This is mine today
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This is mine today
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"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
Now that's just like shooting fish in a barrel.
After listening to Lopez-Cobos' Le Comte Ory, I was going to go to Troy. However it is a beautiful blue sky in Berko and my morning potter in the garden was longer than usual and I think I have less time.
So what with the above two posts....
I think I will go to...
Maybe my favourite of the 3...
I Puritani, Richard Bonynge, Sutherland, Cappuccilli, Ghiaurov, ROH Chorus, LSO.
Given the choice of 6oz of Beluga and Champagne or 3 hours of this and I believe my brain may genuinely freeze.
When opera seria gets into Ponnelle's hands it should really be renamed opera pazza, or even opera screaming bonkers.
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Natalie
What is the sound like on this?
He asks knowing full well the finger is already approaching the "buy" button
Almost as good as it gets for an early 60's live recording. Levels are a bit uneven in the ensembles, probably due to microphone positioning, but then this is not Così or the Cenerentola so it's more than enough.
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 5th, 2018 at 06:13 PM.
Just watched Jacobs' 2005 Zauberflöte from La Monnaie. Really enjoyed it.
Musically it's a total win. Cast seems all young and is very good looking, Topi Lehtippu looks like a boy as Tamino (and quite cute, may I say, even though the pale makeup isn't always flattering). Pamina is sung by Sophie Karthäuser, who has a very rich, full voice and is impressively even in volume anywhere on the stage (how does she manage that I don't know, I was quite puzzled trying to figure out, and I am positive they're not individualled mic'd). Stephan Loges' Papageno is very charismatic, although he sometimes struggles to play his flute on tempo. Köning and Sarastro as appealing — well, as appealing as Sarastro can be. And the three ladies (how I love the ladies!) are superb, Jacobs style. <3
The staging, though, is a bit of a mess. Based almost entirely on video mapping, most of the time it doesn't make much sense either dramatically or aesthetically. A lot of triangles, pyramids and other freemasonry symbols going on, which, if not sheer obvious, can get repetitive. It only gets effective towards the second act finale, especially in the ordeals, when they do look threatening. Fortunately, while it doesn't contribute, it doesn't spoil such a good musical performance either.
Yes, musically this is my favourite Magic Flute.
Natalie
I'm about halfway through this Lucrezia Borgia and I CAN HEAR EVERY WORD THE PROMPTER SAYS. I'm horrified. Did no sound engineer actually listen to it? Renée not coping very well either, lots of scooping and a rather harsh tone. Even Michael Fabiano can't make up for the irritation.
This CD on the other hand is full of gems, excellently performed by Jaroussky.
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Natalie
Norma
Bartoli, Jo, Osborn, Pertusi, Antonini
Mixologist Maurizio Biondi and Riccardo Minasi
Base Norma,
Splash of perceived Bellini style,
Measure of interpreted character,
A few dashes of period colouration.
Give a good stir (not shaken),
And serve with a Bartoli.
Very nice; slightly fruity with just enough spice to make quite an enjoyable serving. Perhaps good with a nice Manchego.
Sorry, just re read the book. Maurizio Biondi is a Musicologist not a Mixologist and he was explaining about the production, not a drink.
Too complicated for my small brain but I did like the recording.
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