What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[Tsaraslondon]

Actually, now that I'm thinking about it @Iota, there are a number of other Britten works that use children's voices that I enjoy like Noye's Fludde and Children's Crusade.

And of course Miles is always played by a child, but it is interesting to note that Britten cast the role of Flora as a soprano, Olive Dyer in the original production and on the recording.

[Iota]

Rameau: Castor et Pollux
Les Arts Florissants, Christie

A joyous, buoyant experience for the large part of its considerable duration (nearly 3 hours), with some lovely music/arias of lament to contrast. I was a little confused as the disc states this is the 1754 version, yet it includes the Prologue which I understand Rameau had removed for this later incarnation. Whatever the reason for its inclusion, I'm very pleased it was, as I loved the music for it.
Rameau's wellspring of ideas never seems to dry up, irresistible melodies run riot throughout, sometimes hard on the heels of the last, and I can't think of a better conductor to catch the joy, energy and colour of the score than Christie. All the singers were fine, though I thought the trio of sopranos, Gens, Piau and Mellon shone brightest.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

Rameau: Castor et Pollux
Les Arts Florissants, Christie

A joyous, buoyant experience for the large part of its considerable duration (nearly 3 hours), with some lovely music/arias of lament to contrast. I was a little confused as the disc states this is the 1754 version, yet it includes the Prologue which I understand Rameau had removed for this later incarnation. Whatever the reason for its inclusion, I'm very pleased it was, as I loved the music for it.
Rameau's wellspring of ideas never seems to dry up, irresistible melodies run riot throughout, sometimes hard on the heels of the last, and I can't think of a better conductor to catch the joy, energy and colour of the score than Christie. All the singers were fine, though I thought the trio of sopranos, Gens, Piau and Mellon shone brightest.

Thanks for this review. I've got a whole stack of Christie's Rameau that I need to get around to at some point. Rameau is a brilliant composer without a doubt. His attention to color, texture and general approach to orchestration was quite ahead of its time.

[André]

André-Cardinal Destouches (1672-1749) was born after Campra but before Rameau. He was not a cardinal, by the way, it was simply part of his given name. As a last name Cardinal is quite common. Destouches was Louis XIV' Master of Opera.

The story is about Télémaque, son of Ulysses and Penelope, who gets stranded on an island and is prisoner of the nymph Calypso. Lots of amorous entanglements ensue between the characters before Télémaque is finally let free and sails toward Ithaca, his father Ulysses's kingdom.

The music is very much what one'd expect of its period and genre (mythological figures portraying noble emotions and virtues). Arias, recitatives, duets, ensembles, dances and instrumental interludes follow one another melodiously. The cast is fine, the superb PI ensemble very mellifluous and expressive. Super Deluxe packaging. A nice discovery.

[nico1616]

Rameau: Castor et Pollux
Les Arts Florissants, Christie

A joyous, buoyant experience for the large part of its considerable duration (nearly 3 hours), with some lovely music/arias of lament to contrast. I was a little confused as the disc states this is the 1754 version, yet it includes the Prologue which I understand Rameau had removed for this later incarnation. Whatever the reason for its inclusion, I'm very pleased it was, as I loved the music for it.
Rameau's wellspring of ideas never seems to dry up, irresistible melodies run riot throughout, sometimes hard on the heels of the last, and I can't think of a better conductor to catch the joy, energy and colour of the score than Christie. All the singers were fine, though I thought the trio of sopranos, Gens, Piau and Mellon shone brightest.

I love this opera, the Christie recording is in my collection but I don't know it well. I love the Rousset video in this opera, but he uses a different Castor version than Christie's.

[Tsaraslondon]

Just Act I so far this morning of this wonderful performance.

[nico1616]

Just Act I so far this morning of this wonderful performance.

Yeah this is the one that always tops the lists of best Meistersinger recordings. Only there is never an affordable copy on sale...

[Tsaraslondon]

Yeah this is the one that always tops the lists of best Meistersinger recordings. Only there is never an affordable copy on sale...

I know, but I managed to get one on ebay for £20.78 including postage.

[Lisztianwagner]

Richard Wagner
Das Rheingold

Brigitte Fassbaender, Zoltan Kelemen, Peter Schreier, Thomas Stewart, Jeannine Altmeyer, Hermin Esser, Gerd Nienstedt, Karl Ridderbusch, Gerhard Stolze, Leif Roar, Edda Moser, Liselotte Rebmann, Louis Hendrikx, Eva Randová, Martha Mödl, Birgit Finnilä, Vladimir de Kanel
Herbert von Karajan & Berliner Philharmoniker

[Tsaraslondon]

I finished listening to this yesterday. For some reason I found it incredibly moving. It seemed to represent, both the performance and the opera, a time and a tradition that is lost to us.

[Tsaraslondon]

This is much better than Gardelli's first effort for Philips, principally for the contribution of Sylvia Sass, who is a much more convincing Giselda than the pallid Christina Deutekom. But actually, there are other reasons to prefer it. Giorgio Lamberti's tone may be less beautiful than Domingo's but he is much more involved, and Kolos Kovats is at least as good as Raimondi for Philips. This one also has a much better Arvino in Ezio di Cesare. The role is almost as important as that of Oronte, and is severely undercast in the Philips recording. It's an uneven score, but this recording makes the very best case for it.

[steve ridgway]

Having a first listen to Szymanowski - Król Roger - just listening to the music with no clue what they're on about. I like the sound of it so far, particularly the choral parts.