L'elisir d'amore
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L'elisir d'amore
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Narrated by:
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David Timson
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By:
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Thomson Smillie
About this listen
L’elisir d’amore, or The Elixir of Love, has remained popular for almost two centuries because of a touching tale and a galaxy of comic characters adapted from the traditional commedia dell’ arte. Above all Donizetti poured into the score all the warmth and tenderness of the Italian temperament. His melodic invention never ceases to charm whether in the jolly rustic choruses, the exhilarating ‘patter’ numbers, or the sweet sadness of the beautiful arias, of which "Una furtiva lagrima", the great tenor showpiece, is the best known.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2003 Naxos AudioBooks (P)2003 Naxos AudioBooksListeners also enjoyed...
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Editorial reviews
Thomson Smillie’s series Opera Explained is an ingenious and enchanting production that makes opera accessible to listeners of all types. In this edition, Smillie helps listeners achieve a higher understanding and appreciation for the comic opera L’elisir d’amore, by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti. By mixing the beautiful pieces of music from the opera with Smillie’s insightful and entertaining examinations - performed expertly by veteran narrator David Timson - listeners are given the opportunity to enjoy a beautiful example from one of the more unapproachable forms of art.
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Deep dive into The Godfather
- By C.F. on 08-28-24
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Beat the Devil
- By: David Hare, Donald Katz - Introduction
- Narrated by: David Hare
- Length: 1 hr and 10 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 86
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 77
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Story4 out of 5 stars 77
In the spring of 2020, as the world grappled with the deepening coronavirus pandemic, acclaimed British screenwriter and playwright David Hare was struck down by the virus himself. With brutal honesty, sharp humor, and his trademark insight, the renowned writer of modern classics like Skylight and Plenty brings us into his own experience battling the bizarre and terrifying symptoms of Covid-19.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Masterful weave of the personal and political
- By Trevor M. on 10-26-24
By: David Hare, and others
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The Energy Curfew Music Hour
- By: Chris Thile, Claire Coffee, Punch Brothers
- Narrated by: Chris Thile, Punch Brothers
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 32
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 30
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Story5 out of 5 stars 30
It’s time to unplug with the Grammy-winning Punch Brothers, fronted by singer-mandolinist Chris Thile, as they bring you a multi-episode musical variety show with dazzling musical guests, like Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell, Jon Batiste, Norah Jones, James Taylor, and many more.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Gifted musicians and storytellers right in their element and at the height of their powers
- By Megan G Kahl on 10-27-24
By: Chris Thile, and others
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Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon
- Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops, and the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
- By: David McGowan
- Narrated by: Bill Fike
- Length: 14 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 826
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 693
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Story4 out of 5 stars 696
The very strange but nevertheless true story of the dark underbelly of a 1960s hippie utopia. Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and early 1970s was a magical place where a dizzying array of musical artists congregated to create much of the music that provided the soundtrack to those turbulent times. But there was a dark side to that scene as well. Many didn't make it out alive, and many of those deaths remain shrouded in mystery to this day.
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5 out of 5 stars
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My first review. This book changed me.
- By Robert on 06-30-19
By: David McGowan
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Song of the Northwoods
- By: Jessica Huang
- Narrated by: Michele Selene Ang, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Emma Kikue, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 48 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 3,899
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 3,574
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Story4 out of 5 stars 3,563
After a betrayal at work costs Song Kuan her job, she retreats to her friend Lucy’s idyllic family cabin on a lake in Minnesota to lick her wounds. She devotes herself to recording Ice Cold Cases, a true-crime podcast that she and Lucy cohost with the gleeful energy of obsessed fans—until an anonymous tip about a missing-person case disrupts their equilibrium. Then Lucy disappears, leaving Song alone in an unfriendly and unfamiliar town where locals don’t take kindly to strangers asking questions.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Asians in MN! I loved it. The vivid sounds of Northern Minnesota totally took me there, and I was hooked into the mystery.
- By Sheila Morris on 04-26-22
By: Jessica Huang
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A Streetcar Named Desire
- By: Tennessee Williams
- Narrated by: Carla Gugino, Audra McDonald
- Length: 2 hrs and 52 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,229
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,086
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,078
With Emmy, Grammy, and six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as Blanche DuBois alongside Carla Gugino as Stella, O’Hara takes a fresh and visceral look at the emotionally charged relationship between these two iconic sisters. Haunted by her past, Blanche seeks refuge with Stella and Stanley (Ariel Shafir) in New Orleans, where she wrestles with the nature of her sister’s husband, her sister’s denial, and her own unraveling mind.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Classic With Fresh Insight
- By Talia Shafir on 12-04-20
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Sorry for Your Loss
- By: Michael Cruz Kayne
- Length: 1 hr and 23 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,305
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,207
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,205
A sidesplitting, heartrending look at life—and death. This powerfully personal production, recorded live from the Minetta Lane Theatre, cuts through the platitudes, directly reaching out to anyone who has ever experienced loss—or will. So...everyone.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A Must Listen for the Grieving
- By Chris on 09-25-23
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Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,068
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,840
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,836
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
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Farewell Yellow Brick Road
- Memories of My Life on Tour
- By: Elton John, David Furnish - foreword
- Narrated by: Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 13
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13
Farewell Yellow Brick Road is a celebration of Elton John's record-breaking, globe-spanning farewell tour—from Allentown to Auckland, from Sydney to San Francisco. Featured concerts include Elton’s dazzling performances at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium in November 2022, the finale of which streamed live on Disney+. Fans will be treated to a behind-the-scenes glimpse into every aspect of these spectacular shows, including Elton’s legendary touring wardrobe by Gucci, the set design, official photography, and more.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Elton is Still Standing...better than ever!
- By Richard Lopez on 11-06-24
By: Elton John, and others