Album

This collection, a tribute to Sills' collaborative spirit, brings together scenes from complete opera recordings that had come about as a result of productions at the New York City Opera, as well as six previously unreleased performances with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. The operas represent her recorded works, including selections from the French romantic, Italian bel canto, and contemporary American repertoire.

The performances with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center make this an important addition even to the collections of the confirmed Sills fans who may already own the operas from which these scenes are taken. This is not repertoire for which Sills is well known, and her concert performances of these songs and arias are a real discovery; she brings to these works the same unerring sense of drama for which she was known on-stage. Schubert's Der Hirt auf dem Felsen, with Gervase de Peyer on clarinet and Charles Wadsworth on piano, emerges as a poignant monodrama, and Sills gives Adolphe Adam's extravagantly florid Ah! vous dirai-je, maman, with Paula Robison on flute and Charles Wadsworth on piano, a characterization of warmth and passion.

This CD is a fine introduction to Sills' work. As a performer who thrived on the collaborative process, and who was known for her artistic generosity, she is heard to excellent advantage in these ensembles. The characteristics that made her beloved are all in evidence here—the distinctive creaminess of her timbre, her flawless intonation and rock-solid technique, but above all her ability to fully inhabit characters and invest them with real vulnerability and humanity. This is essentially a best-of compilation, and every selection of the highest standard. The Lucia Sextet, conducted by Julius Rudel, her frequent collaborator at the New York City Opera, is notable for its dramatic immediacy and for the excellent balance that allows the individual voices to emerge with clarity and urgency. Of special note are Sills' performances with other legendary sopranos; in the title role in Maria Stuarda, she joins with Eileen Farrell as Elizabeth, and as Anna Bolena, with Shirley Verrett as Jane Seymour. The synergy of these performers creates the kind of sizzling intensity that marks the most memorable operatic experiences.

© Stephen Eddins, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Jules Massenet Composer Manon (opera)...Act 3 Work Recorded 1970 6:43 Beverly Sills Soprano, Julius Rudel Conductor, Michel Trempont Voice, New Philharmonia Orchestra Orchestra, Ambrosian Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, John McCarthy Chorus/Choir Director
1	7.Je marche sur tous les chemins	2:50			$0.99
2	8.Gavotte. Obéissons quand leur voix appelle	3:53			$0.99
Jules Massenet Composer Manon (opera)...Act 4 Work Recorded 1970 Ambrosian Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, John McCarthy Chorus/Choir Director, New Philharmonia Orchestra Orchestra, Helia T'hezan Voice, Gérard Souzay Voice, Patricia Kern Voice, Michele Raynaud Voice, Beverly Sills Soprano, Nicolai Gedda Voice, Julius Rudel Conductor, Nico Castel Voice
3	5.Un mot, s'il vous plaît, chevalier!; 6.Ce bruit de l'or	3:28			$0.99
Gaetano Donizetti Composer Lucia di Lammermoor (opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1970 Beverly Sills Soprano, Thomas Schippers Conductor, Ambrosian Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Carlo Bergonzi Voice, John McCarthy Chorus/Choir Director
4	9.Sulla tomba che rinserra; 10.Qui di sposa eterna fede...Ah! Verrano a te sull'aure	10:52			$1.99
Gaetano Donizetti Composer Lucia di Lammermoor (opera)...Act 2 Work Recorded 1970 Ambrosian Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, John McCarthy Chorus/Choir Director, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, Piero Cappuccilli Voice, Adolf Dallapozza Voice, Patricia Kern Voice, Thomas Schippers Conductor, Beverly Sills Soprano, Carlo Bergonzi Voice, Justino Diaz Bass-baritone
5	8.Chi mi frena in tal momento?	3:55			$0.99
Vincenzo Bellini Composer I Puritani (opera seria)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1973 13:49 Beverly Sills Soprano, Julius Rudel Conductor, London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Ambrosian Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, John McCarthy Chorus/Choir Director, Paul Plishka Voice
6	8.O amato zio; 9a.Sai com'arde in petto mio	6:09			$0.99
7	9b.Chi mosse a' miei desir il genitor?	3:33			$0.99
8	10.O di...Qual suon si desta?	4:07			$0.99
Gaetano Donizetti Composer Anna Bolena (opera)...Act 2 Work Recorded 1972 16:54 Shirley Verrett Voice, Beverly Sills Soprano, Julius Rudel Conductor, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
9	2.Scene 1; Dio, che mi vedi in core	7:13			$1.49
10	2d.Scene 1: Sul suo capo aggravi un Dio; 3a.Scene 1; Al par del mio	3:31			$0.99
11	4b.Scene 1: Dal mio cor punita io sono	2:54			$0.99
12	4.Scene 1: Va', infelice, e teco reca	3:16			$0.99
Gaetano Donizetti Composer Roberto Devereux (Il Conte di Essex; opera)...Act 1 Work Recorded 1969 Ambrosian Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, John McCarthy Chorus/Choir Director, Kenneth MacDonald Voice, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra, Sir Charles Mackerras Conductor, Beverly Wolff Voice, Beverly Sills Soprano, Don Garrard Voice, Gwynne Howell Bass
13	6.Nunzio son del parlamento!; 7.Ah! Ritorna qual ti spero	5:51			$0.99
Gaetano Donizetti Composer Maria Stuarda (opera) Work Recorded 1971 11:03 Stuart Burrows Voice, Eileen Farrell Soprano, Aldo Ceccato Conductor, Christian du Plessis Voice, John Alldis Chorus/Choir Director, Louis Quilico Voice, Patricia Kern Voice, Beverly Sills Soprano, John Alldis Choir Chorus/Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
14	Act 2. No.6. Finale. Deh! l'accogli!	8:04			$1.49
15	Act 2. No.6. Finale. Va', preparati, furente	2:59			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Jacques Offenbach Composer Les contes d'Hoffmann (opera)...Act 4 (performed as Act 3 in some version) Work Recorded 1972 12:20 Beverly Sills Soprano, Norman Treigle Voice, John Alldis Choir Chorus/Choir, Julius Rudel Conductor, Stuart Burrows Voice, John Alldis Chorus/Choir Director, Susanne Marsee Voice, London Symphony Orchestra Orchestra
1	1.Belle nuit, o nuit d'amour ('Barcarolle')	4:15			$0.99
2	6.Cher ange!	2:04			$0.99
3	7.Malheureux, tu ne comprends donc pas	6:01			$0.99
Douglas S. Moore Composer The Ballad of Baby Doe, opera in 2 acts Work Recorded 1959 8:23 Beverly Sills Soprano, Frances Bible Voice, John Alldis Choir Chorus/Choir, New York City Opera Orchestra Orchestra, Walter Cassel Voice, John Alldis Chorus/Choir Director, Emerson Buckley Conductor
4	Act 1. Scene 2. Willow, where we met together (Willow Song)	3:01			$0.99
5	Act 1. Scene 2. Oh, Mr. Tabor!	1:14			$0.49
6	Act 1. Scene 2. Warm as the autumn light	4:08			$0.99
Adolphe Adam Composer Le Toréador (opera) Work Recorded 1972 Beverly Sills Soprano, Paula Robison Flute, Charles Wadsworth Piano
7	Act 1. Aria. Ah! vous dirai-je, maman	6:19			$0.99
Franz Peter Schubert Composer Der Hirt auf dem Felsen ('The Shepherd on the Rock'), D.965, Op.posth.129 Work Recorded 1972 Beverly Sills Soprano, Charles Wadsworth Piano, Gervase de Peyer Clarinet
8	Der Hirt auf dem Felsen ('The Shepherd on the Rock'), D.965, Op.posth.129	11:45			$1.99
George Frideric Handel Composer German Arias, HWV202-210 Work Recorded 1972 Beverly Sills Soprano, Paula Robison Flute, Charles Wadsworth Harpsichord, Leslie Parnas Cello
9	6.Meine Seele hört im Sehen, HWV207	7:04			$1.49
Thomas Arne Composer Artaxerxes (opera) Work Recorded 1972 Beverly Sills Soprano, Charles Wadsworth Harpsichord, Charles Treger Violin, Leslie Parnas Cello
10	Act 3. Scena 3. Aria. The soldier tir'd of war's alarms	3:30			$0.99
Antonio Caldara Composer La Costanza Vince il Rigore, for 2 voices, violins and oboe Work Recorded 1972 Beverly Sills Soprano, Charles Wadsworth Harpsichord, Leslie Parnas Cello
11	La Costanza Vince il Rigore, for 2 voices, violins and oboe	7:15			$1.49
Sir Henry Rowley Bishop Composer Lo! Here the Gentle Lark Work Recorded 1972 Beverly Sills Soprano, Paula Robison Flute, Charles Wadsworth Piano
12	Lo! Here the Gentle Lark	5:17			$0.99
Franz Lehár Composer Der Zarewitsch (operetta) Work Recorded 1971 Beverly Sills Soprano, Julius Rudel Conductor, London Philharmonic Orchestra Orchestra
13	Act 1. Aria. Einer wird kommen	5:06			$0.99