What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Jephtha]

This morning it is the b-minor Mass, the 1968 recording conducted by Harnoncourt and numbering the luminous Rotraud Hansmann and the great Bach tenor Kurt Equiluz among the soloists. Choir: Wiener Saengerknaben. The Domine Deus movement unites the bell-like tones of Hansmann and Equiluz in a heavenly web of sound with the baroque flute and strings, all playing as dolcissimo as possible. An enchanting performance.

[Dark_Angel]

Listening to the big stars again including von Karajan directing an aged production transferred to DVD (not that it bothered me). Very "heavy duty" singing with heavy vibrato and loud orchestral "fortissimo" under von Karajan, as if he was conducting a Beethoven or Bruckner symphony, though sounding impressive, might be a touch over blown for Verdi. The staging was apparently directed by von Karajn too, which clearly showed he was no stage director; although traditional, the movement and interaction amongst singers and even the background, was simplistic. Still, the crowds evidently loved it. I would have enjoyed it if I was in the theatre perhaps more than in front of the television.

Attachment 1380

You will never today get a Verdi cast assembled of that great vocal quality for Trovatore, that alone is reason enough to buy!

The ultimate production let down is the initial garden scence with Leonora, notice the edges of screen are intentionally blurred and out of focus on DVD I am guessing to simulate viewer peeking through bushes, very badly handled.....

[Aramis]

The ultimate production let down is the initial garden scence with Leonora, notice the edges of screen are intentionally blurred and out of focus I am guessing to simulate viewer peeking through bushes, very badly handled.....

I agree, they didn't consider that the viewer may be really in bushes... equipment on which I watch operas is in the middle of dense bush, so when I was watching this I was like "what's that I'm in a bush gazing through the bushes... are there bushes growing inside of my bush?". Confusing and very reckless.

[HarpsichordConcerto]

You will never today get a Verdi cast assembled of that great vocal quality for Trovatore, that alone is reason enough to buy!

The ultimate production let down is the initial garden scence with Leonora, notice the edges of screen are intentionally blurred and out of focus on DVD I am guessing to simulate viewer peeking through bushes, very badly handled.....

Agree. The singing was very "heavy duty" - solid, loud and lots of vibrato. I revisited this DVD after a while, and noticed the aged effect (that did not bother me). The garden scene had the blurred fuzzy attempt, which I didn't really like. But I would recommend this DVD to add to the collection. It is rather unique from several aspects.

[emiellucifuge]

Ive basically had this on repeat:

[Jephtha]

Ive basically had this on repeat:

One of my favorites for sure! Elizabeth Harwood sings the most refined Musetta on disc, complete with a long diminuendo to pianissimo on the final top B of the Waltz Song. It could be argued that she is perhaps too refined for the character, but I don't care: she sounds magnificent. And one of my old favorites, Panerai as Marcello. Act II is stupendous in this performance. I just like the whole thing!

[Aramis]

What can you say about such legendary performance. The unique acoustics of ancient amphitheater, the wind, Vickers turning suddenly into Placido Domingo, literally from note to note. The two frist factors, as rare in opera as they are, are explainable. But Vickers turning into Domingo is beyond human comprehension. Decades passed and no other tenor repeated this trick. I think it's possible we won't see another tenor turning into Placido Domingo on stage in centuries.

[Schigolch]

[Amfortas]

What can you say about such legendary performance. The unique acoustics of ancient amphitheater, the wind, Vickers turning suddenly into Placido Domingo, literally from note to note. The two frist factors, as rare in opera as they are, are explainable. But Vickers turning into Domingo is beyond human comprehension. Decades passed and no other tenor repeated this trick. I think it's possible we won't see another tenor turning into Placido Domingo on stage in centuries.

If you didn't see it already and you're curious, transformation takes place here around 5:07:

That actually does sound like Domingo at the end. How come?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I'm completely Lohengrined out, having watched in quick succession the ratty one from Bayreuth and the opening night one from La Scala. I'm not sure about all the foetal twitching, but Kaufmann sure made me weep with "In fernem Land". It was brilliant.

[HarpsichordConcerto]

Henze, der Prinz von Homberg (1960), 105 minutes long. This DVD has been a part of my unwatched pile. I am in the mood to clean out some of these, especially the modern/contemporary operas.

Plot was rather dull. Music was modern, I think. Not as dramatic nor as engaging as a Britten opera. Passable.

[Dark_Angel]

Two new baroque performances arrived, the Cesare is a great one perhaps the best new baroque recording released in 2012.......
Sound quality is reference class 10/10, more in Handel thread soon (HC without question must own this)

[Aramis]

HC without question must own this

this I belive with question he owns

[Schigolch]

[brianwalker]

A bit over-hyped, but deservedly so.