Any fans of this gorgeous Verdi opera? Favorite recordings? Do you prefer the original (1857) or the more well-known revised Boccanegra Verdi did with Boito? I have to confess I haven't even heard the 1857 version. I trust that the revised version is superior and it definitely is one of my favorite italian operas of all time. When I first discovered Boccanegra I started by reading the plot summary and libretto. And it immediately gave me a feeling that I'm going to love this opera, before I had heard even a note from the score. And sure enough, I did. Paolo, the villain, is well rounded in the revision, Boito gave much more flesh around a character that was originally a rather thin caricature of a meddling politician. I adore the opening, that noble, tenderly flowing melody gives me the chills. Not to mention gorgeous sea-music prelude to act 1, glorious council chamber scene, many wonderful ensembles and gravely touching send-off to the bad guy of the opera.
I love this Verdi opera too, and have two recordings of it. The magnificent Abbado/La Scala version on DG and the earlier one under Santini, worth hearing for the contributions of Gobbi, Christoff and De Los Angeles.
I don't really know the original version, but most commentators agree that the revisions elevate the opera into one of Verdi's greatest, so I've never felt the need to hear the original version. I also feel that Verdi's final thoughts on the piece should be respected. One of those operas, where Verdi's humanity is evident in almost every bar.
I really like Abbado's (the first one I heard) and Solti's (probably my favorite) recording.
It is one of my favourite operas; the story does take a bit of getting your head round and there are a lot of low male vocal parts which can cause confusion if you are not following carefully. The tenor role is secondary, rather as in Nabucco. Greg and I shadow one another again, the same two recordings, the only two I have of the piece.
I don't know the earlier version; but I have not read that it might be Worthy of revival.
That opening to Act 1 is magical and the soprano aria following it is very beautiful. It is surprising that it is not better known as a concert piece or on recital discs.
I have seen it twice in London, contrasting productions and each worked well. It is another of Verdi's operas where he explores the father/daughter relationship to the full. The councl chamber scene is another great highlight with one of Verdi's best ensembles. I find the ending a bit muted and undramatic. Perhaps I should look for other than drama in it.
I can hear snatches of the music going through my head: pprobably time I gave it a spin.
Mike
Quote from: Alberich on January 11, 2016, 09:10:18 AM
I really like Abbado's (the first one I heard) and Solti's (probably my favorite) recording.
I don't really know the Solti that well, but I have something of an antipathy to Solti in Verdi, finding his conducting un-lyrical, quite often brash and bombastic. I can't stand his
Aida, despite its excellent cast and he ruined Gheorghiu's
La Traviata for me (and I did see it in the theatre.
Quote from: knight66 on January 11, 2016, 09:46:32 AM
I find the ending a bit muted and undramatic. Perhaps I should look for other than drama in it.
Mike
Funnily enough, I really like that muted, quiet ending. I think it's one of his finest.
Quote from: Alberich on January 11, 2016, 07:05:34 AM
Not to mention gorgeous sea-music prelude to act 1, glorious council chamber scene, many wonderful ensembles and gravely touching send-off to the bad guy of the opera.
I particularly love the big ensemble in the Council Chamber scene, and the quartet in the final scene with its syncopated soprano line.
I do have recordings of the original/alternate versions of many of Verdi's operas, including
Boccanegra. I was just listening to the original
Traviata yesterday. The revision's definitely an improvement.
The Abbado's the only recording of the revised version I've ever owned, first on LPs, then on CD.
I have to admit the ending was bit of an anti-climax (probably one of my only minor scruples with this opera).
I couldn't find any Callas connection with Boccanegra except when she was tutoring Willard White at Juilliard in 1975, in the aria, "Il Lacerato Spirito". Does anyone know otherwise?
Quote from: zamyrabyrd on January 12, 2016, 06:17:04 AM
I couldn't find any Callas connection with Boccanegra except when she was tutoring Willard White at Juilliard in 1975, in the aria, "Il Lacerato Spirito". Does anyone know otherwise?
She never sang any of the music from it. I think that Masterclass is just about all you will find.
I think that all lovers of a) this opera b) great conducting c) great singing owe it to themselves to hear the live recording from the Metropolitan conducted by Ettore Panizza in 1939 with Lawrence Tibbett in the title role, Rethberg, Martinelli, Pinza and Warren. The sound on the cheapo Cantus issue (about 5€ or so) is not much but you soon forget its inadequacy; I believe there is a refurbished version by Caniell on Immortal Performances that sounds much better. The Abbado recording offers a more nuanced and subtle performance (and recording, naturally) but the Panizza blows your mind if you aren't turned off by the sound quality.
Quote from: Alberich on January 12, 2016, 04:56:16 AM
I have to admit the ending was bit of an anti-climax (probably one of my only minor scruples with this opera).
And yet I love its quiet, resigned ending. Am I the only one?
Quote from: Greg Mitchell on January 12, 2016, 08:40:13 AM
And yet I love its quiet, resigned ending. Am I the only one?
You are not.
A comparison/contrast opera you might be interested in is Leoncavallo's I Medici. Not the quiet ending, but more than a few things that reminded me of Boccanegra. I have the recording on DG which includes Domingo. It maybe the only recording available...and was, I think, Domingo's last recording as a tenor.
Quote from: Greg Mitchell on January 12, 2016, 08:40:13 AM
And yet I love its quiet, resigned ending. Am I the only one?
There is much inventiveness in it and I definitely wouldn't say I dislike it. It's just not as good as the rest of the opera, IMO.
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on January 12, 2016, 09:01:08 AM
You are not.
A comparison/contrast opera you might be interested in is Leoncavallo's I Medici. Not the quiet ending, but more than a few things that reminded me of Boccanegra. I have the recording on DG which includes Domingo. It maybe the only recording available...and was, I think, Domingo's last recording as a tenor.
Thanks for the tip. I don't know it at all. I'll have to seek it out.
Quote from: Alberich on January 12, 2016, 09:24:43 AM
There is much inventiveness in it and I definitely wouldn't say I dislike it. It's just not as good as the rest of the opera, IMO.
But I can't see it ending any other way. I think it's perfect for teh opera.
Quote from: mjwal on January 12, 2016, 08:36:22 AM
I think that all lovers of a) this opera b) great conducting c) great singing owe it to themselves to hear the live recording from the Metropolitan conducted by Ettore Panizza in 1939 with Lawrence Tibbett in the title role, Rethberg, Martinelli, Pinza and Warren. The sound on the cheapo Cantus issue (about 5€ or so) is not much but you soon forget its inadequacy; I believe there is a refurbished version by Caniell on Immortal Performances that sounds much better. The Abbado recording offers a more nuanced and subtle performance (and recording, naturally) but the Panizza blows your mind if you aren't turned off by the sound quality.
I found two editions of this performance on Spotify, neither illustration of the covers give the name of the issuing company, but one sounds very much more vivid than the other. I will listen to it this week, I sampled it and noticed the pest with so many older live performances, the prompt is picked up by the microphones, I will have to try to ignore him, but what a cast, thanks.
Mike
I saw this magnificent opera in Lyon last year. What I found facinating was the historical aspects of the opera: an insurrection outside the aristocratic circles capable to seize power over the noble families that held Genova power. Here is a U-tube excerpt of this production
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0fPV3QnINI&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0fPV3QnINI&feature=youtu.be)
and the description of the production
http://v.calameo.com/?bkcode=000904682220b26652c3b (http://v.calameo.com/?bkcode=000904682220b26652c3b)
I do not own any recording/DVD of this opera and would be quite interested by some suggestions...
Welcome Spineur, I think that the safest recommendations have been mentioned above. The Abbado is terrifically well conducted and has very good singers in it and good sound. The old EMI version has three amazing singers, Gobbi, Christoff and Victoria de los Angeles. The sound is in mono and the conducting is less dramatic. I would not want to be without either set of discs.
Mike
Quote from: knight66 on January 18, 2016, 10:27:13 AM
Welcome Spineur, I think that the safest recommendations have been mentioned above. The Abbado is terrifically well conducted and has very good singers in it and good sound. The old EMI version has three amazing singers, Gobbi, Christoff and Victoria de los Angeles. The sound is in mono and the conducting is less dramatic. I would not want to be without either set of discs.
Thanks a lot ! I am always amazed to see that one has to go back nearly forty years to find a good recording even for operas that are regularly produced around the world...
Quote from: Spineur on January 18, 2016, 11:24:01 AM
Thanks a lot ! I am always amazed to see that one has to go back nearly forty years to find a good recording even for operas that are regularly produced around the world...
Studio recordings are less frequent these days. A generation ago I can recall that the recording industry stuffed out a Caballe opera set about three times a year. No tenor now will exceed Domingo on the variety and duplication of sound recordings of his roles. But I suppose that instead there is a growing array of DVDs. Although I have a fair few, I don't keep up with them in the way I did and do with sound recordings. Productions seem to go out of date quickly and I have made a number of mistakes with DVDs; for instance, the Levine Don Carlo, like a slighly animated waxwork. I might well have enjoyed it as a sound recording, but on screen I did not manage to get to the end of it.
If you do want a DVD of the Boccanegra, I would avoid the Domingo, he is no baritone. I imagine others here have a better grip on the DVD array.
Mike
Quote from: knight66 on January 19, 2016, 12:15:16 AM
If you do want a DVD of the Boccanegra, I would avoid the Domingo, he is no baritone. I imagine others here have a better grip on the DVD array.
Mike
I'm no fan of Solti, as you know, Mike, but I seem to remember the Covent Garden production of the opera, with Alexandra Agache as Simon and Te Kanawa at her peak as Amelia being quite good.