I only have few of them but I'm generally fond of them. Can you recommend some more? Maybe we can skip the obvious Puccini/Debussy picks...
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/812m%2BXsF1eL._SY355_.jpg) (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41JAJF0HNSL.jpg) (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51YmKqiLVaL.jpg) (http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2000/july00/lulu.jpg) (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/714jpSF5gIL._SY445_.jpg) (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51Og12HxINL._SX355_.jpg) (https://diablusinmusica.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/shostakovich-lady-macbeth-of-mtsensk-rostropovich-a.jpg)
Try Janacek - The Makropoulos Case, Katya Kabanova and From The House of the Dead are my favourites. Sir Charles Mackerras has recorded them all but I would also recommend Boulez's DVD of From the House of the Dead
Some great works IMHO:
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[asin]B00002DFH6[/asin]
[asin]B00005NSOB[/asin]
[asin]B000026745[/asin]
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[asin]B000XTB40I[/asin]
Definitely Janáček – Káťa Kabanová is the one I keep returning to and I'm very fond of Martinů's Julietta as well.
I'm also a big fan of Britten's Gloriana. Quite underrated IMO and it contains one of my all-time favourite arias:
https://www.youtube.com/v/uLPMeCt_JKw
And then there's Glass' Akhnaten: his whole 'portrait trilogy' is worthwhile but Akhnaten remains a centrepiece of my musical world.
I'm a big fan of John's Adam's Nixon in China. A great majestic opera. I used to have the original CD release but haven't heard any other productions.
Most of the ones above are basically c19 operas written in a c20 musical idiom.
More interesting for me are the works which take the genre by the scruff of the neck, shake it about and get something fresh to come out of the other end.
Prometeo (Nono) moves the genre on. Maybe also Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern (Lachenmann). I've only seen Donnerstag, but I bet the Licht cycle (Stockhausen) is well worth exploring. A friend of mine really rates Outis (Berio) but I haven't managed to find a version I can follow. I'm sure that the Glass operas in collaboration with Robert Wilson are up to something special dramatically if not musically -- I saw Einstein and Akhnaten.
It's a shame that Cornelius Cardew never wrote an opera proper. Maybe one of the composers who posts here would care to write an opera in the style of The Great Learning.
Quote from: ritter on August 16, 2019, 05:56:07 AM
Some great works IMHO:
[asin]B004LP15N6[/asin] [asin]B000XTB40I[/asin]
Thanks! Those two looks promising.
There's one more which I like:
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81y2wz%2BmV9L._SX355_.jpg)
Quote from: Mandryka on August 16, 2019, 09:38:42 AM
Most of the ones above are basically c19 operas written in a c20 musical idiom.
...
It's a shame that Cornelius Cardew never wrote an opera proper. Maybe one of the composers who posts here would care to write an opera in the style of The Great Learning.
But... that would be a c20 opera written in a c21 musical idiom. :)
I see that
Le Grand Macabre hasn't been mentioned.
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Quote from: schnittkease on August 16, 2019, 07:24:38 PM
But... that would be a c20 opera written in a c21 musical idiom. :)
Ah, true.
Anyone here seen Jonathan Harvey's Wagner Dream? On record it sounds like an interesting opera to me, this opposition of kitsch and spirituality. Given decent direction and design it could be a good night out. I think it's c20, I haven't checked.
If you are looking for something different, exciting and challenging may I suggest the Irish composer Gerald Barry. I have three of his operas; The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Intelligence Park.
Has nobody mentioned Britten yet.
Peter Grimes
Billy Budd
The Turn of the Screw
A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Rape of Lucretia
Gloriana
These would be my favourites. Peter Grimes, Billy Budd and The Turn of the Screw at least are pretty much repertoire staples these days.
Then
Death in Venice
Albert Herring
Owen Wingrave
Britten is really THE most important figure in post WWII opera.
Also a mention for Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress and Oedipus Rex and Bartok's Duke Bluebeard's Castle.
Mark-Anthony Turnage: Greek. Sizzling stuff.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61PtSK8n5ZL.jpg)
Also available on DVD.
(https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41S2AQbS1OL.jpg)
I find the Hindemith operas (there are many, many of them short) in general very rewarding. Try this superb DVD to get a grip on the idiom:
(https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.resmusica.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2007%2F05%2Fbelair_hindemith_cardillac-300x422.jpg&f=1)
Quote from: aligreto on August 17, 2019, 09:02:26 AM
If you are looking for something different, exciting and challenging may I suggest the Irish composer Gerald Barry. I have three of his operas; The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Intelligence Park.
I saw The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant in London, I'm sure it was in the c21. Maybe it was written in the c20. I'm a great fan of Fassbinder.
Quote from: Mandryka on August 17, 2019, 11:53:50 PM
I saw The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant in London, I'm sure it was in the c21. Maybe it was written in the c20. I'm a great fan of Fassbinder.
You may well be correct there. I will have to check that.
Quote from: Tsaraslondon on August 17, 2019, 12:24:12 PMHas nobody mentioned Britten yet.
Quote from: Rinaldo on August 16, 2019, 07:05:50 AMI'm also a big fan of Britten's Gloriana. Quite underrated IMO and it contains one of my all-time favourite arias:
https://www.youtube.com/v/uLPMeCt_JKw
Tsk tsk.
Quote from: Rinaldo on August 19, 2019, 02:11:05 AM
Tsk tsk.
Sorry, missed that, and I'd agree that Gloriana is somewhat underrated.
That said, it seems odd that nobody had mentioned Grimes, Billy Budd or Turn of the Screw, all of which are performed quite regularly these days.
Quote from: schnittkease on August 16, 2019, 07:24:38 PM
But... that would be a c20 opera written in a c21 musical idiom. :)
I see that Le Grand Macabre hasn't been mentioned.
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/213378bb4105418c9acc39f15398ff9043098df7/0_213_4256_2554/master/4256.jpg?width=300&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=d32a5f1e89c830759b2ef3406af52af0)
That was a great recommendation. I fell in love with Barbara Hannigan after watching the video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QttUcKZ8NMU
and dvd below:
(https://www.barbarahannigan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/MacabreDVD.jpg)