What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

Started by Tsaraslondon, April 10, 2017, 04:29:04 AM

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marvinbrown



  One fateful day, Alberich that wretched lascivious troll shall lust after 3 voluptuous maidens and set into motion a series of events that shall bring the end of the gods and usher in a new, and hopefully better world.

  [asin] B003Y3MYYU[/asin]

  This ring cycle MUST be in every opera fan's collection. Fast, gripping and utterly electrifying!

  marvin

 

Wendell_E

Quote from: king ubu on May 27, 2017, 08:01:59 AM
and actually I just realise the Leinsdorf recordings of "Macbeth" from the "Great Recordings" and the "Verdi at the Met" boxes don't seem to be identical ... the former lacks to provide recording dates, lousily, but the timings differ quite a bit, provided we have the same cast and forces and probably within a year or so.

RCA make the studio recording (in the "Great Recordings" box) in Feb. 1959, the month of the opera's first Met performances (including the broadcast in the "Verdi at the Met" box). IIRC, the studio recording makes fewer cuts than the live Met performances did, accounting for the difference in timings.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

king ubu

Quote from: Wendell_E on May 27, 2017, 10:13:21 AM
RCA make the studio recording (in the "Great Recordings" box) in Feb. 1959, the month of the opera's first Met performances (including the broadcast in the "Verdi at the Met" box). IIRC, the studio recording makes fewer cuts than the live Met performances did, accounting for the difference in timings.

So they're even from the same month ... that *is* confusing. But thanks for confirming my new finding!

Btw, next up, next week:
http://www.opernhaus.ch/en/activity/detail/der-feurige-engel-07-05-2017-18710/

Never yet heard any Prokofiev opera, and the reviews are very positive. And I like the "2 hours without break" ... I guess by skipping the lame parts of acts III and IV, you could do the same with "Macbeth" (though you'd need to find a way to explain the end, but I'm sure that would be quite feasible with the right stage production ... just have them suckers go insane, they don't even need outside force to go bonkers).
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/

Autumn Leaves

Quote from: king ubu on May 27, 2017, 08:01:59 AM
That's a recording I've not yet heard ... but one of the Verdi operas I'm quite familiar with (the others being: Don Carlo, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and to a somewhat lesser extent La forza del destino, Nabucco, Il Trovatore ... and yes, that means I've never yet heard Un ballo in maschera - I actually might have, live 20 years back, can't say for sure -, Otello and Simon Boccanegra ... Falstaff I've heard live 20 years ago, I know, but somehow that opera so far doesn't do a lot for me ... also got recordings of a few lesser known ones ready: Il Corsaro, I Due Foscari, Ernani, Giovanna d'Arco, I Lombardi, Luisa Miller, I Masniaderi, I Vespri Siciliani, though I guess that one may be one of the better knowns, all things considered? And the French Don Carlos by Abbado has been waiting for a while, too) ... and actually I just realise the Leinsdorf recordings of "Macbeth" from the "Great Recordings" and the "Verdi at the Met" boxes don't seem to be identical ... the former lacks to provide recording dates, lousily, but the timings differ quite a bit, provided we have the same cast and forces and probably within a year or so.

The only Verdi Operas I know to any extent are Aida, Rigoletto and La Traviata - I own the box of "Great Opera" recordings on EMI/Warner but have not gotten to it yet.. So much Verdi to listen to - Opera is one area of my collection where my buying has gotten far ahead of my listening :-[.
Its been a pretty long time since I listened to any Opera but I am feeling enthusiastic about it now - hopefully I can get to some of that unheard stuff in my pile (and Im sure there are some good discoveries to be made!) :).

Autumn Leaves

Quote from: marvinbrown on May 27, 2017, 08:59:27 AM

  One fateful day, Alberich that wretched lascivious troll shall lust after 3 voluptuous maidens and set into motion a series of events that shall bring the end of the gods and usher in a new, and hopefully better world.

  [asin] B003Y3MYYU[/asin]

  This ring cycle MUST be in every opera fan's collection. Fast, gripping and utterly electrifying!

  marvin



Another recording (as part of the big Wagner live "cube") thats in my pile at the moment - Soon I hope... :o

Now listening:



Been listening to Janowski and Solti's Ring Cycles this week - good stuff! :D

kishnevi

Quote from: king ubu on May 27, 2017, 08:01:59 AM
That's a recording I've not yet heard ... but one of the Verdi operas I'm quite familiar with (the others being: Don Carlo, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and to a somewhat lesser extent La forza del destino, Nabucco, Il Trovatore ... and yes, that means I've never yet heard Un ballo in maschera - I actually might have, live 20 years back, can't say for sure -, Otello and Simon Boccanegra ... Falstaff I've heard live 20 years ago, I know, but somehow that opera so far doesn't do a lot for me ... also got recordings of a few lesser known ones ready: Il Corsaro, I Due Foscari, Ernani, Giovanna d'Arco, I Lombardi, Luisa Miller, I Masniaderi, I Vespri Siciliani, though I guess that one may be one of the better knowns, all things considered? And the French Don Carlos by Abbado has been waiting for a while, too) ... and actually I just realise the Leinsdorf recordings of "Macbeth" from the "Great Recordings" and the "Verdi at the Met" boxes don't seem to be identical ... the former lacks to provide recording dates, lousily, but the timings differ quite a bit, provided we have the same cast and forces and probably within a year or so.

Not yet heard Otello? That does need fixing. Since you have the MET box you can try the one there. It's from 1940. I have no idea of how good it is. (I have a hard time getting past sonics on anything recorded, say, 1948 or before. And even past that date in some cases, especially in orchestral choral and opera.) Beyond that you have your pick of several modern recordings.

BTW, checking on that MET box brought this to my attention.
[asin]B01LYTT7LP[/asin]
Going by the casting, there should be several great performances there.

Spineur

Pelleas et Mélisande, Claude Debussy

Inghelbrecht 1962 live recording at the Theatre des Champs Elysées.


Jaakko Keskinen

Quote from: marvinbrown on May 27, 2017, 08:59:27 AM

  One fateful day, Alberich that wretched lascivious troll shall lust after 3 voluptuous maidens and set into motion a series of events that shall bring the end of the gods and usher in a new, and hopefully better world.

  [asin] B003Y3MYYU[/asin]

  This ring cycle MUST be in every opera fan's collection. Fast, gripping and utterly electrifying!

  marvin



Böhm's Götterdämmerung is disappointing. Gutrune sounds like an old woman.
"Javert, though frightful, had nothing ignoble about him. Probity, sincerity, candor, conviction, the sense of duty, are things which may become hideous when wrongly directed; but which, even when hideous, remain grand."

- Victor Hugo

king ubu

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on May 27, 2017, 06:08:19 PM
Not yet heard Otello? That does need fixing. Since you have the MET box you can try the one there. It's from 1940. I have no idea of how good it is. (I have a hard time getting past sonics on anything recorded, say, 1948 or before. And even past that date in some cases, especially in orchestral choral and opera.) Beyond that you have your pick of several modern recordings.

BTW, checking on that MET box brought this to my attention.
[asin]B01LYTT7LP[/asin]
Going by the casting, there should be several great performances there.

Not heard in this case just means: all of this needs time, and time for "Otello" will certainly come   :)

I have plenty of recordings ready for that time!
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/

Autumn Leaves

Recent listening:



Das Rheingold, WWV 86A

Autumn Leaves

Now playing:



Listening to this new recording for the first time - sounds great so far.

anothername

Quote from: Conor71 on May 30, 2017, 05:01:11 PM
Now playing:



Listening to this new recording for the first time - sounds great so far.

Dream cast made in heaven.  :-*

Contemporaryclassical


Jaakko Keskinen

Quote from: Conor71 on May 29, 2017, 05:50:14 PM
Recent listening:



Das Rheingold, WWV 86A

My first (and favorite) Ring!
"Javert, though frightful, had nothing ignoble about him. Probity, sincerity, candor, conviction, the sense of duty, are things which may become hideous when wrongly directed; but which, even when hideous, remain grand."

- Victor Hugo

Jaakko Keskinen

Quote from: Conor71 on May 30, 2017, 05:01:11 PM
Now playing:



Listening to this new recording for the first time - sounds great so far.

My first (and favorite) rigoletto!
"Javert, though frightful, had nothing ignoble about him. Probity, sincerity, candor, conviction, the sense of duty, are things which may become hideous when wrongly directed; but which, even when hideous, remain grand."

- Victor Hugo

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: king ubu on May 27, 2017, 08:01:59 AM
That's a recording I've not yet heard ... but one of the Verdi operas I'm quite familiar with (the others being: Don Carlo, La Traviata, Rigoletto, and to a somewhat lesser extent La forza del destino, Nabucco, Il Trovatore ... and yes, that means I've never yet heard Un ballo in maschera - I actually might have, live 20 years back, can't say for sure -, Otello and Simon Boccanegra ... Falstaff I've heard live 20 years ago, I know, but somehow that opera so far doesn't do a lot for me ... also got recordings of a few lesser known ones ready: Il Corsaro, I Due Foscari, Ernani, Giovanna d'Arco, I Lombardi, Luisa Miller, I Masniaderi, I Vespri Siciliani, though I guess that one may be one of the better knowns, all things considered? And the French Don Carlos by Abbado has been waiting for a while, too) ... and actually I just realise the Leinsdorf recordings of "Macbeth" from the "Great Recordings" and the "Verdi at the Met" boxes don't seem to be identical ... the former lacks to provide recording dates, lousily, but the timings differ quite a bit, provided we have the same cast and forces and probably within a year or so.

I review 5 different recordings of Aida here https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/03/11/verdis-aida-a-comparative-review-of-5-different-recordings/, though not the above Solti recording, which, for me anyway, is ruined by Solti's over loud, bombastic conducting; nor do I really join in with the general round of praise for Gorr's Amneris, though Price and Vickers are excellent.

I have recordings (sometimes more than one) of all Verdi's operas except, Oberto, Jerusalem (his re-working of I Lombardi and Aroldo (the re-working of Stiffelio.

\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: king ubu on May 27, 2017, 04:45:57 AM
Now playing the recording of "Macbeth" to be found in here:



Callas and Mascherini at La Scala in 1952, cond. Victor de Sabata. Have the Leinsdorf, Gardelli, Abbado and Muti lined up, too, for later.



Shame that EMI did such a bad job of the transfer, which is just a copy of one of the pirates. EMI didn't even notice that the copy they had splices in (from a performance with Leyla Gencer) part of the Act I finale which was lost in transmission.

The best sound I've heard is on Myto and it's a hundred times clearer than the EMI.



I review the Callas version here https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/04/28/callass-lady-macbeth/



\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

king ubu

@Tsaraslondon: thanks a lot - crazy times here and off for a short vacation (I really do need it!) from tomorrow on ... will read upon my return! And hopefully the recently announced Callas live box will improve that situation, that Callas Verdi box was dirt-cheap anyway (but I've amassed so many live recordings, not sure how attractive the upcoming box really is, had no time to run against what I already have, and I guess in many cases we're talking of improving sound from extremely poor to very poor, so the question is: how much does it really matter?)

On top of the crazy times, btw, just did attend a show of Profokofiev's "The Fiery Angel" (and fought sleep a few times, I'm afraid) - musically excellent I found, very dense and intense and dissonant and most though-provoking, with an amazing Ausrine Stundyte in the main role (and an excellent Leigh Melrose in the male main role) and Gianandrea Noseda conducting - all very good, but I still found it lacking as far as theater goes. And I'm okay with that quite often in opera, but this time after the good reviews I had somewhat higher expectations and found the whole action just to be mostly make-believe, movement that had no connection to the plot really, which is a story, not a play. But either way, I guess I need to investigate some recordings of Prokofiev operas, of which I have none. This was my very first exposure, and as such it was mighty good for sure! Any recommendations?
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/

Spineur

#198
Quote from: king ubu on May 31, 2017, 12:41:15 PM

... This was my very first exposure, and as such it was mighty good for sure! Any recommendations?

I attended the Fiery angel in Lyon opera house last fall and also found it to be a difficult work.  The supertitle were not quite enough to follow the action.

I have quite a few Prokofiev opera on dvd.  I would definitively recommend this one (if you can find a copy).



great singers, very intelligent staging and extraordinary ballets.  It is much more accesdible than the Fiery angel.  It is a very convincing opera.

king ubu

Quote from: Spineur on May 31, 2017, 01:11:01 PM
I attended the Fiery angel in Lyon opera house last fall and also found it to be a difficult work.  The supertitle were not quite enough to follow the action.

I have quite a few Prokofiev opera on dvd.  I would definitively recommend this one (if you can find a copy).



great singers, very intelligent staging and extraordinary ballets.  It is much more accesdible than the Fiery angel.  It is a very convincing opera.
This here seems to be the same, but different cover?



Will make a note, thanks!
Es wollt ein meydlein grasen gan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Und do die roten röslein stan:
Fick mich, lieber Peter!
Fick mich mehr, du hast dein ehr.
Kannstu nit, ich wills dich lern.
Fick mich, lieber Peter!

http://ubus-notizen.blogspot.ch/