What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

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

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Autumn Leaves

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on June 17, 2017, 07:47:57 PM
My zweipfennigen:

I rate the Boulez the worst, precisely because of its speed.
My favorites are Knappertsbusch and Solti. Solti is studio.
Of the other studio recordings I see on Amazon, I only have the Kubelik. It's actually as good as Solti, but pricey. The Barenboim is in the pile of operas not yet listened to.

Good stuff Jeffrey - thanks for your thoughts.
It seems to me that Knappersbuch/Philips is the most popular recommendation for Parsifal, and I was tempted by that one because I can get a second-hand copy for a good price, but it is essentially another live/Bayreuth performance (I know its got a different cast and stuff but still..).
Solti's box of Wagner recordings looks good to me but I own his Ring already and that seems like a bit too much duplication - I had considered picking up some of his Wagner recordings seperately though so thanks for vouching for them :).
Not sure what others think but individual Wagner recordings seem a bit pricey to me - thats why I am considering just picking up another box (the DG or Warner's ones both look pretty good IMO).

ritter

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on June 17, 2017, 07:47:57 PM
My zweipfennigen:

I rate the Boulez the worst, precisely because of its speed.
My favorites are Knappertsbusch and Solti. Solti is studio.
Of the other studio recordings I see on Amazon, I only have the Kubelik. It's actually as good as Solti, but pricey. The Barenboim is in the pile of operas not yet listened to.
And my deux sous  ;):

I rate Boulez very highly. His fleet tempi, transparent textures and dramatic momentum, eradicating all the (unnecessary) faux-ritual aspects of this astonishing composition, make Parsifal shine in its own right as what it is: one of the greatest artistic creations ever produced by the human mind... :)


kishnevi

Quote from: ritter on June 18, 2017, 05:56:02 AM
And my deux sous  ;):

I rate Boulez very highly. His fleet tempi, transparent textures and dramatic momentum, eradicating all the (unnecessary) faux-ritual aspects of this astonishing composition, make Parsifal shine in its own right as what it is: one of the greatest artistic creations ever produced by the human mind... :)

That's may be why I don't like the Boulez: for me the faux ritual is one of the most important elements of the opera, and one reason why it's such a great opera.

As the French don't quite say, chaconne a son gout.

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Conor71 on June 17, 2017, 07:35:53 PMI've got my heart set on picking up a studio performance of Parsifal at the moment....

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on June 17, 2017, 07:47:57 PM
The Barenboim is in the pile of operas not yet listened to.

Run, don't walk, to that unlistened-to-pile and crack open the Barenboim. Studio, but not studio-bound, fluid, bracing, grand, multi-layered etc...and, of course, fantastically recorded. Barenboim's inspiration (which doesn't happen all too often for me with him) is infectious, and as a whole, the performance is a definite statement. 
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

PerfectWagnerite

Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on June 18, 2017, 10:25:00 AM
Run, don't walk, to that unlistened-to-pile and crack open the Barenboim. Studio, but not studio-bound, fluid, bracing, grand, multi-layered etc...and, of course, fantastically recorded. Barenboim's inspiration (which doesn't happen all too often for me with him) is infectious, and as a whole, the performance is a definite statement.
I second the Barenboim recommendation. Besides some great playing and good recorded sound the singing is great also. Siegfried Jerusalem I feel is very underrated as a Wagnerian and what can you say about Waltraut Meier, who owns this role for about 25 yrs.

kishnevi

Trouble is, there's a whole bunch of other stuff that's been waiting far longer to be heard and seen, including a DVD Parsifal with Jerusalem (but not Meier) that I couldn't get past the first act*

Meanwhile, a change of pace


Actually I liked it, but it's hampered by a slightly improbable plot (the poisoned violets actually make sense in symbolic terms) and no memorable "big melody" such as Puccini could bring forth.

*This one


PerfectWagnerite

#346
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on June 18, 2017, 03:40:23 PM
Trouble is, there's a whole bunch of other stuff that's been waiting far longer to be heard and seen, including a DVD Parsifal with Jerusalem (but not Meier) that I couldn't get past the first act*


*This one

Not surprising really as Eva Randova was way past her prime at this point. If you like your Parsifal fast that is is it though at under 4 hrs.

The costumes are so atrocious it is actually funny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcvXAHjsYyI Scroll over to around the 16 min mark and you see the "knights" dressed as if they share the same closet with the cast of Star Trek the Next Generation...

The one I like with Jerusalem and Meier is this one that I got to know in college:

where you catch a thirty-something year old Waltraud Meier in her vocal prime (before she tried such disastrous stunts like singing Isolde).

I also like the MET brass, much brighter than the more mellow Bayreuth forces.


Interestingly there is a MET CD version from around the same time with Domingo and Jesse Norman (of all people !) which I find interesting because it HAS to be one of the most well-sung Parsifals out there. Who doesn't love Domingo right? That was about the time when he set out to conquer all the Wagner roles.

Autumn Leaves

Now playing:



Very impressed by this work for sure (so dark and solemn.. :o).

Autumn Leaves


mc ukrneal

Parsifal. Barenboim is way better than Boulez here. The orchestra (for Barenboim) is gorgeous and the pacing mostly excellent (and singing also at a high level). If you want a dvd, the Barenboim (with Maier again) is even better (my opinion of course). On CD, I think Barenboim is in the second group (maybe more like 1B) after Kubelik, Knapps, and maybe a couple others. Of more recent recordings, it is probably the most successful.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

ComposerOfAvantGarde


ComposerOfAvantGarde

Been listening to this one this evening


PerfectWagnerite

Quote from: mc ukrneal on June 18, 2017, 10:27:16 PM
Parsifal. Barenboim is way better than Boulez here. The orchestra (for Barenboim) is gorgeous and the pacing mostly excellent (and singing also at a high level). If you want a dvd, the Barenboim (with Maier again) is even better (my opinion of course). On CD, I think Barenboim is in the second group (maybe more like 1B) after Kubelik, Knapps, and maybe a couple others. Of more recent recordings, it is probably the most successful.
Is Kubelik this one?



I like it as well. Nicely paced and everything is very natural. I am not a big fan of Yvonne Minton's Kundry - the voice is a bit small and too shrill for the role I think. One of James King's finer efforts on disc.

kishnevi

#353
I remember this being suggested for one of the best recordings of Falstaff.  Whoever made the suggestion was correct


For some reason, Amazon does not show the reissue I have, which is the most recent iteration of EMI/Warner's budget opera series.

EDIT: Found the version I have at AmazonUK
[asin]B01HU40UBM[/asin]

ritter

Arrived today, and have (casually) listened to Act I:



I must say I find Kurt Eichhorn's conducting sluggish and heavy-handed, robbing the music (particularly the overture) of its dramatic thrust and much of its beauty.  >:( I don't even want to imagine a Parsifal conducted by this man.  ::)  ;D

Fi-Di impressive as Agamemnon, with his trademark attention to the words.

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on June 22, 2017, 07:49:45 AM
I remember this being suggested for one of the best recordings of Falstaff.  Whoever made the suggestion was correct




That might have been me. I absolutely love this recording. A superb orchestra and chorus conducted with style, elan and dash by Karajan, with a well-nigh faultless cast. You can't go wrong.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

Autumn Leaves

#356
Now playing:



Listened to this version of Aida for the first time.
Quite a good cast for the recording - found this to be an enjoyable one.

Autumn Leaves

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on June 22, 2017, 07:49:45 AM
I remember this being suggested for one of the best recordings of Falstaff.  Whoever made the suggestion was correct


For some reason, Amazon does not show the reissue I have, which is the most recent iteration of EMI/Warner's budget opera series.

EDIT: Found the version I have at AmazonUK
[asin]B01HU40UBM[/asin]

This recording is in my big Warner Verdi box - pleased to know it's a good one and I look forward to hearing it at some stage.

Autumn Leaves

#358
Now playing:



Listened to this for the first time last week and I was knocked out by it - quite a sublime work: there seems to be one beautiful Aria after another.
So far I am rating this as one of Puccini's best Operas..

Drasko