Fantasy Fantasia

Advantages: Great voice, ballads
Disadvantages: Not enough ballads, not finished article.

...**Introduction** Fantasia Barrino is yet another success story in the history of American Idol. The North Carolina native made a name for herself during the Third season of the show back in 2004. You may not have known this but she comes from quite a musical family with her cousins Cedric and Joel Hailey of KCI & JoJo and Jodeci fame and also distant cousin of Dave Hollister of Blackstreet fame and solo singer Calvin Richardson. Fantasia had a tough life as a teenager and whilst a student at Andrews High School in High Point she was raped by a classmate and her life took on another challenge when she got pregnant at sixteen (not related) she raised the child on her own after her partner used to beat her. **American Idol** Fantasia impressed from the first audition In North Carolina with her unique vocal style and her infectious...

jcneil 30.08.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Fantasia - Fantasia

Could Walt Disney have done better on the Fantasia?

Advantages: Comfortable cabin and good food
Disadvantages: Staff were not trained or supervised enough

...Cruising to Alaska was such a wonderful experience that my husband decided he would like to cruise to the Northern cape of Norway, and after surfing the net he discovered we could sail from England and avoid the problem of the weight of luggage, especially as this was an 12 day cruise. The ship was called the MSC Lirica. I have to admit I hadn?t heard of MSC cruises but whilst cruising we noticed several MSC container ships. But after having booked I soon learned a lot more as we get at least one email a week! There are 11 cruise ships that I now know of and they cruise to Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Ocean voyages, North and South America, Caribbean and South Africa. Through one of these emails offering pay only £1 for the 2nd passenger we booked a Mediterranean cruise on MSC Fantasia, the newest ship in their fleet. What MSC...

jo145 04.05.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of MSC Fantasia

Melodious Mozart, perfectly played

Advantages: Excellent performances in a perfect setting
Disadvantages: Very minor quibbles

...Background: When it comes to prodigious over-achievers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has to be placed somewhere at the top of the list. Despite his tragically short life from 1756-1791, his musical creativity has assured him of eternal fame as long as human civilisation performs Western classical music. But when one considers Mozart's background, one can understand where his genius came from. His father Leopold Mozart was a virtuoso violinist whose treatise on violin playing is still a standard read for any aspiring violin student today. It is also worth considering how things might have been different had female instrumentalists been able to pursue a professional career as adults - as his beloved sister Nannerl was no mean keyboard player, but obviously once she became an adult it was not really considered the done thing for her...

Maestrolover 26.02.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Mozart: Violin Sonatas (DVD)

Fantastic Fantasia!

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

...This is one of Walt Disney's most famous films and well worth watching. I fist saw this film as a young child, and it had not lost it's magic when I watched it recently with my own children! It has a lovely mix of beautiful music and brilliant animation. Who could forget the marching brooms and the big, fat and pink hippos; and last but not least Mickey Mouse in his most funny role as The Sorcerer's Apprentice - getting up to all his usual tricks! Fantasia is a fantasic and unforgettable film for everyone in the family and would highly recommend it....

ElaineHosie332 29.08.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Fantasia (DVD)

Modern Minimalist Mozart

Advantages: Origami-like sets, costumes, bold basic colors; Mozart's music, all sung beautifully.
Disadvantages: Un-PC elements may cause unease in modern audiences.

...Opera-haters may just succumb to the charms of this delightful stage version of 'The Magic Flute', Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's popular opera. Created in that highly disciplined world of specialized vocal and instrumental music and theatre, it remains among the lightest in the genre. The story amounts to little more than a children's tale with the usual elements of heroism, love, revenge, forgiveness, etc. Ah, but the most aurally pleasing music of Mozart elevates it to a higher plane. From Arthaus Musik DVD comes this modern, minimalist and playful production of Mozart's final operatic work, 'The Magic Flute / Die Zauberflöte', perfomed live on 26 August 1992 at the Ludwigsburger Schloßfestspiele. Basic Plot Premise. Our hero, Prince Tamino, is rescued from a giant serpent by the Three Ladies of the Queen of the Night. The Queen...

zerbine28 01.09.2003 (02.09.2003) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Mozart's The Magic Flute (DVD)

GLORIOUS MOZART

Advantages: One of the finest casts ever
Disadvantages: Mono Sound, that's all

...MOZART - COSI FAN TUTTE - KARJAN EMI PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS REVIEW SO I CAN IMPROVE MY REVIEWS IN THE FUTURE!!! When critics line up the best available recordings of Mozart's superb comic opera "Così fan tutte" two recordings are almost invariably up there, Karl Böhm's second recording from 1962 (EMI - Stereo) and Herbert von Karajan's recording from 1954 (EMI - Mono). The remarkable Elisabeth Schwarzkopf is present in both recording as the charming Fiordiligi. I prefer her fresher voice in 1954 but she, like the other artists in the Böhm recording, benefit from the fresh stereo sound. One of the glories of the gramophone is Schwarzkopf, Merriman and Bruscantini in "Soave sia il vento" - simply breathtaking as regards phrasing, beauty of tone and the organic feeling to the ensemble. Giuseppe Taddei (Böhm) and Rolando Panerai (Karajan...

operalover2000 05.04.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Mozart: Così fan tutte

Mozart Symphonies 40+41

Advantages: Beatuful redentions of highly celebrated works
Disadvantages: Would be nicer with a broader selcetion on disc

...Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a household name, even among non-classical music lovers - he is - for many - the definition of music. This CD houses 2 works by the genius - Symphony No.40 in G minor and Symphony No.41 - Jupiter. Mozart wrote No.40 after the death of his infant daughter - this is potrayed immediatly through the minor key in which the piece begins in. It later modulates to a major key which denotes his hopefulness of moving on and closing the bereavement door. The piece culminates in a repetition and develoment of the 1st section to reiterate his pain and sorrow. Symphony No. 41 was completed just 1month after no.40, in the summer of 1788. It is nicknamed ' The Jupiter Symphony' due to its power and percieved size, particularly in the finale, where a memorable theme is heard alongside with others that have featured...

pdillon91 04.08.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Mozart: Symphonies

Timeless Mozart, it isn't

Advantages: smooth taste, no one flavor too overpowering
Disadvantages: goes bad 6 months after opening even in the fridge and it must be refrigerated

...For someone who loves chocolate like myself, and is also enamored by the music of Mozart, finding this liqueur was a fantasy for me. So, when I found myself in Schipol's Duty Free with some extra Kroner (yes, it was a long while back) to get rid of, I headed for the liqueurs. There, on the shelf was a gold foil covered bon-bon shaped bottle that touted the word "MOZART". It was then I knew I had to make this dream into a reality. (Remember, this was a while ago, and I don't remember if it was expensive or not - but I think it was reasonable, at the time.) When we got it safely home, we had to open it up and give it a try. What we found was a creamy beige colored liquid with a mixture of chocolate, almond, kirsch and alcohol scents. We took out our special liqueur glasses and filled up. Now, normally, I'm not much...

TheChocolateLady 25.07.2002 (10.02.2004) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Mozart Original Salzburger Chocolate Liqueur

That One Off American Idol (The 2nd Time Around)

Advantages: Lots of big tunes
Disadvantages: One weak track

...Fantasia (Barrino) released her self-entitled second album in 2006. It found that the third American Idol winner progressing with her music as she goes from the typical Soul material, more towards the more contemporary R&B field here as she dropped this sophomore record which was aimed towards a more diverse audience. 1. ?Hood Boy? The album start with what I saw as the best single from the singer up to that point as she came with this as the first single of the album as she shows that she is capable of much more than what her first record offered with this one getting her doing things in the style that was seen on Destiny?s Child?s ?Soldier? with her working with Big Boi of OutKast about the type of men she?s into (and how the rapper fits this description). **Five Stars** 2. ?When I See U? This one for me was just as strong as...

XICripZ 25.08.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Fantasia - Fantasia

Melting in soft surrender to Mozart

Advantages: Fun, comic, lyrical
Disadvantages: Sung in italian

...The Composer Wolfgang Amadus Mozart was born in Salzburg on the 27th January 1756. A child protegy, he began composing from a very early age. He was at ease writing in every genre of music but it was in opera that Mozart?s chief passion lay. He composed Don Giovanni in 1787 whilst in Prague. The Music Don Giovanni is a comic opera dealing with the contemporary tensions of class and sex. Giovanni is a Spanish nobleman with an insatiable desire for sexual conquests. The scene is Seville, Giovanni arrives masked persued by Donna Anna who he has tried to seduce. Her father hears her cries and is killed in a duel by Giovanni. The music falls into a dramatic silence followed by a trio of male voices baritone and bass which combine to express the sadness and shock of the death. Ultimately Giovanni is consigned to eternal damnation in...

MAFARRIMOND 05.05.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Mozart: Don Giovanni (Hlts)