Angela Gheorghiu - Casta Diva

As one who has thrilled to the likes of Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, etc, I will frankly admit that I am very impressed by Angela Gheorghiu –– and those who compare her unfavorably to the above mentioned legends are indulging in jealousy, sour grapes, and the knowledge that time has marched on, and that the age of Callas, Sutherland, and Caballe is now firmly entrenched in the past.

Tracklist
01 Casta diva (Norma)
02 Ah bello a me ritorna (Norma)
03 S'allontanano alfine (Guglielmo Tell)
04 Selva opaca (Guglielmo Tell)
05 Qui la voce sua soave… (I Puritani)
06 Vien, diletto (I Puritani)
07 Ah non credea mirarti (La Sonnambula)
08 Una voce poco fa (Il Barbieri di Siviglia)
09 Io sono docili (Il Barbieri di Siviglia)
10 L'ora fatal s'appressa (L'assedio di Corinto)
11 Giusto ciel Un tal periglio (L'assedio di Corinto)
12 Piangete voi (Anna Bolena)
13 Al dolce guidami castel natio (Anna Bolena)
14 Regnava nel silencio (Lucia de Lammermoor)
15 Quando rapitoin estasi (Lucia de Lammermoor)

As one who has thrilled to the likes of Callas, Sutherland, Caballe, etc, I will frankly admit that I am very impressed by Angela Gheorghiu –– and those who compare her unfavorably to the above mentioned legends are indulging in jealousy, sour grapes, and the knowledge that time has marched on, and that the age of Callas, Sutherland, and Caballe is now firmly entrenched in the past. Angela Gheorghiu has an amazing voice, and there are moments when she sounds amazingly like Callas, especially when she colors phrases in the middle range, and, moreover, she has a dramatic compulsion that completely eluded both Sutherland and Caballe'. There is a lot of very good singing here, and a few misses as well, but this is a recording well worth listening to, and it proves very enjoyable on repeated hearings. My big objection to this recording is that there are things which should have been included, but were not. For example, the exciting cabalettas to the "Sonnambula" and "Anna "Bolena" scenes would have jacked up the excitement by miles, and there is no reason why one should assume that Gheorghiu could not bring them off.
The final top E flat at the conclusion of the "Puritani" scene is secure and attractive, but it is my feeling that this note is sort of "on loan" to her –– and not a working part of her natural range. No matter ––- Gheorghiu is great artist, and those who find fault with her are doing so for reasons that have little to do with her work. It obviously bothers some people that there are human beings so supremely gifted with such golden attributes as beauty of voice, musicianship, a sense of drama ––- all housed inside of a beautiful woman –- that it makes them prone to indulge in bashing. Too bad! This woman is possibly the greatest thing that's happened to opera since Maria Callas.

http://rapidshare.com/files/87796782/AG-CstDv.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/87852883/AG-CstDv.part2.rar