Review: Victoria de los Angeles Complete on 59 CDs from Warner
Вставка
- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- Truly one of the great sopranos of the last century, this comprehensive box offers 59 discs' worth of complete operas plus song recitals with both piano and orchestra. De los Angeles had a voice of exceptional beauty, and she had the advantage of being able to use it in a range of Spanish repertoire that no one else in her day had touched. The result is very special indeed.
One of the joys of this past few months has been working my way through this magnificent box and re-immersing myself in all these treasured performances by a truly beloved soprano--my favorite since that day in the late-'60s when a friend dropped the needle on Ovalle's charming "Azulao" and I was hit with the most poignantly beautiful sound I'd ever heard. She was completely enchanting--and I was hooked. Going through the Warner box, I'm constantly being reminded of just how many opera I was introduced to through her recordings (Boheme, Butterfly, Carmen, Faust, Manon, Suor Angelica, Traviata) and how she still remains for me a reference touchstone in that repertoire. And of course in song, especially Spanish and French, she was irresistible. For me she was simply one of the great, inimitable vocal personalities of the century and and one of the most natural and communicative singers on record. I'm so glad you've given her this review and tribute.
So glad that you gave comments on this set . De Los Angeles remains the soprano of my heart . I never tire of listening to her. There is depth to her interpretations. I remember someone saying that you can practically see emotions in her tone quality , like a picture. Time and again she will move you with a phrase and emotion that is so true, but she never exaggerates or overdoes anything. With regard to the beautifully sung Carmen it is worth noting that at the time of recording there were different approaches to the work even in the opera houses in France. In some it was presented more like an operetta, the darker aspects of the drama were not given central place. Emphasis was placed on a sunny Spanish, flamenco type depiction. At the end of a long career De Los Angeles left us beautiful recordings and memories. What more could her public ask?
I saw her at Carnegie Hall in Recital near the end and she was everything!
Well and succinctly said.
Thanks MEISTER..One of my favourites singers.👏👏🇪🇸
V de los A was my “gateway drug” into opera. When I resisted listening to any opera as a young musician of 12, my mother simply left the Barber of Seville by my turntable: Gui’s Glyndebourne version-utterly transparent and unfussy-with Victoria de Los Angeles as the most feminine, warm, and beautifully voiced Rosina. I fell in love instantly, and I could understand how Count Almaviva did.
I'm slowly learning more of my distant relative Victoria De Los Angeles from Spain. I've listened here on UA-cam. I'm amazed that she resembles my aunt down in Mexico. I'll have to look into this box set.
Thank you,
Ismael De Los Angeles
La conocí hace años. Una soprano excepcional, pero también una persona maravillosa y humilde: la antidiva.
My memory of meeting Victoria de los Angeles: Back in the late sixties she was doing a recital in the 'Colston Hall' Bristol, England. I suppose the promoter thought it would look cute with a school boy turning pages for her accompanist and I was 'hired' from a local school to do the job (I was 12). It is a vast hall, I was too terrified to really listen to her voice and I missed the page turn on several occasions. I remember the slightly sour smile she gave me as we left the stage...
Was lucky to meet her in Sam Goody's in NYC signing her records. She was in a beautiful lime green ensemble---so plucking up some courage I asked her who were her favorite tenors.She asked alive or past and then she answered: Jussi Bjorling and Nicolai Gedda! I left that store in the rain walking on air!! A lovely human being.
I didn't meet her but I did sit a mere 10 or 12 feet from her in the front row of Davies Hall for her 1996 San Francisco recital (substituting for an ailing Montserrat Caballe). It was one of the great musical nights of my life--the voice naturally reduced in range but with all of its characteristic beauty and personality, no wobble or intonation issues, and an artistry and mastery of phrasing only enhanced by the years. She had the audience in thrall from start to finish, nowhere more powerfully than in one of her last songs, Guastavino's "El Sampedrino"--so magically etched and directly communicated that at the end you could hear this great communal sigh before we broke out in roaring applause.
Can't argue with those choices at all!
She was absolutely enchanting in her Lieder recitals esp at the end when she came on stage with her guitar
Hers was the first live recital I ever heard. 1965 and I remember it clearly to this day, even though I was a kid at the time. At the end, Rodrigo’s “De los alamos vengo, madre” brought down the house-as did the final encore, “Adios Granada” to her own guitar accompaniment.
Yay!!! Am dying to get the box! Thank you for this video!!🎉🎊🎉
Her three Wagner roles come from live recordings and are missing here: Tannhäuser's Elisabeth with Sawallisch (Bayreuth 1961), the new reference recording of this work; Meistersinger's Eva with Reiner (and a good cast) from the Met; and Lohengrin's Elsa with Lovro von Matačić from Buenos Aires (and Christa Ludwig as Ortrud).
I wish NICOLAI GEDDA gets one of those boxes, although the presentation for the de los Angeles could have been more “lavish”?
Why did they not include her Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5 from 1956?
It's there on CD 5.
@@tom6693 Dave didn't mention it when he did the Handel and Mozart disc.
Sorry.
So many great recordings! My favourite Butterfly is hers with Bjorling. I saw her in recital very late in her career ( I think she was pushing 70!). A very shaky first half (she was notorious for not rehearsing or warming up) & a completely magical second half that had the whole audience in raptures. The silly Guardian critic left at interval & missed what I'm sure has become a cherished memory for every audience member
The LP of the Songs of Andalusia was a gorgeous presentation with a booklet with info, texts and translations plus tipped in color plates
Sigh.
If there are mono reference recordings, and there are, that dlA Manon with Monteux is the one. It's also much better recorded than the stereo one with Sills and Rudel, which is awash in excessive detail obliterating resonance.
de los Angeles is much too ladylike as Carmen for me but otherwise, it's a Reference.
I was just listening to the Gianni Schicchi today. Definitive m,superbly recorded and produced, full of life and vitality.
I agree, dlA's best peasant imitation is easily Salud in La Vida Breve. Both versions. Is only one included? The earlier one led by the great Halffter finds her in fresher voice. Why is it omitted? It belonged to EMI, I'm pretty sure.
Of course no texts and translations for the songs
A shame. One CD-ROM would have taken care of the issue.
I have a previous De Los Angles Spanish Song multi-cd set with texts and translations