What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[nico1616]

I always felt I had more than enough Hercules with the Gardiner & Minkowski recordings, since both are equally brilliant. But now I am really curious with this Christie/DiDonato.

[JBS]

I always felt I had more than enough Hercules with the Gardiner & Minkowski recordings, since both are equally brilliant. But now I am really curious with this Christie/DiDonato.

You can get a taste of it on this CD

[JBS]

TD
First listen to this.


How many operas have a scene set at a snow sled run?

On the negative side, the libretto labels the heroine as "Die Frau", no personal name. Pauline Strauss was said to be not enthused about this opera. Wonder why.

And then there's this exchange in the first scene as the maid helps the wife dress her hair.

Maid: The master does not like to stay too long in one place!
Wife (mockingly): Yes, perhaps there's a drop of Jewish blood in there!

😳😳😳

After this, there are four Strauss operas I've never heard: Guntram, Fuersnot, Friedenstag and Die Liebe der Danae.

[ritter]

Revisiting Mascagni's Iris, in this 1956 Italian Radio recording with Magda Olivero (whom I got the chance to see live in recital towards the end of her long and distinguished career) in the title rôle, Salvatore Puma as Osaka, Saturno Meletti as Kyoto, and Giulio Neri as Il Cieco. The conductor is Angelo Questa.



The music perfectly matches Luigi Illica's absurd and pretentious libretto (just look at the names of the characters!) perfectly. Gianadrea Gavazzeni wrote something to the effect that this work represents the irruption of the stile Liberty (a floral —and florid— Italian variant of Art Nouveau) in the world of Italian opera, and it must be noted that Iris, with its "cardboard" Japanese setting, predates Puccini's Madama Butterfly by several years.

But, this is one of those instances of "it's so bad, it's good", and I love this opera! 

[Florestan]

Revisiting Mascagni's Iris, in this 1956 Italian Radio recording with Magda Olivero (whom I got the chance to see live in recital towards the end of her long and distinguished career) in the title rôle, Salvatore Puma as Osaka, Saturno Meletti as Kyoto, and Giulio Neri as Il Cieco. The conductor is Angelo Questa.



The music perfectly matches Luigi Illica's absurd and pretentious libretto (just look at the names of the characters!) perfectly. Gianadrea Gavazzeni wrote something to the effect that this work represents the irruption of the stile Liberty (a floral —and florid— Italian variant of Art Nouveau) I the world of Italian opera, and it must be noted that Iris, with its "cardboard" Japanese setting, predates Puccini's Madama Butterfly by several years.

But, this is one of those instances of "it's so bad, it's good", and I love this opera! 

Going to opera for the libretto is like going to circus for the music. 

[ritter]

TD
First listen to this.


...

On the negative side, the libretto labels the heroine as "Die Frau", no personal name. Pauline Strauss was said to be not enthused about this opera. Wonder why.

But she does have a name: Christine.
...

After this, there are four Strauss operas I've never heard: Guntram, Fuersnot, Friedenstag and Die Liebe der Danae.

Guntram is a wannabe Wagnerian drama of scant interest (I haven't listened to it in decades, and have no recording in my collection). Feuersnot is Interesting, as it is an irreverent, erotic anti-Wagnerian work, stemming from the same world that inspired Schoenberg's Brettl-Lieder. Friedenstag is an unalloyed bore. Danae is not a masterpiece, but has some ravishing moments (for me, particularly, in the last act).

[JBS]

But she does have a name: Christine.

Indeed. Which makes the libretto's label for her all the more maddening.

...Guntram is a wannabe Wagnerian drama of scant interest (I haven't listened to it in decades, and have no recording in my collection). Feuersnot is Interesting, as it is an irreverent, erotic anti-Wagnerian work, stemming from the same world that inspired Schoenberg's Brettl-Lieder. Friedenstag is an unalloyed bore. Danae is not a masterpiece, but has some ravishing moments (for me, particularly, in the last act).

There seems to be only one recording of Guntram (conducted by Eva Queler). My completism will compel its purchase sooner or later.  Same for Friedenstag. Are there any recordings of Feuersnot and Danae you recommend?

ETA: Correction--there's more than one recording of Guntram, but Queler seems the best.

[Lisztianwagner]

Ernst Krenek
Karl V

Gerd Albrecht & Radio Symphonie Orchester Wien

[ritter]

Mercadante's La Vestale (on a libretto by Salvatore Cammarano). Dunja Vejzovic (sop.), Gianfranco Cecchele (ten.) et al., orchrstra and Chorus of the Croatian National Theatre of Split, Vjekoslav Sutej (cond,).

[ritter]

Some crude verismo, in its most sentimental variant: Mascagni's Lodoletta.



The fact that the novel on which it's based is titled Two Little Wooden Shoes (by English writer Ouida —pen name of Marie Louise "de la" Ramée-) is a hint on what to expect. But it's all kinda cute and quaint...   

[ritter]

... Are there any recordings of Feuersnot and Danae you recommend?
...

Apologies, Jeffrey. I failed to answer your question.

Of the two recordings of Danae I own, Leon Botstein on Telarc and Clemens Krauss on Orfeo d'Or, I much prefer the latter. It's an important historical document: the posthumous world première in Salzburg in 1952, led by the man who had conducted the "dress rehearsal" —a premiere in all but name— in the presence of the composer eight years earlier during the restrictions of "total war".



As for Feuersnot, I used to have the Varady / Weikl / Fricke (various labels) on LP decades ago, but have no recollection of it whatsoever, and now have the live Kempe with members of the Bavarian Opera troupe —no stars— (also Orfeo d'Or) in my collection, but haven't listened to in a long time.



Sorry I couldn't be of more help. 

[JBS]

Apologies, Jeffrey. I failed to answer your question.

Of the two recordings of Danae I own, Leon Botstein on Telarc and Clemens Krauss on Orfeo d'Or, I much prefer the latter. It's an important historical document: the posthumous world première in Salzburg in 1952, led by the man who had conducted the "dress rehearsal" —a premiere in all but name— in the presence of the composer eight years earlier during the restrictions of "total war".



As for Feuersnot, I used to have the Varady / Weikl / Fricke (various labels) on LP decades ago, but have no recollection of it whatsoever, and now have the live Kempe with members of the Bavarian Opera troupe —no stars— (also Orfeo d'Or) in my collection, but haven't listened to in a long time.



Sorry I couldn't be of more help. 

Quite okay. I've held off listening to them for decades, what's a few more weeks.

CPO has recordings of both, and there are video releases of both.

I will probably pass on the Krauss: pricing is a bit steep for used copies, and I'm always leery of live 1950s audio. I have Orfeo's Aegyptische Helen from 1956 (Rysanek/Keilberth) and the audio makes it merely serviceable.

The Varady Feuersnot did get to CD, although now out of print.

[Iota]

Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Christine Schäfer, Patricia Petibon, Ian Bosridge, Iain Paton, Alan Ewing, Jürg Löw
Les Arts Florissants, William Christie

The experience of a Mozart opera is so often something of a miracle, and thus it is again here. The music is always the main star of course, but a recording like this certainly allows it to shine in its full glory.
Mozart's love of the soprano voice produces such great joys across his entire oeuvre, and Schäfer as Konstanze rises here to their challenge with stirring and glorious results. She is so impressive, that Bostridge, although absolutely fine, sounds at times somewhat pale next to her. Petibon is also excellent, her agile and charismatic rendition of Blonde's 'Durch Zartlichkeit und Schmeicheln' aria particularly lingers in the memory. And the seemingly always excellent Christie triumphs again, colour, fun and drama inhabit every bar, with the band nimble, inviting and ever responsive to every twist and turn.

[Iota]

I must admit this is not the Mozart opera that I find most engaging, it lacks the dynamism, wit, colour and irrepressible momentum of the other mature operas, but then that's not its purpose. Commissioned to celebrate Leopold II's coronation as King of Bohemia (and written in eighteen days! ), it is by necessity a more formal affair, and lives up unambiguously to it's 'seria' label.
Even though the vibrancy may be thin on the ground, and Mozart's inspiration a little less fired up, there are still plenty of WAM-stamped arias/ensembles to enjoy along the way. In this recording another definite plus is the part of Sesto, which is taken by Teresa Berganza who imo leaves everyone else in the shade. Not that the other significant names are in any way bad, but it is her (along with some sterling work from Böhm) who gives the opera dramatic and emotional depth, in this setting her light really does shine very bright.

As another little parting gift from La Clemenza, the almost incomprehensible achievement of Mozart writing it in eighteen days, whilst in the middle of writing another small number widely considered one of the greatest operas ever written (Magic Flute), has inspired me to make Rossini's La Cenerentola my next port of call, another opera written in an absurdly short time, and one I've never listened to before.
And having had a quick peek at recommended recordings, I think might also keep the Berganza candle burning and go for the 1971 Abbado recording.

[Tsaraslondon]

I must admit this is not the Mozart opera that I find most engaging, it lacks the dynamism, wit, colour and irrepressible momentum of the other mature operas, but then that's not its purpose. Commissioned to celebrate Leopold II's coronation as King of Bohemia (and written in eighteen days! ), it is by necessity a more formal affair, and lives up unambiguously to it's 'seria' label.
Even though the vibrancy may be thin on the ground, and Mozart's inspiration a little less fired up, there are still plenty of WAM-stamped arias/ensembles to enjoy along the way. In this recording another definite plus is the part of Sesto, which is taken by Teresa Berganza who imo leaves everyone else in the shade. Not that the other significant names are in any way bad, but it is her (along with some sterling work from Böhm) who gives the opera dramatic and emotional depth, in this setting her light really does shine very bright.

As another little parting gift from La Clemenza, the almost incomprehensible achievement of Mozart writing it in eighteen days, whilst in the middle of writing another small number widely considered one of the greatest operas ever written (Magic Flute), has inspired me to make Rossini's La Cenerentola my next port of call, another opera written in an absurdly short time, and one I've never listened to before.
And having had a quick peek at recommended recordings, I think might also keep the Berganza candle burning and go for the 1971 Abbado recording.

The Böhm is a good bet for this opera, but, then, so too is the Davis with Baker as Vitellia and Yvonne Minton as Sesto, plus Stuart Burrows as a rather more mellifluous Tito and Popp and Von Stade as Servilia and Annius.



For Cenerentola, I'm not sure there is an entirely recommendable version. The Abbado is unaccountably just a bit dull. There is the Rizzi with Jennifer Larmore and the Marriner with Baltsa, but my favourite is the Ponnelle film with Von Stade, who is perfect as Cenerentola.

[JBS]

I'd suggest the Rene Jacobs recording for Tito.

[Iota]

The Böhm is a good bet for this opera, but, then, so too is the Davis with Baker as Vitellia and Yvonne Minton as Sesto, plus Stuart Burrows as a rather more mellifluous Tito and Popp and Von Stade as Servilia and Annius.



For Cenerentola, I'm not sure there is an entirely recommendable version. The Abbado is unaccountably just a bit dull. There is the Rizzi with Jennifer Larmore and the Marriner with Baltsa, but my favourite is the Ponnelle film with Von Stade, who is perfect as Cenerentola.

Thanks, have already started with the Rizzi/Larmore version on your recommendation and enjoying it so far.

I'd suggest the Rene Jacobs recording for Tito.

Thank you, that's a particularly apt recommendation, as I'd already resolved to make my next run at Tito with a period band. I thought it might perk things up a little bit.

[Florestan]

I'm quite fond of this Cenerentola, very good both performance- and sonic-wise.

[Que]

Thank you, that's a particularly apt recommendation, as I'd already resolved to make my next run at Tito with a period band. I thought it might perk things up a little bit.

Absolutely right!    And Jacobs is IMO the right man for the job.

[hopefullytrusting]

Kodaly's Hary Janos: