What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Clayton]

This morning...

Vivaldi: Ercole sul Termodonte
Rolando Villazón (Ercole), Patrizia Ciofi (Orizia), Diana Damrau (Martesia), Joyce DiDonato (Ippolita), Vivica Genaux (Antiope), Topi Lehtipuu (Telemone), Philippe Jaroussky (Alceste), Romina Basso (Teseo)
Europa Galante,
Fabio Biondi
Recorded Saloncino, Teatro della Pergola, Florence 2008-2010



Now Florence opera house Teatro della Pergola also looks very pretty (or does just any opera house look attractive to me?).







Now I did want to visit 16th Century Bologna by way of Donizetti today but now I'm thinking I want to listen to this again or some more Vivaldi.



hm. Where to go, where to go...

[Soave_Fanciulla]

La Rosinda no, at least not yet. Despite having Emanuela Galli . I found it fractured and difficult to follow but I will come back to it soon.

Artemisia yes. I think the modern word to describe it would be "Lush". It has some beautiful songs and I would describe the music as somewhere between La Calisto and M's L'incoronazione and is the Cavalli I was looking for... and of course the cast is superb too, including Mameli countertenor Maarten Engeltjes

Thanks Clayton.

Back into the Presto cart it went....

[Clayton]

Thanks Clayton.

Back into the Presto cart it went....

Note PC says "out of stock... up to six weeks..." Now the last time I had this (La Straniera) it did not go well; they had to cancel after a few months of waiting. So I had to go to the A site for this and purchased from a vendor I had experience with.
There is also the option of the Glossa site direct. However they sell in EUR and the GBP is so farty against EUR now that if I go to the bank and ask to buy some EUR they ask
"certainly and how would Sir like to pay"
"with GBP"
"in that case b@££$& off!"

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Have you been to this opera house before?

No but after seeing your post I wouldn't mind going. I have a friend who goes all over Europe and I'll ask him if he's been.

He's let me down I'm afraid. He's been to Liège but not to the opera house. He did say it was a nice town though.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Note PC says "out of stock... up to six weeks..." Now the last time I had this (La Straniera) it did not go well; they had to cancel after a few months of waiting. So I had to go to the A site for this and purchased from a vendor I had experience with.
There is also the option of the Glossa site direct. However they sell in EUR and the GBP is so farty against EUR now that if I go to the bank and ask to buy some EUR they ask
"certainly and how would Sir like to pay"
"with GBP"
"in that case b@££$& off!"

Magic words: Download with PDF booklet.

I put pretty much everything onto my MP3 player so that is fine.

[Clayton]

Magic words: Download with PDF booklet.
...

And thus Clayton's learning contineu... continuo... carries on.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Handel: Rinaldo
Vivica Genaux (Rinaldo), Inga Kalna (Armida/Second Siren), Miah Persson (Almirena/First Siren), Christophe Dumaux (Eustazio), James Rutherford (Argante), Lawrence Zazzo (Goffredo), Dominique Visse (A Christian Magician)
Freiburger Barockorchester,
René Jacobs
Recorded August 2002 Congress Innsbruck



Handel: Rinaldo
(complete opera - original 1711 version)
Cecilia Bartoli (Almirena), David Daniels (Rinaldo), Bernarda Fink (Goffredo), Gerald Finley (Argante), Luba Orgonasova (Armida), Daniel Taylor (Eustazio), Bejun Mehta (A Christian Magician)
Academy of Ancient Music,
Christopher Hogwood
Recorded November 1999, Henry Wood Hall



I love the energy and excitement of Jacobs but on the other hand Daniels and Bartoli are a beautiful Rinaldo and Almirena...

[Dark_Angel]

And thus Clayton's learning contineu... continuo... carries on.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Handel: Rinaldo
Vivica Genaux (Rinaldo), Inga Kalna (Armida/Second Siren), Miah Persson (Almirena/First Siren), Christophe Dumaux (Eustazio), James Rutherford (Argante), Lawrence Zazzo (Goffredo), Dominique Visse (A Christian Magician)
Freiburger Barockorchester,
René Jacobs
Recorded August 2002 Congress Innsbruck

Did that cost a small fortune, the price is insane on Amazon USA ($130 new, $65 used)

Scalpers better sell soon because new low price release coming 9/9/14 Amazon USA for only $16.......
Watch for other reduced price HM "heritage series" releases

[Hoffmann]

Did that cost a small fortune, the price is insane on Amazon USA ($130 new, $65 used)

Scalpers better sell soon because new low price release coming 9/9/14 Amazon USA for only $16.......
Watch for other reduced price HM "heritage series" releases

I have 3 Rinaldos, and like them all:



The Rene Jacobs was included in the Opera Baroque box set, so no high price paid.








But, I admit to being partial to this one - despite some unfortunate cuts, Marilyn Horne rules! I guess I've said before that I saw Horne sing this in the early 80s with Samuel Ramey, and was one of the best things I've ever seen at the Met.

[Hoffmann]

I wasn't sure what I wanted to listen to during my (hot and humid) walk yesterday, so, taking a cue from Clayton:





Then, because it was a longish walk, and Iphigenie not long enough to last the duration:



Just, well, out of this world. Gives me chills.

[Hoffmann]

Always a pleasure to listen to this!


It's hard to top Elisabetta, but I went for it:

[Dark_Angel]

It's hard to top Elisabetta, but I went for it:

Today I was listening to various versions of Norma's final aria (deh non volerli vittime) begging her father to not let her innocent children suffer, to grant one final wish to a loving daughter about to die.....there is nothing to compare to Callas here, I have read accounts where the singers on stage were moved to tears during her performances so passionate is Maria's final request......

[Dark_Angel]

A very good addition to Verdi collection, young Pavarotti is magnificent as king Riccardo (1970 recording) perhaps the very best I have heard sing the part, the knock on this version is an older Tebaldi past her prime....but she still sounds pretty good to me

[Hoffmann]

A very good addition to Verdi collection, young Pavarotti is magnificent as king Riccardo (1970 recording) perhaps the very best I have heard sing the part, the knock on this version is an older Tebaldi way past her prime....but she still sounds pretty good to me

I have added this to my wish list - it will be interesting comparing the Pavarotti of 1970 with the Pavarotti of 1985 (still in good voice and prior to really eccentric behavior setting in), although the earlier recording also includes Sherrill Milnes ...)

[Dark_Angel]

It's hard to top Elisabetta, but I went for it:

I should send a memo to Pristine Classics and let them know the cover photo of their Callas 1955 Norma is actually from her Medea performance La Scala 1961......

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I should send a memo to Pristine Classics and let them know the cover photo of their Callas 1955 Norma is actually from her Medea performance La Scala 1961......

They need DA on their advisory board for all things Callas.

Remind me of this:



Not Mary Stuart, but Henry VIII's third wife Jane Seymour: not even from the same time period!