What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[Tsaraslondon]

Ravel's Fantaisie lyrique:



Still weaves its magic after almost 60 years.

Pure magic indeed. Excellent performance too.

[Tsaraslondon]

Giulini's Il Trovatore makes for very enjoyable listening, even if, in the final analysis, it lacks the sheer excitement and thrill of the Callas/Karajan set. As always with Giulini, tempos tend to be measured, gving his singers plenty of room to breathe and expand, but I do miss Karajan's superb rhythmic swagger and verve. It makes for a more reflective and thoughtful performance than usual, but I'm not sure that is what Il Trovatore needs.

That said there is some excellent singing from an unusual group of singers. Plowright has exactly the right tinta for Leonora, the tone darkly plangent, the coloratura well executed, but nowhere does she light up a phrase the way Callas does and Leonora remains a somewhat two-dimensional character. Domingo is actually better here than he was for Mehta, more inside the role and his voice more free on top, though the (unwritten) top Cs in Di quella pira still sound somewhat strained. Zancanaro is a most musical Di Luna, and Nesterenko gets the opera off to a rousing start.

The most controversial piece of casting is no doubt that of Fassbaender as Azucena, and her intelligent portrayal is thoroughly thought through and beautifully sung, with a lieder singer's attention to detail. She does not however erase memories of singers like Simionato and Barbieri in the role, both of whom are more naturally suited to the music.

In short, a musical and thoughtful traversal of the score, which just misses that last degree of passion and excitement. It certainly doesn't oust the Callas/Karajan set from my affections.

[JBS]

Devoting the afternoon to
[asin]B07HSJ8978[/asin]
Typical Vivaldi opera...he even patched in a bit of the Four Seasons to accompany an appearance of the goddess Fortune.
The plot is based, rather remotely, on Byzantine history, with the hero being the emperor Justin I, uncle of Justinian. But unlike history, he gets to rescue the heroine who has been tied and left, Andromeda like, to be eaten by a sea monster.
This is actually the third recording of this opera, one of them being by Curtis/Complesso Barocco.

[André]

Giulini's Il Trovatore makes for very enjoyable listening, even if, in the final analysis, it lacks the sheer excitement and thrill of the Callas/Karajan set. As always with Giulini, tempos tend to be measured, gving his singers plenty of room to breathe and expand, but I do miss Karajan's superb rhythmic swagger and verve. It makes for a more reflective and thoughtful performance than usual, but I'm not sure that is what Il Trovatore needs.

That said there is some excellent singing from an unusual group of singers. Plowright has exactly the right tinta for Leonora, the tone darkly plangent, the coloratura well executed, but nowhere does she light up a phrase the way Callas does and Leonora remains a somewhat two-dimensional character. Domingo is actually better here than he was for Mehta, more inside the role and his voice more free on top, though the (unwritten) top Cs in Di quella pira still sound somewhat strained. Zancanaro is a most musical Di Luna, and Nesterenko gets the opera off to a rousing start.

The most controversial piece of casting is no doubt that of Fassbaender as Azucena, and her intelligent portrayal is thoroughly thought through and beautifully sung, with a lieder singer's attention to detail. She does not however erase memories of singers like Simionato and Barbieri in the role, both of whom are more naturally suited to the music.

In short, a musical and thoughtful traversal of the score, which just misses that last degree of passion and excitement. It certainly doesn't oust the Callas/Karajan set from my affections.

Trovatore is one of my very favourite operas and this is one of my very favourite versions. It may lack in vocal/dramatic individuality, but as a sum it is near the top. A large part of my pleasure comes from the conducting, playing and engineering. This de luxe showcase provides the perfect backdrop for the singers' performances. I have the same reaction to Giulini's DG Rigoletto. In a sense they are good foils to some other versions where the singing is more sharply individual - there are quite a few of those, including the Callas version above, the Corelli and/or Price recordings and a few live ones with Caballé. Like Aida, Trovatore is an extraordinary vehicle for great singing. Great conducting is a substantial bonus.

[Tsaraslondon]

Trovatore is one of my very favourite operas and this is one of my very favourite versions. It may lack in vocal/dramatic individuality, but as a sum it is near the top. A large part of my pleasure comes from the conducting, playing and engineering. This de luxe showcase provides the perfect backdrop for the singers' performances. I have the same reaction to Giulini's DG Rigoletto. In a sense they are good foils to some other versions where the singing is more sharply individual - there are quite a few of those, including the Callas version above, the Corelli and/or Price recordings and a few live ones with Caballé. Like Aida, Trovatore is an extraordinary vehicle for great singing. Great conducting is a substantial bonus.

I hope I didn't sound churlish, because I do like this Giulini version. I see it as somehow complimentary to the Callas/Karajan set, which, however, remains my favourite.

[André]

No churlishness at all. At least you have a clear favourite. I never got that far  . There's always something that could be improved on. Giulini's Trovatore (and his Rigoletto) could use tighter tempi, for one. And Plowright's Leonora, gorgeously sung as it is, lacks the fil di voce high notes of some of her rivals. And Domingo's top notes do not match Corelli's (or Del Monaco's for that matter). So it goes !

[Tsaraslondon]

I saw Baltsa and Carreras in Carmen at Covent Garden shortly before this set was issued, and it remains one of the most thrilling performances (of anything) I've ever seen. Consequently I was very excited when this set was issued and snapped it up immediately.

Unfortunately, it proved something of a disappointment, the fault for which must lie squarely on Karajan's shoulders. By this time measured tempi were becoming the norm for him, and it is evident how much he loves ths score, but he rather loves it to death. For all the beautiful playing of the BPO, it lacks completely the wit and elegance of Beecham, or the swift visceral excitement of Prêtre.

Having taken the decision to record the version with spoken dialogue, it seems totally perverse to then use actors, who sound nothing like their singing counterparts, recorded in a totally different acoustic. It is hard to become involved when the differences are so profound. It's like listening to two different productions at the same time, and does the most harm to Baltsa and Carreras, who were so involving and communicative live at Covent Garden. Indeed neither of them really settles down to a real performance until the final duet, which is thrillingly powerful, as it should be.

What on earth prompted Karajan to think that Ricciarelli could be perfect as both Micaëla and Turandot? She is suited to neither, whereas Barbara Hendricks, who sings a wonderfull Liu on that Turandot he recorded the previous year would have been perfect.

Van Dam is a fine Escamillo, as he was for Solti.

I keep the recording for the contributions of Baltsa and Carreras, but listening to it is a curiously frustrating experience, and I mostly longed to be back chez Callas, Gedda and Prêtre.

[Tsaraslondon]

If only ... If only this 1953 set had never been made. Had it not been, Callas would have recorded the role of Violetta in 1955 under Serafin's baton, with Di Stefano and Gobbi as the Germonts, when she was at the height of her powers and fresh from the success of her appearances in the role at La Scala in Visconti's superb production. But the niceties of her contract with Cetra forbad her from re-recording the role for five years and Walter Legge decided to go on and record the opera without her. Antonietta Stella proved to be a poor substitute, so maybe he should have waited until 1958, when she was free to record the opera again.

Not that Callas is bad in this performance. She is still a more affecting Violetta than most sopranos can dream of being, but her surroundings are dull and prosaic, Santini's conducting plodding and dull, and Albanese and Savarese no better than average. Furthermore, Violetta was a role she was continually refining, and, by the time of the 1958 Covent Garden performance, the last of her recorded Violettas, it has become a charactersiation of infinite subtlety and nuance.

It is the 1958 Covent Garden performance I most often turn to, but it is good to listen to this one too, if only to be reminded of how she sounded in the role when she was in more robust voice.

[knight66]

Thanks for all the interesting posts over the last several weeks. Andre, you encourage me to get the Currentzis Dido off my shelf. When I got it, it struck me that he was becomming mannered with a kind of stop-go hell for leather speed suddenly contrasted with very slow. His approach to dynamics seemed similar and I really have not enjoyed Kermes. His Don Giovanni was rerecorded entirely and I have read that Kermes's singing had been part of the problem, she does not appear in the re-recording. He doed however shake us up with his rethinking of pieces, sometimes it works , other times, no. Great to see that Janet Baker still strikes listeners so very strongly in this and the Berlioz Faust. Again I agree, such a disappointing set due to the lax conducting.

I also love the Giulini Trovatore and the singers work with him to provide darkness rather than excitement. I am always torn between putting this on for a spin or choosing Mehta or Karajan. Ditto for singers, do I want Price/Plowright or Callas? And to be honest, I never ever really want Domingo, but we so very often got him.

I also agree with the remarks on the Karajan Carmen. I remember eagerly awaiting it and then being intensely disappointed, it felt stilted and to my ears Baltsa's voice sounds worn. For me, her best years were suddenly behind her when this set came out.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

Peter Grimes has now become something of a repertory piece and there are many fine performances on disc, not least Colin Davis with Vickers and Hickox with Langridge. However this, its first recording, made in 1958 and conducted by the composer with the Grimes for whom the role was written will always hold a special place in the catalogue. It certainly sounds wonderful, considering it was recorded 60 years ago now.

Pears is quite different from the brutish Vickers, more the visionary, whilst Langridge steers a course somewhere between the two. I'd honestly find it hard to state a preference, whilst noting that Pears's infinitely moving performance has the stamp of authority and Britten is, as ever, a superb advocate for his own music.

[Tsaraslondon]

I also agree with the remarks on the Karajan Carmen. I remember eagerly awaiting it and then being intensely disappointed, it felt stilted and to my ears Baltsa's voice sounds worn. For me, her best years were suddenly behind her when this set came out.

Mike

Yes. I suppose her best recorded roles would be her Eboli and Amneris, both recorded in the late 70s, though she still sounds in good vocal form on the Marriner Il Barbiere di Siviglia and La Cenerentola, which were recorded after the Carmen. Vocally, I think she still sounds OK on the Carmen, but, and it's only conjecture, maybe the cracks were beginning to show in her relationship with Karajan, as they famously fell out during the recording of his Don Giovanni, on which she sings Elvira. By the time she sings Dalila in the Davis set, the vibrato is becoming intrusive, though I still prefer her to most other modern Dalilas. A lot of mezzos and contraltos sound more maternal than seductive to me (Gorr for one), and Baltsa sounds alternatively seductive, dangerous and vengeful.

[Tsaraslondon]

Abbado's superb La Scala recording of Verdi's great masterpiece pretty much sweeps aside all others, but this one, despite less than brilliant mono sound, orchestra and chorus dimly recorded, despite Santini's ploddingly prosaic conducting, demands to be heard, due to three distinguised, transforming performances.

Gobbi was in prime vocal form when the set was recorded, and though he does not quite have the vocal reserves of Cappuccilli, he creates the most rounded, most movingly tortured Doge you are ever likely to hear. Christoff, too, could hardly be bettered, briliantly charting the change from implacable revenge to conciliation in the final scene with Gobbi's Doge. To make our cup runeth over, we have De Los Angeles in one of her rare excursions into Verdi, singing with rare communication, commitment and of course beauty of tone, particularly in the middle register, where most of the role lies. The downward runs in the final ensemble are absolutely exquisite. Campora may not be quite on their level (and Carreras on Abbado's set is almost ideal) but he isn't bad at all.

All three prinicpals, I'd take (just) over their DG counterparts, but that recording benefits from Abbado's superb pacing of the score, the wonderful playing of the La Scala orchestra, and warm, beautifully balanced stereo sound. So, for the opera itself, I'd take Abbado. For three superbly characterful performances, I choose Santini.

[André]

Just bought:




I've never heard this work but have a good idea what to expect.

[Tsaraslondon]

Callas's studio recording of Medea was recorded in 1957 shortly after La Scala's visit to Edinburgh. She had not been well in Edinburgh and indeed refused to sing the extra performance La Scala announced, and she was still not in good voice when this recording was made.

When I first listened to it I thought it was tremendous, but then I didn't know of the existence of the many live recordings, the best of which (from Florence and La Scala in 1953 and from Dallas in 1958) are absolutely thrilling, despite crumbly sound.

Part of the problem with the studio set is Serafin's classically conceived, but far too restrained conducting, and Callas's performance emerges as less vivid, less thrillingly dramatic. She is never less than effective of course, and she she still makes more of the role than either Sylvia Sass or Gwyneth Jones do in their complete recordings, but the performance never takes fire the way those mentioned above do, none of which I would be without. Nor is the cast particularly distinguished. In Florence and Milan we have Barbieri as Neris, in Dallas Berganza in the same role, Vickers as Giasone and Zaccaria as Creon. Game, set and match to Dallas 1958, I think.

Fuller review of the studio set here https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/medea/

[knight66]

Abbado's superb La Scala recording of Verdi's great masterpiece pretty much sweeps aside all others, but this one, despite less than brilliant mono sound, orchestra and chorus dimly recorded, despite Santini's ploddingly prosaic conducting, demands to be heard, due to three distinguised, transforming performances.

Gobbi was in prime vocal form when the set was recorded, and though he does not quite have the vocal reserves of Cappuccilli, he creates the most rounded, most movingly tortured Doge you are ever likely to hear. Christoff, too, could hardly be bettered, briliantly charting the change from implacable revenge to conciliation in the final scene with Gobbi's Doge. To make our cup runeth over, we have De Los Angeles in one of her rare excursions into Verdi, singing with rare communication, commitment and of course beauty of tone, particularly in the middle register, where most of the role lies. The downward runs in the final ensemble are absolutely exquisite. Campora may not be quite on their level (and Carreras on Abbado's set is almost ideal) but he isn't bad at all.

All three prinicpals, I'd take (just) over their DG counterparts, but that recording benefits from Abbado's superb pacing of the score, the wonderful playing of the La Scala orchestra, and warm, beautifully balanced stereo sound. So, for the opera itself, I'd take Abbado. For three superbly characterful performances, I choose Santini.

Again, our opinions exactly mesh. I would not want to be without either set. And I don't feel that I need any other performances of the piece.

Mike

[ritter]

Of course the Abbado has benchmark status as far as Simon Boccanegra recordings go (pity the videos of the Strehler from which it emerged are in such poor quality), and the Santini also boasts some great soloists (I haven't listened to it for many years, though, and it's no longer in my collection), but there's also an overlooked version that came out shortly before Abbado's, and has many good things to offer :



Same lead singer as for Abbado, but a wonderful Amelia in the very young Ricciarelli (in a repertoire that suited her like a glove), a strong Domingo in his prime as well, and the great Gavazzeni at the helm. Worth checking out; it's long OOP, but can usually be found used for a pittance.

[Mirror Image]

Ravel's Fantaisie lyrique:



Still weaves its magic after almost 60 years.

Yep, one of my favorite operas and my favorite recording of it. I absolutely adore the section Toi, le coeur de la rose. Very short, but so touching.

[André]

Of course the Abbado has benchmark status as far as Simon Boccanegra recordings go (pity the videos of the Strehler from which it emerged are in such poor quality), and the Santini also boasts some great soloists (I haven't listened to it for many years, though, and it's no longer in my collection), but there's also an overlooked version that came out shortly before Abbado's, and has many good things to offer :



Same lead singer as for Abbado, but a wonderful Amelia in the very young Ricciarelli (in a repertoire that suited her like a glove), a strong Domingo in his prime as well, and the great Gavazzeni at the helm. Worth checking out; it's long OOP, but can usually be found used for a pittance.

An excellent version indeed !

..................................................

Latest acquisition:



Verrett is partnered here by an all-French cast and conductor. I don't expect much in terms of sound quality, but have high hopes for the performance !

[Tsaraslondon]

..................................................

Latest acquisition:



Verrett is partnered here by an all-French cast and conductor. I don't expect much in terms of sound quality, but have high hopes for the performance !

I always think it a great shame Verrett never got to record Carmen in the studio.

[Maestro267]

Wagner: Die Walküre
Cook (Siegmund), Ronge (Sieglinde), Wegner (Wotan), Nikolova (Fricka), Pohl (Brünnhilde)
Badische Staatskapelle/Neuhold

I've had this (along with the other Ring operas) for nearly two years, but it's only now I've gotten round to listening to it. As much as I really enjoy the music in these operas, I have to be in the mood to commit four hours to it.