What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[Papy Oli]

Verdi - La Traviata
(Callas, Myto recording)

Act III...eventually 

I am still overall too distracted by the historical sound but every now and then the singing just grabs you and makes you forget about it   

[Tsaraslondon]

Act III...eventually 

I am still overall too distracted by the historical sound but every now and then the singing just grabs you and makes you forget about it   

I've always thought this one of the better live Callas recordings, so the sound has never really bothered me. In any case, it's the greatest performance of the opera I've ever heard. Callas wasn't in her best voice, and was reportedly suffering from a cold, but she is so inside the role, going beyond the notes to create a character of real flesh and blood. She was forever refining her interpretation of Violetta, and in some ways this is the least "operatic" performance of the role she gave. Valetti and Zanasi are likewise excellent and it feels as if they are all working together to create a real theatrical experience. For such a performance I'll put up with less than perfect sound.

[brewski]

Gabriela Lena Frank: El último sueño de Frida y Diego (2022). On Saturday watched the livestream from the San Francisco Opera, of this production that had its world premiere in 2022 by the San Diego Opera (review here), and will appear in Los Angeles next season.

The subject is a last meeting between the artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. In addition to Frank's beautiful score, there are many other things to admire, starting with the terse libretto by Nilo Cruz. Some great singing, of lines that flatter good singers, and an eye-popping production that draws on imagery from the Day of the Dead and Mexican folk art.



-Bruce

[Florestan]

(cross-posted from the WAYLTN thread)

The first musical setting of Goldoni's famous libretto.

This is more like a Venetian Singspiel than an opera proper, the spoken dialogues are long and very important. Goldoni's libretto is witty and humorous, Galuppi's music is sparkling and lighthearted. The 1750 premiere in Teatro San Moisè (later to be made famous by Rossini) must have been a very enjoyable event, and so would be a modern revival, for which the Schwetzingen Festival would be particularly suited.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Gabriela Lena Frank: El último sueño de Frida y Diego (2022). On Saturday watched the livestream from the San Francisco Opera, of this production that had its world premiere in 2022 by the San Diego Opera (review here), and will appear in Los Angeles next season.

The subject is a last meeting between the artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. In addition to Frank's beautiful score, there are many other things to admire, starting with the terse libretto by Nilo Cruz. Some great singing, of lines that flatter good singers, and an eye-popping production that draws on imagery from the Day of the Dead and Mexican folk art.



-Bruce

It sounds like it might be quite an interesting opera to attend!  I read a bit yesterday (after seeing your posting) about their tempestuous relationship. 

PD

[Papy Oli]

I've always thought this one of the better live Callas recordings, so the sound has never really bothered me. In any case, it's the greatest performance of the opera I've ever heard. Callas wasn't in her best voice, and was reportedly suffering from a cold, but she is so inside the role, going beyond the notes to create a character of real flesh and blood. She was forever refining her interpretation of Violetta, and in some ways this is the least "operatic" performance of the role she gave. Valetti and Zanasi are likewise excellent and it feels as if they are all working together to create a real theatrical experience. For such a performance I'll put up with less than perfect sound.

It was only my third spell of time with this album, I am sure I'll forget about the sound as I get more used to it, including other operas in the pipeline.

As for the bolded text, that really struck me in her "Butterfly". I'll probably notice this further as I go through her records.
 

[Papy Oli]

TD:

Donizetti - L'Elisir D'Amore (Pritchard)



Very entertaining. Loving it. Made it worthwhile to be awaken way too early on a holiday morning.

What are the other opera buffa / comique or farces that are worth a listen please, major or hidden gems (Beside Elisir, Nozze, Barbiere, Serva Padrona which I already have)? I saw la Fille du Regiment mentioned but not much more than those five on the wiki or ENO and the likes' pages.

Every now and then, I could do without a Mimi or Violetta having a last breath, Butterfly having an encounter with a sword or Tosca jumping over the parapet...if you know what I mean...   

[Wendell_E]

TD:
What are the other opera buffa / comique or farces that are worth a listen please, major or hidden gems (Beside Elisir, Nozze, Barbiere, Serva Padrona which I already have)? I saw la Fille du Regiment mentioned but not much more than those five on the wiki or ENO and the likes' pages.

Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Rossini's La Cenerentola, L'Italiana in Algeri, and Il Turco in Italia (and quite a few more). Verdi's Falstaff. Wolf-Ferrari's Il Segreto di Susanna. Britten's Albert Herring and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

[Papy Oli]

Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Rossini's La Cenerentola, L'Italiana in Algeri, and Il Turco in Italia (and quite a few more). Verdi's Falstaff. Wolf-Ferrari's Il Segreto di Susanna. Britten's Albert Herring and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Thank you for those @Wendell_E , I actually already have Falstaff on the shelves and Turco in Italia in the streaming list. I'll check the others 

[Florestan]

What are the other opera buffa / comique or farces that are worth a listen please, major or hidden gems (Beside Elisir, Nozze, Barbiere, Serva Padrona which I already have)? I saw la Fille du Regiment mentioned but not much more than those five on the wiki or ENO and the likes' pages.

Otomh: Il matrimonio segreto, Il mondo della luna, L'occasione fa il ladro, La cambiale di matrimonio, La scala di seta, Il signor Bruschino, L'Italiana in Algieri, Il turco in Italia, Fra Diavolo, Le domino noir, La grande duchesse de Gerolstein, Les bavards, Tromb-al-Cazar, Ba-ta-clan, Orphèe aux enfers, La belle Hélène, Der Fliedermaus, Eine Nacht in Venedig, Die lustige Nibelungen, I cuatro rusteghi, Il segreto di Susanna...

Every now and then, I could do without a Mimi or Violetta having a last breath, Butterfly having an encounter with a sword or Tosca jumping over the parapet...if you know what I mean... 

For me it's the other way around: every now and then, I can tolerate a Mimi or Violetta having a last breath, Butterfly having an encounter with a sword or Tosca jumping over the parapet... 

[Florestan]

Donizetti's Don Pasquale, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, Rossini's La Cenerentola,

Drat! How could I forgot these gems? 

[Papy Oli]

Otomh: Il matrimonio segreto, Il mondo della luna, L'occasione fa il ladro, La cambiale di matrimonio, La scala di seta, Il signor Bruschino, L'Italiana in Algieri, Il turco in Italia, Fra Diavolo, Le domino noir, La grande duchesse de Gerolstein, Les bavards, Tromb-al-Cazar, Ba-ta-clan, Orphèe aux enfers, La belle Hélène, Der Fliedermaus, Eine Nacht in Venedig, Die lustige Nibelungen, I cuatro rusteghi, Il segreto di Susanna...

Thank you Andrei, I thought you might have some happy stuff up your sleeve    I only have the two in bold saved on Idagio. The rest will be new to me.

For me it's the other way around: every now and then, I can tolerate a Mimi or Violetta having a last breath, Butterfly having an encounter with a sword or Tosca jumping over the parapet... 

Each their way 

[Papy Oli]

Britten's Albert Herring and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

I struggle with pretty much everything Britten but I haven't tried his operas. I'll have to try those two.

[Tsaraslondon]

TD:

Donizetti - L'Elisir D'Amore (Pritchard)



Very entertaining. Loving it. Made it worthwhile to be awaken way too early on a holiday morning.

What are the other opera buffa / comique or farces that are worth a listen please, major or hidden gems (Beside Elisir, Nozze, Barbiere, Serva Padrona which I already have)? I saw la Fille du Regiment mentioned but not much more than those five on the wiki or ENO and the likes' pages.

Every now and then, I could do without a Mimi or Violetta having a last breath, Butterfly having an encounter with a sword or Tosca jumping over the parapet...if you know what I mean... 

Rossini's Le comte Ory is a delight, especially in the old recording conducted by Gui. So is his Il Turco in Italia. The Callas recording is cut, so inauthentic in some ways I suppose. But I think there's a greater authenticity in the sheer joy of the performance that you won't hear in the more modern uncut versions.

[Papy Oli]

Thank you Tsara. Added to the list.

[Florestan]

I don't have this particular recording but I second the recommendation. And while you're at it, give a try to Il viaggio a Reims, too.

[Papy Oli]

I don't have this particular recording but I second the recommendation. And while you're at it, give a try to Il viaggio a Reims, too.

 ok noted, thank you Andrei.

[Papy Oli]

A blind listen to Verdi's Don Carlo (Giulini, Domingo, Caballé, Raimondi).

Don't know yet if someone dies. I am on a deckchair and not worrying about a libretto.  

[Tsaraslondon]

Disc 4 from the Schwarzkopf Complete Recitals bos gives us these excerpts from Arabella, which were recorded in 1954. It always seems a pity to me that Legge didn't record the whole opera. That said, the opera has its longeurs, for me anyway, and perhaps this is all that I really need. Schwarzkopf is perfectly cast as Arabella and is well contrasted with Annie Felbermeyer, who plays Zdenka here. Josef Metternich is a superb Mandryka, none better on disc, and the cast is fleshed out with such names as Nicolai Gedda as Matteo, Walter Berry as Lamoral and Murray Dickie as Elemer. Lovro von Matacic is much more in tune with Strauss's medium than Solti on the roughly contemporaneous set with Lisa Della Casa, and, who knows, if this had been recorded complete, it may well have become the touchstone recording for all time.

[Tsaraslondon]

A blind listen to Verdi's Don Carlo (Giulini, Domingo, Caballé, Raimondi).

Don't know yet if someone dies. I am on a deckchair and not worrying about a libretto.  

One of Verdi's darkest operas and one which many Verdi lovers would call their favourite. It has some glorious music, and, yes, somebody dies.