What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I finally couldn't stand it - had to get out for a walk (not to mention some relief from the nephew who will be staying with me for some 2 weeks longer than I anticipated - a good kid, but waaaay too pre-occupied with video games at age 26). At 90+ degrees and high humidity, it wasn't much fun. But, still...


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A nice opera and well-sung, though I admit that I prefer Rossini's other efforts with more fireworks.

Can you lure him away from his video games with some opera?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Rameau: Les Indes Galantes

Gerda Hartman (Hébé/Emilie/Zaïre), Philippe Huttenlocher (Bellone/Osman/Huascar/Ali/Don Alvar), Jennifer Smith (L'Amour/Phanie/Fatime/Zima), Louis Devos (Valère/Carlos/Damon), Bernard Deletré (Huascar), Isabelle Poulenard (Phanie), Jean-Paul Fouchécourt (Carlos), John Elwes (Tacmas/Adario) Orchestre de Chambre «Jean-François Paillard», Orchestre de Chambre «A Coeur Joie» de Valence, Jean-François Paillard

This is the weakest link so far in the Rameau opera box; partly because Gerda Hartman has an unsatisfactory rather feeble voice, and partly because the conductor manages to make even Forêts paisibles dull (you should feel irresistibly drawn to dance!). The recording dates from 1974 and makes me realise that we have come a long way in 40 years with Baroque recording - the Golden age is now and not in the past, and there are so many great Baroque singers and conductors around presently.

[Florestan]

Just arrived yesterday. My 8th Barber.

[Amfortas]

Classic recordings of two Verdi operas, with largely identical casts. While Price is still formidable in the Forza, recorded in 1976, it's striking how much more spectacular she sounds in the 1969 Trovatore. A voice that really needs to be heard at its absolute prime.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Classic recordings of two Verdi operas, with largely identical casts. While Price is still formidable in the Forza, recorded in 1976, it's striking how much more spectacular she sounds in the 1969 Trovatore. A voice that really needs to be heard at its absolute prime.

I concur. The first time I heard her was in the Met Player performance of Forza recorded in 1984. I was really taken about by how unimpressed I was - didn't even bother to finish it.

Since then I have heard earlier recordings and can appreciate how lovely she was when younger.

[Clayton]

in between the cricket;

Rossini: Guglielmo Tell
Andrew Foster-Williams (Tell), Alessandra Volpe (Hedwige), Judith Howarth (Mathilde), Michael Spyres (Arnold), Tara Stafford (Jemmy), Giulio Pelligra (Rodolphe), Artavazd Sargsyan (Ruodi), Nahuel Di Pierro (Walther Fürst/Melchthal), Raffaele Facciolà (Gesler), Marco Filippo Romano (Leuthold)
Virtuosi Brunensis & Camerata Bach Choir, Poznań, Antonino Fogliani
Live recording Wildbad festival 2013



A very good recording with good cast and good sound, though it is a live performance so does suffer from "ballet farts" (the irritating pitter patter sound) on the headphones...
As it's a Naxos recording there is no libretto but the recording company does give you access to an online French libretto. Any persons wanting to purchase from PC, they have it filed under the Italian version.

[Hoffmann]

Can you lure him away from his video games with some opera?

I tried that, a couple of years ago, when I invited him to join me for La Forza del Destino. Probably not a good first opera, but he was motivated because he had overheard what turned out to be the Preziosilla speaking Georgian with a friend (he had worked in Central-Asia Georgia and Russia for a year after graduating) while in a department store, and chatted her up.

When I recall the event, he says "Oh yeah. What was the name of that again?"

One would think opera has enough murder and dramatic death scenes to attract the hardiest of video-gamers, but it probably doesn't register because it's not hands-on enough. Yeah, I know.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

One would think opera has enough murder and dramatic death scenes to attract the hardiest of video-gamers, but it probably doesn't register because it's not hands-on enough. Yeah, I know.

At least in opera we have inventive ways of killing people - you know, stabbing, smothering, poisonous trees, avalanches, TB (after the 10 minute aria), jumping on burning pyres, and just plain broken hearts.

And nobody accidentally marries a dead nun in video games. They need to up their act.

[Povero Buoso]

One would think opera has enough murder and dramatic death scenes to attract the hardiest of video-gamers.

It really depends on the video-games one plays to find ample time for both hobbies. Opera is great if you are playing games that don't require a major focus on sound or story as it provides great backing music (how I ended up listening to Schicchi so much as well as getting better acquainted with other operas from re-listen) More monotonous gaming tasks or slower paced game like the Civilization series (recommended for any member who have time to kill as it's games of strategy that is very entertaining in tandem with opera listening) go very well with Opera therefore. Other video games offer less opportunity for listening to opera due to the reliance on sound to alert of enemies or engaging in story-lines (Several games are quite cinematic with strong story-lines as an example even for non serious gamers the Bio-shock series of games can be a rewarding experience) . I suppose it's an unusual two hobbies to both be heavily involved with (I enjoy both a lot especially if I can combine them) but it is incredibly rewarding to enjoy both if you have the time. If I had to choose to never video-game again or never to listen to Opera though Opera would win out easily. I can't go a day without listening of humming at least one aria or melody.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

[Povero Buoso]

Was planning on watching another new opera today but thought better of it and decided to save it for tomorrow and went for a quick walk to get a book instead. The walk may not have been too quick though because I managed to get through half of this first



I would say my first impression were correct on Macbeth. It had stuck in my head so much I had to re-listen to at least some of it rather than my original plan for listening to a Trittico opera. I would probably rank Macbeth as above Boccanegra and possibly Carlos for me maybe not quite reaching La Traviata yet (my opinion may change in time poor Trav has really taken a bettering in my personal rankings and I am not wholly sure why though it might be because of a dearth of good Bass music which is a shame as Verdi writes so well for that voice) so Macbeth has probably become my 5th favourite Verdi.

As it has been another four or five months it was time for me to see if I could shine a light on why I don't like Aida that much again. I found this recording on YouTube and the names and conductor were encouraging.



I like it a bit better this time maybe...ish. Act one and two are mostly fine and they have some very nice moments act four had a few bits that I really quite like as well. The music for the rest of it however just doesn't grip me at all. Out of the Verdi works I have seen so far it probably rests somewhere similar with how I place Manon Lescaut for Puccini. Good opera and probably will get a recording of it when I'm a bit bored but not one I am going to rush to buy straight away. This is in stark comparison to how it went with Macbeth and Un Ballo In Maschera which were both watched for the first time and had recordings purchased within 24 hours (Che faceste? Dite su! and the Si colmi il calice have both been playing in my head constantly since the first watch) I would have also gotten recordings of Don Carlo and Boccanegra quicker if I hadn't been patient enough to wait for Christmas when I got I tune's cards.

I think tomorrow I will attempt to watch one of the following: Ernani, La Forza Del Destino or Falstaff as I seem to have caught the opera watching bug again (I seem to work in cycles of gathering new operas over several months then several months of consolidating my love of ones I have seen through repeat listening. I have no idea why...). As I did when devouring Puccini I am going to save one of the greatest works till last (Othello in this case as it seems to be very well regarded. If it's as good as Don Carlo, or even somehow better, it will be well worth the wait). Hence it will be a while till I get round to it as I would need to wait till Christmas for most of the early ones (as well as poor I vespri siciliani which seem to be the most neglected of the middle to late period being the only one without a video available on the site) that aren't available on the Met On Demand in some form. Nabucco has been put down as a listen at some point soon as I haven't given it a second chance yet.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Attractive music but too many females for my taste.

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

Attractive music but too many females for my taste.

Hm... and why should that be a problem???
Sure, I do think that too many males in Billy Budd is a problem.

[StarThrower]