What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

When I mentioned to my boss that I'd been listening to an opera about a man who accidentally marries a dead nun, she snorted up her coffee. Now I'm worried that she is having second thoughts about employing someone who listens to certifiably insane music. I think I've spent too long here and think that throwing your own baby onto the fire and not recognizing your fiance because he's got a moustache and a silly hat are all perfectly normal.

[Povero Buoso]

When I mentioned to my boss that I'd been listening to an opera about a man who accidentally marries a dead nun, she snorted up her coffee. Now I'm worried that she is having second thoughts about employing someone who listens to certifiably insane music. I think I've spent too long here and think that throwing your own baby onto the fire and not recognizing your fiance because he's got a moustache and a silly hat are all perfectly normal.

To be honest there are a few operas that could potentially happen given the right set of circumstances. Un Ballo In Maschera could happen and Onegin is sometimes too realistic especially in the case of Tatyana in act 1 and Onegin in act 3. As an example i know for a fact that this segment below can be incredibly accurate

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Some enjoyable devilry to accompany my shopping today.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

This is a bit convoluted so bear with me folks.

I went to Bucharest to see Academy of Ancient Music's L'Incoronazione di Poppea and Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria both of which were live streamed on the internet.

An enterprising fan, who has far greater IT skills than I will ever have, captured the live stream for all to see and share. I downloaded this and converted the mp4 into an mp3 and it was the converted Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria which accompanied me to the shops, the railway station and then back home again today.

I was transported back to the beauty of the Romanian Athenaeum, to a sultry Romanian September evening and to some gorgeous music and singing. Bliss.

[Clayton]

I have been listening mostly to Handel recently. Well, mostly listening to Handel for the past couple of years actually.

Climbing the Clayton Handel charts this week is the Curtis recording of Radamisto, with it's beautiful music and superb cast.



Joyce DiDonato (Radamisto), Patrizia Ciofi (Polissena), Maite Beaumont (Zenobia), Dominique Label (Fraarte), Laura Cherici (Tigrane), Zachary Stains (Tiridate), Carlo Lepore (Farasmane)
Il Complesso Barocco, Alan Curtis
Recorded Palazzo Doria Pamphili September 2003

[Hoffmann]

For today's walk a couple of old favorites:





and, as long as I was on a Callas kick, and still had a few miles to go:

[Hoffmann]

This morning, while catching up on emails, etc:





I admit to loving this opera. I don't recall the last time I listened to this set - I still prefer the EMI with Mady Mesple, and can't quite get my head around Pavarotti singing in French. Nonetheless, the music and singing are great!

It's 60 F (15 C) here today, if very cloudy, but still a good day to walk and a nice respite from much colder temps. Haven't quite decided on today's listening..

[Soave_Fanciulla]

This morning, while catching up on emails, etc:





I admit to loving this opera. I don't recall the last time I listened to this set - I still prefer the EMI with Mady Mesple, and can't quite get my head around Pavarotti singing in French. Nonetheless, the music and singing are great!

It's 60 F (15 C) here today, if very cloudy, but still a good day to walk and a nice respite from much colder temps. Haven't quite decided on today's listening..

I like the version with Natalie Dessay. But this is definitely one where I can at least tolerate Joan and Luciano.

[Florestan]

Some argue that the 1974 studio recording is better but one edition of the Rough Guide to Opera includes both Sutherland recordings (and Sills) in their recommendations. It says "This live performance reveals how much more comfortable Sutherland and Bonynge were in the threatre than in the studio." Of Stuart Burrows as Leicester they note, "His voice is warmer than Pavarotti's, and his legato is smoother." In summary they say, "All in all, a superb performance, well recorded." I know that I am loving it and have never appreciated Sutherland's voice as much as in this live recording.

EDIT: Bad cover design, being that the picture is not Mary Stuart. Someone told me that "the queen depicted is Mary II, Purcell's Queen Mary, the great great granddaughter of Mary (Stuart) Queen of Scots."

[Hoffmann]

Today's walking music:

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Today's walking music:

Lots of stormy marching then?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Accompaniment today to damson jam-making.

[Clayton]

and the tea cabinet this morning dished up



Boismortier: Daphnis et Chloé
Gaëlle Méchaly, Marie-Louise Duthoit (sopranos), François-Nicolas Geslot (countertenor) & Till Fechner, Alain Buet, Renaud Delaigue, Arno Guillou, (basses)
Le Concert Spirituel, Hervé Niquet

a wonderful work and production, it definitely should not have had so much dust on the CD (again, imaginary dust, there is no dust in the tea cabinet).

[Clayton]

someone mentioned Glass and so I ended up pulling another dusty one from the tea cabinet

Glass, P: Satyagraha
Scott Reeve (Parsi Rustomji), Douglas Perry (M.K. Gandhi), Claudia Cummings (Miss Schlesen), Rhonda Liss (Kasturbai), Sheryl Woods (Mes. Naidoo), Robert McFarland (Mr. Kallenbach)
New York City Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Christopher Keene



I paid millions for this out of print recording (now a budget release available) but it is worth it. Enchanting. It really is. It really is. It really is. It really is. It really is. It really is. It really is. It really is.



missing our friend Vlad...

[Hoffmann]

Recorded in 1953, this came with the Callas remastered box set and I don't think I'd ever listened to it. I thought it would be interesting to hear Carlo Bergonzi and Tito Gobbi in their prime (not to mention Callas, of course).





Tomorrow, I'll try and listen to the remastered recording from 1964 to see how the recording changes with the same principals some 10 years later.