Moving further into opera.

[Harry]

Well since by now you all know, that I finally moved into the realm of opera, albeit with the restriction, that I seem to like the way of singing after WW II, starting 1945-1960. After this date singing changed rapidly from the more natural singing to something I don't want to hear. And since there were many things recorded in that time, I would like recommendations of recordings from that time.

I post for reference what I bought until now, so for you to see what I actually like.
I know nothing of that era, or what is recorded.
Both opera and operetta is wished for.
Thanks for the effort.

[Harry]

And this wonderful opera from Mozart. I am game for a Don Giovanni, from that time.....

And "Wiener Blut" recorded in 1954, absolutely wonderful.

[Harry]

Have to search on my own then.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Have to search on my own then.

I don't know what you're asking for. There are hundreds of operas worth listening to.

[uffeviking]

Harry is asking for any recordings of operettas before 1960, a time where recordings were not as prolific as they are now. Most of the artists of this long ago era are dead now anyhow, or at least in retirement. 

[knight66]

Most of the Callas recordings lie within the suggested timespan and Harry does not like those at all. I cannot really ascribe to the idea that singing somehow changed at that date. There have been lots of wonderful singers since then. However, what has modified, is the way we record them. Up until the 60s studio recordings tended to have the voice quite forward. More modern recordings take the voice further back and integrate it more with the orchestra.

You often loose the intimacy and some colouring might be lost.

Look for early Boris Christoff and Tito Gobbi recordings. There you find the singer in the room with you.

Mike

[Mozart]

Try this one out Harry



Might also like this one

[Harry]

Most of the Callas recordings lie within the suggested timespan and Harry does not like those at all. I cannot really ascribe to the idea that singing somehow changed at that date. There have been lots of wonderful singers since then. However, what has modified, is the way we record them. Up until the 60s studio recordings tended to have the voice quite forward. More modern recordings take the voice further back and integrate it more with the orchestra.

You often loose the intimacy and some colouring might be lost.

Look for early Boris Christoff and Tito Gobbi recordings. There you find the singer in the room with you.

Mike

I will certainly do that Mike, thank you.

[Harry]

Harry is asking for any recordings of operettas before 1960, a time where recordings were not as prolific as they are now. Most of the artists of this long ago era are dead now anyhow, or at least in retirement. 

And operas please....

[Harry]

Try this one out Harry



Might also like this one

The Krips looks yummy, will certainly try that one.
The Giulini is from which year Elias?
And do you know this recording?
If yes, tell me a bit about it.

[Mozart]

The Krips looks yummy, will certainly try that one.
The Giulini is from which year Elias?
And do you know this recording?
If yes, tell me a bit about it.

Giulini is from 1961, and the main star is the beautiful and talented Anna Moffo.  Her act 4 aria Giunse Alfin Il Momento is among the best interpretations of that aria. I don't think you will object to this gorgeous voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CR_wvCRH0wA

I think the entire recording will match your criteria, without any big female voices And when I copied the picture from amazon, i think it was only 13$

I rank the Krips DG, 2nd to Giulini's. The sound is terrific for such an old recording. The last scene is terrifying! As it should be. The only thing wrong with it is the tempo throughout is just a tad bit slow. Still a great recording

[Harry]

Giulini is from 1961, and the main star is the beautiful and talented Anna Moffo.  Her act 4 aria Giunse Alfin Il Momento is among the best interpretations of that aria. I don't think you will object to this gorgeous voice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/CR_wvCRH0wA

I think the entire recording will match your criteria, without any big female voices And when I copied the picture from amazon, i think it was only 13$

I rank the Krips DG, 2nd to Giulini's. The sound is terrific for such an old recording. The last scene is terrifying! As it should be. The only thing wrong with it is the tempo throughout is just a tad bit slow. Still a great recording

Indeed, I do not object to the beautiful voice of Anna Moffo, I nearly had tears in my eyes.
This one is on the order list too, thank you Elias, great recommendations.

[Harry]

I will also buy these ones.

[marvinbrown]

Try this one out Harry

  I second this nomination.  I think it is one of the best recordings of Le Nozze Di Figaro. 


  Sadly Harry I do not have many recordings of operas from the 1940s-1960s and most of them are Wagnerian operas which I doubt you would be interested in at this stage.  Can I assume that you are tolerating the soprano voice better than before?  Or do you still have issues with a very powerful soprano voice?

  marvin 

[Harry]

I still have issues with big voices Marvin. But in those older recordings big voices tend to be more agreeable to my nerves than sopranos after 1960.
Sarge also wrote a interesting anecdote about a very old Wagner recording, in which his wife concluded that the older voices in Wagner were to her liking. Modern recordings did not interest her.
Its the same with me, Anna Moffo is gorgeous, but that is how far I will go.
Wagner I presume will still be a step to far for me, but Romantic opera is coming closer.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Opera is such a huge area that simply asking for any recordings within a 15-year period sounds impossibly broad to me. But among the dozens I can think of, I'll just give you one I consider exceptional: the Donizetti L'Elisir d'Amore with Gueden and Munteanu, conducted by Molintari-Pradelli (Decca).

[Harry]

Opera is such a huge area that simply asking for any recordings within a 15-year period sounds impossibly broad to me. But among the dozens I can think of, I'll just give you one I consider exceptional: the Donizetti L'Elisir d'Amore with Gueden and Munteanu, conducted by Molintari-Pradelli (Decca).

Common be a bit broad minded. You can see in my postings were my vocal leanings are, so the Donizetti opera with Gueden/Munteanu are on my radar, and I will check it out. So the field is narrowed right? With your wide experience in music, you can surely come up with more recommendations.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Common be a bit broad minded. You can see in my postings were my vocal leanings are, so the Donizetti opera with Gueden/Munteanu are on my radar, and I will check it out. So the field is narrowed right? With your wide experience in music, you can surely come up with more recommendations.

Yes, well, but I'm not about to list every opera recording I know of. The Mozart above are all very good, though I'm not sure I know the Gui Figaro. (I remember one Figaro by either Gui or Rosbaud I didn't like, but can't go farther now.) Another excellent Don Giovanni is under Colin Davis with Wixell and Arroyo. Giulini's is also pretty good.

Cosi is a harder case. I know no better performance than that with Della Casa, Ludwig, and Boehm, but it's severely cut. I'll have to review my versions of Magic Flute and Idomeneo before making any choices.

My favorite Fidelio remains the Toscanini. Some swear by the Klemperer or the Fricsay. A surprisingly good version is on Naxos.

A (for once truly undeservedly) neglected opera composer is Gabriele Spontini, whose La Vestale should be hunted down in the Leyla Gencer recording with Previtali. And though badly cut and in Italian rather than German, Agnes von Hohenstaufen with Corelli under Gui is remarkable. (There is no complete recording.)

Then there's Berlioz - Les Troyens is a phenomenal work, in Colin Davis's easily found first version with Vickers. Beatrice et Benedict as well, in Davis's first version with Josephine Veasey, may be harder to find. The Benvenuto Cellini with Gedda and Davis is easily found and also very good.

Let's move quickly to the 20th century and Stravinsky. His stereo recording of The Rake's Progress is definitely one to get.

Will that keep you busy for a day or two? Then we can move on to Monteverdi, Handel, Gluck, Rossini, Bellini, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, Mussorgsky, Strauss, Debussy, Janacek, Berg, Britten, and more tomorrow. But if you're opposed to Callas, I can hardly mention one of the greatest recordings of opera ever, her first Tosca with Di Stefano and Gobbi under DeSabata.

[Harry]

Yes, well, but I'm not about to list every opera recording I know of. The Mozart above are all very good, though I'm not sure I know the Gui Figaro. (I remember one Figaro by either Gui or Rosbaud I didn't like, but can't go farther now.) Another excellent Don Giovanni is under Colin Davis with Wixell and Arroyo. Giulini's is also pretty good.

Cosi is a harder case. I know no better performance than that with Della Casa, Ludwig, and Boehm, but it's severely cut. I'll have to review my versions of Magic Flute and Idomeneo before making any choices.

My favorite Fidelio remains the Toscanini. Some swear by the Klemperer or the Fricsay. A surprisingly good version is on Naxos.

A (for once truly undeservedly) neglected opera composer is Gabriele Spontini, whose La Vestale should be hunted down in the Leyla Gencer recording with Previtali. And though badly cut and in Italian rather than German, Agnes von Hohenstaufen with Corelli under Gui is remarkable. (There is no complete recording.)

Then there's Berlioz - Les Troyens is a phenomenal work, in Colin Davis's easily found first version with Vickers. Beatrice et Benedict as well, in Davis's first version with Josephine Veasey, may be harder to find. The Benvenuto Cellini with Gedda and Davis is easily found and also very good.

Let's move quickly to the 20th century and Stravinsky. His stereo recording of The Rake's Progress is definitely one to get.

Will that keep you busy for a day or two? Then we can move on to Monteverdi, Handel, Gluck, Rossini, Bellini, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, Mussorgsky, Strauss, Debussy, Janacek, Berg, Britten, and more tomorrow. But if you're opposed to Callas, I can hardly mention one of the greatest recordings of opera ever, her first Tosca with Di Stefano and Gobbi under DeSabata.

Thank you for all this info, I will do my best to compile a list to listen out of it.
Monteverdi and Handel are among my favourites, and I have many recordings of those composer, all I need in fact.
But I really appreciate what is coming towards me, and this certainly will keep me busy for more than two days.

[Haffner]

This is my favorite Don: