Verdi Alzira

Giuseppe Verdi: Overtures and Preludes – Berliner Philharmoniker; Herbert von Karajan
Classical | 2 CDs | EAC Rip | 539 MB (3% recovery) | FLAC+LOG+Cue | Complete scans
Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon | Recorded: 1975 | Published: 2001

Karajan was an outstanding Verdi conductor, and his first recordings of Falstaff, Aida, and Otello, as well (later) as his Don Carlo, remain testaments to his Verdian credentials… This collection, however, was recorded before Karajan had eliminated all of the music's rough edges, and while there's lovely playing aplenty, he's also not afraid to make some noise when Verdi requires it. A fine collection, then, of the 19th century's most important Italian operatic/orchestral music. –Editorial Reviews, Amazon.com, David Hurwitz

Giuseppe Verdi was born in the little town of Roncole in the vicinity of Parma and spent the longest period of his life in seclusion close to Parma. He died in Milan in 1901. Today, the region of Parma honours its one-time fellow citizen with the international Verdi Festival organized by the Teatro Regio di Parma. Every year, Verdi’s masterworks are performed in the historical theatres of Parma and neighbouring Busseto over 28 days in the autumn…

During Riccardo Muti s 19-year tenure as La Scala s music director, his relationship with the Filarmonica della Scala extended beyond the opera pit. The seven-CD set Riccardo Muti conducts Italian Masters celebrates their shared Italian heritage with a mixture of much-loved Verdi overtures, modern classics from Nino Rota ( uniformly stunning AllMusic Guide) and enticing works from the turn of the century by the likes of Casella, Martucci and Busoni (on an album successful in every respect , according to Gramophone). Busoni s Turandot Suite (like the orchestral works also released here by operatic composers Ponchielli, Catalani and Puccini) is perfectly suited to an orchestra and conductor at home in both dramatic and symphonic repertoires. How is it possible for so attractive, witty and artful a work to lay neglected for so long? enthused Gramophone.