“Opera is music for your soul.”
–Angela Gheorghiu
Photo by Sasha Gusov

Before the great virtuoso soprano Angela Gheorghiu made her international career launches at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera and New York Metropolitan Opera in 1992 and 1993, immediately winning high acclaim for her vocal virtuosity, expressive artistry and dramatic subtlety, she had for some years already been singled out in her home country, Romania, as an exceptional talent who had particularly impressively benefitted from the famously rigorous operatic schooling in her land. When she first appeared in the West, her masterly realizations of the vocal demands, musical styles, words and music relationships, and psychological and dramatic characteristics of the operatic roles she performed created a sensation. Ever since then, Angela Gheorghiu’s perfectionist aspirations and attainments on the highest technical, artistic and intellectual levels have made her one of the most greatly lauded singers and actresses on the operatic stage. The biographical profile of her appearing here is an adaptation of “Angela Gheorghiu – A Portrait”, a tribute made by the WFMT Radio Network in 2006. It has been updated to include some further materials that originated in later years, up to 2011. Miss Gheorghiu speaks about her life and career, her love of music and arts of many genres, and her interpretation of operatic roles and songs that have brought her acclaim as one of the most highly admired dramatic and lyric singer actresses of the last 100 years. Additionally, other distinguished musicians and music experts, who are identified during the feature, cast light on her very special vocal, artistic and theatrical qualities. Details of the recordings that are included in the profile follow below.

–Jon Tolansky

This feature is partially extracted from the WFMT Radio Network Tribute “Angela Gheorghiu: A Portrait”, and it has been updated to include some further materials that originated in later years, up to 2011:
Angela Gheorghiu: A Portrait
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 724355762421
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
 
 
Listen to the documentary interview immediately below (length: approx. 1 hour, 16 minutes):

Host:
Jon Tolansky

Guest Artists included in this feature:
Conductor Sir Antonio Pappano
Soprano Carol Neblett
Richard Hazell, Member of Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Maria Cleva, Italian Opera Coach at Covent Garden
Peter Alward, Former President of EMI Classics
Charles Osborne, Musicologist and Verdi Scholar
Paul Findlay, Former Opera Director, Royal Opera House
Mezzo Soprano Marilyn Horne
Baritone Thomas Hampson

Musical excerpts included in this feature:
“In quelle trine morbide” from Manon Lescaut (Puccini)
“Je suis encor tout etourdie” from Manon (Massenet)
“Mi chiamano Mimi” from La Bohème (Puccini)
“Donde lieta usci” from La Bohème (Puccini)
“E’ strano … Ah, fors’e lui …” from La Traviata (Verdi)
“Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine (Puccini)
Closing scene from La Rondine (Puccini)
“N’est ce plus ma main” from Manon (Massenet)
“Non, tu ne m’aimes pas” from Carmen (Bizet)
“Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix” from Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns)
“Je vous ecris…” from Werther (Massenet)
“Non mi rammenta più!…” from Madama Butterfly (Puccini)
“Cate flori pe deal in sus” from La Seceris (Brediceanu)

—–
Recordings excerpted in this documentary interview:
 
Puccini: Opera Arias
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Anton Coppola, conductor
Verdi Grand Symphonic Orchestra Milan
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 0724355795502
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon (U.S.A.)
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Massenet: Manon (2000)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Antonio Pappano, conductor
Orchestre Symphonique de la Monnaie
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 0724355700520
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Verdi: La Traviata (1995)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Georg Solti, conductor
Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House
Decca Classics Catalogue Number 448 119
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Puccini: La Rondine (1997)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Sir Antonio Pappano, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 0724355633828
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon (Reissue)
Buy on ArkivMusic | Buy on ArkivMusic (Reissue)
Buy on iTunes | Buy on iTunes (Reissue)
 
My World: Songs From Around the Globe (1998)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano
Malcolm Martineau, piano
Decca Classics/LONDON
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Bizet: Carmen (2003)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Michel Plasson, conductor
Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 0724355743428
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Homage to Maria Callas (2011)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Marco Armiliato, conductor
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 5099963150926
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Massenet: Werther (1999)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Sir Antonio Pappano, conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 0094638184928
Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon (Reissue)
Buy on ArkivMusic | Buy on ArkivMusic (Reissue)
Buy on iTunes | Buy on iTunes (Reissue)
 
Puccini: Madama Butterfly (2009)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Sir Antonio Pappano, conductor
Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 5099926418728
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 
Angela Gheorghiu: Live at Covent Garden (2002)
Angela Gheorghiu, soprano | Ion Marin, conductor
Royal Opera House Orchestra
EMI Classics Catalogue Number 0724355726421
Buy on Amazon
Buy on ArkivMusic
Buy on iTunes
 

—–

Many thanks to our friends at the WFMT Radio Network for allowing us to share excerpts from this audio portrait with the Hampsong community.

—–

To Singers on Singing: Great Artists in Conversation