Davis and Co give Berlioz's joyous opera all the love and vitality it deserves

Perhaps it is predictable that any Berlioz recording by Colin Davis is somethng special, but that does not lessen its impact. This Cellini is filled with a sense of life at its most vigorous and Berlioz fans will not be disappointed. For me, there's one caveat though. Gregory Kunde in the title role has sung better Cellinis, a beat marring his still-attractive tenor. Still, not a spoiler.

-- Gramophone [7/2008]

Mr. Davis has long been just about the most astute and exciting Berlioz conductor around. Perhaps his British reticence, touched with a streak of wildness, is an ideal match for Berlioz’s French refinement, touched by dips into musical madness. In any event, Berlioz considered Benvenuto Cellini one of his most original scores, and that ingenuity is conveyed thrillingly in the breathless yet commanding performance Mr. Davis draws from the excellent orchestra and chorus and the winning cast.

Mr. Kunde mostly sings with infectious vitality and melting lyricism. Though he sometimes has a slight wobble in his sustained tones, this imperfection actually lends nervous intensity to his portrayal. The soprano Laura Claycomb brings an earthy beauty to her performance of Teresa, Balducci’s daughter, who loves Cellini.

-- Anthony Tommasini, New York Times [6/22/2008]

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.