Gioachino Rossini Silvio Varviso Rossini Orchestra amp Chorus - Rossini The Barber of Seville (30 tracks) +Album Reviews

A wonderful recording of Il Barbiere di Sviglia!

Rod Tierman | 02/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The biggest reason I can give for puchasing this set of Barber of Seville is the Almaviva of Ugo Benelli. Benelli handles this, one of the most challenging roles in the Tenor di grazia repertoire, with great ease and elan. His "Ecco ridente" is one of the best I've ever heard, rivaling Schipa and Valletti. Plus Benelli also sings the oft cut "Cessa Di Piu Resistere" masterfully, handling the vocal pyro-techniques flawlessly. If one wants to hear the original concept Rossini had for the role of Rossina (to be sung by a Mezzo-soprano), then one need go no further than Teresa Berganza. Berganza handles her role with a lyricism and ease, and yet a richness to the voice, one rarely hears from Mezzos these days. Her "Una Voce poco Fa" is simply flawless. This set also brags the Don Basilio of the great Bulgarian Basso Nicolai Ghiaurov in his glorious prime (his "La Calunnia E Un Venticello" is a real show stopper)and the Dottore Bartolo of Ferrando Corena is a real joy to listen to. Manuel Ausensi performs the lead role of Figaro with the appropriate amount of abandon. The tempos Silvio Varviso uses here are excellent! All the ensemble pieces are done very well. The recorded sound is excellent. Even if one already owns a good recording of "Barbiere", they should also have this one. This recording has all the elements going for it. This performance is everything a recording of Barber of Seville should be! It really seems as though all the performers are enjoying themselves here and if there is one thing a performance of Barber of Seville should be, it should be FUN! And this performance really has that going for it. Treat yourself and buy this recording of Barbiere di Sviglia! You won't regret it and at this bargain price, how can you lose? . A pure delight from the Overture to the finale!"

Berganza! Berganza! Berganza!

J. Luis Juarez Echenique | Mexico City | 04/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The are many good reason for buying this delicious Barbiere, but the best of all is the glorious singing of the then very young Teresa Berganza. Her rich magnificent voice has no equal, not Bartoli, not von Stade, not Horne, not no one. Berganza was born to sing Rosina and Angelina she is funny, sexy and just plain adorable. Her compatriot Manuel Ausensi is a good rather than a great Figaro (I will never understand why Rolando Panerai was not preferred), but Ghiaurov has to be heard to be believed. Varviso was a marvelous Rossini conductor and this is certainly an essential Barbiere."

The more convincent cast

Reynaldo Pulido | Caracas, Venezuela | 06/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I couldn't lose the chance of buying this double cd set, because this Barber have the best cast in a single recording. Varviso and the Rossini Naples Orchestra have a good sense of what is the Barber, the overture sounds espectacular, using the crescendos with accuracy and brightness. Benelli, because this recording only cuts the recitatives, had the hardest work: He sings "Ecco ridente" entirely and without problems, the final Rond? does it with energy and brio. Berganza is the best Rosina, no innecessary ornaments in her arias. Ausensi is not the best F?garo -this award goes to Gobbi- but he has the colour and the power to sing it (Hagegaard and Prey sound too light). Corena is the equilibrated Don Bartolo, because he exagerates some parts, but he has the musical sense to sing the aria and duets like a bass he is, not like a clown. Ghiaurov has a silver medal in the Basilio's championship (Ramey has the golden one, who sings it in the original D key), with a touch of humorism in his recitatives and a powerful Calunnia's aria, as good as the Ramey's one. There are several cuts in the recitative, but the musical parts, the arias and ensembles are entirely played: Ecco ridente, All'idea di quel metallo, the stretta and its appendice before its end, the lesson aria of Rosina, the quintetto, the whole rond? of the Count, the terzetto, all number are complete. If the recitatives had been restored and Gobbi sang F?garo here, i could say this recording was the definitive."

A grand tradition Barber...

Rachel Howard | ocklawaha, Florida United States | 08/12/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I love lower voices. This one has heroic voices in the roles of Figaro (Ausensi), Bartolo (Corena), and Basilio (Ghiaurov). Ausensi lacks the humor I love to hear in Barbiere, though he has a beautiful, full voice. I'd have liked it far better used with imagination and a greater variety of dynamics. The problem seems to be with imagination- Stracciari, Milnes, and Merrill all had more heroic voices than Ausensi, but the sheer fun they had with Figaro bubbles out of their recordings. Still, Ausensi sings fine and certainly does not spoil the recording for me. Fernando Corena is Bartolo and I doubt if a finer voice ever tried this curmudgeonly role out- and I am thinking of Kipnis as well when I say this. Corena gets across how funny this character is, but never lets us lose sight of one fact- Bartolo takes himself VERY seriously, and he never lets us forget Bartolo's pride. Bartolo is a man, very human, with many foibles and frailties. I do not see him as a villain, just grouchy and irrascible- with a fine seasoning of greed laced in with all the rest.Nicolai Ghiaurov romps through the role of Don Basilio with elan and an incredible voice. He is one of the reasons I never even mentioned Varviso as a possible cause for Ausensi's over serious approach to Figaro. The big Bulgarian bass was in fine voice during these recording sessions and the sheer fun he had with Basilio (His pomposity, his `clever' villainies, and his friendship for Doctor Bartolo.) is infectious. As much of a fool as Basilio is, one can't help but feel affection for him. I don't think even he feels he is anything but an unscrupulous man, in love with his own cleverness. He's willing to lie, cheat, steal, and so on, but he's kind of honest about it......unlike Almaviva, who sees himself as a gift to the world. He's just as willing to use lying to get his way as Basilio, and physical threats (He points a gun at Basilio...), but he sees himself as a morally pristine hero. Almaviva's music is fun to listen to, and his duets with Figaro are priceless Rossini gems, but Almaviva is a man I'm glad never to have met. Benelli does a fine job with a funny part and I doubt if he'll disappoint very many opera buffs. The voice is small and agile, with a sweet tone often missing in leggiero tenors.Teresa Berganza- a beautiful lady with a fine, mellow mezzo voice. What can I say? She sings Rosina in the original range Rossini wrote it for. Berganza handles the coloratura with confidence, bringing depths to the character many other fine ladies miss. This set is worth it for her alone, if you like mezzo Rosinas. She pulls out a shining, bell-clear pianissimo high note worth dying to hear, in her duet with Ausensi. The conducting sparkles, making this a must-have Barbiere for those who love a grand approach to this music. The sound is excellent."

Thank you Rossini!!

Carlos Fuentes y Espinosa | Mexico´s city, Mexico | 12/04/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This record of "The barber of Seville" is a very good one in general speaking. Corena, the comic bass is very funny. Benelli is decent. Ausensi sings with a very beatiful voice. Berganza plays an incredible Rosina, a musical one. However, the most important part of this is the egregios bulgarian bass Nicolai Ghiaurov who sings incredibly perfect. His aria " la calunnia" in a "c" key sounds so beatiful, you cannot believe it. It is beyond the human's understanding. I am very thankful for have been born after Rossini composed this. When you hear this album, you 'll agree with me."

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