Romantic Songs with Italian passion, charm and good-looks!
938926
Though we LOVE Il Volo's music, our live concert experience in Chicago was disappointing--too crowded, couldn't see, stage and theater dark and distracting. So we were THRILLED to see Il Volo SHINE on this DVD! The camera closeups and lighting bring them right to us! The orchestra is great. Their Italian good-looks WOW. Love the added SOLOS for each beautiful voice, and their charming commentaries. The live audience enthusiasm and applause make it all the more exciting! We're planning an Italian Night Dinner Party and showing of the Concert!
P.S. After we received our DVD, we wanted to order more for gifts, but there was a "hold for review of product" from Amazon.  Thankfully now the hold is lifted.
286791
My first mistake was listening to many of the songs on this CD online where the quality was poor.  My second was jumping to the same conclusion many of you did, "too easy listening".  After listening to the CD I've got to revise my first impressions and push my original 3 star rating to 4.  Don't give up on this CD too early, because the strongest numbers come towards the end. Foster surrounds the voice with arrangements that are lush and beautiful as always. It is true that you can picture Bocelli sipping espresso and reading the newspaper while singing some of these, and while good, they are not memorable. However there are many very good to great ones:

Champagne--I perked up with this one.  The first song that gave the CD real promise.

Era gia tutto previsto--Bocelli emerges! I'm a fan of talk singing so this caught me immediately.

La vie en rose--Love it! Beautiful duet and he somehow manipulated his voice to match Piaf's perfectly.

Garota de Ipanema--The first to put a smile on my face throughout the entire song. He sings it exactly how it was intended to be sung. The way my generation first heard it and sung it for weeks afterwards.

Malafemmena--Hello! The sultriest song on the CD.

Il nostro incontro--The most potent combination of singer and musician.  Bocelli and Botti make magic together.

Senza Fine--Great, great song.

Mano a mano--again a great song.

When I Fall in Love--He doesn't stray from the original version on this one either to his credit.  Great match for his voice.

There are other songs that are more than good, but not quite great--Anema E Core, Quizas is catchy but I'm not sure Lopez was the best choice, Corcavado is much better pairing of voices and really enjoyable, Love in Protofino is very good.

I think "Amore" will be the more succesfull of the two CD's because of the upbeat tempo of many of the songs, something "Passione" might have benefited from.  Still "Passione" is well worth the purchase!
1649988
Nice selection of songs, some all English, most half in Italian which I like. For some reason Italian version just sounds more romantic. Jerry Vale always had a nice voice.  I  must admit I only bought it for his rendition of Al Di La because I am unable to find Emilo Pericoli CD.  He is the person who sand it in the movie of Rome Adventure and though several artists performed their version, I believe his is the best.  Jerry Vale does it ok.
1224573
Great song colection with just a few turkeys. A refreshing romantic CD that could teach todays artists what romance is all about. Beware! There is no dirty words on this CD - it doesn't need them to make a point. It's filled with good romantic music.
1497724
The songs are quite beautiful and show off a really tender yet strong and clear tenor voice.

If you're looking for a romantic group of songs, you simply can't go wrong with this.  "Nonchalant" going to "End of the World" and into "Beotia" is really a 1-2-3 knockout.  The Slow Club and Field Trip Buddy are my current favorites but that may change with my mood!

Amazing set of pipes!  I can't wait to hear more from this young talent!
812275
The twelve songs that will delight you in this CD are just a sample of the exquisite repertoire that Jorge offers to his fans with his wonderful work of more than 20 years.
This CD offers "Sin Memoria," La "Chacarera del Olvido," and many other beautiful creations. Above all I like "Luna Vallista." I hear so much potential in it. It awakens very positive emotions for love of homeland, peace, love for nature, and most of all love for life!
Enjoy them all, one by one. Time after time. With time, all of them get better...
2511930
I loved the mix of slow romantic songs with an equal blend of faster
"toe tapping" songs. This is the type of cd's I like to listen too.
1689628
I bought this CD just because I loved Seibben Crudele from the Italian Art Songs book.  It was a gamble and I was "rewarded" with this marvelous work, which is now one of my favorites.
Enjoy!
2389373
This is one of the best  Andrea Bocelli CD's I have ever bought!!! I love the arrangements and find myself humming along. So beautiful and romantic! My favorite song is the theme from Cinema Paradiso, just lovely!
270709
I have just now opened this collection of beautiful ballads, most of them Japanese gems sung in English (mainly). As with all Hayley efforts, this is melodically rich and gorgeously arranged. Hayley's voice, as ever, is delicately delicious; a kissable treat for the ears and spirit. Don't let the brief forays into Japanese or the lack of English song titles scare you off: This CD includes an English lyric booklet, and the soothing gentle beauty of Hayley's voice transcends all languages! The disc opens with a very nice rendition of "Amazing Grace" in English and Japanese. My personal early favorite is track 4, a pleasantly lilting little number which I believe would translate as "White Is The Colour Of Lovers." Get this disc NOW before it disappears---you'll never tire of scrumptious ear candy like this! Love ya, Hayley! :)
4255055
The Bergamot CD is one of Micheal's best. Even though I don't speak Italian, I recognized songs from my youth that I could happily hum along to. It's just perfect for listening to in the car or in my home office, where I can even attempt to sing along in Italian. The music is uplifting and lovely, with some upbeat selections that will get you swaying in your seat. Micheal's beautiful tenor voice is sweet and pleasant. I highly recommend this CD as an excellent choice.
948615
When I think of an Italian male artist, there are several that come to mind...but the one that stands out beyond all of them is Biagio Antonacci!  His vocals and songs are a real treat to listen to.  For those that don't speak Italian (and I recommend that you learn), the music is equally as moving, but understanding the lyrics add to the enjoyment.  Biagio Antonacci should be on everyone's ipod, and if he's not....what are you all waiting for???!!!!
1934959
Anyone who grew up in an Italian family will appreciate these delicious morsels of nostalgia. Musicroni sono buoni! Tante grazie to Steve Pullara and his talented friends for creating this fun-filled collection of Italian-style songs.
3263818
This collection of songs is a must for any lover of latino music!  There is something here for everyone, from the passionate love song to mariachi. One of the many reason I love him is he reminds me of one of my favorite tenors, Mario Lanza, who also sang from the heart.  Merci, grazie, and thanks, Roberto, for this wonderful collection!
2639326
I am delighted to have the opportunity to tell singers about these songs.  Ms. Flanders, Ms. Bellica
and Mr. Adler have created a beautiful collection of songs that incorporate meaning, singability, and
a sense of completeness that is unusual in this realm.  I love singing these songs by myself and with
others and even with the recording.  They are tuneful, sophisticated, deep, revelatory, and just plain fun.
A couple of them will be sung at bedsides of people who are dying with the work of the Threshold Choir.
Bravo!!
4608912
I wholeheartedly agree with those recommending this lively, joyous performance.  Sesto Bruscantini's interpretation as Don Giampaolo Lasagna is wonderfully in line with the Neapolitan commedia dell'arte-like tradition - at times, the singer's recitativo comes close to approaching the comical genius of Italy's beloved silver-screen actor Toto.'
Amazingly, this live recording, taken in 1959, is so much better than many of recent vintage.  Background noise is negligible, and nothing of the music and the subtleties of the interpreters is lost:  if anything, the audience's participation (including an audible car-horn during the first act!) adds a festive freshness to this already great number.
As for the music, Cimarosa needs no introduction.  Le Astuzie has a delicate range of emotions that this great musical dramatist displays - from the diaphanous initial duet to the hearty "Russian dance" at the very end.
Oh, if only Cimarosa's music was taken more seriously in its own country of origin.  If only the Italians would awake from their perennial Verdi/Puccini/Mascagni/Leoncavallo torpor to look back upon the dynamic and rich 18th-century Buffa tradition, how many precious pages we would again be allowed to savor!
3812787
I first heard Alex Britti when my partner and I visited my cousin and his partner in Italy this past summer.  Listening to this collection of his hits brings back
plenty of great memories of being in Italy.  The music is well produced, and his voice is simply superb.  Now if you'll
excuse me, I must turn up Alex on my stereo, make myself the hottest cocktail in Rome (a 'Spritz': Aperol, prosecco, and tonic over ice, with an orange slice), and relax
whilst watching the slideshow of our Italian vacation....