What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[StLukesGuildOhio]

Someone posted a file of this...



...made from original 78s which caught my attention because I am quite fond of Gluck; Orfeo ed Euridice may be my favorite Gluck opera; this recording features the marvelous Kathleen Ferrier; the recording is on the high-fidelity label, Dutton Labs. For 1947 the sound is quite good for 1947.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

My favourite Cavalli opera so far, loads of fun (Christophe Dumaux is having a riot). There's a wonderful duet between two minor characters, poking fun at convention, where they are singing about how they love each other but WONT die if the other leaves them, so far ahead of its time....

[Festat]

And that's some really fine cover art. Will buy.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

And that's some really fine cover art. Will buy.

Wait till you see the scene the art comes from!

[Schigolch]

Von heute auf morgen, in Mezzo TV.

[Dins]

I was at the cinema yesterday and saw the wonderful film Moonrise kingdom.

That prompted me to listen to Brittens Noye's Fludde today. To avoid spoilers all I can say is that Noye's Fludde is a part of the story.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Preparation for my forthcoming Nabucco concert:

[Aramis]

A little bit annoying secondary tenor (it's team production more than solo CD, though Ford is clearly on the forehead), not every number presented here is masterpiece but all in all it's very good CD for fans on that kind of stuff.

[Festat]

[Aramis]

Rossini's Donna del Lago from 2010, with Simon Orfila, Colin Lee, Joyce DiDonato, Daniela Barcellona, Diana Axentii and some secondary geezer, what was his name, something like John Diego Flowers.



This production seems very beautiful from various amateur videos I've seen. I'd love to go to London in may 2013 to see it with John Flowers and Dido Nato.

[Schigolch]

[Soave_Fanciulla]

This should really be called Elvira Furiosa in Bartoli's hands. And I love Gilfry's interpreation as a charming over-entitled spoiled boy. He says in the interview that Don Giovanni obviously had bad parenting with too much priviledge and no boundaries. Kind of a warning!



This DVD has had a lot of bad press, and my copy definitely has appalling synch problems, but I still enjoyed it, particularly for the lovely performance of the Maiden, sung by Tatiana Monogarova. I love Rimsky-Korsakov's "Nature" music and the interlude depicting the Tatar hordes and battle.

[Schigolch]

[Aksel]

Just saw the 2007 Peter Grimes from Zürich, and I despite very good performances from both Christopher Ventris as the title role and Emily Magee (who is quickly becoming one of my favourite sopranos) as Ellen, I was severely frustrated by the poor English pronunciation of the non-native English speaking cast (especially Auntie and her two nieces, all three eastern European), and Franz Welser-Möst who didn't manage to bring out the magic of Britten's score, leading to a disjointed and not very cohesive performance.



Right now I'm watching the ROH Cendrillon. Loving the production, and the singing has so far been really great.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Just saw the 2007 Peter Grimes from Zürich, and I despite very good performances from both Christopher Ventris as the title role and Emily Magee (who is quickly becoming one of my favourite sopranos) as Ellen, I was severely frustrated by the poor English pronunciation of the non-native English speaking cast (especially Auntie and her two nieces, all three eastern European), and Franz Welser-Möst who didn't manage to bring out the magic of Britten's score, leading to a disjointed and not very cohesive performance.

Agree about the pronunciation, but Ventris and Magee make up for it. A tender relationship broken by forces beyond their control, different from the usual brutal Grimes of say, Vickers.