Keith Richards

This is one of the greatest examples of Musical Theater. The songs in this Film couldn't haven't been done any better than besides the greats; Fred Ebb and John Kander. Its sad that it took about thirty years after the Broadway Production for it to be made into a movie. But I guess it was worth it to get such great stars as Catherine Zeta-Jones, and newly introduced to Musical Theater, Queen Latifah.

I sadly would have to say that from what I have heard of Liza Minnelli's performances of songs in Chicago, are not as great as Zellweger's were in this film. Although Liza does a great "All That Jazz", Renee shows Liza how to get the number "Roxie" done.

One thing I really like about this soundtrack is that is olden type of music, and its not remastered old songs, but it old songs performed by Modern artists, and presented in Modern, "High Definition" audio quality. Its like Michael Buble, he does the old standards, but manages to share them with the old standards to us with great, new, modern, quality. And thats exactly what this film does, It still presents the great old classics; But does it in a great modern, and perfect audio quality way.

One part I think that could have been done better by someone else is the part John C. Reiley. From what I Heard he is a singer, but from what I have seen in this movie, he isn't the greatest one. "Mr. Cellophane" is one of my favorite songs from this film, and I think John C. Reilly makes the song look like a joke. It's supposed to be a very touching song, and I don't think his vocals met those requirements. And also, I think the whole vagabond outfit for his character was completely dumb. I think the whole lonely stage setup was great, but the whole, homeless, vagabond thing, just made the song look like a joke. When it really is a very touching song.

Besides that, the film and soundtrack where great. And I loved the two extra tracks on the soundtrack by Queen Latifah, and Anastasia are great.This album completely deserved the Grammy Nomination it got, and I would recommend this album to any Musical Theater fan.

The soundtrack arrived within about a week. (I never opt for faster delivery.) It was exactly what I wanted and, as far as I can tell, plays flawlessly.

This music is so faithfully performed by the very talented ensemble that it brings back the 1920's vividly. Each song reflects a specific style of the music popular at the time. After listening to this CD I had to see the movie (which was also terrific) and then I had to buy the sheet music. Usually I simply enjoy a CD and move on. This one reached me.

The cd is very good. There are only songs, no speaking parts really, even ones that precede certain songs. There are a couple of songs that are not in the movie or that were inspired by the movie. The first time you listen to it if you haven't read the fine print it kind of throws you for a loop. I highly recommend it for all who love the movie!

I truly loved the music with the movie is excellent. I was very impressed of the singing of the movie stars.

I treasure this music; for the memories it evokes of Jane Austen's story and the film and for the uplifting and inspiring melodies. All notes rise up and satisfy the ear and the heart.

I was a bit dissappointed that some of the wonderful music from the film was missing, but seeing that the film is 5 hours long, I suppose that it is understandable. This CD is very relaxing and it brings to mind some wonderful scenes from the film. A must have for the diehard fan of the film.

Was very pleased with the music. Couldn't have been better. I do wish Mr. Beveridge's Maggot was included, tho. Some of the in-film music also could have been included, but overall I enjoyed the CD.

I am very pleased with this soundtrack, the music is beautiful. The reason I gave it a 4 is because it is somewhat repetative.

Beautiful soundtrack... this is all of the music that the composer, Carl Davis, created for the movie. There are 24 tracks on this disc and the music is so lovely. It really takes you back into the movie, especially track 14, Pemberley, and track 15, Darcy Returns. Melvyn Tan's performances on the pianoforte are beautiful. It is also a chance to hear more complete selections rather than just bits and pieces used in the movie. Play this in the background when you can't take the time to watch the movie.

Other reviewers commented on the fact that many of the selections from the movie that they wanted to hear once again were not on the soundtrack. The music pieces they mention are what Mr. Davis refers to as source music, anything played or sung by the people in the movie. Much of the source music is available as MP3s if you do your research -- suggestions are the IMDB web site & right here on Amazon. Voi Che Sapete from Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro (Lizzie sings this at Pemberley with Darcy looking on]; Beethoven's Andante Favori (Georgianna's piece immediately afterward); Haydn's "My Mother Bids Me Bind My Hair" (poor Mary starts to play this at the Netherfield Ball and is fortunately interrupted by Mr. Bennett) -- can all be found on Amazon as MP3 downloads. Unfortunately, you will have to purchase an entire CD to have a copy of Mr. Beveridge's Maggot. Be aware that the selections will not be arranged as they were in the movie, nor performed by the same people, but many of them are worth having for their own sake.

I also recommend getting the book, The Making of Pride and Prejudice, for the lovely chapter devoted to the music.

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection (CD)
by Michael Manring
If you're a high-strung person like me, I recommend this beautiful, gentle, instrumental music that is both soothing and emotionally engaging, yet never maudlin. It has been a "God-send" while driving in heavy morning rush-hour traffic. Despite all the aggravations caused by socially-challenged drivers who don't know how to share the road, I find that I still arrive at work calm and centered thanks to the beneficial effects of this masterful Windham Hill CD. After weeks of listening to it every single morning, it's still not boring. I strongly recommend it for Type A personalities!

Prayer: A Windham Hill Collection

Deeply moving and comforting. Unusual arrangements that breathe new life into the compositions.

This is a delightful collection of music appropriate to meditative prayer. It is often my prayer companion, and I like the style and performance found on this CD. I highly recommend it to people who enjoy deeper reflection with a wordless musical background.

Track 3, Be Thou My Vision, was a surprise as the song was the final song played at my father's funeral. It set the closing mood most fittingly. While Be Thou My Vision is my favorite the entire collection is wonderfully mellow. I recommend it for for the mellow moods.

After criticizing Windham Hill in the past for often recycling the same songs over and over in various collections, I have to hand it to them with the new "Prayer" CD. It's a fine set of all-new acoustic versions of hymns or spiritual songs, plus a good number of original compositions. Producer Dawn Atkinson has done an excellent job of lining up a bunch of top-drawer people for "Prayer," and in working with the artists on the song selection.

Things get started with Tim Story's lovely piano rendition of the "Sanctus" from Faure's Requiem. The quiet and reflective tone of that piece carries throughout the CD. Other highlights include Paul McCandless's moving "Lord's Prayer" version and Steve Erquiaga's "Ave Maria." "Prayer" is a perfect disc for background listening if you're engaged in some activity that needs harmonious yet unobtrusive accompaniment.

This lady has one great voice. She can certainly sell a song. My only reservation about her is that she's a bit cocky. I think she could use some humility.

Unbelievable breath control, phrasing, and style. My 10 yr. old Granddaughter who heretofore has listened and loved the usual rap
and hip-hop, heard me playing this disc and begged me to buy her
one........and I did, and she plays it all the time, and to her
friends. Linda Eder exceeds the Streisand mystique by far.

i am turning 60 years old this year. i went to my 1st.broadway
musical in 1960. over the years i have had the honor to see
almost all of the giants of american song, garland, streisand,
patti lupone, lena horne, betty buckley, barbaracook etc. in
"broadway, my way" linda eder cements her place as the best of the best. from an anthem like "i am what i am" to the lovely
"on the street where you live" captures you body and soul.
i loved this album, and don't ever miss a chance to see her live. JOHN POWER

A great selection of songs. Tremendous amount of energy in Linda's voice. I just love it.

Wow! Linda Eder has an outstanding voice. She sells Broadway in the styles of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. After hearing this you will want more.

After the release of Dirty Work the Stones were on the verge of a breakup with the Glimmer twins not on speaking terms. As always, Keith wanted to rock and Mick wanted to wonk... listen to She's the Boss and you will get the picture. Keith put together a band very much in the Stones mold...heck, Bobby Keyes is the sax player.... release an album and hit the road, which they did for this album and Main Offender. If you love the Stones and have always had a special place in your heart for Keith's vocals... Think Happy and Little T&A.... this record is for you!!!!! I saw the Winos on the Main Offender tour... awesome.

While Mick Jagger was busy making lousy records and even lousier movies during the Stones' late 80s' breakup, Keith Richards made this album with a group he called The X-Pensive Winos. Neither Stone would enjoy the commercial success they enjoyed in the band, but Keith won the critical battle easily. This album, featuring the Winos as well as guest stars like Bootsy Collins and Bernie Worrell, went back to the roots of what the Stones were all about, great rock and roll songs with R&B leanings. Check out the wonderful "Locked Away" and the incredible duet with Sara Dash, "Make No Mistake". There's rockabilly on "I could Have Stood You Up", a little funk on "Big Enough" and plenty of attitude on "Whip It Up" and "Take It So Hard". This album was a great return to "The Human Riff's" roots and a statement on just who the talent is in the Jagger-Richards partnership.

I bought this CD back in 1989, and it is Keith's best solo studio album. Who ever knew that Keith vocally could carry a whole album? He's joined by a stellar cast of musicians : WADDY WACHTEL, IVAN NEVILLE, STEVE JORDAN, and guest vocalist SARAH DASH [ formerly of Labelle ] really adds to this album vocally. I especially like ROCK AWHILE which has some great hooks & gritty vocals from Keith & Sarah, as well as the Memphis style horns on the duet [ ! ] between Keith & Sarah Dash, as well as the opening cut BIG ENOUGH, WHIP IT UP, TAKE IT SO HARD. Gritty, growling Keith & company with lots of R&B influences on this CD. He took this band out on the road to do this material live, & I highly recommend the LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM , which has many of these songs live as well as the Stones' CONNECTION , and a torrid version of TIME IS ON MY SIDE sung by Sarah Dash.

Speaking of great Keith Songs, Sandra Bernhard covers "Out of Tears" on "everything bad & beautiful" (limited edition only) and it is outrageous--the song is a great find too! Definitely something to own for a Keith or Stones fan.Everything Bad & Beautiful

This might be a five-star Keith Richards' solo effort, but it is not a classic album by any means. What this album seems to miss most of all is Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts. Many folks believe that the absence of Jagger is a positive but I totally disagree. The Rolling Stones were a band, not the Keef project. As much as I believe that a strong case can be made for Richards' as the most influential guitarist in all of rock, in order for the Stones to be the greatest rock and roll band ever, they needed the unique jazzy chops of Watts and the inimitable Mick Jagger. It's naive to think that Keith wrote all the music and Jagger merely came up with lyrics. For anyone who knows a little history, even Keith admits that he didn't provide the music for all the hits (nor, for that matter, did Jagger write all the words).
That being said, this is a highly enjoyable album with a very loose, funky, vibe to accompany the expected riff and roll that comes from Richards. An entire recording with Keith's vocals, however, only shows one way in which Jagger is missed. Additionally, there isn't much of interest lyrically. The strongest lyrics are those that speak of the fractured relationship the Glimmer Twins had at this point and they are typical Keith - blunt and to the point.
Don't delude yourself into thinking that this is the lost Stones classic so many have been pining for - it is not. It is a fun party record that will move your body and bring a smile to your face.

This is a wonderful DVD. I got this as a stop gap until the VHS came out on DVD, but now I may not. Yes, the technical aspects are not the best. But it is the filming of an actual performance at the Delacorte Theater. It's not as slick as the production with Angela Landsbury, but Patricia Routledge, later to be Hetty Wainthrop and Hyacinth Bucket, more than holds her own, and the production has those small details that usually are left out of a much-edited and rehearsed film. You really get the feeling you are there watching a live performance. If you are a G&S fan, this is a DVD you must have. It is a gem of a performance, with wonderful actors/singers.

Fantastic CDS based on the stageplay and video. I missed Angela Lansbury as Ruth but it is a fanatastic recording and interpretation of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta.

You have to be a muscial fan to love this. This play is very fun and funny. This soundtrack has the songs from this wonderful play that you will want to hear over and over again.

The entire "Pirates" score plus much of the dialogue is found in this recording. The voices are extremely appropriate to each of the characters, and the comedy of the score is apparent. The energy is extremely high, which, in turn, excites the listener. I never tire of listening to it.

My favourite performance of this classic Gilbert & Sullivan Operetta. Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstat, and the whole cast are perfect.

contrary to most reviews i believe this to be better than his debut its a great record with many different styles that all rock the house down,the rolling stones haven't rocked this hard in years and it shows who the real creative force behind them is in my opinion.

anyway if you a fan of richards this is a must own.

The songs on this album are top notch.
I'm only nitpicking the production. I think it's too smooth around the edges. Don't get me wrong, it's MAGIC on "Hate it When You Leave", but I keep wondering...
What if this album had been produced by Joe Henry? Or Jack White? Or Tom Waits? (sigh)
I try not to think about it.
Get the album.

I listened to this again after a few years without hearing it and I still love it. Order it now, Its worth it. I wish more people still made music like this.

No sense in comparing him to the Stones. No musician doing a solo album wants to sound like his signature band. This was just another project Richards did. Looking at it that way, I think it's pretty good. It's not his typical hard driving guitar licks. It's more melodic which I kind of like. The songs "Eileen" and Yap yap" are well written. "Wicked as it seems" is more reminiscent of his more typical songs with a strong guitar solo. This seems like a concerted effort and although not his best, I think it still deserves recognition as an interesting, different, and worth owning CD from Kieth Richards, who in my mind IS the Rolling Stones.

Keith boasts on "Wicked As It Seems" from Main Offender. The best album the Stones never made, it's better than anything they've put out in over a decade. Keith shows why his half of the Jagger-Richards tandem is the strongest with these ten solid tracks. The recent Stones' albums have suffered from excess, in that some of the weaker material isn't pared out, often to the detriment of the entire album. Conversely, this album is like a concise sucker-punch to the gut. Rockers like the explosive "999" and the sly "Wicked As It Seems" share space with the acoustic ballad "Demon", possibly the best such song since "Wild Horses". Keith's other influences shine here as well, most notably the Motown soul of "Hate It When You Leave" and the reggae number "Words of Wonder". "Eileen" is a spirited number in the manner of Happy". "Yap Yap" is a wry song about an overly-loquacious female friend. "Runnin Too Deep" and "Will But You Won't" are both riff heavy mid-tempo rockers.

Say what you will about Keith's voice, but it fits the material here in a way that a more polished instrument would not. Keith's band is both tight and loose all at the same time and brings a level of urgency to these songs that a Stones' album hasn't had for quite some time.

It's only natural we sometimes hit the high seas....make that Cs. This is one box set about which we sing praises. This set features more than two hours of the finest music from across the centuries by such composers as Schubert, Chopin, Mozart, Handel, Stravinsky and Glass. The set also comes with a 562-page illustrated book, detailing the lives of hundreds of composers, a
glossary of musical terms and a unique guide to the classical music used in 360 top films.

Naxos is a fabulous label -- you will not get samples of the best classical music through the ages at no better price. These tracks are as good as any of the over-priced major orchestras and in some cases better. This is a great starter set for a beginner or anyone who just wants to "taste" the classics. If you prefer Opera I would suggest the A to Z of Opera -- most of the tracks on A to Z Classical are orchestral. I was so impressed with this collection that I purchased the Discover the Classics Vol's 1-3 which will give you a more detailed look at the great classics. Take a look at the Naxos web site at NAXOSUSA.COM -- what you will see will blow your mind -- there are literally thousands of pieces that you could listen too!

This is pretty much a CD version of a mini-Naxos and Marco Polo catalog. All the pieces and extracts are ordered chronologically on the 2 CDs and are of very acceptable quality, but don't expect excellence in every track. Personally, I was particularly disappointed with one of my favourite Pachelbel pieces. The Naxos Canon & Gigue lacks all the emotion of my favourite versions.

Still, any possible weaker performances are of little importance after you get your hands on the fat booklet with over 500 pages. The booklet offers a short intro about the great composers, a glossary of musical terms, a list of works used in films and dozens of illustrations of several composers.

Overall, at this price, this is a must-have pack for any beginner, and might be useful for the occasion "quick check" of the work of many composers. Do not expect many detail, nor references to all the works of some composers; I often got frustrated with the lack of detail in some cases, but in general, the booklet is very effective for a quick reference.
You will need more titles that offer more complete information, and you won't truly learn to love classical music just by reading it, but it is small and compact.

It really puzzles me why Naxos did not include a full index of composers, a serious omission. To find a particular composer you will have to look for it yourself in over 500 pages. Also, the separation of the text is not so good, making the search even a bit slower. The lack of the index is truly annoying and I am sure it will be corrected in future editions.

Even with a few weaker pieces and the lack of the index, at this price, there isn't much to argue about. This is truly a bargain that you should not miss. I would also recommend the A-Z of Opera, which offers a bigger booklet with over 700 pages, focusing on opera works and mentioning several composers that are absent from the A-Z of Classical. That other booklet has a very complete index, and much clearer text layout and separation, that's the way both booklets should have been designed.

The two sets complement each other very well. Highly recommended.

you could not be a true Keith lover and not love this album.
He is what he is.thank god!

I like almost all of the bands from the classic rock era and many of the alternative bands up until the mid 90s. I wasn't expecting the Rolling Stones with this CD, but I was expecting more than I got. I believe this is essentially the CD of the DVD of the same performance. I can only say, like I did with the DVD, the music is mediocre at best to me. Nothing really moved me and after viewing the DVD I had no interest in hearing it again on CD. At least with the DVD watching the band was a distraction from the music. I only watched it once and likely won't again. It wasn't anything in the way they played or the sound quality. The performance was spirited, but the music just didn't do anything for me. I won't buy any other Keith Richards and the Wonderful Winos, that's for sure.

A great time capsule of an album of Keith's tour with his other band The XPensive Winos. This album has a great live ambience of Keith in his element , on stage doing what he wants. Namely, that is making music with ace musicians. Some nods to the Stones of course, & bringing back CONNECTION is a perfect choice for Keith, as well as HAPPY of course. Biggest surprise here is the amazing live version of TIME IS ON MY SIDE with lead vocals by SARAH DASH, formerly of Labelle. Keith called it the best version he ever heard. Ms. Dash's soaring sweet voice is a perfect companion to Keith's gnarly gruffness on MAKE NO MISTAKE as well. Captures the essence of the solo Keith period perfectly.

This is a good album though because it's live it is a little muddy. The songs are all played at a high energy level, the band is bluesy and good, and Sarah Dash, the female backup, is excellent. Richards strains a little on some of the numbers vocally, but his virtuoso guitar playing more than makes up for it. Richards' solo efforts are superior to those of the other Stones members. He has stayed truer to the roots of the jazz and blues that made the Stones such an outstanding band. Listening to this album makes me feel like I'm in a smokey bar listening to a blistering live performance. The sound will not stack up well against a studio recorded album, but what do you expect? Probably the closest most of us will ever get to hearing a solo Keith Richards live.
Four and a half stars.

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This live CD, recorded during the FABULOUS "Talk is Cheap" tour, primarily represents a second recording of the studio album (and a few great extras) with very appreciative crowd noise sandwiched between the songs. Nothing wrong with that, because these are songs that are MEANT to be played live - but the energy and production values of the original studio "Talk is Cheap" album is so extraordinary, this live album primarily speaks to Keith completists. I once read Keith questioned releasing this live album, but there were sooooooooo many bootlegs out of the winos live preformances, he felt his fans deserved a definitive version.

ABOUT THE ALBUM: Verdi (La Traviata): Beverly Sills, soprano (Violetta) Nicolai Gedda, tenor (Alfredo), Rolando Panerai, baritone (Germont), Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Aldo Ceccato; released as an LP by EMI in 1972, re-released as a CD by EMI, 1988 and 1997.

When this Traviata was made in the early 1970's, Beverly Sills was already an established opera singer at the New York City Opera where she reigned supreme and had not yet made her long-delayed debut at the Metropolitan Opera owing to Rudolf Bing refusing to hire her because he just didn't like her "openly American attitudes". This recording finds her in excellent vocal shape(she had been doing lyric coloratura roles such as Lucia and the heroines of Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman) and her voice had not yet been damaged by singing the heavier bel canto roles of Queen Elisabeth I in "Devereaux" and Bellini's Norma. So this Violetta is one that shows off the true talent of this now deceased opera star(died in July 2007). Quite frankly, this is her best performance on any recording she made. Beverly Sills' Violetta is very moving and she will bring a tear to your eye in the Death Scene as well as make you want to dance in the festive and bouncy Act 1 Party, move you with her nobility and despair in Act 2. Throughout the opera, Sills demonstrates her talent for acting as well as singing with terrific flair. It's an exciting and poignant Violetta, if vocally impure. Sills never possessed a big Italian voice, being brought up in America, and her gift was that of the most renowned coloratura voice, not a dramatic voice, but she paved the way for non-dramatic, lyric singers also born in the States like Renee Fleming, Carol Vaness and Ruth Ann Swenson. Maria Callas owned the role until Anna Moffo came along, but up until that time, many favored a feisty and big voice, a fighter not a frail creature for Violeta. I think it's obvious that Verdi wrote her to be frail, like Puccini did with Mimi in La Boheme. A strong Violeta is unnatural. At the time, only Joan Sutherland rivaled Sills, and her portrayal of Violetta (twice, the more famous version being with Pavarotti) is too long, mannered and too artificial. Sills conveys emotion and no-nonsense sensitivity to her portrayal of Violetta, and I am always satified with this version, eventhough I have heard what critics and opera fans consider the superior Traviatas of Maria Callas, Renata Scotto, Anna Moffo and Angela Gheorghiu. For Anna Moffo, the role was as easy as breathing. But many singers have struggled with Violetta. Caballe experimented with the part as did Mirella Freni. But Sills had known the role since her earliest days as a singer and it was her first real starring role. She sang Violetta many many times, being very familiar with the role. Beverly Sills in a class all her own and she pulls out all the stops. For instance, you can really tell the difference between the way she sings the care-free arias in Act 1 like "Sempre Libera" which she tops with the always sought after high hote. True, in this party scene, she sounds more like she's singing operetta (like she's Rosalinda in Fleidermaus) but it's still a right-on-target portrayal. By the time she's in the middle of the duets with Panerai's Germont, she is already a changed woman. Her voice is aptly able to portray suffering as in "Addio Del Passato". She lightens her voice and makes it sound as if she's ill in the last act, but has enough energy to produce the dramatic outbursts like "Morir Si prezo giovine". Despite whatever flaws critics noted, Sills makes a fabulous Violetta.

Nicolai Gedda is another reason to own this Traviata. His Alfredo is brilliant. He is older but he is a very elegant and heroic Alfredo, with a fit voice able to take on the lyric "De mie bollenti spiriti" and the usually ommitted tour de force aria "O mio rimorso". He is passionate and his voice is dark and masculine, a very fitting counterpart to Sill's femininity. This is one Alfredo that I always enjoy hearing. Gedda took care of his great voice and sang many roles during a long career. He looked good and sang great and everything he sings here is of grand quality.

Rolando Panerai is to my ears the best Germont. He portrays with ease the fatherly, noble and patriarchal figure that caused a threat to Violetta and Alfredo's romance. Panerai is not too severe in his phrasing and yet has power and warmth. His "Di Provinzia il mar" is very moving and his final scene with Violetta is a poignant moment. In fact, during that scene in which he, Alfredo, Annina the maid and Dr. Grenvil sing in an ensemble as Violetta is dying, I consider a moment in which each singer is doing the best interpretation of this moment, but particularly Germont who is ridden with guilt. Panerai was also a veteran singer of opera by this point but it hardly shows.

Aldo Ceccato, an Italian conductor, leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a very expressive, sensitive reading of the score. It makes me want to dance in the party scenes, has enough light to keep this opera from being too grand (it is Verdi's smallest-scale opera)but yet lingers in the more poignant scenes of real drama such as the Germont-Violetta duets, the end of Act 2 and the entire final portions. Ceccato resurrected the original score without any cuts. We hear "O Mio Rimorso" a fiery cabaletta for Alfredo, the second repetition in "Addio Del Passato" and even a caballeta after Germont's "Di Provenzia". This is a long and yet very satisfying Traviata. Any fan of the opera should own this, even if you own the Callas Traviata, the Scotto Traviata or other ones. The reviews speak for themselves. This is a very touching Traviata with a cast of great singers and a fine conductor. What more can you look for in Traviata ?

I searched for a definitive recording of La Traviata and was delighted to find this CD from the 70s of the great Beverly Sills. I was not disappointed in her artistry or in the quality of the supporting cast. A must-have in any opera-lover's collection.

Violetta is a workhouse of an operatic role, and many many Soprani have tried to cut their teeth on it, tackled it, worked it to death, or flogged the dead horse: Stratas, Callas (forgive me, La Divina, this role for you was *no* Stupenda Asollutta!) Songbird-"mushmouth" Dame Joan Sutherland (but who can hear her actual words?)....THE Lovely Canary Sine-qua-Non: Ms. Sills is at her best here, forget the other characters, if you can, they acquit themselves anyway...but perceive PERT, PETITE, PURE PERFECT VOCAL LINES of La Sills! Since the Coloratura Voice is the *first to go* age-wise in singers, because of vocal strains on the high, light-timbred Coloratura "canary-songbird" type Soprano...be sure *any* Sills you buy is from no later than this recording, best earlier other works and perfs of her with the New York City Opera or other venues.

Violetta's Signature scena/aria in this Traviata role is of course the renowned "Sempre Libera" ...and if it gives you no chills anywhere, you haven't got a pulse! She trips and skips through all the potentially deathly multiple flowery runs of notes (melismas) like they were child's play (and this is an aria she learned as a a child, actually, from Mum's old 78s)

Acoustically, The lovely echo in the church used for this recording adds to the plus of Sills' voice in Her Prime... *NOBODY* had, nor will ever have seemingly: the agile, light, yet emotionally evocative and gutsy performing brilliance of our recently deceased American-Prize Ms. Sills... if someone doesn't name a Rose Cultivar after her, someone's head will role! ...and since her passing, Ms. Sills recordings are certain to rise in value, in any condition! I strongly recommend you also buy her "Anything in French" discography: the Donizetti *Three Queens*, and more... Beverly Sills, now that you're soloing with The Angels, let us worship and bow down (well, maybe not that far...but close!) Buy Sills! Buy *ANY* Sills, for collector's value, alone, if for no other reason...butthen listen and be transported and transformed!!!

There is no point in arguing that the voice of Beverly Sills is smaller than Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland; this is a fact that we all know. In spite of this, this recording of Traviata stands out because Sills combines the coloratura graces of Sutherland with the creativity and crystal clear diction of Callas. Sills can definitely keep her own and do so in this recording.

Nicola Gedda as Alfredo is splendid, and Panerai as Papa Germont is fantastic as well. The conducting is swift and precise; the sound is surpasses many recordings- including the Netrebko Traviata from Salzburg.

I have great regard for this recording of Beverly Sills in perhaps her real signature role. Lots of people would tell you "Manon", certainly, or "Lucia", or Elisabeth in "Devereauz", or perhaps "Baby Doe". I happen to simply love "Baby Doe", and, it was her truly great first big role. But, if one really wants to get down to the simple facts, Violetta, truly, was her best part, after "Manon".

I saw the lady on two occasions. Both times at the NYC Opera, once as Elisabeth in "Roberta Devereaux", and once in "La Traviata". Truthfully, I remember her most clearly as Elisabeth...but, I was fairly young, and look at the difference in the parts! Violetta is young, beautiful, and etc, as are most sporano parts, the same for .....Elisabeth was a walking veneration, in stately costume, with a face that was, simply, unforgettable! The only other character I remember as clearly is Norman Treigle as "Mefistofele"....

This Traviata certainly holds its own against the competition. I turn to it frequently, and always marvel, even after all these years, at Sills' creamy, silvery voice. It is unfortunate that she somehow never really made it to "front rank" in the eye of the general public. I suppose, as the NYC Opera was generally considered "second rank" to the Met, singers at the NYCO were also somewhat looked upon in the same way! How sad is that?? Then, by the time she did make it to the Met, her days of Violetta were over, and she sang somewhat heavier roles, for older characters.

Luckily for us, there is the recorded medium, which we can turn to time after time, and enjoy whenever we wish to. Admittedly, this is "second best" to a live performance, but at least we have the vocal interpretation, and luckily, I believe, there are some video performances also, so for those, we can see the Lovely Lady. Her recorded opera library, while not dense, is full of spectacular performances, and also some unusual roles...we need to be thankful for that.

While my favorite "La Traviata" will always be the Moffo/Tucker/Merrill under Prevetalli, there is, certainly, enough room for many interpretations. This is, then, one of the better ones to have as a viable "top tier" alternative. Maestro Ceccato is certainly famaliar enough with Verdi's score through years of performances to turn in a richly commendable performance. Nicolai Gedda....well, like Richard Tucker, somehow, with all his talent, and great singing voice, never really comes through to me as a three-dimensional character. (Again, as with Tucker, I never saw him "live", and this may make a world of difference...visual can be a great aid to characterization.) Rolando Panerai is very very good as Georgio Germont (but Robert Merrill will always hold this role for me), and his "Di Provenaz il mar" is really fine. Act III is stupendous, and of course, Act IV will break your heart as only Callas or Moffo could do. Or, as we so well know, Caballe, in the theatre could certainly do (I do not rank her RCA recording with Callas/Moffo efforts).

So, with all my ramblings, here, the final statement from me regarding this recording is this:

Certainly top tier, ranking with Callas and Moffo, great conducted interpretation, Panerai is very good, Gedda, too, is fine, but not my ideal. The secondary roles are all fine, here, too. So, do not hesitate to add this recording to your collection, either as a first recording, or as a secondary addition. This is Sills at her finest. ~operabruin