Bel Canto Spectacular

DECCA 478 0315
Juan Diego Flórez (tenor), Patrizia Ciofi (soprano), Placido Domingo (tenor), Anna Netrebko (soprano), Daniela Barcellona (mezzo), Mariusz Kwiecien (baritone); Daniel Oren (conductor), Orquesta de Valencia.
01 Amici miei, che allegro giorno; 02 Vieni, fra queste braccia; 03 La maitresse du roi? Ange si pur; 04 Venti scudi; 05 Una furtiva lagrima; 06 Linda, Linda...Da quel di che t'incontrai; 07 Linda! Si ritiro... Se tanto; 08 Di che son reo? D'alma celeste; 09 Partir degg'io... T'amo qual s'ama un angelo; 10 Ah vieni, nel tuo sangue; BONUS Tornami a dir.
Patrizia Ciofi sings on track 06 and the bonus track.
Released July 2008.
REVIEWS:

"'Da quel di' from Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix with Patrizia Ciofi is the highlight of the disc. The singers are well matched on every level, as their pairing on Decca's DVD of La fille du régiment shows, and the combination of their light, flexible voices works equally well here. In recent times, Ciofi has been moving more towards the spinto roles, and the way she uses all kinds of expressive devices seems to have encouraged him likewise to find a warmer, more ardent sound in his delivery." MusicalCriticism.com

"Patrizia Ciofi, is especially welcome as the heroine of Linda di Chamounix, singing with a veiled beauty." Times Online

"There are two pieces from Linda di Chamounix - the first provides one of the best duets of the album, with Italian soprano Patrizia Ciofi, whose coloratura rivals Flórez’s and whose voice partners his to perfection." MusicWeb-International

"Soprano Patrizia Ciofi has a most beautiful quality to her voice. It has what I would term the “Old School” sound, a completely individual timbre like Scotto, or Olivero, or Gencer. The duet from Linda di Chamounix is as lovely and as exciting as the famous one from Lucia di Lammermoor (“Verrano a te sull’aure”). It should be better known. Pavarotti and Sutherland recorded it, and this performance is of equal distinction. The music is again marked by Donizetti’s brilliant orchestration and soaring melodies. It lifts my heart and makes me want to sing just hearing it. You will especially enjoy this duet. It is really lovely." ConcertoNet