No opera singer in history is more venerated than Enrico Caruso -- the very name seems to conjure up its own mythic power, and his popularity extends beyond the limits of opera and manages to reach even those who have never heard his voice. Caruso's relationship with recording technology is a boon to posterity; he recorded often and well, and even though more than eight decades have passed since his death at age 48 it is relatively easy to access his legacy, which is captured in all its glory in this 12-disc box set from Naxos, Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings.
Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings contains everything extant that Caruso recorded from 1902 to 1920. Each disc bears a separate photograph of Caruso, each image appropriate to the contents of that specific disc within the set -- as these were all initially issued individually, each volume is a stand-alone product in itself. The liner notes, by Hugh Griffith, are perceptive, intelligently written, and targeted to each volume. They strike a nice balance between the historical context of the recordings and analysis of their content.
What really gives this set the advantage over others is the quality of Ward Marston's transfers: clear and sharp, with a little of the surface noise included in most cases. Marston tends to focus on making the whole of the recording fully audible, both band and singer, rather than trying to take Caruso's voice and "juice it up" out of context. There are some extras tagged onto the last disc -- a march written by Caruso, an obnoxious song "My Cousin Caruso" sung in bad Italian dialect by "the Denver Nightingale" Billy Murray, and Caruso's first recording, Studenti, udite from Franchetti's Germania in a cleaner copy than that used on the first volume of the set. The years have not brought more Caruso, good or bad, but what we have is more than adequate, and there is no better, more comprehensive, or economical way to enjoy the glories of Caruso's total output than Naxos' Enrico Caruso: The Complete Recordings. by Uncle Dave Lewis
The Complete Recordings, Vol.1
Track Listing - Disc 1
Germania, opera
1 Studenti, udite 1:56
2 Ah, vieni qui...No, non chiuder gli occhi 2:49
Rigoletto, opera
3 Questa o quella 2:17
Aida, opera
4 Celeste Aida 3:25
Manon, opera in 5 acts
5 O dolce incanto 2:41
L' elisir d'amore, opera
6 Una furtiva lagrima 3:21
Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue
7 Dai campi, dai prati 2:32
8 Giunto sul passo estremo 3:12
Tosca, opera
9 E lucevan le stelle 2:35
Iris, opera (melodramma) in 3 acts
10 Apri la tua finestra 2:33
Mefistofele, opera in prologue, 4 acts & epilogue
11 Dai campi, dai prati 2:25
Fedora, opera
12 Amor ti vieta 1:54
Aida, opera
13 Celeste Aida 2:36
La Gioconda, opera in 4 acts
14 Cielo e mar! 2:25
Pagliacci, opera
15 Vesti la giubba 2:14
Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act
16 O Lola 2:24
17 Non t'amo più, for voice & piano 2:24
18 La Mia canzone, for voice & piano/orchestra 2:23
Adriana Lecouvreur, opera
19 No, più nobile 2:37
20 Luna fedel, for voice & piano 2:22
21 Un Bacio ancora, for voice & piano 3:02
22 Luna fedel, for voice & piano 3:02
L' elisir d'amore, opera
23 Una furtiva lagrima 3:32
Tosca, opera
24 E lucevan le stelle 2:47
Germania, opera
25 No, non chiuder 3:09
Rigoletto, opera
26 La donna è mobile 2:30
Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act
27 O Lola 2:56
The Complete Recordings, Vol.2
Track Listing - Disc 2
1 Tu non mi vuoi più ben, for voice & piano 2:25
Tosca, opera
2 E lucevan le stelle 2:29
Les Huguenots, grand opera in 5 acts
3 Qui sotto il ciel 2:08
Rigoletto, opera
4 Questa o quella 2:11
5 La donna è mobile 2:13
L' elisir d'amore, opera
6 Una furtiva lagrima 5:24
Aida, opera
7 Celeste Aida 3:46
Tosca, opera
8 Recondita armonia 2:36
9 E lucevan le stelle 2:38
Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act
10 Siciliana 2:16
Pagliacci, opera
11 Vesti la giubba 2:30
Manon, opera in 5 acts
12 II Sogno: Chiudo gli occhi 2:41
13 Mattinata ("L'aurora di bianco vestita"), song for voice & piano (or orchestra) 2:07
Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts
14 Mi par d'udir ancor 3:25
Don Pasquale, opera
15 Com'è gentil 3:44
Carmen, opera
16 Il fior che avevi a me 3:38
Les Huguenots, grand opera in 5 acts
17 Bianca al par di neve alpina 3:58
La Gioconda, opera in 4 acts
18 Cielo e mar! 3:30
Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act
19 Brindisi 2:31
Martha, opera
20 M'appari tutt'amor 3:31
La bohème, opera
21 Che gelida manina 4:08
Faust, opera
22 Salut, demeure chaste et pure 4:17
Il Trovatore, opera
23 Di quella pira 1:42
La favorita, opera
24 Romanza: Spirito gentil, ne'sogni miei 3:50
The Complete Recordings, Vol.3
Track Listing - Disc 3
Aida, opera
1 Celeste Aida 3:58
La forza del destino, opera
2 Solenne in quest'ora 4:17
3 Triste Ritorno for voice & orchestra 2:31
4 Ideale for voice & piano (or orchestra) 3:22
L' Africaine, grand opera in 5 acts
5 O paradiso 3:39
Rigoletto, opera
6 Bella figlia dell'amore 3:55
Andrea Chénier, opera
7 Un dì all'azzurro spazio 3:47
Pagliacci, opera
8 Vesti la giubba 3:16
La bohème, opera
9 O Mimi, tu più non torni 3:04
Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts
10 Del tempio al limita 3:25
La bohème, opera
11 O soave fanciulla 3:22
Dom Sébastien, roi du Portugal, opera
12 Deserto in terra 4:21
13 Deserto in terra 3:24
14 Adorables Tourments for voice & orchestra "Valse Lente" 3:50
Rigoletto, opera
15 Bella figlia dell'amore 4:00
Lucia di Lammermoor, opera
16 Chi mi frena in tal momento? 4:03
Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera
17 O quanti occhi fisi 3:39
La bohème, opera
18 Ackho, dolce svegliare alla mattina 3:32
Rigoletto, opera
19 Bella figlia dell'amore 3:44
The Complete Recordings, Vol.4
Track Listing - Disc 4
1 Lolita, serenata spagnola for voice & orchestra 2:57
Rigoletto, opera
2 Questo o quella 2:05
3 La donna è mobile 2:18
Il Trovatore, opera
4 Ah, si ben mio 3:28
5 Ai nostri monti ritorneremo 4:15
Aida, opera
6 Celeste Aida 3:28
7 Pour un Baiser for voice & piano (or orchestra) 2:39
8 Mamma mia, che vo' sapè, for voice & orchestra 3:36
La forza del destino, opera
9 O tu che in seno agli angeli 4:10
Tosca, opera
10 Recondita armonia 2:26
11 E lucevan le stelle 3:02
Aida, opera
12 La fatal pietra 4:20
13 O terra addio 4:07
Die Königin von Saba, opera, Op. 27
14 Magiche note 3:08
Carmen, opera
15 Il fior che avevi a me tu dato 3:46
16 La fleur que tu m'avais jetée 3:47
Les Huguenots, grand opera in 5 acts
17 Bianca al par di neve Alpina 4:05
Il Trovatore, opera
18 Miserere, Ah! che la morte ognora 3:49
19 Miserere, Ah! che la morte ognora 3:44
Martha, opera
20 Solo, profugo, reietto! 4:07
The Complete Recordings, Vol.5
Track Listing - Disc 5
Faust, opera
1 O merveille! 3:37
2 Seigneur Dieu, que vois-je? 4:31
3 Eh! quoi! toujours seule? 4:02
4 Il se fait tard 4:05
5 Eternelle? O nuit d'amour 3:43
6 Que voulez-vous, messieurs? 3:29
7 Mon coeur est pénétré d'épouvante 4:04
8 Attends! Voici la rue 3:11
9 Alerte! Ou vous êtes perdus! 2:49
Germania, opera
10 Studenti! Udite! 2:34
11 No, non chiuder gli occhi vaghi 2:50
Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly), opera
12 Amore o grillo 3:31
13 Non ve l'avevo detto? 3:49
La Gioconda, opera in 4 acts
14 Cielo e mar! 2:52
Pagliacci, opera
15 No! Pagliaccio non son 3:16
Otello, opera
16 Ora e per sempre addio 2:20
17 For You Alone for voice & piano (or orchestra) 2:15
Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act
18 O Lola 2:43
Il Trovatore, opera
19 Mal reggendo 3:39
20 Se m'ami ancor, Ai nostri monti 4:26
21 Goodbye (Addio), for voice & piano or orchestra, C.S. 68 4:25
Aida, opera
22 Già i sacerdoti adunansi 3:37
23 Misero appien mi festi 3:28
The Complete Recordings, Vol.6
Track Listing - Disc 6
Un ballo in maschera, opera
1 Di' tu se fedele 3:02
2 Eternamente (For All Eternity), for voice & piano (or orchestra) 4:37
La bohème, opera
3 Io non ho che una povera stanzetta 3:26
4 Musette! O gioia della mia dimora!, Testa adorata 3:27
Lo Schiavo, opera
5 L'importuna insistenza; Quando nascesti tu 4:14
6 Core 'ngrato (Catari), for voice & orchestra 4:34
La forza del destino, opera
7 Invano, Alvaro 3:57
8 La minaccie i fieri accenti 4:01
L' elisir d'amore, opera
9 Una furtiva lagrima 4:19
10 Canta pe'me, for voice & orchestra 3:22
11 Love Is Mine for voice & orchestra 2:55
Un ballo in maschera, opera
12 Forse la soglia attinse; Ma se m'è forza perdeetti 4:19
Manon, opera in 5 acts
13 Je suis seul; Ah! fuyez, douce image 4:31
Aida, opera
14 Se quel guerrier io fossi; Celeste Aida 4:52
Martha, opera
15 Siam giuinti, o giovinette 3:14
16 Questo camero è per voi!...Che vuol dir ciò? 3:39
17 Presto, presto andiam 3:12
18 T'ho raggiunta, sciagurata!...Dormi pur; ("Goodnight Quartet) 4:30
The Complete Recordings, Vol.7
Track Listing - Disc 7
I Lombardi alla prima Crociata, opera
1 Qual voluttà transcorrere
2 Le Crucifix vous qui pleurez
Lucia di Lammermoor, opera
3 Chi mi frena in tal momento?
4 Tarantella Sincera for voice & orchestra
Rigoletto, opera
5 Bella figlia dell'amore
6 La danza. Tarantella Napolitana ("Già la luna è in mezzo al mare"), for voice & piano (Soirées musicales)
7 Dreams of Long Ago for voice & orchestra
8 The Lost Chord, song for voice & piano
9 Parce que (Because), for voice & piano (or orchestra)
10 Hosanna for voice & orchestra
Manon, opera in 5 acts
11 Manon! On l'appelle Manon
La bohème, opera
12 O soave fanciulla
Don Carlo, opera
13 Domanda al ciel... Dio, che nell'alma infondere
Il Trovatore, opera
14 Se m'ami ancor... Ai nostri monti
15 Pimpinella (The Florence Song), for voice & piano, Op. 38/6
Rigoletto, opera
16 Ella mi fu rapita!... Parmi veder le lagrime
17 Agnus Dei, for voice & piano (or orchestra) (Intermezzo from L'arlésienne Suite No. 2/6, arranged by Ernest Guirard)
Manon Lescaut, opera
18 Donna non vidi mai
19 Ave Maria for voice & piano
20 Élégie: O doux printemps d'autrefois, for voice & piano (from "Mélodies, Vol.1")
The Complete Recordings, Vol.8
Track Listing - Disc 8
1 Lasciate amar, song for voice & piano (or orchestra)
2 Guardann'A Luna for voice, harp & orchestra
3 Your Eyes Have Told Me What I Did Not Know, for voice & piano
4 Fenesta che lucive, song
Stabat mater for 2 sopranos, tenor, bass, chorus & orchestra
5 Culus animam
6 Les Rameaux, for voice & piano (or orchestra)
Cavalleria rusticana, opera (melodramma) in 1 act
7 Addio alla madre
Otello, opera
8 Oh! mostruosa colpa! Sì, pel ciel
9 Don Juan's Serenade, song for voice & piano, Op. 38/1
10 Amor Mio for voice & orchestra
11 Manella Mia for voice & orchestra
12 Les Rameaux, for voice & piano (or orchestra)
13 Trusting Eyes for voice & orchestra
14 Sérénade Espagnole for voice & orchestra
15 Parted!, for voice & piano or orchestra, C.S. 176
Un ballo in maschera, opera
16 La rivedrà nell'estasi
17 Ò scherzo od follia
18 La Partida for voice & piano/orchestra
El Milagro de la Virgen, zarzuela
19 Flores purisimas
The Complete Recordings, Vol.9
Track Listing - Disc 9
La Traviata, opera
1 Act 1. Brindisi: Libiamo, libiamo 3:11
Il Guarany, opera
2 Act 1. Sento una forza indomita 4:34
3 Hantise D'amour for voice & orchestra 3:04
Carmen, opera
4 Act 1. Parle-moi de ma mère 4:49
5 Act 1. Parle-moi de ma mère 4:51
6 La Mia canzone, for voice & piano/orchestra 2:42
7 Pecchè? for voice & orchestra 4:30
8 Cielo Turchino for voice & orchestra 2:39
Requiem Mass, for soloists, chorus & orchestra (Manzoni Requiem)
9 Ingemisco 4:21
Le duc d'Albe (Il duca d'Alba), opera
10 Act 4. Angelo casto e bel 3:50
11 Si vous l'aviez compris (L'avessi tu compresso), for voice & piano (or ensemble) 4:28
12 Sérénades (2) for voice & piano 3:03
13 La procession: Dieu s'avance à travers les champs!, for voice & orchestra (or piano), M. 88 4:28
Le Cid, opera
14 Act 3. Ah! tout est bien fini!; Ô Souverain, ô Juge, ô Père! 4:12
15 Luna d'estate, for voice & piano/orchestra 2:16
16 O sole mio, for voice & piano (or orchestra) 3:26
La reine de Saba, opera
17 Act 2. Faiblesse de la race humaine!...Inspirez-moi, race devine 4:30
18 Mia sposa sarà la mia bandiera for voice & piano (or orchestra) 4:15
Macbeth, opera
19 Act 4. Ah, la paterna mano 3:25
La bohème, opera
20 Act 4. Vecchia zimarra 2:08
21 Cantique de Noël for voice & orchestra "O Holy Night" 4:16
The Complete Recordings, Vol.10
Track Listing - Disc 10
1 Sancta mater, for tenor, chorus & organ 3:38
2 Tiempo Antico for voice & orchestra 3:52
3 Santa Lucia, for voice & orchestra 4:03
4 Why?, song for voice & piano, Op. 6/5 3:05
Eugene Onegin, opera, Op. 24
5 Act 2. Pour moi ce jour eset tout mystère 4:14
6 Chanson de juin, for voice & orchestra, Op. 102/6 4:24
Andrea Chénier, opera
7 Act 4. Come un bel dì di maggio 3:01
Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47
8 Act 3. Vois ma misère, hélas 4:38
Les Pêcheurs de perles, opera in 3 acts
9 Act 1. Je crois entendre encore 4:37
10 Act 2. De mon amie, fleur endormie 2:15
Rigoletto, opera
11 Act 4: Quartet. Bella figlia dell'amore 4:03
12 Act 4: Quartet. Bella figlia dell'amore (alternate take of tenor opening up to mezzo entrance only) 1:30
Lucia di Lammermoor, opera
13 Act 2. Sextet. Chi mi frena in tal momento 3:58
14 Act 2. Sextet. Chi mi frena in tal momento 4:06
Martha, opera
15 Act 3. M'apparì tutt'amor 3:49
16 Musica proibita, for voice & orchestra, Op. 5 3:47
17 Uocchie Celeste for voice & orchestra 4:32
18 L' Alba separa dalla luce l'ombra, for voice & piano (or orchestra) 2:31
19 L' Alba separa dalla luce l'ombra, for voice & piano (or orchestra) 2:32
Néron (Nero), opera
20 Act 2. Ah! lumière du jour 4:03
21 Act 2. Ah! lumière du jour 4:17
The Complete Recordings, Vol.11
Track Listing - Disc 11
1 La Luz de la Luna, for 2 voices & orchestra 4:05
2 Sei Morta Ne la Vita Mia for voice & piano 3:33
3 La Partida for voice & piano/orchestra 4:42
La forza del destino, opera
4 Act III. Nè gustare m'è dato; Sleale! Il segreto fu dunque violato? 4:19
5 Over There 2:57
6 Pietà, Signore! for voice & piano (or orchestra) 4:27
7 A Granada for voice & orchestra 3:48
8 Campane a sera "Ave Maria", for voice & orchestra 3:55
9 Inno di Garibaldi, for voice & orchestra 2:35
10 La Campana di San Giusto, for voice & orchestra (& chorus ad lib) 4:36
11 Le Régiment de Sambre et Meuse 4:16
12 Sultanto a Te for voice & orchestra 3:04
Samson et Dalila, opera in 3 acts, Op. 47
13 Act I. Je viens célébrer la victoire 3:34
L' elisir d'amore, opera
14 Act II. Venti scudi! 4:10
15 A vucchella ("Arietta di Posilippo") for voice & piano (or orchestra) 3:01
16 Vieni sul mar, song 3:34
17 Tu, ca nun chiagne!, for voice & piano (or orchestra) 2:38
18 Addio a Napoli for voice & orchestra 3:18
The Complete Recordings, Vol.12
Track Listing - Disc 12
1 Nina ("Tre giorni son che Nina"), song for voice & keyboard 2:56
2 Premiere caresse, for voice & orchestra 2:49
3 Senza nisciuno for voice & orchestra 2:55
Salvator Rosa, opera
4 Act I. Mia piccirella 3:46
5 Serenata for voice & orchestra, "Memories of a Concert" 3:38
6 Scordame for voice & orchestra 3:10
7 Love Me or Not for voice & orchestra 4:09
Serse (Xerxes), opera, HWV 40
8 Act 1. Ombra mai fu 4:14
9 Noche Feliz for voice & orchestra 2:28
La Juive, opera
10 Act 4. Rachel, quand du Seigneur 4:28
11 I' m'arricordo 'e Napule, for voice & orchestra 4:32
12 Vaghissima sembianza, for voice & piano (or orchestra) 3:15
L' Africaine, grand opera in 5 acts
13 Act 3. Deh, ch'io ritorni 4:05
Amadis, opera, LWV 63
14 Act 2. Bois épais 3:07
15 A Dream for voice & piano (or orchestra) 3:22
Petite messe solennelle, for soloists, 2 pianos, harmonium & choir
16 Domine Deus 4:35
17 Crucifixus 3:18
18 Liberty Forever 3:04
19 My Cousin Caruso 2:49
Germania, opera
20 Studentii, udite 1:57
