What opera have you been watching lately?

[Florestan]

Watching this one, but on You Tube so no subtitles. Gutierrez has quite a sweet voice. Very traditional production too.

[Nemorino]

[I tried to watch the stream from Wiener Staatsoper with Thomas Hampson, but I had technical difficulties with it - as happens every year when I try with misplaced hope to watch one of their streams. And Vienna's customer support is non-existent. I'm done with them for good. I guess I should count my blessings, I'd throw way too much of my money away at them if their livestreams weren't overly complicated, and a recourseless gamble.]



Anyway, this was a pretty good disc. I don't know the opera well enough to be bothered by Domingo not being a true baritone, I just thought he was totally convincing in his portrayal. The staging is often brilliant, and then occasionally maddeningly stupid (the trees! the trees...)

[Florestan]

At only 73 minutes, this is heavily cut, but very good.

[Clayton]

73 minutes?!

I would have thought that's a bit tight for even the highlights!

Though I do like the coupling of Alagna and Gheorghiu and like this recording



Roberto Alagna (Roméo), Angela Gheorghiu (Juliette), José van Dam (Friar), Simon Keenlyside (Mercutio)
Chœur et Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson
Recording length: 73 mins plus another 106 mins

[Florestan]

73 minutes?!

I would have thought that's a bit tight for even the highlights!

Though I do like the coupling of Alagna and Gheorghiu and like this recording



Roberto Alagna (Roméo), Angela Gheorghiu (Juliette), José van Dam (Friar), Simon Keenlyside (Mercutio)
Chœur et Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Michel Plasson
Recording length: 73 mins plus another 106 mins

I have that recording, but am still trying (after maybe 10 different French operas) to like a French opera. An Italian opera sung in French (La fille du Regiment) I like, but am still searching for a likeable French opera. Maybe that short video will get me moving in the right direction, and I can revisit this CD set.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

... but am still trying (after maybe 10 different French operas) to like a French opera. An Italian opera sung in French (La fille du Regiment) I like, but am still searching for a likeable French opera. Maybe that short video will get me moving in the right direction, and I can revisit this CD set.

Pappano, Anna Caterina Antonacci and a fire-breathing horse! What's not to like?!

or



Comes with bonus DVD.

[Florestan]

Starting this one tonight. Just arrived in today's mail and I can hardly wait to get into it.

[MAuer]

Starting this one tonight. Just arrived in today's mail and I can hardly wait to get into it.

I heard Tatiana Monogarova's Tatyana live a few years ago, and she's excellent. Enjoy!

[Florestan]

I heard Tatiana Monogarova's Tatyana live a few years ago, and she's excellent. Enjoy!

I ended up watching through the letter scene. Awesome. I was stunned at that lady's acting. She is fantastic! The whole video is worth buying just for her. In the letter scene she has a frantic intensity like that of Senta in Der fliegende Holländer. And she does such a wonderful job earlier of being detached and off in her own world. Mariusz Kwiecien is a great Onegin (though I much prefer Hvorostovsky). Olga quite good too. I would definitely recommend a traditional performance for one's first viewing, but this is for sure a must have set IMO. I latched onto this after reading Luiz' Opera Guide for Eugene Onegin, which incidentally is a very good guide, chock full of great information, and a real value for the price. (I just bought a La Sonnambula guide, which while having good information, is sorely lacking in having only a handfull of pages of written text besides the libretto.)

I should also add that with my first Onegin DVD (Fleming/Hvorostovsky) I was somewhat bored during the letter scene. But Monogarova keeps it moving and very interesting.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

I ended up watching through the letter scene. Awesome. I was stunned at that lady's acting. She is fantastic! The whole video is worth buying just for her. In the letter scene she has a frantic intensity like that of Senta in Der fliegende Holländer. And she does such a wonderful job earlier of being detached and off in her own world. Mariusz Kwiecien is a great Onegin (though I much prefer Hvorostovsky). Olga quite good too. I would definitely recommend a traditional performance for one's first viewing, but this is for sure a must have set IMO. I latched onto this after reading Luiz' Opera Guide for Eugene Onegin, which incidentally is a very good guide, chock full of great information, and a real value for the price. (I just bought a La Sonnambula guide, which while having good information, is sorely lacking in having only a handfull of pages of written text besides the libretto.)

I should also add that with my first Onegin DVD (Fleming/Hvorostovsky) I was somewhat bored during the letter scene. But Monogarova keeps it moving and very interesting.

... and... she is very pretty!!!
Thanks for the compliments. The Opera Lively Eugene Onegin guide is a collective effort since it features text written by other members here, too, not just me. I'm glad that you liked it. Since you did, maybe you could write up a review on Amazon, to prop it up a little. If you don't feel like doing it, no problem but if you do it's appreciated.

[Florestan]

... and... she is very pretty!!!
Thanks for the compliments. The Opera Lively Eugene Onegin guide is a collective effort since it features text written by other members here, too, not just me. I'm glad that you liked it. Since you did, maybe you could write up a review on Amazon, to prop it up a little. If you don't feel like doing it, no problem but if you do it's appreciated.

I can give it a shot, not sure when. Yes, very pretty too, and what a beautiful voice! She reminds me somewhat of Renee Fleming, probably superficial similarities (blond, white, lithe).

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Haven't watched it all yet but very enjoyable so far. Wacky production but Juan Diego Flórez + Rossini is a match made in heaven.

I really like the production (the ballet is well rendered, and those horse statues!) and the singing. Marina Rebeka will always be my Mathilde.

Yes she's superb. I still haven't watched all of it, just finished Acts 1 and 2. I'm really enjoying it but don't understand the cameras or the studio lighting.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Yes she's superb. I still haven't watched all of it, just finished Acts 1 and 2. I'm really enjoying it but don't understand the cameras or the studio lighting.

Marina Rebeka is also extremely pretty:



Ah, the Latvian opera singers...

Elina Garanca, Kristine Opolais, Dana Bramane, Marina Rebeka...

Are all Latvian females this pretty, or just the ones who sing opera? I'll have to visit at some point, to find out.

LOL

[Amfortas]

Are all Latvian females this pretty, or just the ones who sing opera?

Some pretty; some strong like bull.

[Sonata]

Being a Verdi afficionado, I want to see all of his operas. So far I have seen about half of them....pretty much all of his famous ones except Nabucco (which I own, just have not watched it yet). I have many relatively obscure operas ahead of me. Fortunately Amazon video has the Tutto Verdi series of videos available for rent. yesterday, I started on Ernani