Your favourite aria

[Lilas Pastia]

He's still nonpareil in his late years, witness Asile héréditaire from the EMI Guillaume Tell. The voice is not as liquid as before (the milk has curdled somewhat), but what style and perfect integration of registers in this extremely taxing aria!

[Tsaraslondon]

He's still nonpareil in his late years, witness Asile héréditaire from the EMI Guillaume Tell. The voice is not as liquid as before (the milk has curdled somewhat), but what style and perfect integration of registers in this extremely taxing aria!

I agree. Another one of his best performances. However, before he recorded the complete opera, he had recorded excerpts from the opera (also in French, with, I think, Lombard conducting and Andrea Guiot as Mathilde). It has all the virtues of the later set, but he is in slightly fresher voice. I don't think they've ever been available on CD, naturally having been superseded by the complete recording.

[Lilas Pastia]

I was not aware of an earlier  Gedda Tell (actually a disc of excerpts is all I'd really want ). I only found this intriguing issue (at BRO):

Rossini, William Tell. (Cerquetti, Fischer-Dieskau, Jaia, Modesti, Borelli, Pirino. Milan Radio Orch. & Chorus/ Rossi. Rec.4/56. Also includes Gedda performing excerpts from William Tell)
Add to cart | Price: $ 23.97 | 3 in set. | Country: ITALY | D/A code: Mono | Code: 3MCD 001.216 | BRO Code: 105972 | Label: MYTO
Genre: Opera

[Marc]

Here's another vote for Dido's Lament in Purcell's Dido and Aeneas: When I am laid in earth.

Tragic and heartbreaking.

I prefer this beautiful opera in a recording with period instruments, but I have a weak spot for Tatiana Troyanos' interpretation in her recording with Raymond Leppard.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Basically anything that emanates from Benvenuto Cellini. Though I might single out Teresa's Entre l'amour et le devoir / Quand j'aurai votre age.

[Sarastro]

Ah-ah-ah! My favorite are both Queen's of the Night, from the second one my introduction to opera began...even now I feel inspired listening to it. Though there are a lot of other ones...still I prefer complete operas.

[Lilas Pastia]

Sarastro, did you listen to Edda Moser as Queen of the Night?

[Sarastro]

I did. First I didn't like it, but still very nice rendition, vivid. 

[Great Gable]

This

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPdWDWmNzMo

Although Price's singing in Karajan's full opera is the one I go for.

[knight66]

Assuming I am allowed more than one; my next in line is the Letter Scene from Eugene Onegin. When well performed, it conveys such vulnerability, youthful worries and passions. A large canvas allowing the singer and conducter a lot of elbow room for interpretation.

That flexibility, which is inbuilt, is something I like in certain arias. In contrast, how many way are there to sing Vissi d'arte?

Mike

[Lilas Pastia]

This

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPdWDWmNzMo

Although Price's singing in Karajan's full opera is the one I go for.

Same here. She makes me turn to jelly every time. The way she makes those long high lying phrases soar and seem almost suspended up there is phenomenal.