What opera have you been listening to, lately?

**Florestan** · June 28th, 2015, 04:47 AM

I listened to this five times yesterday and am really loving it.

**Soave_Fanciulla** · June 28th, 2015, 07:26 AM

Too charming for words:

Patricia Petibon ~ Airs Baroques Français: Patrick Cohën-Akenine, Les Folies Françoises

The recital ends with her singing the words "eh bien, je ne chanterai plus" - and then...silence. What fun.

**Clayton** · June 28th, 2015, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Florestan

I listened to this five times yesterday and am really loving it...

Three gold stars awarded, a salute and a straitjacket for Florestan and his opera mania

**Florestan** · June 28th, 2015, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Clayton

Three gold stars awarded, a salute and a straitjacket for Florestan and his opera mania

Going back at it again today!

Edit: Wrapping up the 12th listen. I think I have had enough for now. Thinking that different CD of L'amico Fritz would be a good thing to pursue. Meanwhile, Roberto Devereux is up next with Beverly Sills.

**Soave_Fanciulla** · June 29th, 2015, 04:38 AM

I'd like Vittorio Grigòlo better if he didn't sound so overwhelmingly emotional in every phrase he sings. For once I agree with Rupert Christiansen's verdict of "lachrymose intensity". Go easy on the vibrato and rubato, boy, sing more with a straight tone and you will sound a lot better. On the other hand he has the best French pronunciation of any non-native singer I have heard. Yup, that's right, better than Jonas.

**Adrian** · June 29th, 2015, 12:20 PM

Tosca: Price/ Domingo/ Milnes/ Mehta .
Not as stunning as the Karajan, but still in fine form .

**Clayton** · June 29th, 2015, 06:46 PM

Steffani: Niobe Regina di Tebe
Karina Gauvin (Niobe), Philippe Jaroussky (Anfione), Amanda Forsythe (Manto), Aaron Sheehan (Clearte), Terry Wey (Creonte), Jesse Blumberg (Poliferno), Colin Balzer (Tiberino) & José Lemos (Nerea)
Boston Early Music Festival Orchestra, Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs (musical directors)
2013

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Some very beautiful music and wonderful performances; another masterpiece from the seventeenth century resurrected from the dusty shelves of libraries...

I might have to get the ROH version too

**Clayton** · June 29th, 2015, 06:59 PM

Handel: Orlando
Owen Willetts (Orlando), Karina Gauvin (Angelica), Allyson McHardy (Medoro), Amanda Forsythe (Dorinda), Nathan Berg (Zoroastro)
Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Alexander Weimann
2012

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I prefer Mehta's Orlando in the Jacobs recording but overall this is my favourite for overall cast. I think I need to listen again to see what difference Jacobs & B'Rock and Hogwood and Academy of Ancient Music make.

Red Herring: Agostino Steffani was the first president of the Academy of Ancient Music (then known as London's Academy of Vocal Music)

**Florestan** · July 1st, 2015, 05:20 AM

This on CD (image appears to be from LP set)

**Adrian** · July 1st, 2015, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by Florestan

This on CD (image appears to be from LP set)

Those where the days

**Clayton** · July 1st, 2015, 09:07 AM

It's hot in Berkhamsted (I recorded 31.1°C or 88°F), probably just mildly warm compared to some areas where forum readers are but for England it is enough for the Health and Safety Executive to start issuing advice on good practice in the work place regarding extreme weather...

though that is completely unrelated to my recent listening

Handel: Tolomeo, Re di Egitto HWV25
Ann Hallenberg (Tolomeo), Karina Gauvin (Seleuce), Anna Bonitatibus (Elisa), Romina Basso (Alessandro), Pietro Spagnoli (Araspe)
Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis 2006

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**Soave_Fanciulla** · July 1st, 2015, 09:58 AM

This is a gorgeous opera. I think Florestan would like it very much.

Schubert: Fierrabras
Josef Protschka (Fierrabras), Karita Mattila (Emma), Cheryl Studer (Florinda), Brigitte Balleys (Maragond), Robert Gambill (Eginhard), Thomas Hampson (Roland), Robert Holl (König Karl), Laszlo Polgár (Boland), Hartmut Welker (Brutamonte)
Arnold Schoenberg Chor & The Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Claudio Abbado

**Clayton** · July 1st, 2015, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

This is a gorgeous opera. I think Florestan would like it very much.

Schubert: Fierrabras...

I'm not Florestan (though we both like our cars and both have rather extreme listening habits*) but have just pulled the buy trigger

*I like this opera so will listen to it multiple times back to back

**MAuer** · July 1st, 2015, 11:28 AM

That recording certainly has an impressive cast. Might need to add it to the wish list.

**Florestan** · July 1st, 2015, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Adrian

Those where the days

Whoops, I should have been going to bed instead of staying up too late and posting the wrong item. It was not Rossini's Elisabetta that I am listening to, but Donizetti's:

But this means I have just discovered yet another queen of England opera to explore besides the four of Donizetti.