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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
69 of 71 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
A non-Italian 'Aida' that ranks head and shoulders above many of its competitors, this is a performance to cherish. Solti's grip on the orchestra is total and he presents an atmospheric and urgent interpretation of the opera. The end of Act 1 scene 2 is electric with religious fervour.There, Vickers rides the full orchestra with ease and elsewhere is a committed and moving Radames - not everyone's favourite tenor maybe but an artist of blazing intensity. Price builds her part through mostly vocal means, and what a voice it was - controlled and secure throughout its range with a distinctive smoky timbre that is perfectly appropriate to the role. Gorr is excellent also as the vengeful Amneris though I miss the use of chest register to emphasis the drama. Merrill is his usual self - rich toned and rather faceless. He also spoils a vital line in the Nile scene by snatching a breath in the wrong place. Nearly perfect and as good as we have any right to expect. Buy it!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
From the very first notes of this `Aida', one feels the hand of a master on the baton. Solti sees the grand picture of Verdi's imagination in this opera and presents it to us with superb skill and control. Like several of Verdi's operas, `Aida' presents personal relationships against a background of political problems and Solti manages both the intimate personal dialogue and the grand scenes of military triumph with equal understanding.
This recording is exceptionally well cast, with very competent singers in the secondary roles. Giorgio Tozzi makes a compelling Ramfis and Plinio Ciabassi and Mietta Sighele do well with the rather limited material they have as the King and the High Priestess.
The main strength of the performance, however, lies, as it must, in the four principals. I always regret the brevity of the role of Amonasro, especially when it is sung by a baritone of the quality of Robert Merrill. He is never less than highly competent and at his best, as he is in `Ma tu Re, tu signore possente', he is magnificent. Rita Gorr is an affecting Amneris and brings out the frustration and disappointment of the princess. She has all the notes for this demanding role and, in my view, her vibrato underlines the vulnerability which underlies Amneris's forcefulness.
Jon Vickers, always a powerful performer, brings out the essential virility of Radames in the early scenes and gives us a particularly effective `Celeste Aida', He also succeeds in conveying his character's distress and shame when he realises that his love for Aida has led him to betray his country. He meets his death with dignified acceptance. In my view, only Franco Corelli gives a more satisfying rendition of this role.
In the title role Leontyne Price gives one of her best recorded performances. She is always the princess, even in subjection, and her two main arias `Ritorna vincitor' and `O patria mia' demonstrate the range of her vocal characterisation. There is effective use of the chest register to convey anger in the former aria and an incredibly beautiful top C in the latter, where the controlled diminuendo conveys exquisitely her grief that she will never see her homeland again.
Of my three recordings of this opera, I always feel when I hear this one that it is my favourite, especially in the final duet, which never fails to bring tears to my eyes, something which Tebaldi and Bergonzi and even Nilsson and Corelli fail to achieve.
This recording is exceptionally well cast, with very competent singers in the secondary roles. Giorgio Tozzi makes a compelling Ramfis and Plinio Ciabassi and Mietta Sighele do well with the rather limited material they have as the King and the High Priestess.
The main strength of the performance, however, lies, as it must, in the four principals. I always regret the brevity of the role of Amonasro, especially when it is sung by a baritone of the quality of Robert Merrill. He is never less than highly competent and at his best, as he is in `Ma tu Re, tu signore possente', he is magnificent. Rita Gorr is an affecting Amneris and brings out the frustration and disappointment of the princess. She has all the notes for this demanding role and, in my view, her vibrato underlines the vulnerability which underlies Amneris's forcefulness.
Jon Vickers, always a powerful performer, brings out the essential virility of Radames in the early scenes and gives us a particularly effective `Celeste Aida', He also succeeds in conveying his character's distress and shame when he realises that his love for Aida has led him to betray his country. He meets his death with dignified acceptance. In my view, only Franco Corelli gives a more satisfying rendition of this role.
In the title role Leontyne Price gives one of her best recorded performances. She is always the princess, even in subjection, and her two main arias `Ritorna vincitor' and `O patria mia' demonstrate the range of her vocal characterisation. There is effective use of the chest register to convey anger in the former aria and an incredibly beautiful top C in the latter, where the controlled diminuendo conveys exquisitely her grief that she will never see her homeland again.
Of my three recordings of this opera, I always feel when I hear this one that it is my favourite, especially in the final duet, which never fails to bring tears to my eyes, something which Tebaldi and Bergonzi and even Nilsson and Corelli fail to achieve.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've ploughed through many of the studio recordings of Aida (both Cetra recordings, both Tebaldi recordings, the Callas, the Milanov, the Nilsson and the classic Caballe/Muti) but this is the one that holds the top notch.
Leontyne Price's voice is young and sweet. Vickers was a strange choice, given who was knocking around, but he is undeniably an heroic Radames. Gorr is absolutely superb (why she was not dragged into the recording studio more I'll never know) and Merrill is warm and rich in tone, but Solti is the star. He draws a huge sound from the Rome Opera Orchestra, though I also have to give credit to Giuseppe Conca for the sound that the chorus produce - the bass priests' honeyed tones are beautiful.
Price and Merrill fighting it out in act III is one of my all-time favourite moments of recorded open. Many people would, understandably, suggest the Caballe/Muti recording but please at least try this one first - I love it.
Leontyne Price's voice is young and sweet. Vickers was a strange choice, given who was knocking around, but he is undeniably an heroic Radames. Gorr is absolutely superb (why she was not dragged into the recording studio more I'll never know) and Merrill is warm and rich in tone, but Solti is the star. He draws a huge sound from the Rome Opera Orchestra, though I also have to give credit to Giuseppe Conca for the sound that the chorus produce - the bass priests' honeyed tones are beautiful.
Price and Merrill fighting it out in act III is one of my all-time favourite moments of recorded open. Many people would, understandably, suggest the Caballe/Muti recording but please at least try this one first - I love it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Amazing sound experience
I had this on cassette tape and almost wore it out but then times change, people change, and opera faded into the background for me. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tiggy
Aida
Wonderful CD - just listening and following the 3 Acts has given a good insight to the opera which I am going to in March at the Albert Hall.
Published 3 months ago by Mary
Verdi Aida
I last heard this recording more than 25 years ago. Then on vinyl with a touch of hardness to the presentation especially to the brass - typical Decca sound of the period. Read more
Published 9 months ago by beachcomer
As good as the reviews
Delighted with this recording. I read the reviews and agree with those who praised this wonderful performance. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Yellowbear
Intense, thrilling
I don't find it easy to review opera CDs. This is partly because it is not that easy for me to see operas - there are so many that I have heard so many times but have never seen -... Read more
Published 24 months ago by enthusiast
Verdi. Aida
This is an excellent and cheap version of Verdi's Aida.
Excellent and prompt service from Amazon.
Excellent and prompt service from Amazon.
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Margaret E. Mcewan
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