Track Listing

1. Il segreto per esser felici - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Paolo Vero
2. Al mio core - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
3. All'afflitto è dolce il pianto (Sara) - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
4. Que faire - Sol adoré de la patrie - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
5. Dopo l'oscuro nembo - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
6. Si, vuol di Francia il Rege (Elisabetta) - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
7. Ah! quando all'ara scorgemi - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
8. In tal giorno di contento - Ildebrando d' Arcangelo, Elina Garanca, Adrian Sâmpetrean, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Paolo Vero
9. Ah! dal ciel discenda un raggio - Elina Garanca, Ildebrando d' Arcangelo, Adrian Sâmpetrean, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Paolo Vero
10. Andante - Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
11. O patria! dolce, e ingrata patria - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
12. Di tanti palpiti - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
13. Terzetto: "In questi estremi istanti" (Calbo, Anna, Erisso) - Elina Garanca, Ekaterina Siurina, Matthew Polenzani, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
14. Lieto del dolce incarco - Elina Garanca, Matthew Polenzani, Ildebrando d' Arcangelo, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Paolo Vero
15. Ascolta, se Romeo t'uccise - Elina Garanca, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
16. Riedi al campo - Ildebrando d' Arcangelo, Elina Garanca, Matthew Polenzani, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Paolo Vero
17. La tremenda ultrice spada - Elina Garanca, Ildebrando d' Arcangelo, Matthew Polenzani, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado, Coro del Teatro Comunale di Bologna
18. Io l'udia chiarmarmi a nome - Elina Garanca, Ekaterina Siurina, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
19. Suon tremendo! - Elina Garanca, Ekaterina Siurina, Matthew Polenzani, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado
20. La speme un dolce palpito - Elina Garanca, Ekaterina Siurina, Filarmonica del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Roberto Abbado

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16396 in Music
• Released on: 2009-01-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds
• Running time: 65 minutes

Customer Reviews

Sublime gorgeousness
Elina Garanca first came to my personal attention on the Mozart album, her rich mezzo counterbalancing exisitely with Anna Netrebko on "Ah perdona al primo affetto" from La Clemenza di Tito and her powerful rendition of "Parto" from the same opera.

This CD contains music from a later period and less known to me. I was slightly put off to be honest by the Bel Canto reference (always reminds me of Harry Secombe's joke about his style being "more Can Belto than Bel Canto"...) but I've learnt a lot from listening to this recording.

Her voice is better than on the Mozart album, whether singing solo or in duets or trios. She's undearthed some real gems here too - the trio from Rossini's Maometto is absolutely stunning.

In summary, buy this: if you know her voice and not the music then be prepared to learn; if you know the repertoire but not Elina Garanca then you're in for a treat; if you know neither then this is a great place to start. If you know both then you'll have bought this without reading any reviews.

Brilliant selection of tracks by brilliant singer
Buying a CD with lesser known music by a great performer can be a great disappointment if the music is unappealing, or it can be a gem if the music matches the singing. Or it can be a disaster if both voice and music are no joy. In this case, as well as offering an opportunity to hear a truly brilliant and beautiful voice, this CD is a great introduction to some less familiar operas, such as Lucrezia Borgia, L'assedio di Calais, Roberto Devereux, Dom Sebastien, roi du Portugal, Maria Stuarda (all Donizetti), Aleson e Salvini, I Capuleti e i Montecchi (Bellini), and Tancredi, Maometto II (Rossini). It's hard to choose a highlight, as the tracks are all so good, but for me the best are the 4 tracks from I Capuleti e i Montecchi - Garanca's portrayal of Romeo is for me one of the greatest operatic highlights I can recall.

Gorgeous She Is
This Latvian mezzo-soprano has been making waves for some time in no small part due to her unquestionable photogenity. Well, gorgeous she is and it hasn't taken A&R guys too long to figure out how to pair her with another opera media starlet, Ms Anna Netrebko. That's another project, though. I have to say that, normally, my ideal of bel canto goes soft on highs and articulate on lows which Ms Garanca, on this record, does neither. There is nothing shameful in the fact that the art of opera which, aside the recordings continues its second life on stage, aside great singers has also need for great lookers who present beautifully on billboards and CD covers. Not to be misunderstood--Ms Garancia is doing a decent job on this record and she sings quite well, indeed. But she looks even better.