Notes and Editorial Reviews
All of these (previously available) selections catch Sills at or near her best, which is to say before 1973, when the roles of Elisabetta in Roberto Devereux and Anna Bolena had taken their toll on her voice. Only the Puritani scene (the last-act duet) finds her not-very-fresh--and the same can be said for her Arturo, Nicolai Gedda, but they're still marvelous.
Because she's sort of the guest-who-won't-leave, it's easy to forget how spectacular Sills was: absolutely fluid in passage-work at any speed, a trill to die for (though it invariably, and oddly, starts on the wrong note), solid up to an E-flat, no fear of chest voice (the finale of Anna Bolena is very potent), capable of glorious, sustained pianissimo singing
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(in Manon, Louise, the "Vilja" lied, and Elisabetta's first-act aria), dead-on staccatos (as Linda di Chamounix and the Hoffman Doll), and glorious legato (the Daphne final scene is riveting). Her tone might have been slim and a bit wiry, but dramatically she could easily transform herself with her phrasing and attitude. This is a great collection, and if you don't own the sets from which it's taken (and don't want to commit to such an expense), do yourself a favor and buy this.
--Robert Levine, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Manon: Adieu, notre petite table by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra,
Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1883-1884; France
Date of Recording: 07/1970
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 4 Minutes 43 Secs.
Language: French
Notes: This selection begins with "Allons! Il le faut ..."
2.
Louise: Depuis le jour by Gustave Charpentier
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1900; France
Date of Recording: 05/1969
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 5 Minutes 36 Secs.
Language: French
3.
Linda di Chamounix: O luce di quest' anima by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Jussi Jalas
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Vienna Volksoper Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1842; Italy
Date of Recording: 06/1968
Venue: Mozart Hall, Concert Hall, Vienna
Length: 6 Minutes 28 Secs.
Language: Italian
Notes: This selection begins with "Ah! Tardai troppo..."
4.
Lucia di Lammermoor: Regnava nel silenzio by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Patricia Kern (Mezzo Soprano),
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Thomas Schippers
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Italy
Date of Recording: 08/1970
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 9 Minutes 22 Secs.
Language: Italian
Notes: This selection continues with "Quando rapito in estasi..."
5.
I puritani: Fini...Me lassa by Vincenzo Bellini
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano),
Nicolai Gedda (Tenor)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Italy
Date of Recording: 08/1973
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 7 Minutes 4 Secs.
Language: Italian
6.
I puritani: Vieni fra queste braccia by Vincenzo Bellini
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano),
Nicolai Gedda (Tenor)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Italy
Date of Recording: 08/1973
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 4 Minutes 39 Secs.
Language: Italian
7.
Roberto Devereux: L'amor suo mi fe' beata by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Gwynne Howell (Bass),
Don Garrard (Bass),
Kenneth MacDonald (Tenor),
Beverly Wolff (Mezzo Soprano),
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1837; Italy
Date of Recording: 06/1969
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 3 Minutes 59 Secs.
Language: Italian
8.
Maria Stuarda: O nube, che lieve by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano),
Patricia Kern (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Aldo Ceccato
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra,
John Alldis Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1835; Italy
Date of Recording: 06/1971
Venue: Fairfield Hall, London, England
Length: 7 Minutes 56 Secs.
Language: Italian
9.
Les contes d'Hoffmann: Les oiseaux dans la charmille by Jacques Offenbach
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
John Alldis Choir,
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1881; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 07/1972
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 5 Minutes 18 Secs.
Language: French
10.
Les contes d'Hoffmann: Elle a fui, la tourterelle! by Jacques Offenbach
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
John Alldis Choir,
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1881; Paris, France
Date of Recording: 07/1972
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 4 Minutes 32 Secs.
Language: French
11.
Zaide, K 344 (336b): Ruhe sanft, mein holdes Leben by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Aldo Ceccato
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1780; Austria
Date of Recording: 1970
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 8 Minutes 9 Secs.
Language: German
12.
Die tote Stadt, Op. 12: Glück, das mir verblieb "Mariettalied" by Erich Wolfgang Korngold
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1920; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 05/1971
Venue: Fairfield Hall, Croydon, England
Length: 7 Minutes 59 Secs.
Language: German
13.
Mignon: Je suis Titania la blonde by Ambroise Thomas
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra,
Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1866; France
Date of Recording: 05/1969
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 6 Minutes 6 Secs.
Language: French
Notes: This selection begins with "Oui, pour ce soir je suis reine des fées ..."
14.
Manon: Obéissons quand leur voix appelle "Gavotte" by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano),
Michel Trempont (Tenor)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra,
Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1883-1884; France
Date of Recording: 07/1970
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 7 Minutes 37 Secs.
Language: French
Notes: This selection begins with "Je marche sur tous les chemins ..."
15.
Anna Bolena: Coppia iniqua, l'estrema vendetta by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano),
Patricia Kern (Mezzo Soprano),
Robert Lloyd (Bass),
Stuart Burrows (Tenor)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
John Alldis Choir,
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1830; Italy
Date of Recording: 08/1972
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studio No. 1, London
Length: 7 Minutes 39 Secs.
Language: Italian
Notes: This selection is preceded by "Cielo, a' miei lunghi spasimi..."
16.
Der Opernball: Im chambre séparée "Midnight Bells" by Richard Heuberger
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1898; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 05/1971
Venue: Fairfield Hall, Croydon, England
Length: 4 Minutes 27 Secs.
Language: German
17.
Die lustige Witwe: Es lebt eine Vilja...Vilja, o Vilja by Franz Lehár
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1905; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 05/1971
Venue: Fairfield Hall, Croydon, England
Length: 7 Minutes 20 Secs.
Language: German
18.
Daphne, Op. 82: Ich komme, grünende Brüder [Final scene] by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Aldo Ceccato
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1936-1937; Germany
Date of Recording: 1970
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 18 Minutes 19 Secs.
Language: German
Notes: This selection begins with "Was blendet so..."
19.
Lieder aus Lotusblättern (6), Op. 19: no 2, Breit' über mein by Richard Strauss
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Aldo Ceccato
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1885-1888; Germany
Date of Recording: 1970
Venue: EMI Abbey Road Studios, London
Length: 2 Minutes 46 Secs.
Language: German
20.
The Ballad of Baby Doe: Gold is a fine thing (Silver Aria) by Douglas Moore
Performer:
Beverly Sills (Soprano)
Conductor:
Julius Rudel
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1956; USA
Date of Recording: 06/1959
Venue: State Theater, Lincoln Center, NYC
Length: 3 Minutes 16 Secs.
Language: English
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