Opera Magic: The Best of Opera

~ Release by Various Artists (see all versions of this release, 2 available)

Annotation

this was also released in Germany under the title "Faszination Oper: Festspiele der Grossen Stars" including same barcode, but came with a 252 page booklet.

Annotation last modified on 2026-01-06 16:15 UTC.

Tracklist

1▼CD
#TitleArtistRatingLength
1Il barbiere di Siviglia: Largo al factotum
producer:
Erik Smith (British producer, pianist and harpsichordist)
baritone vocals [Figaro]:
Thomas Allen (baritone) (in 1982-06)
vocals:
Thomas Allen (baritone)
orchestra:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields (in 1982-06)
conductor:
Neville Marriner (conductor) (in 1982-06)
recorded at:
Watford Town Hall (Watford Colosseum, fka the Watford Town Hall Assembly Rooms 1939–1994, as CTS Colosseum since 1995, and as Watford Colosseum since 2011) in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom (in 1982-06)
recording of:
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Atto I, N°2. Cavatina “Largo al factotum” (Figaro) (Arie des Figaro) (in 1982-06)
composer:
Gioachino Rossini (composer)
librettist:
Cesare Sterbini
part of:
Il barbiere di Siviglia: Atto I
Gioachino Rossini4:59
2Carmen: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle (Habanera)
choir vocals:
Chœur de Radio France
vocals:
Jessye Norman (soprano)
orchestra:
Orchestre national de France (National Orchestra of France, RTF / ORTF / Radio France)
conductor:
Seiji Ozawa (conductor and composer)
recording of:
Carmen : Acte I. No. 5 Habanera « L’amour est un oiseau rebelle » (Carmen, chœur)
composer:
Georges Bizet (French composer)
librettist:
Ludovic Halévy (French librettist) and Henri Meilhac
is based on:
El arreglito
part of:
Carmen : Acte I
Georges Bizet5:07
3La Boheme: Che gelida manina
tenor vocals:
José Carreras (Spanish tenor) (in 1979-02)
orchestra:
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (in 1979-02)
conductor:
Sir Colin Davis (English conductor) (in 1979-02)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Philips Classics Productions (not for release label use!—classical music division of Polygram, reorganized as Philips Music Group in 1997) (in 1979)
recording of:
La bohème: Atto I, no. 6. “Che gelida manina!” (Rodolfo) (in 1979-02)
composer:
Giacomo Puccini (Italian composer) (in 1896)
librettist:
Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
part of:
La bohème: Atto I. In soffitta (La bohème: Act I, Puccini)
Giacomo Puccini24:51
4Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Belle nuit, O nuit d'amour (Barcarole)
choir vocals:
Rundfunkchor Leipzig
soprano vocals:
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano)
vocals:
Cheryl Studer (soprano)
orchestra:
Staatskapelle Dresden (Dresden Symphonic Orchestra)
conductor:
Jeffrey Tate (conductor)
recording of:
Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Acte III. Entracte (Orchestre) - "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" (Barcarolle) (une voix, Giulietta, Chœur)
composer:
Jacques Offenbach (German-French composer, cellist and impresario)
part of:
Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Acte III (Giulietta) (alternate order)
Jacques Offenbach2:18
5Faust: Ah! Je ris de me voir (Juwelen: Arie)
vocals:
Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)
orchestra:
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra)
conductor:
Sir Colin Davis (English conductor)
recording of:
Faust : Acte III. « Un bouquet ! … Ô Dieu ! que de bijoux ! » … No. 14b « Ah ! Je ris ! » (Marguerite) (Air des bijoux / Jewel Song)
composer:
Charles Gounod (French composer)
librettist:
Jules Barbier and Michel Carré (librettist)
part of:
Faust : Acte III
Charles Gounod4:01
6Rigoletto: Un di, se ben rammentomi
vocals:
Renato Bruson (baritone), Edita Gruberova (soprano), Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano) and Neil Shicoff (tenor)
orchestra:
Orchestra dell'Accademia di Santa Cecilia (Orchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia)
conductor:
Giuseppe Sinopoli (conductor)
recording of:
Rigoletto: Atto III. N°12 Quartetto. "Un dì, se ben rammentomi" (Duca, Gilda, Maddalena, Rigoletto)
composer:
Giuseppe Verdi (Italian opera composer) (until 1851-03-11)
librettist:
Francesco Maria Piave (until 1851-03-11)
part of:
Rigoletto: Atto III
Giuseppe Verdi6:11
7Le nozze di Figaro, KV 492: Non piu andrai
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1985-08)
creative direction:
Ubaldo Gardini (vocal/language coach, violinist) (in 1985-08)
bass vocals [Figaro]:
José van Dam (Belgian operatic bass-baritone)
bass-baritone vocals:
José van Dam (Belgian operatic bass-baritone) (in 1985-08)
choir vocals:
Ambrosian Singers (aka Ambrosian Opera Chorus / Ambrosian Chorus / Ambrosian Choir) (in 1985-08)
vocals:
José van Dam (Belgian operatic bass-baritone) (in 1985-08)
orchestra:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields (in 1985-08)
conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner (conductor) (in 1985-08)
concertmaster:
Iona Brown (violinist and director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields) (in 1985-08)
recording of:
Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492: Atto I, Scena VIII. (no. 10) Aria “Non più andrai, farfallone amoroso” (Figaro) (in 1985-08)
composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer)
librettist:
Lorenzo da Ponte
part of:
Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492: Atto I (The Marriage of Figaro, K. 492: Act I)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart3:55
8Lucia di Lammermoor: Chi mi frena in tal momento
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1976-08)
baritone vocals [Enrico]:
Vicente Sardinero (baritone) (in 1976-08)
bass-baritone vocals [Raimondo]:
Samuel Ramey (bass-baritone) (in 1976-08)
choir vocals:
Ambrosian Opera Chorus (aka Ambrosian Opera Chorus / Ambrosian Chorus / Ambrosian Choir) (in 1976-08)
mezzo-soprano vocals [Alisa]:
Ann Murray (Irish mezzo-soprano) (in 1976-08)
soprano vocals [Lucia]:
Montserrat Caballé (soprano) (in 1976-08)
tenor vocals [Arturo]:
Claes‐Håkan Ahnsjö (tenor) (in 1976-08)
tenor vocals [Edgardo]:
José Carreras (Spanish tenor) (in 1976-08)
orchestra:
New Philharmonia Orchestra (Philharmonia Orchestra, London orchestra, known as New Philharmonia Orchestra from 1964–1976) (in 1976-08)
conductor:
Jesús López Cobos (conductor) (in 1976-08)
recording of:
Lucia di Lammermoor: Atto II, Scena 2. (no. 9c) Sestetto con coro “Chi mi frena in tal momento?” (Edgardo, Enrico, Lucia, Raimondo, Alisa, Coro, Arturo) (in 1976-08)
composer:
Gaetano Donizetti (Italian opera composer)
part of:
Lucia di Lammermoor: Atto II
Gaetano Donizetti3:56
9Samson et Dalila: Mon cour s'ouvre a ta voix
soprano vocals:
Agnes Baltsa (mezzo-soprano) (in 1990)
tenor vocals:
José Carreras (Spanish tenor) (in 1990)
vocals:
Agnes Baltsa (mezzo-soprano) and José Carreras (Spanish tenor)
orchestra:
Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks (Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra) (in 1990)
conductor:
Sir Colin Davis (English conductor) (in 1990)
recording of:
Samson et Dalila : Acte II, scène 3. « Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix » (Dalila) (in 1990)
composer:
Camille Saint‐Saëns (composer)
part of:
Samson et Dalila : Acte II
Camille Saint‐Saëns5:28
10Die Walkre: Hojotoho! (Walkrenritt)
contralto vocals:
Elisabeth Schärtel (German operatic mezzo-soprano and contralto) and Sieglinde Wagner (contralto)
mezzo-soprano vocals:
Annelies Burmeister (contralto) and Gertraud Hopf (soprano)
soprano vocals:
Soňa Červená (mezzo-soprano), Helga Dernesch (Austrian soprano and mezzo‐soprano), Danica Mastilovic (operatic soprano) and Liane Synek (soprano)
vocals:
Annelies Burmeister (contralto), Soňa Červená (mezzo-soprano), Helga Dernesch (Austrian soprano and mezzo‐soprano), Gertraud Hopf (soprano), Danica Mastilovic (operatic soprano), Elisabeth Schärtel (German operatic mezzo-soprano and contralto), Liane Synek (soprano) and Sieglinde Wagner (contralto)
orchestra:
Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele (Bayreuth Festival Orchestra)
conductor:
Karl Böhm (Austrian conductor)
recording of:
Die Walküre, WWV 86B: Akt III, Scene I "Hojotoho! Hojotoho!"
composer:
Richard Wagner (composer) (from 1854-06-28 until 1856-03-23)
librettist:
Richard Wagner (composer)
part of:
Die Walküre, WWV 86B: Akt III
Richard Wagner6:18
11Die Zauberflote: Der Holle Rache
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1989-09)
soprano vocals:
Cheryl Studer (soprano) (in 1989-09)
orchestra:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields (in 1989-09)
additional conductor:
John Constable (pianist) (in 1989-09)
conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner (conductor) (in 1989-09)
recording of:
Die Zauberflöte: Akt II. No. 14 Arie „Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” (Die Königin der Nacht) (in 1989-09)
composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer) (in 1791)
librettist:
Emanuel Schikaneder
part of:
Die Zauberflöte, K. 620: Akt II
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart3:08
12Don Giovanni: La ci darem la mano
baritone vocals [Don Giovanni]:
Thomas Allen (baritone)
soprano vocals [Zerlina]:
Marie McLaughlin (soprano)
orchestra:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields (in 1990-07)
conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner (conductor) (in 1990-07)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Philips Classics Productions (not for release label use!—classical music division of Polygram, reorganized as Philips Music Group in 1997) (from 1991 to present)
recorded at:
Walthamstow Assembly Hall in London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1990-07)
recording of:
Don Giovanni: Atto I. No. 7 Duettino “Là ci darem la mano” (Don Giovanni, Zerlina) (in 1990-07)
composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer)
librettist:
Lorenzo Da Ponte
part of:
Don Giovanni: Atto I
recording of:
Divertimento No. 6 for 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns & Bassoon, K. deest (spurious): IV. Serenade: Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni: "Là ci darem la mano"
previously attributed to:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer)
part of:
Divertimento No. 6 for 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns & Bassoon, K. deest (spurious)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart3:17
13La Boheme: Si. Mi chiamano Mimi
soprano vocals and soprano vocals [Mimì]:
Katia Ricciarelli (soprano)
vocals:
Katia Ricciarelli (soprano)
orchestra:
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
conductor:
Sir Colin Davis (English conductor)
recording of:
La bohème: Atto I, no. 7. “Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì” (Mimì)
composer:
Giacomo Puccini (Italian composer)
librettist:
Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
part of:
La bohème: Atto I. In soffitta (La bohème: Act I, Puccini)
Giacomo Puccini4:57
14Die Zauberflote: Ein Madchen oder Weibchen
recorded in:
London (Greater London), England, United Kingdom (in 1989-07)
recording engineer:
Martha de Francisco (classical producer and engineer) and Roger de Schot
executive producer:
Eve Edwards
producer:
Eric Smith (classical music producer)
editor:
Kees De Visser (engineer)
baritone vocals [Papageno]:
Olaf Bär (baritone) (in 1989-07)
vocals:
Olaf Bär (baritone)
orchestra:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields (in 1989-07)
conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner (conductor) (in 1989-07)
balance engineer:
Erdo Groot (sound engineer for recordings of classical music)
recording of:
Die Zauberflöte: Akt II. No. 20 Arie „Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen wünscht Papageno sich!” (Papageno) (in 1989-07)
composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer) (in 1791)
librettist:
Emanuel Schikaneder
part of:
Die Zauberflöte, K. 620: Akt II
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart4:05
15Cos fan tutte: Soave sia il vento
bass vocals and bass vocals [Don Alfonso]:
José van Dam (Belgian operatic bass-baritone)
soprano vocals [Dorabella]:
Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano)
soprano vocals [Fiordiligi]:
Karita Mattila (soprano)
orchestra:
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner (conductor)
recording of:
Così fan tutte: Atto I. No. 10 Terzettino “Soave sia il vento” (Fiordligi, Dorabella, Don Alfonso)
composer:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (classical composer)
librettist:
Lorenzo Da Ponte
part of:
Così fan tutte: Atto I
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart3:26
16Die Fledermaus: Mein Herr Marquis
choir vocals:
Wiener Staatsopernchor (Wiener Staatsoper Choir)
vocals:
Edita Gruberova (soprano)
orchestra:
Wiener Philharmoniker (Vienna Philharmonic)
conductor:
André Previn (pianist, conductor, composer, arranger)
recording of:
Die Fledermaus: Akt II. Nr. 8b „Mein Herr Marquis, ein Mann wie Sie…“ (Adele, Chor) (Laughing song)
composer:
Johann Strauss (Johann Strauss II, Austro-German composer, „Walzerkönig“, Johann Strauss II, Sohn, Jr., the Younger, the Son)
part of:
Die Fledermaus: Akt II
Johann Strauss3:43
17Il Trovatore: Vedi! Le fosche notturne
recorded in:
Great Britain (in 1980-07)
choir vocals:
Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (in 1980-07)
orchestra:
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden (in 1980-07)
conductor:
Sir Colin Davis (English conductor) (in 1980-07)
phonographic copyright (℗) by:
Philips Classics Productions (not for release label use!—classical music division of Polygram, reorganized as Philips Music Group in 1997) (in 1981)
recording of:
Il trovatore: Atto II, scena 1. “Vedi! Le fosche notturne” (zingari) (“Anvil Chorus”) (in 1980-07)
composer:
Giuseppe Verdi (Italian opera composer)
librettist:
Salvadore Cammarano (Italian librettist)
part of:
Il trovatore: Atto II. La gitana
Giuseppe Verdi2:36