What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[ritter]

Cross-posted from the WAYLTN thread

THREAD DUTY:

Inevitably...

[asin]B002PZDL54[/asin]
Act III

This recording, conducted by Armin Jordan, is the soundtrack to the beautiful and enigmatic film of Parsifal by Hans-Jürgen Syberberg. It hasn't received many accolades, but I'm fond of it, finding the conductor handling of the score quite admirable, and the singing first-class. Then, there's sentimental reasons: I was blown away by Syberberg's film when I saw it in the cinema in London when it was first released there in 1983, and then—almost 30 years later—attended a live performance in Bayreuth of the Stefan Herheim production, conducted by Armin's son, Philippe Jordan (one of the greatest theatrical evenings I've ever experienced, and one in which there was an uncanny, magical coincidence with the film regarding both conductors—father and son).

EDIT:
In a score that is overflowing with wonders, I'm always struck by a small passage, which may go by unnoticed, but is IMHO one if the most poetic moments in the history of opera, Parsifal's lines at the end of the Good Friday scene (just before the transformation music): "Ich sah sie welken, die einst mir lachten; ob heut sie nach Erlösung schmachten? Auch deine Träne ward zum Segenstaue; du weinest! Sieh! Es lacht die Aue!".

[Florestan]

(Cross psoted from the WAYL2N thread)

First listen to this opera:



Act I.

A delightful work, full of melodic charm and a magical atmosphere. Splendid!

[Tsaraslondon]

(Cross psoted from the WAYL2N thread)

First listen to this opera:



Act I.

A delightful work, full of melodic charm and a magical atmosphere. Splendid!

Whilst Horne is certainly not bad, I always felt she was mis-cast and wished that Von Stade had been the Mignon. She would seem tohave been a perfect fit.

[Florestan]

Whilst Horne is certainly not bad, I always felt she was mis-cast and wished that Von Stade had been the Mignon. She would seem tohave been a perfect fit.

I'm far from being an expert on voices but it seems to me that Horne's fits the role quite nice.

[Tsaraslondon]

I'm far from being an expert on voices but it seems to me that Horne's fits the role quite nice.

She is pretty good, I grant you, but I always feel that if the set had been a couple of later, when Von Stade was a bit more famous, the role would have gone to her. Horne's voice and manner can be a bit too stentorian, whilst Von Stade excelled in roles that required charm, elegance and lightness of touch.

Here she is singing Mignon's Connais-tu le pays?

https://youtu.be/AA6pcIeqKcc

[Florestan]

She is pretty good, I grant you, but I always feel that if the set had been a couple of later, when Von Stade was a bit more famous, the role would have gone to her. Horne's voice and manner can be a bit too stentorian, whilst Von Stade excelled in roles that required charm, elegance and lightness of touch.

Here she is singing Mignon's Connais-tu le pays?

https://youtu.be/AA6pcIeqKcc

Superb indeed, thanks.

[André]

Sorry, but I can't abide von Stade's pursed mouth pronunciation. Every vowel is deformed in her singing. Compare with Kozena and you hear a totally different sound, with open vowels that sound just right:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH-dcFzYI1E

There's another YT clip of Berganza singing the aria in 1986 with piano accompaniment. Her diction and voice production are ideal. Closer to is in time is Karine Deshayes, who sings it beautifully, too.

[Tsaraslondon]

Callas wasn't scheduled to record Cavalleria Rusticana but stood in for a mezzo who was having trouble with her top notes (Stignani?). We should be glad that she did for she is superb and this recording, despite ageing sound, remains a top recommendation for the opera.

A full review of the set on my blog https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/01/09/cavalleria-rusticana/.

[ritter]

Callas wasn't scheduled to record Cavalleria Rusticana but stood in for a mezzo who was having trouble with her top notes (Stignani?). We should be glad that she did for she is superb and this recording, despite ageing sound, remains a top recommendation for the opera.

A full review of the set on my blog.

Interesting as usual, Tsaraslondon. One thing, though: I don't know if it's me, but the link to your blog doesn't seem to be working ("Safari can't find the server").

Regards,

[Wendell_E]

Interesting as usual, Tsaraslondon. One thing, though: I don't know if it's me, but the link to your blog doesn't seem to be working ("Safari can't find the server").

Regards,

It's not working for me either. I tried another link from a previous page, with the same results.

[ritter]

... I tried another link from a previous page, with the same results.

Same here.

[Tsaraslondon]

Same here.

I've reposted it above.

[ritter]

Working now. Many thanks!

[André]

I've reposted it above.

Thanks for the review. I listened to this performance only once many years ago. I really should get serious with that big Callas box. I bought it to replace a bunch of individual discs/opera sets from the early years of the cd era. The problem with them big boxes is that they have a tendency to just, well, stay there...

[JBS]

Thanks for the review. I listened to this performance only once many years ago. I really should get serious with that big Callas box. I bought it to replace a bunch of individual discs/opera sets from the early years of the cd era. The problem with them big boxes is that they have a tendency to just, well, stay there...

Exactly the same for me. ...

[Tsaraslondon]

A very great performance of Cherubini's Medea, which I review more fully on my blog.

[André]

And then the opera itself. 85 minutes.

Sternefeld (1905-1986) was an important musical figure in his country, holding academic and conducting positions (Antwerp, Brussels) as well as being a renowned composer. Booklet notes mention Mahler and Strauss as influences, but I think his music is much closer to that of Schoeck and Schreker. The plot is loosely based on an Andersen story, but it is heavily laced with symbolism à la Maeterlinck. Scenically it must be quite static, as it consists of a series of dialogs between the Mother and other characters (Death, Night, Water Nymphs). The music is powerfully evocative and magnificently orchestrated.

The 5 interludes have sometimes been recorded as an orchestral suite. It can be useful to listen to them first (like I did) as they contain some important thematic material from the opera.

[Tsaraslondon]

One of Callas's greatest studio sets and also one of Karajan's greatest opera recordings. Di Stefano is a little overparted, but sings with is own unique brand of slancio and there are strong contrubutions from Panerai, Barbieri and Zaccaria, but the stars of the recording are Callas and Karajan. Though the very top of the voice occasionally turns strident, the dark tinta of Callas's timbre is exactly right for the role, and she sings with her customary musicality and attention to detail. Karajan conducts one of his best performances, rhythms superbly sprung yet lyrically expansive in Leonora's solos.

A more detailed review on https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/il-trovatore/

[mjmosca]

For the Easter Season, I always try to listen to Cavelleria Rusticana- this performance with Bjorling, Tebaldi and Bastianini under Erede. That cast is hard to beat [love the Callas performance too.]; that was a Golden Age for Italian opera.

[T. D.]