What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[Tsaraslondon]

Thank goodness Callas left recordings of Puccini heroines that she did not perform onstage.

ZB

True, but I would rather we had been vouchsafed studio recordings of some of the roles she did sing on stage; Lady Macbeth, Anna Bolena, Armida, Imogene in Il Pirata, Elena I I Vespri Siciliani, Gluck's Alceste and Iphigenie.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Does anyone know of other recordings of Neither? Despite what its creators think of it, I think it is a very good opera. Interested to hear your thoughts.

Now that I think of it, it's probably best to simply say it's a very good piece of music. it is an opera, but because of its uniqueness amongst the repertoire it is impossible to make any comparative judgement.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

[Tsaraslondon]

Gorgeous opera.

I haven't heard this version, though. I have the Mackerras version in the original Czech

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

I had a listen to the Mackerras as well, and although I do love the singers it was the sloppy orchestral playing that made me turn it off. :/

[Tsaraslondon]

I had a listen to the Mackerras as well, and although I do love the singers it was the sloppy orchestral playing that made me turn it off. :/

The VPO sloppy? Really?

[Spineur]

This week-end live at the Paris opera, La Cenerentola, Giacomo Rossini, with a staging by the actor Guillaume Gallienne (5 Cesar in the film Guillaume, les garçons, à table)

https://www.operadeparis.fr/en/season-16-17/opera/la-cenerentola

Ottavio Dantone led Paris opéra orchestra

Don Ramiro: Juan José De León
Dandini: Alessio Arduini
Don Magnifico: Maurizio Muraro
Clorinda: Chiara Skerath
Tisbe:  Isabelle Druet
Angelina (La Cenerentola, title role):Teresa Iervolino
Alidoro: Roberto Tagliavini

There are many ensemble singing in this opera, including a septet in the second act.  This require for all the singers to be exactly together, and this was the case with this distribution, which succeded in the most demanding part of the opera.  These ensemble singing are quite amazing, and demonstrate that Rossini is definitively not the "Barber shop" opera composer that some people claim.

Teresa Iervolino, who was making her Paris debut, was just a bit below Elina Garanca in the otherwise disappointing MET production.

Guillaume Gallienne staging was I found quite appropriate to this opera.  Some critics did not like his departure from the "Opera bouffe" style, but this was quite OK with me.

Here are a few pictures from culturebox

Don Magnifico decrepit palace



Baldini, the perfect italian lover between the two sisters



Don Magnifico during the bal scene



The finale, with the triumph of La Cenerentola



For those interested by this performance, it is available online starting today for a period of 6 months on culturebox

http://culturebox.francetvinfo.fr/opera-classique/opera/la-cenerentola-par-guillaume-gallienne-au-palais-garnier-257789

[Ken B]

George Rochberg
Symphony 6

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

The VPO sloppy? Really?

They tend to be, at least to my ears (whose preference lies in the very tight, secure and synchronised sounds of Royal Concertgebouw, Cleveland, EIC, Klangforum Wien etc).

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

'As One' by Laura Kaminsky

Watching it here where it is available to view in its entirety until the 30th of June for pride month:
http://www.aopopera.org/AsOne/worldpremiere/index.html

[Autumn Leaves]

George Rochberg
Symphony 6

Senior moment?

[Autumn Leaves]

Now playing:



Enjoying this recently arrived recording .

[Autumn Leaves]

Now playing:



Going to walk to work today - I will be listening to this recording on the way.

[kishnevi]

From the Solti does Strauss box

It seems all individual issues of this recording are OOP, which is a shame, because I am enjoying it greatly, and it may be the best thing in the set.  Used copies are available, especially in vinyl.
(Troyanos is the Composer, Gruberova is Zerbinetta, and Price is the Prima Donna/Ariadne.)
[asin]B008H29YYQ[/asin]
After this, I have only the bonus CD to play. I am skipping the Elektra and Arabella recordings, which I already have as individual recordings and don't particularly care for.

[Ken B]

Senior moment?

Oops.

I like to imagine the violinists acting 

TODAY: Wagner, Siegfried, Levine. I do like his Ring.

[Todd]

Mehta's Salome.  Excellent playing and singing.  Mehta seems content to rely on beautiful, lush Straussian style even sometimes when more bite is called for.  That written, he makes sure to make the massive orchestra generate a massive sound in the last minutes of the work.  I doubt this will be the first version I reach for going forward (that would still be Sinopoli), but it's definitely nice to have.

[kishnevi]

A favorite recording of a favorite opera.
Part of this set.

[Spineur]

I always wondered why this beautiful opera by one of the most celebrated composer is neglected today





This is also true of so many opera seria.

[zamyrabyrd]

I always wondered why this beautiful opera by one of the most celebrated composer is neglected today
This is also true of so many opera seria.

Opera buffa is more fun.

[Wendell_E]

I always wondered why this beautiful opera by one of the most celebrated composer is neglected today



This is also true of so many opera seria.

I agree. I know I'm in the minority, but I'll take Tito over Zauberflöte, which was composed at the same time, any day.

My own listening:

[asin]B000EBD872[/asin]

The cast also includes Donald Grobe, Julia Hamari, and Hermann Prey. The dialogues are spoken by actors. Actually, it's often whispered by actors, so occasional volume adjustment is necessary.