What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Florestan]

[Povero Buoso]

Having purchased this several days ago have been dipping in and out of this with alarming regularity.


Definitely rapidly ascending up my favourite lists and will attempt to broach the other Da Ponte opera over the holidays.

For the long train journey home though one of my favourites


Increasingly I am beginning to suspect that Il Tabarro is drawing with Gianni Schicchi for my favourite Puccini opera overall but for very different reasons. Suor angelica is definitely a minor distance behind both but still one of my favourites. Then for the last 90 minutes the first act and most of the first part of the second of this


I confess Butterfly has really worked its charm on me from being my least favourite of the three most popular Puccini operas to possibly my most favourite (sorry Tosca). Definitely an Opera that rewards increased listening. While i admit its pace is probably inferior to Tosca's its music might be a shade better and emotionally it grips me more.

[Florestan]

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Nice to listen to Nessun Dorma as part of an opera instead of as a stand alone aria which everyone from 13yo 'opera' stars and women in Covent Garden Market, try to sing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdDMBdGmTuY

[Hoffmann]

Let's see... Yesterday's walk (after which I cleaned up and headed downstairs to the building's Christmas Party, which is very popular and well attended):





Then, today's walk:





What can I say? Edita. Gruberova!

[Festat]

Not really an opera, but...

[Soave_Fanciulla]

[Sonata]

I'm listening to some Wagner lately

I just finished Rienzi, and I really enjoyed it actually. I started yesterday on Goodall's English language Rhinegold. I know many people complain about the tempo being to slow, but it works for me, helps really get into the details of the orchestration. The men so far are easier to understand in the English rather than the women (with the exception of Freia). It's really helping me connect with the plot.

A couple other Wagner albums loaded and ready to go on the iPhone but as of yet unlistened to: Klemperer's Wagner and Strauss highlights boxed set, and Die Feen.

[Hoffmann]

Yesterday's walk:




Although this is Callas, it's hard for me to get past my preference for the Sills recording, which includes the haunting glass harmonica accompaniment of Lucia's mad scene.


And today's:

[Florestan]

Yesterday's walk:




Although this is Callas, it's hard for me to get past my preference for the Sills recording, which includes the haunting glass harmonica accompaniment of Lucia's mad scene.

And a younger, plumper Callas before she did the crash diet and damaged her voice. Nice!

[Clayton]

And a younger, plumper Callas before she did the crash diet and damaged her voice. Nice!

Ooh... with certain alignments of the stars and a butterfly flapping it's wings in China, this post could trigger several hundred posts in response...

[Clayton]

but not from me...

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I remember when this came out it was sold with a pitch "with Valer Sabadus, one of opera's most exciting newcomers". It certainly is with exciting performances and a good recording (live but studio quality) of a good opera. I sometimes forget how much I like it!



Gluck: La Clemenza di Tito
Rainer Trost (Tito Vespasiano), Laura Aikin (Vitellia), Raffaella Milanesi (Sesto), Arantza Ezenarro (Servilia), Valer Sabadus (Annio) & Flavio Ferri-Benedetti (Publio)
L'arte del mondo, Werner Ehrhardt
Recorded live 2013 Bayer Kulturhaus

[Clayton]

I like many things about this recording, not least the the soprano singing the part of Blonde



Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail, K384
Christine Schäfer (Konstanze), Ian Bostridge (Belmonte), Alan Ewing (Osmin), Patricia Petibon (Blonde), Iain Paton (Pedrillo) & Jurg Low (Selim, Bassa)
Les Arts Florissants, William Christie
Recorded November 1997 Théâtre de Poissy

[Sonata]

The reviews are very divided on this one, some seem to really enjoy it, others complain about a terribly slow tempo. Put me in the first camp, it's not too slow at all for me, on the contrary it lets me catch a lot of orchestral detail. It's certainly not the only Ring I would want, but it is really increasing my appreciation and of course helps understanding the words. I'm looking forward to diving in to the Valkyrie very soon.

[Sonata]

Yesterday's walk:




Although this is Callas, it's hard for me to get past my preference for the Sills recording, which includes the haunting glass harmonica accompaniment of Lucia's mad scene.


And today's:

I love Beverly Sills!! She reaches me emotionally the way no other opera singer does