I've had this lingering in my Unlistened to Pile for a couple of months - the older live recordings I own didn't do the opera any favors, so I have been ambivalent about listening to it. Nothing like a good studio recording to renew one's faith in Rossini!
and, later on:
I think this was the first opera CD set I ever bought, I've had it forever. It's good, but doesn't do much for me.
Not to mention Ruggero Raimondi, even in a slightly manky beard and wig.Originally Posted by Hoffmann
I've had this lingering in my Unlistened to Pile for a couple of months - the older live recordings I own didn't do the opera any favors, so I have been ambivalent about listening to it. Nothing like a good studio recording to renew one's faith in Rossini!
Natalie
So beautiful...
Rachmaninov: Francesca da Rimini
Svetla Vassileva (Francesca), Misha Didyk (Paolo), Sergey Murzaev (Lanciotto), Gennady Bezzubenkov (Ghost of Virgil) & Evgeny Akimov (Dante Alighieri). BBC Singers & BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda
Natalie
I've had this lingering in my Unlistened to Pile for a couple of months - the older live recordings I own didn't do the opera any favors, so I have been ambivalent about listening to it. Nothing like a good studio recording to renew one's faith in Rossini!
This has also been sitting in my unlistened to pile, now holding the record for the longest time at four months and eight days. I am still waiting for the image of Planet of the Apes to clear from my mind.
Lucia di Lammermoor is a wonderful opera and Maria Callas in the role gives me chills:
On the downside, it's not very long - not long enough to last 8.5 miles. Maybe I need to learn to walk faster...
Is it cut?Lucia di Lammermoor is a wonderful opera and Maria Callas in the role gives me chills:
On the downside, it's not very long - not long enough to last 8.5 miles. Maybe I need to learn to walk faster...
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
This recording has a total time of 110 minutes, compared to the Schippers which is about 146 minutes or the López-Cóbos at 142 (so in a word, yes).
Nevertheless this recording made on a new contract with with Columbia records with producer Walter Legge still remains one of the most popular recordings of this opera and though I have not actually listened to this one yet (I have the same remastered by Pristine), I will still recommend it.
There is another later recording made in 1959 with EMI who decided to remake (this time in stereo as opposed to the 1953 Mono) again with Serafin but this is the same edition (and so same length).
Well, that would explain it. It never occurred to me that Callas would even consider doing anything halfway. Cut. Indeed. That extra 30 minutes would have gotten me all the way home!
Well, let's not call it halfway... Callas' performance makes this 100% Lucia!
- - - Updated - - -
Veracini: Adriano en Siria
Sonia Prina (Adriano), Ann Hallenberg (Farnaspe), Roberta Invernizzi (Emirena), Romino Basso (Sabina), Lucia Cirillo (Idalma), Ugo Guagliardo (Osroa)
Europa Galante, Fabio Biondi
Live recording January 2014
Big music from the madman of Florence and some very good performances in this recording, which although live is excellent sound.
My first listen to this one from my Three Queens Sills set:
"Ah,non credea mirarti si presto estinto, o fiore." --Bellini, La Sonnambula (also written on his tomb).
Gounod ; Romeo and Juliet. (Yes on vinyl)
Freni/ Corelli / Lombard
It is / was on cd . EMI 5652902
Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Wolfgang Windgassen (Tristan), Birgit Nilsson (Isolde), Christa Ludwig (Brangäne), Martti Talvela (King Marke), Eberhard Waechter (Kurwenal), Claude Heater (Melot), Erwin Wohlfahrt (Hirt), Gerd Nienstedt (Steuermann), Peter Schreier (Seemann)
Karl Böhm
Chor und Orchester der Bayreuther Festspiele 1966
Thanks, interesting.
Well they wouldn't have cut her but I expect the Wolf's Crag Scene was cut. I'm in the tiny minority who isn't interested in who sings the role of Lucia and I fast forward the bits where Lucia herself sings.
I've heard several versions but keep coming back to the first one I bought. Playing time: 2.23'23"
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
For my walk this morning:
The sound on this recording is only ok - it includes substantial amount of background 'hiss', though it becomes less noticeable as time passes (whether because the hiss has been better controlled or because I grew used to it, I can't say...). The voices are very forward and the orchestra less prominent. Further, Ermione is one Rossini opera that is without 'ear worm' material. There's plenty of virtuoso singing, but not really any melodies of note to keep one awake at night.
Then, later:
A very nice opera, if little known, and this is a very good recording.
It is a great opera as it has many good passages
Naturally, I would also recommend the 1991 Bonynge, not just because of Edita Gruberova (well that is a major selling point) but also because of the other cast, Neil Shicoff (Edgardo), Alastair Miles (Raimondo), Alexandru Agache (Enrico), Bernard Lombardo (Arturo), Diana Montague (Alisa), Francesco Piccoli (Normanno), which I think are all excellent.
Neil Shicoff is at his very best here, a young romantic fool but hot and passionate. Agache is strong and not too foul to remove any sympathy from his story and Miles has both the warm and authorative Raimondo portrayal. Like the López-Cóbos recording for you, this was the first I had and still my favourite.
I recommend it above all. It is total recorded time 143 minutes (same as López-Cóbos) and complete.
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