What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Festat]

Bartoli-Raimondi Il turco in Italia on youtube from Zurich. Nice, although direction is at times completely random.

[Hoffmann]

How fitting that Callas has brought you back to your senses.........

I love this 1953 Puritani, the 2nd opera Callas recorded for EMI after signing contract, Maria had 5 operas recorded in 1953 all essential. Stephano sings in a bold forte manor not heard today but with Callas a great match, also some great choral work often overlooked

To hear the true greatness of this recording there is an expensive Pristine Classical remaster with ambient stereo that sounds really great, check the long sample of mad scence (right above order CD button) male voices get huge upgrade and check the quasi stereo sound, very nice

I think we've covered this territory previously, but Pristine is heavy on the tech-y stuff, e.g., they offer 4 different files types, about which I am clueless as to which one I want. I was going to ask if they offer any tech support, but see that they are located in France.

The good news, I suppose, is that the old recording actually is reasonably good considering when it was recorded.

Edit: I should have looked before posting, but just noticed extensive information listed under "Getting Started - Get Help". I will read through it before complaining further.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

So nice to have a good audiophile computer audio set up, I just put in the Callas Puritani CD after your post and could see all tracks with info for each track and could skip to any point of any track with mouse click........yesssssss

Off topic but today Google's page has a drawing of Callas; you should keep a screenshot

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Off topic but today Google's page has a drawing of Callas; you should keep a screenshot

They started off calling her Maria Callus and have given her arms like an orangutang.

[Dark_Angel]

I think we've covered this territory previously, but Pristine is heavy on the tech-y stuff, e.g., they offer 4 different files types, about which I am clueless as to which one I want. I was going to ask if they offer any tech support, but see that they are located in France.

The good news, I suppose, is that the old recording actually is reasonably good considering when it was recorded.

Edit: I should have looked before posting, but just noticed extensive information listed under "Getting Started - Get Help". I will read through it before complaining further.

You can buy various download options or purchase a physical CD disc.

When buying CD disc you can get complete with jewel case and art work assembled or much cheaper option just buy the disc and you print supplied artwork from website and provide your own jewel case, VAT is deducted from purchase for shipment to USA, about 3 weeks for delivery to USA under normal conditions

The 1953 EMI Puritani has good mono sound since it was recorded in studio, but the Pristine remaster transforms the sound for a price........just listen to that sound sample at Pristine website

[Clayton]

I take it all back. I puritani is pretty good. Lots of tunes. What was I thinking when I said it all sounded the same?

Oh what a jolly good idea the favourite opera poll was!

Even with Soave_Fanciulla who I imagine must have a (opera dvd) library on the scale of the Bodleian is (re)discovering classics!

Great fun and educational!

[Clayton]

...I love this 1953 Puritani...

So much so that I bought 2 copies.

Errr...

actually another shopping boo-boo (2 different shopping baskets)! Though I'm okay with it, one with the original black box (v. expensive!) and one new re-issue. My pereverse box obsession...

[Dark_Angel]

Off topic but today Google's page has a drawing of Callas; you should keep a screenshot

Alma you are right, nice recognition to Maria.....what is reason for this tribute?
Hopefully some of these young techies using google know who the woman is

Update, scrolling mouse over image reveals its purpose, Callas 90th birthdate

[Clayton]

Maria Stuarda
Joan Sutherland, Luciano Pavarotti, Huguette Tourangeau
Richard Bonynge



It's a great opera with beautiful arias and duets all the way through. However I can not recommend it to those who have tired of Pavarotti's voice; this is the only recording I have and for me it works because of the combination of the three. Also by some accounts there are many variations of this opera as the original signed manuscript is lost...

[Clayton]

Lucia di Lammermoor
Maria Callas, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Tito Gobbi, Raffaele Arie
Tullio Serafin



There was only one way today's listening was going to end. Happy Birthday Maria (whaaa... no tribute thread by Dark_Angel with bellissima pictures?) and celebrate my recent ticket acquisitions.

Absolutely beautiful music bringing tears to my eyes (nothing to do with my recent chili pickling) all the way through.

Problem with this recording though; bonus excerpts on the end from various other recordings. WANT THEM.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Have been listening to The Gambler on a loop in preparation for my trip to Amsterdam this weekend but now need a break from it.

Listened to this & the more I get to know it the more I like it. Lots of bass.

[Hoffmann]

Have been listening to The Gambler on a loop in preparation for my trip to Amsterdam this weekend but now need a break from it.

Listened to this & the more I get to know it the more I like it. Lots of bass.

Have a great trip to Amsterdam!!

[Clayton]

It's happened again! Hoffmann! He had me thinking of Edita's Beatrice. Thank goodness (or the wife) for Sennheiser headphones!

[Hoffmann]

I grabbed the wrong iPod on my way out the door this morning, so indulged myself with Bellini again in the same week:



and, prompted by MAuer, I bought and listened to Handel's Messiah for the first time in what must have been 15 years:



Jaded and cynical as I might be, I had forgotten just how powerful a piece of music Messiah is. It's a good thing the houses on both sides of me are currently vacant (I live in a row house), because I found myself continuously turning up the volume.

[Festat]

First from my two-buck batch:



Very very fine performance, nice orchestra, adorable young Gruberova. But as a movie it is pretty pointless, I wonder why they didn't just film a live performance, this was 1978 already.