What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Going to see a new production of Il trovatore (well the final dress rehearsal anyway) at ROH soon so blew the (metaphorical) dust off this today. Yonks since I listened to this version and it made a nice change.

[Hoffmann]

Yes, the famous "Lisbon Traviata".

Why it became a thing, I don't know. This is a live performance from 1958, so the sound, while it could be way worse, still is only so-so. Callas starts a little rocky, but warms up nicely. Alfredo Kraus, so far, hasn't made much of an impression on me.

[Amfortas]

Yes, the famous "Lisbon Traviata".

Why it became a thing, I don't know. This is a live performance from 1958, so the sound, while it could be way worse, still is only so-so. Callas starts a little rocky, but warms up nicely. Alfredo Kraus, so far, hasn't made much of an impression on me.

Thanks. A while back I passed on this item at the secondhand store, though I grabbed some highly rated Callas performances of other operas. I kept thinking maybe I'd snag this one eventually as well, until someone else beat me to it.

Now I don't feel so bad.

[Florestan]

and now this,

[Hoffmann]

Today's walk:





Thanks to P.B. for raising the idea of Tannhäuser and Wolfram's "O du mein Holder Abendstern".

I love this recording, with Wolfgang Windgassen, Birgit Nilsson and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau all in peak form. Some really heartbreakingly beautiful singing from all 3.

[Clayton]

...Yes, the famous "Lisbon Traviata".

Why it became a thing, I don't know. This is a live performance from 1958, so the sound, while it could be way worse, still is only so-so. Callas starts a little rocky, but warms up nicely. Alfredo Kraus, so far, hasn't made much of an impression on me.

Thanks. A while back I passed on this item at the secondhand store, though I grabbed some highly rated Callas performances of other operas. I kept thinking maybe I'd snag this one eventually as well, until someone else beat me to it.

Now I don't feel so bad.

I would be in the group that says "snag this one".

I can't see anyone else in the group though...

[Clayton]

...
and now this,

I pass Kenilworth castle (or what remains of it) each time I go to Presto Classical; it's about seven or eight minutes from the centre of Leamington Spa. I always think I would like to visit it.

[Clayton]

and coincidentally I was just listening to a recording I purchased last time I was there (last year to pick up some Gramophone magazines someone was giving away).

I hadn't heard of the composer before and it was a wild stab in the dark but it hit the mark dead centre. Cesti was apparently a very successful composer of the period and very well paid. He composed many works for court (where he was very well favoured) and theatre.



Cesti: Orontea
Andrea Bierbaum (Filosofia), Cettina Cadelo (Amore, Tibrino), Helga Müller-Molinari (Orontea), Gregory Reinhart (Creonte), Guy de Mey (Aristea), René Jacobs (Alidoro, Floridano), Gastone Sarti (Gelone), David James (Corindo), Isabelle Poulenard (Silandra), Jill Feldman (Giacinta, Ismero)
Concerto Vocale, René Jacobs

[Hoffmann]

One of Hoffmann's all time faves:

[Festat]

[Clayton]

ha ha! Snap!

(ish)

I went the alessandrini way but I was thinking either that or the Savall!



Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Monica Piccinini, Anna Simboli (soprano), Sara Mingardo (contralto), Furio Zanasi, Luca Dordoli (tenor) & Sergio Foresti, Antonio Abete (bass)
Concerto Italiano, Rinaldo Alessandrini

In fact, I might just put the Savll on next...

[Florestan]

[Festat]

[Hoffmann]

I'm going to a piano recital at 2:00 - dead center of my day, eliminating my ability to do more than a brief walk


A friend has a subscription to the recitals and occasionally invites me to join her. It's a nice afternoon, but I have to admit that I tend to get frustrated by music without singing. What's the point? I know, I know, I've gotten old and crotchety. So, in the meantime:





I think I Puritani is the operatic equivalent of jelly donuts. So utterly delicious and irresistible that it can't possibly be good for you. At least it's not fattening...

[Florestan]