What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Sonata]

Renee Fleming
Great Opera Scenes

[Hoffmann]

Yesterday was Baroque day for my walk. A little less than satisfying as it turns out that my transfers to my new iPod Nano, now the Baroque Nano, are incomplete.

I started off with an interrupted L'Olimpiade, which almost finished Act II (less one track) before cutting off. I was very annoyed and still trying to decided if it's worth totally re-loading the gizmo...




So, I moved along to



but didn't finish before arriving home again, so don't know if issues with its loading or not.

[Hoffmann]

I started off this morning by playing this, one of my less favorite I Capuleti e i Montecchi recordings, as I am not crazy when a tenor is substituted to sing Romeo. This recording, featuring a very young Pavarotti (1966), is superbly sung, but very different from the standard trouser-role version:




For today's walk, I am thinking of comparing the Baker/Sills I Capuleti recording, another one I listen to very infrequently.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Yesterday was Baroque day for my walk. A little less than satisfying as it turns out that my transfers to my new iPod Nano, now the Baroque Nano, are incomplete.
.

That is infuriating. I now have a Baroque/Classical mega Walkman (128G) as well as a Romantic onwards one and periodically I'm finding problems with the transfer.

[Sonata]

I started off this morning by playing this, one of my less favorite I Capuleti e i Montecchi recordings, as I am not crazy when a tenor is substituted to sing Romeo. This recording, featuring a very young Pavarotti (1966), is superbly sung, but very different from the standard trouser-role version:




For today's walk, I am thinking of comparing the Baker/Sills I Capuleti recording, another one I listen to very infrequently.

I've only heard the version once so far, but I adore the Beverly Sills recording

For myself, Russian opera time

[Soave_Fanciulla]

The original recording of Owen Wingrave with Pears as the General. It's not Britten's most lovely score, works better on DVD, but obviously a heartfelt story for him.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Yesterday was Baroque day for my walk. A little less than satisfying as it turns out that my transfers to my new iPod Nano, now the Baroque Nano, are incomplete.

I started off with an interrupted L'Olimpiade, which almost finished Act II (less one track) before cutting off. I was very annoyed and still trying to decided if it's worth totally re-loading the gizmo...

How frustrating.

My Sony is seven years old now and is showing its age. Will need to replace it soon but not sure with what.

[Florestan]

Yesterday was Baroque day for my walk. A little less than satisfying as it turns out that my transfers to my new iPod Nano, now the Baroque Nano, are incomplete.

I started off with an interrupted L'Olimpiade, which almost finished Act II (less one track) before cutting off. I was very annoyed and still trying to decided if it's worth totally re-loading the gizmo...

but didn't finish before arriving home again, so don't know if issues with its loading or not.

Instead of transfer can you drag and drop direct from your computer music files?

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

Doing some light revision before seeing this opera live for the first time next week.




This CD was the second opera CD I ever bought and I listened to it over and over again.

[Ingvar]

Thanks for the advice, I'll look out for it.



I'm still struggling with it. It's not because it's Britten, it's because it's Shakespeare! I've always struggled with Shakespeare's text. When the libretto is written in Italian or French (Macbeth, Falstaff etc and Hamlet), I can enjoy it but in it's 'Olde English' form I don't like it at all.

Oh well, I have a year!!

Shakespeare wrote in modern English.

[Hoffmann]

Instead of transfer can you drag and drop direct from your computer music files?

I don't think the Apple devices work that way from my iTunes desktop library - nothing to drag from and then drop to that I know of.

Files are loaded from the iTunes library to the Nano device by synching the two devices and selecting the files to be transferred/loaded.

The Nanos only have a 16G capacity, so typically when loading, one is provided a warning when capacity has been reached. I don't know if I never received the warning or just wasn't paying attention (if you can imagine such a thing...).

[Florestan]

- - - Updated - - -

I don't think the Apple devices work that way from my iTunes desktop library - nothing to drag from and then drop to that I know of.

Files are loaded from the iTunes library to the Nano device by synching the two devices and selecting the files to be transferred/loaded.

The Nanos only have a 16G capacity, so typically when loading, one is provided a warning when capacity has been reached. I don't know if I never received the warning or just wasn't paying attention (if you can imagine such a thing...).

I don't think I could handle that type of device. I am used to drag and drop and switching out different albums on a regular basis. I pull mine up on the computer just like a folder and can work with it. Mine is a Sansa Clip with 4 GB memory and a 16 GB micro SD. Instrumental is on the 4 GB. Opera on the 16 GB.

[Florestan]

Kasarova is awesome in this, Mei too.

[Clayton]

If Florestan is interested in watching a dvd, I recommend the Pierre Audi. It has a fab cast and good production, a bit minimalist but in a positive way that allows attention directed to the characters.



Monteverdi: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria
Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Ulisse), Graciela Araya (Penelope), Toby Spence (Telemaco), Jaco Huijpen (Antinoo), Christopher Gillett (Pisandro), Diana Montague (Minerva), Brian Asawa (Anfinomo)
Baroque Ensemble Orchestra, Glen Wilson, stage direction by Pierre Audi

[Florestan]

If Florestan is interested in watching a dvd, I recommend the Pierre Audi. It has a fab cast and good production, a bit minimalist but in a positive way that allows attention directed to the characters.



Monteverdi: Il ritorno d'Ulisse in patria
Anthony Rolfe Johnson (Ulisse), Graciela Araya (Penelope), Toby Spence (Telemaco), Jaco Huijpen (Antinoo), Christopher Gillett (Pisandro), Diana Montague (Minerva), Brian Asawa (Anfinomo)
Baroque Ensemble Orchestra, Glen Wilson, stage direction by Pierre Audi

I have two Ulisse DVD sets now. Kasarova and Kuhlmann. However, I am not averse to getting another. One question. In the prologue some of these have L'umana Fragilità (Human frailty) perform totally in the buff. I am adverse to that. The one I just got, at least has him wearing a loincloth. So, how is it in this set? In fact, L'umana Fragilità (Human frailty) in some sets is portrayed by a woman. Again, would want sufficient clothing in place. Not interested in nudes even for artistic purposes.