheer vocal coloring that Moffo delivers in this aria. <
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>I'm glad that I purchased this album. Anna Moffo is a genuine, undiscovered treasure for any opera enthusiast. Personally, she sounds very similar to Leontyne Price at times (except with more power in the middle and lower ranges and a more pleasant vibrato). I love the deceptive power of her seemingly demure voice. It has that cosmetically superficial beauty that is immediately pleasing, but just beneath the surface there is a notable muscle power to firmly support the complete vocal package (I love it!) The audio is superb and gives the impression of a grand opera hall. There's much to love about this CD. Don't miss out. <
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Absolutely delightful!
I am not a music specialist as some other reviewers seem to be, but to my ears, this entire collection by Anna Moffo is an absolute delight. Her voice is clear and rich, never strained. I owned this collection on a 33-1/3 RPM many years ago and was excited to see it available again on a CD. If you are one who enjoys well sung opera arias you will treasure these by Anna Moffo.

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Anna Moffo Now Sings In Heaven: From A Fan
Opera fans may have already received the news (New York Times, LA Times, Opera News, etc) that soprano Anna Moffo died Thursday in a NY Presbyterian Hospital at the age of 73 after her battle with cancer. She was a supermodel-type beautiful, striking Italian-American who graced the stage of the Metropolitan Opera and world opera houses for many years throughout the 50's, 60's and 70's. She was never a prima donna/diva in the ugly sense of the word and she even hosted her own talk show, was married to an NBC network executive. Anna Moffo left us a number or great recordings, including full-length operas and solo albums like this one, one of her earliest albums. <
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>Primarily a lyric-coloratura soprano, Miss Moffo was critically acclaimed for her performances of Violetta in Verdi's Traviata (her Met debut in the 50's), Mimi in La Boheme (which she recorded with Richard Tucker,Robert Merrill and Mary Costa), Lucia Di Lammermoor (she made a film and a recording of it opposite Carlo Bergonzi) Susannah in Le Nozze Di Figaro (which she recorded under Giulini which also starred Elisabeth Schwartzkopff) and she appeared in a film version of Madame Butterfly and made a terrific La Sonnambula. For audiences whose ears were fed the more powerful voices of Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi and Birgit Nilsson, Anna Moffo was a refreshing, more lyrical change. Her sweet and well-placed voice is handsomely capturesd in this solo album which features the following arias: <
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>Marguerite's Jewel Song From Gounod's Faust <
>Mimi's Aria from Puccini's La Boheme <
>Shadow Song from Meyerbeer's Dinorah <
>Micaela's Aria from Bizet's Carmen <
>Bel Raggio Lusinger from Rossini's Semiramide <
>Liu's Arias - Signore Ascolta and Death Scene from Turandot <
>Bell Song From Lakme <
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>Each of these arias are magically spun in her vocal chords. She has a rich, powerful voice, but it never steps up to the plane of lyrico-spinto. She was the Renee Fleming of her day, a voice that was bright, angelic, beautiful, feminine, alluring, siren-like. Best of all, she was one of those rare sopranos who looked like the heroines they enacted (unlike for example the heavy-set Montserrat Caballe who couldn't physically appeare like the dying courtesan Violetta in Traviata or the fragile Lucia). Now that Miss Moffo has passed on, recordings of hers will definately sell like crazy. This album captures her in her prime and there is no flaw in any of her stylings but I agree with another critic that the Rossini aria "Bel Raggio" is out of her league vocally. She had fine coloratura but it was not at the razzle-dazzle bel canto level of Joan Sutherland or Beverly Sills. Anna Moffo...thanks for the beautiful voice and memories you gave to us. Rest in peace and the applause she will get in Heaven are well-deserved!!