"Shows a young Sutherland as the greatest soprano of the XX Century. Way surpassing Callas, Caballe, and Sills.
The voice is perfectly clear, focus. There is no mushines or poor diction as she did later in her career.
Buy this cd and hear the possibilities of the human voice. She sings the most difficult music as if it was nothing. The high notes are massive and solid. The trill sublime.
Dame Joan is beyond perfection here.
And the price! A steal. One of the best cd I've ever bought.
This cd is unbeatable in all aspects!"
...How can you resist?
Georgiana | 06/30/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These are the primest of Dame Joan's recordings...This really is a no brainer.
Don't let the price fool you. This cd contains some of the most spectacular coloratura singing that the young Joan Sutherland ever did.
I would buy several, keep one for myself, and give the others as presents. A bargain and a half."
Repertoire for a goddess
Georgiana | 02/20/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is perhaps one of the greatest compilations of arias ever. Sutherland was always at her blazing best when recorded live. I'm really sick of the stupid, poisoned arrows several people here NEED to shoot towards another goddess (Callas) in order to promote Dame Joan. She is in no need of that. Enjoy the recital of a lifetime!!!!"
An almost perfect album
Joseph Hart | Visalia, CA United States | 07/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The 1st 3 (or 4?) numbers were to a piano accompaniment, which I always find a drag. She sings both arias from The Magic Flute back to back which is wonderful, except these are live recordings and though adequate aren't at par with the rest of the album. On the back of the CD, Donizetti gets credit for I puritani. That's it. The rest is a miracle. If I remember (I just listened to it the 1st time), all but the piano accompanied pieces (Bonynge plays) are live recordings. But even dating back to 1957 and up to 1962, the sound is perfect. I highly recommend this. Oh. It is mostly Donizetti, and there is only one piece by Rossini."