Special offer. Puccini: La Bohème

Mirella Freni (Mimi), Luciano Pavarotti (Rodolfo), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Colline), Elizabeth Harwood (Musetta), Rolando Panerai (Marcello), Gianni Maffeo (Schaunard), Michel Sénéchal (Alcindoro/Benoit), Gernot Pietsch (Parpignol)

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan

Pavarotti's Rodolfo is perhaps the best thing he has ever done: not only the finest recorded account of the role since Björling's on the Beecham set, but adding the honeyed Italianate warmth... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Catalogue No: 4210492
Label: Decca
Series: Opera Sets
Length: 1 hour 49 minutes

Presto Greatest Recordings of the 1970s

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Puccini: La Bohème

Work length1:49:44

$34.10

$46.50

Rolando Panerai (baritone), Hans-Dietrich Pohl (baritone), Michel Sénéchal (tenor), Mirella Freni (soprano), Gianni Maffeo (baritone), Nicolai Ghiaurov (bass), Elizabeth Harwood (soprano), Luciano Pavarotti (tenor), Hans-Dieter Appell (tenor), Gernot Pietsch (tenor)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Schonberger Sangerknaben
Herbert von Karajan
Recorded: 1972-10-09
Recording Venue: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin

"Questo Mar Rosso"

Track length4:31

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"Pensier profondo"

Track length1:17

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"Abasso, abbasso l'autor!"

Track length3:44

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"Si può" - "Chi è là?"

Track length5:18

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"Io resto"

Track length1:08

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"Chi è là?"

Track length1:10

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"Si sente meglio?"

Track length2:42

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"Che gelida manina"

Track length4:38

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"Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì"

Track length5:59

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"O soave fanciulla"

Track length4:12

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"Arranci, datteri!"

Track length2:52

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"Chi guardi?" - "Ecco i giocattoli di Parpignol"

Track length3:08

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"Viva Parpignol..." - "Una cuffietta a pizzi"

Track length2:21

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"Oh!...Essa!...Musetta!"

Track length3:30

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"Quando m'en vo'" (Musetta's Waltz)

Track length5:21

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"Chi l'ha richiesto"

Track length2:27

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"Ohè, là, le guardie!" - "Aprite!"

Track length4:19

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"Sa dirmi, scusi"

Track length1:01

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"Mimì! - Speravo di trovarvi qui"

Track length5:04

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"Marcello. Finalmente!"

Track length1:17

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"Mimì è una civetta"

Track length1:26

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"Mimì è tanto malata!"

Track length3:21

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"Donde lieta uscì"

Track length3:22

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"Dunque: è proprio finita!...Addio, dolce svegliare"

Track length6:08

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"In un coupé?"

Track length1:44

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"O Mimì, tu più non torni" (Duetto) - "Che ora sia"

Track length5:27

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"Gavotta"

Track length1:39

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"C'è Mimì..."

Track length6:08

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"Vecchia zimarra, senti"

Track length2:31

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"Sono andati"

Track length5:58

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"Oh Dio! Mimì!"

Track length6:01

$1.10

$1.50

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Pavarotti's Rodolfo is perhaps the best thing he has ever done: not only the finest recorded account of the role since Björling's on the Beecham set, but adding the honeyed Italianate warmth that even Björling lacked. He can't quite match Björling's poetic refinement, and he's less willing to sing really quietly, but Pavarotti's sincerity counts for a great deal: his pride as he declares his vocation as a poet, the desperate feigning of his 'Mimì è una civetta' are points that most tenors miss or treat as mere opportunities for a big sing. His latter-day image may tend to hide it, but this recording is a reminder that Pavarotti is an artist of intelligence and delicacy as well as splendour of voice.
His Mimì, Freni, sings beautifully and sensitively.
Panerai is a strong, vividly acted Marcello.
Harwood is an interesting Musetta: her tiny narration, in Act 4, of her meeting with the stricken Mimì is a gripping moment, and her waltz-song in Act 2 is a passionate (and irresistible) avowal to Marcello. Karajan is a great Puccini conductor who can linger over the beauties of orchestration without losing his grip on the drama or relaxing his support of the singers.
There aren't many operas of which a better case can be made for having more than one account in your collection. For a modern La bohème to supplement the Beecham this Karajan set must go to the top of the list.

Special offer. Puccini: La Bohème

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