What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Adrian]

I commend ComposerOfAvantGarde of his good choice on opera listening!

Actually I have not explored much of this opera beyond this recording, only the Christie recording which is a live recording from the Palais Garnier and though has a superb cast that includes Renée Fleming (Alcina), Susan Graham (Ruggiero), Natalie Dessay (Morgana), suffers from a distinctively live recording sound quality.

From the two, I perfer the Curtis for the studio sound, Maite Beaumont's character and Kobie Van Rensburgs' Oronte. Christie and Les Arts Florissants does give a more fantastical interpretation and I prefer Fleming's Alcina but the sound quality lets this recording down.

I have not heard yet any of La Stupenda's accounts (the role that I believe earned her that name) yet but maybe our Dutch friend Adrian can let us know more about those...

I am a bit biased Clayton, I've seen Renée in Paris and to me... she was perfect. (Horrible production)I am a purist !

Having said that , Sutherland owned the role, I like the Decca recording a bit above the live (with Wunderlich ) now on DG.
Previously on Verona. (Same tapes let no one else tell you otherwise)

But to be honest I am not a baroque expert and never will be.

[Nekrotzar]

I'm about to put this on for the very first time! As this unfortunately does not come with a libretto I'll be following along with a vocal score in English which is better than just the libretto anyway.



Cast is as follows:
Primadonna/Ariadne: Hildegard Hillebrecht
Der Komponist: Tatiana Troyanos
Zerbinetta: Reri Grist
Der Tenor/Bacchus: Jess Thomas
Ein Musiklehrer: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Der Haushofmeister: Franz Stoss
Ein Offizer: Friedrich Lenz
Ein Tanzmeister: Gerhard Unger
Ein Perückenmacher: Heinz Friedrich
Ein Lakai: Herbert Lackner
(My, there are quite a lot of characters in this!)
Harlekin: Barry McDaniel
Scaramuccio: John van Kesteren
Truffaldin: Richard Kogel
Brighella: Friedrich Lenz
Najade: Arleen Augér
Dryade: Unni Rugtvedt
Echo: Sigrid Schmidt

[Hoffmann]

I'm about to put this on for the very first time! As this unfortunately does not come with a libretto I'll be following along with a vocal score in English which is better than just the libretto anyway.



Cast is as follows:
Primadonna/Ariadne: Hildegard Hillebrecht
Der Komponist: Tatiana Troyanos
Zerbinetta: Reri Grist
Der Tenor/Bacchus: Jess Thomas
Ein Musiklehrer: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Der Haushofmeister: Franz Stoss
Ein Offizer: Friedrich Lenz
Ein Tanzmeister: Gerhard Unger
Ein Perückenmacher: Heinz Friedrich
Ein Lakai: Herbert Lackner
(My, there are quite a lot of characters in this!)
Harlekin: Barry McDaniel
Scaramuccio: John van Kesteren
Truffaldin: Richard Kogel
Brighella: Friedrich Lenz
Najade: Arleen Augér
Dryade: Unni Rugtvedt
Echo: Sigrid Schmidt

Ariadne auf Naxos is one of my favorites! I'm interested to know what you think of it, so be sure to report back!

[Hoffmann]

I was going to follow yesterday's Rheingold with Die Walküre during my walk this morning, only to discover that I had neglected to re-charge that iPod after my last use. So, instead I went with this bel canto gem:





After JDF makes his appearance and sings for what seems some 20 minutes, he must have been wondering to himself "Whatever was I thinking when I accepted this thing?" Some fireworks. Great cast. Anyone out there who is a Rossini fan and doesn't know this opera, it's wonderful!

[Clayton]

Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin
Nuccia Focile (Tatyana), Sarah Walker (Larina), Olga Borodina (Olga), Irina Arkhipova (Filipyevna), Dmitri Hvorostovsky (Eugene Onegin), Neil Shicoff (Lensky), Alexander Anisimov (Prince Gremin), Francis Egerton (Triquet), Hervé Hennequin (A Captain) & Sergei Zadvorny (Zaretsky)
St Petersburg Chamber Choir & Orchestre de Paris, Semyon Bychkov
1993

[Nekrotzar]

Ariadne auf Naxos is one of my favorites! I'm interested to know what you think of it, so be sure to report back!

I have been blown away. It's magnificent!!!!!! It's definitely one of the best things I've ever heard in my life! I dare say....I think it surpasses Der Rosenkavalier.

I like the small orchestra of less than 40 players in this actually, even though it's of an almost chamber quality it still sparkles with Strauss's typically colourful and engaging orchestration.

I am only just discovering Strauss at the moment, so those two operas are currently the only ones I've heard.....I almsot bought Arabella yesterday which was discounted to $14.96 but I changed my mind because I kinda needed the money for other things. Was this also a great opportunity which I missed out on?

[Nekrotzar]

I'm about to put this on for the very first time! As this unfortunately does not come with a libretto I'll be following along with a vocal score in English which is better than just the libretto anyway.



Cast is as follows:
Primadonna/Ariadne: Hildegard Hillebrecht
Der Komponist: Tatiana Troyanos
Zerbinetta: Reri Grist
Der Tenor/Bacchus: Jess Thomas
Ein Musiklehrer: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Der Haushofmeister: Franz Stoss
Ein Offizer: Friedrich Lenz
Ein Tanzmeister: Gerhard Unger
Ein Perückenmacher: Heinz Friedrich
Ein Lakai: Herbert Lackner
(My, there are quite a lot of characters in this!)
Harlekin: Barry McDaniel
Scaramuccio: John van Kesteren
Truffaldin: Richard Kogel
Brighella: Friedrich Lenz
Najade: Arleen Augér
Dryade: Unni Rugtvedt
Echo: Sigrid Schmidt

I just have to listen to this again. I love it. I've also been looking around for some information on the recording....and it seems that this recording has been released for the first time in this format this year, previously only being available on LP. That's a shame...I love vinyl! I wish DG could do a new release of this on vinyl as well seeing that they are already releasing new vinyl records at the moment.

[Nekrotzar]

Comparing with the other recording. This one was recommended to me. Quite good, methinks!

[Clayton]

Vivaldi: Catone in Utica
Topi Lehtipuu (Catone), Roberta Mameli (Cesare), Ann Hallenberg (Emilia), Sonia Prina (Marzia), Romina Basso (Fulvio) & Emoke Baráth (Arbace)
Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis 2012



Another superb production from Alan Curtis and Il Complesso Barocco, with as usual a superb cast all round. Some very exciting arias and music in this translation of Metastasio's libretto.

[Nekrotzar]

Listening to this for the first time ever. Very big contrast between this and the other Strauss operas I've heard son far! But I'm loving every moment. I'm going to find a performance to watch online before the week is out to get to know it even further. The music is incredibly colourful, it seems to take music on from where Wagner left off....but now at a quicker pace and extremely inventive use of the orchestra!

[Clayton]

Vinci, Leonardo: Catone in Utica
Max Emanuel Cencic (Arbace), Franco Fagioli (Cesare), Valer Sabadus (Marzia), Martin Mitterutzner (Fulvio), Vince Yi (Emilia), Juan Sancho (Catone)
Il Pomo D'oro, Riccardo Minasi 2014



Not an intentional double dose of Catone in Utica but if I were to compare the two, probably a preference for the Vinci for the impressive virtuoso coloratura and generally more dramatic and exciting orchestration.

[Clayton]

...but if I were to compare the two, probably a preference for the Vinci for the impressive virtuoso coloratura and generally more dramatic and exciting orchestration.

ah, who am I kidding


I think the Vivaldi is good but the Vinci is a whopper

[Clayton]

Terradellas: Artaserse





I am an operaholic

a short statement that seems to draw out for many seconds. He says this standing uncomfortably, his hands clasped together, as though he his holding his own hand for reassurance.
His eyes dart across the room nervously, not focussing for any length of time on any particular spot as though averting the gaze of shame.

and for every opera listening that I post here...

he continues with much pain in every breath of his confession

there are many, many more cd's that I just stash away in the offline hours.

With that release, a warm colour fills his soul and at once he feels a comfort of peace that has been absent from his days...

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Terradellas: Artaserse





I am an operaholic

a short statement that seems to draw out for many seconds. He says this standing uncomfortably, his hands clasped together, as though he his holding his own hand for reassurance.
His eyes dart across the room nervously, not focussing for any length of time on any particular spot as though averting the gaze of shame.

and for every opera listening that I post here...

he continues with much pain in every breath of his confession

there are many, many more cd's that I just stash away in the offline hours.

With that release, a warm colour fills his soul and at once he feels a comfort of peace that has been absent from his days...

You are certifiably bonkers, you know, Clayton. Lucky we love you anyway.

[Clayton]

You are certifiably bonkers...

but quite harmless