What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Always such a pleasure to listen to the aptly named silvery-voiced Nancy Argenta:

[Amfortas]

Anyway, no walk, but listened to:

Attachment 8620

Oh, so THAT explains it!

xxxxx

The longer I listened, the more confused I became!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Oh, so THAT explains it!

xxxxx

The longer I listened, the more confused I became!

I think the cover works WAY better with Tristan.

[Florestan]

I had not heard of this opera before. Looks interesting. I am checking it out.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I had not heard of this opera before. Looks interesting. I am checking it out.

It's really a masque not an opera, but it has the Cold Song which is extraordinary.

Counter-tenor version (which I prefer)



Bass baritone version as in the recording:

[Florestan]

It's really a masque not an opera, but it has the Cold Song which is extraordinary.

Bass baritone version as in the recording:

First video not available in my country. Just as well, I am not fond of counter-tenors, except in Handel's Chandos Anthems where there is no recording I am aware of without them.

Second video plays and is fantastic. I like it!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

First video not available in my country. Just as well, I am not fond of counter-tenors, except in Handel's Chandos Anthems where there is no recording I am aware of without them.

Second video plays and is fantastic. I like it!

You have to remember that in 1683 the Thames froze over for 2 months, so Purcell really knew all about the power of great cold!

When I hear this song I always think of this passage from Virginia Woolf's Orlando, about the frozen apple seller:

"Great statesmen, in their beards and ruffs, despatched affairs of state under the crimson awning of the Royal Pagoda ... Frozen roses fell in showers when the Queen and her ladies walked abroad ... Near London Bridge, where the river had frozen to a depth of some twenty fathoms, a wrecked wherry boat was plainly visible, lying on the bed of the river where it had sunk last autumn, overladen with apples. The old bumboat woman, who was carrying her fruit to market on the Surrey side, sat there in her plaids and farthingales with her lap full of apples, for all the world as if she were about to serve a customer, though a certain blueness about the lips hinted the truth."

[Florestan]

You have to remember that in 1683 the Thames froze over for 2 months, so Purcell really knew all about the power of great cold!

When I hear this song I always think of this passage from Virginia Woolf's Orlando, about the frozen apple seller:

"Great statesmen, in their beards and ruffs, despatched affairs of state under the crimson awning of the Royal Pagoda ... Frozen roses fell in showers when the Queen and her ladies walked abroad ... Near London Bridge, where the river had frozen to a depth of some twenty fathoms, a wrecked wherry boat was plainly visible, lying on the bed of the river where it had sunk last autumn, overladen with apples. The old bumboat woman, who was carrying her fruit to market on the Surrey side, sat there in her plaids and farthingales with her lap full of apples, for all the world as if she were about to serve a customer, though a certain blueness about the lips hinted the truth."

Ugh, a rather macabre scene!

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

It's really a masque not an opera, but it has the Cold Song which is extraordinary.

Counter-tenor version (which I prefer)



Bass baritone version as in the recording:

Just wonderful. Love the bass baritone version so I'm very tempted to get this.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I thought Luciano and Dame Joan might like a trip to the shops today.

[Clayton]

I ended up going with the Clemens Krauss 1953 Bayreuth, remastered by Andrew Rose. A truly excellent recording.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I thought Luciano and Dame Joan might like a trip to the shops today.

Well I can report that both of them enjoyed their trip to Sainsbury's. I caught Luciano muttering 'mama mia' when I put the chocolate in my trolley and Dame Joan wasn't impressed at the absence of lamingtons but both recovered in time to give me some good marching tunes for my walk home.

[Hoffmann]

I ended up going with the Clemens Krauss 1953 Bayreuth, remastered by Andrew Rose. A truly excellent recording.

Ooooh. And on XR, no less! Very tempting!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Well I can report that both of them enjoyed their trip to Sainsbury's. I caught Luciano muttering 'mama mia' when I put the chocolate in my trolley and Dame Joan wasn't impressed at the absence of lamingtons but both recovered in time to give me some good marching tunes for my walk home.

I have a feeling Luciano may have had a passing acquaintance with chocolate himself!

[Hoffmann]

My New Years' listen:





This is the only Fidelio I own, and it's not particularly satisfying. Vickers' performance is the highlight, I'm not crazy about Nilsson's Leonore. The sound (live performance recorded in 1960) is acceptable, but not much better than that.