What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Hoffmann]

This is quite a lovely opera.

[Festat]

I can't believe all you guys are hating on Puritani so much!

Let Bellini be Bellini! Forget the DVD and the sound will heal all wounds - it's glorious!

Never! I love Bellini, I love listening to Puritani, it's only when I watch it that I wish I had a gun to shoot most of the characters right on the face.

[Festat]

Right now:


Looks promising.

[Clayton]

...when I watch it that I wish I had a gun to shoot most of the characters right on the face...

Festat SCARY!



Clayton scared of Festat.

[Dark_Angel]

Thanks to Alma's discussion of early Bellini I pulled out my Il Pirata, 1971 stereo studio recording essential for italian bel canto fans


Callas is great in IL Pirata but the 1959 EMI live performance is not great sound, fortunately you have the mad scence performed in a studio recital disc.......yes you must own it!

[Clayton]

and predictably I am here

[Dark_Angel]

and predictably I am here

I cannot bring myself to pay the crazy price they want for the Opera Rara releases, you can buy 3-4 great used opera performances of best singers ever for the price of one Opera Rara

[Festat]

Have you guys considered subscribing to a music streaming service? I've cut like 90% of my expanses with CD sets since subscribing to Qobuz and [Deezer. Qobuz has CD quality, lossless streaming and a huge archive on classical music and opera (including the Opera Rara, Myto and Naïve catalogues). Deezer streams 320kbps audio only, but is completely free for the first 6 months and also has a lot of opera, although navigate within classical records isn't so effortless like it is on Qobuz (but nothing much difficult either). Both let you store data locally, for offline listening, so you can enjoy your music on the go without an internet connection.

Now I spend like 35 dollars a month with both subscriptions, which is an unbelievable relief for my budget. I can spend more on champagne.

IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!




PS: I'm not being paid to write this post. I wish I was.

[Dark_Angel]

Have you guys considered subscribing to a music streaming service? I've cut like 90% of my expanses with CD sets since subscribing to Qobuz and Deezer. Qobuz has CD quality, lossless streaming and a huge archive on classical music and opera (including the Opera Rara, Myto and Naïve catalogues). Deezer streams 320kbps audio only, but is completely free for the first 6 months and also has a lot of opera, although navigate within classical records isn't so effortless like it is on Qobuz (but nothing much difficult either). Both let you store data locally, for offline listening, so you can enjoy your music on the go without an internet connection.

Now I spend like 35 dollars a month with both subscriptions, which is an unbelievable relief for my budget. I can spend more on champagne.

IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE!

I play around with Spotify and Pandora but don't listen mobile or away from home so limited use for me, at home I have massive CD collection and large amount of music ripped to external USB hard drives for easy cataloging and access.

Newest money threat is HD music downloads which I have so far resisted because of high cost, but it is very tempting to get some of your very favorite music in 24/96 or higher resolution music files.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

I got the Solomon oratorio in the mail with Gardiner, and now I'm thinking...
What should I do right now?
Listen to this or watch NFL on TV (Ravens vs. Lions)

[Alma weighs the options with his hands... Opera (well, oratorio, but same old same old), or Football? Football, or Opera?]
Well, for one thing, opera is more violent so maybe I should stick with football.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Solomon isn't all that violent. Someone admittedly wants to cut a baby in half but that doesn't end up happening. And there IS the Queen of Sheba and I'm sure she has assets.

[Amfortas]

Solomon isn't all that violent. Someone admittedly wants to cut a baby in half but that doesn't end up happening.

Oh, great. How about a SPOILER ALERT next time?

[Dark_Angel]

I got the Solomon oratorio in the mail with Gardiner, and now I'm thinking...
What should I do right now?
Listen to this or watch NFL on TV (Ravens vs. Lions)

You do both of course, you mute sound on TV and listen to opera on stereo or headphones (like I am doing now)
Don't need sound for sporting events.....

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Solomon isn't all that violent. Someone admittedly wants to cut a baby in half but that doesn't end up happening. And there IS the Queen of Sheba and I'm sure she has assets.

She surely must have assets, but it's kind of hard to see them on a CD

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

You do both of course, you mute sound on TV and listen to opera on stereo or headphones (like I am doing now)
Don't need sound for sporting events.....

I thought of that, but this is a major work and I want to give it my full attention, read the libretto simultaneously, and all.
Well, I picked football. Half time now. I'm rooting for the Lions but they aren't doing so well.