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Not a big fan of Angela Gheorghiu but this recording is really great, and I was thrilled to see that I got the whole libretto with translation on the CD. I just love this opera!
Giulini takes a broad, sweeping view of the score and makes Rigoletto sound more tragic than comic, with the balance favoring the orchestra more than the singers relative to most, if not all, other versions of this opera. The Vienna Philharmonic is the Vienna Philharmonic. Cappuccilli is not as heroic or menacing as Milnes but adequate. Gilda and Maddalena are fine; I like Cotrubas better than Sutherland of the second DECCA recording (haven't heard the first yet, where allegedly she sounds much better). Domingo's admittedly beautiful characterization unfortunately evokes the image of a sappy, naive beta male rather than the experienced, lecherous alpha womanizer the Duke ought to resemble; one notices a distinct lack of irony in Domingo's paeans to Love. Sound is clear but distant. Probably the best Rigoletto for Wagnerites of the A.C. Douglas variety.
Not a big fan of Angela Gheorghiu but this recording is really great, and I was thrilled to see that I got the whole libretto with translation on the CD. I just love this opera!
Last edited by Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva); October 27th, 2012 at 11:39 PM. Reason: Fixed the picture for you
Even more adequate, if he's not heroic. Since when is Rigoletto a heroic role. I remember having reservations for Bastianini's Rigoletto since he sounded too strong and heroic (I would mind it even more if I wouldn't care littely about these "psychological" aspects of opera).Originally Posted by brianwalker
I think Rigoletto is heroic in the sense that this is an intensely dramatic part -- just think of his condemnation of the courtiers in "Cortigiani, vil razza dannata," or his final despairing cry of "Ah! La maledizione!" I have the Giulini recording with Capppuccilli, and the Rudel version with Milnes. For my tastes, Milnes is by far the more compelling Rigoletto.
Popp/Aragall/Weikl, is hard to come by.
Too gruff? I guess I'm just really inured to that kind of rough, heroic sound, being raised on the likes of George London and Gottlieb Frick and haven't yet developed the sensitive side of my palette yet. There was a time not immemorial when not a day passed by without the completion of at least five cycles of Hagen's Call in its entirety.
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 5th, 2018 at 08:01 AM.
I'm cheating and listening to opera highlights on the cheap, but I find I like this better. I bought the opera one and found the Callas one at my local library. I'm working my way through Callas right now, and am enjoying it quite a bit.
No but you're right, "adequate" was a brusque and premature, impertinent label. I've been re-listening and realized much of appearance of lack of power and subtlety emanated from the distant sound.
This is not cheating. These compilations are excellent and for the most part contain great tracks with good orchestras, conductors, and singers. This is a very worthy collection, no wonder you're enjoying it. Listening to great operatic music doesn't need to only happen by listening to complete operas.
I'm cheating and listening to opera highlights on the cheap, but I find I like this better. I bought the opera one and found the Callas one at my local library. I'm working my way through Callas right now, and am enjoying it quite a bit.
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
My beloved I would sacrifice at the altar for a Verdi Coriolanus (instead of Otello), a Verdi Measure for Measure (instead of Falstaff)...
The Nessun Dorma was underwhelming. The proximity of this recording to his death has been noted.
I only wish Verdi had fulfilled his dream of a King Lear. And I wouldn't give up Otello or Falstaff for anything.
Yes, because if there is something missing in Verdi's operas it's mad scene to match those of his grand ancestors. There is Lady Macbeth scene but Donizetti and Bellini had theirs in their best works. It would be particularly curious to see what mature Verdi could make out of that classic pattern.
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45 minutes of quite simple opera buffa by Pergolesi. Nancy Argenta and period isntrument band La Petite Band under Sigiswald Kuijken.
Solti is a graceless brute. He pillages the score of every last potential drop of brassy, thumping climax he can contrive and skates slipshod over the rest.
Oh why oh why can't we have better opera conductors with world class singers.
Come back, Karajan! All is forgiven!
I can't stop listening to this recording. This record sets the record for the consecutive number of times I've listened straight through any recording, ever, literally, literally literally; last.fm never lies. The conducting, save Kubelik's, and playing is just miles any of the nearest competition and the cast, despite not being super-star-studded, is in complete harmony with itself and the orchestra.
My Coriolanus fetish aside, you don't detect a slight mismatch between the score and libretto in Falstaff? The mature (geriatric?) Verdi's orchestration is heavily Wagnerian and suited more for the grandiose than the comic; at times it sounds like the text and music to be warring between themselves in Falstaff.
Natalie
Listening to this again, this is quite capable music. Don Giovanni (1787), you read correctly. 68 minutes of Classical arias on one CD, version without recitatives.
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