What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

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

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 4 Guests are viewing this topic.

king ubu

Quote from: SurprisedByBeauty on August 22, 2017, 01:35:23 AM
Ah, this is gratifying to hear! Very glad you enjoyed it.

:)

Actually after the concert at KKL in Lucerne on Sunday, in wonder how Gardiner's semi-staged performance of "L'Orfeo" is going to sound in there, tonight! I'll be sitting on the second balcony on the side (for the concert on Sunday, only first balcony was open, I sat there, too, and sound was indeed perfect, to my own disbelief) - when I heard him do the Matthäuspassion in there, I had expensive seats somewhere in the middle downstairs ... and the band and choir just didn't really fill that huge hall with their period instruments and it took me all of the first act to sort of adjust for our LOUD everyday noisescape to find into the music. Hope it will be better (and/or hope sitting right next to the stage this time will help to have a better sonic experience)
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/

Mahlerian

Quote from: king ubu on August 21, 2017, 04:51:28 AM
Will hear Gardiner conduct "L'Orfeo" tomorrow and am most excited about this!



To warm up, I played the Garrido recording for the very first time - it's excellent.

Sounds amazing.  Be sure to give a full report!
"l do not consider my music as atonal, but rather as non-tonal. I feel the unity of all keys. Atonal music by modern composers admits of no key at all, no feeling of any definite center." - Arnold Schoenberg

king ubu

Quote from: Mahlerian on August 22, 2017, 08:04:04 AM
Sounds amazing.  Be sure to give a full report!

It was an epiphany, actually! Outstanding. Gotta catch some sleep now, will leave for a (jazz festival) early tomorrow and then catch some more (no opera) of Lucerne Festival on Sunday. Sent a few lines to a friend on train way back home, will try and rework that into a short report, but probably only next week, when I'm back to normal  :)
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/

Tsaraslondon



Having recently been reminded of Josephine Barstow, a singer I saw quite a few times over the years in London, I thought I'd seek out this recording of Un Ballo in Maschera, which I hadn't heard since it was released back in 1989, when Barstow was already 49.

Generally quite a pleasant surprise. This was Karajan's last ever opera recording, I believe, and it's good to know that he went out on a high. His speeds tend to be on the slow side, but this never means a loss of momentum. The main problem for me was the slightly boomy recording, which loses focus in the climaxes. Domingo (his third outing in the role of Riccardo; the first for Muti, the second for Abbado) is superb, his singing as ever wonderfully musical, and he is totally inside the role, his singing of the final scene incredibly moving. Barstow, a late discovery for Karajan, is probably a bit past her prime, but comes close to Callas in detail and expression. She doesn't have Callas's thrilling individuality, but she is totally inside the role and her Amelia is certainly worth hearing. Nucci, whom I usually find a bit of a dry old stick, is more involved than usual, but no match for Gobbi on the Callas recording. Florence Quivar's Ulrica is somewhat dull, certainly not in the class of Simionato, Barbieri or Cossotto, but Sumi Jo is a delightful Oscar.

All in all, though, an enjoyable set.

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

zamyrabyrd

Quote from: Tsaraslondon on August 28, 2017, 02:11:07 AM

Having recently been reminded of Josephine Barstow, a singer I saw quite a few times over the years in London, I thought I'd seek out this recording of Un Ballo in Maschera, which I hadn't heard since it was released back in 1989, when Barstow was already 49... Barstow, a late discovery for Karajan, is probably a bit past her prime, but comes close to Callas in detail and expression. She doesn't have Callas's thrilling individuality, but she is totally inside the role and her Amelia is certainly worth hearing.


I'd be interested to know when Josephine Barstow was in her prime. Anything I heard of her was from shrill to unbearable to listen to.
"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, one by one."

― Charles MacKay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: zamyrabyrd on August 28, 2017, 10:22:26 PM
I'd be interested to know when Josephine Barstow was in her prime. Anything I heard of her was from shrill to unbearable to listen to.

I don't think she sound in the least shrill on this Ballo, nor on Mackerras's recording of Gloriana.

My recollections of her are probably also coloured by the fact that I saw her on stage quite a few times, and she was never less than riveting. Her Violetta is still probably the most moving I have ever seen live (and I've seen Cotrubas and Gheorghiu), her Salome was thrilling (and looked good when stripped down to just a few bits of glitter at the end of the Dance of the Seven Veils), and her Katarina Ismailova in David Pountney's superb production of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk pure theatrical electricity.

It was never the most beautiful voice in the world, I grant you, but I wouldn't class it as either shrill or unbearable to listen to. Rather like Teresa Stratas, she was (still is - she's playing Heidi in the Royal National Theatre's new production of Follies at the moment) a stage animal, and recordings don't do her justice.


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

zamyrabyrd

Quote from: Tsaraslondon on August 29, 2017, 12:42:27 AM
I don't think she sound in the least shrill on this Ballo, nor on Mackerras's recording of Gloriana.
My recollections of her are probably also coloured by the fact that I saw her on stage quite a few times, and she was never less than riveting. Her Violetta is still probably the most moving I have ever seen live (and I've seen Cotrubas and Gheorghiu), her Salome was thrilling (and looked good when stripped down to just a few bits of glitter at the end of the Dance of the Seven Veils), and her Katarina Ismailova in David Pountney's superb production of Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk pure theatrical electricity.
It was never the most beautiful voice in the world, I grant you, but I wouldn't class it as either shrill or unbearable to listen to. Rather like Teresa Stratas, she was (still is - she's playing Heidi in the Royal National Theatre's new production of Follies at the moment) a stage animal, and recordings don't do her justice.

I suppose I should listen to a few more samples, but I found her pushing the breath unbearable as Lady Macbeth in Verdi's opera. The acting is good but heck, Callas combined characterization with musicality. If Stratas can still sing, it is a proof she did know how to use her voice well.  Stratas' voice always seemed to float on the air, the way it should be.
"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, one by one."

― Charles MacKay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: zamyrabyrd on August 29, 2017, 12:56:54 AM
I suppose I should listen to a few more samples, but I found her pushing the breath unbearable as Lady Macbeth in Verdi's opera. The acting is good but heck, Callas combined characterization with musicality. If Stratas can still sing, it is a proof she did know how to use her voice well.  Stratas' voice always seemed to float on the air, the way it should be.

I confess I don't know her Lady Macbeth, so I can't comment on that. But, as you point out, she has had a long career, so she must have been doing something right. Her Amelia compares to Callas in her dramatic conception of the role, but she lacks Callas's superb legato line; nor is she able to execute the (mostly ignored) grace notes, trills and rapid scale figures which pepper the score with anything like Callas's accuracy. Callas's voice is intrinsically more beautiful too, despite what many aver. In both the studio recording of Ballo, and the live La Scala performance from the following year, she sings with breathtaking sweep, the voice darkly plangent.

If you're at all interested, I did a comparison of the two Callas recordings on my blog https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/callass-two-recordings-of-un-ballo-in-maschera/

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

Wendell_E

Quote from: zamyrabyrd on August 29, 2017, 12:56:54 AM
If Stratas can still sing, it is a proof she did know how to use her voice well.  Stratas' voice always seemed to float on the air, the way it should be.

It confused me a bit at first, but it's actually Barstow, not Stratas, who's singing in that production of Follies.  Stratas quit in 1995 after botched sinus surgery affected her breathing. She sued two doctors, and the hospital.
"Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience." ― Mark Twain

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: Wendell_E on August 29, 2017, 02:19:53 AM
It confused me a bit at first, but it's actually Barstow, not Stratas, who's singing in that production of Follies.  Stratas quit in 1995 after botched sinus surgery affected her breathing. She sued two doctors, and the hospital.

I didn't even notice that. I just assumed ZB was talking about Barstow. My brain must have made the necessary adjustment.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

Jaakko Keskinen

Forgot to report it here so I inform that I recently listened to Saint-Saëns's opera Le timbre d'argent and liked it a lot. Have you guys listened to any of Saint-Saëns's operas?
"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

Karl Henning

At long last:  Hindemith's Mathis der Maler.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: Alberich on August 29, 2017, 05:31:59 AM
Forgot to report it here so I inform that I recently listened to Saint-Saëns's opera Le timbre d'argent and liked it a lot. Have you guys listened to any of Saint-Saëns's operas?

The only one I know, and the one that is still in the active repertoire is Samson et Dalila. There are quite a few notable recordings, though I don't think there are any clear winners.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Tsaraslondon on August 29, 2017, 09:20:36 AM
The only one I know, and the one that is still in the active repertoire is Samson et Dalila. There are quite a few notable recordings, though I don't think there are any clear winners.
I'd opt for Domingo/Maier/Chung myself. Beautifully done on the whole. There have been some recent releases on ediciones singulars that are worth hearing, but are not at the same level as Samson.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: mc ukrneal on August 29, 2017, 04:56:08 PM
I'd opt for Domingo/Maier/Chung myself. Beautifully done on the whole. There have been some recent releases on ediciones singulars that are worth hearing, but are not at the same level as Samson.

To my shame, I don't really know it, but I know it's generally had a very good press.

Over the years I've owned variously King/Ludwig/Patane, Vickers/Gorr/Pretre, Cura/Borodina/Davis and Carreras/Baltsa/Davis. Of these I like the Carreras/Baltsa best, but I should really  try the Chung recording.
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Tsaraslondon on August 29, 2017, 11:29:28 PM
To my shame, I don't really know it, but I know it's generally had a very good press.

Over the years I've owned variously King/Ludwig/Patane, Vickers/Gorr/Pretre, Cura/Borodina/Davis and Carreras/Baltsa/Davis. Of these I like the Carreras/Baltsa best, but I should really  try the Chung recording.
I like Baltsa, generally, a lot, but I think the Chung is overall better sung and with a generally good atmosphere and energy to it. of course, tastes may vary, but I really enjoy Maier and Domingo. it's not quite the Domingo of youth, but it's still wonderfully thoughtful (as usual). But even better, on video, is the performance with Domingo and Verrett. Verrett is another I find underrated at times, and she shines here. And so does Domingo. And so do the rest frankly. Verrett is definitely a better fit for the role than Maier, though I still enjoy the Maier. When Verrett is on form, she has a certain silkiness to her voice that I just cannot resist (and she has it here). I also liked the Vickers/Verrett performance on video, but haven't seen that in quite some time.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Tsaraslondon

Quote from: mc ukrneal on August 30, 2017, 10:07:22 AM
I like Baltsa, generally, a lot, but I think the Chung is overall better sung and with a generally good atmosphere and energy to it. of course, tastes may vary, but I really enjoy Maier and Domingo. it's not quite the Domingo of youth, but it's still wonderfully thoughtful (as usual). But even better, on video, is the performance with Domingo and Verrett. Verrett is another I find underrated at times, and she shines here. And so does Domingo. And so do the rest frankly. Verrett is definitely a better fit for the role than Maier, though I still enjoy the Maier. When Verrett is on form, she has a certain silkiness to her voice that I just cannot resist (and she has it here). I also liked the Vickers/Verrett performance on video, but haven't seen that in quite some time.

I loved that Vickers/Verrett video. Verrett is quite a favourite of mine too; love her Eboli on the Giulini recording, and I have a live recording of Maria Stuarda, with Caballe as Maria, in which Verrett's Elisabetta all but steals the show.

I like Baltsa a lot too, and saw her quite a dew times live; Adalgisa, Dorabella, Carmen, Eboli, Isabella, and the Verdi Requiem. She was terrific every time.

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

mc ukrneal

Quote from: Tsaraslondon on August 30, 2017, 12:21:37 PM
I loved that Vickers/Verrett video. Verrett is quite a favourite of mine too; love her Eboli on the Giulini recording, and I have a live recording of Maria Stuarda, with Caballe as Maria, in which Verrett's Elisabetta all but steals the show.

I like Baltsa a lot too, and saw her quite a dew times live; Adalgisa, Dorabella, Carmen, Eboli, Isabella, and the Verdi Requiem. She was terrific every time.


Ah, I wish I had seen her. I never seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Lucky you!!
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Tsaraslondon

#618
Quote from: mc ukrneal on August 29, 2017, 04:56:08 PM
I'd opt for Domingo/Maier/Chung myself. Beautifully done on the whole. There have been some recent releases on ediciones singulars that are worth hearing, but are not at the same level as Samson.



Thought it was high time I listened to this recording, so am listening now (via Spotify).

Domingo is, as you say, superb, and certainly less strained by the demands of the role than Carreras. Chung has a fine grasp of the score too and it's wonderfully well played, though Davis too understands the score well, having conducted it many times at Covent Garden.

Not quite sure why I'm less taken with Meier. She does all the right things, but some of her effects feel applied rather than felt from within. Especially in the duet after Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix she can sound more like a Kundry or an Ortrud than a Dalila. Baltsa, whose tone by the time she recorded it could be a little grating, also sounds more sensuous to me, and is more inside the role.

Mind you, nobody, save perhaps Verrett, quite matches Callas's mixture of allure and danger in her recording of the three big set pieces, "like an elegant young tigress stretching her limbs in the spring sunshine" according to Ronald Crichton in an issue of Covent Garden's About the House, and hors councours according to Alan Blyth in Opera on Record II.

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

Tsaraslondon

#619


Chiefly interesting for the contributions of Horne, Verrett and Gedda, this is a live recording, seemingly from a radio broadcast of a concert performance.

The score is heavily cut, and Prêtre whizzes through it with unseemly haste with no sense whatsoever of the piece's structure. I just felt that he lacked any real understanding of the Berlioz idiom, of his originality and individuality, which is a pity because he has some excellent principals, though the supporting roles are less well filled. Veriano Luchetti appears as a rather too muscular Iopas.

Horne has no problems with the difficult tessitura of Cassandre's role, her voice shining out in the high passages but with plenty of power in the lower regions. However she doesn't quite put over Cassandre's crazed zeal, though Prêtre's fast tempos hardly help. Robert Massard is a fine Chorèbe.

Gedda, a lyric tenor, is surprisingly successful as Enée, a role usually sung by more heroic voices like Vickers and Heppner. His French is, as you might expect, excellent, and he never forces the voice, nor does he have any trouble with the top C in his big aria Inutiles regrets. He doesn't quite erase memories of Vickers, but his French is much more natural, and this might actually be more like the voice Berlioz would have had in mind. A great performance.

As Didon, Verrett is in splendid voice, perhaps one of the most richly endowed singers to have sung the role on disc, and she is, as always, dramatically involved, but she does tend to attack the music as if it were Verdi or Donizetti. I'm delighted to have heard her in the role, but I find I actually prefer Veasey on Davis's first recording, who, in turn, cedes place to Janet Baker, who unfortunately only recorded the final scenes under Sir Alexander Gibson in 1969, shortly after singing the role for Scottish Opera. There exists a complete recording of a performance from Covent Garden at which Baker deputised for an ailing Veasey. Despite the fact that she is singing in English, whilst the rest of the cast sing in French (Scottish Opera were performing the opera in English, and Baker didn't have time to learn the French text), she makes a profound impression. It is a great pity she wasn't engaged for the studio recording.

I enjoyed hearing this for the singing of the principals, but Prêtre all but ruins it for me, and Davis, in either of his two recordings, still remains supreme.

Thank heaven for Spotify. This is selling for £103 on Amazon!
\"A beautiful voice is not enough.\" Maria Callas