Conductor: Pinchas Steinberg
Soloists: Eva Marton (Wally), Francisco Araiza (Hagenbach), Alan Titus (Gellner), Julie Kaufmann (Walter), Francesco Ellero d'Artegna (Stromminger), Birgit Calm (Afra), Michele Pertusi (Old Soldier),
Munich Radio Orchestra; Bavarian Radio Chorus
Back in the 1980s, the German label Eurodisc released some fine recordings (among them being Janowski’s first Ring cycle), and in recent years, a number of them have been reissued by Sony. This is one of them. The cast is first-rate, from the three principals to the smaller roles. Though Eva Marton included Turandot and Brünnhilde in her repertoire (I heard her as the latter with the Chicago Lyric Opera), her voice doesn’t sound like that of a Hochdramatische to me, but rather like a healthy spinto with plenty of carrying power and strong high notes. Francisco Araiza established an international reputation by singing Mozart and bel canto roles, but gradually moved into heavier territory, including verismo and German jugendlich dramatische parts. Hagenbach seems to suit him. Alan Titus is an impressive Gellner; Julie Kaufmann sings the breeches role of Walter with an attractive light lyric soprano; and Francesco Ellero d’Artegna has the right sort of rich, dark bass for Papa Stromminger. There’s also the bonus of Michele Pertusi early in his career as the Old Soldier. Pinchas Steinberg leads a dynamic performance with his forces from Munich.
The thin booklet accompanying the two CDs has only track listings and a plot synopsis -- no libretto. But what am I expecting when I only pay seven bucks for a new recording?
OMG I DON"T HAVE THIS GOING RIGHT NOW TO PRESTO!Originally Posted by Festat
Natalie
This is contagious. I am checking it out. Probably will grab a copy.
EDIT: Found a copy for $9.17 used with free shipping, so it is on its way to my mailbox.
Last edited by Florestan; August 10th, 2016 at 02:28 AM. Reason: To tell the rest of the story.
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
Very happy with both of these:
Natalie
Yesterday, in the car all day driving back from a cousin's wedding in Detroit, Metropolitan Opera Radio (Sirius/XM):
1. L'Italiana in Algeri (w/Olga Borodina, JDF, Feruccio Furlanetto, et al.) Borodina was much better than expected, but struggled with executing clean high notes. Love, love, JDF singing Rossini!
2. Moses und Aron (w/John Tomlinson, et al.) I listened all the way through - what else is there to do on the Ohio Turnpike? Concluded this is an opera that has to be seen to be understood. Music didn't stand up very well on its own.
3. I Vespri Siciliani (Montserrat Caballe, Nicolai Gedda, Sherrill Milnes, 1974) I don't know this Verdi opera at all, seems rather spotty in musical interest, but got better as it went along. Montsy and co. terrific!
I had about 40 minutes to enjoy Siciliani while at a dead stop at the notorious Breezewood interchange (small commercial area linking I-76 and I-70 in Pennsylvania). Once exiting the toll plaza, one drives into the commercial area with stop light. Not recommended on a Sunday afternoon in the summer when people are heading home from vacation. Although I know the way back to DC from Breezewood, I had Apple Maps on to help navigate around Pittsburgh. That nice Apple Maps Lady saved the day by telling me there was an unexpected backup (Duh!) and recommended an alternate route. I was skeptical, but could see down the hill that it likely would take 20 - 30 minutes to get thru the traffic light, so went with her suggestion. The short, very rural side roads, took me to precisely the other side of said traffic light!
Thank you, Apple Maps Lady!
I have always been intrigued by I Vespri Sicciliani given that it seems to be very underplayed given its time in Verdi's carer. It places slap bang in the middle between the massively successful La Traviata and the not as successful but still often played Simon Boccanegra. All the other post Rigoletto operas are among the 100 most played in the world (though it must be stated the popular Boccanegra version is the substantially revised one). Only I Vespri Siciliani is the odd one out. I shall look forward to Christmas to find out why.
Anyway a long journey to the Edinburgh Fringe meant that opera was called for on the journey. Firstly i did the whole recording of this justice once again
While I love them separately when played in order listening with only short breaks in between as Puccini intended brings out the contrasts between all of them. Hvaing thought on Il Trittico for a while its clear to me that even if Puccini didn't intend it (I feel unlikely given the mans obsession with his liberettos but who knows) there are major links between all 3 works. Firstly the works seem to focus a on the death of Love, the absence of love and the triumph of love. Girogetta and Michele's love is dying in Il Tabarro Angelica is treated with nothing but disdain from her aunt as well as her inability to express the love she held for her son showing the effects of loves absence. Finally the love between Lauretta and Rinnucio is shown to be growing and to succeed showing a love living and flowering. I have thought on Il Trittico as an exploration on love for quite some time. However it was while musing on Verdi's inescapable prevalence of parent and child relationships in his operas (after watching Stiffelio I realized that this relationship appears to some extent in every Verdi Opera I have seen so far and is always significant in some way) I thought for a moment whether this was just a particularly Verdian obsession so my thoughts turned to the Composer who I know best and at first glance while the relationship is prevalent in many operas it is also absent from nearly the same number. What struck me however is that with the exception of Butterfly the most prevalent use of the relationship was in fact Il Trittico! In each opera a parent child relationship is a major catalyst the death of their Child is the major factor in the failing of the Tabarro relationship the forced separation and being told of the death of her child (if it actually happened I have another theory on the regard the Princess when it comes to that) is the major catalyst for the end of Suor Angelica and finally the parent child relationship is the major turning point in Gianni Schicchi. I am shocked that The Opera(s) I consider my favourite can still give me new lenses to view them through but it adds a whole new depth to my experience.
After listening to Il Trittico I did not have the time for a full version of any other opera so listened to act 1 of this.
Always fun to listen to and then I returned back to this again
I remember first seeing Il Trovatore and loving it on the Met On Demand however more than any other opera it has been the one to grow on me with repeated listenings. There is a particular magic and balance to it that I really love. It has cemented it place as one of my very favourite Verdi's along with Rigoletto and Un Ballo In Maschera. Also been diving in and out of this for a while to double check that I wasn't blinded by performances that were excellent on the Met onDemand and that the Opera is as good as I think it is.
I really love Macbeth a lot.
On a side-note the Fringe is a lot of fun but there seems to be very limited opera up here around the time I am staying which is worse luck!
"Non sono in vena" Rodolfo summing up P.B's feelings on his dissertation.
Natalie
No video, so this is a listening post:
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
Verdi-Otello Serafin recording on RCA
Verdi-Falstaff Bernstein recording on Columbia
most recently I have been listening to Rimsky-Korsakov, mainly
(of course the bleeding obvious)
Rimsky Korsakov: The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia
Vladimir Galusin (Grishka Kutyer'ma), Galina Gorchakova (Fevroniya), Nikolai Putilin (Fyodor Poyarok), Nikolai Ohotnikov (Yury Vsevolodovich), Yevgeny Boitsov (Merchant I), Evgeny Fedorov (Merchant II), Nikolai Gassiev (Bear Trainer), Olga Korzhenskaya (Youth), Larissa Diadkova (Alkonost)
Kirov Opera & Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, Valery Gergiev
Recorded in 1994
and the much earlier works
Rimsky Korsakov: Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden)
Valentina Sokolik (Snow Maiden), Irina Arkhipova (Spring), Anton Grigoriev (Tsar Berendey), Anatoly Moksayakov (Mizgir), Lidya Sakharenko (Kupava), Alexander Vedernikov (King Frost), Vladimir Matorin (Bermyata) & Ivan Budrin (Carnival)
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow Radio, Vladimir Fedoseyev
Rimsky Korsakov: May Night
Alexey Krivchenya (Village-Head), Konstantin Lisovsky (Levko), Lyudmila Sapegina (Hanna), Ivan Budrin (Kalenik), Gennady Troitsky (Clerk), Yuri Yelnikov (Distiller), Anna Matyushina (Sister-in-law), Olga Pastusenko (Pannochka)
USSR TV and Radio Choir and Orchestra, Vladimir Fedoseyev
both favorites of the composer
and the most popular of his operas (most performed in Russia)
Rimsky Korsakov: The Tsar's Bride
Recorded in 1973
Galina Vishnevskaya (Marfa), Yevgeny Nesterenko (Vasily Stepanovich Sobakin), Irina Arkhipova (Lyubasha), Vladimir Atlantov (Ivan Sergeyevich Lykov)
Choir and Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre, Fuat Mansurow
I love all those Rimsky operas.
Natalie
I like the opera but really wish it had been recorded by a specialist baroque conductor with experienced and excellent baroque singers. Tiziana Fabbricini's reedy soprano just can't hack it.
Natalie
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks