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Andrea Bocelli - Sacred Arias / Myung-Whun Chung

Price: ~~$18.98~~

Sale: $9.36

Manufacturer: Philips

Description: When he was growing up, Andrea Bocelli recalls finding inspiration in a favorite recording of sacred music performed by tenor legend Franco Corelli. Bocelli--who in the meantime has come to inspire millions of fiercely loyal fans himself--returns to the genre as the guiding theme of Sacred Arias, the release of which coincides with the first English-language biography of the singer. These performances are filled with the singer's phenomenally well-known vocal signature: his flair for long, sweetly floating high notes and the gentle sense of cadence he brings to a melody. It's a mistake to compartmentalize Bocelli into a singer of "operatic" versus "popular" styles: in truth his approach is at heart the same. Lack of color and control in his phrasing remains a drawback, but the emotional empathy Bocelli evokes is never in doubt. The arias collected here sample some of the most famous devotional pieces: Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Mozart's transporting "Ave Verum," as well as an arrangement of "Silent Night" in which Bocelli tries out his English. There's also a decidedly odd choice of bedfellows for a program of "sacred" music, such as a song from Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder (whose "angel" is the object of an overpoweringly erotic attraction) and Handel's figurative ode to a tree, "Ombra mai fu." Still, Bocelli sings with an unfeigned directness that is sure to expand his already enormous following even further. --Thomas May

Pavarotti Forever

Price: ~~$17.98~~

Sale: $9.81

Manufacturer: Decca

Description: For millions of people all over the world Luciano Pavarotti literally IS classical music. This outstanding collection of popular oprera arias and duets, sacred songs, and Neapolitan favourites is drawn from the finest recordings Luciano Pavarotti has made during an unparalleled career, and presents the definitive profile of one of the most important voices of all time. From "La Donna e mobile", "O sole mio" and "Torna a Sorriento" to Christmas classics "O Holy Night" and "Panis Angelicus", including, of course, his celebrated "Nessun Dorma". Bonus duets with Andrea Bocelli ("Notte e piscatore"), Cecilia Bartoli ("Cherry Duet") and Frank Sinatra ("My Way") included. Universal. 2007.

The #1 Opera Album

Price: ~~$17.98~~

Sale: $9.80

Manufacturer: Decca

Description: The labels that are now gathered under the Universal Classics umbrella have a pretty impressive scorecard in the area of classical compilations. We've seen The Greatest Opera Show on Earth, The Yellow Guide: Classical Music, Best of the Millennium, and now there's The No. 1 Opera Album. But that's no surprise, since Universal has some of the finest interpreters in its catalogue to draw from. This two-CD set (at the price of one), for example, brings together the likes of Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Luciano Pavarotti, Kiri Te Kanawa, Sir Georg Solti, Herbert von Karajan, and many more. Yet the other key to a successful compilation is canny anthologizing, and here again, you have a nice selection to give you a smattering of opera's heavyweights from the Italian, German, and French repertory (there's even a step outside the standard framework with an aria from Dvorák's lovely Rusalka). Ranging from 1959 to 1997, the choices from back catalogue will doubtless be the entry ticket for many into this grandest of the arts. --Sarah Chin

The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!

Price: ~~$18.98~~

Sale: $9.49

Manufacturer: Angel Records

Description: You want relaxing classical music that'll soothe your soul but won't lull you into sleep? Here's a double CD for you. The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World ... Ever! does its best to cover both well-worn classical favorites (Bach's "Air on the G String," Pachelbel's "Cannon," Debussy's "Clair de Lune") and some eclectic left-field choices (an excerpt from Górecki's Symphony No. 3, Jocelyn Pook's "Blow the Wind," and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The performances of most of these excerpts are top-notch--artists include Sir Neville Marriner, James Galway, Jacqueline du Pré and the Philadelphia Orchestra--and there's enough variety here for everyone. --Edward Garabedian

Tuscany: A Romantic Journey

Price: ~~$15.99~~

Sale: $11.64

Brand: SOMERSET ENTERTAINMENT

Manufacturer: Avalon

Description: Take a romantic journey across the fabled landscape of Tuscany with these beautiful, orchestral recordings of Italian classics. Instrumentation includes an orchestra.