While there is much to like about this opera - and, on this recording, Montserrat Caballe is terrific, there is a notable absence of evidence of Bellini's famous gift for melody. This opera, I would say, qualifies as lesser Bellini.
Whilst Floria has had opera take her to hell today, I was taken to heaven complete with angel
Tchaikovsky: Iolanta
Anna Netrebko (Iolanta), Sergey Skorokhodov (Vaudémont), Alexey Markov (Robert), Monika Bohinec (Martha), Junho You (Almerik), Lucas Meachem (Ibn-Hakia), Vitalij Kowaljow (King René), Luka Debevec Mayer (Bertrand), Nuška Rojko (Laura), Theresa Plut (Brigitte)
Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Emmanuel Villaume
Recorded live at the Philharmonie Essen, November 2012
My god! (or moy bog!) This is pure 24 karat romance.
Not all buttercups, cornflowers and roses though. There is the yin of the King's heart (who is a father rather than a King) sung heavily (as in heavy heart) by a wonderful Vitalij Kowaljow. Centre stage though is the exchange between Sergey Skorokhodov's gallant Vaudémont and Iolanta here sung by Netrebko, net angela!. Where Vaudémont tries to explain how light is necessary to see God, then Iolanta shows him how the Lord's goodness knows no limits, the music can reduce a grown man to tears. Not me obviously, I'm way too butch for that. The music is absolutely delicious all the way through this opera, melodies that pull at your heart constantly and superb performances from all the cast.
It is a live performance recording and you would expect at some point the audience to stand on their seats and scream their delight but no. 21st century technology means even with the Sennheiesers it sounds like a studio recording.
yes, i enjoyed dat.
While there is much to like about this opera - and, on this recording, Montserrat Caballe is terrific, there is a notable absence of evidence of Bellini's famous gift for melody. This opera, I would say, qualifies as lesser Bellini.
from heaven to the underworld
Telemann: Orpheus
Dorothea Röschmann (Orasia), Roman Trekel (Orpheus), Ruth Ziesak (Eurydice), María Cristina Kiehr (Ismene), Werner Güra (Eurimedes), Isabelle Poulenard (Cephisa), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Pluto), Axel Köhler (Ascalax)
RIAS Kammerchor, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Solistes du Knabenchor Hannover,
René Jacobs
Recorded October 1996 Christuskirche, Berlin-Oberschöneweide
Another very beautiful telling of the Orpheus myth, this time by Telemann.
This was first performed 1726 and not so uncommon in the pieces of that time in Hamburg has arias in Fench and Italian as well as German.
It has an added character to the story in Orasia, the Queen of Thrace who, in love with Orpheus (or more psycho-obsessed), kills Euridice (and as with all psycho dramas, the object of her fancy Orpheus as well). Not only does this work contain some beautiful arias but duets, choruses, symphonies and the recitativos have musical wait, no wait, I mean weight, as much as dramatic input.
The libretto completely preserved, the manuscript has just a couple of pieces missing, which in this production was filled by the music from arias from two other Telemann operas.
A wonderful performance from Dorothea Röschmann and . Actually all the cast.
Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Emanuela Galli (La Musica/Eurydice), Mirko Guadagnini (Orfeo), Marina De Liso (Messaggiera), Cristina Calzolari (Proserpina), Matteo Bellotto (Plutone), Josè Lo Monaco (Speranza), Salvo Vitale (Caronte), Vincenzo Di Donato (Apollo), Francesca Cassinari (Ninfa), Giovanni Caccamo (Pastore I), Makoto Sakurada (Pastore II/Spirito I), Claudio Cavina (Pastore III), Tony Corradini (Pastore IV/Spirito II)
La Venexiana, Claudio Cavina
Recorded at the Church of San Carlo, Modena (Italy) in February 2006
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Ligeti-Le Grand Macabre English version conducted by Salonen.
Schnittke-Life With An Idiot
Although the sound isn't all that good on this live recording (1964), Leyla Gencer and company are in very good voice. Gencer is a good deal more expressive than the young La Stupenda on Decca (1966) (which also features a then little known Luciano Pavarotti), but the sound is so much better on Decca that it makes it my preferred recording of Beatrice.
Caccini, G: Euridice
Silvia Frigato (Euridice, La Tragedia), Furio Zanasi (Orfeo), Giampaolo Fagotto (Arcetro), Luca Dordolo (Tirsi, Aminta), Sara Mingardo (Dafne, Proserpina), Monica Piccinini (Venere), Antonio Abete (Plutone), Matteo Bellotto (Radamanto) & Mauro Borgioni (Caronte)
Concerto Italiano
Rinaldo Alessandrini
Live recording August 2013 Innsbrucker Festwochen der Alten Musik
Quite interesting, pretty, wonderful singing and some beautiful expressions.
I love the entire cast in this. Bostridge is particularly good.
Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Christine Schäfer (Konstanze), Ian Bostridge (Belmonte), Alan Ewing (Osmin), Patricia Petibon (Blonde), Iain Paton (Pedrillo) & Jurg Low (Selim). Les Arts Florissants, William Christie
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Natalie
I have this on mp3 and the sound is good. Fabulous cast!
Today was Ponchielli: La Gioconda
Montserrat Caballé, Alfreda Hodgson, Luciano Pavarotti, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Sherrill Milnes, Agnes Baltsa, Bruno Bartoletti (Conductor)
Also:
Verdi: Ernani
M.Del Monaco Z.Milanov L.Warren C.Siepi D.Mitropoulos
N.Y 29 december 1956
New heartfelt wish: please, der Jonas, sing Paul in die Tote Stadt.
Natalie
Actually the best Entführung is this one, hehe.
I don't have the Solti and Krips , although the Solti looks tempting (Kathleen Battle). My two other versions are the Mackerras and Harnoncourt. I certainly think this is a lovely version. I tend to prefer Mozart played on authentic instruments rather than in the heavy 19 Century style. Particularly Entführung which is such a wonderfully exuberant opera (probably my third favourite Mozart after DG and Nozze.)
Natalie
Tchaikovsky: Jeanne d'Arc, La Pucelle d'Orleans
Irina Arkhipova (Joan of Arc), Vladimir Makhov (King Charles VII), Claudia Radchenko (Agnes Sorel), Vlasimir Valaitis (Dunois), Sergei Yavkovchenko (Lionel), Lev Vernigora (Archbishop), Andrei Sokolov (Raymond), Viktor Selivanov (Bertrand), Vartan Makelian (Soldier), Evgeni Vladimirov (Thibaut)
The Academic Choir & Symphony Orchestra
Gennady Rozhdestvensky
Does any one know of an English translation libretto for The Maid of Orleans?
The index finger on my right hand says it just does not exist in the world of cyberspace.
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