Vissi D'arte

Montserrat Caballé had one of the great voices, tonally radiant and technically amazing, able to spin the most ravishing pianissimos as well as effortless fortissimo high notes. This well-filled two-disc collection includes a good cross-section of her recordings from the 1970s and early 1980s when she was at her peak. That alone should send admirers of great singing into a feeding frenzy. The set’s title selection, "Vissi d’arte" (from Puccini’s Tosca), is done with such tonal beauty and refinement of detail as to silence any criticism about its being too slow. She’s as magnificent in bel canto arias like those from Lucia di Lammermoor and the Norma duets, where she’s Adalgisa to Joan Sutherland’s Norma, as she is in verismo roles from La Gioconda and Andrea Chenier. This set makes a terrific starter pack for those who may not be familiar with Caballé’s art, and it’s a welcome addition to the collections of those who do. --Dan Davis