Seeking Marriage Advice--Marriage of Figaro that is

[Moonfish]

Avoid Jacobs. The recitatives are great, but it is lacking in a number of different areas. I have the Currentzis winging its way to me, so I will only be able to give you impressions on that until after I get it.

The Bohm, though not my favorite, is very fine. Personally, I enjoy Solti the most. It's a starry cast, and they sing brilliantly. It's this one:
[asin]B0000041OU[/asin]

+1

Great choice Neal!  I adore Frederica von Stade in her role as Cherubino and Kanawa is wonderful as the countess. Both can be seen in this staged version from Glyndebourne (LPO/Pritchard) and it is enchanting even though the sound is dated. Von Stade's performance is brilliant. Too see hear engage so passionately in her role is worth the price of admission.

[asin] B0002JYAG4[/asin]

Here she is...   

https://www.youtube.com/v/x66UhqsLa7U

[ritter]

Von Stade's performance is brilliant. Too see hear engage so passionately in her role is worth the price of admission.

Here she is...   

https://www.youtube.com/v/x66UhqsLa7U

Indeed, von Stade was a wonderful Cherubino. I was lucky enough to see her live in the role in Chicago in 1987, and she was superb!!! What a great artist....

[Moonfish]

Indeed, von Stade was a wonderful Cherubino. I was lucky enough to see her live in the role in Chicago in 1987, and she was superb!!! What a great artist....

Ahh, I am so jealous..... 
Still, I am glad you got a chance to see her. I guess we have to catch the live concerts/performances as often as we can! 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Clearly because even if it is a classic, it is hardly the last word as far as Figaro is concerned. And that, because IMHO there is no such thing as "the last word" for a work of this caliber.

Hmm...I'm not sure I really see that as "classic", though. I see that more as "being one of many with good qualities".

In the present context I've always thought of "classic" as "a cut above", or having distinguishable features that separate something from the pack. 

If our friend JLR becomes fascinated by this opera (as I have been for many years now, and hope he does too), then he possibly might want to seek out other approaches to it. If he doesn't, then he'll have gotten to known the piece via a top quality (both as far as the conductor and vocalists are concerned), "mainstream" performance...

Yes, "mainstream", but not "classic" in the sense I just described.

Curious: you find Böhm sluggish, I think it is very theatrical (but with no flashy excesses)...another feature that makes it a "classic" 

I would think that any opera recording by definition is going to have something of the theater to it. So, looking at it that way, I think it's fair to say that Böhm is in good company!

[ritter]

Well, Dancing Divertimentian, I'd go so far as to say that Böhm is several cuts above most of the competition  , and this recording's status as a "classic" is almost universally accepted  . What makes it outstanding is the great singing (Janowitz, Fi-Di, Prey, Troyanos and Mathis, all in top form), the perfect pacing (coupled with the orchestral warmth) Böhm brings to the score, and the wonderful feeling of ensemble.

But it must be clear to JLR by now: I adore this recording, you don't seem to care foe it that much. Vive la difference! 

[amw]

I adore Frederica von Stade in her role as Cherubino

I forgot about her. Yes, Non so più and anytime Kiri does anything are the main reasons to listen to the Solti version. I don't like Lucia & the boys, but it's quite possible the Glyndebourne cast would be even less to my taste... then again it is staged... so whatever.

(PSA: Get operas on DVD! 2 hours of recitative on CD is a massive waste of time! )

[jlaurson]

Ditto. My suggestion, JLR, would be to sample both Currentzis and Jacobs before making a decision.

[asin]B00CE26AU6[/asin][asin]B0001HZ728[/asin]


PS. Welcome to the forum!

My two choices, too. Currentzis has some of the most terrific duets and other select moments...  but Jacobs might still rank a wee bit ahead of it in my estimation. In any case, you certainly can't go wrong with either of these, if the rockin' style of that generation suits you. Was on my "Best of" list, ten years ago, and still stands proud. http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2004/12/best-recordings-in-2004.html

[king ubu]

Giulini on vinyl is totally wonderful - on CD I didn't like it much, sounded way too flat. I guess he has the best women, easily.

But Kleiber and Böhm I like a lot, too.

As far as HIP goes, Gardiner is my favourite, I think. Jacobs hasn't grabbed me much, the Currentzis is ... well, it's great and it sounds gorgeous and the orchestra playing is marvellous - but all in all, vocally it sounds a bit too even if that makes sense. Little that is truly exceptional, but nothing that's really bad either.

Haven't yet listened to Davis and Klemperer yet ... and I think a Karajan one from EMI is here too, but hasn't left much of a mark - though I *always* love the singing when this classic (ha, there we go again!) Vienna Mozart ensemble is in place! (Just wish EMI had picked Furtwängler over Karajan.)

[mjwal]

I think a Karajan one from EMI is here too, but hasn't left much of a mark - though I *always* love the singing when this classic (ha, there we go again!) Vienna Mozart ensemble is in place! (Just wish EMI had picked Furtwängler over Karajan.)

I have never listened to any modern recording of Nozze, though I have often seen it on the stage (in fairly modern sound ), but I do love my historical live recordings viz. Reiner (1950), Rosbaud (1955) and, you will be pleased to hear, Furtwängler (EMI Salzburg 1953) - though it is in German. Only Schöffler as the Count is a downer, Schwarzkopf, Seefried and Güden are at their best. Very remarkable despite the mediocre live recording.

[Marc]

Solti's my fave, it's been a desert island box to me for already (almost) 30 years.

It's a true folle journée, thanks to this intense conductor and his great cast. I don't only love Kiri and Frederica (the latter is brilliant as Cherubino) but also my fave all-time lyrical soprano Lucia Popp as Susanna  (her recitatives are so good, and listen to her in the duets with Marzellina (Jane Berbié) and the count. Samuel Ramey is also great as Figaro without overacting (his 'Non pìu andrai' is great; it feels as if I'm Michael Kelly listening to Francesco Benucci ), Thomas Assen is a superb count (sounding like a young virile and jealous, which I think is appropriate), Kurt Moll is spot on for Bartolo, et cetera. And all those stars of the 1970s/1980s mingle beautifully in the ensembles.

[Mandryka]

Solti's my fave, it's been a desert island box to me for already (almost) 30 years.

It's a true folle journée, thanks to this intense conductor and his great cast. I don't only love Kiri and Frederica (the latter is brilliant as Cherubino) but also my fave all-time lyrical soprano Lucia Popp as Susanna  (her recitatives are so good, and listen to her in the duets with Marzellina (Jane Berbié) and the count, Samuel Ramey as Figaro (his 'Non pìu andrai' is great; it feels as if I'm Michael Kelly listening to Francesco Benucci ), Thomas Assen as a superb count (sounding like a young virile and jealous, which I think is appropriate), Kurt Moll as Bartolo, et cetera. And all those stars of the 1970s/1980s mingle beautifully in the ensembles.

I agree with a lot of this - the Solti Figaro (and Magic Flute) is outstanding, I like Kiri and Ramey,and Popp - these must all three be amongst the best 20th century Mozart singers.

[Marc]

I agree with a lot of this - the Solti Figaro (and Magic Flute) is outstanding, I like Kiri and Ramey,and Popp - these must all three be amongst the best 20th century Mozart singers.

Is that Solti's 1969 or 1991 Zauberflöte?
Personally, I prefer the latter for its freshness (and for Ruth Ziesak), although Sumi Jo is a bit flat as the Queen of the Night.

(Sorry, off topic.)

[jochanaan]

Karl Boehm is a great Mozart conductor, and the cast is certainly all-star for the time.  My personal favorite, however, was made back in the 1950s (in surprisingly "modern" sound) by Erich Kleiber, the Vienna Philharmonic and another all-star cast including Cesare Siepi as Figaro and Lisa della Casa as the Countess.  It sounds lively and spontaneous, but every detail is perfect; very exciting!

[mc ukrneal]

Just to update, I have managed to listen to two new (to me) Figaros. In sum:
Currentzis: weak singing, though some enjoyable orchestral playing
Gardiner: A bit more mainstream. The voices are mostly on the ok to good side, except Bryn Terfel who was outstanding.

[kishnevi]

I forgot about her. Yes, Non so più and anytime Kiri does anything are the main reasons to listen to the Solti version. I don't like Lucia & the boys, but it's quite possible the Glyndebourne cast would be even less to my taste... then again it is staged... so whatever.

(PSA: Get operas on DVD! 2 hours of recitative on CD is a massive waste of time! )

Hmm, on DVD...I like these two stagings.   The Zurich version is minimally modernized( at least one Amazon review seems to refer to a different production), the Sellars (which I saw years ago as a PBS broadcast) is more overt, but the Sellarsizations cohere into a sensible whole, at least for this opera.


On CD, a definite thumbs up to both the Solti and the Jacobs.

[JohnH]

JLR, you could try this one for contrast with the more 'traditional' readings , a startling and lively interpretation from Rene Jacobs.

[Gurn Blanston]

JLR, you could try this one for contrast with the more 'traditional' readings , a startling and lively interpretation from Rene Jacobs.

Agreed; my favorite so far.   

[Sean]

I know the work from the Solti but though a solid recommendation some of the beauty and coherence eludes him.

[DaveF]

Jacobs for me - and if you fancy getting this:

[asin]B005BZBY1I[/asin]

which is quite a good price on Amazon UK at the moment, it's in there - and that would double the size of your collection in one go!

[DavidA]

Figaro the best performances:

The old Glyndebourne one under Gui is a classic with Bruscantini a great Figaro

Erich Kleiber conducts a good cast superbly but seems a little slow sometimes by today's standards. But this is a classic

The Guilini has a dream cast but somehow is lacking in humour.

Karajan live 1974 has another dream cast and is a crackerjack performance but the sound is not first class. Just how much more vital HvK could be in the theatre

Karajan studio of the same period was a major disappointment - von Stade said that the maestro was in a mood and treated the cast like a bunch of kids. Sadly it shows!

Jacobs with period instruments is a fantastic performance which really sets the piece as the ground breaking, anti-establishment, subversive work that it is. The cast is great and Jacobs always illuminating.


So although I enjoy all the Figaros I have, the final choice has to be Rene Jacobs.