What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Hoffmann]

Another wonderful, rather unappreciated bel canto opera. I had only listened to this once before, but Caballe was at her best and her tenor, Amadeo Zambon does well. Recommended for Bellini lovers!

[Clayton]

It's a beautiful day in Berko (what is that big yellow thing in the sky?) and a canal side walk in the morning followed by cricket on the picture box this afternoon (IPL final). In between?



Again

With the opera, I think I'm stuck in Baroque era. I can't leave. I need magic ring from Melisso

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I'm having a profoundly baroque moment too. There is just so much beautiful music to explore there.

[Hoffmann]

I finally made it and listened to this version this afternoon. I like this one a lot - Viva Birgit Nilsson!

[Clayton]

I'm having a profoundly baroque moment too. There is just so much beautiful music to explore there.

I think I need to correct my-uneducated-self; when I said baroque, I meant baroque to early classical period.

I think.

I should start reading about music; it might aid appreciation or at least help me to find more music I like. I'm really quite impressed when I hear (or read) other forum members discussing the more intricate aspects of opera and often wonder how much of the music I'm just not seeing (or hearing)...

Anyway, I ended up back here this morning



Gluck: Paride ed Elena
Magdalena Kozena, Susan Gritton, Carolyn Sampson, Gillian Webster
Gabrielli Consort & Players,
Paul McCreesh
Recorded London All Saints Curch, Tooting October 2003

Some very beautiful music with equally brilliant singing. I need to explore more around Gluck and his contemporaries.

[Clayton]

So the above listening was due to Soave_Fanciulla using the strength of Samson.

The next one, I was drawn to by some sort of magic... err... no it wasn't. Sorry, I just reminded myself of it by mentioning it in earlier in the thread.

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
Recorded Chiesa di Sant'Agostino, Tuscania September 2007



Gosh, I love this music. Some simple human emotions we are all in touch with every day makes it so accessible.

So why haven't I listened to all my new Handel records (Virgin box collection, 4 remaining unlistened to yet)?

I'm not sure, I think I'm saving them.

Saving them for what?

Again, not sure. It's kind of special, listening to a new opera, so I want to savour them by discovering them at a measured pace.

What ever trips your trigger.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Next up in the Tutto Verdi




Not tempted at all by the Domingo/Netrebko version. Domingo is not a baritone.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Not tempted at all by the Domingo/Netrebko version. Domingo is not a baritone.

Just been reading a review by Presto praising it to high heavens. A bit tempted now, but then I'm EXTREMELY weak-willed.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Just been reading a review by Presto praising it to high heavens. A bit tempted now, but then I'm EXTREMELY weak-willed.

Yes I read that one too!!

[Clayton]

Next up in the Tutto Verdi




Not tempted at all by the Domingo/Netrebko version. Domingo is not a baritone.

Just been reading a review by Presto praising it to high heavens. A bit tempted now, but then I'm EXTREMELY weak-willed.

PC have dispatched today, so I hope to give report in the next couple of days. We'll see if Anna, Domingo and Giuseppe together can pull me back in to the 19th Century.

[Hoffmann]

This morning:



and, for my walk:



Linda di Chamounix is ok, and this recording is well sung, but aside from a couple of arias/duets, LdC is not particularly memorable.

[MAuer]

Next up in the Tutto Verdi




Not tempted at all by the Domingo/Netrebko version. Domingo is not a baritone.

And when he's up against Sherrill Milnes . . . Definitely prefer him in tenor mode.

[Clayton]

a few degrees of separation...

One of my favourite passages in Alcina;

Act 3 Scene 1, Morgana's aria Credete al mio dolore
followed by Oronte's Un momento di contento

Morgana trying to rekindle the love and Oronte pretending the love has been blown away in the wind... but actually his love is true and has healed all...

Oronte sung by Kobie van Rensburg

who sings Corrado in my choice of listening this morning,

Scarlatti, A: La Griselda
Dorothea Roschmann (Griselda), Lawrence Zazzo (Gualtiero), Veronica Cangemi (Costanza), Bernard Fink (Roberto), Silvia Tro Santafe (Ottone), Kobie van Rensburg (Corrado)
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin,
René Jacobs
Recorded Teldex Studio Berlin November 2002




*actually NOT how I arrived at this choice but it will do for story telling purposes

[Hoffmann]

This proved problematic. I bought the recording used off Amazon and although discs appeared to be in good shape, toward the end, disc #1 proved unlistenable - so is being returned. Poor Salieri just can't win.

Right now:



Love the opera, love - love Callas in the role! Microphone placement not always ideal in the live recording, but Callas always front and center!

[Clayton]

Verdi: Giovanna d'Arco
Anna Netrebko (Giovanna d’Arco), Plácido Domingo (Giacomo), Francesco Meli (Carlo VII), Roberto Tagliavini (Talbot) & Johannes Dunz (Delil)
Philharmonia Chor Wien & Münchner Rundfunkorchester,
Paolo Carignani
Recorded live at the 2013 Salzburg Festival



Absolutely delicious opera; I can see why it is so popular. Anna Netrebko is stunningly beautiful here. She is a different Anna from the one I know from one of my favourite recordings ICeIM and at first picturing a young maiden, I thought 'Eh?' Though that thought disappeared fairly quicky to just 'Ooh!' by the time she was into her prayer 'Sempre all'alba...'. I thoroughly recommend this recording for Anna fans.
Not knowing any other interpretation of this opera, I do not know if I can recommend it for Giovanna fans but I can say Domingo is brilliant. With dark anger and hurt in his voice, his lament 'Speme al vecchio...' before he condems his daughter is haunting. Francesco Meli has a wonderful pure voice and the whole performance is very moving.
The sound is studio quality and there is applause but none that interrupts the music. The booklet is with a brief essay and full libretto in four languages.

- - - Updated - - -

On further thought, just get it.