What opera have you been watching lately?

[Clayton]

...
Another excellent no-holds barred production of Lulu. Barbara Hannigan can sing this music flawlessly while en pointe in her underwear. Beat that.

...

Between Hannigan and Petibon which would be your preference for Lulu?

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Between Hannigan and Petibon which would be your preference for Lulu?

I haven't seen this production yet although I've ordered it - in pre-order - but I imagine that Barbara would beat Patricia since she has more of the required vocal shops. Barbara's vocal range is just amazing, and she is a big-time specialist in modern and contemporary music so she is much more used to the atonal repertory than Patricia - this is not to say that Patricia has disappointed vocally as Lulu, because she did not - but she is not a specialist while Barbara is. As far as being beautiful women, they are both incredibly attractive so it would be a tie. I have two Lulus with Patricia, and oh my God, she looks fabulous in both, but I've also seen pictures of Barbara's Lulu and she looks just as good.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Where are those real crocodiles when we need them? I'd love to see the cast of a certain Trovatore being eaten, as well as the director of a certain Götterdämmerung.


Yep. La Bellissima rocks. See, it's not that I'm biased; it's rather that she is that good.

OOOOPPPSSS, WHAT DID I DO?
By mistake, I edited your post instead of replying to it, so that your previous material got deleted. Sorry, Nat. Can you repost, please?

[Clayton]

I haven't seen this production yet although I've ordered it...

I will look forward to your review.

Over a month difference in release dates to UK?! Is that unusual? I thought it was normally the other way round, later and higher price in UK!

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

I will look forward to your review.

Over a month difference in release dates to UK?! Is that unusual? I thought it was normally the other way round, later and higher price in UK!

No, usually Europe goes first. Most of these DVD recording companies are European.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Here is the original.

Just finished watching Tchernikov's Traviata from La Scala with Damrau, Beczala and Lucic. Production was a bit odd, Beczala sounded in poor voice to me, but Damrau really gave her all in a very interesting portrayal.

Before that, this Giulio Cesare (I bought it for Ewa Podleś as Cornelia, and because it was on sale). Actually the real star here was the guy in the crocodile suit who was so good that he made me wonder when he first came in how you train a real crocodile not to eat your cast.


Then this very interesting Rusalka by Stefan Herheim, who is probably my favourite Regie director; always has interesting ideas (if too complex to boil down to one "Konzept"). Myrto Papatanasiu gives Renee a run for her money in the title role and the rest of the cast is excellent too.


Another excellent no-holds barred production of Lulu. Barbara Hannigan can sing this music flawlessly while en pointe in her underwear. Beat that.


Las weekend I saw the Met Macbeth at the local cinema. I agree with Alma's ravings about Trebs in this production. Basically I'll never be able to watch another Lady Macbeth again, because she was IT.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I have a lovely friend who has only just discovered opera and one of the nice things is her delight at finding ones she likes. It's making me re-visit stuff I haven't heard or watched in a while.

This morning she mentioned I puritani so I dug this out to watch while I did the ironing. I know not everyone likes this opera but if you do I can recommend this production.

[Clayton]

I have a lovely friend who has only just discovered opera and one of the nice things is her delight at finding ones she likes. It's making me re-visit stuff I haven't heard or watched in a while...

Oh what great fun!

So is the Sospiro opera library now open (to invitation members)?

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

I have a lovely friend who has only just discovered opera and one of the nice things is her delight at finding ones she likes. It's making me re-visit stuff I haven't heard or watched in a while.

Is your lovely friend already an Opera Lively member? If not, bring her in!

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Oh what great fun!

So is the Sospiro opera library now open (to invitation members)?

Everyone is welcome

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Is your lovely friend already an Opera Lively member? If not, bring her in!

Not yet! I've been trying to persuade her to join but she thinks she'll make gaffes and be ridiculed. I keep telling her nothing could be further from the truth but I haven't been able to convince her yet.

A work in progress!

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Not yet! I've been trying to persuade her to join but she thinks she'll make gaffes and be ridiculed. I keep telling her nothing could be further from the truth but I haven't been able to convince her yet.

A work in progress!

Well, tell her that Opera Lively is not a dangerous place - I mean, unless she badmouths Anna Netrebko; but still, the maximum that can happen to her in this circumstance is that I'll blow her entire neighborhood with a small nuclear device; not a big deal.

There's another more minor danger, though. If she loves a certain Trovatore DVD, she might be hit in the head with a dead fish.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Well, tell her that Opera Lively is not a dangerous place - I mean, unless she badmouths Anna Netrebko; but still, the maximum that can happen to her in this circumstance is that I'll blow her entire neighborhood with a small nuclear device; not a big deal.

There's another more minor danger, though. If she loves a certain Trovatore DVD, she might be hit in the head with a dead fish.

She feels her crime might be even worse. Her favourite singer is Angela Gheorghiu and she gets stick elsewhere, so is reluctant to invite more.

[JohnGerald]

This week, we spent three evenings with Anna N's Anna Bolena on Blu ray. This is a production that continues to grow on me: the singing is exceptional AND the dramatics are too. Garanca is definitive as is D'Archangelo. Meli is less perfect but more than adequate.

Last night we enjoyed Giovanna D'Arco from the Tutto Verdi series. Bruson is way past his prime, but owns the baritone part. Bowers hss a fine voice and primitive acting skills, and Vassileva has a fine voice and a cute butt. It was the drive of the music that rules, though.

As for Georghiu, Ms. Annie, just watch her in that inexpensive Opus Arte Traviata or the Met Boheme (both with Vargas) and see her in fine form. Her Faust with Alagna and her Elisir are also fine performances. Bring your friend on board for a warm reception.

[Clayton]

Good Morning, Good Afternoon or Good Evening to you all (where ever you are in the world).

Hello, what are you doing in this thread? You don't normally come here.

Ah yes.

I now have a new stable interweb connection, no jitter or packet loss, and some where near 10mbps (used to have less than 1mbps).

SOOOO... taking advantage of the 7 day free trial with MET on demand...



Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
Mariusz Kwiecien (Onegin), Anna Netrebko (Tatyana), Piotr Beczala (Lensky), Oksana Volkova (Olga), Alexei Tanovitski (Gremin)
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet, Valery Gergiev (conductor), Deborah Warner (director)



Oh Clayton, welcome to the twentieth century (give me a little longer to join the twenty-first, that's a step to far); we have moving pictures WITH stereo sound.


This is very beautiful. It is generation-all opera. It has beautiful music and singing, good acting, good costumes, good set, good lighting and camera work, beautiful colours and in fact it has it all.

lovely jubbly.

I will definitely revisit this before the trial period expires.