What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

This, while I schlepped round the supermarket ...



... perfect to drown out the carols being played over the loudspeakers.

Bah humbug

[Povero Buoso]

This, while I schlepped round the supermarket ...



... perfect to drown out the carols being played over the loudspeakers.

Il trovatore is great for shopping! I have often walked around M and S listening to Per me Ora Fatale on repeat when shopping because it just makes you feel heroic even though it is sung by one of the operas villains. Although Il Trovatore has loads of stirring music in general.

Bah humbug

Muppet's version of the Christmas Carol may not be the most accurate but it is definitely the catchiest.*

* I presume there is yet to be a full opera of a Christmas carol (a solo tenor one has been done). Someone should really try turning that into a full sized opera. It's story has enough drama for a dark piece with a happy ending and it would be nice to see a character with a terrible cough not dying in opera for once.

[Hoffmann]

This, while I schlepped round the supermarket ...



... perfect to drown out the carols being played over the loudspeakers.

Bah humbug

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Muppet's version of the Christmas Carol may not be the most accurate but it is definitely the catchiest.*

Haha! Not seen that for ages!

*I presume there is yet to be a full opera of a Christmas carol (a solo tenor one has been done). Someone should really try turning that into a full sized opera. It's story has enough drama for a dark piece with a happy ending and it would be nice to see a character with a terrible cough not dying in opera for once.

Excellent idea.

[Povero Buoso]

Long very boring referencing to do so needed something in the background. Fortunately this little gem was on YouTube in full...



I am not Maria's biggest fan (controversial opinion) but she is a brilliant Tosca. Her voice which can bother me elsewhere fits perfectly here. Gobbi is his usual brilliant self and Di Stefano who I confess I don't think I've heard before was also great. I wanted to really check Callas out most of all as I was thinking of getting this recording as it is the top recommended one on our top 100 list. I now think that this is on the Christmas list (I tunes gift card) as it is rather outstanding.

[Florestan]

[Hoffmann]

Hmm. Not so sure about Meistersinger being sung in English, though. Will be interested to hear your opinion!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Hmm. Not so sure about Meistersinger being sung in English, though. Will be interested to hear your opinion!

Yes. For instance how are they going to translate "Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn!" which has got connotations that you simply can't have in a simple English sentence that takes the same time to sing.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Another listen to this to convince me that Vinci is quite simply brilliant:

[Florestan]

Another listen to this to convince me that Vinci is quite simply brilliant:

Not familiar with this opera, but he album art on this recording is great!

[Florestan]

Yes. For instance how are they going to translate "Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn!" which has got connotations that you simply can't have in a simple English sentence that takes the same time to sing.

I'll gladly look it up in the booklet if you can tell me about where in the 5 hours of opera it occurs.


Just for kicks, Google translator gives me,

Madness! Madness! Everywhere delusion!

[Festat]

I had that Catone in my hands today, but went for this instead:



It's better then his Così fan tutte — after 30 recordings I'd say Così is an opera that's relatively easy to do well but very hard to nail.

There are moments, though, that I feel like slapping a singer on the back and scream LET IT OUT GIRL JUST SING, but not as often as in Così. It's funny that there is this extreme concern about historical authenticity and period practices — something I feel sometimes delves into the fan fiction field — tons of research detailed in the booklet and a lot of trash talking by Mr. Currentzis about how his colleagues (alive and dead) are doing Mozart wrong... and yet both of the recordings released so far are ultimately dependent on the most-unauthentic-of-all microphone.

I see a strange similarity between Currentzis and auteur cinema — artistic ownership and responsibility centralized on the director, who expresses his point of view mainly via decoupage and montage — with one fundamental difference: you can have Tippi Hendren in the lead and still make a perfectly splendid movie like The Birds. You don't even need actors at all to make a good movie, Vertov and many other are there to prove it. You can make great (fiction!) cinema without great actors. You can't make a great Figaro without great singers.

I am not saying they are bad. Not at all. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it, but this could be so much more.

[Amfortas]

Yes. For instance how are they going to translate "Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn!" which has got connotations that you simply can't have in a simple English sentence that takes the same time to sing.

Just for kicks, Google translator gives me,

Madness! Madness! Everywhere delusion!

Too many syllables. My version scans perfectly, while conveying the exact nuances of the original:

"Crap! Crap! Everywhere crap!"

[Florestan]

Too many syllables. My version scans perfectly, while conveying the exact nuances of the original:

"Crap! Crap! Everywhere crap!"

Now I could see Beckmesser saying that!

[Amfortas]

Upon further reflection, I don't think I fully encompassed the meaning of "Wahn." This version may come a bit closer:

"Nuts! Nuts! Everyone's nuts!"