What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[San Antone]

I'm pretty gobsmacked, particularly about you liking the Te Kanawa/Solti Tosca! LOL A clutch of Decca Toscas

And, I find her Butterfly unbearably moving, and not in the least bit mannered.

The Callas Karajan Madama Butterfly.

But you can't please all of the people all of the time! ;-)

I've been listening to this one with singers unknown to me, from 1929:



But as I've found with all "historical" recordings, the singing is very naturalistic and effortless.  Very nice.  Audio quality is surprisingly good.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now streaming via Presto Music --- Bartók Duke Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11



One of my favorite works of all-time. This newcomer sounds promising so far. Karina Canellakis has already received many accolades for her previous Bartók recording.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Now playing Britten The Rape of Lucretia, Op. 37



Another recording I forgot about that I ran across today (and it was still sealed!). So I ripped to my external SSD and now having a listen. I haven't listened to this opera in ages. This is one of Britten's more controversial works and, by today's standards, it's difficult to hear why, but here is what it's about --- taken from the Britten-Pears website:

The story is set in Rome in 500BC. Lucretia, the wife of the Roman general Collatinus, is assaulted at home by the prince Tarquinius while her husband is away. The following day, Lucretia – traumatised and destroyed by what has happened to her – commits suicide. The action is framed by two choruses, who are looking back from a later era.

[brewski]

Available at 1:00 pm (EDT) this afternoon on Operavision, running through November 9, Opera Zuid's production of Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle. (Recorded in October 2024.)

Don't know either of the singers, nor the orchestra, though I do follow Duncan Ward elsewhere on social media.

Bluebeard: Thomas Oliemans
Judith: Deirdre Angenent
Philzuid Symphony Orchestra
Duncan Ward, conductor