100 Best Soprano Arias

This album is another release in EMI’s highly successful 100 BEST series.

CD 1 covers the Baroque era and includes popular arias from operas, oratorios and cantatas by J S Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Purcell and Rameau. It ends with two items by Gluck, whose works link the Baroque period with the Classical era of Haydn, Beethoven and Mozart that followed it.

CD 2 is devoted entirely to arias by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, many of whose operas remain today the mainstay of the repertoire in opera houses around the world. The most famous Mozart operas are generously represented here with several items each from Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Giovanni, Così fan tutte and Die Zauberflöte.

CD 3 begins with two arias from Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, and one from Weber’s classic work Der Freischütz, before moving to a group of pieces by Richard Wagner. Then come several examples of arias from Slavonic operas by Tchaikovsky (Russian), Dvorák and Smetana (Czech) before returning to Germany for attractive examples of the music of Richard Strauss and Erich Korngold.

The next CD transports us to France to enjoy extracts from some of the world’s most famous operas, including Bizet’s Carmen, Gounod’s Faust, Massenet’s Manon, Offenbach’s Contes d’Hoffmann and many other favourites. The disc ends with the romantic aria ‘Depuis le jour’ from Charpentier’s Louise.

In CD 5 we visit Italy at the height of its operatic glory in the 19th century, starting with the bel canto treasures of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini and then moving to some of the best-loved arias of all times by Giacomo Puccini from his great masterpieces like La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Tosca and Turandot. The disc concludes with music from the verismo school in three highly dramatic arias by Catalani, Mascagni and Giordano, including ‘Ebben? ne andrò lontana’ and ‘La mamma morta’.

CD 6 is devoted entirely to possibly the greatest Italian operatic composer of all – Giuseppe Verdi. It covers all his best-known operas from early works like Ernani and Attila, through his three great middle-period triumphs of Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata, up to the great masterpieces of his maturity like La forza del destino, Don Carlo and Aida. The programme ends with the poignant ‘Ave Maria’ from the last act of Otello, sung by Desdemona before she is murdered by her jealous husband Othello.

Contents:
CD 1: Baroque
Johann Sebastian Bach
1. Jauchzet Gott in allen landen (Cantata BWV 51)
Nancy Argenta (soprano) • Crispian Steele-Perkins (trumpet)
Ensemble Sonnerie

2. Schafe können sicher weiden (‘Hunt’ Cantata BWV 208)
Barbara Hendricks (soprano)
Kammerorchester CPE Bach, Berlin / Peter Schreier

George Frideric Handel
3. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (Messiah)
Emma Kirkby (soprano)
Taverner Players / Andrew Parrott

4. I know that my Redeemer liveth (Messiah)
Elizabeth Harwood (soprano)
English Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras

5. O had I Jubal’s lyre (Joshua)
Lucia Popp (soprano), Leslie Pearson (organ)
English Chamber Orchestra / Georg Fischer

6. Lascia ch’io pianga (Rinaldo)
Jane Gilchrist (soprano)
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra / Kirk Trevor

7. Tornami a vagheggiar (Alcina)
Eiddwen Harrhy (soprano)
City of London Baroque Sinfonia / Richard Hickox

8. Ombre pallide (Alcina)
9. Ma quando tornerai (Alcina)
Arleen Augér (soprano)
City of London Baroque Sinfonia / Richard Hickox

10. Un cenno leggiadretto (Serse)
Lucia Popp (soprano), Leslie Pearson (organ)
English Chamber Orchestra / Georg Fischer

11. Un pensiero nemico di pace (Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno)
Natalie Dessay (soprano)
Le concert d’Astrée / Emmanuelle Haïm

Antonio Vivaldi
12. Nasce rosa lusinghiera (Bajazet)
13. Anche il mar par che sommerga (Bajazet)
Patrizia Ciofi (soprano)
Europa Galante / Fabio Biondi

Henry Purcell
14. When I am laid in earth (Dido and Aeneas)
Victoria de los Angeles (soprano)
English Chamber Orchestra / Sir John Barbirolli

Jean-Philippe Rameau
15. Tristes apprêts (Castor et Pollux)
Véronique Gens (soprano)
Les Talens Lyriques / Christoph Rousset

Christoph Willibald Gluck
16. Non, cet affreux devoir...Je t’implore (Iphigénie en Tauride)
Edda Moser (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Peter Schneider

17. Dieux puissants que j’atteste...Jupiter, lance la foudre! (Iphigénie en Aulide)
Véronique Gens (soprano)
Les Talens Lyriques / Christophe Rousset

CD 2: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1. Ach, ich liebte (Die Entführung aus dem Serail)
Anna Moffo (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Alceo Galliera

2. Martern aller Arten (Die Entführung aus dem Serail)
Anneliese Rothenberger (soprano)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Josef Krips

3. Welche Wonne, welche Lust (Die Entführung aus dem Serail)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Josef Krips

4. Or sai chi l’onore (Don Giovanni)
Cheryl Studer (soprano)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Riccardo Muti

5. Batti, batti, o bel Masetto (Don Giovanni)
Graziella Sciutti (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Carlo Maria Giulini

6. In quali eccessi, o Numi...Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata (Don Giovanni)
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Carlo Maria Giulin

7. Vedrai, carino (Don Giovanni)
Mirella Freni (soprano)
New Philharmonia Orchestra / Otto Klemperer

8. Non mi dir (Don Giovanni)
Joan Sutherland (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Carlo Maria Giulini

9. O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn (Die Zauberflöte)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Otto Klemperer

10. Der Hölle Rache (Die Zauberflöte)
Edita Gruberova (soprano)
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Bernard Haitink

11. Ach, ich fühl’s (Die Zauberflöte)
Anneliese Rothenberger (soprano)
Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper München / Wolfgang Sawallisch

12. Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben (Zaide)
Natalie Dessay (soprano)
Orchestra of the Age of the Enlightenment / Louis Langrée

13. Deh vieni non tardar (Le nozze di Figaro)
Anna Moffo (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Carlo Maria Giulini

14. Porgi amor (Le nozze di Figaro)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Leonard Slatkin

15. Dove sono (Le nozze di Figaro)
Margaret Price (soprano)
Wiener Philharmoniker / Riccardo Muti

16. In uomini, in soldati (Così fan tutte)
Lillian Watson (soprano)
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Bernard Haitink

17. Come scoglio (Così fan tutte)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Leonard Slatkin

18. Una donna a quindici anni (Così fan tutte)
Hanny Steffek (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Karl Böhm

CD 3: German and Slavonic Opera
Ludwig van Beethoven
1. O wär ich schon (Fidelio)
Helen Donath (soprano)
Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

2. Abscheulicher!...Komm, Hoffnung (Fidelio)
Helga Dernesch (soprano)
Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

Carl Maria von Weber
3. Wie nahte mir...Leise, leise (Der Freischütz)
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Julius Rudel

Richard Wagner
4. Dich, teure Halle (Tannhäuser)
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Julius Rudel

5. Einsam in trüben Tagen (Lohengrin)
Hildegard Behrens (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Peter Schneider

6. Euch Lüften, die mein Klagen (Lohengrin)
Régine Crespin (soprano)
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française / Georges Prêtre

7. Mild und leise (Liebestod) (Tristan und Isolde)
Hildegard Behrens (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Peter Schneider

Johann Strauss II
8. Klänge der Heimat (Die Fledermaus)
Anneliese Rothenberger (soprano)
Wiener Symphoniker / Willi Boskovsky

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
9. Tatiana’s Letter Scene (Eugene Onegin) conclusion
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Stefan Soltesz

Antonin Dvorak
10. Song to the Moon (Rusalka)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Stefan Soltesz

Bedrich Smetana
11. Should I ever learn (The Bartered Bride)
12. How confused I feel (Dalibor)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Stefan Soltesz

Richard Strauss
13. Es gibt ein Reich (Ariadne auf Naxos)
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Julius Rudel

14. Ich kann nicht sitzen (Elektra)
Cheryl Studer (soprano) • Eva Marton (soprano)
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks / Wolfgang Sawallisch

Erich Wolfgang Korngold
15. Glück, das mir verblieb (Die tote Stadt)
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Julius Rudel

CD 4: French Opera
Charles Francois Gounod
1. Ah! Je veux vivre dans ce rêve (Roméo et Juliette)
Mady Mesplé (soprano)
Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra / Jean-Pierre Marty

2. Un bouquet !...ô Dieu! que de bijoux!...Ah! je ris (Jewel Song) (Faust)
Victoria de los Angeles (soprano)
Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra / André Cluytens

Giacomo Meyerbeer
3. Nobles seigneurs, salut! (Les Huguenots)
Edita Gruberova (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester /Kurt Eichhorn

4. Ombre légère (Le Pardon de Ploërmel)
June Anderson (soprano)
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse / Michel Plasson

Georges Bizet
5. Quand je vous aimerai?...L’amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera) (Carmen)
6. Les tringles des sistres tintaient (Carmen)
Victoria de los Angeles (soprano) • Denise Monteil (soprano) • Marcelle Croisier (mezzo-soprano)
Chœurs et Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française / Sir Thomas Beecham

7. C’est des contrebandiers...Je dis que rien ne m’épouvent (Carmen)
Mirella Freni (soprano)
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Antonino Votto

Jules Massenet
8. Allons! Il le faut...Adieu, notre petite table (Manon)
Fiamma Izzo d’Amico (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Alberto Zedda

9. Suis-je gentille ainsi...Je marche sur tous les chemins (Manon)
10 Obéissons quand leur voix appelle (Manon)
June Anderson (soprano)
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse / Michel Plasson

11. Werther! Werther!...Ces lettres (Werther)
Victoria de los Angeles (soprano)
Orchestre de Paris / Georges Prêtre

12. De cet affreux combat...Pleurez! pleurez mes yeux (Le Cid)
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Jeffrey Tate

Jacques Offenbach
13. Les oiseaux dans la charmille (Les Contes d’Hoffmann)
Mady Mesplé (soprano)
Orchestre du Théâtre National de l’Opéra / Jean-Pierre Marty

Amboise Thomas
14. Ah, pour ce soir...Je suis Titania (Polonaise) (Mignon)
Maria Callas (soprano)
Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française / Georges Prêtre

Gustave Charpentier
15. Depuis le jour (Louise)
Kiri Te Kanawa soprano
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House / Jeffrey Tate

CD 5: Bel Canto & Verismo
Vincenzo Bellini
1. Casta Diva (Norma)
Maria Callas (soprano)
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Tullio Serafin

2. Come per me sereno (La sonnambula)
Edita Gruberova (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Kurt Eichhorn

Gaetano Donizetti
3. Spargi d’amaro pianto (Lucia di Lammermoor)
Anna Moffo (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis

Gioacchino Rossini
4. Un voce poco fa (Il barbiere di Siviglia)
Beverly Sills (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / James Levine

Giacomo Puccini
5. In quelle trine morbide (Manon Lescaut)
Ruth Ann Swenson (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / Julius Rudel

6. Sola, perduta, abbandonata (Manon Lescaut)
Ghena Dimitrova (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Anton Guadagno

7. Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì (La bohème)
Mirella Freni (soprano) • Nicolai Gedda (tenor)
Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma / Thomas Schippers

8. Quando men vo (La bohème)
Ghena Dimitrova (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Anton Guadagno

9. Donde lieta uscì (La bohème)
Montserrat Caballé (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras

10. Vissi d’arte (Tosca)
Maria Callas (soprano)
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire / Georges Prêtre

11. Un bel dì vedremo (Madama Butterfly)
Renata Scotto (soprano)
Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma / Sir John Barbirolli

12. Chi il bel sogno di Doretta (La rondine)
Montserrat Caballé (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras

13. O mio babbino caro (Gianni Schicchi)
Barbara Hendricks (soprano)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France / Paavo Järvi

14. Signore, ascolta! (Turandot)
Ruth Ann Swenson (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / Julius Rudel

15. In questa reggia (Turandot)
Ghena Dimitrova (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Anton Guadagno

16. Tu che di gel sei cinta (Turandot)
Montserrat Caballé (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras

Alfredo Catalani
17. Ebben? ne andrò lontana (La Wally)
Barbara Hendricks (soprano)
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France / Paavo Järvi

Umberto Giordano
18. La mamma morta (Andrea Chénier)
Ghena Dimitrova (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Lamberto Gardelli

Pietro Mascagni
19. Voi lo sapete, o mamma (Cavalleria rusticana)
Montserrat Caballé (soprano) • Astrid Varnay (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Riccardo Muti

CD 6: Giuseppe Verdi
1. Surta è la notte...Ernani! Ernani, involami (Ernani)
Fiamma Izza d’Amico (soprano)
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Alberto Zedda

2. Allor che i forti corrono (Attila)
3. Da te questo or m’è concesso (Attila)
Cheryl Studer (soprano) • Samuel Ramey (bass)
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Riccardo Muti

4. Salve Maria (I lombardi)
Ghena Dimitrova
Münchner Rundfunkorchester / Lamberto Gardelli

5. Gualtier Maldè...Caro nome (Rigoletto)
Reri Grist (soprano) • Franco Ricciardi (tenor) • Benito di Bella (baritone) • Alfredo Giacomotti (bass)
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma / Francesco Molinari Pradelli

6. D’amor sull’ali rosee (Il trovatore)
Leontyne Price (soprano)
Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert von Karajan

7. È strano!....Ah. fors’è lui...
8. Follie! Follie!...Sempre libera (La traviata)
Anna Moffo (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Colin Davis

9. Attendo, attendo...Addio, del passato (La traviata)
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
London Symphony Orchestra / Myung-Whun Chung

10. Mercé, dilette amiche (I vespri siciliani)
Cheryl Studer (soprano)
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Riccardo Muti

11. Pace, pace mio Dio! (La forza del destino)
Mirella Freni (soprano)
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Riccardo Muti

12. La luce langue (Macbeth)
Maria Callas (soprano)
Philharmonia Orchestra / Nicola Rescigno

13. O ma chère compagne (Don Carlos)
Karita Mattila (soprano) • Thomas Hampson (baritone) • José Van Dam (bass) • Chœur du Théâtre du Châtelet
Orchestre de Paris / Antonio Pappano
[Live recording]

14. Ritorna vincitor! (Aida)
Maria Callas (soprano)
Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire / Nicola Rescigno

15. Qui Radamès verrà...O patria mia (Aida)
Montserrat Caballé (soprano)
New Philharmonia Orchestra / Riccardo Muti

16. Ave Maria (Otello)
Katia Ricciarelli (soprano)
Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano / Lorin Maazel