Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios

Started by Tancata, July 10, 2007, 01:25:37 PM

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Coopmv

The following set arrived yesterday.  I hope to get to it some times this weekend.




Coopmv

Now playing the first opera Rodrigo from this set.  Anyone has heard this recording and cares to share some insights?


DarkAngel

Quote from: Coopmv on August 15, 2009, 10:09:01 AM
Now playing the first opera Rodrigo from this set.  Anyone has heard this recording and cares to share some insights?

I did comment on it just a couple posts back #595   ::)

I found it a quite booring performance.......hard to believe the same conductor did the excellent Radamisto from same set

Coopmv

Quote from: DarkAngel on August 15, 2009, 03:11:00 PM
I did comment on it just a couple posts back #595   ::)

I found it a quite booring performance.......hard to believe the same conductor did the excellent Radamisto from same set

On balance, Rodrigo was a little dry.  The solo singing was reasonably good.

DarkAngel

Overall the Curtis boxset was a mild disappointment.......even at the low price

My final short scorecard of the operas:

very good - Radamisto
good - Fernando, Deidamia
below average - Admeto, Arminio
dud - Rodrigo

The bar has been raised very high recently for baroque performance and several operas here just don't make the grade.
Radamisto is wonderful and the newer Archiv label work by Curtis like Alcina are likewise very good, so I think the key
for Curtis is stick to his newer performances

DarkAngel

Quote from: Coopmv on August 15, 2009, 03:21:13 PM
On balance, Rodrigo was a little dry.  The solo singing was reasonably good.

Somehow I think you are just being too nice, sometimes you have to seperate the wheat from the chaff  :D

Coopmv

Quote from: DarkAngel on August 15, 2009, 03:33:40 PM
Somehow I think you are just being too nice, sometimes you have to seperate the wheat from the chaff  :D

You live and learn.  Even as I started collecting Handel operas over 20 years ago, it is still a subgenre that I feel I am less familiar with than with oratorios ...

Elgarian

Quote from: DarkAngel on August 15, 2009, 03:31:47 PM
Overall the Curtis boxset was a mild disappointment.......even at the low price
My final short scorecard of the operas:

very good - Radamisto
good - Fernando, Deidamia
below average - Admeto, Arminio
dud - Rodrigo

for Curtis is stick to his newer performances

I see the price of the set is sinking steadily lower - last one I saw was almost half the price I paid.

I'm still lagging behind I'm afraid - Radamisto is terrific, I agree; Deidamia was fine, I thought. But I'm now rather reluctant to try Rodrigo in the light of these comments, particularly when I'm enjoying other Handel pieces so much. I've been listening again to this, for instance:



This is now one of my very favourite Handel recordings. The marvellous tunes just never stop coming; the singing is superb, and there are moments so moving that I'm tempted to think music doesn't ever really get any better than this. So, what with this, and the recent Aci/Galatea/Polifemo revelation, and the early cantatas, the operas are getting neglected just now.

Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on August 18, 2009, 12:27:26 AM
I see the price of the set is sinking steadily lower - last one I saw was almost half the price I paid.

I'm still lagging behind I'm afraid - Radamisto is terrific, I agree; Deidamia was fine, I thought. But I'm now rather reluctant to try Rodrigo in the light of these comments, particularly when I'm enjoying other Handel pieces so much. I've been listening again to this, for instance:



This is now one of my very favourite Handel recordings. The marvellous tunes just never stop coming; the singing is superb, and there are moments so moving that I'm tempted to think music doesn't ever really get any better than this. So, what with this, and the recent Aci/Galatea/Polifemo revelation, and the early cantatas, the operas are getting neglected just now.

This is an excellent recording.  I zipped through the set a tad too fast ...

Coopmv

Now playing the first opera Radamisto from this set.  Ezio should be in the shopping cart once I am through with listening to this set ... 




Coopmv

#610
Now playing the third opera Admeto from this set.  I actually find this opera quite delightful.  I also have had the LP version of the same recording for over 20 years.




Coopmv

So it is Marc Minkowski vs. Alan Curtis.  Who comes out on top, we can have a vote?  I personally prefer Alan Curtis ...

DarkAngel

Quote from: Coopmv on September 13, 2009, 07:26:14 AM
So it is Marc Minkowski vs. Alan Curtis.  Who comes out on top, we can have a vote?  I personally prefer Alan Curtis ...

The new Alan Curtis that records for Archiv label certainly sounds much better to me than the old version of Alan Curtis represented by many operas in the Virgin boxset........the standout exception being Radamisto which was easily the best performance of the Virgin boxset for me.

So my answer in general is:

new Curtis/Archiv > Minkowski > old Curtis/Virgin


Coopmv

Quote from: DarkAngel on September 13, 2009, 07:42:24 AM
The new Alan Curtis that records for Archiv label certainly sounds much better to me than the old version of Alan Curtis represented by many operas in the Virgin boxset........the standout exception being Radamisto which was easily the best performance of the Virgin boxset for me.

So my answer in general is:

new Curtis/Archiv > Minkowski > old Curtis/Virgin



The only full-length Handel's opera by Marc Minkowski I own is Giulio Cesare.  While the latter is a nice recording, it suffers from a lack of credible comparison.  The only other version I have is the verson by Karl Richter on LP.  At any rate, Minkowski's Messiah is NOT particularly well received.  OTOH, I now have quite a few Alan Curtis' recordings.  I have supplemented a few of his Handel's operas on LP with the Virgin's box, Tolomeo, Floridante and Rodelinda.  Alcina and Ezio will probably be next. 




Coopmv

How do you folks, my fellow Handel's admirers, like this set?  I already have the set by William Christie, but what the heck?


DavidW

Netflix is shipping what will be my first experience with Handel's operas--



Any particular thoughts on this opera and this performance?  I will get to enjoy it in high definition with dts-hd ma soundtrack.  Big step up from the last time I watched an opera... which was on vhs! ;D

Elgarian

Quote from: Coopmv on September 19, 2009, 06:00:45 AM
How do you folks, my fellow Handel's admirers, like this set?  I already have the set by William Christie, but what the heck?


Sorry Coop - I only have the Christie set. I'd like to know your opinion though, when you've listened to it.

Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on September 19, 2009, 08:28:47 AM
Sorry Coop - I only have the Christie set. I'd like to know your opinion though, when you've listened to it.

No problems Elgarian.  This probably won't happen until I am through with listening through a bunch of Renaissance CD's currently on order.

DarkAngel

#618
Quote from: DavidW on September 19, 2009, 07:30:42 AM
Netflix is shipping what will be my first experience with Handel's operas--



Any particular thoughts on this opera and this performance?  I will get to enjoy it in high definition with dts-hd ma soundtrack.  Big step up from the last time I watched an opera... which was on vhs! ;D

Netflix is a good source to view opera DVD before purchase...........amazing how expensive opera DVDs are, so pays to be sure they are
going to please you

Be very careful with modern versions of baroque opera, they can sometimes be strange bizarre affairs that leave you shaking your head.
Haven't seen the Orlando you show, but best Handel opera DVD I have seen is: (also available at Netflix)


DavidW

Quote from: DarkAngel on September 20, 2009, 04:43:48 PM
Be very careful with modern versions of baroque opera, they can sometimes be strange bizarre affairs that leave you shaking your head.

I was wondering about that! :D  They don't change the music though right?  I'm hoping that it's kind of along the lines of those WWII-esque Shakespeare adaptations. :-\

QuoteHaven't seen the Orlando you show, but best Handel opera DVD I have seen is: (also available at Netflix)



I'll put it on my que! :)  I started this renting opera business because Ross' book inspired me to watch Salome, and I also put Orlando on the que too, and just happened to have them ship at the same time. :)