Handel, senza castrati per piacere.

[Josquin des Prez]

So no recommendations for countertenors? I'm trying to keep an open mind here.

[Rod Corkin]

So no recommendations for countertenors? I'm trying to keep an open mind here.

Get the DVD of Theodora with David Daniels. If you don't like it I've give you your money back.

[Josquin des Prez]

Get the DVD of Theodora with David Daniels. If you don't like it I've give you your money back.

I think i'll pass on the DVD production. Is there an actual recording of it? 

[knight66]

I would also recommend it. Although not written as an opera, Glyndbourne staged it with total success. The music is as great as any I know and this performance as moving as possible. All the main singers are excellent, including Daniels..but perhaps even finer, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson. Daniels has explained how much she taught him about acting during the production. There is no CD edition of this production.

But, if you don't like it, it is not to me you need apply for the money.

The Glyndebourne Julius Caesar is also very fine, but Caesar is played by a mezzo, so I assume that rules it out. Sarah Connelly manages the role with complete conviction. The whole DVD is a joy and the time flies by.

Mike

[Rod Corkin]

I think i'll pass on the DVD production. Is there an actual recording of it? 

What's wrong with DVD?? It's so good I have ripped the soundtrack for my audio player, but the production is excellent, as good as anything I've seen, maybe the best. This is better than any CD of Theodora currently available and is much cheaper.

[Josquin des Prez]

What's wrong with DVD??

It's got Peter Sellars at the helm, a man that should have been put out of his misery a long time ago, that's what's wrong with it.

Good god, am i THE only person here who has an actual interest in the story and setting of these works?

[knight66]

Don't paint yourself into that corner...you know, the corner where you are superior in knowledge or taste, everyone else a dork. If you want to go stand in that corner, there is no point in asking for recommendations or in us spending any time suggesting things to you.

If you want total authenticity, then the costumes will be a mixture of Georgian dresses and court clothes, Roman style armour, and it will be lit by flame. But then for real authenticity there would be no cameras to record the event. I am aware you asked for CDs, but the best version of Theodora is on DVD.

Mike

[Don]

What's wrong with DVD??

DVD is fine if you want to look at a screen while listening to the music.

[Morigan]

I'd be interested in Mr. Corkin's (or anyone's) opinion on this Guilio Cesare in Egitto DVD:

[T-C]

I'd be interested in Mr. Corkin's (or anyone's) opinion on this Guilio Cesare in Egitto DVD:

This is the least successful DVD version of Giulio Cesare.

The production is not especially brilliant. But what I find really inexcusable is that quite a few of the original arias Handel wrote for Giulio Cesare are missing and were replaces with arias from other Handel operas... Some of the singers are good, others are quite mediocre.

For my taste, the best DVD version of Guilio Cesare is the Glyndebourne Christie / McVicar production (Opus Arte) that was mentioned by Mike or the Danish production (Harmonia Mundi) where Andreas Scholl is singing in the leading role and Inger Dam-Jensen is an outstanding Cleopatra.

[Morigan]

Thank you. I had seen a few excerpts from this DVD and I was not impressed... The staging looked particularly horrible, and I was not convinced by Oliver's performance at all.

I was not aware of a DVD recording starring Andreas Scholl! I've always enjoyed his work so far, so I'll be looking for this one!

[Sarastro]

Good god, am i THE only person here who has an actual interest in the story and setting of these works?

NO.
But what can we do??

[Morigan]

I agree that the popular modern stagings and all the regietheatre going on these days is annoying. It seems to be especially the case with Händel's operas, and I don't really understand why. They always have to be the most original possible, and it's a sad thing...

One of my favourite Baroque opera DVD is a recording of Lully's Persée which was done quite recently in a very conservative setting, almost exactly as le Roy would have seen it himself (minus a few cuts).

[Sarastro]

I agree that the popular modern stagings and all the regietheatre going on these days is annoying. It seems to be especially the case with Händel's operas, and I don't really understand why. They always have to be the most original possible, and it's a sad thing...

Shifting operas in time and making modern staging break the author's idea and the whole plot. For some operas, as The magic flute, it can work, but making Violetta a cheap prostitute, Boris Godunov - prime minister, the duke of mantova - a monkey  (I can show some pictures!), Onegin - gay...it doesn't only breaks the conception, it breaks everything, how can we come into the time of Tsar's Russia, or in Paris of...sometimes it's even ridiculous to hear Tatiana singing a letter scene and licking (!) a tree. What's the reason?? 

[Morigan]

making Violetta a cheap prostitute, Boris Godunov - prime minister, the duke of mantova - a monkey  (I can show some pictures!), Onegin - gay...[...] to hear Tatiana singing a letter scene and licking (!) a tree.

HAHAHAHAHAHA Are you serious? The situation is worse than I thought...

You know, when the Mozart 250th anniversary set of DVDs from the Salzburg festival came out, I was really excited... but it turned out most of the productions are Eurotrash at its worst! No wonder classical music fans keep worshipping the great idols from the after-war period...

[knight66]

There are good and bad examples. Some are sympathetic, others a disaster. I recently wrote about an awful attempt at Turandot. But altering the setting can work. After about 40 years of opera going, I don't think I would sustain interest if every production basically looked like a moving waxwork. Any really great piece is open to being mined; just as Shakespeare is constantly reevaluated, to keep it relevent, fresh and to connect it to us. I think the occasional really authentic production is fine, Luly done with flat moving scenery and a vast Baroque sun, lovely.
Here is some Rameau, could it connect any better? I have seen the whole staging, it is superb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zegtH-acXE&feature=related

Mike

[Sarastro]

HAHAHAHAHAHA Are you serious?

Voila! (and the Rigoletto is an astronaut)



That should be enough for today...nor I understand il Trovatore on a chemical factory where Azucena jumps in a boiling bowl of some radioactive stuff, Di Luna in smoking and on Mercedez and...the funniest thing that people are already fed up with it, but it goes on. 

[knight66]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCorWOX4FUY&feature=related

Now this, clearly the Paris Opera crowd loved it.

Mike

[Sarastro]

just as Shakespeare is constantly reevaluated, to keep it relevent, fresh and to connect it to us

You mean the language or the meaning? Anyway, I remember a movie Romeo and Juliet with Di Caprio, where the original text (modern though) was applied, even all that medivial stuff as swords, though they were using pistols. And it fitted perfectly! (except pistols) So the real art does not know any borders, it's interesting always, as it's interesting to see the life of Paris's parties in la Traviata, the Royal court of Elizabeth queen of England, etc.
Of course sometimes the prodcutions are really good, as Manon at LA-opera last season when the action was switched to Paris 1950's, it was awesome. But if you want to move la Traviata in timeline, to make Violetta a drug-user and making men's stripping instead of Torrero dance - all the atmosphere ruins, then why Girgio Germont asks Violetta to abandon Alfredo if the action goes in our times when freedom is declared? No correspondence.

[Sarastro]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCorWOX4FUY&feature=related

Now this, clearly the Paris Opera crowd loved it.

Mike

I also saw a clip from les Boreades, by Rameau, the modern dance was placed instead of ballet, and it also looked excellent. But I talk about freaky productions.