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Puccini: La Bohème

Mirella Freni (Mimi), Luciano Pavarotti (Rodolfo), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Colline), Elizabeth Harwood (Musetta), Rolando Panerai (Marcello), Gianni Maffeo (Schaunard), Michel Sénéchal (Alcindoro/Benoit), Gernot Pietsch (Parpignol)

Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

Puccini: La Bohème
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Pavarotti is a young and ardent Rodolfo, suddenly overwhelmed by love in 'Che gelida manina'. The tone is gorgeous, the legato pilled just enough to put a lamp in your throat… Mirella Freni's...

Puccini: La Bohème

Mirella Freni (Mimi), Luciano Pavarotti (Rodolfo), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Colline), Elizabeth Harwood (Musetta), Rolando Panerai (Marcello), Gianni Maffeo (Schaunard), Michel Sénéchal (Alcindoro/Benoit), Gernot Pietsch (Parpignol)

Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan

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2 SACDs

$134.50

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Pavarotti is a young and ardent Rodolfo, suddenly overwhelmed by love in 'Che gelida manina'. The tone is gorgeous, the legato pilled just enough to put a lamp in your throat… Mirella Freni's...

About

Puccini, Pavarotti, Karajan - a combination that reached its unrivalled climax in October 1972 in a masterful recording of ‘La Bohème’ at the Jesus Christ Church in Berlin. Puccini's opera continues to touch and inspire opera lovers worldwide. Luciano Pavarotti, who once made his operatic debut as Rodolfo, later made the role his own. In the ‘La Bohème’ recording Pavarotti presents himself in his ravishing vocal prime. Together with his singing partner for decades, Mirella Freni, and a stellar cast of soloists, and under the direction of Herbert von Karajan, a recording was made that remains groundbreaking to this day. To mark the 100th anniversary of Puccini's death, two high-quality box sets will be released on either 2 Hybrid SACD or 2LP, using a new 24-bit 192 kHz high-definition transfer from the original master tapes. Meticulously researched and lavishly presented hardback book housed in a deluxe rigid slipcase, including full libretto (with translation), an extended new essay, facsimiles from the original booklet, features about the main artists and original session photographs.

Contents and tracklist

Questo mar rosso
Track length4:31
Pensier profundo!
Track length1:11
Abasso, abbasso l'autor!
Track length3:50
Si può – Chi è là?
Track length5:18
Io resto per terminar l'articolo
Track length1:08
Chi è là?
Track length1:11
Si sente meglio?
Track length2:42
Che gelida manina
Track length4:37
Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì
Track length5:58
O soave fanciulla
Track length4:19
Arranci, datteri!
Track length2:52
Chi guardi? – Ecco i giocattoli di Parpignol
Track length3:08
Viva Parpignol!
Track length2:21
Oh! ... Essa! ... Musetta!
Track length3:30
Quando men vo – Fuori il danaro!
Track length5:20
Chi l'ha richiesto? – Caro! – Fuori il danaro!
Track length2:28
Ohè, là, le guardie! Aprite!
Track length4:18
Sa dirmi, scusi
Track length1:02
Mimì! – Speravo di trovarvi qui
Track length5:05
Marcello. Finalmente!
Track length1:17
Mimì è una civetta
Track length1:26
Mimì è tanto malata!
Track length3:21
Donde lieta uscì
Track length3:21
Dunque è propio finita!
Track length6:15
In un coupé?
Track length1:44
O Mimì, tu più non torni – Che ora sia
Track length5:28
Gavotta! ... Minuetto!
Track length1:39
C'è Mimì...
Track length6:07
Vecchia zimarra, senti
Track length2:32
Sono andati?
Track length5:58
Oh Dio! Mimi! – Che ha detto il medico?
Track length6:03

Awards and reviews

November 2008

Pavarotti is a young and ardent Rodolfo, suddenly overwhelmed by love in 'Che gelida manina'. The tone is gorgeous, the legato pilled just enough to put a lamp in your throat… Mirella Freni's Mimì is creamy in tone and as stylishly sung as ever… And has any Mimì, even Renata Tebaldi, created such heartbreak on her deathbed.

2010

Pavarotti's Rodolfo is perhaps the best thing he has ever done: not only the finest recorded account of the role since Björling's on the Beecham set, but adding the honeyed Italianate warmth that even Björling lacked...Karajan is a great Puccini conductor who can linger over the beauties of orchestration without losing his grip on the drama or relaxing his support of the singers.
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