What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Nekrotzar]

One of my favourite works by Glass. There is something really brutal about the music in the opening which I am very much attracted to.

[Clayton]

I felt like I had not listened to any Wagner for a long time, so

Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Albert Dohmen (Hans Sachs), Robert Dean Smith (Walther von Stolzing), Edith Haller (Eva), Dietrich Henschel (Sixtus Beckmesser), Peter Sonn (David), Michelle Breedt (Magdalene), Georg Zeppenfeld (Veit Pogner), Matti Salminen (Night Watchman), Tuomas Pursio (Fritz Kothner), Michael Smallwood (Kunz Vogelsang), Sebastian Noack (Konrad Nachtigall), Jörg Schörner (Balthasar Zorn)
Rundfunkchor Berlin & Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Marek Janowski 2011

[Hoffmann]

I bought this several weeks ago, but hadn't yet listened to it. Very disappointing. Generally well-sung, but the tempos are very slow compared with the other versions I have, turning an otherwise wonderful opera into something unrecognizably dreary. Meh.



Attachment 7973

I have to note an exception. This Naxos set is quite a bit longer (the other sets are only 2 CDs) than the recordings I favor - which would suggest that it is uncut or largely uncut. The cut versions, obviously, seem much more compelling (focusing, as they do, on the good stuff). I have to give Naxos credit, then, for what seems to be one of the few complete Semiramides recorded.

[Hoffmann]

As a side note, if you look at the cover of the Naxos Semiramide, and look at the central image of the arch, although the setting with the theatre curtains/drapes is an artist's concept, the arch itself is from the Ishtar Gate, late from Babylon, though currently residing in the Pergamon Museum on Museum Island in Berlin. If you look again at the right side of the arch (on the CD cover), down to the figure at the bottom, you will see ... Hoffmann's avatar!








Note: My photo was taken in the Archeological Museum in Istanbul, which holds a couple of pieces of the Gate, explaining why my avatar is facing in the wrong direction.

[Nekrotzar]

I have to note an exception. This Naxos set is quite a bit longer (the other sets are only 2 CDs) than the recordings I favor - which would suggest that it is uncut or largely uncut. The cut versions, obviously, seem much more compelling (focusing, as they do, on the good stuff). I have to give Naxos credit, then, for what seems to be one of the few complete Semiramides recorded.

I would be interested to know how often Rossini's operas are cut....I suppose it would vary from opera to opera though. I listened to Guillaume Tell for the first time the other day, a version which was cut quite a fair bit compared to some other version. I can't see why anyone would do this purely because of length....and did Rossini know that there would be productions which would cut some arias or use different arias so he would compose some 'fillers' or optional arias or something like that?

[Adrian]

As a side note, if you look at the cover of the Naxos Semiramide, and look at the central image of the arch, although the setting with the theatre curtains/drapes is an artist's concept, the arch itself is from the Ishtar Gate, late from Babylon, though currently residing in the Pergamon Museum on Museum Island in Berlin. If you look again at the right side of the arch (on the CD cover), down to the figure at the bottom, you will see ... Hoffmann's avatar!








Note: My photo was taken in the Archeological Museum in Istanbul, which holds a couple of pieces of the Gate, explaining why my avatar is facing in the wrong direction.

And do not forget : Nabucco : Souliotis/ Gobbi cover on Decca CD release

[Clayton]

Took off the much gathered imaginary dust off this recording

Puccini: Turandot
Joan Sutherland (Turandot), Luciano Pavarotti (Calaf), Montserrat Caballé (Liù), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Timur), Tom Krause (Ping), Pier Francesco Poli (Pang), Piero De Palma (Pong), Peter Pears (L'imperatore Altoum), Sabin Markov (Un mandarino)
John Alldis Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta



Yes, I think I like this more than I remembered. As soon as I can get an advance on my 2017 purchasing budget (this year and next years all realized) I will buy that made in China DVD (Mehta in the Forbidden City).

[Clayton]

Someone, somewhere mentioned Cavalli...

Cavalli: Artemisia
Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli (Artemisia), Roberta Mameli (Artemia), Valentina Coladonato (Oronta), Maarten Engeltjes (Meraspe), Andrea Arrivabene (Alindo), Marina Bartoli (Ramiro), Silvia Frigato (Eurillo), Salvo Vitale (Indamoro), Alberto Allegrezza (Erisbe) & Alessandro Giangrande (Niso)
La Venexiana, Claudio Cavina
2010



and I'm back home

i missed you

[Clayton]

I then headed to seventh century Lombardi to see (hear) Rodelinda but not with Handel...

Telemann: Flavius Bertaridus, König der Longobarden
Maite Beaumont (Flavius Bertaridus), Nina Bernsteiner (Rodelinda), Ann-Beth Solvang (Flavia), Jürgen Sacher (Orontes), Antonio Abete (Grimoaldus), Katerina Tretyakova (Cunibert), David DQ Lee (Onulfus), Melissa Petit (Regimbert/Schutzgeist)
Academia Montis Regalis, Alessandro de Marchi
2011



Fantastic! Not only lots of great arias and excellent cast and singing but wonderful instrumentation with recorders, flutes, oboe d'amore, oboe de caccia, bassoons, viols, therobos, baroque harp, trumpets, timpani and two harpsichords.

[Clayton]

Notice:

Telemann stock upgrade to buy

[Florestan]

On loan from my library (am about to start listening to it):

[Adrian]

Took off the much gathered imaginary dust off this recording

Puccini: Turandot
Joan Sutherland (Turandot), Luciano Pavarotti (Calaf), Montserrat Caballé (Liù), Nicolai Ghiaurov (Timur), Tom Krause (Ping), Pier Francesco Poli (Pang), Piero De Palma (Pong), Peter Pears (L'imperatore Altoum), Sabin Markov (Un mandarino)
John Alldis Choir, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta



Yes, I think I like this more than I remembered. As soon as I can get an advance on my 2017 purchasing budget (this year and next years all realized) I will buy that made in China DVD (Mehta in the Forbidden City).

Shame on you

[Nekrotzar]

This was the ifrst opera I ever saw live, still brings back memories of that moment the curtains opened......

I haven't actually heard this opera for quite a while though. I want to revisit baroque operas, especially by Handel and Vivaldi, because I've been working on a plan and a libretto for a short chamber opera I will compose music for in the future, specifically a number opera rather than through composed, and also using da capo arias like a baroque opera.

I also just really love this opera by Handel, it's great, and so is this recording.

[Clayton]

That is a great opera and a great recording; I like all the cast in that production especially Hellekant's Cornelia. Very beautiful.

Have you heard the Curtis and the Petrou recordings? I like them both equally as this one and can recommend them if you are interested in hearing different productions.

[Clayton]

Another very good production from the opera company that is my flavour of the month...

Mazzoni: Aminta, Il Re Pastore
Leif Aruhn-Solén (Alessandro), Delphine Gillot (Elisa), Anna Maria Panzarella (Aminta), Marina Pardo (Agenore), Celine Ricci (Tamiri)
La Real Compañía Ópera de Cámara
Juan Bautista Otero
2006