What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I know, I know. More of Hoffmann's reminiscing.

I think I've written about this before, however, since it was a while back, I'll expand a little. Mefistofele was, if I recall correctly, the 3rd opera I saw live. Back when the late, lamented New York City Opera (under Julius Rudel) toured to DC each spring, they brought Tito Capobianco's superb production with them to the Kennedy Center. I saw Samuel Ramey sing the role a couple of times fairly early in his career (this would have been mid-to-late 1970s). He was Awesome.

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This photo would have been the opening scene - a roiling ballet. The overture was something else. NYCO had horns placed in the top balcony playing counterpoint with the orchestra. The opera house would go totally dark, and the only thing that could be seen was a light on the tip of Maestro Rudel's baton.

Ramey apparently had just picked up the role after Norman Treigle's passing. Treigle was supposed to be the real king of the role. Also saw Beverly Sills, who was then NYCO's big star, sing Rosina in Barbiere, ca 1978 or so.

At the time, I was encouraged by one of the executives in the office where I was sort of a glorified go-fer after I first moved to DC and the Kennedy Center was at its peak with touring company options (the Bolshoi Opera had been to the KC the year before I moved here). Sid was really smart, funny and a total opera nut. He coached me on which operas to see - and focused on what was rare and unusual, rather than that which was accessible (e.g., I saw Le Coq d'Or and not La Traviata) - I couldn't afford much, so had to be selective and was still exploring. . He was a critical influence on my becoming an opera lover when I was in my 20s. As you can imagine, when touring season rolled around in the spring and I troop up to his office with the newspaper ad in hand, looking for his advice, he would drop what he was doing to chat. It was great fun. As I know now, he likely was shocked that a guy in his 20s would be interested in opera.

That's exactly the type of staging of Mefistofele I'd love to see!

It must have been great to have these companies performing in DC. And you had your own personal adviser!

[Clayton]

This is a lovely opera, very melodious, and such a bargain!



...

Into the shopping basket it goes!

[Clayton]

Conductor: Hans Rosbaud
Cast: Léopold Simoneau (Orphée), Suzanne Danco (Eurydice), Pierrette Alarie (L’Amour)

Having gotten acquainted with Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, I decided to get out my old LP set of Gluck's version of the Orpheus and Eurydice story in the French arrangement. This is a lovely cast, especially Simoneau in the title role.

of course there's the JDF one too

[Hoffmann]

Exceptionally windy here today, so walking is not very appealing.

This morning's listen:





I'm still pondering what to listen to this afternoon. Maybe a nap first, then decide....

[Clayton]

Gosh I love that opera/recording. Always my listening to that opera is much longer than the recording as I press "replay" so often.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Exceptionally windy here today, so walking is not very appealing.

This morning's listen:





I'm still pondering what to listen to this afternoon. Maybe a nap first, then decide....

I'm having nap envy. I'm just back from work and now have to drive off for two hours of violin lesson hell.

[MAuer]

Conductor/chorus and orchestra: Jean Fournet, Choeurs Elisabeth Brasseur, Orchestre Des Concerts Lamoureux
Cast: Pierrette Alarie (Leila), Léopold Simoneau (Nadir), René Bianco (Zurga), Xavier Depraz (Nourabad)

Although the original recording was made with the old monaural technology, the quality of the sound on the CDs seems fine to me. Among the cast members, my favorites are Léopold Simoneau and Xavier Depraz; the tenor’s elegant, virile, lyrical voice is a pleasure to listen to, and Depraz makes me wish Nourabad had more to sing. Pierrette Alarie had one of those light lyric coloratura sopranos that to me seems close to a soubrette – similar to Mado Robin or Erna Sack, a Papagena or Olympia – and while her technique is flawless, I sometimes find myself wishing for a voice with a little more fullness. Her sound doesn’t bother me the way Erika Köth’s does, but a prolonged exposure to it makes me feel as though I’ve eaten too much sugar. René Bianco is an unobjectionable Zurga, and while I don’t dislike his baritone, I can’t really warm up to it, either. The chorus and orchestra are excellent, and Maestro Fournet’s interpretation captures all of the plot’s varying moods.

[Hoffmann]

This morning, while pondering my income taxes:





I wasn't familiar with the opera Hamlet, and found it had pleasant moments but isn't particularly interesting.


Then, for my walk today:

[Florestan]

From the library for listening in the car this week (Siegfried):

[Clayton]

This morning, while pondering my income taxes:

[Thomas, Hamlet]

I wasn't familiar with the opera Hamlet, and found it had pleasant moments but isn't particularly interesting.
...

give it a better go; try a glass of single malt with the listening instead of tax returns...

[Dichteurehalle]

I got up early this morning to do homework (getting my master's online), which involved needing to achieve a metric of at least 15. I kept getting 3s and 4s, so I took a very long shower, during which I listened to the first 2 acts of Don Carlo, and gave it another try afterwards. Got 31, which is the theoretical maximum. Verdi: not only dramatic and exciting, but good for quiet contemplation as well

[Clayton]

...I took a very long shower, during which I listened to the first 2 acts of Don Carlo...

*expletive* that's a long shower! some might say "too much information"...

I say "yes , fab recording" (Hoffman favourite) "but amazed to hear the human body doesn't dissolve or shrink in that amount of time under water..."

[Dichteurehalle]

*expletive* that's a long shower! some might say "too much information"...

I say "yes , fab recording" (Hoffman favourite) "but amazed to hear the human body doesn't dissolve or shrink in that amount of time under water..."

It's lovely, I can recommend it!

[Florestan]

[Sonata]