Getting at Handel's operas and oratorios

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

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Bulldog

Quote from: Coopmv on October 04, 2009, 12:20:59 PM
I do not have any of her recordings yet.  Any recommendation besides this DVD?

This one on the Coro label is excellent.

Elgarian

Quote from: Coopmv on October 04, 2009, 12:20:59 PM
I do not have any of her recordings yet.  Any recommendation besides this DVD?

I've seen her live, singing Romeo in Bellini's I Capuleti, and she was wonderful - but in Cesare she somehow defines her character in a thoroughly unforgettable way and it must be close to her finest hour. Close my eyes, and I see her as Giulio - the look, the attitude, the voice.

I'm not as fond of her Handel collection as Bulldog is, but this is just a matter of personal preference. I have her recording of Dido & Aeneas (Purcell), which seems pretty good - though it's not a work I know well.

Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on October 04, 2009, 01:22:53 PM

I'm not as fond of her Handel collection as Bulldog is, but this is just a matter of personal preference. I have her recording of Dido & Aeneas (Purcell), which seems pretty good - though it's not a work I know well.

It looks like Sarah Connolly has mainly recorded for the Coro label, which has yet to make its way into my collection ...    ;D

DavidW

Oh I've made this order to get more Handel operas and oratorios (and a few other goodies)

Quote from: DavidW on October 06, 2009, 03:46:15 AM
I didn't know about these bargain sets before-- Handel Edition.  6 cd set of goodies conducted by Harnoncourt.



And 6 cd set of goodies conducted by Christie, who also conducted Orlando on the bd that I watched.



8)

Any thoughts on these recordings? :)

Elgarian

#664
Quote from: DavidW on October 06, 2009, 02:03:31 PM
Oh I've made this order to get more Handel operas and oratorios (and a few other goodies)
Any thoughts on these recordings? :)

I have that Alcina/Orlando box, David (one of my first Handel opera purchases in my Handel opera explosion of this last year). I don't have any other versions to compare them with, but I suppose that's because I've enjoyed these so much that I haven't felt the need to get alternatives (yet!). In fact, these contributed to my vague notion, early on, that Christie might be able to walk on water. The Alcina is notably packed with stars of course (and I seem to recall that it's been criticised for a certain lack of unity arising from that), but I haven't noticed any problem in that respect, and it contains some tremendous singing - Natalie Dessay being particularly wonderful at the closing of Act I.

The downside is that there are no librettos in the box, though there's a link to them online. But 6 CDs of Christie & Handel at this low price is a snip no matter what way you look at it.

DavidW

That's a strong endorsement!  Awesome! :)  I'll just have to find the libretti online and print them out in advance. :)

DarkAngel

I have 4 of those boxsets extremely cheap........the ones to get first are by William Christie. (like one you show)

Then get any Gardiner, Minkowski boxes........
Harnoncourt would not be the first choice for Handel opera or oratorio, but at these prices can't go too wrong



DavidW

Thanks Dark Angel, that will help guide me in purchasing future box sets if these prove to be satisfactory. :)

Elgarian

David, that Christie Acis & Galatea is one of my very favourite Handel recordings (the singing by Daneman and Petibon is as delectable as anything I know), and the Theodora is very fine, too. I have them in their original issues (ie with librettos in a booklet), but again, you really cannot go wrong with that cheap box with both of them in it. No need to hesitate, not at all.

DavidW

Coolness!  The box sets are averaging about $15 per for 6 cds, so I won't hesitate if I like the christie box that's on it's way.  The blowitoutahere store that I bought the other two from uses priority mail which is even more encouragement to order more. :)

Elgarian

Quote from: DavidW on October 07, 2009, 07:40:11 AM
The box sets are averaging about $15 per for 6 cds
Unbelievable! Do those guys have cheap gold and diamonds for sale, too?

DavidW

Quote from: Elgarian on October 07, 2009, 07:51:28 AM
Unbelievable! Do those guys have cheap gold and diamonds for sale, too?

Yeah it's pretty sweet isn't it? :)

Coopmv

Quote from: DavidW on October 07, 2009, 07:40:11 AM
Coolness!  The box sets are averaging about $15 per for 6 cds, so I won't hesitate if I like the christie box that's on it's way.  The blowitoutahere store that I bought the other two from uses priority mail which is even more encouragement to order more. :)

I discovered blowitoutahere a few months ago and have been buying a good number of CD's from that store.  It has certainly blown away the Amazon's prices for sure ... 

DavidW

Quote from: Coopmv on October 07, 2009, 07:07:03 PM


I discovered blowitoutahere a few months ago and have been buying a good number of CD's from that store.  It has certainly blown away the Amazon's prices for sure ... 

I think I saw you or someone else talking about it awhile back, but the name was so funny that I thought that a joke was being made! :D

DarkAngel

#674
Quote from: DavidW on October 07, 2009, 07:40:45 PM
I think I saw you or someone else talking about it awhile back, but the name was so funny that I thought that a joke was being made! :D

I think I mentioned many pages back that I purchased all 4 of my Handel boxsets from Amazon USA seller "blowitoutahere" for $15-17 each. Not only are they extremely cheap but shipping is very fast with great packaging........A+++ seller

These are great introductions to these works and some versions still hold up quite well, however the baroque performance bar has been raised greatly in last 10 years and there are sometimes great new performances available that surpass these versions..........unfortunately a costly upgrade to entertain since a single new opera/oratorio boxset costs more than these entire 6CD sets  :o

Coopmv

Quote from: DavidW on October 07, 2009, 07:40:45 PM
I think I saw you or someone else talking about it awhile back, but the name was so funny that I thought that a joke was being made! :D

George and I both bought the Martha Agerich's The Collection 2 - the Concertos
from blowitoutahere at a great price.  I also bought a number of other sets at great prices, though I did not get any of the Handel's sets there.  I got most of the Handel's sets at MDT.

Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on October 03, 2009, 09:07:25 PM
In short, you need:



BTW, was this opera staged in traditional (i.e. historically informed) costumes?  

Elgarian

Quote from: Coopmv on October 09, 2009, 06:04:34 PM
BTW, was this opera staged in traditional (i.e. historically informed) costumes?  

The setting is transposed into a roughly late 19th century period, but although I am extremely resistant to these sort of period adjustments (the much-acclaimed Glyndebourne Theodora, for example, is quite spoiled for me), in the case of Giulio Cesare, everything is done so perfectly that I'm completely won over. There are plenty of excerpts on Youtube, Coop, so you can get some idea of the sort of thing it is.

The new erato

Slightly OT; but I still think it is appropriate for us Handel lovers. Hyperion is reissuing this a a Dyad:



Coopmv

Quote from: Elgarian on October 10, 2009, 12:33:41 AM
The setting is transposed into a roughly late 19th century period, but although I am extremely resistant to these sort of period adjustments (the much-acclaimed Glyndebourne Theodora, for example, is quite spoiled for me), in the case of Giulio Cesare, everything is done so perfectly that I'm completely won over. There are plenty of excerpts on Youtube, Coop, so you can get some idea of the sort of thing it is.

I have my misgivings for these non-historical "transposition" in the staging of an opera.  I guess this trend was started when the Wagner Ring recorded by Pierre Boulez back in the 80's when he cast the Rhinemaidens as a bunch of prostitutes with some 19th century smokestack setting.  I am just too old-fashioned to appreciate such non-traditional approach.        ???