Artist: VA.
Title: Bellini: The Complete Operas
Year Of Release: 2008
Label: Dynamic
Genre: Classical
Quality: FLAC (Tracks)
Total Time: 28:36:26

This 24 CD box is the first time that a complete edition of Bellini’s operas has ever been released.

The collection includes Bellini’s debut work Adelson e Salvini, rare and lesser performed operas such as Bianca e Fernando and Zaira and his biggest successes Norma, La Sonnambula and I Puritani.

In addition to the complete set of works, the box includes two bonus historical recordings of La Sonnambula featuring Maria Callas and Norma with Montserrat Cabballé in the title role.

Tracks:

CD 1-2 :

Adelson e Salvini – Dramma semiserio in two acts, second version (1825)

Salvini, an Italian painter, Adelson’s protégé and friend – Bradley Williams (tenor)
Nelly, an orphan and Struley’s niece – Alicia Nafé (soprano)
Lord Adelson, Fabio Previati (baritone)
Bonifacio, Salvini’s Neapolitan servant, Aurio Tomicich – (buffa bass)
Fanny, Adelson’s ward – Lucia Rizzi (contralto)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Massimo Bellini of Catania, Andrea Licata
rec. live, first performance of De Meo’s realisation, Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania, Sicily, 21-27 September 1992

CD 3-4 :

Bianca E Fernando – Melodramma in two acts (1826)

Bianca, Carlo’s daughter – Young Ok Shin (soprano)
Carlo, Duke of Agrigento – Aurio Tomicich (bass)
Fernando, Carlo’s son – Gregory Kunde (tenor)
Filippo, an adventurer – Haijing Fu (bass)
Viscardo, Philippo’s aide – Sonia Nigoghossian (mezzo)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Massimo Bellini of Catania, Andrea Licata
rec. live, Catania, Teatro Massimo Bellini, 26 September- 6 October 1992

CD 5-6 :

Il Pirata – Melodramma in two acts (1827)

Ernesto, Duke of Caldora, and Anjou partisan – Roberto Frontali, (baritone)
Imogene, Ernesto’s wife, previously in love with Gualtiero – Lucia Aliberti (soprano)
Gualtiero, Count of Moltanto, now an Aragonese pirate leader – Stuart Neill (tenor)
Itulbo Companion of Gualtiero – José Guadalupe Reyes (tenor)
Il solitario, a hermit and former tutor of Gualtiero – Kelly Anderson (bass)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutschen Oper Berlin, Marcello Viotti
rec. studio, Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin-Dahlem, July 1994

CD 7-8 :

La straniera (The stranger) – Melodramma in two acts (1829)

Alaida, The stranger – Renata Scotto (soprano)
Il barone di Valdeburgo – Domenico Trimarchi (baritone)
Arturo – Renato Cioni (tenor)
Isoletta – Elena Zilio (mezzo)
Il Priore – Maurizio Mazzieri (baritone)
Il signore di Montolino – Enrico Campi (bass)

Osburgo Orchestra, Nino Sanzogno
rec. live, Palermo, 10 December 1968

CD 9-10 :

Zaira – lyric tragedy in two acts (1829)

Zaira, Lusignano’s daughter, now a slave of the Sultan – Katia Ricciarelli (soprano)
Orosmane, The Sultan of Jerusalem – Simone Alaimo (bass)
Corasimo, the Sultan’s vizier – Ramon Vargas (tenor)
Nerestano, a French knight, Zaira’s brother – Alexandra Papadjakou (mezzo)
Lusignano, a royal prince now a prisoner of the Sultan – Luigi Roni (bass)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Massimo Bellini of Catania, Paolo Olmi
rec. live, Catania, September 1990

CD 11-12 :

I Capuleti e I Montecchi – Lyric tragedy in two acts (1830)

Romeo, head of the Montecchi, in love with Giulietta – Clara Polito (soprano)
Capellio, head of the Capuleti – Federico Sacchi (bass)
Giuletta, a Capuleti in love with Romeo – Patrizia Ciofi (soprano)
Tebaldo, a Capuleti, Giuletta’s intended husband – Danilo Formaggia (tenor)
Lorenzo, a physician and friend of Capellio – Nicola Amodio (tenor)

Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia. Bratislava Chamber Choir, Luciano Acocella
rec. live, Martina Franca Festival, August 2005

CD 13-14 :

La Sonnambula – Melodramma in two acts (1831)

Amina, an orphan brought up by Teresa – Patrizia Ciofi, (soprano)
Elvino, a rich young village landowner – Giuseppe Morino, (tenor)
Count Rodolfo, the local Lord of the Manor – Giovanni Furlanetto (bass)
Teresa, a mill owner and Amina’s foster mother – Vitalba Mosca (mezzo)
Lisa, an innkeeper in love with Elvino – Maria Costanza Nocentini (soprano)

Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia. & Sluk Chamber Choir of Bratislava, Giuliano Carella
rec. live, Martina Franca Festival, July 1994

CD 15-16 :

Norma – Lyric tragedy in two acts (1831)

Norma, High Priestess of the Druid temple – Dimitra Theodossiou (soprano)
Pollione, Roman Proconsul in Gaul and father of Norma’s children – Carlo Ventre (tenor)
Adalgisa, a virgin of the temple – Daniela Barcellona (mezzo)
Oroveso, Archdruid and Norma’s father – Simon Orfila (bass)
Clotilde, Norma’s confidante – Roberta Minnucci (soprano)
Flavio, a Roman centurion – Flavio Pavan (tenor)

Chorus Lyrico Marchigiana; Orchestra Regionale delle Marche, Paola Arrivabeni
rec. live, August 2007

CD 17-18 :

Beatrice di Tenda – Opera seria in two acts (1833)

Filippo Maria Visconti, Duke of Milan – Paolo Gavanelli (baritone)
Beatrice Di Tenda, his wife – Lucia Aliberti, (soprano)
Agnese Del Maino, beloved by Filippo and secretly in love with Orombello – Camille Capasso (mezzo)
Orombello, Lord of Ventimiglia and secretly in love with Beatrice – Martin Thompson (tenor)
Anichino, friend of Orombello – John David Dehaan (tenor)
Rizzardo Del Maino, Agnese’s brother and confidant of Filippo – Raymond Martin (tenor)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Fabio Luisi
rec. studio, Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin. July 1992

CD 19-20 :

I Puritani – Melodramma in three parts (1835)

Gualtiero Walton, Puritan Governor General and Elvira’s father – Franco Federici (bass)
Elvira, his daughter – Mariella Devia (soprano)
Arturo, a Cavalier and supporter of the Stuarts in love with Elvira – William Matteuzzi (tenor)
Riccardo, a Puritan officer who has been promised the hand of Elvira – Christopher Robertson (baritone)
Giorgio, a retired Puritan colonel and elder brother of Lord Walton – Paolo Washington (bass)
Enrichetta, widow of the executed Charles I – Eleonora Jankovic (soprano)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Massimo Bellini of Catania, Richard Bonynge
rec. live, Catania, 24-30 September 1989

CD 21-22 :

La Sonnambula – Melodramma in two acts (1831)

Amina – Maria Callas (soprano)
Elvino – Cesare Valletti (tenor)
Count Rodolfo – Giuseppe Modesti (bass)
Lisa – Eugenia Ratti (soprano)
Teresa – Gabriella Carturan (soprano)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro alla Scala of Milan, Leonard Bernstein
rec. live, La Scala, Milan, 5 March 1955

CD 23-24 :

Norma – Lyric tragedy in two acts (1831)

Montserrat Caballé, Robleto Merolla, Fiorenza Cossotto, Ivo Vinco
Turin RAI Orchestra and Chorus, Georges Prêtre
rec. radio studio, Turin, 1971