Puccini: La Boheme / Nagano, Te Kanawa, Leech, Ambrosian Singers, LSO. Composer: Giacomo Puccini, Performer: Alan Ewing, Richard Leech, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Carlos Chausson, Conductor: Kent Nagano Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers, St. Clement Danes Nearly a century after it's premiere in Turin in February 1896 we have a fresh and vibrant new recording of this opera - one of the best known and probably most loved in Puccini's output. Nagano is well able to delineate Puccini's large musical canvas, sweeping the colors of the orchestral scoring and the glorious vocal lines onwards and upwards with an intoxicating, rumbustious swagger. If Te Kanawa had made a recording of this role around the time she sang it at Covent Garden in 1976 (with Pavarotti as Rodolfo) or in the subsequent revival in 1979, it would have made for a fascinating comparison. Amazingly, this is her first recording of Mimì and she has successfully managed to integrate her mature, lustrous sound with the poignant vulnerability and gradually ebbing strength of Mimì to remarkable effect. It is a hauntingly convincing performance. Leech provides an excellent shaping of Rodolfo with a rich, passionate tone. Titus (Marcello) and Gustafson (Musetta) are as finely characterized and vividly sung as one could hope and all the ensemble interplays, especially in Acts III and IV, have a fresh and dynamic intensity.
5 La Bohème, Opera: Act 1. Al Quartiere Latino CI Attende Momus
6 La Bohème, Opera: Act 1. Non Sono in Vena. Chi È LÀ?! - Scusi
7 La Bohème, Opera: Act 1. Oh! Sventata, Sventata! la Chiave Della Stanza Dove L'ho Lasciata?
8 La Bohème, Opera: Act 1. Che Gelida Manina
9 La Bohème, Opera: Act 1. SÌ. Mi Chiamano Mimì
10 La Bohème, Opera: Act 1. O Soave Fanciulla
11 La Bohème, Opera: Act 2. Arranci, Datteri, Caldi I Marroni!
12 La Bohème, Opera: Act 2. Due Posti - Finalmente!... Parpignol! Parpignol!
13 La Bohème, Opera: Act 2. Signorina Mimì, Che Dono Raro Le Ha Fatto Il Suo Rodolfo?
14 La Bohème, Opera: Act 2. Ch'io Beva Del Tossico! - Oh! - Essa! - Musetta!
15 La Bohème, Opera: Act 2. Quando Me N'VÒ
16 La Bohème, Opera: Act 2. Il Conto? - Così Presto? - Chi L'ha Richiesto?
- Disc 2 -
1 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. Ohè, LÀ, Le Guardie! Aprite!... Sa Dirmi, Scusi, Qual È L'osteria
2 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. Mimì! - Speravo Di Trovarvi Qui
3 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. Marcello! Finalmente!... Mimì È Una Civetta
4 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. Ebbene, No, Non Lo Son... Mimì È Tanto Malata!
5 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. È Musetta Che Ride... Donde Lieta Uscì Al Tuo Grido D'amore
6 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. Dunque È Proprio Finita!
7 La Bohème, Opera: Act 3. Che Facevi, Che Dicevi
8 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. in Un Coupé?
9 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. O Mimì, Tu Più Non Torni
10 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. Che Ora Sia? - L'ora Del Pranzo Di Ieri... Gavotta! - Minuetto! - Pavanella!
11 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. C'È Mimì!
12 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. Ho Tanto Freddo!
13 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. Sono Andati? Fingevo Di Dormire
14 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. Oh Dio! Mimì! - Che Avvien? - Nulla. Sto Bene
15 La Bohème, Opera: Act 4. Che Ha Detto Il Madico
Puccini: La Boheme / Nagano, Te Kanawa, Leech, Ambrosian Singers, LSO. Composer: Giacomo Puccini, Performer: Alan Ewing, Richard Leech, Roberto Scandiuzzi, Carlos Chausson, Conductor: Kent Nagano Orchestra/Ensemble: London Symphony Orchestra, Ambrosian Singers, St. Clement Danes Nearly a century after it's premiere in Turin in February 1896 we have a fresh and vibrant new recording of this opera - one of the best known and probably most loved in Puccini's output. Nagano is well able to delineate Puccini's large musical canvas, sweeping the colors of the orchestral scoring and the glorious vocal lines onwards and upwards with an intoxicating, rumbustious swagger. If Te Kanawa had made a recording of this role around the time she sang it at Covent Garden in 1976 (with Pavarotti as Rodolfo) or in the subsequent revival in 1979, it would have made for a fascinating comparison. Amazingly, this is her first recording of Mimì and she has successfully managed to integrate her mature, lustrous sound with the poignant vulnerability and gradually ebbing strength of Mimì to remarkable effect. It is a hauntingly convincing performance. Leech provides an excellent shaping of Rodolfo with a rich, passionate tone. Titus (Marcello) and Gustafson (Musetta) are as finely characterized and vividly sung as one could hope and all the ensemble interplays, especially in Acts III and IV, have a fresh and dynamic intensity.
