VA - 5 Great Operas (2014) [Esoteric Japan] (9x SACD Box Set) PS3 ISO + DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

The reissue of historical music masterpieces by ESOTERIC has attracted a lot of attention, both for its uncompromising commitment to recreating the original master sound, and for using SACD technology to improve sound quality. This Box Set of "5 Great Operas on Deutsche Grammophon & Decca" features the four works of this time are historical name boards which were produced in the heyday of analog from 1962 to 1979, and at the time of recording, each record company gathered the best conductor, orchestra, singer, the best sound, It was recorded with an in-depth session organized at the proud recording venue.

Memory has a trick of losing the good, the nice and the normal, and retaining only the oddities, which then swell into grotesque self-caricatures. So, taking a preliminary mental survey of Solti's Die Zauberfiöte, I recalled stingingly fierce sforzandos in the Overture, accomplished contortions in the Queen of Night's passage-work, a craggily gigantic Sarastro, and the whole thing punctuated by claps of thunder whose every onset threatened a heart attack. Reality, of course, proves much less extreme. The sforzandos do jab too insistently but as a whole the Overture is finely played, with its due complement of majesty and mystery, energy and grace. Cristina Deutekom certainly produces a curious effect as she juggles with the scales and triplets, slaccati and altissinii of her arias; however, her accuracy and firmness earn gratitude, while the strange cold glitter of her tone characterizes aptly. As for Talvela's Sarastro, its phrases are often rough-hewn, but there is rich magnificence in the ample range, the notes themselves and the authority of utterance. The thunder, roaring lions and all else in the producer's effects department take their places quite naturally; and from the background (or what memory had relegated to the background) emerges a wide assortment of pleasures, partly a matter of individual performances, but adding up to a highly viable, competitive account of the opera… Solti's direction of the opera has sometimes been found too restless; once the Overture is over, I can hear little to substantiate the criticism, whereas his feeling for excitement is a great asset in this opera where a very slight excess of solemnity or relaxation can be deadly.

Tracklist:

Disc 1 #01. Ouvertüre
Disc 1 #02. Zu Hilfe! Zu Hilfe! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #03. Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja [Act 1]
Disc 1 #04. Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön [Act 1]
Disc 1 #05. O zittre nicht, mein lieber Sohn! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #06. Hm, hm, hm, hm! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #07. Du feines Täubchen, nur herein! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #08. Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen [Act 1]
Disc 1 #09. Zum Ziele führt dich diese Bahn [Act 1]
Disc 1 #10. Die Weisheitslehre dieser Knaben [Act 1]
Disc 1 #11. Wo willst du, kühner Fremdling hin? [Act 1]
Disc 1 #12. Wie stark ist nicht dein Zauberton [Act 1]
Disc 1 #13. Schnelle Füße, rascher Mut [Act 1]
Disc 1 #14. Es lebe Sarastro! Sarastro soll leben! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #15. Herr, ich bin zwar Verbrecherin [Act 1]

Disc 2 #01. Marsch der Priester [Act 2]
Disc 2 #02. O Isis und Osiris [Act 2]
Disc 2 #03. Eine schreckliche Nacht! [Act 2]
Disc 2 #04. Wie? Wie? Wie? Ihr an diesem Schreckensort? [Act 2]
Disc 2 #05. Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden [Act 2]
Disc 2 #06. Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen [Act 2]
Disc 2 #07. In diesen heil'gen Hallen [Act 2]
Disc 2 #08. Seid uns zum zweitenmal willkommen [Act 2]
Disc 2 #09. Ach, ich fühl's, es ist verschwunden [Act 2]
Disc 2 #10. O Isis und Osiris, welche Wonne! [Act 2]
Disc 2 #11. Soll ich dich, Teurer, nicht mehr sehn? [Act 2]
Disc 2 #12. Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen [Act 2]

Disc 3 #01. Bald prangt, den Morgen zu verkünden [Act 2]
Disc 3 #02. Du also bist mein Bräutigam? [Act 2]
Disc 3 #03. Der, welcher wandelt diese Straße voll Beschwerden [Act 2]
Disc 3 #04. Tamino mein! O welch ein Glück! [Act 2]
Disc 3 #05. Marsch - Wir wandelten durch Feuergluten [Act 2]
Disc 3 #06. Papagena! Papagena! Papagena! [Act 2]
Disc 3 #07. Pa, Pa, Pa… [Act 2]
Disc 3 #08. Nur stille, stille, stille, stille! [Act 2]
Disc 3 #09. Die Strahlen der Sonne vertreiben die Nacht [Act 2]


Produced by Christopher Raeburn. Engineered by James Lock, Gordon Parry.
Recorded on October 9, 1969 at Sofiensaal, Vienna, Austria.


Uncompressed SACD ISO size > 2,79 + 2,19 + 1,26 GB

Carl Maria von Weber's Der Freischütz: Kollo and Behrens are excellently matched as the hero and heroine, and Meven is a splendidly swarthy Kaspar. The recording, which respects Kubelik's attention to so much of the detail of the score, comes up excellently on CD, not least when the engineers run amok to great effect with all the spookery of the Wolf's Glen. Cordially recommended.

Tracklist:

Disc 1 #01. Ouvertüre
Disc 1 #02. Viktoria! Viktoria! der Meister soll leben [Act 1]
Disc 1 #03. Oh, diese Sonne, furchtbar steigt sie mir empor! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #04. Walzer [Act 1]
Disc 1 #05. Nein, länger trag ich nicht die Qualen [Act 1]
Disc 1 #06. Hier im ird'schen Jammertal [Act 1]
Disc 1 #07. Schweig, schweig, damit dich niemand warnt! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #08. Schelm! Halt fest! Ich will dich's lehren! [Act 2]
Disc 1 #09. Kommt ein schlanker Bursch gegangen [Act 2]
Disc 1 #10. Wie nahte mir der Schlummer … Leise, leise, fromme Weise [Act 2]
Disc 1 #11. Wie? Was? Entsetzen! [Act 2]

Disc 2 #01. Milch des Mondes fiel aufs Kraut [Act 2]
Disc 2 #02. Du weisst, daß meine Frist schier abgelaufen ist [Act 2]
Disc 2 #03. Ha! Furchtbar gähnt der düstre Abgrund! [Act 2]
Disc 2 #04. Schütze, der im Dunkeln wacht! [Act 2]
Disc 2 #05. Entr'acte - Hast du noch von den Glückskugeln? [Act 3]
Disc 2 #06. Und ob die Wolke sie verhülle [Act 3]
Disc 2 #07. Einst träumte meiner sel'gen Base [Act 3]
Disc 2 #08. Wir winden dir den Jungfernkranz [Act 3]
Disc 2 #09. Was gleicht wohl auf Erden dem Jägervergnügen [Act 3]
Disc 2 #10. Schaut, o schaut! Er traf die eig'ne Braut! [Act 3]
Disc 2 #11. Nur du kannst dieses Rätsel lösen [Act 3]
Disc 2 #12. Wer legt auf ihn so strengen Bann? [Act 3]


Produced by Michael Haas, Thomas Mowrey.
Engineers: Stanley Goodall, Simon Eadon, Martin Atkinson.
Recorded in November 1979 at Herkulessaal, München, Germany.


Uncompressed SACD ISO size > 2,84 + 2,53 GB

Il trovatore has always been one of Verdi's most popular operas, unparalleled in sheer musical energy. Singing the medieval troubadour of the title is legendary tenor Carlo Bergonzi, his only recording of the role. Blessed with Serafin's lithe, clear, unforced conducting…and a cast all of whose members are Italian.

Tracklist:

Disc 1 #01. All'erta! All'erta! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #02. Di due figli vivea padre beato … Abbietta zingara - Sull'orlo dei tetti [Act 1]
Disc 1 #03. Che più t'arresti? [Act 1]
Disc 1 #04. Tacea la notte placida … Di tale amor [Act 1]
Disc 1 #05. Tace la notte! [Act 1]
Disc 1 #06. Deserto sulla terra [Act 1]
Disc 1 #07. Non m'inganno. Ella scende! … Di geloso amor [Act 1]
Disc 1 #08. Vedi! le fosche notturne spoglie [Act 2]
Disc 1 #09. Stride la vampa! [Act 2]
Disc 1 #10. Mesta è la tua canzon! [Act 2]
Disc 1 #11. Soli or siamo! [Act 2]
Disc 1 #12. Condotta ell'era in ceppi [Act 2]
Disc 1 #13. Non son tuo figlio? [Act 2]
Disc 1 #14. Mal reggendo all'aspro assalto [Act 2]
Disc 1 #15. Tutto è deserto [Act 2]
Disc 1 #16. Il balen del suo sorriso … Per me, ora fatale [Act 2]
Disc 1 #17. Ah! se l'error t'ingombra [Act 2]
Disc 1 #18. Perchè piangete? [Act 2]
Disc 1 #19. E deggio, e posso crederlo? [Act 2]
Disc 2 #01. Or co' dadi … Squilli, echeggi la tromba guerriera [Act 3]
Disc 2 #02. In braccio al mio rival! [Act 3]
Disc 2 #03. Giorni poveri vivea [Act 3]
Disc 2 #04. Quale d'armi fragor poc'anzi intesi? [Act 3]
Disc 2 #05. Ah! sì, ben mio [Act 3]
Disc 2 #06. L'onda de' suoni mistici [Act 3]
Disc 2 #07. Manrico? - Che? - La zingara [Act 3]
Disc 2 #08. Di quella pira l'orrendo foco [Act 3]
Disc 2 #09. Siam giunti [Act 4]
Disc 2 #10. D'amor sull'ali rosee [Act 4]
Disc 2 #11. Miserere - Ah! che la morte ognora [Act 4]
Disc 2 #12. Tu vedrai che amore in terra [Act 4]
Disc 2 #13. Udiste? Come albeggi [Act 4]
Disc 2 #14. Qual voce! - Mira, di acerbe lagrime … Virà! Contende il giubilo [Act 4]
Disc 2 #15. Madre, non dormi? - Ai nostri monti [Act 4]
Disc 2 #16. Che! Non m'inganna quel fioco lume? … Ha quest' infame l'amor venduto [Act 4]
Disc 2 #17. Ti scosta! - Non respingermi [Act 4]


Produced by Hans Weber. Engineered by Günter Hermanns.
Recorded on July 9, 1962 at Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Italy.


Uncompressed SACD ISO size > 2,65 + 2,4 GB

Karajan takes real care to bring clarity and definition to music that in the wrong hands can leave you wallowing in emotional treacle . . . His graphic handling of orchestral texture brings the world of "Cavalleria" to life, with every nuance of light and colour brought into focus in the playing of La Scala's orchestra. Cossotto is quite outstanding, surely one of the finest mezzos on record. Here she sings with exquisite pathos and dramatic intensity . . . (Bergonzi) brings instead an elegance that captures something of Turiddu's duplicitous charm.

Tracklist:

01. Preludio
02. O Lola ch'ai di latti la cammisa
03. Siciliana: Tempo I
04. Introduzione
05. Gli aranci olezzano sui verdi margini
06. Scena: Largo
07. Dite, mamma Lucia
08. Il cavallo scalpita
09. Beato voi, compar Alfio
10. Regina coeli, laetare
11. Inneggiamo, il Signor non è morto
12. Voi lo sapete, o mamma
13. Tu qui, Santuzza?
14. Fior di giaggiolo
15. Ah! lo vedi, che hai tu detto?
16. Oh! Il Signore vi manda
17. Comare Santa
18. Intermezzo sinfonico
19. A casa, a casa
20. Viva il vino spumeggiante
21. A voi tutti salute!
22. Mamma, quel vino è generoso


Produced by Hans Weber. Engineered by Günter Hermanns.
Recorded on September 29 – October 5, 1965 at Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Italy.


Uncompressed SACD ISO size > 3,24 GB

Conviction and insight instill this Pagliacci with excitement and real drama. A troupe of actors arrives to give a performance of a commediadell'arte play. The illustration of real love, life and hatred is portrayed in the interplay of Tonio, Silvio, Nedda and her husband Canio. As the two rivals, Caro Bergonzi and Giuseppe Taddei are superb. Taddei's sinister, hunch-backed clown, gently forcing the play-within-the-play closer to reality until it finally bursts out violently is a masterly assumption, and Karajan controls the slow build-up of tension with a grasp that few conductors could equal. The forces of La Scala, Milan respond wholeheartedly and the 1965 recording sounds well.

Tracklist:

01. Introduzione [Prologue]
02. Si può? Signore! Signori! [Prologue]
03. Son qua! Ritornano! [Act 1]
04. Un grande spettacolo [Act 1]
05. Un tal gioco, credetemi [Act 1]
06. I zampognari! [Act 1]
07. Qual fiamma aveva nel guardo! [Act 1]
08. Stridono lassù [Act 1]
09. Sei là? Credea che te ne fossi andato [Act 1]
10. Nedda! - Silvio, a quest'ora [Act 1]
11. Decidi il mio destin [Act 1]
12. Non mi tentar! [Act 1]
13. Cammina adagio [Act 1]
14. Derisione e scherno! [Act 1]
15. Recitar! Mentre preso dal delirio … Vesti la giubba [Act 1]
16. Intermezzo [Act 1]
17. Ohè! Ohè! [Act 2]
18. Pagliaccio, mio marito [Act 2]
19. O Colombina, il tenero fido Arlecchin [Act 2]
20. È dessa! Dei, com'è bella [Act 2]
21. Arlecchin! - Colombina! [Act 2]
22. Versa il filtro ne la tazza sua! [Act 2]
23. No! Pagliaccio non son! [Act 2]
24. Suvvia, così terribile [Act 2]


Produced by Hans Weber. Engineered by Günter Hermanns.
Recorded on September 29 – October 5, 1965 at Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Italy.


Uncompressed SACD ISO size > 3,12 GB

ESOTERIC equipment used for re-mastering:
The criterion of re-mastering is to faithfully capture the quality of the original master. ESOTERIC’s flag ship D/A converters, model D-01VU, Rubidium master clock generator model G-0Rb and ESOTERIC MEXCEL interconnect cables and power cords, were all used for this re-mastering session. This combination of highly advanced technology greatly contributed to capturing the high quality sound of the original master.

Re-Issue Produced by Motoaki Ohmachi (ESOTERIC COMPANY)
Mastering Engineer: Kazuie Sugimoto (Victor Creative Media Co., Ltd. Mastering Center)
Esoteric Company Box Set # ESSD/G-90109~117
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