Best Puccini 50

• Booklet languages: English
• Libretto languages: Italian
• Time: 227:43

Review

EMI's Best Puccini 50 is a triple-disc collection of popular excerpts from Giacomo Puccini's operas, drawn from the label's extensive catalog. The layout of this package is straightforward and easy to follow, with selections grouped according to the work they are taken from. Except for the unexplained exclusion of La bohème (and the more understandable absence of La fanciulla del West), the major operas are represented, including Tosca, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, the three one-act operas of Il Trittico (Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi), and the unfinished Turandot. Great voices from the past are featured, among whom Maria Callas, Tito Gobbi, Victoria de los Angeles, Jussi Björling, Montserrat Caballé, Plácido Domingo, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Birgit Nilsson are the best known and familiar to fans of Puccini. Because Puccini is best loved for his memorable melodies, such as "E lucevan le stelle," "O mio babbino caro," and "Nessun dorma," newcomers to his work are advised to listen for them first, and then explore the full operas if the greatest hits of this package hold appeal. Due to the historic nature of these recordings, the sound quality is variable, but certainly adequate for the average listener's purposes. ~ Blair Sanderson, Rovi

Performances

Composer	Title	Time
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 3. La mia gloria è il tuo amplesso!)	4:15
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 3. Del primo pianto)	3:38
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 3. Principessa di morte!)	5:31
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 3. Tu, che di gel sei cinta)	5:05
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 3. Nessun dorma)	2:54
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 2. Tre enigmi m'hai proposto!)	4:00
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 2. Figlio del cielo!)	3:06
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 2. Straniero, ascolta)	7:54
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 2. In questa reggia)	5:58
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 2. Ho una casa nell'Honan)	3:12
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 1. Non piangere, Liù... Ah! per l'ultima volta!)	4:42
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 1. Signore, ascolta)	2:27
Giacomo Puccini	Turandot, opera (Act 1. Perchè tarda la luna?)	3:27
Giacomo Puccini	Gianni Schicchi, opera (Lauretta mia)	2:41
Giacomo Puccini	Gianni Schicchi, opera (O mio babbino caro)	2:09
Giacomo Puccini	Gianni Schicchi, opera (Firenze è come un albero fiorito)	2:32
Giacomo Puccini	Suor Angelica, opera (Senza mamma)	5:20
Giacomo Puccini	Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera (Nulla! Silenzio!)	3:42
Giacomo Puccini	Il tabarro (The Cloak), opera (Dimmi: perchè gli hai chiesto)	5:00
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Che tua madre dovrà)	2:46
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Ebbene, che fareste... E questo? e questo?)	4:47
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 4. Fra le tue braccia, amore)	6:47
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 4. Sola, perduta, abbandonata)	5:04
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 3. Presto in fila! Marciate!... No! Pazzo son)	3:52
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 3. Manon! Des Grieux!)	4:18
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 2. Intermezzo)	4:47
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 2. Ah, Manon, mi tradisce!)	2:40
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 2. Oh, sarò la più bella!)	8:06
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 2. In quelle trine morbide)	2:21
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 1. Vedete? Io son fedele alla parola mia)	6:11
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 1. Donna non vidi mai)	2:28
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 1. Cortese damigella, il priego mio accettate)	5:12
Giacomo Puccini	Manon Lescaut, opera (Act 1. Tra voi, belle, brune e bionde)	1:29
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Con onor muore)	5:05
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Addio, fiorito asil)	1:48
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Humming Chorus)	3:08
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Scuoti quella fronda di cilegio)	4:51
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Una nave da guerra)	2:31
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 2. Un bel dì vedremo)	4:40
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 1. Vogliatemi bene, un bene piccolino)	7:11
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 1. Viene la sera... Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malia)	7:45
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 1. Quanto cielo!... Ancora un passo or via)	3:04
Giacomo Puccini	Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera (Act 1. Dovunque al mondo... Amore o grillo)	7:36
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 3. Ah! Franchigia a Floria Tosca... O dolci mani)	10:18
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 3. E lucevan le stelle)	3:02
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 2. Vissi d'arte)	3:05
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 2. Tosca è un buon falco!)	4:35
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 1. Tre sbirri, una carolla)	3:55
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 1. Mario! Mario! Mario!)	13:02
Giacomo Puccini	Tosca, opera (Act 1. Dammi i colori... Recondita armonia)	3:46

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