Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Introduzione ... Qui s'attenda - Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
2. "Sì, vuol di Francia il Rege" - "Ah, quando all'ara" - "In tal giorno di contento" - Huguette Tourangeau, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
3. Ah! quando all'ara scorgemi - Huguette Tourangeau, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
4. Il tal giorno di contento - Roger Soyer, Huguette Tourangeau, James Morris, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
5. Ah! dal ciel discenda un raggio - Huguette Tourangeau, James Morris, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
6. "Fra noi perchè non veggio Leicester?" - Huguette Tourangeau, James Morris, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
7. Hai nelle giostre, o Talbo? - Luciano Pavarotti, Roger Soyer, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
8. "Questa imago, questa foglio" - "Ah! rimiro il bel sembiante" - Roger Soyer, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
9. "Sei tu confuso?" - Huguette Tourangeau, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
10. "Era d'amor l'immagine" - Luciano Pavarotti, Huguette Tourangeau, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
11. Sul crin la rivale la man - Huguette Tourangeau, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
12. "Allenta il piè, Regina" - Margreta Elkins, Joan Sutherland, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
13. "O nube che lieve per l'aria" - Joan Sutherland, Margreta Elkins, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
14. Nella pace del mesto riposo - Joan Sutherland, Margreta Elkins, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
15. "Ah! non m'inganna la gioia!" - Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
16. "Da tutti abbandonata" - Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
17. Ah! se il mio cor tremò giammai - Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
18. "Qual loco è questo?" - Huguette Tourangeau, Luciano Pavarotti, James Morris, Roger Soyer, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
19. "E sempre la stessa" - Huguette Tourangeau, Joan Sutherland, Roger Soyer, Luciano Pavarotti, James Morris, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
20. "Deh! l'accogli" - "Morta al mondo, e morta al trono" - Luciano Pavarotti, Huguette Tourangeau, Roger Soyer, Joan Sutherland, James Morris, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
21. "Va, preparati, furente" - Huguette Tourangeau, James Morris, Margreta Elkins, Luciano Pavarotti, Roger Soyer, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge

Disc 2:

1. "E pensi? e tardi?" - James Morris, Huguette Tourangeau, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
2. Quella vita a me funesta - Regina! A lei s'affretta - Huguette Tourangeau, James Morris, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
3. Ah! Deh! per pietà sospendi - Luciano Pavarotti, James Morris, Huguette Tourangeau, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
4. "D'una sorella, o barbara" - Luciano Pavarotti, Huguette Tourangeau, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
5. Vanne, indegno; t'appare nel volto - Huguette Tourangeau, James Morris, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
6. "La perfida insultarmi anche volea" - Joan Sutherland, James Morris, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
7. "Oh mio buon Talbot!" - "Delle miei colpe lo squallido - Joan Sutherland, Roger Soyer, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
8. "Quando di luce rosea" - Joan Sutherland, Roger Soyer, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
9. Lascia contenta il carcere - Roger Soyer, Joan Sutherland, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
10. "Vedeste? - Vedemmo. Oh truce apparato! - Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
11. "Anna! - Qui più sommessi favellate" - "Deh! vi rivedo alfin" - Margreta Elkins, Joan Sutherland, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
12. "Deh! Tu di un umile preghiera" - Joan Sutherland, Margreta Elkins, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
13. "Oh colpo!..." - James Morris, Joan Sutherland, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
14. "D'un cor che muore reca il perdono" - Joan Sutherland, Margreta Elkins, Roger Soyer, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
15. "Giunge il Conte" - Roger Soyer, Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, James Morris, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge
16. "Ah! se un giorno" - Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Roger Soyer, Margreta Elkins, James Morris, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Richard Bonynge

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #117090 in Music
• Released on: 1990-05-09
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: .43 pounds
• Running time: 123 minutes

Customer Reviews

Bel Canto Bust-up Bonanza
The plot of Maria Stuarda is a fantasy based on reality - the political differences between Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart. Overlaid with a bit of sexual jealousy, the enormous tensions dragged a thrilling score out the composer, with the result that here we have the best of Donizetti's 'Tudor Queens' operas.

Dame Joan was tipping into the 'cooing' style of singing at this time, but the voice is vigorous and fresh, especially when faced with the Elizabeth of Hugette Tourangeau (fantastic). Pavaraotti was still in the blush of youth and his voice is thrilling. Bonynge does his usual job of keeping the orchestra and proceedings well under (bouncy) control. The 1960's recording is clean and bright.

This was the first Donizetti recording I bought (too many years ago to confess)and it is still one to which I frequently return.

Absolutely stunning - a classic

Sutherland's interpretation is amazingly dramatic!
This Maria Stuarda was recorded in 1975 when Joan Sutherland's voice had already developed in a true dramatic coloratura, with an incredible low register and a heavier and more metallic timbre. However, she could still fit perfectly the highest notes. It means her voice was in her best vocal performance for a role like Maria Stuarda. Besides, she gives us a strong and intelligent interpretation of Maria Stuarda. In the powerful scene in which the two rivals (Maria and Elisabetta) meet, she cries "Figlia impura di Bolena" emphasizing in each word and shouting "Vil bastarda!" with force and hate. On the other hand, in the final scene she is kind of trying not to cry, but the sadness is marked in her voice.
The rest of the cast is not less incredible. Huguette Tourangeau has a dark and melifluous voice that fits very well in the role of Elisabetta and Luciano Pavarotti was in his most absolute prime. Richard Bonynge's conducting follows the singers with harmony and style.
In a vocally and dramatically demanding opera such as Maria Stuarda nobody could do it better than this incredible cast formed by Sutherland, Pavarotti, Tourangeau and Bonynge.
Highly recommended.

No queen like an Old Queen!
Your view of this set will depend greatly on whether you like Dame Joan Sutherland's later singing or not. For my taste this recording came too late in a very long career. She can still do everything, and her diction is reasonable (the famous "vil Bastarda" works well). She acts well. The high notes are all there. But...but... there is something overly weighty about her voice, lumpy toned and matronly. She sounds like an ageing opera singer, not the great queen of Scots.

the opera was written for two soprani, yet we have a very mezzo Elisabetta in Torangeau. Although transpositions were common, there seem rather a lots here to fit her contralto-like tessitura. Pavarotti gleams in his customary way.

Bonynge introduces some variations to Mary's music, unusual and not altogether appealing. I prefer the edition used by Patane (in Italian)and - largely - by Mackerras (in English).

It's one of Donizetti's finest works but the final scene, with the magnificent prayer, just doesn't take off. Indeed the opera here seems rather long and sluggish - a bit long winded. Yet it can be a thrilling and theatrical work.

No, this is not for me. I recommend Gruberova/Patane - or look at Celestial Audio recordings - Nelly Miricioiu's versions are fabulous.