What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

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

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ritter

Quote from: king ubu on July 23, 2017, 02:03:14 AM
Re: Katia Ricciarelli:
Would that be the 1979 recording with Verrett, Domingo, Ghiaurov and the Scala forces? I have that included in the "Great Operas from La Scala" box, but haven't yet played it ... not really familiar with Verdi's requiem yet, anyway.

That's the one...its original cover was this:

[asin]B00000E33S[/asin]

king ubu

Thanks! Will pay particular attention to Ricciarelli then, whenever I come around ...
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/

ritter

I felt like some Mozart this afternoon. And, as of late, when I think Mozart, Così fan tutte is the first thing that come to mind... :)

First listen to Charles Mackerras's recording...

[asin]B000003CZZ[/asin]

...which I got dirt cheap in this set some time ago:

[asin]B001KK6RBK[/asin]

The overture is really fast, with very dry attacks (i like my Mozart slightly sweeter and gentler), but then things thankfully take on a slightly more relaxed feeling. The women have just come in ("O guarda sorella..."), and Felicity Lott appears wonderful (as could be expected)...but there's still much to happen here, so let's see how things evolve.. ;)


Jaakko Keskinen

I have still never heard Cosi fan tutte in its entirety. Nor Figaro. From Da Ponte operas the only one that piques my interest is Don Giovanni. In fact, I think it's his greatest composition ever.
"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: Alberich on July 23, 2017, 08:47:37 AM
I have still never heard Cosi fan tutte in its entirety. Nor Figaro. From Da Ponte operas the only one that piques my interest is Don Giovanni. In fact, I think it's his greatest composition ever.

Da Ponte's?  ;)

Dare I say: your loss! These operas are so amazing and full of musical beauty that is often hard to believe ... "Così" is likely my favourite opera, period. Don't make the mistake and consider it a frivolous lightweight affair.
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

Tonight I am watching a recent Bolshoi production of Borodin "Prince Igor" which I recorded a few month back on the Mezzo channel.  As far as I checked it, the DVD/CD of this production hasnt been released yet.

Jaakko Keskinen

#526
Quote from: king ubu on July 23, 2017, 09:39:38 AM
Da Ponte's?  ;)

Well yes, both Da Ponte's and Mozart's.  :) I've read the libretti of Figaro, Giovanni and Cosi and Don Giovanni stands out among them as a libretto as well as musically. Of course the fact that I've not heard Figaro or Cosi in its entirety kind of destroys my argument.
"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

ritter

Quote from: Alberich on July 24, 2017, 03:49:04 AM
Well yes, both Da Ponte's and Mozart's.  :) I've read the libretti of Figaro, Giovanni and Cosi and Don Giovanni stands out among them as a libretto as well as musically. Of course the fact that I've not heard Figaro or Cosi in its entirety kind of destroys my argument.
If I were to choose only one, I too would stick to Don Giovanni (one of my top operas ever). But still, both Figaro and Così are full of musical wonders. Do give tham a chance, it's well worth it...

Tsaraslondon

#528
Quote from: Alberich on July 24, 2017, 03:49:04 AM
Well yes, both Da Ponte's and Mozart's.  :) I've read the libretti of Figaro, Giovanni and Cosi and Don Giovanni stands out among them as a libretto as well as musically. Of course the fact that I've not heard Figaro or Cosi in its entirety kind of destroys my argument.

Well, as you point out yourself, you can't really say Don Giovanni "stands out musically" if you've never actually seen or heard Cosi fan tutte and Le nozze di Figaro.

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

kishnevi

Quote from: Alberich on July 24, 2017, 03:49:04 AM
Well yes, both Da Ponte's and Mozart's.  :) I've read the libretti of Figaro, Giovanni and Cosi and Don Giovanni stands out among them as a libretto as well as musically. Of course the fact that I've not heard Figaro or Cosi in its entirety kind of destroys my argument.

I can understand not being attracted to Cosi; it took me a couple of decades to give it a full hearing, and the story itself leaves me mildly disgusted.  The only character I find attractive is Despina.  But musically Cosi is just as rich and rewarding as any of Mozart's other operas.

But you have to remember that of the three Giovanni is the one that got cut, pasted, and interpolated by other people from the get-go.  Beaumarchais's play is the basis for Figaro, but at the least the cut and paste there was done by DaPonte himself to the orginal play. 

Personally, I find that out of Mozart's "mature" operas Idomeneo and Figaro have the strongest libretti, followed by Giovanni and Cosi, then Clemenza di Tito and the two singspiels.

Todd

The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

king ubu

Revisiting this now (working at home sometimes is good):



Krips' "Don Giovanni" will probalby remain my favourite recording of that opera ... and it's great to have at this live recording of his "Così fan tutte" with a gorgeous Janowitz as Fiordiligi. They don't make opera like this anymore ... this is from the tail end of the Vienna Mozart ensemble, but everything is still quite where it needs to be, methinks. Cuts, cuts, cuts ... they don't really bother me all that much in such cases - if you want uncut, go for recent recordings, but then you'll miss the Vienna Mozart ensemble ... thinking of this, I would sell all my grannies if we could go back in time and have Furtwängler conduct the EMI recording of "Così" that Karajan hushed and rushed ... the voices are gorgeous, the playing is great, but the pace just doesn't gel, too often if feels like he couldn't wait to get it over with.
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/

Jo498

Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on July 24, 2017, 07:44:47 AM
I can understand not being attracted to Cosi; it took me a couple of decades to give it a full hearing, and the story itself leaves me mildly disgusted.  The only character I find attractive is Despina.  But musically Cosi is just as rich and rewarding as any of Mozart's other operas.
musically, all from Idomeneo on are great. The Così plot is rather "artificial" and ancien régime, that's why it fell out of favor in the 19th century. (It is also very long concerning the silly plot with not that much happening.)

Figaro is more obviously critical of the pre-revolutionary society although it is not a simple reversal of roles/authority because everyone is fooled to some extent. Still, the count (the male aristocrat) is the least sympathetic and Susanna (the female servant) the most capable and sympathetic character. In any case the Figaro characters seem more "realistic", more "rounded", less exaggerated clichés than the one's in Cosi and also Don Giovanni. Don Giovanni has the advantage of the darker and more dramatic music but it has the problem with a "hole" in the beginning/middle of the second act and the corresponding problem of versions (both of Ottavio's arias or only one? Which of Leporello/Zerlina etc.)

Zauberflöte has still a lot of silly comedy in it but a genius like Goethe (who would not have been overwhelmed by Schikaneders doggerel verse) found the plot overall interesting enough to sketch a sequel to the piece (which remained a fragment)!
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

ritter

#533
Listening to the end of Meistersinger live from Bayreuth (it's opening night) on Spanish National Radio.

Philippe Jordan is conducting, and this is sounding excellent, with every detail of the orchestra coming through. The singing seems first-rate to me as well.

Spineur

In my student days, I had the privilege to attend a recital of Victoria de los Angeles with Alicia de Larrocha at the piano.  This was memorable, and I fell in love with her light voice with a narrow vibrato, a "pure" voice with great expressivity.  I never had a chance to hear her in any operas.  I came accross this Myto cd of Manon, her most famous role with Niccolai Gedda in a live 1959 MET performance.  Both of them have marvelous french diction.  Manon is a difficult character to do right: naive, spontaneous, a woman of the instant.  Victoria de LosAngeles comes as close to this character as I can imagine.  An Niccolai Gedda is an excellent de Grieux.
The sound, mono, with a few saturation spots is fair and typical of the period.

[asin]B002YJWDUU[/asin]

Tsaraslondon

#535
Quote from: Spineur on July 25, 2017, 12:19:55 PM
In my student days, I had the privilege to attend a recital of Victoria de los Angeles with Alicia de Larrocha at the piano.  This was memorable, and I fell in love with her light voice with a narrow vibrato, a "pure" voice with great expressivity.  I never had a chance to hear her in any operas.  I came accross this Myto cd of Manon, her most famous role with Niccolai Gedda in a live 1959 MET performance.  Both of them have marvelous french diction.  Manon is a difficult character to do right: naive, spontaneous, a woman of the instant.  Victoria de LosAngeles comes as close to this character as I can imagine.  An Niccolai Gedda is an excellent de Grieux.
The sound, mono, with a few saturation spots is fair and typical of the period.

[asin]B002YJWDUU[/asin]
Do you know the studio set conducted by Monteux? It was recorded in 1955 with Opera-Comique forces, and is an absolute classic, which sounds authentically in style. I don't think anyone has quite captured Manon's mixture of innocence and worldliness quite as well as De Los Angeles. It was one of her best roles, and this is arguably the opera's best recording.

.

This Testament transfer is the best. EMI, as so often, botched theirs.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: king ubu on July 25, 2017, 01:28:52 AM
Revisiting this now (working at home sometimes is good):



Krips' "Don Giovanni" will probalby remain my favourite recording of that opera ... and it's great to have at this live recording of his "Così fan tutte" with a gorgeous Janowitz as Fiordiligi. They don't make opera like this anymore ... this is from the tail end of the Vienna Mozart ensemble, but everything is still quite where it needs to be, methinks. Cuts, cuts, cuts ... they don't really bother me all that much in such cases - if you want uncut, go for recent recordings, but then you'll miss the Vienna Mozart ensemble ... thinking of this, I would sell all my grannies if we could go back in time and have Furtwängler conduct the EMI recording of "Così" that Karajan hushed and rushed ... the voices are gorgeous, the playing is great, but the pace just doesn't gel, too often if feels like he couldn't wait to get it over with.

Do you know the later Böhm recording, though? Still my favourite Cosi fan Tutte.

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

king ubu

Quote from: Tsaraslondon on July 25, 2017, 01:18:25 PM
Do you know the later Böhm recording, though? Still my favourite Cosi fan Tutte.



I have both that and the earlier one (with Della Casa) ... but I think ever so slightly I prefer the mid seventies live one with Janowitz. Got to revisit all three sometime soon!
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/

ritter

#538
Quote from: king ubu on July 26, 2017, 03:55:06 AM
I have both that and the earlier one (with Della Casa) ... but I think ever so slightly I prefer the mid seventies live one with Janowitz. Got to revisit all three sometime soon!
I'm missing the first Böhm in my collection (something to be remedied soon, as I am a great fan of Lisa della Casa). I think the EMI version is a very strong contender, even if it includes two singers who are almost universally admired but whose art I really do not enjoy, Mme. Schwarzkopf and Sr Kraus. The latter had some less than warm words on his collaboration with Böhm (reproduced in Arturo Reverter's book on the tenor) the gist of which was that Böhm was a routinier and came unprepared to the recording sessions IIRC, or something to that effect  ::). I find that surprising, because Böhm was probably the keenest defender of Così in the post-WW2 years (the piece not having yet fully established itself as a repertory piece by then), had conducted the piece innumerable times (he almost held a monopoly on it in Salzburg AFAIK), and the orchestral contribution is sublime in that recording. My dad got to see Böhm conduct Così very late in his career (at Covent Garden in 1979), and was highly impressed.

I actually saw, as a very young man,  Kraus live once in one of his signature roles, Werther, and since then I profoundly dislike that opera, and cannot really warm to his tone ("canonic" as his singing may be).

The DG Böhn Così is very good all around, boasts the wonderful Janowitz, but has some significant cuts and, once again, the tenor disappoints IMHO; Peter Schreier's Italian diction is really too germanic for me, even if I think he's an admirable artist.

One recording of the work I'm really interested in is this (unfortunately, almost impossible to find at a decent price):


Rudold Moralt's Don Giovanni (from the same season and source) is superb in my opinion, and I would like to hear Stich-Randall (an extraordinary singer) in the rôle under studio conditions when she was quite young. I have her in a live recording from Aix-en-Provence under Rosbaud (quite good, but with a piano for the recitatives  >:( and sub-par sound), and a later effort under Peter Maag, where her voice is no longer that fresh. Anyone heard this Moralt recording?

Tsaraslondon

#539
Quote from: ritter on July 26, 2017, 05:47:19 AM
I'm missing the first Böhm in my collection (something to be remedied soon, as I am a great fan of Lisa della Casa). I think the EMI version is a very strong contender, even if it includes two singers who are almost universally admired but whose art I really do not enjoy, Mme. Schwarzkopf and Sr Kraus. The latter had some less than warm words on his collaboration with Böhm (reproduced in Arturo Reverter's book on the tenor) the gist of which was that Böhm was a routinier and came unprepared to the recording sessions IIRC, or something to that effect  ::). I find that surprising, because Böhm was probably the keenest defender of Così in the post-WW2 years (the piece not having yet fully established itself as a repertory piece by then), had conducted the piece innumerable times (he almost held a monopoly on it in Salzburg AFAIK), and the orchestral contribution is sublime in that recording. My dad got to see Böhm conduct Così very late in his career (at Covent Garden in 1979), and was highly impressed.

I actually saw, as a very young man,  Kraus live once in one of his signature roles, Werther, and since then I profoundly dislike that opera, and cannot really warm to his tone ("canonic" as his singing may be).

The DG Böhn Così is very good all around, boasts the wonderful Janowitz, but has some significant cuts and, once again, the tenor disappoints IMHO; Peter Schreier's Italian diction is really too germanic for me, even if I think he's an admirable artist.

One recording of the work I'm really interested in is this (unfortunately, almost impossible to find at a decent price):


Rudold Moralt's Don Giovanni (from the same season and source) is superb in my opinion, and I would like to hear Stich-Randall (an extraordinary singer) in the rôle under studio conditions when she was quite young. I have her in a live recording from Aix-en-Provence under Rosbaud (quite good, but with a piano for the recitatives  >:( and sub-par sound), and a later effort under Peter Maag, where her voice is no longer that fresh. Anyone heard this Moralt recording?

Considering the meticulous preparation that went into the recording of Böhm's EMI Cosí fan Tutte, I find it hard to believe any claims that Böhm was a routinier.

I should also mention that I am a great admirer of the art of both Schwarzkopf and Kraus, by the way, and think their performance of the duet Fra gli'amplessi one of the most erotically charged I have ever heard. Eroticism is rather alien to the art of the perennially virginal, Janowitz, whom I have somewhat equivocal feelings about. The voice has an arrestingly silvery beauty, to be sure, but she is not the most communicative of artists, and, though I can revel in the beautiful sounds of, say, her Vier letzte Lieder with Karajan, the songs tend to sound like mere vocalise. They are not. They are Lieder, and the texts should be given their due worth, as they are with Schwarzkopf and Szell.

Another favourite Cosí of mine is the Davis, with Caballé, Baker, Cotrubas, Gedda and Ganzarolli.



and I have very fond memories of this live performance, as I actually saw it.



Being live, it is not as polished as the Böhm or Davis's studio performance, but it settles down nicely after the first scene. Te Kanawa sings divinely, if with less character than Schwarzkopf, and Baltsa is, as I remember in the theatre, a deliciously flirtatious and very funny Dorabella.


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