Classical Legends - new release from Emi Classics

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This new CD, entitled Classical Legends - In Their Own Words, will be released on June 8th 2010.

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Jon Tolansky, producer and narrator for this new release says it's "A special 4CD set of artist interviews and musical clips revealing unique insights into music and art in the words of thirteen of the most highly lauded performers of the last several decades whose artistry has been preserved by EMI Classics in its home for classical music's greatest heritage.

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The 13 legendary artists in Classical Legends in Their Own Words are Roberto Alagna, Grace Bumbry, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Mirella Freni, Nicolai Gedda, Angela Gheorghiu, Evgeny Kissin, Antonio Pappano, Ruggero Raimondi, Mstislav Rostropovich, Giuseppe di Stefano, Sir John Tomlinson and Jon Vickers.

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The CD can be preordered on Amazon.com or on Amazon.co.uk.

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Amazon.co.uk also presents the MP3 form of this box set (with previews for each track). With lots of details, as you can see here.

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The first 9 tracks on Disc 1 are dedicated to Angela. She talks about Madama Butterfly, Carmen, La Boheme and Manon and she also sings. There is also one track entitled "Early life and formative years". The same disc features two other great ladies of the opera, Mirella Freni and Grace Bumbry. There are some other tracks featuring Angela on the Disc 3 (fragments from Carmen and Tosca). See below. Roberto Alagna shares disc #3 with Ruggero Raimondi and Sir John Tomlison.

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DISC 1

1. Introductory Announcement - Jon Tolansky - 0:23
2. Madama Butterfly: Un Bel Di (Extract) - Che Tua Madre (Extract) - Angela Gheorghiu/Antonio Pappano/Orchestra dell' Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Roma - 6:16
3. Narration 1 - Angela Gheorghiu/Jon Tolansky - 1:42
4. Carmen: La La La La (Extract With Voice Over) - Angela Gheorghiu/Michel Plasson/Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse - 3:01
5. Narration 2 - Angela Gheorghiu/Jon Tolansky - 0:45
6. Early Life And Formative Years - Angela Gheorghiu/Jon Tolansky 5:40
7. La Bohème: Si, Mi Chiamano (Extract With Voiceover) - Angela Gheorghiu/Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi/Anton Coppola - 5:02
8. Narration 3 - Angela Gheorghiu/Jon Tolansky - 2:06
9. Manon: N'est Ce Plus Ma Main (With Voiceover) - Angela Gheorghiu/Roberto Alagna/Orchestre Symphonique de la Monnaie/Antonio Pappano - 7:41
10. Narration 4 - Angela Gheorghiu/Jon Tolansky - 1:11

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DISC 3

6. Carmen: Carmen, Je Suis Las De Souffrir! (With Voice Over) - Angela Gheorghiu/Roberto Alagna/Thomas Hampson/Inva Mula/Choeur 'Les Elements'/Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse/Michel Plasson - 6:02

12. Tosca: Giàmi Struggea L'amor Della Diva! (With Voice Over) - Angela Gheorghiu/Ruggero Raimondi/Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden/Antonio Pappano - 4:49

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