Naxos Great Opera (10CD-BOX)

The very first operas were performed in Florence in the mid-1590s. Since then, musical styles have blossomed and evolved out of all recognition, yet opera continues to be heavily influenced by the political, social and cultural contexts surrounding its genesis. A collaborative enterprise, an opera brings together the works of composers, librettists, singers and designers alike, generating rich veins of public response and resulting in what is surely the most dramatic of all musical media. In this collection, we have brought together some of the most-loved operas, ranging from the elegance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni to the raw emotion of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana. The lighthearted japes of Rossini’s Barber of Seville contrast royally with the pomp and spectacle of Verdi’s Aida, whilst the sultry allure of Bizet’s Carmen is the perfect foil to the lachrymose tragedy of Puccini’s La Bohème. This box is sure to entice any listener further into the magical world of opera.

Disk: 1
1 Don Giovanni, highlights Mozart, W A
Disk: 2
1 Die Zauberflöte, highlights Mozart, W A
Disk: 3
1 Il barbiere di Siviglia, highlights Rossini, Gioachino
Disk: 4
1 La Traviata, highlights Verdi, Giuseppe
Disk: 5
1 Aida, highlights Verdi, Giuseppe
Disk: 6
1 Carmen, highlights Bizet, Georges
Disk: 7
1 Cavalleria Rusticana, highlights Mascagni, Pietro
2 Pagliacci, highlights Leoncavallo, Ruggero
Disk: 8
1 Tosca, highlights Puccini, Giacomo
Disk: 9
1 Madama Butterfly, highlights Puccini, Giacomo
Disk: 10
1 La Bohème, highlights Puccini, Giacomo