What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[Tsaraslondon]

I bougt this recording of Dido and Aeneas for one of my favourite singers, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (billed simply as Lorraine Hunt here, as it predates her marriage to Peter Lieberson), and she does not disappoint. However the recording itself has a peculiarly lifeless air about it, and no amount of Cornish accents for the sailor and silly voices for the witches can enliven it. As a performance of the opera, I still prefer the old Antony Collins version, with Janet Baker as Dido, for all that it uses modern instruments.

That said, I would not want to be without Hunt Lieberson's take on the role of Dido. Her lament is one of the most moving I've heard, and the performance finally comes to life with her moving rendition and the lovely final chorus that follows.

[Tsaraslondon]

I've been listening to this recording recently too - Love it!.

Have you been listening to the most recent Warner re-master, as pictured in my post? It's part of Warner's DeLuxe Opera series and is well worth the extra outlay. I've had the recording in various pressings since my LP days, and it's never sounded so good as it does here.

[Mirror Image]

Currently:

Enescu
Oedipe, Op. 23
Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo, Orféon Donostiarra
Lawrence Foster, conductor
José van Dam (bass-baritone), Gino Quilico (vocals), Marcel Vanaud (vocals), Gabriel Bacquier (bass-baritone), Petits chanteurs de Monaco (vocals), Jean-Philippe Courtis (vocals), José van Dam (baritone), Laurence Albert (vocals), Cornelius Hauptmann (bass), Jocelynne Taillon (vocals), Jocelyne Taillon (vocals), John Aler (tenor), Barbara Hendricks (vocals), Nicolai Gedda (tenor), Brigitte Fassbaender (vocals), Marjana Lipovsek (vocals)

Finished up Oedipe earlier tonight and absolutely was enthralled from start to finish. Dare I say it's a masterpiece? Act IV, in particular, was especially moving.

[Ciaccona]

Have you been listening to the most recent Warner re-master, as pictured in my post? It's part of Warner's DeLuxe Opera series and is well worth the extra outlay. I've had the recording in various pressings since my LP days, and it's never sounded so good as it does here.

The version I own is from the Richard Strauss Great Operas box - I think it's probably the 2001 Remaster and not the latest one as in your deluxe set.
I think the SQ in my version is good! - It's hard to believe it's a 50 YO recording.

[Ciaccona]

NP:



Puccini: Suor Angelica


Continuing to listen to Il Trittico with the work Suor Angelica which was a first listen.
I really liked this one - Beautiful work. It is more to my taste than Gianni Schicchi.

[Tsaraslondon]

The version I own is from the Richard Strauss Great Operas box - I think it's probably the 2001 Remaster and not the latest one as in your deluxe set.
I think the SQ in my version is good! - It's hard to believe it's a 50 YO recording.

I think mine was the first EMI CD release. This new one is much warmer, much cleaner. One of the best digital remasters of any analogue recording I've ever heard. It's a deluxe presentation too, coming in a hard back book with full texts, translations, details about the recording and the remaster. I also have the Giulini Don Giovanni in the same series.

[Tsaraslondon]

Finished up Oedipe earlier tonight and absolutely was enthralled from start to finish. Dare I say it's a masterpiece? Act IV, in particular, was especially moving.

This is one opera that's been on my radar for some time, but I still haven't got round to acquiring it. I assume that the pressing you detail doesn't come with libretto and translation, though, as it's in French, I might get by with just the libretto.

[Tsaraslondon]

Cosi fan tutte is a difficult opera for me these days. The music is sublime, but I find its subject matter and treatment of women abhorrent, far more so than the murder of Carmen, which a recent Florence production had such a problem with.

I find the best way to listen to it is to ignore as much as possible the plot and listen instead to the emotions the plot provokes, and this is where Mozart's genius rises above his subject matter, especially in a great performance such as this one.

Schwarzkopf and Ludwig are a wonderfully contrasted pair of sisters, the latter capturing Dorabella's more flighty, open hearted nature to perfection. Schwarzkopf is superb as her more haughty, serious sister, imperious in Come scoglio, truly troubled and emotionally shattered in Per pieta. Between them, she and Alfredo Kraus make their duet Fra gli'amplessi into a thing of quivering sighs and eroticism. In no other version does that moment of capitulation make qute the effect it does here. Hanny Steffek is just right as Depina, not too sparkily soubrettish, and enjoys herself enormously with Walter Berry's genially scheming Don Alfonso.

The male lovers are also wonderfully cast, Kraus ardent and poised as the more romantuc Ferrando, Taddei a mercurial and vibrant Guglielmo.

Böhm's experience shines through in every bar and the Philharmonia play sublimely.

I've had this recording (originally on LP) in my collection now for almost 50 years now and, though I've acquired and heard others since, it remains my first choice.

[Florestan]

the murder of Carmen, which is garnering so much discussion elsewhere on this site.

Where?

[Tsaraslondon]

Where?

Sorry I pasted and copied my revew of this Cosi from another site, where there has been a lot of discussion about a recent production of Carmen in which Carmen doesn't die.

[Florestan]

Sorry I pasted and copied my revew of this Cosi from another site, where there has been a lot of discussion about a recent production of Carmen in which Carmen doesn't die.

Oh, I see. What bullshit. 

[Mirror Image]

This is one opera that's been on my radar for some time, but I still haven't got round to acquiring it. I assume that the pressing you detail doesn't come with libretto and translation, though, as it's in French, I might get by with just the libretto.

It's definitely worth acquiring, Tsaraslondon. No, this particular issue (or reissue in this case) doesn't contain the libretto. If you can find the original issue, you'll have it, but I had looked around for an hour or so trying to find a copy of the original issue and I couldn't find one, so I had to settle on the reissue.

[Karl Henning]

Recent listening:

[asin]B000002S38[/asin]

Puccini: Gianni Schicchi

From the Box-Set:

[asin]B001BO184Q[/asin]

More or less a first listen - Enjoyed the work, especially the (famous) aria "O mio babbino caro".
I intend to listen to the remaining 2 Operas from Il Trittico over the next few days...

Poor cousin Buozzo

[Ghost of Baron Scarpia]

Thread Duty:
Bruckner
Symphony #9 in d minor
Cologne Radio Symphony
Wand

Opera? An idiosyncratic take on Bruckner.

[Karl Henning]

Opera? An idiosyncratic take on Bruckner.

Just plain ol' error

[Tsaraslondon]

It's definitely worth acquiring, Tsaraslondon. No, this particular issue (or reissue in this case) doesn't contain the libretto. If you can find the original issue, you'll have it, but I had looked around for an hour or so trying to find a copy of the original issue and I couldn't find one, so I had to settle on the reissue.

This reissue appears to have the libretto on a separate CD.

[Mirror Image]

This reissue appears to have the libretto on a separate CD.

Ah, very nice. The reason question is have you bought it yet? And, if you haven't, what are you waiting for?!?!?

[ritter]

Finished up Oedipe earlier tonight and absolutely was enthralled from start to finish. Dare I say it's a masterpiece? Act IV, in particular, was especially moving.

Isn't it just gorgeous? And that Act IV you mention, wow! Oedipus's final lines, from "Et maintenant, Thésée, suis mois...", as the character has defeated his destiny, are one of the most intense endings in opera I have ever encountered. "Transfigurative" is the only word I find to describe it...

Tsaraslondon should really listen to this marvel...

[Tsaraslondon]

With two such recommendations, it seems I am going to have to part with more money.

[Mirror Image]

Isn't it just gorgeous? And that Act IV you mention, wow! Oedipus's final lines, from "Et maintenant, Thésée, suis mois...", as the character has defeated his destiny, are one of the most intense endings in opera I have ever encountered. "Transfigurative" is the only word I find to describe it...

Tsaraslondon should really listen to this marvel...

Good day, Rafael. It is gorgeous, indeed. You know how particular I am about operas, but this one will be added to my short-list of favorites now and I can't wait to revisit it.

And, yes, Tsaraslondon should really know this mesmerizing work.