Composer: Giuseppe Verdi
Performer: Rolando Villazón, Thomas Hampson, Anna Netrebko, Paul Gay, Luigi Roni, Herman Wallen, Helene Schneiderman, Diane Pilcher, Salvatore Cordella
Orchestra: Wiener Philharmoniker
Conductor: Carlo Rizzi, Rupert Huber
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalogue: 4775937
Release: 2006
Size: 310 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
01. “Libiamo ne’lieti calici” (Brindisi) (Violetta)
02. “Un dì felice, eterea” (Violetta)
03. “E strano!” – “Ah, fors’è lui” (Violetta)
04. “Follie! Delirio vano è questo!” (Violetta)
05. “Sempre libera” (Violetta)
06. “Lunge da lei” – “De’ miei bollenti spiriti” (Violetta)
07. “O mio rimorso!” (Violetta)
08. “Pura siccome un angelo” (Violetta)
09. “Non sapete quale affetto” (Violetta)
10. “Un dì, quando le veneri” (Violetta)
11. “Ah! Dite alla giovine” (Violetta)
12. “Imponete” “Non amarlo ditegli” (Violetta)
13. “Che fai?” “Nulla” (Violetta)
14. “Invitato a qui seguirmi” (Violetta)
15. “Ogni suo aver tal femmina” (Violetta)
16. “Di sprezzo degno se stesso rende” (Violetta)
17. “Alfredo, Alfredo, di questo core” (Violetta)
18. “Annina?” “Comandate?” (Violetta)
19. “Teneste la promessa” (Violetta)
20. “Addio del passato” (Violetta)
21. “Signora…” “Che t’accade?” (Violetta)
22. “Parigi, o cara, noi lasceremo” (Violetta)
23. “Ah, non più!” – “Ah! Gran Dio! Morir sì giovine” (Violetta)
24. “Ah, Violetta!” “Voi? Signor?” (Violetta)
25. “Prendi, quest’è l’immagine” (Violetta)
Violetta, a CD featuring Anna Netrebko, is essentially an album of highlights from La Traviata, and although the focus is rightly on her, the musical quality of all the performances and of the entire album is terrific. The recording comes from a production at the 2005 Salzburg Festival. With an all-star cast that also features Rolando Villazón and Thomas Hampson, the performances generated an ecstatic reaction from the Salzburg audiences, and the recording captures the excitement of the experience. The soloists, orchestra, and chorus perform with a vibrant energy that propels the drama with unusual urgency. Netrebko sings flawlessly with a sumptuous, velvety legato, and she is completely engaging as Violetta, beautifully capturing her high spirits, her inner strength, and her physical frailty. “Ah, fors’è lui” is particularly moving. Villazón is a fine foil for her, with a dark, burnished tenor and an impetuous, sometimes explosive temperament. Hampson’s Germont is vocally superb, but he seems somewhat disengaged and doesn’t bring the same level of emotional investment to his role as the romantic leads. Carlo Rizzi leads the Vienna Philharmonic with meticulous attention to the details of Verdi’s scoring, giving the music a punchiness that tends to get smoothed out in many performances. The orchestral balances are exceptionally fine, so that each scene is distinctively shaded and colored. Deutsche Grammophon’s sound is wonderfully clear and present, capturing the positive elements of a live performance without the distractions or limitations that frequently mar live recordings.