Anna Netrebko

Everybody knows that Anna is one of the reigning sopranos of our day...gorgeous voice...pop star looks and charisma. Here, she has given us a good selection of her favorite pieces, in multiple languages...it was worth the effort.

Some of these pieces are, naturally, far better known than others. The "Pie Jesu" from the Andrew Lloyd Weber "Requiem" and the bacarolle from "The Tales of Hoffman" are probably the most familiar, and are really special. Heck, the entire record is special.

Pretty girl...great singing...fine music. Wonderful album. Enjoy.

Previous customer's review is misleading. This cd does not include dvd; the version with dvd costs about twice as much.

A very well-chosen album, presenting La Trebka in her true colours.
The timbre is deep, pure, full and with an icy hue contrasted with a hidden exotic outburst of passion.
This is the perfect voice for Slavic vocal works, not Italian works.
I have been waiting for Anna to return to these kinds of repertoire since her early Kirov days, when she demonstrated a huge potential to be the great soprano of the 21st century. Unfortunately, her starry excursions into the Western operatic world has seen her abandoning her strengths and strenuously taking on the Italian bel canto roles that ill suits her timbre and abilities.
This is a top lyrical soprano, adept at Slavic, Nordic and Germanic styles of singing. Hand her a Gypsy album, and just see what great stuff will come from her.
Give her the chance, please.

So far (sure it will be more and more) this is the best Netrebko collection. What a beautiful voice and dignifying performances (the rest of the singer too). It is hard to pick a favorite selection and, at the end, it unnecessary: from Kálmán to Arditi deserve to be heard once and once. Superb.
Deluxe Edition worth the price and, for a fan, the DVD and the rest of stuff is more than a bonus.
A must, again.

Netrebko, glamour, publicity and hype notwithstanding, continues to develop and mature as a vocal artist, reaching new interpretive heights-like in the Russian Album- in non-standard operatic repertoire. The voice is luscious, and the top notes (Depuis Le Jour and Pie Jesu) are clean and effortless, with a totally controlled breathing technique. Her low range has expanded, while maintains nobility and depth. Some sopranos'-no names please!- low tessitura is either inaudible, flat or vulgar. Some question the "slavic" color of Netrebko's voice. I personally love it. It gives the voice certain degree of darkness that translates into passion and introspectiveness. The companion DVD is fan to watch, too. The set is highly recommended, if you aren't in the mood to listen to structured operatic CDs.

Let me join the rave reviews! Beyond all the hype, Anna Netrebko never ceases to amaze! After her Covent Garden Traviata which left seasoned critics weak at the knees, and her superlative Vienna and Berlin Manon, it was difficult to know where she would turn to achieve new heights of excellence. But she totally blows us away with this incursion into Lieder and operetta. Anna's voice, now having reached the brilliance of maturity, shines brighter in its power, purity and beauty than the diamonds and other gems she often wears. The album excels through its impressive variety, from superlative renderings of Strauss, Lehar and Offenbach to lesser knowns like Guastavino and Giménez, and a heartrendingly beautiful Pie Jesu (Sir Andrew, you can feel duly honoured!) and of course a worthy representation of the Slavic world with Dvorak (my personal favourite) and Rimsky Korsakov. One reviewer speaks of Anna's and Angela Gheorghiu's Slavic style as a limitation to be overcome. Since these are my two favourite sopranos, I cannot share his opinion! Yet Anna is never just Slavic in style: for instance, her renderings of Kálmán and Lehár strike a truly Hungarian accent which few other singers have achieved. And she sings very credibly in ten different languages. It should also be stressed that, beyond Anna's mastery, this album is also a collective effort: full credit should be given to conductor Emmanuel Villaume for his orchestrations, Anna's voice coach Elena Matuskovskaia (she deserves a medal), boy soprano Andrew Swait and stunning mezzo soprano Elina Garana, as well as others who contributed their talents to this jewel of a cd. You do not have to own a crystal ball to predict its massive success! Souvenirs? For Anna this is an album of pearls of her past which she offers to us listeners as jewels of the present. Having followed all of Anna's career, this album also speaks to me of the future. Elina confesses that she is truly excited about her future projects with Anna. This listener too!

Anna has given us another gift and I am ecstatic. The music is wonderful, the orchestra is spot-on, and Garanca's mezzo only adds to the beauty of this recording. The special edition comes with a bonus dvd, postcards and a beautiful poster- Happy Holidays indeed.

This is a stunningly beautiful CD, like the singer herself. Her choice of music for this CD is superb, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys gorgeous music sung with sensitivity and warmth. Her voice makes you feel the emotion of every song and her rendition of Songs My Mother Taught Me brought tears to my eyes, it is magnificent. Other standouts are Barcarolle, Pie Jesu, and Meine Lippen, sie Kussen so heiss. In fact there are no songs on this album that are a disappointment - buy it for yourself, or as a gift for someone this holiday - you won't be sorry. Anna Netrebko goes from strength to strength and one thing I love about her is her diction, you can understand every word (if you understand the language) and the sheer passion and emotion she brings to each piece is beyond compare - absolutely sublime.

They're so good together. Their voices complement each other so well. One of the best duet teams ever. By the way, their La Traviata DVD is "o so great"; check it out too.

Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon are today's operatic royalty and hot [stage] couple. The attention is certainly deserved; they are MAGIC. Tragedy, comedy...Perfect.

This selection of duets is a great opportunity to see what all the fuss is about...my own favorites were the cut from La Boheme, the fountain scene from "Lucia", and the duet from "Romeo et Juliette" [shades of Sayao and Bjorling]. The Rigoletto, not as good...Anna's voice doesn't quite fit Gilda.

Opera had had several legendary pairings over the years...Villazon and Anna rank with the VERY best. This record has my HIGHEST recommendation.

here we have two of the finest stars in the universe.boy!
can they sing,gloriously so what a pair wonderful,wonderful,wonderful a first rate cd.

These two singers are marvelous, and they well deserve all the hype they are getting. This record is also excellent, with my only reservations being that the Manon duet falls a little short, just a mite below the recorded competition, which admittedly is fierce. Also I was disappointed that the Iolanta duet was shorn of its initial portion, which is really beautiful and should have been included.

Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon have made a duets album, which includes famous duets by Puccini,Donizetti, Verdi,Gounod, Bizet and Massenet with less well known duets by Tschaikovsky and Luisa Fernanda.

Each duet is full of passion and the excitement of hearing two singers who are perfectly matched to sing with each other. Their voices are beautiful and blend beautifully with each other.

They may not be perfect, but I didn't notice because I was caught up in the passion and beautiful sound.

I highly recomend this recording.

I am very happy with the CD. I enjoy Anna's voice and singing. I wish to go to the Metropolitan Opera to see her.

This acclaimed disc is a collaboration of superstars - Valery Gergiev and Anna Netrebko, Russia's two top classical artists of the era.
But the image really is much bigger than the substance.
The lining up is strange - some songs, some arias, some scenes. If what it means is to show off Netrebko's singing talent in different fields, then the resounding response must be - so-so.
Generally, the singing is recorded too backward. The sound is dark (given that the singer does not possess an overly bright timber), and the recording done in the Mariinksy Theater sounds as though taken in the mid last century.
Apart from the technical flaws, both the orchestration and the singing verge on being cold in some, and indifferent in others. While it may be true that Ms. Netrebko strives to maintain a well-balanced and overall velvety quality of singing, her top-notes sound tight, and the tone color unamimously dull-hued. The over-stressed jawline resultant from a miss-placed rear-tongue position appear to be the crux of her problem in singing. The more passionate songs in the disc are, sadly, under-done with a marked technical inhibition (or more probably, inadequacy) on the part of the singer. And she is not one bit aided by the conductor and orchestra.
Overall, bordering on dullness.

As the title states,I am just starting to learn about opera,and I found Ms.Netrebko's singing on 'Russian Album' to be absolutely breathtaking!

For now,she is my favorite soprano.

One of the best and most delightful CDs I've purchased this year. Highly recommended. Don't be put off by a prejudice against "heavy Russian stuff". This young soprano's voice is slightly on the dark side for a true soprano (which for me at least is a plus), but is as agile, expressive and simply beautiful as anyone could wish for, or even imagine. I hope to see/hear her live someday.

Although I have purchased many books and cds from amazon over the past 10 years I have never felt compelled to review a purchase. Until now. This album which I purchased based on the reviews I read on amazon - is simply amazing. The artist has the most wonderful voice and I cannot stop playing this cd. (The only other cd that had a similar impact was the first album released by Shu Cheen Yu on the ABC (Australia) Classics label.) The "Russian Album" is destined to be a firm favourite for many years and I plan to purchase lots of copies to give to friends.

Juan Diego Florez has carved out an illustrious vocal career through distinctive artistry and a rare and wonderful high tenor voice.
All too often, however, he finds himself a 'lone voice in the wilderness' for lack of competent support from fellow performers.
His previous solo albums have full solo vocal tracks plus some scenes with choruses.
This new album showcases some duets with different partners: tenor, soprano, mezzo-soprano and baritone.
Even so, still, as the previous reviewer so aptly commented, Florez is pretty much the only person in the show.
In the past, famous singers all have their reputations garnered by partnering other equally competent singers: Callas/di Stefano; Corelli/Nilsson; Tebaldi/del Monaco; Domingo/Caballe; Carreras/Freni; Sutherland/Pavarotti...and nowadays, Villazon/Netrebko.
Who, then, would rightfully partner Florez in his bel canto repertoire? Markedly, Natalie Dessay and Diana Damrau.
At least, Florez's agent and Decca should seriously think twice in future albums to see to it that the partners are vocally on par with Signore Florez in the bel canto repertoire, as none of those in this album seems to be adept at, Domingo included.

If anything, this recital shows Florez to be in even better voice than in his last album "Voce d'Italia: Arias for Rubini" (see my review). Despite the beauty of Florez' singing there, a few top notes showed signs of strain; here, the voice is more easily produced, sweeter and more characterful than ever before. For me, the plum item is his newly minted account off that old warhorse "Una furtive lagrima"; he sings with power and delicacy, managing some heart-stopping diminuendi and maintaining seamless legato. The Italian version of Florez' calling card aria with the nine high C's is as thrilling as ever and the more interesting for being less frequently heard. The choice of repertoire is judicious: a preponderance of Donizetti but a very varied selection of his arias, then two excerpts from Rossini and one by Bellini ; five are solo arias and the other five are each with a different "guest artist". I cannot, in all honesty, say that I am as impressed by any of those five other singers as I am by Florez himself; Netrebko sounds very like Freni at the beginning of her "Puritani" duet but the voice lacks the older artist's delicacy and nuance - fine singer though she is. The Polish baritone Kwiecien and Patrizia Ciofi are both fine, if nothing special; Ciofi's attractively smoky, slightly breathy voice combines well with Florez in the romantic duet from "Linda di Chamonix", and Kwiecien sings ably but ordinarily, with a rather lumpen sound and a wide vibrato. I positively disliked Daniella Barcellona's rather clumsy, laboured singing as the Marchesa Melibea in the duet from "Il Viaggio a Reims" - her voice really does not match his. Placido Domingo, in the "bonus aria" from Rossini's "Otello" proves that, despite a little straining, his voice is a miracle of preservation. Perhaps inviting distinguished guest artists is a confirmation of Florez' standing in the operatic world today and perhaps Decca wished to avoid the charge of monotony which a whole disc of one beautiful, but intense tenor voice can provoke, but the fact remains that the raison d'etre of this recital is Florez himself, and the solo items are the best things on this CD.

If you buy the set with the bonus DVD, you have a not very interesting talk by Florez about bel canto in general, his fellow singers, and the specific repertoire he has chosen to sing on this disc, then two excerpts from RAI and Zurich productions - the former being, of course, THAT aria - this time in French, the second being, rather disappointingly, only the recitative before the big romantic aria "Cerchero lontana terra", not the aria itself. However, rather confusingly, the cover states that we are to have the aria, too -but it doesn't feature on my copy! (I would be interested to know if other purchasers' DVD's have the same flaw - or maybe it's just my copy. I don't think so, as the aria is not mentioned on the menu.) The trailers for the DVD's are quite good for giving a flavour of their quality, giving quite extended snippets, but it's the recital I wanted, not the extra fripperies.

In this recording, Anna Netrebko justifies all the kudos she has received in the past several years. I have several other CD's featuring her, and this one shows her range which is astonishing. I look forward to hearing her when she finishes her maternity leave and once again is on the stage or in the recording studio.

Gorgeous. Sexy. Pop-star charisma. And the voice of an angel...a strong one. This album was her debut seven years ago; she's done a bit of developing since then, and would now be well classified as a lyric soprano.

My favorites here were the excerpts from "Lucia" and "Manon", as well as "Musetta's Waltz". The Mozart really didn't fit. "Traviata" is her forte; ditto "La Boheme" [either soprano part]. I hope she stays away from some of the heavier stuff...Desdemona, Leonore [both], Norma. [Sleep well, Rosa; you're safe].

Anna is an opera singer with rock-star looks and drawing power...she was a work in progress seven years ago, and, really, still is. Grab this [and her duet disc with Villazon], and see what the fuss is about.

She's not a true coloratura, at least not a very good one. I have and love her "sempre libera" album. Her mad scene from Lucia (though she slides to the 1st top note) made me involuntarily think the word "magnificent!". But in this album (and on reflection, the other one too), she's just a soprano. A very good one, but she's no Tetrazzini or Mesple or Sutherland or Jo. She belongs in Verdi, not in Donizetti. On the other hand, if all you want is good straight singing (Rosa Ponselle), and don't care about the ornamentation and pyrotechnics, you will probably like this album. I was disappointed.

I'm not a big opera fan -- have listened sporadically for decades. Every once in a while I newly discover a singer, or a crop of them, and that spurs me to rediscover the wonders of the repertoire. Listening to Anna Nebrebko reminds me of the experience I had when Montserrat Caballe burst on the scene, which will date me for the knowledgeable reader (who will also realize I'm 8 or 10 years behind the present wave with the present singer). This CD presents warhorses as well as some repertoire that's both a little more arcane and more challenging, all from the lyrical and/or bel canto world. Although the performances are not perfect, every moment is gorgeous, and not just the singing. It takes me hours to listen to this CD as well as her "Sempre Libera" because each excerpt is some variety of showstopper. I generally prefer another species of soprano voice (Natalie Dessay), even in the repertoire here, but for those who love a dark, dramatic, and most often very agile voice, you can't go wrong with this collection. I dismiss quibbles about her pronunciation in non-Slavic languages; her dramatic sense does not flag, at least for me, and her vowels have a musical value that merely starts with the language. I highly recommend this CD.

Unlike the passion, intimacy, and beautiful tone Netrebko brought to the Russian Album, the Opera Arias miss these wonderful qualities. There's room at the top for a new operatic power couple and the glamorous Netrebko and rising Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon are desperate to seize. I confess that there is an element of conviction in Netrebko's voice, a significant figure in Russia for more than a decade. No sooner had she arrived on the world stage, her "hype" started describing her as the new Callas, which she isn't, and suspect will never be. She may have the temperament of Callas and her petulance, but vocally the comparison just is not there! In the magnificant arias from Mozart to Puccini, Netrebko shows a lack of being able to convey the utmost of subtleties, and injecting every aria with the personality of the character she was assuming. Netrebko crashes through everything, with a glorious voice capable of conveying the the justice of both dramatic and lyric arias, but with minimal vocal characterization. Netrebko is at times very capable of expressing genuine emotion in her singing as heard in the Russian CD with music from her homeland. Netrebko is capable of becoming a most formidable artist if she continues to learn; especially if she works hard on the Italian and French repertoire as she demonstrates in her Russian work, and with the watchful direction of the Marlinsky's Valery Gergiev. In that regard it's encouraging to hear she's preparing for an important Bellini run at the Met with Renata Scotto. Her Russian aria was fine, but her Gounod aria seems to wash away from its inner qualities, not helped by some disturbing French.
Netrebko is without doubt, an inspiring, extremely talented artist, and with the experience and maturity her voice will command in the future, she will rise to the occasion of becoming one of the world's greatest 21st century singers!

The previous reviewer alluded to a bonus DVD accompanying this recital. I can't comment on it because it is not included in the particular edition I received upon delivery by Amazon. What I have is the recital itself, which, I suppose, is quite sufficient. It's a real stunner. To my ear, Florez' voice sounds even brighter and sunnier when he sings the "Fille" aria in Italian. The vowels are opened wider, and the voice itself seems to ingratiate itself even more vividly than it does in French. The "Puritani" duet is very, very well done, with Anna Netrebko singing a beautiful Elvira. We we get here is the traditional duet, which does not include the extra music included by Pavarotti and Sutherland on their complete London recording. The "L'Elisir d'Amore" aria "Una Furtiva Lagrima" is spun out like silk, with some new variations I've never encountered before. In fact, all the Donizetti selections are as well done as you are ever likely to hear them, with the duet from "Linda di Chamounix" (with the noted European soprano Patrizia Ciofi) proving that there's a lot more good music in this particular opera than merely the one showpiece soprano aria (made famous by Beverly Sills on her very first recording after she reached international attention). The bonus track contains the two-tenor duet, where Florez is partnered with Placido Domingo no less. Domingo, of course takes the lower line, which is appropriate at this time in his fabulous career (his continued vocal health continues to amaze me - I mean, at age 67, to sing this well, is a miracle), and he makes a grand account of it. Florez, of course, sails through this music like a race horse at the flick of a whip. I am a tremendous admirer of Mr. Florez, and I freely admit that I find him astounding. Unlike the previous reviewer, I do not hear any opaqueness or
hints of strain in his top notes. While I enjoy and repeatedly play the "Arias for Rubini" album of Florez, I do agree with the previous reviewer that this recital is more enjoyable. For anyone who wants to hear truly great singing of a repertoire long known for it's vocal difficulties, you can't go wrong with this. The music just bursts from this beautiful Decca release.

If anything, this recital shows Florez to be in even better voice than in his last album "Voce d'Italia: Arias for Rubini" (see my review). Despite the beauty of Florez' singing there, a few top notes showed signs of strain; here, the voice is more easily produced, sweeter and more characterful than ever before. For me, the plum item is his newly minted account off that old warhorse "Una furtive lagrima"; he sings with power and delicacy, managing some heart-stopping diminuendi and maintaining seamless legato. The Italian version of Florez' calling card aria with the nine high C's is as thrilling as ever and the more interesting for being less frequently heard. The choice of repertoire is judicious: a preponderance of Donizetti but a very varied selection of his arias, then two excerpts from Rossini and one by Bellini ; five are solo arias and the other five are each with a different "guest artist". I cannot, in all honesty, say that I am as impressed by any of those five other singers as I am by Florez himself; Netrebko sounds very like Freni at the beginning of her "Puritani" duet but the voice lacks the older artist's delicacy and nuance - fine singer though she is. The Polish baritone Kwiecien and Patrizia Ciofi are both fine, if nothing special; Ciofi's attractively smoky, slightly breathy voice combines well with Florez in the romantic duet from "Linda di Chamonix", and Kwiecien sings ably but ordinarily, with a rather lumpen sound and a wide vibrato. I positively disliked Daniella Barcellona's rather clumsy, laboured singing as the Marchesa Melibea in the duet from "Il Viaggio a Reims" - her voice really does not match his. Placido Domingo, in the "bonus aria" from Rossini's "Otello" proves that, despite a little straining, his voice is a miracle of preservation. Perhaps inviting distinguished guest artists is a confirmation of Florez' standing in the operatic world today and perhaps Decca wished to avoid the charge of monotony which a whole disc of one beautiful, but intense tenor voice can provoke, but the fact remains that the raison d'etre of this recital is Florez himself, and the solo items are the best things on this CD.

The bonus DVD has a not very interesting talk by Florez about bel canto in general, his fellow singers, and the specific repertoire he has chosen to sing on this disc, then two excerpts from RAI and Zurich productions - the former being, of course, THAT aria - this time in French, the second being, rather disappointingly, only the recitative before the big romantic aria "Cerchero lontana terra", not the aria itself. However, rather confusingly, the cover states that we are to have the aria, too -but it doesn't feature on my copy! (I would be interested to know if other purchasers' DVD's have the same flaw - or maybe it's just my copy. I don't think so, as the aria is not mentioned on the menu.) The trailers for the DVD's are quite good for giving a flavour of their quality, giving quite extended snippets, but it's the recital I wanted, not the extra fripperies.

My favorites all well recorded. I especially like the selections by Pavarotti. The balance of the various cuts is quite good and makes it easy listening.

Because it's recorded so often, La Boheme has accumulated a host of fine recordings, but this new one, made in Munich as a concert performance in 2007, doesn't quite rise to the top. It's been hyped for the pairing of Netrebko and Villazon and critically sneered at because Villazon doesn't dare the high C in 'Che gelida manina' or the succeeding duet in Act 1. Listening on purely musical grounds, I think Villazon has proved himself at last: his is a fully realized, ardent Rodolfo who holds your attention from first to last. He's got personality, and his voice encompasses a lovely range of feelings.

Except for this one golden nugget, the rest varies from average to very good. I'd put Netrebko in the very good department, for her beauty, steady stream of appealing tone, obvious chemistry with Villazon, and for the bald fact that opera needs new stars to survive. As a convincing Mimi, however, she's rather blank at times -- as in her aria CDs, the Italian language isn't congenial to her; she simply sings one word after another. The bototm line is that for all her positives, Netrebko is essentially a Slavic soprano who will never be fully at home in Verdi or Puccini compared to so many great singers who have triumphed in their operas.

But is that so important? In the star-struck pairing of Alagna and Gheorghiu, she is the musical standout and he isn't; here the roles are reversed. As a tomantic couple onstage, Netrebko and Villazon will continue to be big box office (if the tenor recovers from whatever vocal problems he's been afflicted with, and the rumored psycholgical distress linked to them). As for the rest of this Boheme, conductor De Billy is professional and has his moments of tenderness, giving a nice shape to Puccini's romantic lingering. The two other principals, Nicole Cabell as Musetta and Boaz Daniel as Marcello, won't be making any career breakthroughs here -- she is sturdy and steady but lacks charm; he is considerably better but doesn't stay in the mind. Orchestra and recorded sound are first-rate.

I'm surprised that only seven reviews have preceded this one -- did DG's media blitz fail to attract interest? For me, this La Boheme will be memorable as a musical step up for Villazon, who shines twice as bright as anyone else.

This new version `La Boheme' is a risky investment. There are numerous top-notch recordings from first rate performers that the ante for the benchmark is really hard to surmount.
And in reality this recording does not succeed in surpassing some of its eminent predecessors. Rolando Villazon made a gallant effort in present Rodolfo, and his portrayal really is at par with other lyrical tenors in the class of Giuseppe di Stefano, but for the down-scaled aria in Act I. Even so, Villazon really stole the show in this CD recording with his poetic and passionate approach.
Others fare less well. There were high hopes for Anna Netrebko's Mimi, perhaps the only Puccini role that suits her lyrical soprano. While her singing did not disappoint in the basic aspects, for the more refined listeners it remain titled towards the crude side with regard to articulation as well as expression.
For the supporting roles, the most interesting bit of listening comes from Nicole Cabelle's delightful Musetta, who shows multiple auspices for a great Mimi, too. The voice is shimmering and elastic, signs of a truly great lyrical soprano in the making.

Of course Puccini's La Boheme remains one of the most beloved
and enduring verisimo works in the operatic repertoire. Mr Villazon
and Ms. Nebretko seem to have a very lovely chemistry and are
having a wonderful success with both their careers. Their singing
in these roles is a positive addition to their previous collaborations,
and hopefully Nebretko will deepen her interpretations as she grows
as an artist.
I wanted to comment on several of the reviews which stated disappointment
in Villazon not singing the high C in 'Che Gelida Manina'. It is true
that in the score, the high note in that aria done in the written key
is a high C. But it is one note. If all your interest is in this or any
musical work, is a high note, then I fear you are missing the point! It
is the entire performance that is important. Almost every tenor takes
that devilishly difficult aria down a half step. If you are nervous about getting the high C, then your entire performance is going to be full of tension. Pavarotti, famous for his top notes, eventually also took the aria down a half step after cracking on that note in a live telecast performance from the Met. Placido Domingo also always sang the aria a half step lower, there is however an amusing story about a performance at the Met in which the conductor thought he would trick Domingo by taking the aria in the original key without telling him. Domingo, being an accomplished musician, immediately realized what the conductor had done and got through the aria. But Domingo said he wanted to strangle that conductor afterwards!! I don't think that ever happened again with Placido.
As for the top C at the end of the duet O Soave Fanciulla, that note is not in the score. Puccini wrote the lower note for the tenor deliberately as a beautiful harmony effect as the lovers voices fade into the distance. Sometimes both singers in live performances and recordings will take the top note together, sometimes it works, sometimes not. I personally prefer the original way Puccini wrote it, it makes the ending
of the duet haunting as Puccini intended it to be.
I do think that this recording will be well received and finds both
of these promising singers developing into deeper artists. And I hope
Amazon readers will see beyond the high notes, that there is more in
classical vocal music than a top note, it is a performance that touches
one's heart and soul that is the most endearing and enduring. And this
recording in my opinion, does that. Anthony Plumer

As an ardent follower of Rolando Villazon, I found the latest CD disappointing. It does not stand up to the superior previous DVD and CD recordings he has made.

I wasn't waiting to hear a high C in "Che gelida manina" this day's most of tenors never sing the high C!!
The record it's very good, Rolando and Anna are in a good shape, but i don't know! I'm feel that they have some out of tones mistakes, probably they make this production to fast!!
Any way it's a very good version!!

Anna Netrebko,s singing is just wonderfull,like Mario Lanza,Maria Callas and Guiseppe di Stafano before her.Called "Singing from the heart".

Did you see her in the Met's big screen broadcast of I Puritani? Then you know what I mean. Here is a just stunningly, impossibly gorgeous woman with a voice of liquid fire and gold who can sing with passion and precision while she's bending over and crawling around on the floor! If she weren't real I would guess she was the invention of the overinflamed imagination of a heterosexual opera queen (if such a being exists).

If you love getting great voice, buy this.

having just found this young womans CD in our local speciality store I was transformed from the mundaine life to the peak of ecstasy with her wonderful voice and the intense colours created by her own intensity.Here is a woman who can fill the heart with words that are pure gold and like velvet on the mind ,a truly wonderful voice and a stunning person to go with it .Here at last is a worthy successor to Dame Joan and others who gave opera to the world ,now we have in Anna Netrebko someone to give the passion and drama of opera to a new audience with the fire and fun of the pleasure this style of music can give.It is great to at last have an opera singer of this caliber who is unafraid to be herself and to let her own warmth and passion come through LONG May she continue to be the standard for others to attain.May she never change her love of singing and life

Anna Netrebko's I Puritani selections are way below the art and skill of Callas, Sills, Sutherland, Caballe, and Gencer. She has no passion, no trills, no high notes that are deep and rich. Her best is in the Russian repertoire and possibley some undemanding Mozart.

Her broadcast from the Met Live of the I Puritani was alright, but scooping, avoidance of repetitions, running through passages like a locomotive, and an ending that would have brought the wrath of most opera houses in the world..scooping again, and a tight awful sounding high note. The same tentativenes is also here on this CD.She should know this. Her beauty and acting and allure are what interest the masses, not the voice, which is forgiven everything.

Too bad; she could be a lovely Tatyana some day.Also too, the Traviata is not that great; Anna Moffo , Renee Fleming, M. Caballe, and of course Maria Callas..Listen to these and hear the difference.

This is a remarkable CD by the current "it" soprano. Anna Netrebko has it all. She is a wonderful singer, and a beautiful woman. Any star on the rise, particularly one with this much physical beauty and commercial promise, will always fall victim to criticisms that are more or less trivial. Believe me, I get it. When I first saw Anna, I wanted to be judgemental. After all, maybe she was just another pretty face being pushed by a record company. Then I heard her "Sempre libera" and became a fan.

There are criticisms of her trill, or her lack of a trill. Renee Fleming doesn't have a trill, and she has been the acclaimed queen for some time. Because of Anna's trill issues, she's criticized as lacking something that a coloratura should have. Well, she's not a coloratura. A good bel canto singer does not have to be a coloratura. There are criticisms of Anna's repertoire choices. You know why she picked this interesting melange for this CD? Because these are difficult scenes and arias, and she can do them. The only aria I didn't think "fit" is the "O mio babbino caro". She does it well, I just can't figure out what it's doing on this CD.

The "La Traviata" scene that starts the CD is absolutely magnificent. She is a wonderful Violetta, and sings this demanding scene with panache. She does the high E-flat at the end. Of course, she was coached by Scotto on this aria. Nice coaching if you can get it. No less remarkable are her scenes from "La sonnambula" and "I puritani". Her "Qui la voce" was beautiful. To listen to that gorgeous singing, and only focus on whether or not she has a trill is to miss the point of the music. I can definitely see why the Met is giving her the "Puritani" this season. Her scenes from "Lucia di Lammermoor" were technically perfect, and her mad scene very well done. The "Otello" scenes were amazing, particularly the floated pianos and pianissimos in the "Ave Maria". Abbado and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra are wonderful collaborators.

Ignore the criticisms and buy this CD! You'll be glad that you did. Highly recommended.