What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Clayton]

Mozart: Don Giovanni, K527
Johannes Weisser (Don Giovanni), Lorenzo Regazzo (Leporello), Alexandrina Pendatchanska (Donna Elvira), Olga Pasichnyk (Donna Anna), Kenneth Tarver (Don Ottavio), Sunhae Im (Zerlina), Nikolay Borchev (Masetto), Alessandro Guerzoni (Il Commendatore)
RIAS Kammerchor & Freiburger Barockorchester,
René Jacobs
Recorded November 2006, Teldex Studios, Berlin



This is a very good recording with a very good cast. In particular Weisser , Regazzo and Pendatchanska and Sunhae Im sing beautifully and express the characters wonderfully but the cast is really good all round.

Jacobs leads the orchestra perfectly; tenderly, colourfully or dramatically accordingly with good tempi throughout.

It is a studio recording and the sound is very good and well balanced.

As with the other records in the same series; it comes packaged in a beautiful box with a very good booklet with the libretto in four languages.

This set contains the arias of both versions created by Mozart (Prague 1787, Vienna 1788).




(Jumped the gun a bit. I was a bit confused at to why I would not post LNDF in the favourite recordings thread and had to check by listening to DG. This one I will post when its turn comes...)

[Sonata]

Gluck: Paride ed Elena
Magdalena Kožená (Paride), Susan Gritton (Elena), Carolyn Sampson (Amore), Gillian Webster (Pallade/Un Trojano);
Gabrieli Consort and Players
Paul McCreesh
Recorded October 2003, All Saints' Church Tooting, London.

Attachment 4063

Detailed synopsis
Paris: I love you
Helen: Err.. Okay.
the end

But still very pretty.

It's the way they say it.

My favourite Gluck.

(for now)

I just got this today, after absolutely adoring Orphee et Euridice. I am very excited to listen.

[Revenant]

Began to listen to this one today. Had to pause after the first act, but I like the content, flow and execution thus far. Seems like this is vintage George Fred.

[Clayton]

Puccini: La Bohème
Roberto Alagna (Rodolfo), Angela Gheorghiu (Mimi), Elisabetta Scano (Musetta), Simon Keenlyside (Marcello), Ildebrando d' Arcangelo (Colline), Roberto de Candia (Schaunard), Alfredo Mariotti (Benoit/Alcindoro), Alberto Ragona (Parpginol), Gianfranco Valentini (Sergente dei doganieri), Franco Podda (Un doganiere)
Orchestra & Chorus of Teatro alla Scala,
Riccardo Chailly
Studio recording, 1998

[Revenant]

Puccini: La Bohème
Roberto Alagna (Rodolfo), Angela Gheorghiu (Mimi), Elisabetta Scano (Musetta), Simon Keenlyside (Marcello), Ildebrando d' Arcangelo (Colline), Roberto de Candia (Schaunard), Alfredo Mariotti (Benoit/Alcindoro), Alberto Ragona (Parpginol), Gianfranco Valentini (Sergente dei doganieri), Franco Podda (Un doganiere)
Orchestra & Chorus of Teatro alla Scala,
Riccardo Chailly
Studio recording, 1992

I have that set. The date is wrong, though. It was actually recorded in October 1998 and the set came out in 1999. Great recording.

[Clayton]

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov
Boris Christoff (Boris Godunov/Pimen/Varlaam), Nicolai Gedda (Grigory/Dmitry), Eugenia Zareska (Fyodor/Marina), Ludmilla Lebedeva (Xenia), Lydia Romanova (Nurse/Hostess), Andrzej Bielecki (Shuysky/Krushchyov/Missail), Kim Borg (Shchelkalov/Rangoni), Gustav Ustinov (A Boyar), Wassili Pasternak (The Simpleton), Stanislaw Pieczora (Police officer/A Guard), Raymond Bonte (Lavitzky)
Russian Chorus of Paris, French National Radio Orchestra
Issay Dobrowen
Recorded in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris
7th-21st July, 1952



I love this recording. A beautiful opera with beautiful music and singing through out. I would love to be able to speak Russian just for this opera.



Though it has only JUST dawned on me (after listening to the opera for the fourth time) that Christoff is singing three roles because he CAN; it's a studio recording. I couldn't figure out how the last scene played out on stage. I thought it might be some sort of clever theatrical psychological subtext that people like me could not see through.

What a dipstick!

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov
Boris Christoff (Boris Godunov/Pimen/Varlaam), Nicolai Gedda (Grigory/Dmitry), Eugenia Zareska (Fyodor/Marina), Ludmilla Lebedeva (Xenia), Lydia Romanova (Nurse/Hostess), Andrzej Bielecki (Shuysky/Krushchyov/Missail), Kim Borg (Shchelkalov/Rangoni), Gustav Ustinov (A Boyar), Wassili Pasternak (The Simpleton), Stanislaw Pieczora (Police officer/A Guard), Raymond Bonte (Lavitzky)
Russian Chorus of Paris, French National Radio Orchestra
Issay Dobrowen
Recorded in the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris
7th-21st July, 1952



I love this recording. A beautiful opera with beautiful music and singing through out. I would love to be able to speak Russian just for this opera.

I love this too!

Though it has only JUST dawned on me (after listening to the opera for the fourth time) that Christoff is singing three roles because he CAN; it's a studio recording. I couldn't figure out how the last scene played out on stage. I thought it might be some sort of clever theatrical psychological subtext that people like me could not see through.

What a dipstick!

You're NOT a dipstick. Took me ages before I realised all three were sung by BC but this is one of the reasons I love it.

[Hoffmann]

Another under-appreciated Rossini opera (yesterday, while wandering around Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art)


Always a favorite: Suliotis Supernova indeed.

[Clayton]

Wagner: Lohengrin
Siegfried Jerusalem (Lohengrin), Cheryl Studer (Elsa), Waltraud Meier (Ortrud), Hartmut Welker (Telramund), Kurt Moll (King Heinrich)
Vienna Philharmonic,
Claudio Abbado
Recorded Grosser Saal, Musikverein, Wien 11/1991; 5 & 6/1992



Another great recording. Don't take my word for it but judge for yourself and just listen to the great parts.

That would be the prelude, Act 1, Act 2 and Act 3.

[Clayton]

Donizetti: Anna Bolena
Elena Souliotis (Anna Bolena), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Enrico VIII), Marilyn Horne (Giovanna Seymour), John Alexander (Lord Riccardo Percy), Janet Coster (Smeton), Stafford Dean (Rochefort), Piero de Palma (Hervey)
Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Opernorchester
Silvio Varviso
Recorded September 1968 & August - September 1969 Sofiensaal, Vienna



Souliotis and Horne duet; lovely jubbly.

[Clayton]

I've started a little Tutto Verdi project for myself and am listening to them all in chronological order...

next should be...

wondering what Sospiro's choice of recording will be?

well I imagine it's gotta be Gardelli... hasn't it?

I went that way, hand held by Elena

Verdi: Nabucco
Elena Souliotis (Abigaille), Tito Gobbi (Nabucco), Carlo Cava (Zaccaria), Bruno Prevedi (Ismaele), Dora Carral (Fenena), Giovanni Foiani (Gran Sacerdote), Walter Kräutler (Abdallo), Anna d'Auria (Anna)
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Opernorchester,
Lamberto Gardelli
Recorded October 1965 Sofiensaal, Vienna



Is this Elena Souliotis' greatest recording? Or is the 1967 Norma that I have not heard?

[Dark_Angel]

next should be...

wondering what Sospiro's choice of recording will be?

well I imagine it's gotta be Gardelli... hasn't it?

I went that way, hand held by Elena

Verdi: Nabucco
Elena Souliotis (Abigaille), Tito Gobbi (Nabucco), Carlo Cava (Zaccaria), Bruno Prevedi (Ismaele), Dora Carral (Fenena), Giovanni Foiani (Gran Sacerdote), Walter Kräutler (Abdallo), Anna d'Auria (Anna)
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Opernorchester,
Lamberto Gardelli
Recorded October 1965 Sofiensaal, Vienna



Is this Elena Souliotis' greatest recording? Or is the 1967 Norma that I have not heard?

Nabucco is the crown jewel for Elena's short but unforgettable string of amazing vivid opera recordings, you will hear nothing like this dramatic power and intensity today.......but perhaps too much too soon as her career was very short before the voice gave way

Also as a bonus you get the best Nabucco role recorded with Gobbi and very spirited conducting by Gardelli all in very good sound, an opera treasure

Two kindred spirits Elena and Maria......

[Hoffmann]

next should be...

wondering what Sospiro's choice of recording will be?

well I imagine it's gotta be Gardelli... hasn't it?

I went that way, hand held by Elena

Verdi: Nabucco
Elena Souliotis (Abigaille), Tito Gobbi (Nabucco), Carlo Cava (Zaccaria), Bruno Prevedi (Ismaele), Dora Carral (Fenena), Giovanni Foiani (Gran Sacerdote), Walter Kräutler (Abdallo), Anna d'Auria (Anna)
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Opernorchester,
Lamberto Gardelli
Recorded October 1965 Sofiensaal, Vienna



Is this Elena Souliotis' greatest recording? Or is the 1967 Norma that I have not heard?

I like Suliotis' Norma, but DA is right - her and Gobbi's Nabucco is a crown jewel of all opera recordings.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

next should be...

wondering what Sospiro's choice of recording will be?

well I imagine it's gotta be Gardelli... hasn't it?

I went that way, hand held by Elena

Verdi: Nabucco
Elena Souliotis (Abigaille), Tito Gobbi (Nabucco), Carlo Cava (Zaccaria), Bruno Prevedi (Ismaele), Dora Carral (Fenena), Giovanni Foiani (Gran Sacerdote), Walter Kräutler (Abdallo), Anna d'Auria (Anna)
Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, Wiener Opernorchester,
Lamberto Gardelli
Recorded October 1965 Sofiensaal, Vienna



Is this Elena Souliotis' greatest recording? Or is the 1967 Norma that I have not heard?

Giving Un giorno di regno a few more spins before I move on. And yes, next on the turntable will be this Nabucco!

[Clayton]

Follow the leader...

Verdi: Oberto
Samuel Ramey (Oberto), Maria Guleghina (Leonora), Sara Fulgoni (Imelda), Violeta Urmana (Cuniza), Stuart Neill (Riccardo)
Academy of st. Martin in the Fields & London Voices,
Neville Marriner
Recorded August 1996 St John's Smith Square, London



I like this!