Album

The quality of an anthology always depends on the source recordings a label has to choose from. In the case of Angela Gheorghiu, both Decca and EMI have plenty of good material—so much so that both released compilations in 2004, each of which is an excellent capsulation of Gheorghiu's art and career, and neither of which duplicates the other's musical selections. Decca was Gheorghiu's label during the first years of her international career, and so The Essential Angela Gheorghiu is limited to recordings made before 2000. But, even though these selections are a few years old, they represent many of the core roles of her repertory. Most notable is her Violetta (Verdi's La traviata) with Georg Solti from 1995. It was the role that launched Gheorghiu into the big time, and having her "Ah, fors' è lui...sempre libera" from that time of her career is a great opportunity to hear the qualities that first made her famous. Equally important are the arias from La bohème, which is a centerpiece of her performing schedule. There is pathos to Gheorghiu's singing that suits her perfectly to both of those tragic roles—Violetta and Mimì; yet, her "Jewel Song" from Gounod's Faust, full of girlish wonder and sparkling vocalism, is equally convincing. She is an extremely versatile singer, always musical, and never out of her comfort zone vocally. If there is any complaint, it's that these slightly older recordings don't have the same musical maturity in spots as her later work for EMI. Fans who already own Gheorghiu's complete opera recordings will find duplication of material here. But if you're looking for a collection of great soprano arias, or a document of her singing in general, you can't go wrong.

© Allen Schrott, All Music Guide

CD 1
Alfredo Catalani Composer La Wally (dramma musicale)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1995 Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, John Mauceri Conductor
1	6.Ebben?...Ne andrò lontana	3:42			$0.99
Giacomo Puccini Composer La bohème (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1998 9:01 Roberto Alagna Voice, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Riccardo Chailly Conductor, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano Orchestra
2	11.Mimi's Aria: Sí, mi chiamano Mimí	4:55			$0.99
3	12.Rodolfo and Mimi's Duet: O soave fanciulla	4:06			$0.99
Giuseppe Verdi Composer La Traviata (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1994 Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra Covent Garden Orchestra, Frank Lopardo Tenor, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Georg Solti Conductor
4	8b.Ah, fors' è lui; 9.Follie! Delirio vano è questo!...Sempre libera	9:21			$1.49
Giuseppe Verdi Composer La forza del destino (opera)...Act 4 Work Recorded 1998 Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Riccardo Chailly Conductor, Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra Milan Orchestra
5	5.Pace, pace, mio Dio!	5:43			$0.99
Charles Gounod Composer Faust (opéra)...Act 3 Work Recorded 1995 Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, John Mauceri Conductor, Turin Teatro Regio Chorus Chorus/Choir
6	6b.O Dieu! que de bijoux!; 7.Un bouquet! C'est de Siebel...Ah! Je ris de me voir si belle en ce miroir! ('Jewel Song')	4:59			$0.99
Jules Massenet Composer Hérodiade (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1995 Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, John Mauceri Conductor, Turin Teatro Regio Chorus Chorus/Choir
7	5.Il est doux, il est bon	4:57			$0.99
Jules Massenet Composer Chérubin (opera)...Act 3 Work Recorded 1995 Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, John Mauceri Conductor, Turin Teatro Regio Chorus Chorus/Choir
8	4.Vive amour qui rêve, embrase et fuit	3:50			$0.99
Gaetano Donizetti Composer L'elisir d'amore (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1996 Evelino Pidò Conductor, Lyon National Opera Orchestra Orchestra, Roberto Alagna Voice, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano
9	7b.Chiedi all'aura lusinghiera; 8.Che vuol dire codesta suonata?	6:42			$0.99
Giacomo Puccini Composer La bohème (opera)...Act 3 Work Recorded 1998 Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Riccardo Chailly Conductor, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala di Milano Orchestra
10	8.Donde lieta uscì al tuo grido	3:06			$0.99
Giuseppe Verdi Composer I Vespri siciliani (opera)...Act 5 Work Recorded 1999 Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Riccardo Chailly Conductor, Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra Milan Orchestra
11	2.Mercè, dilette amiche (bolero)	4:02			$0.99
Giuseppe Verdi Composer Simon Boccanegra (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1998 Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Riccardo Chailly Conductor, Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra Milan Orchestra
12	1.Come in quest'ora bruna	6:20			$0.99
Giuseppe Verdi Composer La Traviata (opera)...Act 3 Work Recorded 1994 Royal Opera House Chorus and Orchestra Covent Garden Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Georg Solti Conductor
13	3.Teneste la promessa. Attendo, attendo, né a me giungon mai! Addio del passato	7:13			$1.49
Giuseppe Verdi Composer Il Trovatore (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1999 Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, Riccardo Chailly Conductor, Giuseppe Verdi Orchestra Milan Orchestra, Tizana Tramonti Voice
14	7.Sc.2: Tacea la notte placida; 8.Sc.2: Quanto narrasti di turbamento; 9.Sc.2: Di tale amor che dirsi	5:58			$0.99
George Grigoriu Composer Valurile Dunarii (Waves of the Danube), operetta Work Recorded 1995 Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Torino Orchestra, Angela Gheorghiu Soprano, John Mauceri Conductor
15	Muzica	2:57			$0.99