Aida (The Black Dog Opera Library)

Rating:
Summary: Let down by a poor Aida
Review: Brilliant voices of Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli with Orchestra e Coro Del Teatro dell' Opera di Roma under Zubin Mehta. A marvelous studio recording without audience noises. A number of stage photos of major performances and introduction of Verdi and the writing of AIDA. Two CD's with the complete opera with complete libretto in Italian and English. A great value. A must-have.

Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Collection Piece
Review: Brilliant voices of Birgit Nilsson, Franco Corelli with Orchestra e Coro Del Teatro dell' Opera di Roma under Zubin Mehta. A marvelous studio recording without audience noises. A number of stage photos of major performances and introduction of Verdi and the writing of AIDA. Two CD's with the complete opera with complete libretto in Italian and English. A great value. A must-have.

Rating:
Summary: The Greatest Aida Ever Made
Review: I bought this as my first piece from the Black Dog Library in preparation for seeing the Vancouver BC Operas production in 2002. Black Dog Library is a must for everyone going to see an opera. Get this, listen to it, fall in love with the music and then see this opera live if you ever get the chance. This is opera at its best. After seeing the production live, I can't wait to see it again. And by listening to the cd's I can bring it right back to my mind and my heart.

Bravo Giuseppe, Bravo......

Rating:
Summary: Epic - Classic - Masterpiece - BRAVO!!!!!
Review: I bought this as my first piece from the Black Dog Library in preparation for seeing the Vancouver BC Operas production in 2002. Black Dog Library is a must for everyone going to see an opera. Get this, listen to it, fall in love with the music and then see this opera live if you ever get the chance. This is opera at its best. After seeing the production live, I can't wait to see it again. And by listening to the cd's I can bring it right back to my mind and my heart.

Bravo Giuseppe, Bravo......

Rating:
Summary: Let down by a poor Aida
Review: It's good to have a new recording of Aida in English. Unfortunately, this project has been spoilt by a major flaw, and that is the casting of Jane Eaglen in the title part. Not only is Miss Eaglen's performance cool and dispassionate, her voice often turns ugly above the stave. Her performance leaves much to be desired both vocally and dramatically. O'Neill is a good Radames and Plowright, having turned to the mezzo repertoire, is a vivid Amneris. The other roles are adequately taken and the orchestral playing is good without being remarkable. Anyway, a recording of Aida without a proper Aida cannot be recommended. Thus, I can only award it with 2 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Terrific Package and a bargain
Review: The Black Dog Opera Library series are beautifully packaged and way underpriced. They each contain 2 CDs of the complete opera in the inside covers of a compact hardcover book which contains photos and commentary, as well as an annotated libretto in the original language and English translation, referenced to the CD, and notes and photos of the main performers and conductor. The performances are usually classic ones and though not necessarily recorded in the digital age they all sound gorgeous. I have only been able to find 4 (Magic Flute, Aida, La Boheme, and Carmen) and wish there were more. The only flaws in my opinion are that there is no information regarding the date or location of the performances nor is there a complete cast listing

Rating:
Summary: This series is a wonderful experience for new opera fans.
Review: The historical account and the story help the person new to opera appreciate the opera. The sound is of high quality. I only wish Amazon carried the full series of The Black Dog Opera Library.

Rating:
Summary: Opera education is enhanced by The Black Dog Opera Library
Review: This collection of EMI opera classics has just about everything you need to get a comprehensive introduction to Aida, Magic Flute, La Boheme, and Carmen. I hope the publishers release many more! As the Director of Education for the Opera Festival of New Jersey, I am looking at this product as an excelent resource for my classroom teachers. Shari Ward([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: An English Aida to entertain and frustrate
Review: This is another creditable addition to the opera in English canon of Chandos. It is certainly no small undertaking and it's also strikingly brave to attempt an opera recorded so frequently and by all the greatest singers. By and large, this recording works, though it's not without its flaws.

Diction is fair-to-middling. The translation has its moments but often extra syllables get added or swallowed. I've not previously regarded English as an awkward or unmusical language (and I have heard other Verdi in English)which makes me think the translation is not ideal.

The orchestra and chorus are pretty impressive, not earth-shattering, and David Parry perhaps drives things somewhat relentlessly. There's a little untidiness in some of the ensembles, but the Act 2 finale builds up a fine head of steam.

And the singers? Well, Jane Eaglen is clearly the draw of this set and I must say she makes a decent fist of a challenging part. Particularly challenging for a heavy Wagner voice as it lies high and requires a lot of floated notes above the stave. She succeeds better than other big voices I have heard in this music, and if the top C in "O Patria Mia" is flat by a whisker, the aria is sung with appealing melancholy. Elsewhere she lets rip to thrilling effect. Eaglen isn't a touching or vulnerable Aida, but she is an impressive and intruiguing one. O'Neill has led the field as Radames for some time, and he demonstrates his mastery of the role here, even if the wobble in the voice is becoming difficult to ignore. A lovely B flat in "Celeste Aida" - again, more glamorous singers have failed where O'Neill succeeds. Plowright still has some gorgeous, firm and fruity tone in the middle to upper part of the voice. She doesn't sound like a "real" Amneris, but she acts the part to perfection, even when that means snarling, growling and sacrificing the melodic line. Yurisich is an unexceptionable Amonasro (not Verdi's most inspiring Baritone part), Rose is a disappointing King, Gritton as the priestess is a delightful cameo.

All in all, a mixed bag, but certainly has enough to recommend it, not least at the bargain price.