Monteverdi: 1st Opera Cycle

I came to this set prepared to give it 3 or maybe stars. It is, after all, easily one of the oldest recordings available and these operas have been recorded many times since, but, just as he did with his groundbreaking Bach cantata series, Harnoncourt delivers really a timeless reading. It's really a remarkable achievement.

This was the first recorded cycle of Monteverdi’s 3 surviving operas. Nikolaus Harnoncourt shows here why he was one of the great conductors of the postwar era. As a pioneer of HIP (Historically Informed Performance), Harnoncourt maintains appropriate tempi and balance throughout. All admirers of composer, conductor, or HIP Opera need to have this in their collection.

all 3 of the main monteverdi operas in the performances i grew up w/, at less than ½ of what i paid for them a year or so ago. they are still eternally young. it could have been better w/ the original documentation, but that/s our complaint inn the cd world (monitored is an amazon misspelling). + cathy berberian/s single disc makes this a must have

Great price, but the 'Poppea' is a disappointment - the lead voices are not HIP enough for me.

Todo bien

GREAT QUALITY

Todo ok

オルフェオは20年くらい前にMDにレンタルしたものを（ガーディナー指揮だったと思う）愛聴していたが、MDを扱う機材が壊れたので、また聴きたいと思って、アマゾンで見かけたので買った。　例の『処女マリアの晩課』の冒頭でも聴けるモンテヴェルディの必殺技みたいなテーマ曲がオルフェオでもあるのだが、このアーノンクール指揮のものを聴いたときは、最初、こんなに稚拙な演奏でいいのか？と思った。　ただ、しばらく聴いていると評価は変わった。アーノンクールが目指したのは古代の演劇の復元ではないのかと。つまり演奏があまり流暢でないのもその効果を狙っているからではないか。　録音は60年代の後半だが、リマスタリングしてあるので音質面で不満はなかった。

Nicholaus Harnoncourt cycle of Monteverdi's operas is still among the best recordings available. Harnoncourt's intelligence and finesse of emotions leads to outstanding performances from his soloists. The sound is still fresh and vibrant. This box set is a bargain.