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Tosca [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]

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Tosca [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] [Soundtrack]

~ Ruggero Raimondi (Bass), Giacomo Puccini (Composer), Antonio Pappano (Conductor), Angela Gheorghiu (Soprano), Roberto Alagna (Tenor), et al.

4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product details

Conductor: Antonio Pappano
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Audio CD (12 Nov 2001)
Number of Discs: 2
Format: Soundtrack
Label: EMI Classics
ASIN: B00005IA1Z
Other Editions: MP3 Download

Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 11,152 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Disc 1:

On this CD:

Tosca
Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Performed by Covent Garden Royal Opera House Chorus
with Angela Gheorghiu, Gwynne Howell, Roberto Alagna, Ruggero Raimondi, Enrico Fissore, David Cangelosi, James Savage-Hanford, Maurizio Muraro, Sorin Coliban, Tiffin Children's Choir
Conducted by Antonio Pappano

Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Looked at from virtually any angle, this Tosca is a triumph. It is lavishly presented (billed as the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack of Benoit Jacquot's film), superbly engineered and boasts a first-rate cast. There are, indeed, two distinct stars: the outstanding soprano Angela Gheorghiu in an assumption of the title role which is awe-inspiring in its breadth of emotion and dramatic range; and the conductor, Antonio Pappano, whose intimate knowledge of Puccini's score illuminates page after page and detail after detail. Pappano possesses a complete grasp of the operatic situation, faultlessly pacing the whole opera to bring about a spine-tingling climax. The Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden give their all for him. If Roberto Alagna's portrayal of Cavaradossi does not quite scale the dizzying heights of Gheorghiu's Tosca, he is nevertheless capable of much subtlety. Ruggero Raimondi's Scarpia is all the more evil for his multi-layered approach to this character. Pappano's Tosca now becomes the modern version to have. Ideally, it should sit in one's record collection along with Maria Callas' classic 1953 mono version. --Colin Clarke

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of Modern Recordings., 14 Jan 2002

By A Customer

This is without doubt the best modern recording of Tosca. Pappano demonstrates his supreme knowledge of Puccini from first note to last. I have listened to a number of recordings of this opera: Karajan, Metha, Davis, Levine and Muti, all worthy sets, but never have i heard such detail in the score as here. Gherorghiu's performance was a real surprise. I thought that the role would be too heavy for her, but she copes effortlessly with the music and instills a real sense of drama tha has made her performances at Covent Garden the stuff of legend. Alagna is less heroic or poetic than say Carerras or Domingo, but he sings well and is about the best tenor you are likely to hear these days in any role. Raimondi will be well known as Scarpia following his participation in the real time tv tosca some years ago. He remains a compelling character, a bit gruff at the top of his voice, but nevertheless a superb characterisation, and much better here than on that dreadful Karajan reording with Riciarelli in the title role. Ther are other great toscas out there, Caballe and Carerras for Colin Davis remains a strong contender after twenty years, and of course the superb and oft cited '53 recording under de Sabata. However, this reording has something special. Stronger individual performances can be found elsewhere, but it is Pappano who really makes this a triumph.

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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a set to rival (and match) de Sabata's, 27 Nov 2001

By A Customer

Well, the triumvirat has done it again: Hubby and wife are on top form, while Pappano does wonders with the Covent Garden opera house orchestra, which frankly isnt on the same level as the LSO, LPO or Philharmonia orchestras, however here they sound like a helluva orchestra.
The recording is intended as a soundtrack for a cinema feature, and it shows in the feverish atmostphere present here. To judge by European reviews, the movie is highly original, cutting from recording studio B&W footage to "scenery" shots and back again, using 8mm camerawork to enhance specific, "introspective" moments. Actually two complete soundtracks were recorded, the one presented here, a pristine "studio" version, and another one with all the voice distancing effects and special sound effects dubbed on it. The CDs are packed in an individual, booklike fashion and the book itself is highly stylized, complete with beautiful stills from the production.
But of course, what matters most is the performance itself, and mightily successful it is. Pappano tears into the score, without being overtly vulgar, as Karajan or Mehta can sometimes be. He rather reminds me of de Sabata, only he has his own melancholic way with the score. Nobody conducts quite the way he does the beautiful, scorching tune when Tosca realizes she has killed Scarpia - "Ora gli perdono.... I now forgive him".
Raimonidi is a terrific, vile, sadistic creature, never overtly barking, but presenting a beast in nobleman's garments. Amazingly enough, it seems he just turned 60 or so, but I would have never guessed it, except for some hollowness at the bottom of the range. Being a baritone part, it is not that troublesome.
Alagna, well, we have certainly heard better-voiced tenors in this role, but his way with the music is very personal and he really "feels" the role, never lapsing into the lacrymose.
As for the Diva - ah yes, She is the complete thing to her fingertips, miss Gheorghiu. I thought maybe her voice would prove too lyrical for the role - but not a bit of it, she can provide the thrills for the big moments, her voice cutting through the orchestral textures, much as I guess it would have done in the theatre. When she hurls 'muori dannato - die, wretched one' at Scarpia's death rattling body, she really means it. On the whole she does present a different picture of Tosca then the one we're familiar with - not an aeging prima donna, a vulgar melodramatic operatic monster, rather a young and extremely attractive star (as such the character most certainly IS), being caught in a terrible situation, and having to act against her inner nature. When most sopranos will utter 'ed avanti a lui tremava tutta Roma - and all Rome trembled beneath his feet' at Scarpia's dead body in a melodramatic fashion, Callas being extremely cynical, Gheorghiu utters the phrase in a trembling voice, hardly able to grasp what she has done. Surely more in keeping with the character. On top of that all, her voice is in ravishing condition, my heart just melted as she piled one more magically floated pianissimo after the other... True, there were other lyrical singers that thought they'd give the role a try (Ricciarelli, Freni) but it never did them any good and they never sounded comfortable in it. Gheorghiu certainly does sound as if Puccini had her in mind most of the time when he wrote the score.
All in all, I think this set present a worthy companion to that looming shadow, EMI's earlier 1953 effort, with de Sabata, Callas, di Stefano and Gobbi, ont of the best operatic performances ever committed to tape. I never liked the technicolor decca Karajan set (with Price whimpering almost every minute and obtrusive "staging") despite having many merits, so I guess this is the ultimate recommendation for a stereo set. Try it, you wont be dissappointed.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST, 12 Sep 2008

By	MUSIC MAD (YORKSHIRE) - See all my reviews

This is without doubt the best of the most recent versions of Tosca. Everyone is on tip top form and Pappano really excels in this music. There really isn't a weak link in this set. I did think Raimondi may be past his best but his performance is excellent. What happened to Angela between this recording and her performance at CG in the role we may never know, but there is no comparison between this top flight performance and the one she phoned in when I saw her at Covent Garden. Buy this set it is glorious.

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