Maria Callas, Pavarotti, Cara O'Sullivan and Sarah Brightman - which CD's to buy?

Yorky

For someone who knows nothing about classical music, could someone please recommend the best albums (in their opinion) from the above-mentioned artists?

Doshea3

The recording that jumps to mind when I think of Maria Callas has to be the version of "Tosca" recorded with Tito Gobbi and Giuseppe di Stefano under Victor de Sabata: for me, nobody else could be Tosca except Callas. However, I don't know whether or not you'd be willing to jump straight into the full opera or not, so there are some collections like "Ultimate Maria Callas" (or something similar) for someone who wants a general selection of gems. (I haven't heard any of these, so I can't recommend any.)

Pavarotti is an easier one for me: I have two excellent compilations, "Luciano Pavarotti" on the Eloquence budget label, and "Pavarotti: The Ultimate Collection", a slightly dearer choice. The Eloquence collection is a good one for starters, since it has some well-known arias and duets as well as some lesser known ones, all for a very small price (€4.99 last time I saw it). The "Ultimate Collection" is a double CD containing all sorts of Pavarotti classics from all genres (from operatic classics to Neapolitan songs, and even "My Way" sung in duet with a very old Frank Sinatra), but its price tag is a little bit steeper, at roughly €30. I'd recommend both strongly, though.

Cara O'Sullivan is a fabulous singer, but apart from hearing her live, I've never come across a CD of hers. Perhaps the Lyric FM label might have something? (In fact, I think she might feature on the recent release "Four by Four", if I'm not mistaken.)

Sarah Brightman is someone else I don't have on CD, though I do have an old tape of her singing Lloyd Webber's Requiem with Placido Domingo. (The piece has its moments—think of the famous and beautiful "Pie Jesu", and the very rhumba-esque "Benedictus"—but wouldn't be a great favourite of mine.)

Hope that helps somewhat.