What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[knight66]

Another orotorio that has been successfully staged, particularly in this fabulously cast Glynedbourne production, which also exists on DVD. Superb performances all round with the late lameneted Lorraine Hunt Lieberson especially outstanding.

One of my favourite recordings of anything. Our first encounter with it was to stumple upon it part way through during a live TV transmission. We bought the VHS as soon as it came out, and played it so much we stretched the tape. Then there was the DVD and ultimately the CDs. The cast could not be bettered and the conducting also paces the piece dramatically, using silences as powerful tools to convey the emotional content. It works well as an opera. That accident of encountering it then entailed me in following the recorded careers of both Hunt Lieberson and Daniels.

Turning to the Aida, I like everything about the set except for the Aida. I have problems with Harteros, the voice quality to my ears is mildly unpleasant.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

One of my favourite recordings of anything. Our first encounter with it was to stumple upon it part way through during a live TV transmission. We bought the VHS as soon as it came out, and played it so much we stretched the tape. Then there was the DVD and ultimately the CDs. The cast could not be bettered and the conducting also paces the piece dramatically, using silences as powerful tools to convey the emotional content. It works well as an opera. That accident of encountering it then entailed me in following the recorded careers of both Hunt Lieberson and Daniels.

Turning to the Aida, I like everything about the set except for the Aida. I have problems with Harteros, the voice quality to my ears is mildly unpleasant.

Mike

All the singers are very fine, but Hunt Lieberson and Daniels are in a quite special class of their own. Both sing with sublime beauty of tone, but are also wonderfully expressive.

I know what you mean about Harteros. The voice often sounds under pressure, and develops a distracting vibrato whenever it is. However she does at least have definite ideas about the character. In any case, there aren't that many singers around to do the role justice these days. Just think back to the 50s through to the 70s when we had Callas, Tebaldi, Price, Caballé, Nilsson, Arroyo, Chiara, Gencer and many more. Even Freni and Ricciarelli, who both might have been considered on the light side, manage the role better.

[Tsaraslondon]

Hard to believe this superb recording of Handel's Rinaldo was made almost twenty years ago now. I'll have to admit that I'm not a Bartoli fan, and, though she can sing meltingly at times, I find her singing far too vibrant in the wrong sense, and her aspirated runs drive me mad. On the other hand, Daniels is one of my favourite singers (no aspirates in his runs) and was at his very best when this recording was made. The rest of the cast could hardly be bettered, with even Catherine Bott and Mark Padmore in small roles.

[knight66]

Your feelings about Bartoli exactly key in with my own. I have a disc of her singing French songs, which I enjoy. But I really don't get along with her machine gun fast work. I am surprised at how old that set is. I have owned it all that time, I would have guessed half as long.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

Your feelings about Bartoli exactly key in with my own. I have a disc of her singing French songs, which I enjoy. But I really don't get along with her machine gun fast work. I am surprised at how old that set is. I have owned it all that time, I would have guessed half as long.

Mike

Time flies ever more quickly, I find.

[Tsaraslondon]

I never can decide which of Tchaikovsky's two most famous operas I prefer; the wistfully romantic Eugene Onegin or the darker, more overtly dramatic The Queen of Spades, with its concentration on obsession and addiction.

I'm not sure we have a definitive recording, but this well sung Kirov version is as good as any and will do well for those who find Rostropovich's way a bit too overwrought. The sound has come in for a bit of criticism, but I like the way it catches a real theatre acoustic.

[knight66]

I got hold of the Valerie Masterson French Arias disc. It is really delightful. I run across her agent and he unfailingly mentions her. There is very little of her work available and as mentioned, she should ideally have recorded the disc earlier in her career. But I enjoyed it enormously. Perhaps she was even easier at the top of her range previously, but you have to listen very carefully to detect any wear in the voice. It is a really delightful string of pearls, mainly by Massenet, but including Bizet and Gluck. What a pity thare is not a whole lot more.

Mike

[André]

I think I'll order it, too. Thank you, messieurs, for the recommendation! 

"..........................

Speaking of english sopranos singing french vocal works, what about this one ?



Reviews are very positive. I'm not a huge fan of Poulenc, but this is supposed to be an important work. Opinions ?

[knight66]

Andre, Lott has never been a favourite of mine. I often felt that she never put her back into it. I feel she is a careful singer, cautious perhaps. But she has a very good reputation especially for French music. The only performance of hers that I was ever in was, oddly enough, Poulenc. It was his Gloria and she was first rate in it.

I hope you enjoy the Masterson disc.

Mike

[ritter]

I rather like Felicity Lott, who is a refined and intelligent singer IMHO, and one who pays special attention to the words. I don't know that recording of La voix humaine, but did see her live in the piece, some 13 years ago now at the Teatro de la Zarzuela here in Madrid. I think she was splendid in it (even if I don't care for the work all that much).

It actually was an interesting evening, as what they gave was Cocteau's play (in Spanish translation) with actress Cecilia Roth and then, with no intermission, proceeded to Poulenc's opera with Mrs. Lott.

[Wendell_E]

It actually was an interesting evening, as what they gave was Cocteau's play (in Spanish translation) with actress Cecilia Roth and then, with no intermission, proceeded to Poulenc's opera with Mrs. Lott.

PBS, the U.S. public television network, did something similar back in 1979, with Liv Ullmann in the play (in English), Karan Armstrong in the opera. Going through all that with "Elle" once in an evening is plenty for me! And to have to follow Ullmann...

They NY Times reviewer agreed with me about the double dose of Voix:
https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/28/archives/tv-liv-ullmann-in-cocteau-drama.html

I checked that Lott recording out of the library once, years ago, but don't remember much about it. I've never liked the work as much as Poulenc's other two operas.

[André]

Voix seems to be the kind of thing I'd listen to every sabbatical...

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I have Lott in a disc of Poulenc's songs. I've always enjoyed it. I haven't heard her in La Voix, though. My only recording of La Voix features Jane Rhodes, who gets my hair to standing on end without fail. She knows how to walk the tightrope between mania and sympathy. It all gets very claustrophobic, but it's hard to turn away.



[asin]B00004SH9T[/asin]


A cheaper alternative:

[asin]B001GDQDTM[/asin]

[Tsaraslondon]

I got hold of the Valerie Masterson French Arias disc. It is really delightful. I run across her agent and he unfailingly mentions her. There is very little of her work available and as mentioned, she should ideally have recorded the disc earlier in her career. But I enjoyed it enormously. Perhaps she was even easier at the top of her range previously, but you have to listen very carefully to detect any wear in the voice. It is a really delightful string of pearls, mainly by Massenet, but including Bizet and Gluck. What a pity thare is not a whole lot more.

Mike

If you enjoyed it, I'd suggest that you also try to get hold of the Pearl song recital, which was recorded more than 10 years earlier. It opens with Arne's O ravishing delight, a phrase which perfectly describes the response to the sound of the voice coming from the speakers.



Arne: O ravishing delight
Arne: Under the greenwood tree
Arne: The soldier tir'd
Handel: Nel dolce del'oblio
Bishop: Lo! Here the gentle lark
Gounod: Le premier jour de mai
Gounod: Serenade
Bizet: Vieille chanson
Bizet: Pastel
Bizet: Tarantelle
Satie: La Diva de l'Empire

[Elgarian Redux]

I came by chance upon a (relatively) recent DVD of La Rondine, wondered about buying it, started listening again, and as has always happened before, found myself wanting to watch and listen to all the recorded performances I have, simultaneously. I know it's an absurd impulse, but the sense of longing becomes so intense that I don't know what to do with it. And I know the third act is rubbish, so the opera doesn't work properly as a whole entity, but the first two acts are full of such astounding'y beautiful lyricism that it hardly matters to me.

Anyway, I decided to buy the new version, but by accident, unknowingly ordered a blu-ray version (not much use to someone without a blu-ray player), but that hasn't stopped me listening to bleeding chunks of what I have already.

[Elgarian Redux]

I have one of these hiding somewhere, and I haven't listened to it for years. Thanks for mentioning it - I shall find it and relisten.

[Tsaraslondon]

Speaking of english sopranos singing french vocal works, what about this one ?



Reviews are very positive. I'm not a huge fan of Poulenc, but this is supposed to be an important work. Opinions ?

I don't know the Poulenc disc, but I do have a recording of her singing Britten's Les Illuminations, which I like very much.

[pjme]

While doing some domestic work...:

Suor Angelica



P.

[André]

I have Lott in a disc of Poulenc's songs. I've always enjoyed it. I haven't heard her in La Voix, though. My only recording of La Voix features Jane Rhodes, who gets my hair to standing on end without fail. She knows how to walk the tightrope between mania and sympathy. It all gets very claustrophobic, but it's hard to turn away.



[asin]B00004SH9T[/asin]


A cheaper alternative:

[asin]B001GDQDTM[/asin]

Thanks, DD. This is a surprise entry indeed. Nowadays Jane Rhodes is known almost exclusively for her portrayals of Offenbach characters on the Pathé (EMI) label. She was the wife of conductor Roberto Benzi. I'll try to locate a copy.

[Draško]

Voix seems to be the kind of thing I'd listen to every sabbatical...

You could always go with the singer for whom it was written for:

[asin]B0787D7N6J[/asin]