What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Jephtha]

I wouldn't be surprised if he does a complete Haydn cycle after this. Or Keiser. I want Rene Jacobs to focus his attention on reviving the operas of Reinhard Keiser.
But speaking of Haydn, he did an Orlando Paladino, also with Pendatchanska (she was Alcina) that was most excellent, also on DVD. I really want him to do a L'isola disabitata. I think he could probably do great things with it. Preferably with Topi Lehtipuu as Gernando.

Although YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES to a Medea with Pendatchanska. Seriously, that woman is amazing!

A complete Haydn cycle from Jacobs would be incredible. Let's hope it comes to pass!

I agree one hundred per cent about Pendatchanska. Roles like Elettra, Medea and the Queen of Night are as if they were written with her vocal personality specifically in mind. She is like the Elena Souliotis of period opera performance.

[Jephtha]

...(to think, we could have had Topi Lehtipuu *swoon*)...

He is quite something, isn't he? Have you seen the video of Rameau's Les Paladins conducted by William Christie? Lehtipuu sings Atis, and he is delightful. I believe he is also quite tall, or at least he appears to be in the Rameau.

[Aksel]

A complete Haydn cycle from Jacobs would be incredible. Let's hope it comes to pass!

I agree one hundred per cent about Pendatchanska. Roles like Elettra, Medea and the Queen of Night are as if they were written with her vocal personality specifically in mind. She is like the Elena Souliotis of period opera performance.

Not so sure about Königin, although that is mostly because she doesn't really have the notes (although there is this 22 year old clip of her singing O zittre nicht, at the age of freaking 20!). But her Elettra, oh yes! It's incredible!

As is her Semiramide. Holy Scheisse!

EDIT: I stand corrected. She has in fact sung Queen of the Night. Silly me for not actually bothering to Google something before I write it. Urgh.

[Aksel]

He is quite something, isn't he? Have you seen the video of Rameau's Les Paladins conducted by William Christie? Lehtipuu sings Atis, and he is delightful. I believe he is also quite tall, or at least he appears to be in the Rameau.

It lies somewhere in my unwatched pile. He really is incredible in French baroque stuff, though. And Vivaldi. His Vivaldi aria recital disc (those are a LOT of nouns after one another) is amazing.

[Jephtha]

His Vivaldi aria recital disc (those are a LOT of nouns after one another) is amazing.

Really! I was unaware that Vivaldi had written that many tenor arias. I'll have to give that a listen. I wish I could view the Queen of Night clip, but the system here at work blocks videos, and I am not online at home. Just one more reason for me to finally break down and get a computer.

[Aksel]

Really! I was unaware that Vivaldi had written that many tenor arias. I'll have to give that a listen. I wish I could view the Queen of Night clip, but the system here at work blocks videos, and I am not online at home. Just one more reason for me to finally break down and get a computer.

It would seem (possibly Nat, DA or HC could help illuminate this matter for us) that Vivaldi used quite a few tenors in his operas. In any case, the arias included on Lehtipuu's recording (it's part of the Naïve complete Vivaldi series) are in any case most excellent.

[Dark_Angel]

Although YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES to a Medea with Pendatchanska. Seriously, that woman is amazing!

Very nice Handel Agrippina recently released with her, another Jacobs HM project with luxury packaging and excellent sound quality, I do have a few operas with her all conducted by Jacobs......

[Jephtha]

Very nice Handel Agrippina recently released with her, another Jacobs HM project with luxury packaging and excellent sound quality, I do have a few operas with her all conducted by Jacobs......

I agree; this is a wonderful performance, and a nice contrast to the old John Eliot Gardiner recording starring Della Jones, as well as the Nicholas McGegan version with Sally Bradshaw.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

And yes, I agree. His voice is not suited to Il Podestà. It's a (low) tenor part, for goodness sake!

That is interesting, because I am usually a Rivenq fan, and I got quite a shock when I heard him sing the Podestà, and wondered whether I should revise my opinion of him - good to know you feel he was miscast rather than just awful!

I really really want a Jacobs Entführung.

[Aksel]

That is interesting, because I am usually a Rivenq fan, and I got quite a shock when I heard him sing the Podestà, and wondered whether I should revise my opinion of him - good to know you feel he was miscast rather than just awful!

Definitely miscast. A tenor sang it when I saw it earlier this spring, and he was marvellous, so I think it's a case of severe miscasting. The man sings Don Alfonso, for crying out loud!

[Festat]

I liked the Cosi very much actually, but don't forget I was watching a DVD version so I was also following the story, and the acting was very good. I listened to Rainer Trost's Un Aura Amorosa twice though because I enjoyed it so much, beautifully sung. Don Alfonso was the weakest singer as he was a little long in the tooth, but in terms of verisimilitude that was appropriate.

I just found it is available complete on youtube. (:

The guys entry in tights. I think this is going to be good.

[Schigolch]

[Jephtha]

This morning it is Handel's Solomon, conducted by Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Everyone in the cast is excellent, but Della Jones as the Second Harlot (in the dispute over the baby) is astounding. Her identification with the character is total, and the range of wickedness, from sweetly whispered mendacity and hypocrisy through hysterical denunciation to (premature) triumphant gloating is dazzling. What an underrated singer she has always been! Her portrayals of Vitellia, Donna Elvira, Marcellina, Agrippina, Ruggiero and so many other roles are always vivid and impeccably sung(her 'Sta nell'Ircana' in Alcina is surely a benchmark for how this piece should be done).

[Aramis]

I don't know why I have this. It has awful cover and is not remastered. I've only heard some better quality version in fragments. I love this recording much more than the studio Callas Sonnambula (mainly because of great Valletti) but I'm poor as Donald Duck and miserly as his uncle, how in these circumstances am I supposed to buy recording that I already have, only in non-remastered version.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

It was pouring with rain & very windy this morning so need some good marching music on the Walkman. Each time I listen to this I love it a bit more.