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Theodora Elucubrare ([personal profile] polutrope) wrote2007-05-19 10:30 pm
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On what makes a good CD

To me, you have to strike a balance between "Do we really need another 'Caro nome'*?" and "No one has listened to this since 17/1850 - and with good reason," or even, "This sounds like every other bel canto/ Händel aria."

I think that Ruth Ann Swenson's Endless Pleasure does a good job, since Semele is fairly obscure, but still pretty, and the Mozart arias are all well selected.


Kožená's French Arias tends a bit to the other side. I really like the Auber, and "Connais-tu le pays" is beautiful, but "D'ici vous voyez le beau domain" is not particularly interesting.

Speaking of CD construction, why is 'Quel guardo il cavaliere' the new 'Luce di quest'anima'?

*We do. Dessay's.