Oui Oui [Import]

1. Kyoto

2. Jin Jin

3. The Stew

4. Snow

5. Happiness

6. Oui Oui

7. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

8. Brooklyn Bridge

9. All The Bones Are White

Tracks:

Son Vergin Vezzosa - Paul Plishka
Eccomi... Oh! Quante Volte
Mira, O Norma
Santo Di Patria... Allor Che I Forti Corrono... Da Te Questo
Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore - Nicolai Gedda
Che M'apporti? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Quel Sangue Versato Al Cielo S'innalza - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Vorrei Spiegarvi, Oh Dio, K.418
Amor, Op.68 No.5

Tracks:

Martern Aller Arten
E Strano! E Strano!
Ah, Fors'e Lui
Follie! Follie!
Sempre Libera
Ces Murs Silencieux - Pardonnez-moi, Dieu De Toute Puissance - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Toi! Vous! - Oui! Je Fus Cruelle Et Coupable! - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
N'est-ce Plus Ma Main? - Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Robert, Toi Que J'aime
Tu Ne Chanteras Plus?
Chere Enfant Que J'appele
Meine, Lippen, Die Kusen So Heiss
Wien, Wien, Nur Du Allein
Always Through The Changing

Customer Reviews:

RIP, BEVERLY SILLS 1929-2007.......2007-07-03

The great American diva's passing was announced today.

This wonderful CD set is a perfect compilation of her art as can be found anywhere. Her finest roles and performances are captured here, most of them derived from the Westminster/Audio Treasury recordings from her prime. Listening to them again demonstrates to me why she was so special, and such an inspiration to music lovers everywhere.

Brava Sills!.......2007-02-02

A very nice compilation of Sillsiana. The different cuts on this CD provide a nice illustration of her work. Let me briefly describe my response to a sampling of the works on this CD:

Bellini, I Puritani, "Son vergin vezzosa." Wonderful. Sutherland owns this--but so does Beverly Sills. Contemporary sopranos such as Netrebko and Gruberova have also sung this on their respective CDs, and while their product is nice, it simply does not compare. Sills is remarkably agile with her voice; the trills are well done; she cleanly hits high notes; the overall effect can only be described as wonderful.

Bellini, Norma, "Mira, o Norma". This is smoothly sung and very melodic. The technique that she exhibits does not overwhelm the music.

Rosini, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, "Contro un cor che accende amore." Again, her agile voice is well deployed. The florid singing is well done.

Donizetti, Roberto Devereaux, "Che m'apporti." Her clean, light voice matches well with this aria. Smoothly sung. Her "Quel sangue versato al cielo s'innalza," which follows, is well done. High notes cleanly hit, a smooth line.

Verdi, La Traviata, "E strano. . . .Sempre libera." Again, what agility! In "Sempre libera," she reveals a rich voice and, again, wonderful agility. This is an animated version of one of Verdi's showcase pieces.

Lehar, Giudetta. "Meine Lippen." A lot of fun! This is smoothly sung.

In the final analysis, this is a nice potpourri of Beverly Sills' repertoire. Those not familiar with her work will find this a nice entree to her oeuvre; those familiar with her will find this a good compilation.

Sills fits my bill.......2006-03-13

This recording is another in an all too small CD collection of Sills recordings. I eagerly await more.

The Great American Soprano.......2005-10-01

This is a great collecition featuring arias from the Classical and Romantic periods. Fabulous!!!!!

My Favorite Woman.......2005-08-05

I would have to say that when I first heard Beverly Sills sing, I was entranced. I couldn't take my eyes off of her and I became angry at any rustling around me, because I was afraid I would miss one note. It was so addictive....that is what she is....addictive! A c.d. will never properly capture her style. She is an amazing leader in opera, taking it into a new frontier and I believe this c.d. showcases that.

Average customer rating:

5-stars!! Sills owned this role!
SILLS and a Perfect MANON.....
For Sills fans, mainly.
A Great Recording of an Opera That Should Be Performed More Often
Beverly Sills Signature Role

Massenet: Manon

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor: Complete Opera (with full libretto and translation)
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The Great Recordings

ASIN: B0001Y4JGG
Release Date: 2004-05-11

Amazon.com

This recording has been unavailable for too long. Recorded in 1970, a solid year-or-so before Beverly Sills' voice began to show the damage caused by singing Elisabetta I in Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, this is the finest all-around recording of Manon on the market. Sills, in addition to being fresh-voiced, is so thoroughly in the part that we can chart Manon's downfall step by step; her girlish singing is as right on as her sassy, showy coloratura in the thirds act, and her St Sulpice scene is truly seductive. She's the perfect Manon. And Nicolai Gedda's Des Grieux, sung, as is Sills' Manon and the rest of the cast, in impeccable French, is passionate, madly in love, and ultimately tragic. Gabriel Bacquier's Count is imperious and authoritative and Gerard Souzay's Lescaut is smooth. Julius Rudel's leadership sparkles when it should and his sense of French suavity is unfailing. The score is given more than complete - as an appendix, there's an aria for Manon that Massenet added later. This is a desert island disc. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

5-stars!! Sills owned this role!.......2007-07-18

Until I heard Sills sing Manon in the 1970's I have to admit that it was not one of my favorite operas. This recording certainly does her justice, capturing the complexities of this role. It is an outstanding recording! (as an aside, if you have not seen it, go to youtube's recording of her farewell recital, where, as in all of her recitals, she closes with a Portugese folk song taught to her by her famous teacher Estelle Liebling. If this doesn't bring tears to your eyes, nothing will!).

SILLS and a Perfect MANON............2007-07-07

Enough has been written about Beverly Sills and the role of Manon that you already know that she OWNED the role for a long time.

This recording was originally issued on EMI, and I find it unusual that it should have disappeared from that label and it now appears on DG. Although it is strange, we need not worry about that; the main thing here is that the recording is again available to us.

You only really need two copies of Manon...the Victoria De Los Angeles one under Pierre Monteaux, and this one with Sills, Gedda, Bacquier, and Souzay under Julius Rudel. All participants here are simply wonderful, and all in very good voice as it happens! Usually we get a weak link, but somehow, the god's smiled on this effort, and everything came together wonderfully.

This is one of Gedda's efforts that I heartily commend! Simply a great des Griux! Souzay's Lescaut is really a wonderfully smooth, and mellow, performance that you need to hear. Gabriel Bacquier, AS ALWAYS turns in a magnificently commanding performance as Count des Griux. This of course brings us to the role of Manon. Simply stunning would be a great way to say it! Sills is just so real-life-bubbly girlish, and so lovely, that we are swept up in the swirl of mad love, right up to tragedy that comes to her, and the heart-wrenchingly sad finale.

This recording belongs in everyone's collection, right beside the Victoria De Los Angeles one! Enjoy! ~operabruin

For Sills fans, mainly........2006-01-16

As good an ensemble as could be assembled in the more recent past, well conducted by the seasoned Rudel, this 1970 performance stands or falls by one's perception of the two principals.

Nicolaï Gedda (né Ustinov,) b. 1925, half-Swedish, half-Russian, was a fine musician with a highly developped vocal technique. His manner was rather cold, however, and at 45 his lyric voice had lost some of its original bloom. I find his des Grieux rather grim and emphatic, lacking in romantic élan. I much prefer the poetic Henri Legay in the definitive Monteux recording (TESTAMENT.)

Beverly Sills (née Silvermann,) b. 1929, American, studied with Estelle Liebling, a pupil of the legendary Mathilde Marchesi, teacher of Melba, Eames, Kurtz, Alda and many an other French stylist.

Sills new exactly how to sing this music and had the perfect voice and technique for it. Many years of repertory singing in the provinces, often in inappropriately heavy parts (Tosca!) however, had made Sills' voice thin and unsteady by the time she made this recording at age 41. Her interpretation is intense, heartfelt and full of telling dramatic detail, but often heavy-handed and unpleasant on the ear. She is also rather short on the elegance and chimeric charm that characterises the best interpreters of this part (Vallin, Heldy, Féraldy, de los Ángeles.)

The airplane hangar ambience of the recording studio (talk about overresonant!) does not help, either.

Incidentally, the rôle of Lescaut is sung (well) by Gerard SOUZAY.

Gabriel Bacquier sings comte des Grieux--very well indeed.

A Great Recording of an Opera That Should Be Performed More Often.......2005-10-08

Massanet's MANON is a work that is no stranger to the stage in New York City where it has had a glorious history at both the Met and the New York City Opera though this is not the case around the world. Its frequent New York performances may make it Massanet's most staged opera. For those familiar with the work, it is a favorite. It has all the elements that make French opera great, but it is not a work that has familiar excerpts. As a matter of fact, Massanet's bets known melodies are from lesser known works, such as the "Meditation" from THAIS and Porquoi me Revelier" from WERTHER. Yet when MANON is broadcast from the Met or if one takes out a recording, it's easy to understand why this work has been a favorite of so many for over a century and begs the question `Why isn't this work performed more often?'

Like great French opera, MANON is a work that is a bit larger than life, requires exquisite orchestral playing, and of course great singing. This set, originally released by Westminster in the 1970's and re-released by Duetsche Grammophon has it all. The vocal abilities of the three leading performers: Beverly Sills, Nicolai Gedda and Gabriel Bacquier as Manon, des Grieux, and Lescaut respectively are each in top vocal form. Sills herself states that Manon was a role she loved and one that she believed her voice was well suited for, and there can be no disputation when listening to this set. As a conductor, Julius Rudel is at his best. He has great control over the New Philharmonia Orchestra, creating lush sounds that make the recording spectacular and an added, but essential plus would be the outstanding choral performances by the Ambrosian Opera Chorus and the great performances of the smaller roles.

Just about every reviewer, from Amazon reviewers to the critics who write for OPERA NEWS have heralded the new availability of this recording. Listen to it, and you will understand why and echo the many praises of this set.

Enjoy!

Beverly Sills Signature Role.......2004-12-17

Beverly Sills once said that if she was to be remembered for anything, it should be for "Manon". This is the role that catapulted her to opera superstardom. And she made this recording in 1970, when her voice still had all its youthful freshness and vigor, and shows just why Beverly Sills had such a great reputation. It has been said that Massenet wrote for his soprano, and nowhere is that more true than in the title role of this opera. And Sills does the role complete justice, vocally demonstrating in her singing the downfall of Manon from young innocent girl to demimondaine to despair and death. Her rendition of the great aria "Adieu, notre petite table", is incredibly moving. And the rest of the cast is excellent as well. Nicolai Gedda is supremely stylish as Des Grieux, Gabriel Bacquier strong and forthright as his father, and one gets to hear the late Gerard Souzay, famous primarily as a concert artist, singing a rare opera role as Lescaut, Manon's cousin. Julius Rudel conducts cleanly, making the most of Massenet's lush orchestrations. This recording belongs on the shelf of every opera lover.

Average customer rating:

soltice

Solstice
Slim Man
Manufacturer: Oui Oui Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

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Bella Mia
Closer to Paradise
Ladies' Choice
All I Want for Christmas
End of the Rainbow

ASIN: B000MV9350
Release Date: 2007-01-25

Tracks:

Secrets of Your Heart
If I Were a Carpenter
Amore
Everytime It Rains
Summer's Almost Gone
Listen to the Wind
Just Another Day
Wouldn't It Be Good
Never Surrender
Face the Truth
Every Now and Then

Product Description

Solstice, the new CD from pop/jazz vocalist Slim Man, features guitarist Marc Antoine. Solstice is both a return and a departure for Slim Man--a return to the studio where he recorded his first CD, 'End of the Rainbow', which had the Top Ten Hit 'Faith In Us', and a departure in that the sound has a more Latin/Pop/Chill vibe than Slim Man's other CDs.

Customer Reviews:

soltice.......2007-07-04

I enjoyed the music, smooth jazz is always relaxing! I enjoyed the different moads in the album of instruments and singing. I never heard of Slim Man before but I will buy more of his music again!!

Average customer rating:

Not worth buying!
Don't waste your money
Perfect for "drop the needle" style tests
A CD with Attention Deficit Disorder
This sucks...

Only Opera CD You'll Ever Need

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Famous Opera Arias
The Most Famous Opera Duets
The Best of Italian Opera
The #1 Opera Album
The Best Opera Album in the World...Ever!

ASIN: B000003GA0
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

Antony & Cleopatra: 'Give Me My Robe' - Leontyne Price
Fidelio: 'In des Lebens Fruhlingstagen...' - Ben Heppner
Fidelio: Act II Quartet: 'Ach, du bist gerettet...' - Deborah Voigt
Norma: 'Casta Diva' - Rosa Ponselle
Candide: 'Glitter And Be Gay' - Harolyn Blackwell
Candide: 'Make Our Garden Grow' - Jerry Hadley
Carmen: Flower Song - Placido Domingo
Carmen: Habanera - Rise Stevens
Carmen: Toreador Song - Robert Merrill
Les pecheurs de perles: Duet: 'Oui, c'est elle, c'est la deesse...' - Robert Merrill
Mefistofele: 'Ecco il mondo' - Samuel Ramey
La Wally: 'Eben, ne andro lontana' - ONLY OPERA CD YOU'LL EVER NEED
Lakme: Bell Song - Lily Pons
L'Elisir d'Amore: 'Una furtiva lagrima' - Tito Schipa
Lucia di Lammermoor: 'Chi mi frena in tal momento...' - Carlo Bergonzi
Lucia di Lammermoor: 'Spargi d'amaro pianto' - Anna Moffo
Martha: 'M'appari tutto amor' - Jussi Bjoerling
Porgy & Bess: 'Summertime' - Leontyne Price
Porgy & Bess: 'Bess, You Is My Woman' - William Warfield
Andrea Chenier: 'Come un bel di di maggio' - Ben Heppner
Romeo et Juliette: Juliette's Waltz; 'Je veux vivre' - Ruth Ann Swenson
Salammbo: Aria - Kiri Te Kanawa
Hansel & Gretel: 'Suuse, liebe Susse - Helen Donath
I Pagliacci: 'Vesti la giubba' - Enrico Caruso
Cavalleria Rusticana: 'Viva il vino' - Jussi Bjoerling
Cherubin: 'Lorsque vous n'aurez rien' - Dawn Upshaw
Manon: 'Ah! Fuyez, douce image' - Richard Crooks
Cosi fan tutte: 'Come scoglio immoto resta' - Leontyne Price
Don Giovanni: 'La ci darem la mano' - Edith Mathis
Don Giovanni: 'Deh! vieni alla finestra' - Ezio Pinza
Don Giovanni: 'Non mi dir' - Carol Vaness
Le nozze di Figaro: 'Non piu andrai...' - Alan Titus
Le nozze di Figaro: 'Porgi, amor' - Carol Vaness
Le nozze di Figaro: 'Deh vieni, non tardar' - Bidu Sayao
Die Zauberflote: 'Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schon' - Fritz Wunderlich
Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache - Zdislawa Donat
Die Zauberflote: Papageno - Papageno Duet - Christian Boesch
Boris Godunov: 'I v ljutomgore, nisposlannom Bogom...' - Alexander Kipnis
Tales Of Hoffmann: Barcarolle - Montserrat Caballe
La Gioconda: 'Cielo e mar' - Beniamino Gigli
La Boheme: 'Che gelida manina' - Giuseppe Di Stefano
La Boheme: 'Mi piaccion quelle cose...' - Licia Albanese
La Boheme: 'Fremon gia nell'anima' - Luciano Pavarotti
La Boheme: Musetta's Waltz Song - Judith Blegen
Gianni Schicchi: 'O mio babbino caro' - Angela Gheorghiu
Madama Butterfly: 'Ah, ti serro palpitante' - Placido Domingo
Madama Butterfly: 'Un bel di' - Leontyne Price
Manon Lescaut: 'Donna non vidi mai' - Jussi Bjoerling
La rondine: 'Chi il bel sogno di Doretta - Anna Moffo
TOSCA: 'Recondita armonia' - Placido Domingo
TOSCA: 'Vissi d'arte' - Irina Oudalova
TOSCA: 'E avanti a lui...' - Zinka Milanov
TOSCA: 'E lucevan le stelle' - Mario Lanza
Turandot: 'Signore, ascolta' - Renata Tebaldi
Turandot: 'In questa reggia' - Birgit Nilsson
Turandot: 'Nessun dorma' - Jussi Bjoerling
Dido & Aeneas: 'When I Am Laid In Earth' - Leontyne Price
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: 'Largo al factotum' - Robert Merrill
Il Barbiere di Siviglia: 'Una voce poco fa' - Roberta Peters
Samson et Dalila: 'Mon coeur s'ouvre' - Christa Ludwig
The Bartered Bride: 'Wenn ich das einmal erfahre' - Teresa Stratas
Elektra: 'Agamemnon' - Inge Borkh
Der Rosenkavalier: 'Ist ein Traum' - Erna Berger
Salome: 'Nicht in der Welt...' - Inge Borkh
Eugene Onegin: Lenski's Aria - Placido Domingo
Eugene Onegin: Tatiana's Letter Scene - Leontyne Price
Aida: 'Celeste Aida' - Jussi Bjoerling
Aida: 'Ritorna vincitor!' - Leontyne Price
Aida: 'Gloria all'Egitto' - John Alldis Choir
Aida: 'O patria mia' - Leontyne Price
Un Ballo in Maschera: 'O docezze perdute! O memorie...' - Robert Merrill
Don Carlo: 'Dio, che nell'anima infondere' - Placido Domingo
Ernani: 'Emani, involami' - Leontyne Price
La forza del destino: 'Or muoio tranquillo...' - Robert Merrill
La forza del destino: 'Pace, pace mio dio' - Zinka Milanov
Nabucco: 'Va, pensiero' - Oleg Reshetkin
Otello: 'Credo' - Tito Gobbi
Otello: Willow Song - Leonie Rysanek
Otello: 'Niun mi tema' - Jon Vickers
Rigoletto: 'Qesta o quella' - Alfredo Kraus
Rigoletto: 'Caro nome' - Anna Moffo
Rigoletto: 'La donna e mobile' - Jan Peerce
Rigoletto: 'Bella figlia dell'amore' - Alfredo Kraus
La Traviata: Brindisi - Montserrat Caballe
La Traviata: 'Di provenza' - Sherrill Milnes
La Traviata: 'Sempre libera' - Eleanor Steber
La Traviata: 'Addio del passato' - Anna Moffo
Il Trovatore: Anvil Chorus - Moscow Classical Chorus & Ensemble
Il Trovatore: 'Di quella pira' - Placido Domingo
Il Trovatore: 'Tacea la notte placido - Leontyne Price
Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg: 'Morgenlicht leuchtend' - Set Svanholm
Die Walkure: Ride Of The Valkyries - Staatskapelle Dresden
Die Walkure: Wotan's Farewell - Lawrence Tibbett
Siegfried: Song Of The Forest Bird - Norma Sharp
Gotterdammerung: 'Starke Scheite schichtet mir dort' - Kirsten Flagstad
Lohengrin: Bridal Chorus - Robert Shaw Chorale
Lohengrin: 'In fernem Land' - Lauritz Melchior
Tannhauser: 'Dich teure Halle' - Waltraud Meler

Customer Reviews:

Not worth buying!.......2007-05-29

I found this recording basically worthless. It contains only very short excerpts of the song. Not enough to get into and enjoy!

Don't waste your money.......2007-01-18

This is the worst purchase I have ever made. It is a truly dreadful piece of work.I was so disgusted with it that I threw it into the trash can.

Perfect for "drop the needle" style tests.......2006-11-19

If you want to hear full recordings of arias, then this disc is not for you. It plays only tidbits of 99 arias. Contrary to the title, this is definitely not the only opera disc you'll ever need. You shouldn't take it seriously. This disc has next to no value for an opera neophyte. But for opera fanatics, there has never been a better test of your knowledge of operatic repertoire and singers. It's a great challenge for opera buffs. Sit down with your opera loving friends for an hour, play this disc, and try to be the first to identify the singer, composer, opera, and piece. If you're a music professor, this disc would make for an awesome pop quiz. Find out how well your students really know their opera repertoire.

A CD with Attention Deficit Disorder.......2006-10-02

I don't know anyone who would enjoy this CD. It will drive opera fans nuts with a hundred exerpts that run about 30 seconds each, then fade out without the singers even finishing a single verse. It's more like an index of arias, or a volume of teasers that hucksters might use to sell opera CDs.

I never realized how much Bernstein's "Glitter and be gay" sounded like Delibes' "Bell Song" until I heard 35 seconds of one, followed 23 seconds of the other.

Maybe the TV show 'Jeopardy' could use this CD. 'What is "Hush little baby don't you..."??'

What a waste of beautiful voices and great music. 38 seconds of Enrico Caruso, followed by 31 seconds of Jussi Bjoerling, followed by 38 seconds of Dawn Upshaw.

My copy is going to go sailing into the wastebasket as soon as I finish this review.

This sucks..........2006-03-31

I should only blame myself for not checking out more reviews... this is a CD filled with short, little snippets of great operas songs... and I mean SHORT, LITTLE snippets of 30 seconds or so, each. Don't buy this CD... it is a complete rip off... and that is saying ALOT since it is only $4.00... Again, my fault for not reading the reviews but I trusted that something called a "Music CD" would actually have complete songs... What else does this company offer? A "Music CD" that only has the intros or applause tracks to great songs...?

Move on to something else... Amazon has a great selection... just not this one.

Rolando Villazon - Gounod · Massenet Arias

Average customer rating:

the way teens are to Britney or Madonna....
Villazon finds his niche...go French
Bad diction, engineering gimmicks besot otherwise noble effort
Bean sings?
A fine romantic interpreter

Rolando Villazon - Gounod · Massenet Arias
Rolando Villazon , Natalie Dessay , and Evelino Pido
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Gitano

ASIN: B0006IQM5I
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Ah! Tout Est Bien Fini... O Souverain
Enfin, Manon... En Fermant Les Yeux
Oui, Ce Qu'elle M'ordonne... Lorsque L'enfant Revient
L'amour! L'amour!... Ah! Leve-toi, Soleil
Source Dcieuse
Faiblesse De La Race Humaine!... Inspirez-moi, Race Divine
Voix Qui Me Remplissez D'une Ineffable Ivresse
Je Suis L'oiseau
Traduire... Pourquoi Me Riller
Anges Du Paradis
Salut, Tombeau
Salut, Demeure Chaste Et Pure
Je Suis Seul!... Ah! Fuyez, Douce Image
Je Vais La Voir!
Ah! Parais!

Amazon.com

Rolando Villazon's follow-up CD to his sensational debut recital of Italian arias is devoted to music by Gounod and Massenet: some as familiar as Faust's, Romeo's and Des Grieux's arias, some as rare as pieces from Gounod's Polyeucte and La Reine de Saba and Massenet's Roma and Le Mage. But almost more important than the interesting repertoire, familiar or otherwise, is Villazon's handling of the music. In Werther's passionate Act II outburst to God about suicide, which is almost never excerpted, Villazon manages, in four minutes, to create a complete character, with all his neuroses, mania, and desperation--and he caps it with a ringing high B natural which is as beautiful as it is heartfelt. He sings both of Des Grieux's arias with feeling and tenderness (aided in "Le reve" by Natalie Dessay!). An aria from La Reine de Saba turns out to bequite a showpiece, with a drop-dead high C at its close. As singing and as interpreting, this CD is a must-have. Villazon's dark-hued, expressive tone is always used in the service of the music, and following his career will be a joy for all lovers of great tenorizing. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

the way teens are to Britney or Madonna...........2007-01-04

Villazon brings out the teenybopper in me. I could wear the grooves out!~just as I did with my early heros at 12 and 13 years of age. Seriously, his sound, phrasing and timbre are transcendent and ethereal. May the music never end.

Villazon finds his niche...go French.......2006-02-25

Rather than beefing up his voice for the big (money-paying) Italian roles that are one size too large for him, Rolando Villazon naturally excels in these roles from Gounod and Massenet. The narrow French vowels add a needed edge and vibrancy to his voice, the placement of the music in the head tones brings out Villazon's best timbre, and he seems temperamentally suited to refined heros. In fact, it's remarkable to hear the transformaiton here when comparing him in the recent DG La Traviata, where his Alfredo was convincing but hard work. French opera is rhtorical and poetic rather than visceral and passionate. I think Villazon fits that mold, as nearly eery aria here domonstrates.

Bad diction, engineering gimmicks besot otherwise noble effort.......2006-02-02

A tenor very quickly on the rise, this is Villazon's second recital disc, one devoted to arias by Gounod and Massenet, all in sets of three, three for Massenet, and two for Gounod. While still showing great promise, some concerns that were mildly serious with the first disc are even more so, in the French repertoire, in part because diction comes up so short here.

"O souverain" from Le Cid continues to show Villazon's command of line and squeezed but adequately forceful upper register, so that the volume boosts from the control room are really unnecessary. Diction here is already an issue, as many `u' vowels get dipthonged, especially when Villazon's sound is placed back for added weight and volume. `La reve' from Massenet's Manon is comfortably floated, with support from Natalie Dessay as Manon enhancing the intimacy of feeling to this number. Would Villazon been able to sing the short aria by Alain (who appears to the heroine at first to perhaps be little more than an apparition - shades of Frau ohne schatten perhaps? - in almost a chamber opera), from Massenet's Griselidis (track 8), at least as softly and lightly, as both the music and dramatic situation require, this could have also been very successful. He instead turns the ABA shape of this mere chanson inside out and makes a wreck of it.

The less often excerpted "Lorsque enfant" from Werther closes out the first Massenet set, as does "Pourquoi me reveiller" the second. Villazon's identification with the distraught main character of this opera is abundantly clear in both. He capitalizes well on the quixotic emotions and dreamy tendencies of the distraught main character especially well in the first selection, and he is also less intruded upon by the producers or sound engineers there as well.

It is quite curious how the control room follows the tenor up a crescendo on a line that closes out the first section of the excerpt here from Massenet's Roi de Lahore, featuring a hero (from Hindu myth) that bound to certain stipulations, has literally returned from the dead. Not quite as ostentatious as Massenet's near remake of Lohengrin, Esclarmonde (but with female protagonist instead), it is one of Massenet's most colorful scores. It has only been recorded complete once commercially, with Joan Sutherland, Luis Lima, and appearing only ten minutes apart, James Morris, and for the part of General unfortunately eliminated from this scene here, John Tomlinson, along with one other cut to Villazon's part. It would've been more valuable to have all this complete instead of one or two other arias. He captures the incipiently worried tone of Alim well, but his coloring up the vowel sounds makes it seem that he has come from a place as remote from French culture as where the opera takes place.

Most successful of the Gounod selections are two of the three rarities. The first is Source delicieuse from Polyeucte, based on the Corneille play. It opens very well with a minute of orchestral cortege. It perhaps has only been recorded once before and well, by Roberto Alagna ten years ago; Villazon conveys the heroism of the piece somewhat well, if not as securely as Alagna. Anges du paradis from Mireille (which Mirella Freni championed and recorded complete for EMI), is third, perhaps a study for Ah leve toi, soleil (Romeo), several years down the road. The second Gounod rarity on this disc is "Inspirez-moi, race divine," said to be a Caruso favorite, from Reine de Saba. Its text indicates King Solomon's prize hired builder, Adoniram, to be a very confident, if mildly haughty chap. Villazon's interpretation seems to portray a hero that constantly has to look behind his back, with all the incipiently yet controllably vibrato ridden throb and backphrasing Villazon engages in here. The high C at the end, however, is convincing. Such device as in the above, also accents and colors most phrasing in the tomb scene from Romeo et Juliette.

"Ah! leve toi soleil" opens the first Gounod set, and is sung with the right ardor, conventionally marked by tiny captured scoops, coming off phrases. Villazon's entrance and two later lines catch for having placed so far back in the throat, and intonation gets momentarily derailed. "Salut, demeure" from Gounod's Faust quickly becomes expressively leaden and monochrome.

Recitative and the beginning of the aria, "Ah! fuyez" from Manon begin well nuanced enough, and for the aria, truly softly as a change from so much else on this disc, but all-purpose bench pressing and volume boosts intrude before long. That leaves two truly atmospheric selections from two Massenet rarities, to close this recital - first, an aria from Roma, Massenet's swan song for the lyric theater and "Ah! parais" from Le Mage, opera with plot line similar to that of Verdi's Aida, following. The melody, introduced by the cellos at the outset for the latter, somewhat takes after "Pays merveilleux" from Meyerbeer's Africaine, but in more voluptuous color, such as in Thais, and Villazon and Pido both capitalize well on its opulence. Pido's work, on numerous other numbers on this disc, seems heavy, lumbering, cloying, or just simply out of his idiom, so to speak.

Word has it that Villazon, while not having a big voice, is dramatically exciting on stage and probably more immediately engaged with the content of what he is singing. How this picked up a major award from Gramophone, for the specific problems this disc has, and over two more qualified nominations (Ciofi/Di Donato Handel Duets and a Florez album) is mystifying. So much digression here is over the very specific demands that French opera makes on singers. There's much reason for hope for this tenor, but this disc, for two-thirds of it, does little to help fulfill it.

Bean sings?.......2006-01-05

A friend lent me Villazon's debut album as an introduction to the man. I loved it - but this is the one I have bought. If, like me, you have tired of the comparisons between Villazon and others (esp Domingo) fear not, this artist is an original. I must confess that on seeing the cover I wondered if Brit comedian Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean / Black Adder - now there's a new comarison!) had strayed into the wrong studio, but a few tracks into either disc and you'll know you're listening to the real thing. True, he has baritonish notes in the lower register, and an easy reach for the upper notes but I honestly have not heard anyone quite like him before. His is a warm voice with an early maturity that should ensure he has a long career ahead of him. His diction is excellent, without the staccato enunciation or lack of French interpretation abilities that mar lesser singers' performances. Such vocal ease makes the sung word seem as natural as the spoken word is to us lesser mortals. That his song selection moves away from the 'usual suspects' of the tenor repertoire is to his great advantage; he knows what suits him and he brings each piece to new life. The overly familiar tracks of which there are thankfully few serve only to highlight through comparison to those we know Villazon's unique timbre and interpretation. This collection includes inspired music choices, incomparable renditions, marvellous orchestration and leaves the listener keenly anticipating his next release. The recording and production are impeccable (worth ***** in their category). It does not get much better than that. Atkinson may make you laugh (or not) - Villazon will make you smile and keep you feeling that way.

A fine romantic interpreter.......2005-12-20

If not quite a poet in the manner of, say, Edmond Clément, Rolando Villazón is a first rate romantic interpreter. His French is surprisingly good and he really understands how this school of writing needs to be lived and phrased, so that he doesn't summarily yell through all phrases like some "Italian" second-rater: he shades and molds the music in the elegant style of great French tenors of a bygone era: Clément, Franz, Dalmorès, Beyle, Vaguet, Scaremberg, D' Arkor, Thill...

Just like the damned record companies to give us a mere CD of Rolando Villazón's lovely art, whilst recording the above "Italian" second-rater in every complete French rôle under the sun!

Villazón's voice itself is more like a Spanish tenor's in timbre, none too pellucid, but a manly, resonant instrument of middle weight, which he never forces.

I don't know who Evelino Pido is, or how he got through school with that name, but he is a damned sight better than the much-touted Pappano (as in EMI's horrible latest Manon.) There are no metronomic run-throughs [RUIN-throughs!] on this disk.

If you adore Gounod and Massenet as I do, this CD will be very good news indeed to you.

Average customer rating:

Kathy Rocks Ever!
A wide presentation of the work of an amazing artist
A Great Coloratura Soprano
Great compilation of Kathleen Battle's work
Beautiful Voice

The Best of Kathleen Battle

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Kathleen Battle at Carnegie Hall
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So Many Stars
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ASIN: B00068CVF8
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Tracks:

Summertime
I loves you, Porgy
Porgi amor
Welche Wonne, welche Lust
S'altro che lagrime
Una donna a quindici anni
Depuis le jour
E pur cosi / Piangeri la sorte mia
Oui! pour ce soir... Je suis Titania
Ah! tardai troppo... O luce di quest'anima
4. Pie Jesu (Sopran)
Voices of Spring, Op.410 (Frohlingsstimmen) - vocal version
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot / Ride Up in the Chariot
Witness "Oh, Lord, what manner of man is dis?"
Talk About a Child
He's got the whole world in His hands

Customer Reviews:

Kathy Rocks Ever!.......2006-01-01

Oh,yeah!Also here in Brazil she commanded,complained,got her tantrums as well but,she is Kathy;highly gifted,charmingly glamourous,her elegant golden singing beautifully soaring over brazilian audiences and so on.About this cd,I would prefer a completely new one.However,this is a gorgeous compilation,just perfect to Battle beginners or her fans,especially these spirituals that belongs incontestablely to her heavenly throat.I hope much more from Miss Battle just 'cause she is a great performer,in fact nobody or nothing couldn't denies that no matter she's doing backstage.Cowardly,poisonous "kid's rewiews" show us solely how empty is this quarrel.I hope a DG reissue of her beloved,out of print Schubert recital as well.

A wide presentation of the work of an amazing artist.......2005-12-23

This CD provides a sampling of Kathleen Battle's voice and interpretive abilities from coloratura virtuousity (Voices of Spring) to the simple, heartfelt spiritual (Talk about a child).

First of all, there's THAT voice. You hear a voice that is uniquely angelic and capable of expressing a wide range of moods. You hear a voice that glitters like a diamond, skips happily and effortlessly (and in impeccable tune) from note to note like it's nobody's business, one that that reminds you of moonbeams and early morning dew on pink rose petals. You've simply got to her it to believe it.

On this CD, the listener is provided with the the works/composers for which she's well known: Handel Opera (E pur cosi / piangero la sorte mia), Mozart Opera (S'altro che lagrime), Bel Canto Opera (Ah, tardai troppo...), French Opera (Depuis le jour), spirituals, and a few popular songs for sopranos such as Gershwin's Summertime and Faure's Pie Jesu

If you're just popping the CD in, try: (1) Ah, tardai troppo, (2) Voices of Spring, (3) Talk about a child, (4) I loves you, Porgy, and (5) Pie Jesu.

I suppose if you are a fan of heavy, dramatic voices, Kathleen Battle may not be to your liking. But I suspect that if you listen to her, you still might be amazed...

A Great Coloratura Soprano .......2005-04-03

Coloratura sopranos are a dying breed today. The era of Lily Pons and Beverly Sills is long gone and opera audiences favor a more "heavy" coloratura sound- or at least a full lyric one, such as the voice types of Kiri Te Kenawa, Carol Vanness and Renee Fleming. Kathleen Battle was in many ways an artist who payed homage to the coloratura queens of olden days. Only Natalie Dessay, of late, represents that kind of singer. much This album showcases her best work, and she is in fine voice, bringing a luminous and sunny quality to her interpretations, while keeping the dramatic appeal of the text. She was at best a Handel/Mozart/Strauss/Gounod singer, and never fared well in the more dramatic reperotoire of Verdi or Puccini heroines. She never sang Madame Butterfly, which if she had gone through training, she could have nailed, especially because her dramatic aspirations coupled with her soft, vulnerable sound would have suited her as Ciao Ciao San, in the way that Ying Huang interpreted the role. Verdi opera must have frightened her and she could never dream of taking on the roles that Leontyne Price performed, surely an influence in her student days made all the more credible because Leontyne Price was a "sister" African-American. So Leonora, Aida and Suor Angelica were out of her reach. While she sang with Jessie Norman in concert and recitals (like the Spirituals Concert), she must have been secretly or overtly ? jealous of the fact that Jessye Norman had a voice that could swallow the world!! A big, beautiful voice such as Ms. Norman's is closer to the true goddesses of operas in the tradition of Maria Callas, while Battle is more of the "tiny, bright, canary" voice. She ranks among the best of the lighter sopranos- Beverly Sills, and like Sumi Jo today. Her fellow co-artists used to call her the "Singing Mosquito". But she is marvelous in singing Handel oratorio(the only times I've heard her sing live), Mozart- Sussannah, Zerlina, the Countess in Figaro, Gounod- Juliette, Bizet- Micaela, but could never truly master the more difficult Mozart heroines- Dona Ana in Don Giovanni or Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte or even Konstanza in Die Entfurung, though try she did. In Strauss operas, she made a fine Zerbinetta, though she always oozed a confidence that made it seem as if these difficult pieces were a piece of cake for her. Some arias in this collection appear that way too.

Kathleen Battle has long since disappeared from the opera world, singing off and on. Her last singing engagement was for the soundtrack to the Japanese action saga "House of Flying Daggers" in which she sings in a very Japanese/poetic style. Before that she sang in Mythodea opposite Jessie Norman in a massive choral work by Vangelis, and also in Disney's Fantasia 2000. Her constant bitchiness, diva antics and disrespect to conductors and singers became too much and finally Joseph Volpe fired her from the Met. She had stayed there for so long because James Levine took a shine to her. As a singer, she was a perfectionist and in her body of work it shows. But she displayed a nasty diva temperament that does not sit well today. In the 80's, she would come to rehearsals late, would criticize everyone from conductor to costuma makers and even once disrespected the much older and experienced Rosalind Elias, a beloved mezzo at the Met. While I think that Volpe did the right thin in firing Battle, I think that Battle's voice is glorious and would buy her albums, even if she mostly poses as if she were in Vogue cover shots.

Great compilation of Kathleen Battle's work.......2005-03-26

This is a great compilation CD of recordings made by Battle, which are currently deleted by Universal Music.
The selections are first rate and capture the artistry of Kathleen Battle perfectly, a shimmering, silvery, clean and clear voice which has captivated millions of people worldwide

Beautiful Voice.......2005-02-24

I find it hard to give anything under 5 stars for any work including Miss Battle. Her technique and mastery of the female voice is quite remarkable. I am a HUGE fan of the soprano voice and I have found no one who posses the talents, skills, and interpretations of Battle. I would like to have seen more variety in this compilation CD. Her Rosina, Zerbinetta, Semele, other such roles were obviously ignored in the making of this CD. I think anyone will be hard pressed to find any lyric/coloratura soprano who amounts to the skill level of Miss Battle. Talent is talent, and she's got plenty of it. A person's attitude has nothing to do with their abilities as a performer, and I am tired of people knocking Miss Battle because of the stigma with which she is attached. Personally, she has never done anything to me nor the number of others who criticize her for her actions which took place over a decade ago. You cannot say that this woman does not posses mad skills. She is a lovely woman who has accomplished great things. I would gladly buy any CD that carries the name "Kathleen Battle".

Manon / Beverly Sills, Gedda, Souzay, Bacquier; Rudel

Average customer rating:

The Ultimate Manon: Beverly's Greatest French Role
Beverly Sills In An Unforgettable Performance
For Dessert...French Opera
French Romantic Opera By A Master
A sparkling Manon

Manon / Beverly Sills, Gedda, Souzay, Bacquier; Rudel
Jules Massenet , New Philharmonia Orchestra , Ambrosian Opera Chorus , Julius Rudel , Beverly Sills , Nicolai Gedda , Gérard Souzay , Gabriel Bacquier , Nico Castel , and Patricia Kern
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Massenet - Manon / Fleming, Alvarez, Vernhes, Chaignaud, Lopez-Cobos, Paris Opera

ASIN: B000002SGP
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Manon: Act I: Prelude
Manon: Act I: HolHMonsieur l'Hier? (Guillot, Bretigny, Poussette, Javotte, Rosette)
Manon: Act I: Hors d'oeuvre de choix!
Manon: Act I: Entendez-vous la cloche...Allez 'auberge voisine (Lescaut)...Les voil
Manon: Act I: Je suis encor tout urdie (Manon)
Manon: Act I: Partez! On sonne!
Manon: Act I: Il vous parlait, Manon?...Regardez-moi bien dans les yeux! (Lescaut)
Manon: Act I: Restons ici...Voyons, Manon, plus de chims! (Manon)
Manon: Act I: Quelqu'un...J'ai marqu'heure du drt...Et je sais votre nom (Manon, Des Grieux)
Manon: Act I: Nous vivrons aris tous les deux!...Plus un sous!
Manon: Act II: Manon! Avez-vous peur que mon visage (Des Grieux, Manon)
Manon: Act II: Enfin, les amoureux (Lescaut, Bretigny, Des Grieux, Manon)
Manon: Act II: Allons! Il le faut!...Adieu, notre petite table (Manon)
Manon: Act II: C'est lui...Instant charmant...En fermant les yeux (Des Grieux)...Oh! Ciel! d!

Tracks:

Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Entr'acte
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Voyez mules a fleurettes!
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: A quoi bon l'economic (Lescaut)...Bonjour, Poussette!
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Voici les elegantes!...Suis-je gentille ainsi? (Manon)
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Je marche sur tous le chemins(Manon)
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Obeissons quand leur voix appelle(Gavotte) (Manon)
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Et maintenant restez seul
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: C'est elle? Oui, c'est Manon! (Count, Manon)
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Repondez-moi, Guillot!...Voici l'Opera!
Manon: Act III, Scene 1: Ballet...C'est fete au Cours-la-Reine!
Manon: Act III, Scene 2: Quelle eloquence!
Manon: Act III, Scene 2: Bravo, mon cher...Epouse quelque brave fille (Count)
Manon: Act III, Scene 2: Je suis seul!...Ah! fuyez, douce image (Des Grieux)
Manon: Act III, Scene 2: Ces murs silencieux...Pardonnez-moi, Dieu de toute puissance (Manon)
Manon: Act III, Scene 2: Toi! Vous!...Oui! Je fus cruelle et coupable! (Manon, Des Grieux)
Manon: Act III, Scene 2: N'est-ce plus ma main (Manon, Des Grieux)

Tracks:

Manon: Act IV: Faites vos jeux, Messieurs!...Le joueur sans prudence...C'est ici que celle que j'aime (Lescaut)...J'enfourche aussi Pegase (Guillot)
Manon: Act IV: Mais qui done nous arrive...Manon! Sphinx etonnant (Des Grieux, Manon, Lescaut)
Manon: Act IV: Un mot, s'il vous plait...Ce bruit de l'or (Manon, Poussette, Javotte, Rosette)
Manon: Act IV: Au jeu! A jeu!
Manon: Act IV: Oui, je veins t'arracher a la honte (Count, Tutti)
Manon: Act V: Manon! Pauvre Manon!...Capitaine, o gue (Des Grieux, Lescaut, Guards)
Manon: Act V: Tu pleures!...Ah! je sens une pure flamme...N'est-ce plus ma main (Des Grieux, Manon)
Manon: Alternate Scene & Fabliau for Brejeau-Silver in Act III, Scene 1: Voici les elegantes!...Suis-je gentille ainsi?
Manon: Alternate Scene & Fabliau for Brejeau-Silver in Act III, Scene 1: Je marche sur tous les chemins
Manon: Alternate Scene & Fabliau for Brejeau-Silver in Act III, Scene 1: Ah! vous etes vraiment...Oui, dans les bois et dans la plaine

Amazon.com

Beverly Sills's singing career is mainly remembered for her bel canto operas and bubbly talk-show appearances. But the title role of Manon was one of her very finest efforts, and it's heard here in an all-around excellent recording. Caught here in her prime, Sills's thrilling singing technique illuminated her considerable theatrical mind with brilliant clarity. So while this is a spectacularly sung Manon, Sills also maintains a sense of childlike delight that keeps the character's greedier moments from becoming unduly repulsive. It's a great performance. Her leading man, Nicolai Gedda, sounds a bit vocally aged, but it's still Gedda (which is something). As Manon's father, the great Gerard Souzay makes one of his few full-opera recorded appearances. Conductor Julius Rudel leads a big, red-blooded, almost-Italianate performance that's also alert to how incredibly well-wrought and inventive this score is. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Manon: Beverly's Greatest French Role.......2004-03-01

This studio recording of Jules Massenet's Manon is undoubtedly the ultimate studio recording. The sound quality is excellent, the singers deliver a beautiful as well as dramatic performance and the musis score leaps with life under the baton of Maestro Julius Rudel. This recording is now out of stock but you can get it on Z-shops. I'm quite sure there is a misprint for the price, since I doubt that 120 dollars is the price. If it is the price for the album, that has got to mean the album is truly incredible and worth buying. This recording was made in the late 1970's and originally an LP. Beverly Sills was by this time a singer whose retirement from the opera scene was forthcoming - she retired in 1982 to work as administrator for the New York City Opera and for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Don't be put off by her age. She is still doing a terrific job here. Manon may be difficult to sing for most sopranos today but for Beverly Sills, the French repertoire in opera was always the easiest to sing.

Everything that marked Beverly Sill's talents in French opera are here-the richness of her voice, the legato and incredible control of breath to sing the smooth vocal lines, the stratospheric coloratura high notes. For Manon, Beverly Sills won a Grammy Award. When an opera singer wins a Grammy, that's an indication of how truly talented her performance really is. Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda sings the romantic lead in this one. As Des Grieux, he is tender yet masculine, his voice is the epitome of lyric tenor de grazie vocal manner. Other than Gedda, Placido Domingo possesses this great singing style. Nicolai Gedda has been paired with Beverly Sills before - namely in Verdi's La Traviata in another 70's recording availble on EMI label as well as the Opera Dog Library book-cd series. Baritone Bacquier is in top form, singing with his usual dark lower register a la Samuel Ramey. Bacquier has been famous for his baritone vocals in opera performances and recordings that feature Joan Sutherland, including Offenbach's Tales Of Hoffman. It is quite evident that Bacquier mastered the French baritone voice. At best, this recording boasts of singers who can really deliver the true essence of French lyric opera, which was Jules Massenet's specialty. I recommend this cd to the lover of French opera, and of course if you're a fan of Beverly Sills or Nicolai Gedda. Prior to this recording, Beverly Sills had sung the role of Manon numerous times on stage in live performances. She sang with Placido Domingo (as Des Grieux) in the New York City Opera and she also sang the role at Wolf Trap. There is a video of this performance circulating somewhere around but it's very hard to find.

Jules Massenet based the libretto on a French novel by Abbe Prevost. The heroine Manon is a materialistic, ambitious, glittering lady of leisure who charms the gallant Des Grieux but discards him when a better offer of financial security comes along. The setting is Paris in the 18th century. And from the lack of insecurity in the city's mood it's quite clear it's set in the care-free days before the Revolution when the aristocracy was free to gamble in parlors, dance in ballrooms and take lovers even among the lower classes. The decadence of this time is captured perfectly in Massenet's music. Des Grieux, crushed by Manon's abandon, decides to take up the mantle and become a priest. But Manon enters his life once again and he is still madly in love with her. And this time, Manon has fallen for him. But this opera and not just any opera, romantic, tragic opera so you can only guess how it turns out. That's right. She dies in his arms in much the same vein as Verdi's La Traviata. A great recording. Great singers. Great music.

Beverly Sills In An Unforgettable Performance.......2003-08-18

Beverly Sill's vocal talents were full of variety. She was just at home in the Italian bel canto operas of Donizetti as she was in the French operas (she sang as the three heroines of Offenbach's Tales Of Hoffman and in the other Massenet opera Thais). Jules Massenet composed fine French operas at a time when the "grand opera" style was diminishing in popularity. He even composed a successful "grand opera" himself, despite the already antiquated form when he composed "Le Cid". French opera is made up of beautiful melodies, romantic duets, elegant arias, dramatic ensembles and choruses, and a melodramatic plot. "Manon" (pronounced ma- no) is based on the novel by Andre Prevost, generally regarded as the first French novel. Manon deals with a flaky, seductive and materialistic young woman who falls for a handsome but dangerous man only to marry another for the sake of money. Eventually, she is reunited with her old and true love and dies in his arms. The melodrama is enhanced by fine music of many subtle tones- romance without being too buttery (and if it is too sentimental so what ? It's opera!) and the waltz-like, festive atmosphere of Paris, especially the glittering casinos are gorgeously expressed. Manon and Des Grieux join the ranks of the great opera lovers- at times this even resonates with touches of Verdi's La Traviata (another opera which Beverly Sills successfully mastered).

Back to Beverly Sills. Beverly's Manon is considered her finest hour, second only to her towering portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in "Roberto Devereaux" which landed her a cover in Time Magazine in 1971. Manon was a role Beverly Sills flourished in with easy grace and great singing prowess. The role calls for lyric soprano, some coloratura and a lot of romantic dramatic styling. She sings French so easily and without flaw that one would think Beverly is not American but a native French lady. According to Sills, Manon was one of those operas she dedicated herself to singing with gusto. She recalls having to cook for her family and then singing Manon, stating it was the longest day of her life. She loved the theatre and found a great vehicle for expression through opera. Beverly made opera accessible to everyone, even those who would'nt be caught dead in an opera house. She made opera seem fun and very American, despite the continuing prejudice that opera is high-class foreign entertainment. Beverly's French diction is superb. It is rhythmic, flowing and highly musical. Her voice far exceeds that of Joan Sutherland and in acting ability she matches the drama diva Maria Callas. Beverly Sills will always be America's greatest soprano. Now in her seventies, she works for the Metropolitan Opera as chairman. When Manon was first released on LP in the 80's, fans of Beverly were buying the LP's and even bootlegs with as much enthusiasm and fervor as raving fans of The Grateful Dead. America embraces opera and its as American baseball and Church. Opera is now a household name. And all thanks to the first class human being Beverly Sills.

For Dessert...French Opera.......2003-01-11

To the opera lover and the connoisseur, French opera provides a contrast to the often showy, meaty, grandiose style of Italian opera. If opera were food in a meal, Italian opera would be the main course, but French lyric opera would be dessert. In the nineteenth century, opera was not only entertainment for the wealthy elite, it was also popular with the common folk. It was an escape from the daily, boring humdrum of life. It was like watching movies in our present day. People would flock to the opera to immerse themselves in great stories, comic stories, romances and drama, all of which was sung and orchestrated to beautiful music. Jules Massenet was aware of the popularity of French lyricism. He was a contemporary of the noted French composers Charles Gounod (Faust, Romeo and Juliet) and Georges Bizet (Carmen). Although he could produce grand operas in the manner of Giacomo Meyerbeer, he could also impress audiences with beautiful, romantic operas that were tinged with historic romance.

In the case of his opera, Manon, Massenet took the story from what is considered the first French novel by Abbe Provost. It is about a flirtatious, shallow, materialistic young woman from Paris, who falls in love with a millionaire who ultimately costs her life. Manon's character should be varied, a naive, innocent, bubbly young girl in the first acts, a superficial, faithless, seductive girl, but by the end of the opera, we realize how she has matured and changed through a solid relationship based on true love. The Chevalier Des Grieux, her romantic interest, is a man with many enemies, and a man who fulfills Manon's dreams. The opera is chalk full of romantic melodies, lyricism that resembles French bel canto, at variance with lush and festive, waltz-like music that comes from the boulevards of Paris. Deeper in subject and meaning than the operettas of Jacques Offenbach, Massenet's Manon is an opera to collect along with Carmen.

Portraying Manon on this recording is the greatest interpretor of the role, the remarkable Beverly Sills. This recording, where she is paired with tenor Nicolai Gedda, was originally an LP. For years, the pirated record was distributed among fans like Grateful Dead concert tapes. Beverly Sills was fond of French opera, and the operas of Jules Massenet (she also sang in his opera Thais), and she flourishes with great vocal beauty and mastership of the dramatic role. For Beverly, French operas were the easiest to master. We truly get a showcase for her talents. At her side is tenor Nicolai Gedda, whose own career has spanned many years and many roles, among them Hoffman, Alfredo from La Traviata and Lensky from Tchaikovsky's opera, Eugene Onegin. The sheer artistry of this recording is perfect. At the hands of conductor Julius Rudel and the New Philharmonia Orchestra, with superb chorus by the Ambrosia Opera Chorus, this is a great credit to French opera.

French Romantic Opera By A Master.......2002-11-26

Jules Massenet was the eminent French composer of such hits as Le Cid and Thais. His melodies are flowing, resonant and his operas full of drama and passion. In the late 19th century, his operas alone were the most recognizable and most popular among French theater goers. Manon, taken from the book by French author Andre Prevoust, is the story of a young French girl, Manon Lescaut, a Gigi parody almost, who is supposed to be taken into a convent. But she falls madly in love with the decadent and cosmopolitan Des Grieux, whose lifestyle gets him into trouble. Manon is seduced by another man who promises her fortune and Des Grieux retires to be a priest. But eventually, Manon and her love reunite, only, as is expected of a tragic opera, to die in his arms. The arias are very well developed and the music bubbling with French style romanticism. Beverly Sills, the greatest soprano of the twentieth century, is at home in this role. She sings perfectly in French, and her Manon is innocent and seductive and ultimately tragic. Nicolai Gedda is a decent tenor, although not the best, but his French diction and song is wonderful and in paar with Sill's elegant Manon, a very great combination. Julius Rudel conducts a superb score. A must have for Beverly Sills fans (it was for this role that she won an Edison Award) and for fans of French opera. The greatest French opera, is, of course, Bizet's Carmen, secondly would be Gounod' Faust, third, Offenbach's Tales Of Hoffman and lastly Manon.

A sparkling Manon.......2001-06-22

Some singers, it seems, are born to sing together. Beverly Sills and Nicolai Gedda are amongst them. Their voices blend together beautifully and they are on the same artistic wave-lenght. Sill s silvery soprano is ideal for Manon. She paints a complete portrait, from girlish awe to manipulative seductress, and her superd technique allows her to shine in the more showy passages. Gedda, as des Grieux, is elegant, refined, and quite smitten by his Manon. Their first act duet - Nous vivrons tous les deux a Paris - is delightful and revealing of their character, her frivolity, his idealism. They get excellent support from Gerard Souzay and Gabriel Bacquier. The comprimarios, important in this opera, are also very well done. Chorus and orchestra are excellent and Julius Rudel s conducting lively. My only little complaint about this brilliant set is the boomy sound.

Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias

Average customer rating:

Poor mix
a fine example of two shining opera stars......
A musical marriage made in heaven!
A Nice Collection, But Something's Missing
Perfection

Roberto Alagna & Angela Gheorghiu - Duets & Arias
Pietro Mascagni , Jules Massenet , Gaetano Donizetti , Jacques Offenbach , Leonard Bernstein , Charles Gounod , Gustave Charpentier , Hector Berlioz , Giacomo Puccini , Richard Armstrong , Roberto Alagna , Angela Gheorghiu , and Covent Garden Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Essential Angela Gheorghiu
Puccini
Diva
Angela Gheorghiu - Arias
Roberto Alagna - Opera Arias

ASIN: B000002RWA
Release Date: 1996-04-23

Tracks:

Suzel, boun di...
L'amico Fritz, Atto 2: Tutto tace
Manon, Acte 3: Je suis seul! . . . Ah, fuyez
Toi! Vous! . . . Oui, c'est moi! . . .
Manon, Acte 3: N'est-ce plus ma main
Anna Bolena, Atto 2: Al dolce guidami castel natio
Don Pasquale, Atto 2: Tornami a dir
La Belle Helene, Acte 1: Au Mont Ida, trois deesses
West Side Story, Act 1: Only you . . .Tonight
Il se fait tard . . .
Faust, Acte 3: O nuit d'amour
Louise, Acte 3: Depuis le jour
Les Troyens, Acte 4: Nuit d'ivresse
La Boheme, Atto 1: O soave fanciulla

Customer Reviews:

Poor mix .......2006-02-20

There is no climatic piece in the whole album. It appears it was gathered selections...by that I mean, somebody said "oh let's use this one and this one..." The selections just drift from one to the next and carry little emotional impact on this listener. Yet I love Angela, but Roberto is second rate. Overall, not much on here to remember.

a fine example of two shining opera stars.............2005-10-28

How perfect is it that tenor Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are a madly in love, married opera couple with voices like angels? I remember when this album first came out in the mid-1990s. At the time, I didn't have a CD player, and their album was a motivation for me to get one, if that says anything about how much I LOVE both of them, as well as the music samples I first heard on NPR.

Alagna's resonance is clear, but, never piercing. Gheorghiu's clean-sounding soprano is expressive, but never shrill, and exhudes a warmth, as well as a softness, when she attacks the really high notes. What sets Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu apart from the pack of young opera stars is their own original, highly energetic and sincere interpretations of popular opera duets, featured here. They include "Tonight" from West Side Story (which I really wouldn't consider opera, but, more an example of musical theatre), and "O soave fanciulla" from La Boheme. I guarantee that listening to this album will make you fall in love with these two wonderful singers.

A musical marriage made in heaven!.......2003-12-01

In the early 1990s I began following the careers of two immensely talented young singers then on the verge of international stardom. The French tenor Roberto Alagna wowed Covent Garden audiences as Romeo and Rodolfo, and had received rave reviews throughout Europe. The splendid Mimi of Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu enlivened an otherwise lackluster 1994 Metropolitan Opera broadcast, and an astounding triumph at Covent Garden as Violetta followed. I had often longed for these two splendid young artists to sing together, and I got my wish in spades when it was publicly announced that they were madly in love - this disc was recorded 6 months before and released in the U.S. 4 days before their real-life marriage. While I and many opera fans are hopeless romantics who are delighted by such things, what really matters is that their VOICES are married. Let's just say that I have heard other singers who are either married or otherwise romantically involved who do not have nearly the rapport that these two people do. They are supremely sensitive to and supportive of each other's artistry and even more importantly, are ultimately the servants of the composer.

Alagna's sweet, warm, earthy tenor and Gheorghiu's velvety, starlit soprano blend so perfectly that it often seems one voice is coming out of two mouths. Nowhere is this more true than on the triumph of the disc, 'Nuit d'ivresse' from Hector Berlioz's 'Les Troyens'. This is a good candidate for the best joint recording they have ever made and is certainly their best individual duet recording. While it is usually sung by a tenor with a heavier voice and a mezzo-soprano, the sheer lyricism of their voices renders this music utterly ravishing - I have never heard this piece sung more beautifully. And how many typical operatic 'love duet' albums would include something this rare? Their 'one voice' quality is also evident in 'Tornami a dir' from 'Don Pasquale', a triumph of heady sweetness, and again, not exactly standard fare. Throughout these selections, and indeed the entire album, we hear superb dynamic sensitivity and gorgeous pianissimo singing, and everything is sung with such dramatic intensity and immersion in character that you think you're hearing a live performance and not a recording. About the only quibble I have is that Alagna's diction in both French and Italian is so perfect that Gheorghiu's comes up a bit short by comparison.

The Cherry Duet from 'L'Amico Fritz' which begins the album is full of sweet affection and wistfulness. In the Saint Sulpice scene from 'Manon', Gheorghiu is irresistibly seductive and tender and Alagna believably torn between Des Grieux's pain at Manon's betrayal and his love for her. Some may actually prefer this version of the duet to the slightly more 'verismo' and less subtle rendition of their complete recording under Antonio Pappano. The Garden Scene from 'Faust', albeit not quite as intense as in their recent Metropolitan Opera performances, is still a triumph of French style, sensitivity, and drama, again with absolutely gorgeous pianissimo singing, this time at 'Eternelle!'. This should be no surprise to anyone who has heard them sing 'Romeo et Juliette'. And, of course, these masters of Gounod's version of 'Romeo and Juliet' also make something special of Bernstein's. I don't believe I've ever heard 'Tonight' more beautifully and musically sung - and as Gheorghiu pointed out in an interview, this is not 'easy' music to sing. The only problem here is that 'West Side Story' is more about Anglo/Puerto Rican culture clash than about family feuds, and so it hurts somewhat that the singers have the wrong (and more importantly, too similar) accents. Nevertheless, their English is clear and understandable, and as usual they mean every word they sing. The disc concludes with a radiant 'O soave fanciulla', where Rodolfo's and Mimi's romance is off to a tender and teasing start.

In addition to the six duets, each singer has two solo arias. Alagna's first is a splendid 'Ah, fuyez douce image', where he not only begins the aria pianissimo, but he makes more of the words than just about any tenor since Georges Thill. He follows this with a rollicking version of Paris' Entrance from 'La Belle Helene'. While not even Alagna can negotiate the B flat octave leaps with the ease of Jussi Bjorling (in his unsurpassable 1938 Swedish-language recording), he has the considerable advantage of native French speech, and a far better appreciation of the piece's humor. Gheorghiu has surpassed her two solo selections since making this recording - the 'Al dolce guidami' on her 'Casta Diva' bel canto disc and the 'Depuis le jour' on her live Covent Garden recital - but these versions demonstrate her ravishing top, command of legato, and extraordinary emotional expressivity.

Richard Armstrong (the music director of the Scottish Opera, who also conducted Alagna's solo debut album) is with his singers all the way and he has the Covent Garden Orchestra play gorgeously . In particular, his molding of the orchestral line and color in the Berlioz is very impressive. Excellent documentation, with full texts and translations, by British vocal collector John Steane. Although this is focused (as it should be) on the music rather than the singers, there is also brief biographical information on both Alagna and Gheorghiu, which none of their subsequent EMI CDs have had.

In short this album is a triumph from beginning to end and an absolute must for any lover of the human voice, absolutely giving lie to the common whine of 'all the great singers are gone forever'. Of course, you'll also have to buy Alagna's and Gheorghiu's complete opera recordings, their equally stunning Verdi duets CD, and too many individual solo albums to count. Almost anything either of these splendid artists do, separately or together, is worth buying and devouring. They're a Golden Age all by themselves!

A Nice Collection, But Something's Missing.......2003-11-09

Since Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are opera's favorite lovebirds, and real life husband and wife, it is not inconceivable that EMI would release a disk of arias and duets featuring the couple. The disk is reasonably good. It has the standard duets such as "O Soave Fanciulla" from LA BOHEME and "The Cherry Duet" from L'AMICO FRITZ as well as a few lesser known pieces that make the disk interesting. The Broadway stage is also included in a duet from Leonard Bernstein's WEST SIDE STORY. As beautiful as Bernstein's music is, it somehow does not fit in this recording. The two do a reasonably good job, both as soloists and together, but the disk lacks power. The two fail to generate the energy on this disk that the two seem to have on television and in video performances. Their acting abilities surpass many "Golden Age" stars, but their music, while technically good, fails to generate the same excitement as a Corelli--Price, Pavarotti--Freni, or a Callas--Di Stefano pairing would generate. None-the-less, the recording is not bad, and it will certainly be pleasing to fans of the two.

Perfection.......2001-12-06

This is lovely from beginning to end. These two singers really know how to put together a recital CD. It's always satisfying no matter how often I listen to it. The selections they sing are well suited to their voices. It's a pleasure. I can't recommend this CD enough. It's truly a shared program with neither one overwhelming the other. They each get their solo turns and the duets are wonderful.

Average customer rating:

great album from Sumi Jo
a chanteuse on the loose
Delightful
Very Nice!
customer review

Sumi Jo - Les Bijoux / Carella
Ambroise Thomas , Giuliano Carella , and Georges Bizet
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sumi Jo - Virtuoso Arias ~ Verdi, Rossini, Donizetti, Meyerbeer
Sumi Jo - Bel Canto / Arevalo · ECO · Carella
French Coloratura Arias
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Sumi Jo - La Promessa / Vincenzo Scalera

ASIN: B00000JLLS
Release Date: 1999-08-03

Tracks:

Romeo et Juliette: Ariette: Je veux vivire dans ce reve...
Faust: L'air Des Bijoux: Ah! Je ris de mi voir si belle en ce miroir!
Mignon: Recht, Polonaise et Finale: Oui, pour ce soir, je suis reine des fees
L'Etoile du Nord: C'est bien l'air que chaque matin
Hamlet: Scen et air d'Ophelie: A vos jeux, mes amis
Louise: Depuis le jour ou je suis donnee
Mireille: La Valse: O legere hirondelle, messagere fidele
Les Hugenots: Acte II, Introduction et Air: O Beux Pays de la Touraine
Manon: Gavotte: Obeissons, quant leur voix appelle
Les pecheurs de perles: Cavatine de Leila: Mi voila a seule dans la nuit
Robinson Crusoe: Conduisez-moi verss celui que j'adore

Amazon.com

Sumi Jo is an exquisite singer, in some ways a throwback to the coloraturas of old, who could dash off high, pure sounds with ease, all the while exuding charm and grace. But unlike too many of those gone warblers, Jo also pays attention to the text--even if the texts for most of these arias tend to be pretty silly. In this new recital, she concentrates on the French repertoire, tossing these jewels at us and making us grab for more. Rarities include arias from Meyerbeer's L'Etoile du Nord, with its two- and then three-flute accompaniment (Sutherland recorded it as well) and an aria from Offenbach's Robinson Crusoe (also recorded by Dame Joan, and Yvonne Kenny--but still rare); favorites are Ophelie's Mad Scene, superbly sung and characterized, Juliette's Waltz Song, all fresh and sweet, and a nicely surprising piece of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots. It's only in Charpentier's "Depuis le jour" that Jo seems out of her weight class, though the singing is still gorgeous. This is a sure bet for fans of this repertoire and a fine way to meet Sumi Jo if you haven't already. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

great album from Sumi Jo.......2006-10-20

I'm only a recent convert of the charming opera singer Sumi Jo. This is one of my favourite albums, showcasing arias of composers including Gounod, Offenbach, Bizet, and (most surprisingly) Meyerbeer.

The Meyerbeer arias are truly something. Sumi Jo should consider doing a whole album dedicated to his works, but until then, we can savour the "Les Huguenots" and "L'Etoile du Nord" arias.

Sumi Jo's voice has a fantastic, silvery quality, best-suited to the demanding arias on show here. Hers is a precision instrument that hits each and every note perfectly; never does she slide between notes or compromise the quality of the material. Perfection is a tough thing to live up to, but Sumi Jo is perfection.

I heartily recommend this album. [Erato/Warner Music 3984-23140-2]

a chanteuse on the loose.......2002-09-06

Sumi Jo is cleary at ease with the French repetoire and she has some magical moments on this cd, the Meyerbeer stuff especially. The quality of the voice is evident, and she has a certain timbre that seems particularly suited to this literature; light, but totally controlled singing reigns throughout.

Delightful.......2002-02-05

I purchased this CD as a student of coloratura literature (specifically because of "Je suis Titania") and it is my first Sumi Jo recording. While I personally find her voice a little too bright for my taste and, occasionally, she sounds slightly unstable on the top, I still wholeheartedly recommend it. Sumi Jo is an extremely clean coloratura and has a beautiful voice, even if it is something of an acquired tasts if you are used to a more lyric sound. It is no wonder she is considered one of the best coloraturas singing today. Besides praising Sumi Jo, I have to say that this is simply a wonderful collection of music; all of it is lovely! It is truly delightful to listen to.

Very Nice!.......2002-01-17

An excellent demonstration of a beautiful voice. Sumi Jo is at her best. This is a nice purchase for any lover of fine music.

customer review.......2001-08-07

I received this CD by accident as I am not very familiar with ordering from the Internet. I pondered whether or not to open it as when it is open it cannot be returned. I am really glad that I opened it. It is wonderful. I heard about this singer on NPRand it was said that a voice like hers only happens once a century or something like that. She is truly gifted and a wonderful Coloratura soprano. I suggest this CD for anyone like myself that is a high-note junkie.

Average customer rating:

A very good album
"Cool" lives on in Sea and Cake
whoa
so my afternoon continues
Ah, oui

Oui
The Sea and Cake
Manufacturer: Thrill Jockey
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Sea and Cake
The Fawn
The Biz
Sam Prekop
Nassau

ASIN: B00004WIPE
Release Date: 2000-10-03

Tracks:

Afternoon Speaker
All The Photos
You Beautiful Bastard
The Colony Room
The Leaf
Everyday
Two Dolphins
Midtown
Seemingly
I Missed The Glance

Amazon.com

A kind of Chicago alt-scene supergroup, the Sea and Cake have never been a band lacking for critical notice. Lead songwriter Sam Prekop and bassist Eric Claridge hail from the brilliant and equally lauded Shrimp Boat, while drummer-producer John McIntire and guitarist Archer Prewitt arrived via Stereolab and the Coctails, respectively. That kind of pedigree guarantees a wealth of pointy-headed accolades. Of course, it's all true--those bands are indeed worthy sources of further musical discovery--but don't let all the name-dropping distract you from the beauty and accessibility of the Sea and Cake's music. Oui is an especially lovely lilt, a smooth, rolling hillside of light pop music, filtered through the band's trademark lens of delicate instrumentation and reveling in giant swaths of melody. "Afternoon Speaker" floats in like a jazzy little dream, all sweet nothings and free-form song structures, while "You Beautiful Bastard" slows down into a crawling cadence, Prekop's breathy tones trickling out of the headphones like ice melting in a spring thaw. If you haven't already, check out the worthy music for which this band's members are also known. Then forget about anything else, whip out this CD, and crank up the headphones. Beauty like this transcends cool hipsterism. --Matthew Cooke

Customer Reviews:

A very good album.......2006-03-06

The reason is that it sounds great is because the album is kinda odd-yet very accessible-the vocals are so unique,The instrumentation is great, the performance is right on the money. The melodies and interplay amongst the various instruments has always held my attention. Oui sounds like the next step of a fine tuned, experimental, rock band. I'm always listening to and buying new music. I have generally liked most Sterolab songs so when I heard that Archer Prewitt had joined I figured I'd take a shot.The occasional electronic textures are cool, not in-the-way. I have been listening to this CD a lot lately. All in all this is a very good album. If you like other bands in this genre like Spoon, Smoke Ring Days, and Death Cab for Cutie, you will most likely like this. The Sea and Cake are the jazziest of the bunch.

"Cool" lives on in Sea and Cake.......2005-08-04

Miles Davis decades ago released an album called "Birth Of The Cool". We know what he meant. Not trendy, but smooth, ethereal, almost cosmic music that bebop honed to a fine point. It's nice to see that the "cool" lives on with The Sea and Cake, and no more so than on their fifth and greatest CD so far, "Oui".
The extended intro to "Afternoon Speaker" sets the tone for a lilting dreamy listening experience that conjures images of smoky jazz clubs of the early fifties, showcases the deeply buried drum mix that propels but doesn't punish the groove, offers tasty guitar chording and a touch of modern electronica in their keyboards, and, the most important ingredient, the whisper of a voice provided by Sam Prekop.
No other vocal style would work in this atmosphere. The music is so bouyant that any other style, including his earlier vocals on the debut "The Sea And Cake" and "The Biz" would be intrusive. Imagine this CD playing as you travel across a lonely stretch of interstate far away in the middle of the night, with the stars shining, perhaps a lazy waning moon following along for company. As your mind relaxes the music starts to lift off and carry you away. It isn't hard to imagine the vibes being delivered from some unseen but beautiful force in the dark sky as opposed to your CD player.
Yes, "Oui" is that good. Transcendent without being overbearing like a lot of jazz can be, mainstream enough to appeal to pop sensibilities yet sophisticated and smart. The quietest moments of Steely Dan, perhaps "Aja"'s "Deacon Blues" or their later work "Two Against Nature" gives one a reference point where they leave off and the Sea and Cake take the most subtle points and build from. This is no clone band, though. It's wonderfully original despite its influences and a huge improvement over the first four efforts, even though the Sea and Cake fans seem to be divided between early and later works.
Settle in and drift away.

whoa.......2005-05-09

Some people find have bad taste in music and for the rest there is Sea and cake whose originality and creativity is a rarity these days. No cool videos or haircuts not even a cool belt! but some damn fine music. just listen to "all the Photos" MAN!! Some people find this boring and i feel bad for their simple minds that cannot wrap around the sea and cakes sweet melodies. the colony also is fabulous among others.

so my afternoon continues.......2004-07-05

One cannot help but find themselves entranced in the soundscapes the this Chicago group creates. Songs such as, "Afternoon Speaker", and the cruising vocals of Sam Prekop bring you back to what I may call, "a simpler time", some kind of nostalgia mode. Strange are these vast songs, that seem to span to the horizon, yet remind you how good it feels to use your headphones and keep things all to your self. Like a chapter of a good book, this album keep you rolling upon sand dunes, and finally ending with sand caked to your feet and a good tan, and your afternoon still continuing. An excellent album. (As a side note, the design of the album's case is fantastic).

Ah, oui.......2004-05-13

The soft, demure quality of the Sea and Cake is preserved in "Oui," their fifth release. Smooth electronica, excellent instrumentation and warm, intimate vocals bring the positively titled "Oui"out like a lazy afternoon ray of sunshine. As always, the Sea and Cake is outstanding.

The jazzy, ethereal "Afternoon Speaker" opens the album on a strong note, followed by slow ballads (the fragile instrumental "You Beautiful Bastard"), sensuously mellow tunes ("Two Dolphins"), and a touch of vibrant earthiness to ground the light tunes (the African-tinged "Colony Room"), before finishing on the sweet, sad "I Missed the Glance" ("Sunday's best is hopeless/dying to let you know/I thought so")

Delicate pop with a dash of jazz is still in good form in "Oui." It's not quite the best that these guys have done, but it's still solid and smooth, depending more on the horns and ripply strings than the electronics. Overall it ends up being relaxing and soothing rather than vibrant. This is not an album to dance to, but to drowse in a deck chair on a lazy summer's day.

Prekop's lazy, soft vocals can carry listeners away, especially when he sings stuff like "Graceful sunsets are cheating in the air, do you dare?" At times he sounds a bit too breathy, which means at times the lyrics seem to waft away. The instrumentation is similar to his vocals -- light and breezy, alternating between soft indie-pop and jazz. Listen for the flute and clarinet, which add a brightness to the flow of keyboards, strings and sax.

The musical experimentation is subtle enough that you won't really be able to tell it's there. A dash of bossa nova there, some marimbas there, a shimmery riff over there. "Oui" also benefits from a bit of outside help: violinist Susan Voelz, Jeb Bishop, and Allison Chesley of Verbow. They add a subtle undertone to the beautiful music, weaving in and out.

The biggest thing "Oui" has to a flaw is that most of the songs are on equal standing when it comes to quality. But that's more than most bands can say. For a blissful, beautiful experience, try the Sea and Cake's "Oui." Magnifique!

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