What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[king ubu]

next up on stage - Saturday night - "Der Rosenkavalier" with Stoyanova ... and Sabine Devieilhe  ... and Anna Stéphany  - gotta pick up the programme on my way home tonight:

Der Rosenkavalier
Opera by Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Comedy for music in three acts by Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Musical director Fabio Luisi
Producer Sven-Eric Bechtolf
Stage design Rolf Glittenberg
Costumes Marianne Glittenberg
Lighting designer Jürgen Hoffmann
Choir director Ernst Raffelsberger

Feldmarschallin Fürstin Werdenberg - Krassimira Stoyanova
Der Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau - Christof Fischesser
Octavian - Anna Stéphany
Sophie - Sabine Devieilhe
Herr von Faninal - Martin Gantner
Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin - Miranda Keys
Valzacchi - Spencer Lang
Annina - Irène Friedli
Polizeikommissar - Alexander Kiechle
Der Haushofmeister bei der Feldmarschallin - Leonardo Sanchez
Der Haushofmeister bei Faninal - Thobela Ntshanyana
Ein Notar - Stanislav Vorobyov
Ein Wirt - Iain Milne
Ein Sänger - Derrek Stark

Philharmonia Zürich
Chor der Oper Zürich
Kinderchor der Oper Zürich
Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich

https://opernhaus.ch/en/spielplan/calendar/der-rosenkavalier/season_50348/

[Tsaraslondon]

Saw the new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni in Lucerne on Saturday - fantastic experience, although some of the singers were less than perfect ... but the production was great indeed, and it created a kind of maelstrom that sucked me in. The basic idea was that you see much of it from Giovanni's perspective - a live camera filmed over his shoulder, the images (in b/w) were projected onto a screen that closed off the larger part of the stage. The other characters were seen both in front of the screen and when they interacted with Giovanni in his perspective - often a voyeur's view through undergrowth - when they went behind the screen. Leporello turned into the main chararacter, the playmaker of the entire production actually. There were bridges over the pit on both sides, and Leporello actually acted from the stalls for some parts, and then went back onto the stage etc. The continuo fortepiano was located on the other bridge (but there was still enough room for entrances by various singers). The choir and some stage music were also placed on the balconys a couple of times, the small room was thus very well played (something which director Benedikt von Peter is doing quite often and indeed very well). Vuyani Mlinde as Leporello was outstanding, and the entire production, despite a less than ideal Anna/Ottavio (Rebecca Krynski Cox/Emanuel Heitz) couple (they're weak, or rather: uninteresting anyway and have too many arias ...), the full package was outstanding and pretty much of a piece. Clemens Heil conducted with a lot of care and the orchestra was playing very well. Special props to William Kelley for his fine continuo performance. And to Abigail Lewis and Flurin Caduff who are wonderful as Zerbina/Masetto. Jason Cox was a gruff, strong Giovanni, Solenn Lavanant Linke's Elvia was a bit shrill and almost too powerful at some moments, but pretty good. And Boris Petronje, finally, was good as the rather scary Commendatore.

The reviews I read are German only:
http://www.peterhagmann.com/?p=2000
https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/mozart-als-ego-shooter-ld.1451725

--

Sunday I felt like digging up some of the Giovanni recordings, familiar and as of yet unfamiliar ones ... I started by listening to these two:

[asin]B0000267P7[/asin]
[asin]B01HV9BQRI[/asin]
The Walter is maybe a bit on the mild side, but still pretty good, except for sound ... Pinza is magnificient, and it's no coincidence that it's Sayão's Zerlina that gets scene applause for both her big arias. The cast is good, and if you can deal with historic sound, this comes recommended!

The same goes for the Moralt - in good sound now (1955), and with another quite even cast. Simoneau is an outstanding Ottavio (the finest?) and his arias, sung like this, are heavenly indeed (although plotwise I'll stick with Kierkegaard's verdict on cutting Ottavio and Anna some) ... London may be a bit too much on the powerful side as Giovanni, a tad too heroic maybe. The women are well cast, with Jurinac a great Elvira, Berry is just great as Leporello, and Waechter and Weber (Masetto and Il Commendatore) are good, too. Again, Moralt is not one to engage too actively in shaping the music, but he lets it flow quite beautifully, so it all works really well. Glad I (just recently) added this to my collection!

Up next are re-listens to Krips (one of my favourite opera recordings of all times), Giulini (close) and some more recent ones (Gardiner, Jacobs - not sure I ever fully played these yet) ... maybe I'll check out Furtwängler's take (the possibly finest from 1953 I don't have, 1951 and 1954 I think?), and definitely I want to check out Böhm at the Met, 1957, with a fine cast. Maybe I'll also check out Davis and Busch for the first time, and revisit Currentzis, though maybe that'll have to wait ... Krips, Giulini and Böhm for sure though.

Coincidentally, I've been listening to one of Furtwängler's Salzburg performances, and one I hadn't heard before. (I have a 1953 performance, with a different cast, except for Schwarzkopf and Dermota.)



I haven't made a point by point comparison, but I have a feeling Furtwängler's tempi are a bit more propulsive in 1950, though this impression might have more to do with its cast (Gobbi more demonic, less suave than Siepi, Welitsch more thrillingly dramatic but less poised than Grümmer). It's certainly a very starry cast, and a very exciting performance.

[king ubu]

I have huge blue Furtwängler box, which contains the 1954 recording, as well as some 1950 excerpts (no Welitsch though, just half a dozen cuts) ... and a Gala issue of the 1951 recording (not sure why he had the "wrong" Elvira though ... Della Casa is on the recordings from 1955 on, but up to 1954's by Furtwängler it's always Schwarzkopf).

Btw, the guy at the ticket office of Zurich opera gave me the "Rosenkavalier" programme for free since it was the 1000st Monday (not sure what he meant) and he recognized me as a regular visitor (which is true for about three years now and I plan on sticking with it).

[Tsaraslondon]

I have huge blue Furtwängler box, which contains the 1954 recording, as well as some 1950 excerpts (no Welitsch though, just half a dozen cuts) ... and a Gala issue of the 1951 recording (not sure why he had the "wrong" Elvira though ... Della Casa is on the recordings from 1955 on, but up to 1954's by Furtwängler it's always Schwarzkopf).

Btw, the guy at the ticket office of Zurich opera gave me the "Rosenkavalier" programme for free since it was the 1000st Monday (not sure what he meant) and he recognized me as a regular visitor (which is true for about three years now and I plan on sticking with it).

I didn't know there was a 1951 performance too. I have a Gala issue of 1953 which has the same cast, I think, as the 1954 performance issued by EMI. The 1954 video must be from a different performance as Della Casa replaces Schwarzkopf.

[ritter]

Saw the new production of Mozart's Don Giovanni in Lucerne on Saturday - fantastic experience, although some of the singers were less than perfect ... but the production was great indeed, and it created a kind of maelstrom that sucked me in. The basic idea was that you see much of it from Giovanni's perspective - a live camera filmed over his shoulder, the images (in b/w) were projected onto a screen that closed off the larger part of the stage. The other characters were seen both in front of the screen and when they interacted with Giovanni in his perspective - often a voyeur's view through undergrowth - when they went behind the screen. Leporello turned into the main chararacter, the playmaker of the entire production actually. There were bridges over the pit on both sides, and Leporello actually acted from the stalls for some parts, and then went back onto the stage etc. The continuo fortepiano was located on the other bridge (but there was still enough room for entrances by various singers). The choir and some stage music were also placed on the balconys a couple of times, the small room was thus very well played (something which director Benedikt von Peter is doing quite often and indeed very well). Vuyani Mlinde as Leporello was outstanding, and the entire production, despite a less than ideal Anna/Ottavio (Rebecca Krynski Cox/Emanuel Heitz) couple (they're weak, or rather: uninteresting anyway and have too many arias ...), the full package was outstanding and pretty much of a piece. Clemens Heil conducted with a lot of care and the orchestra was playing very well. Special props to William Kelley for his fine continuo performance. And to Abigail Lewis and Flurin Caduff who are wonderful as Zerbina/Masetto. Jason Cox was a gruff, strong Giovanni, Solenn Lavanant Linke's Elvia was a bit shrill and almost too powerful at some moments, but pretty good. And Boris Petronje, finally, was good as the rather scary Commendatore.

The reviews I read are German only:
http://www.peterhagmann.com/?p=2000
https://www.nzz.ch/feuilleton/mozart-als-ego-shooter-ld.1451725

--

Sunday I felt like digging up some of the Giovanni recordings, familiar and as of yet unfamiliar ones ... I started by listening to these two:

[asin]B0000267P7[/asin]
[asin]B01HV9BQRI[/asin]
The Walter is maybe a bit on the mild side, but still pretty good, except for sound ... Pinza is magnificient, and it's no coincidence that it's Sayão's Zerlina that gets scene applause for both her big arias. The cast is good, and if you can deal with historic sound, this comes recommended!

The same goes for the Moralt - in good sound now (1955), and with another quite even cast. Simoneau is an outstanding Ottavio (the finest?) and his arias, sung like this, are heavenly indeed (although plotwise I'll stick with Kierkegaard's verdict on cutting Ottavio and Anna some) ... London may be a bit too much on the powerful side as Giovanni, a tad too heroic maybe. The women are well cast, with Jurinac a great Elvira, Berry is just great as Leporello, and Waechter and Weber (Masetto and Il Commendatore) are good, too. Again, Moralt is not one to engage too actively in shaping the music, but he lets it flow quite beautifully, so it all works really well. Glad I (just recently) added this to my collection!

Up next are re-listens to Krips (one of my favourite opera recordings of all times), Giulini (close) and some more recent ones (Gardiner, Jacobs - not sure I ever fully played these yet) ... maybe I'll check out Furtwängler's take (the possibly finest from 1953 I don't have, 1951 and 1954 I think?), and definitely I want to check out Böhm at the Met, 1957, with a fine cast. Maybe I'll also check out Davis and Busch for the first time, and revisit Currentzis, though maybe that'll have to wait ... Krips, Giulini and Böhm for sure though.

That  Don Giovanni you attended does look great, king ubu! Glad you enjoyed it.

I own and admire both those recordings you've posted. The Walter of course has dismal sound (I have it in a bootleg Italian release—Memories—which probably sounds worse than the Naxos  ). It's great to have the legendary Pinza and Kipnis as the Don and his sidekick, respectively, but it's Sayão who steals the shows (the most endearing Zerlina ever? ). The other ladies didn't really impress me that much—contrary to expectations.

The Moralt is a great success IMO, with an all round stellar cast that acts as a team (George London had been IIRC the first Don Giovanni at the reopened Vienna State Opera at around the same time, albeit in German translation). Simoneau is an engaging Ottavio (and he makes you forget how bland the character is).

I suppose you're in no need of more recordings of the opera, but the (hard to find) one conducted by Hans Swarowsky from Vienna in 1950 (with another legend, Mariano Stabile, well advanced in age but as cunning and "simpatico' a Giovanni as you can imagine, and an echt-Wienerisch supporting cast of names not that well represented on record—e.g. H. Konetzni, Grob-Prandl) is well worth seeking out.

I also have the 1957 Böhm at the Met. I much admire this conductor, and am perhaps one of the few who really like his 1977 Salzburg version in DG—not so the earlier Prague recording, with severe problems in the cast and a heavy-handed approach to the score. In 1957, you have the glorious Steber and della Casa, but also an unsubtle Ottavio in Jan Peerce, and a too buffoonish Leporello in Corena (even if he "owned" the role at the time).

Strange I've never added the Krips to my collection. My dad, who new the whole opera by heart, had this on LP and swore by it.

I've never felt attracted to Furtwängler in this repertoire, I must confess. And, if I were you, I wouldn't rush to revisit Currentzis  . After a promising start to his da Ponte opera cycle with an interesting if idiosyncratic Figaro, both his Don Giovanni and (particularly) his Così are simply bizarre IMHO  .

Oh, and the prospect of Sabine Devielhe as Sophie in Rosenkavalier is mouth-watering! 

[king ubu]

Devieilhe on stage is wonderful ... I saw her on a concertant run of "La Fille du régiment", and she was superb! There were no real costumes and no stage design, rather the orchestra was on stage, but the singers did move around (and pass through the orchestra etc., and it was a really lively thing - with amazing singing! I am also waiting for the ticket sale of the new "Ariadne auf Naxos" in Milan, with Stoyanova and Devieilhe again (I plan to catch the April 30 show):
http://www.teatroallascala.org/en/season/2018-2019/opera/ariadne-auf-naxos.html
Actually found out by checking the schedule of Regula Mühlemann who I saw in an opera for the first time around x-mas (as Juliette in Gounod's "Roméo et Juliette", she was wonderful) and who will sing the small part of Echo in "Ariadne" ... I will also catch her as Susanna in Mozart's Figaro in Zurich later this season  (I will miss Mühlemann's Lucerne concert of her fine "Cleopatra" programme alas, because my short trip to Italy, for "Ariadne", starts the morning after and it would simply get too much ... I hope to be able to hear Mühlemann in concert and see her in operas many more times though, in the future).

--

Regarding Don Giovanni, this is the Furtwängler from 1953 I have(click to enlarge):



You ought to really check out Krips - to me, he's one of the finest Mozartians ever and it's such a pity that he didn't ever record the other Da Ponte operas! I'm looking forward a lot to hearing Steber with Böhm, and I have some doubts about Furtwängler's approach matching this opera, also I have a similar view on the Currentzis trilogy (which is run live at Lucerne festival this summer - I'm not even tempted to catch one of the three, but there are other concerts I plan to hear). I will try and look for the Swarowsky (that evil place that is nearby and that distributes alpha, Hyperion, Onyx and many other labels - since a few months also cpo - has huge stocks of Preiser, though I never explored them yet, maybe they have it there, even if it's OOP, which I didn't check, but assume it is if it's difficult to find?). With opera I hardly ever find THE perfect recording (although in the case of "Don Giovanni" the Krips may be it ...), so I don't feel bad about having a dozen or more recordings of operas I love - and Mozart's operas I love better than almost anything in life.

[Mirror Image]

next up on stage - Saturday night - "Der Rosenkavalier" with Stoyanova ... and Sabine Devieilhe  ... and Anna Stéphany  - gotta pick up the programme on my way home tonight:

Der Rosenkavalier
Opera by Richard Strauss (1864-1949)
Comedy for music in three acts by Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Musical director Fabio Luisi
Producer Sven-Eric Bechtolf
Stage design Rolf Glittenberg
Costumes Marianne Glittenberg
Lighting designer Jürgen Hoffmann
Choir director Ernst Raffelsberger

Feldmarschallin Fürstin Werdenberg - Krassimira Stoyanova
Der Baron Ochs auf Lerchenau - Christof Fischesser
Octavian - Anna Stéphany
Sophie - Sabine Devieilhe
Herr von Faninal - Martin Gantner
Jungfer Marianne Leitmetzerin - Miranda Keys
Valzacchi - Spencer Lang
Annina - Irène Friedli
Polizeikommissar - Alexander Kiechle
Der Haushofmeister bei der Feldmarschallin - Leonardo Sanchez
Der Haushofmeister bei Faninal - Thobela Ntshanyana
Ein Notar - Stanislav Vorobyov
Ein Wirt - Iain Milne
Ein Sänger - Derrek Stark

Philharmonia Zürich
Chor der Oper Zürich
Kinderchor der Oper Zürich
Statistenverein am Opernhaus Zürich

https://opernhaus.ch/en/spielplan/calendar/der-rosenkavalier/season_50348/

That sounds like a great production there. I should revisit the Strauss operas I remember liking besides Der Rosenkavalier: Elektra, Salome, and Die Frau ohne Schatten.

[JBS]

I see Anton Dermota on that cast list. I once (in the days before CD) had him in at least one opera.  He seemed to do very well,  one of those singers Who Ought To Get More Respect.
BTW, there's actually a DVD of a Furtwangler Don Giovanni, with some of the same cast
[asin]B00005ONMJ[/asin]

ETA
He was David in the Knappertsbusch Meistersinger. Which I had on LP and now have on CD.

[king ubu]

Dermota is on the Krips "Giovanni" - reason enough for him to get a lot of respect in my house!

The DVD with Furtwängler is the same 1954 that exists as audio release as well, I presume?
Here's the back side with more info:

[Tsaraslondon]

Dermota is on the Krips "Giovanni" - reason enough for him to get a lot of respect in my house!

The DVD with Furtwängler is the same 1954 that exists as audio release as well, I presume?
Here's the back side with more info:

There is also this perforance from 1954. Did Della Casa replace Schwarzkopf mid run, or just for the film?

[king ubu]

Ah, right, good catch: the 1954 recording has Schwarzkopf, so the film (1954 with Lisa Della Casa) is not identical ... interesting!

One of the issues with the big Membran box is that they just give recording dates, but no recording venues or info about live or studio etc.

[André]

Latest opera purchase:



I first got to know Jenufa through another Supraphon version, with the same Kostelnicka, in its LP incarnation. I currently have the Mackerras version, which is kosher text-wise but IMO fails to deliver the theatre experience. When done well Jenufa rivals anything written by Puccini - although bothe composers are as different as rollmops are from filet mignon. This Jilek perormance is generally well regarded. I'm crossing my fingers.

[king ubu]

That sounds like a great production there. I should revisit the Strauss operas I remember liking besides Der Rosenkavalier: Elektra, Salome, and Die Frau ohne Schatten.

"Elektra" and "Salome" are the ones I've known for a while - the first is probably one of the most amazing operas ever to my ears. I saw the Chéreau/Salonen on tv and had to get the official release later on, Eva Herlitzius is outstanding in the title role:



I actually have the good luck of seing Herlitzius (as well as Waltraud Meier in the role of Klytämnestra) in the re-run of an earlier Kusej production here in Zurich in July, with Simone Young conducting:
https://www.opernhaus.ch/en/spielplan/calendar/elektra/season_50348/

So, "Rosenkavalier" on Saturday, "Ariadne auf Naxos" at the of April (at La Scala, just bought a ticket!), and "Elektra" in July ... should be three great nights at the opera (and some others in between, but not Strauss ...)

[Tsaraslondon]

Not a complete opera today, but an early recital by Katia Ricciarelli (with the addition of a couple of duets with Domingo), a singer who is often underrated, I feel. Admittedly the voice didn't retain its youthful freshness for long, but she is always a musical and intelligent singer with a fine dramatic instinct. I've always found her a most affecting singer, her Luisa Miller, for instance, more touching that Caballé or Moffo, though less vocally assured than either. We would be overjoyed to hear such accomplished Verdi singing today.

[André]

Hans le joueur de flûte is an operetta (1906) by Louis Ganne, after the popular legend of the Pied Piper from Hamelin:




Louis Ganne's take on the story injects a love affair between the town's poet and the Mayor's daughter, with quotes from Martini's Plaisir d'amour. Excellent interpretation from experts in the field. Michel Dens is the Piper, Jules Gressier conducts the bubbly score with flair. The 2 disc set is completed by highlights from Les Saltimbanques (The Circus People) by Ganne.

[Wendell_E]

There is also this perforance from 1954. Did Della Casa replace Schwarzkopf mid run, or just for the film?

According to the Salzburg Festival Archives, Schwarzkopf sang all the performances. Della Casa was singing at the the Salzburg Festival that month, but in the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos.

[king ubu]

According to the Salzburg Festival Archives, Schwarzkopf sang all the performances. Della Casa was singing at the the Salzburg Festival that month, but in the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos.

Hm, so what about the DG DVD pictured above?

[ritter]

Hm, so what about the DG DVD pictured above?

I don't know the details, but IIRC the filmed Don Giovanni was not a public performance at the festival, but rather mounted ad hoc to make the film. Hence, it could be possible that it would not appear in the festival's performance annals. This same procedure was used—many years later—in Bayreuth (not any more, though, as the recent DVDs stem from actual open performances televised live, as is the case in most releases of this type these days from any opera house—given the improved technology and unobtrusive filming equipment).

If we're actually dealing with a "closed" performance mounted specifically for filming, then the substation of della Casa for Schwarzkopf would be perfectly feasible.  In 1960, AFAIK, the opposite happened: Schwarzkopf appeared in the film of the production of Der Rosenkavalier that opened the Grosses Festspielhaus, cinducted by Karajan, while on stage della Casa was the Marschallin.

[asin]B0043988GM[/asin]
[asin]B000026C3F[/asin]

[king ubu]

Okay, that does make sense. Thanks a lot for the explanation ad the further insight into opera film production at that time - I have no knowledge about that.

The Swarowski Don Giovanni on Preiser is oop alas and the "evil" place nearby doesn't have a remaining copy in stock (I bought about ten other things though, but no opera).

[ritter]

The Swarowski Don Giovanni on Preiser is oop alas and the "evil" place nearby doesn't have a remaining copy in stock (I bought about ten other things though, but no opera).

Sorry to hear that. Now that you mention it, I recall that when I got it, it was already OOP, and it wasn't cheap at all (but I wanted to have Stabile as the Don). I know, I know, it's in bad taste to say that just the recording that is virtually unobtainable is a really worthwhile one.  But I do hope the other ten things you got  were worthwhile.