What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Pleasantly surprised by this, of course some of the music was VERY familiar. Carreras was predictably good (I love him in bel canto, nice meaty sound) but I also liked Ugo Benelli’s lovely light tenor and Valerie Masterson’s shining tones. I have to confess that while I admire Montsy’s piano notes, this recording has confirmed that I am not a fan of the timbre of her voice, especially when she goes more forte.

One of my first Carreras acquisitions when I didn't know any different but it became a favourite.

Stefan Herheim’s Rusalka from La Monnaie should really be renamed “Water Gnome’s reincarnation as Pervy Old Dude”, as most of the action focusses on Willard White rather than beautiful Myrtò Papatanasiu in the title role. It’s an interesting production though, well sung and with excellent acting.

“Water Gnome’s reincarnation as Pervy Old Dude”

The Tutto Verdi Ernani is a dog. It is lumpen, park and bark and overall badly sung. You could play “spot the passaggio” with Marco Berti; Giacomo Prestia has a terrible wobble and Susan Neves is shrill. Thank goodness for Carlo Guelfi as the King, he is the only redeeming feature.

[Itullian]

This one or the DG set..........

This one was perfect for me as I didn't have any of the versions included here.
And may I say they are great recordings.
The DG has ALL the operas, but I already have some of those.
I still may go for it though.

[Clayton]

Grey, dark and sideways rain in Berkhamsted today.

Der Fliegende Holländer
Herrmann Uhde, Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Ludwig Weber, Elisabeth Schärtel, Josef Traxel
Chorus and Orchestra of Bayreuther Festspiele
Hans Knappertsbusch
Bayreuther Festspiele 22 July 1955

[Clayton]

Handel: Alcina
Joyce DiDonato (Alcina), Maite Beaumont (Ruggiero), Karina Gauvin (Morgana), Sonia Prina (Bradamante), Kobie Van Rensburg (Oronte), Laura Cherici (Oberto), Vito Priante (Melisso)
Il Complesso Barocco,
Alan Curtis
Recording: Tuscania, Chiesa di Sant'Agostino September 2007

[Dark_Angel]

Grey, dark and sideways rain in Berkhamsted today.

Der Fliegende Holländer
Herrmann Uhde, Astrid Varnay, Wolfgang Windgassen, Ludwig Weber, Elisabeth Schärtel, Josef Traxel
Chorus and Orchestra of Bayreuther Festspiele
Hans Knappertsbusch
Bayreuther Festspiele 22 July 1955

Those budget price Wagner releases on ZYX label should all be purchased, great golden age performances with very decent sound. The Ring for ZYX uses 1953 live Keilberth from Bayreuth for 3 operas and 1954 Furtwangler studio Walkure with WP orchestra (his last Wagner recording before death)

Itullian will back me up on this, I think he purchased all of them.........

[Dark_Angel]

Handel: Alcina
Joyce DiDonato (Alcina), Maite Beaumont (Ruggiero), Karina Gauvin (Morgana), Sonia Prina (Bradamante), Kobie Van Rensburg (Oronte), Laura Cherici (Oberto), Vito Priante (Melisso)
Il Complesso Barocco,
Alan Curtis
Recording: Tuscania, Chiesa di Sant'Agostino September 2007

Italian Handel opera is so great, every one is a winner!

When you start buying the English oratorios look for these cheap boxsets which contain older recordings by Christie, Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Koopman etc that still hold up very well

[Marschallin Blair]

Voight in Ariadne mode: studied graciousness and posh, timbral purity. . . or something along those lines.

I'm drowning in aural velvet over here. Nothing engages my aesthetic sensibility like a soprano I like doing Strauss.

[Marschallin Blair]

Those budget price Wagner releases on XYZ label should all be purchased, great golden age performances with very decent sound. The Ring for XYZ uses 1953 live Keilberth from Bayreuth for 3 operas and 1954 Furtwangler studio Walkure with WP orchestra (his last Wagner recording before death)

Itullian will back me up on this, I think he purchased all of them.........

I do like his nitromethane, Varnay-inflected Ring; I'll have to explore Keilberth's Fliegende as well. Thanks Dark Angel.

[Marschallin Blair]

Voight in Ariadne mode: studied graciousness and posh, timbral purity. . . or something along those lines.

I'm drowning in aural velvet over here. Nothing engages my aesthetic sensibility like a soprano I like doing Strauss.

. . . and "Schlaft sie,"?-- my God!! Those voices!-- Christiane Hossfeld, Angela Liebold, and Eva Kirchner as the Naiad, Dryade, and Echo, respectively. . . pure light and air. It's like the Sun King's Versailles put to sound or something. . . at least that's how my synaesthesia's going at the moment. Lovely as ever.

[Clayton]

Verdi: Il Corsaro
José Carreras (Corrado), Clifford Grant (Giovanni), Jessye Norman (Medora), Montserrat Caballé (Gulnara), Giampietro Mastromei (Seid), John Noble (Selimo), Alexander Oliver (Eunuco)
New Philharmonia Orchestra & Ambrosian Singers,
Lamberto Gardelli
Recording: Brent Town Hall, Wembley 17-23 August 1975

[Clayton]

Italian Handel opera is so great, every one is a winner!

When you start buying the English oratorios look for these cheap boxsets which contain older recordings by Christie, Gardiner, Harnoncourt, Koopman etc that still hold up very well

Okay, thanks for the tip.

I have been interested in Semele, Handel's Dixit Dominus and Zadok the Priest for a while now. I need to fit it in somewhere suitable within my Handel wish list. I think I am going to go to Presto Classical on Wednesday; I am not taking a list with me. As Hoffmann puts it, I am going to see which box sparkles the most when I am there.

Handel wish list.

My favourite handel operas:













And one that isn't strictly an opera:

Before you spend too much on these individual Handel Italian operas conducted by Alan Curtis the budget priced Virgin boxset must be purchased

It's my absolute favourite, but here I am trying to encourage Clayton to spend money on things he doesn't yet have.

Now you reminded me of Acis and Galatea, which Clayton NEEDS as well.



And Luiz, Solomon is utterly utterly gorgeous. I'd place it near Giulio Cesare.

Definitely!

[Marschallin Blair]

Okay, thanks for the tip.

I have been interested in Semele, Handel's Dixit Dominus and Zadok the Priest for a while now. I need to fit it in somewhere suitable within my Handel wish list. I think I am going to go to Presto Classical on Wednesday; I am not taking a list with me. As Hoffmann puts it, I am going to see which box sparkles the most when I am there.

Handel wish list.

Love the Semele with Battle.

[Dark_Angel]

Tosca x 2 (Corelli x 2)
1957 live with Zinka Milanov & Franco Corelli, 1967 live Virginia Gordoni (?) & Franco Corelli

Very pleased with 1957 ROH performance, very good live sound, dramatic orchestral music, and Zinka defies her age with excellent rendition of Tosca, Corelli does what he does best..........

Another fine Bel Canto Society release, Corelli quoted on cover that this is his finest Tosca performance, who am I to argue? Franco goes wild even by his own standards with incredible long sustained high notes and velvety soft notes in tender moments, a tenor tour de force

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I'm sorry Clayton, but you need ALL THE HANDELS.

And I think you are also going to need Borodin's Prince Igor, which is extremely melodious and has that same combination of comic and serious as The Legend of the Invisible City...although not as mystical. I am currently watching it on YouTube (full version from the Bolshoi) and this one is hitting the spot better than the previous productions I saw. My only complaint - I WISH companies wouldn't decide to play act 2 before act 1, because then you get the Polovtsian Dances too early on.

[Marschallin Blair]

Verdi: Il Corsaro
José Carreras (Corrado), Clifford Grant (Giovanni), Jessye Norman (Medora), Montserrat Caballé (Gulnara), Giampietro Mastromei (Seid), John Noble (Selimo), Alexander Oliver (Eunuco)
New Philharmonia Orchestra & Ambrosian Singers,
Lamberto Gardelli
Recording: Brent Town Hall, Wembley 17-23 August 1975

'Caballe' and 'mid-seventies' is all I have to know. Now, onto Amazon. . . Thanks.