What have you been listening to, lately?

**Dark_Angel** · February 2nd, 2012, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

Doing homework for London visit:

Watching a DVD and then listening to the recording in tandem works well to help me get to know a piece better.

Yes having visual image of DVD scences makes CD version more involving..........

That DVD version has nice dance sequences added

**Soave_Fanciulla** · February 3rd, 2012, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by Dark_Angel

That DVD version has nice dance sequences added

You're telling me. I've never seen so many toned backsides on display in my life!

On the other hand the costumes for the principals are actively hilarious. Those Chewbaccca shoes!

**Anne of Green Gables** · February 3rd, 2012, 04:12 PM

I'm starting three-days Donizetti/Carreras course, starting today with:

Then moving to:

And finally:

Unless I'll get bored and give up. JOKES. I'm passing on his L'Elisirs (I have two with him) though since I'm not ready to listen to that opera again.

**sospiro** · February 3rd, 2012, 05:19 PM

@Aramis

Hope you enjoy these. That Lucia is still my favourite version.

**Schigolch** · February 3rd, 2012, 06:12 PM

**Anne of Green Gables** · February 3rd, 2012, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by sospiro

@Aramis

Hope you enjoy these. That Lucia is still my favourite version.

Not mine though, I owe it getting into Carreras (it's first recording I had with him, if I remember well) but I don't like Caballe here. As great as she is I fail to find in her voice qualities essential for character of Lucia, I even skipped her mad scene this time. But the whole last part at the cementary alone makes this recording great.

**MAuer** · February 4th, 2012, 02:26 PM

I've been listening to the latest addition to my CD collection:

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My reaction so far: silly plot, delightful music, fantastic singing.

I like Messiah and some of Handel's other vocal and instrumental compositions, so I've wanted to explore more of his operas. Given my aversion to countertenors in particular and pants roles in general, it isn't always easy to find recordings where the castrato role has been assigned to a tenor (or possibly baritone). I occasionally do pay a price for this quirk of mine, as with the recording I have of Serse with Luigi Alva in the title role. His voice is definitely not my cup of tea! Fortunately, there are no such problems with this recording.

Sutherland and Wunderlich sing like gods -- they alone would make the recording worthwhile. But there isn't a weak link in the rest of the cast, either: Nicola Monti as Orante, Norma Proctor as Bradamante (the name still sounds to me as though it should belong to a man rather than a woman), Jeannette van Dijck as Morgana, and Thomas Hemsley as Melisso.

Oh, if only Wunderlich's recordings of Serse and Giulio Cesare had been sung in the original Italian instead of "auf Deutsch" . . .

**Schigolch** · February 7th, 2012, 08:23 PM

**Soave_Fanciulla** · February 7th, 2012, 10:07 PM

**Soave_Fanciulla** · February 7th, 2012, 10:07 PM

Originally Posted by Schigolch

What do you think of this one, Schigolch?

**HarpsichordConcerto** · February 7th, 2012, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

What do you think of this one, Schigolch?

It's part of my unlistened pile, after I was dissatisfied with another version of Teuzzone. Avoid this:-

**Almaviva** · February 8th, 2012, 12:05 AM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

Someone needs to tell Dario Fo that less is more, and filling your stage with people dressed as animals, funny men with false tummies, real rockets and endless lovely women in various stages of undress and contortion, doesn't really help your singers make a big impression.

It doesn't??

[Alma, running to the store to buy this DVD]

**Eorrific** · February 8th, 2012, 01:49 AM

Just bought these two yesterday (on special price : about US$9 each!

) Store keeper said there are many more Callas recordings at the store's warehouse that will go on sale. Hooray! Potential shopping spree!

Currently listening to La Sonnambula. Next will be Il Turco.
The only problem is that it's Mono.

EDIT : ... How do I get rid of the unintended thumbnail?

**Dark_Angel** · February 8th, 2012, 03:35 AM

Originally Posted by Eorrific

Just bought these two yesterday (on special price : about US$9 each!

) Store keeper said there are many more Callas recordings at the store's warehouse that will go on sale. Hooray! Potential shopping spree!

My advice is to buy every Callas studio boxset he has for $9......a gift from the opera gods

Some Mozart on my plate:

The older Fricsay/DG has a bonus recording of Exultate Jubilate by Maria Stader included, has the most ornamented final run in part 1 ever heard by me, I think it works and Wolfgang would approve!