[.ca] Opera Hits / Domingo, Carreras, Vickers, Ewing

From Amazon.com:
Most opera "greatest hits" collections involve the usual musical suspects; this compilation from La Scala (Milan), Covent Garden (London), Glyndebourne (England), La Fenice (Venice), and Arena di Verona (Italy), while unavoidably uneven, does have more hits than misses. The most memorable excerpts? John Rawnsley's rousing "Largo al factotum" from The Barber of Seville; Shirley Verrett and Jon Vickers in a fiery Samson et Dalila duet; La Scala Chorus's touching "Va pensiero" from Verdi's Nabucco; and Nicola Martinucci, who gives "Nessun Dorma," the familiar aria from Puccini's Turandot, quite a workout. With other excerpts from Carmen, La Traviata, Tosca, Orfeo ed Euridice, Aida, Gianni Schicci, Les Contes d'Hoffmann, La Boheme, and Madama Butterfly, this 95-minute compilation has "smash hits" missing, but if there's a market for familiar choice cuts sung by some big, some not-so-big names, then Opera Hits is the ticket. --Kevin Filipski