What opera have you been listening to, lately?

**Clayton** · October 6th, 2013, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by StLukesGuildOhio

Exploring some singers who are less familiar to me... and some music that is less-well-known as well.

Mariusz Kwiecien: star performance as Rodrigro at ROH in May. Really looking forward to his Riccardo next May at the Met.

**Itullian** · October 6th, 2013, 08:31 PM

Wagner, Lohengrin, Colin Davis, RCA Red Seal
A beautiful recording.
Heppner as Lohengrin

**Soave_Fanciulla** · October 6th, 2013, 09:33 PM

Wozzeck, live stream from Munich.

**Clayton** · October 7th, 2013, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Dark_Angel

...I also can recommend ... Souliotis versions below,

This is an absolutey superb recording. On behalf of Donizetti / Anna Bolena / Souliotis / Horne / Ghiaurov fans everywhere through space and time I am going to write a letter to Decca asking them, no demanding, to re-release this. It will go straight to the top of my important letters to write pile (currently one hundred and eighty-seven).

**Soave_Fanciulla** · October 8th, 2013, 12:22 AM

**Dark_Angel** · October 8th, 2013, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Clayton

This is an absolutey superb recording. On behalf of Donizetti / Anna Bolena / Souliotis / Horne / Ghiaurov fans everywhere through space and time I am going to write a letter to Decca asking them, no demanding, to re-release this. It will go straight to the top of my important letters to write pile (currently one hundred and eighty-seven).

A very worthy Anna Bolena for sure....

The gold standard for me is La Scala 1957 Callas, an immortal night caught on tape, check this great youtube with excellent sound, the end of final mad scence 1:09:45 leading to a staggering "copia iniqua" as Anna Bolena accepts her deadly fate at the hands of the "wicked couple"

**Clayton** · October 8th, 2013, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by Dark_Angel

A very worthy Anna Bolena for sure....

The gold standard for me is La Scala 1957 Callas, an immortal night caught on tape,

I ordered from Divina, order confirmed 1st Oct. Now I am like a Jack Russell on steroids every time the postman knocks...

**Hoffmann** · October 8th, 2013, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Clayton

This is an absolutey superb recording. On behalf of Donizetti / Anna Bolena / Souliotis / Horne / Ghiaurov fans everywhere through space and time I am going to write a letter to Decca asking them, no demanding, to re-release this. It will go straight to the top of my important letters to write pile (currently one hundred and eighty-seven).

I've got this Anna Bolena on order from Arkivmusic, and am still waiting for an email that it has been shipped. Jack Russell, indeed!!

I've also been eyeballing that Fidelio with that nearly irresistible cast! How is it - as good as looks?

**OperaFanNH** · October 8th, 2013, 01:06 PM

My opera radar happened to ping on this this morning on OpenCulture...

http://www.openculture.com/2013/10/s...-of-opera.html

...Stephen Fry on The Science of Opera (and how music moves us physically to tears) and another video on Wagner vs Verdi...

**Clayton** · October 8th, 2013, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Hoffmann

I've also been eyeballing that Fidelio with that nearly irresistible cast! How is it - as good as looks?

Er... that's Soave_Fanciulla's post. I don't have that one (yet)

Yeah, Jack Russell. So over excited some times even a little bit of dribble being wiped from the corner of my mouth...

**Soave_Fanciulla** · October 8th, 2013, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by Hoffmann

I've also been eyeballing that Fidelio with that nearly irresistible cast! How is it - as good as looks?

It is really excellent! Actually it would be worth listening to if only for Kaufmann's incredible swelling note on "Gott" in his first aria. I played it to someone who had never even heard of him and she became a fan for life.

**Soave_Fanciulla** · October 8th, 2013, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by Clayton

Yeah, Jack Russell. So over excited some times even a little bit of dribble being wiped from the corner of my mouth...

Now THAT is too much information!

**Hoffmann** · October 8th, 2013, 10:27 PM

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**Soave_Fanciulla** · October 9th, 2013, 08:47 AM

La Fanciulla del West, twice in a row. Nothing to do with der Jonas in leather trousers.

Srsly, der Jonas and Nina Stemme are outstanding. And the baritone, while vocally not in their league, gives a very good acting performance.

**MAuer** · October 9th, 2013, 06:37 PM

Puccini meets the Wizard of Oz . . . I do hope this production will eventually be released on DVD (and since this is the Vienna State Opera, that may be a possibility), even though it won't eclipse the Met version with Barbara Daniels, Domingo, and Milnes. Of course, I think Kaufmann is fabulous, and Stemme really leaves no cause for complaint, either. I agree that Konieczny's Rance is the weak link here. (And that ridiculous cap -- American cops haven't worn something in that particular style since the 1950s or '60s.)