What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[André]

Cross-posted from the WAYL2 thread:



Middle-period Schreker, Der Schatzgreber was written in 1915-1918, a few years after his smash hit Der Ferne Klang. The music is what one familiar with Schreker might expect: lush, luminous, transparent, a work of great beauty and refinement.

The story mixes imaginary kingdoms of ancient times with the supernatural, much as Korngold did in Die Tote Stadt (1916) and as Strauss was doing at the same time in Die Frau Ohne Schatten (written 1910-1917, premiered in 1919). That kind of thing seemed to be very popular following the success of symbolist plays (Debussy's Pelléas had been premiered in 1902).

Marc Albrecht's dad, Gerd Albrecht, also recorded Der Schatzgreber on Capriccio, but numerous small cuts and some ungainly singing from the only female singer in the opera didn't help make that Capriccio effort a recommendation. Fortunately this deluxe issue by Challenge Records sets things right with a sumptuous and vibrant performance. The sound is spectacular.

[Tsaraslondon]

This performance, recorded during a rehearsal and five performances of the opera during the 1951 Bayreuth season was recorded on magnetic tape and issued both on LP and on 68 78rpm sides, the largest set of 78s ever devoted to one work. There are some superb performances here, Hans Hopf's Walther the only relative disappointment.

[Tsaraslondon]

What a lovely opera this is. I have no idea why it is performed so rarely. Gavazzeni has the full measure of its gentle charrm and the young Pavarotti and Freni are perfectly cast as Fritz and Suzel, even if they don't quite erase memories of Schipa and Favero in the famous Cherry Duet.

[Tsaraslondon]

This 1965 recording still sounds absolutely gorgeous today. Less astringently dramatic than some, it brings out the compassion at the work's heart and enshrines a couple of terrific performances by the then husband and wife team of Berry and Ludwig.

[Tsaraslondon]

Not to be confused with the 1952 recording when Welitsch's voice was beginning to show signs of deterioration (she developed nodules in 1953), this 1949 performance finds her in terrific voice in a role for which she was coached by Strauss himself. The whole performance is absolutely thrilling with Welitsch's gleaming soprano cutting through the orchestral textures with ease.

[JBS]

Not to be confused with the 1952 recording when Welitsch's voice was beginning to show signs of deterioration (she developed nodules in 1953), this 1949 performance finds her in terrific voice in a role for which she was coached by Strauss himself. The whole performance is absolutely thrilling with Welitsch's gleaming soprano cutting through the orchestral textures with ease.

Image not showing. I think the host site security settings are interfering

[Mirror Image]

This 1965 recording still sounds absolutely gorgeous today. Less astringently dramatic than some, it brings out the compassion at the work's heart and enshrines a couple of terrific performances by the then husband and wife team of Berry and Ludwig.

Pounds the table! Absolutely marvelous recording of this masterpiece. I also like the early Boulez recording on Columbia.

[knight66]

This performance, recorded during a rehearsal and five performances of the opera during the 1951 Bayreuth season was recorded on magnetic tape and issued both on LP and on 68 78rpm sides, the largest set of 78s ever devoted to one work. There are some superb performances here, Hans Hopf's Walther the only relative disappointment.

I have had this recording for quite a while. I much prefer Karajan's later studio recording and this one put me off buying live performances for some time. There is such a lot of stage noise, clodhumping, dancing, scuffling and voices go in and out of the betst microphone range. That all ruined it for me, good though a number of the singers were.

Mike

[Tsaraslondon]

Image not showing. I think the host site security settings are interfering

Sorry. I don't know why. It shows up for me.

Salome from the Met in 1949 - Welitsch, Janssen, Thorborg, Jagel; Reiner - fabulous performance.

[Tsaraslondon]

Not a favourite opera of mine, by any means and I don't even have a copy on CD so was listening to this on Spotify. I used to own the Solti on LP and Marton here doesn't erase memories of Nilsson on that set. However I enjoyed this performance more than I usually enjoy the piece, which I put down to Sawallisch bringing out more of the lyricism in a score which is usually just too overwrought for me. There are other pluses too, Studer a much better, more accurate Chrysothemis than teh tremulous Collier on the Solti for one. Lipovšek, Weikl and Winkler are all excellent and Marton, a singer I don't normally like much, gives here surely her best performance on disc. If I were to get a recording on CD (still my preferred way of owning music) then this recording would be the one I'd go for.

[Tsaraslondon]

Because you're logged into your Talk Classical account? 

That could be it. I'm a bit of a technophobe.

[Tsaraslondon]

Karajan's superb recording of Salome, brilliantly cast from top to bottom. Did Behrens ever do anything better for the gramophone?

[Pohjolas Daughter]

What a night this must have been! Callas and Karajan, on the rare occasions they worked together, always reaped gold and this performance of Lucia di Lammermoor has justly entered the realms of legend. They had worked together on the opera at La Scala the previous year and would take it to Vienna the next. Karajan's tempi are wonderfully elastic and Callas's breath control prodigious, and the rest of the cast (Di Stefano, Panerai and Zaccaria) could hardly be bettered, outdoing that on both her studio recordings.

https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2018/01/13/lucia-di-lammermoor-berlin-1955/

Don't know that specific recording.  I have her Lucia with Serafin (plus a highlights) and one with Sutherland.  How is the recording sound on it?

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Sorry. I don't know why. It shows up for me.

Salome from the Met in 1949 - Welitsch, Janssen, Thorborg, Jagel; Reiner - fabulous performance.

Salomé and Welitsch:  a match made in heaven! 

PD

[André]

Verdi worked on Boccanegra in 1856, but the public reception was frosty. Unsatisfied with the fate of an opera he deeply believed in, he set back to work on it almost 25 years later when he was already 'retired', having Boito rework the libretto. Boito wrote a new, elaborate finale for the first act, for which Verdi composed totally new music - his first compositional effort after the Requiem of 1875. Elsewhere, he introduced new harmonies, a different orchestration and did some rewriting due to Boito's changes. It was created at La Scala in 1881 and was a success. It has been performed and recorded in the revised version ever since. Chronologically, Boccanegra followed the Trovatore-Rigoletto-Traviata trio, but the revised version stands between the Requiem and Otello. It also inaugurated the collaboration with Boito. The rejuvenated composer went on to compose Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893).

This performance is from 1957, but the recording is in mono. Technically, it was DOA when issued in 1958, when stereophony had become standard. However, because of the lack of competition it's always been around and it was not before the seventies that new commercial versions were released (Gavazzeni in 1973 on RCA and Abbado in 1977 on DGG).

It is a somber work, and Verdi's orchestration often plumbs the depths of the register, with horns, trombones, bass trombone and bassoons lending a dark colouring. Vocally the most striking roles are for baritone (Boccanegra) and two basses (Fiesco and Paolo). The soprano role of Amelia is rather wan and conventional. Surprisingly for Verdi, it is also devoid of important musical material. Also, it is the only female role in the opera, a very unusual feature of verdian casting. The tenor role of Gabriele Adorno is also short and rather one-dimensional.

Gobbi and Christoff tower, both individually and in their confrontations, the voices immediately recognizable, and both at the height of their vocal and dramatic powers. Santini conducts with care and efficiency. The sound is okay.

[Tsaraslondon]

Don't know that specific recording.  I have her Lucia with Serafin (plus a highlights) and one with Sutherland.  How is the recording sound on it?

PD

Well it's live so not as good as either studio recording, but this has always been the best of all Callas's live recordings, a lot clearer than any of her others, and the performance is legendary, one of her greatest nights in the theatre.

[Tsaraslondon]

Verdi worked on Boccanegra in 1856, but the public reception was frosty. Unsatisfied with the fate of an opera he deeply believed in, he set back to work on it almost 25 years later when he was already 'retired', having Boito rework the libretto. Boito wrote a new, elaborate finale for the first act, for which Verdi composed totally new music - his first compositional effort after the Requiem of 1875. Elsewhere, he introduced new harmonies, a different orchestration and did some rewriting due to Boito's changes. It was created at La Scala in 1881 and was a success. It has been performed and recorded in the revised version ever since. Chronologically, Boccanegra followed the Trovatore-Rigoletto-Traviata trio, but the revised version stands between the Requiem and Otello. It also inaugurated the collaboration with Boito. The rejuvenated composer went on to compose Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893).

This performance is from 1957, but the recording is in mono. Technically, it was DOA when issued in 1958, when stereophony had become standard. However, because of the lack of competition it's always been around and it was not before the seventies that new commercial versions were released (Gavazzeni in 1973 on RCA and Abbado in 1977 on DGG).

It is a somber work, and Verdi's orchestration often plumbs the depths of the register, with horns, trombones, bass trombone and bassoons lending a dark colouring. Vocally the most striking roles are for baritone (Boccanegra) and two basses (Fiesco and Paolo). The soprano role of Amelia is rather wan and conventional. Surprisingly for Verdi, it is also devoid of important musical material. Also, it is the only female role in the opera, a very unusual feature of verdian casting. The tenor role of Gabriele Adorno is also short and rather one-dimensional.

Gobbi and Christoff tower, both individually and in their confrontations, the voices immediately recognizable, and both at the height of their vocal and dramatic powers. Santini conducts with care and efficiency. The sound is okay.

I love this opera. I love its dark orchestration. I love the beautiful evocation of the sea just before Amelia's one aria. I have the Abbado recording, which takes a lot of beating, but I also have this one for the contributions of Gobbi, Christoff and De Los Angeles. Santini is a bit penny plain though.

[Tsaraslondon]

A thrilling performance of Bellini's La Sonnambula with Callas at the top of her form and at the beginning of her annus mirabilis in 1955. The under-recorded Cesare Valletti is another asset and I always think it a shame he wasn't engaged for the studio recording in 1957.

A full review on my blog https://tsaraslondon.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/la-sonnambula-la-scala-1955/.

[Tsaraslondon]

An excellent recording of Puccini's one act opera, which is often forgotten, probably because it is not associated with a complete recording of Il Trittico. Cossotto is a bit anonymous as the Zia Principessa, but Ricciarelli is a most affecting heroine and her voice was in good shape at this time (1972).

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Well it's live so not as good as either studio recording, but this has always been the best of all Callas's live recordings, a lot clearer than any of her others, and the performance is legendary, one of her greatest nights in the theatre.

Ah, I was thinking that this was a new-to-me-one, but looking back, I see that it's on Warner, hence former EMI (with different cover).  It's one that I've been tempted to get in the past.  Have you noticed any differences in terms of remastering?  I've heard of horrible things in the past like lyrics/singing getting left out (cut)!      Any suggestions (going back to first question) as to best remaster of this one?

PD