What opera have you been watching lately?

[Clayton]

Better than the recent MET? I thought that was a monumental show...

[JohnGerald]

It was Clayton, and I have and enjoy it. But Antonacci trumps the Elizabeth of Elza Van den Heever and Meli is better than Polenzani. as Leicester. I think that the Art Haus picture and sound are better, as well. Plus the cuts in the Met version are opened in the Art haus version.

[Clayton]

FANTASTIC PRODUCTION OF DIE ENTFUHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL FROM GLYNDEBOURNE FOLKS YOU'VE GOTTA SEE THIS WHILE YOU CAN.

(Gone in 5 days)

I shall promote this one again

It is another fantasic partnership of Glyndebourne and David McVicar and very worth watching, especially as it is FREE for ONE MORE DAY (until UK time Sunday 26 July 11:59pm)

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I came across this because there is a new version out with Michael Spyres and Jessica Pratt, and then I found that there was a previous production with Franco Fagioli and I simply could not resist it. The man is a force of nature, amazing range, breath control, coloratura, phrasing - pity about the faces he seems to have to make to emit all this but you can't have everything. The other performers are excellent and the staging is OK if very static. Now of course I want the other version.



BTW when the disc starts playing you might do a bit of a double take and wonder if there has been a mistake at the factory, and then you remember it's Rossini and why wouldn't you use your opera seria overture (and other music including Una voce poco fa) for your Barber of Seville.

[JohnGerald]

After wallowing in operetta ( Grafin Maritza and Die Czardasfursten from DVDs of performances from Seefestspiele Moerbach) and having just replaced my Yamaha receiver, which abruptly died, with a new Denon, AND having read again the "what is bel canto" thread (including dreadful references to Clayton wafting about the UK in chiffon) I decided to take the new electronics for a test drive with I Puritani. I was not disappointed with either the performance or the new toy!

Every time I watch Puritani, I feel like it was the first time I ever heard it (Sutherland et al). So much melody and so much glorious singing of it!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

This made me deeply happy and cheerful.

Britten Midsummer Night's Dream from Aix, in a brilliant production by Robert Carsen. He is totes my favourite opera director. And I do love that eerie seductive music. Simply not to be missed, thank you Culture box for making it available to all.

[Hoffmann]

This made me deeply happy and cheerful.

Britten Midsummer Night's Dream from Aix, in a brilliant production by Robert Carsen. He is totes my favourite opera director. And I do love that eerie seductive music. Simply not to be missed, thank you Culture box for making it available to all.

Regie or traditional - there are very few things more satisfying than a really well-done opera production!

[Adrian]

Talking about R. Carsen.
( Sorry Nathalie, I don't like him at all.)
I watched this last night.
Richard Strauss : Capriccio

[Florestan]

Watching the opera DVD that got me started on my opera addiction:

[Clayton]

The cricket finished very early

tee hee hee, chortle, chortle...

so I'm back to opera world...



and



enjoying this very much so far...

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Talking about R. Carsen.
( Sorry Nathalie, I don't like him at all.)

Aaargh! That must mean you don't like this:



or this



or this



or this




aaargh

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Great director. I met him briefly. We chatted a little in a cocktail party. Kind of weird, withdrawn fellow. All of the productions above are great. He is the kind of director who does have a footprint but never to the detriment of the music or the libretto.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

This made me deeply happy and cheerful.

Britten Midsummer Night's Dream from Aix, in a brilliant production by Robert Carsen. He is totes my favourite opera director. And I do love that eerie seductive music. Simply not to be missed, thank you Culture box for making it available to all.

This looks great. I'll see if I watch it.

[Adrian]

The singing makes up everything in the first one.
The latter three I don't know , want to keep it that way.
Remember the story about the Turandot I saw in Antwerp at the begin of his career?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Clemenza di Tito
If Colin Davis doesn't stop humming I will go and dig him up and make him!!!