Les vêpres siciliennes from Netherlands Opera in an interesting production by Christof Loy. Singers all up to the demands of the role.
Natalie
I was going to watch that Vêpres but this thoroughly enjoyable Alcina appeared among the related videos...
Inga Kalna is a really great Alcina, Anna Devin is probably the prettiest Morgana I've ever seen and Patricia Bardon rocking them leather pants as Bradamante gave me life.
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 5th, 2018 at 12:58 AM.
Brilliant Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk from Lyon, excellent staging by Dmitri Tcherniakov and a wonderful singer/actor in the title role called Ausrine Stundyte.
Natalie
Un Ballo in Maschera from Munich with a great cast including Anja Harteros, Piotr Beczala and George Petean - but a weird production that looked straight out of a Fred Astaire movie. If someone could explain why Riccardo didn't actually die after being shot I'd be grateful.
Natalie
Literally the only thing I could think of:Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla
Also, I can't get myself to like Beczala. I don't know why. Whenever he's singing I'm silently hoping it ends soon.
Last edited by Festat; September 6th, 2016 at 03:08 PM.
Actually, I wouldn't mind if every production looked like a Fred Astaire movie.
It's obvious innit. It's regie.
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I'm not keen either!
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
I'm watching a crappy TV rip of an absolutely wonderful Alcina recorded in 1990, in Genève. SOMEONE HAS TO RELEASE THIS ON DVD. Main cast is pretty much the same as the EMI recording under Richard Hickox:
Alcina: Arleen Auger
Ruggiero: Della Jones
Bradamante: Kathleen Kuhlmann
Morgana: Donna Brown
Oronte: Jorge López Yáñez
Oberto: Martina Musacchio
Melisso: Gregory Reinhart
William Christie — Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
I thought I would never enjoy Alcina as much as Aix but I was fortunately wrong. Auger is the best Alcina on record, I have no more doubts about it. THE SPELL IS REAL, FOLKS. I have no words, really, she's too good. Della Jones' Ruggiero is also top notch, gorgeous and super appropriate fiorituri. She pulls a Caballé and looks frankly hypnotised while singing, though. Donna Brown is a good Morgana, a nice improvement over strident Eiddwen Harrhy on the Hickox recording. She had me weeping during Credete al mio dolore, but I'm easy. Kathleen Kuhlmann, looking super fine as Bradamante, is totally effortless in the first act (that È gelosia!) but something seems to go wrong when she's about to start Vorrei vendicarmi and the coloratura seems tough on her. She recovers for the last act, though. Oronte is a light nice tenor, if a little nasal. Melisso and Oberto are fine too. The staging is not Katie Mitchell's but has moments of brilliance, like the long long silence while Alcina slowly and cautiously approaches the crying Ruggiero after Mi lusinga il dolce affetto, as if she feels her impending doom but refuses to accept it.
I think I will never get over how good this opera is.
Glad I am not the only one. I'm always thinking I should like his singing a lot more than I actually do.
Natalie
[Alcina]
ditto
Natalie
OK, this is disturbing. My Alcina DVD came in the mail, but I'm having a hard time watching it.
Anna Prohaska looks MUCH too much like my last girlfriend. Seriously. Like, in every online picture I can find.
Scary. And very mixed emotions.
so long as you're not imaging being tied up and whipped by her
You're not helping . . .
as happy as it makes you, remember it's not reality
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