Bel Canto

[Anne]

I had not known that Bellini had composed I Capuleti ed i Montecchio.  What are your favorite cd's or DVD's of that opera?

[Tsaraslondon]

I had not known that Bellini had composed I Capuleti ed i Montecchio.  What are your favorite cd's or DVD's of that opera?

Anne, I always enjoyed the live Muti from Covent Garden with Edita Gruberova and Agnes Baltsa. Gruberova is not one of my favourite singers, but here is quite exquisite as Giulietta and Baltsa is at her mid career best, even more thrilling live than in the studio. The recording is on EMI.



However EMI have, tucked away on their Gemini label, an almost forgotten recording, conducted by Giuseppe Patane, with Beverly Sills and Janet Baker, and with Nicolai Gedda as Tybalt. I believe this to be the very best of Sills's recorded bel canto heroines, the gentler demands of the role being much more suited to her vocal instrument than all those Tudor queens she enjoyed playing. Baker is perhaps an unexpected choice, but, like Baltsa, her voice is at its mid career peak, and she has a Lieder singer's care for detail and shading. Of course we shouldn't be so easily surprised, as one of Baker's greatest triumphs was in the role of Maria Stuarda, which is one of the roles she chose for her farewell operatic year. Gedda's tone is a little hard and uningratiating, but this suits the somewhat unsympathetic character of Tybalt. Patane conducts with more warmth than Muti, if with less dramatic thrust. There have been more modern recordings since (Netrebko and Garanca on DG, and Kasarova and Mei on BMG), but neither really tempts me. For my money, and I'm probably stirring up a can of worms here, Netrebko can be a rather un-musical singer and Mei's tone is too pallid, though I do admire both Garanca and Kasarova elsewhere.

[Anne]

Thanks, Tsaras.  Thanks also for displaying the CD's.  I can get the correct spelling of the opera.

[Elgarian]

Anne, I always enjoyed the live Muti from Covent Garden with Edita Gruberova and Agnes Baltsa. Gruberova is not one of my favourite singers, but here is quite exquisite as Giulietta and Baltsa is at her mid career best, even more thrilling live than in the studio. The recording is on EMI.

Curious, this. I bought the EMI Muti version myself some time ago, and found the recording quality so unsympathetic that no matter how I tried, I could hardly bear to listen to it - the sound is hard and dry, and (to my ears) distinctly unpleasant. So eventually I gave up trying and bought the Abbado/Kasarova version, which seemed like opening a window in a stuffy room, by comparison:

[Tsaraslondon]

Curious, this. I bought the EMI Muti version myself some time ago, and found the recording quality so unsympathetic that no matter how I tried, I could hardly bear to listen to it - the sound is hard and dry, and (to my ears) distinctly unpleasant. So eventually I gave up trying and bought the Abbado/Kasarova version, which seemed like opening a window in a stuffy room, by comparison:

The sound on the EMI is not sympathetic, I admit. It was, in fact, something of a rush job. There had been no plans to record it, but the performances had been so good, and had received such unanimous praise in the press, that EMI decided to record it for posterity. Personally I'm glad they did. Gruberova, not a singer I usually capitulate to, is at her very finest, easily outclassing the rather pallid Eva Mei on the RCA, and Baltsa was at her absolute peak at the time. Still, as I said above, I rather prefer the earlier EMI set with Sills in what I still aver is her finest recorded bel canto role and Janet Baker as the best of all recorded Romeos.

[zamyrabyrd]

Re: Gruberova, I'd like to chime in with some praise. Recently "Rigoletto" was Mezzo TV with the Pav (1983) where she was wonderful as Gilda. Noteworthy was the "Caro Nome" where she effortlessly smiled and sighed through the runs, no indication at all that this was "coloratura".

ZB

[DarkAngel]

Curious, this. I bought the EMI Muti version myself some time ago, and found the recording quality so unsympathetic that no matter how I tried, I could hardly bear to listen to it - the sound is hard and dry, and (to my ears) distinctly unpleasant. So eventually I gave up trying and bought the Abbado/Kasarova version, which seemed like opening a window in a stuffy room, by comparison:

I enjoy this version also, lets not forget Ramon Vargas as Tebaldo, very nice modern sound.

In addition after seeing the new La Traviata DVD with Anna Netrebko, I felt compelled to get her new 2CD version:

[DarkAngel]

While we are on Bellini..........
What are the preferred I Puritani recordings other than Callas, looking for best modern sound version.......

Sutherland
Sills

[Anne]

I have the Sutherland/Pavarotti version of I Puritani and love it but have not heard the Sills version.  There is finally a DVD of I Puritani; I have waited 10 years for that.

[Tsaraslondon]

While we are on Bellini..........
What are the preferred I Puritani recordings other than Callas, looking for best modern sound version.......

Sutherland
Sills

I remember that the Sutherland, Caballe and Callas versions of I Puritani were all re-issued at around the same time and John Steane reviewed them in Gramophone. After trying an objective assessment of the three recordings, finding that all had their virtues, and indeed all had their faults, he decided that the only way to decide on the best was to fall back on good old prejudice and go with personal preference for the singers. I have always rather enjoyed Caballe's performance with the classily stylish Alfredo Kraus as Arturo, but, it has to be admitted that Muti can be a little straight laced, and we get none of the vocal fireworks, heard in the Sutherland and Callas sets. However, if you're looking for a choice between Sutherland and Sills, I'd go for Sutherland, in prime voice at this time. Pavarotti too is at his best.

[DarkAngel]

I remember that the Sutherland, Caballe and Callas versions of I Puritani were all re-issued at around the same time and John Steane reviewed them in Gramophone. After trying an objective assessment of the three recordings, finding that all had their virtues, and indeed all had their faults, he decided that the only way to decide on the best was to fall back on good old prejudice and go with personal preference for the singers. I have always rather enjoyed Caballe's performance with the classily stylish Alfredo Kraus as Arturo, but, it has to be admitted that Muti can be a little straight laced, and we get none of the vocal fireworks, heard in the Sutherland and Callas sets. However, if you're looking for a choice between Sutherland and Sills, I'd go for Sutherland, in prime voice at this time. Pavarotti too is at his best.

Decca has been cruel to us, the Sutherland (II) version above is still full price 3CD set and very expensive new or used.
As you say Sutherland & Pavarotti in thier prime is hard to top, surely this will soon be part of reduced price opera series.....

Sills has nice partner in Gedda for Westminster release at reduced price, I am late to the party only recently collecting a few of her famous performances

[DarkAngel]

Regarding Bellini's Norma..........

How does this 1973 studio Sills performance compare to the Callas & Sutherland versions?
Price is very reasonable.......modern sopranos are afraid to tread where eagles dare and very few perform
this opera

[Tsaraslondon]

Regarding Bellini's Norma..........

How does this 1973 studio Sills performance compare to the Callas & Sutherland versions?
Price is very reasonable.......modern sopranos are afraid to tread where eagles dare and very few perform
this opera

No way is Sills a Norma. The voice is simply too light and soubrettish. But even Sutherland doesn't really challenge Callas's hegemony in the role of Norma. On the two occasions on which Norma was the subject of BBC Radio 3's Building a Library programme, the critics (a different one on each occasion), ended up making a final choice between the two Callas studio versions, though they each made different choices. My personal preference is for a live La Scala performance from 1955 (with Simionato and Del Monaco). Of the studio performances, I prefer the later stereo set. Though Callas is certainly more fallible vocally, her characterisation is deeply rewarding, and the singing of Corelli and Ludwig is preferable to that of her colleagues on the earlier mono set.

Caballe, another appreciable Norma, is also caught better live (from Orange, with Jon Vickers as Pollione), and this performance is on DVD.

[DarkAngel]

My personal preference is for a live La Scala performance from 1955 (with Simionato and Del Monaco). Of the studio performances, I prefer the later stereo set. Though Callas is certainly more fallible vocally, her characterisation is deeply rewarding, and the singing of Corelli and Ludwig is preferable to that of her colleagues on the earlier mono set.

Ah yes the "La Divina" label version as I recall for 1955 Callas 

Some of the early comments for the Sills/DG at Amazon do question her ability to fully render Norma, seem more impressed by
Shirely Verrett's performance.........

[DarkAngel]

While we are on Bellini..........
What are the preferred I Puritani recordings other than Callas, looking for best modern sound version.......

What is the use of wasting time on a modern performance Puritani.......

I found this very good sound quality 1949 youtube of Callas aria "Vien diletto" had to listen to the final run several times to
make sure I wasn't dreaming this mythical Elvira up.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhCgiNGt6gM

[Tsaraslondon]

What is the use of wasting time on a modern performance Puritani.......

I found this very good sound quality 1949 youtube of Callas aria "Vien diletto" had to listen to the final run several times to
make sure I wasn't dreaming this mythical Elvira up.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhCgiNGt6gM

Ah yes, this is one of those legendary recordings, and is probably the reason Callas is closely associated with the role of Elvira, though she sang the complete role only very rarely. It is also the recording I would play to anyone, who had yet to fall under the Callas spell, it so clearly sums up all her virtues; the musicality, the perfection of her legato, the accuracy, with which she performs the music.

I once heard a well know opera producer say that, when he listened to this one aria in this one performance, it actually made him quite sad, as he knew that he would never hear anything quite so great live, and in his lifetime. I confess I can't imagine any other singer bettering it, let alone equaling it.

[DarkAngel]

Ah yes, this is one of those legendary recordings, and is probably the reason Callas is closely associated with the role of Elvira, though she sang the complete role only very rarely. It is also the recording I would play to anyone, who had yet to fall under the Callas spell, it so clearly sums up all her virtues; the musicality, the perfection of her legato, the accuracy, with which she performs the music.

I once heard a well know opera producer say that, when he listened to this one aria in this one performance, it actually made him quite sad, as he knew that he would never hear anything quite so great live, and in his lifetime. I confess I can't imagine any other singer bettering it, let alone equaling it.

Callas EMI performance of I Puritani complete opera finds her in great form, but this 1949 sample above is in another higher more exaulted catagory, if only there was a complete 1949 Callas Puritani with same good sound quality, does one exist somewhere?
Or was this just taken from a recitial?

[Tsaraslondon]

Callas 1953 EMI performance of I Puritani complete opera finds her in great form, but this 1949 sample above is in another higher more exaulted catagory, if only there was a complete 1949 Callas Puritani with same good sound quality, does one exist somewhere?
Or was this just taken from a recitial?

This is one of her very fist recordings, made for Cetra in 1949, when Callas was just 25, and first issued on 78s. She also recorded the Libestod from "Tristan und Isolde (sung in Italian), and Casta Diva, and its cabaletta from Norma.

[DarkAngel]

This is one of her very fist recordings, made for Cetra in 1949, when Callas was just 25, and first issued on 78s. She also recorded the Libestod from "Tristan und Isolde (sung in Italian), and Casta Diva, and its cabaletta from Norma.

Great info........seems she performed the complete opera Puritani earlier that year 1949 in Venice with Serafin conducting.
Prior week in Venice with Serafin gave 4 performances of Wagner Die Walkurie

http://www.callas.it/english/performances.html

[Père Malfait]

Ah yes, this is one of those legendary recordings, and is probably the reason Callas is closely associated with the role of Elvira, though she sang the complete role only very rarely. It is also the recording I would play to anyone, who had yet to fall under the Callas spell, it so clearly sums up all her virtues; the musicality, the perfection of her legato, the accuracy, with which she performs the music.

Indeed! To fully appreciate this performance, one should really follow along with the score. Callas' ability to fully capitalize on EVERY interpretive opportunity (agogic accents, tenuto, portato, etc.) while still maintaining *absolute fidelity* to the score is an object lesson in total, intuitive musicianship.

And this from an organist/harpsichordist whom some would classify as a HIP performer! 

BTW, this "Qui la voce" is my favorite recording of anything, ever. So much so, in fact, that it is stipulated in my will that it alone is to be played at whatever memorial observances are held after my death. An odd choice, perhaps, for someone whose own musical life is so far removed from the Italian bel canto tradition; but to me it is the very essence of music itself, and a notional ideal that I have always striven, in my own performances, to achieve.