Search - Gioachino Rossini, James Levine, London Symphony Orchestra :: Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Highlights)

Delightful and outstanding!

D. R. Schryer | Poquoson, VA United States | 12/23/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This fully-packed (79 minutes) highlight disc contains virtually all of the famous arias, duets, and other numbers from this delightful opera.And they are well performed by a very competent cast. Beverly Sills and Sherrill Milnes -- two of the finest singers of the 20th century -- are particularly outstanding as is the conductor, James Levine. Personally, I don't think a better performance of these highlights exists. And so much of the best music is included on this disc that I don't see a lot of sense in spending more to get the complete opera."

Wow! Tons of chemistry!

Andrew Mayzak | Seattle, WA USA | 09/20/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is by far the best Barber I have ever heard! Everything seems so well put together and top notch that only a live performance can top this recording.
James Levine is brilliant and reads singers extremely well. His conducting is well paced so that you never miss notes in any of the speeding Rossinian lines. There is plenty of drama, lilt, humor, and dynamic contrasts in the orchestra; the singers only add to it and Levine often slows or stops the orchestra to let the singers decorate their lines.
Nicolai Gedda, although not possesing the most beautiful voice, is still a great tenor and I like him much more in a bel canto role like Almaviva than, say, as Rodolfo in La Boheme. His light and extrememly agile timbre is a boon to him here and sparkles as he adds glittering cadenza passages to his role.
Sherril Milnes is incredible as Figaro, easily as good in his duet with Rosina as Tito Gobbi was with Maria Callas. His improvisation and inflections make him probably the funniest and most arrogant Figaro on record and his boistrous voice serves him well, adding character and depth to Figaro.
Beverly Sills is at home in the coloratura role of Rosina. She is uncommonly realistic here, and brings out a devilish, womanly side to Rosina. Her ornamentation is flawless and thrilling in it's exploration of notes above high C.
Ruggero Raimondi and Renato Capecchi round out the cast very well with great buffa baritone voices and Fedora Barbieri is a pleasant surprise, given that this recording was made near the end of her career.
Perhaps, from a technical standpoint, what is most exciting about this recoding is the number of colors that each singer has available to him or her. Each note is unique in it's conception and inflection and adds to the beautiful bel canto sound produced here while also adding dimension to the characters.
As usual with EMI, no static, hiss or overbalancing. A first rate recording with a fine cast and a fine conductor."

Best Barber!

Robert J. Lelong | 07/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"All I can say here is that not every production of Il Barbiere can boast Nicolai Gedda, Beverly Sills, Sherrill Milnes, and Ruggero Raimondi. Grab this cd first chance you get! Sherrill Milnes is an incredible Figaro, with a fabulous, "Largo al factotum." Sills is beyond criticism as Rosina, and so is Raimondi as Basilio. Gedda does a good job as the count, too. This is simply a great cd, and I'd get it if I were you."