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Rossini: Semiramide [1991]
![Rossini: Semiramide [1991]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513RFAADF3L._SL160_.jpg)
June Anderson has an attractive appearance and sounds exactly right in the music's florid melodic lines. But she is not dramatically compelling as the wicked queen who had her husband killed and fell in love with a man who turned out to be her long-lost son, Arsace. Marilyn Horne rose to the highest levels of international fame in the role of that conflicted son, and her presence alone would be enough to give this video classic status. Her voice was a bit past its prime when this performance was recorded in 1991, but still there is no other voice quite like it, no other voice so suited to Rossini's heroic mezzo roles. Samuel Ramey is a close bass counterpart to Anderson: great tone, agile florid singing, and a rather wooden but visually appealing stage presence. Sanford Olsen has a small role and sings it near perfectly. James Conlon gets excellent musical results; John Copley's staging is massive and static. --Joe McLellan, Amazon.com
RRP: £29.99
Our Price: £28.60 (subject to change)
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Bel canto can be translated as "pretty singing", and that definition seems tailor-made for this production, which offers grace, charm, and a fine-tuned sense of style in abundance to compensate for its limited psychological and emotional impact. The four principal singers are all specialists in the bel canto style and this opera has played a key role in building their substantial reputations. For its sweeping musical imagination and technical wizardry, Rossini's epic about royal assassination and misdirected lust in the ancient Babylonian Empire deserves a place in any inclusive opera collection, and we are not likely to have a better video recording of Semiramide in the foreseeable future.
Bel Canto Feast
Review date: 2008-03-21 Rating: 10 out of 10
Semiramide is a long opera,but full of virtuoso singing from beginning to end,cadenzas,fioriture,coloratura,its full of them,put this disc on and be amazed at what the human voice can do.The sets are fantastic,the orchestra and conductor a dream,BUY IT.
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Reviews
Marathon arias
Review date: 2002-04-03 Rating: 10 out of 10
This opera is is probably the peak of coloratura singing which means almost no singers can perform it. The marathon arias are completely crazy in their long phrases and very short breathing gaps. But the cast is incredible. Marilyn Horne, June Anderson and last but not least Stanford Olsen are world champions in this type of singing. I adore them.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
June Anderson
Samuel Ramey
Marilyn Horne
Stanford Olsen
Young-Ok Shin
Creators:
June Anderson (Primary Contributor)
Marilyn Horne (Primary Contributor)
Gaetano Rossi (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: Arthaus Musik
Manufacturer: Arthaus Musik
EAN: 4006680102221
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2002-07-29
Number of discs: 2
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Exempt
Region code: 2
Running time: 223 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1990
Language: Italian (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)