What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Schigolch]

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Worst libretto on Earth. It's not weak, it's so enormously bad, it's unbeliveable that it was used, all bel canto librettos stuffed with cliche phrases and metaphores are nothing compared to this outburst of unrelated, trivial sentences. You would get the lowest score for this if it would be your work for elementary school class. Really, no, at the scene when the mother awaits return of Anna my jaw literally dropped. It was the only moment it all made me laugh though, the rest was just annoying and embrassing.

Also, Antonacci is miscast. She does fit the role as much as soubrette would fit Norma, she can't act it and she's not convicing. The tenor is usual chubby fellow, the type we all know I suppose. The queen mother screeches.

But the music is good, interesting example of early German romantic opera and the title character is something you want to see. Vocally - splendid, also he is the only character that lives and is somehow developed. Given that he is main character, it's enough to try it. The other plus would be staging, very good as well.

Why didn't these idiots put Anna Caterina Antonacci on the cover???

[Aramis]

Why didn't these idiots put Anna Caterina Antonacci on the cover???

Perhaps because Heiling is more handsome, she looked silly dressed as insipid village girl and her custome in second act was close to obscene (a good reason for you to see this). Anyway, I have diffrent release of this DVD and there she is to be seen on the cover.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Oh wow, this thing costs $40 on DVD! And with the mixed reviews - including yours - I'm not sure if I should buy it.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Listening to this makes me realise that I only only like Caballé in a few roles. This is NOT one of them, She has a tendency to sound a bit, how shall I say, chickeny (I'm sure Schigolch will tell me the correct term).



These were two bits of light-hearted fun with great melodies, particularly Martha. The main theme of Martha sounds like a Scottish love song to my ears.

[Schigolch]

Listening to this makes me realise that I only only like Caballé in a few roles. This is NOT one of them, She has a tendency to sound a bit, how shall I say, chickeny (I'm sure Schigolch will tell me the correct term).

In this case, I can't agree with you.

Since Leyla Gencer recovered this opera in 1964, there are four great Elisabettas, in my view: Gencer herself, Sills, Gruberova and Caballé. Her greatest Devereux on record, in my opinion, is this one:


* Montserrat Caballé, Bernabé Martí, Piero Cappuccilli, Bianca Berini
* Gran Teatro del Liceo, Barcelona: Carlo Felice Cillario 1968

but the 1977 recording with Carreras is also very good.

This is the "Vivi ingrato", including the recitative "E sara in questi horribili momenti", from Elisabetta's final scene, sung in 1966. A wonderful rendition:

[brianwalker]

In this recording Waltraute is sung by.... Waltraud Meier.

This is the best conducted stereo Gotterdammerung.

How does this compare with the Karajan recording?

[Schigolch]

Which Karajan's recording have you in mind, brianwalker?

[Aramis]

Last week I've listened almost exclusively to new stuff, discovered new works instead of listening to the same recordings over and over again like I always do... well, I felt guilty and had to do relieve.

By the way, anybody noticed that mistake on the last cover I posted? They wrote his name twice, above and under name of orchestra, and at second time they didn't put comma between it and the CD title, "Arias".

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

EDIT:
BTW Alma is this any good? (it's cheap)

Did I reply to this? I think only now I saw your edit. If it is any good? It is spectacular! Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!

[Schigolch]

[brianwalker]

Which Karajan's recording have you in mind, brianwalker?

The studio recording with del Monaco.

[Aramis]

The studio recording with del Monaco.

There is always something missing when recording lack the ultimate interpreter. Del Monaco is the Lion of Venice that roars like Domingo never could roar. But there's no point in asking "how does it compare" when you have model performance in mind - and MDM's Otello is model performance, classic of classics. Domingo makes good Otello too though and the less you think of "how does it compare", the more you can enjoy the recording which is good on it's own right.

JUST MY TWO CENTS, NOT THAT YOU SHOULD CARE

[Schigolch]

The studio recording with del Monaco.

I see.

Well, del Monaco had a voice that was close to the consensus ideal for Otello. A real dramatic tenor's voice, of Herculean dimensions, rather dark, with very beautiful low and mid ranges, and reliable top notes, though perhaps not that beautiful in the passage. On top of that, genuine squillo and a never-ending fiato. However, he was definitely not the best actor in the singing world, nor he was able to deliver all the finer nuances of his characters. Otello was a signature role for him, and there are a dozen or so recordings to enjoy.

The Karajan version was preceded by another one with the same cast, but recorded some years before with Alberto Erede conducting. Del Monaco is better in the first recording, and so was Tebaldi. Protti was about the same, though. Of course, Karajan's orchestra was much better than Erede's. All in all, the Karajan version is a good and satisfactory recording, in my opinion.

Domingo's Otello, built on the morbid mid range of the Spanish singer, and in his legendary acting abilities, is more refined, more introspective, more modern. However, in 1992 it was already a trifle too 'instrospective' for my taste.

I think Karajan's recording is clearly better than Chung's. The best Domingo's Otellos are those with Kleiber-Freni-Capuccilli and Levine-Scotto-Milnes.

[Vesteralen]

Disc One in the computer CD player right now as I "work"...