What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Florestan]

"Take that, you rubbish recording!"



Though maybe it's also good to leave a record of what you think of a particular recording. People also like to reference positive criticism.

That is a good idea. I refrain from posting reviews on Amazon as I don't feel qualified when i see some of these thesis reviews posted up there.

I need to rid myself of the Elixir, along with the Fidelio in English. Fortunately I did not fall for the Don Pasquale as I checked out clips a few times and always was repulsed.

Maybe a thread here on sung in English opera (excluding written in English) to rate these sets--I have many.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Salieri: La scuola de' gelosi
Emiliano d’Aguanno, Francesca Lombardi Mazzulli, Federico Sacchi, Roberta Mameli, Florian Gotz, Milena Storti, Patrick Vogel
L`arte del mondo, Werner Ehrhardt




Porpora: Germanico in Germania
Max Emanuel Cencic (Germanico), Julia Lezhneva (Ersinda), Mary-Ellen Nesi (Arminio), Juan Sancho (Segeste), Dilyara Idrisova (Rosmonda), Hasnaa Bennani (Cecina)
Capella Cracoviensis (on period instruments), Jan Tomasz Adamus

[Luiz Gazzola (Almaviva)]

That is a good idea. I refrain from posting reviews on Amazon as I don't feel qualified when i see some of these thesis reviews posted up there.

I need to rid myself of the Elixir, along with the Fidelio in English. Fortunately I did not fall for the Don Pasquale as I checked out clips a few times and always was repulsed.

Maybe a thread here on sung in English opera (excluding written in English) to rate these sets--I have many.

There are plenty of reviews there that betray the fact that people posture a lot but rarely know what they are saying. I find that the actually good and well-informed reviews there are rare. The worst part is how people often misunderstand any kind of more adventurous staging.

I find that in general, Amazon reviews are rather low-quality. I trust our friends here much more than those reviewers there.

[Florestan]

There are plenty of reviews there that betray the fact that people posture a lot but rarely know what they are saying. I find that the actually good and well-informed reviews there are rare. The worst part is how people often misunderstand any kind of more adventurous staging.

I find that in general, Amazon reviews are rather low-quality. I trust our friends here much more than those reviewers there.

There are a few Amazon reviewers i put more stock in such as Ralph Moore and Santa Fe Listener. But all must be taken with caution.

[Hoffmann]

This morning, while pondering my day. I had not listened to this in just about forever:





Il Pirata doesn't get nearly as much attention as Bellini's other operas - despite a few good tunes, it is not top-of-the-line Bellini.


Later, as we had a nice day here (for a change..), I was able to get out for a nice walk:





Everything goes better with Ercole!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Handel: Esther
Lynda Russell, Nancy Argenta, Michael Chance, Tom Randle, Mark Padmore, Matthew Vine, Simon Berridge, Michael George, Robert Evans, Simon Birchall
The Sixteen, The Symphony of Harmony and Invention, Harry Christophers

[Sonata]

Richard Strauss: Daphne, with Renee Fleming

[MAuer]

In the mood for some Mozart (with Wunderlich!).

[Florestan]

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Handel: Rinaldo
Vivica Genaux (Rinaldo), Inga Kalna (Armida/Second Siren), Miah Persson (Almirena/First Siren), Christophe Dumaux (Eustazio), James Rutherford (Argante), Lawrence Zazzo (Goffredo) & Dominique Visse (A Christian Magician)
Freiburger Barockorchester, René Jacobs

[Clayton]

Wagner: Götterdämmerung

Chor der Bayreuther Festspiele, Bayreuther Festspielorchester
Clemens Krauss
Wolfgang Windgassen (tenor), Hetty Plumacher (mezzo-soprano), Astrid Varnay (soprano), Gisela Litz (alto), Gustav Neidlinger (baritone), Josef Greindl (bass), Hermann Uhde (baritone), Ira Malaniuk (soprano), Natalie Hinsch-Gröndahl (mezzo-soprano), Mária von Ilosvay (contralto), Regina Resnik (mezzo-soprano), Erika Zimmermann (soprano)
Recorded: 12 August 1953
Recording Venue: Festspielhaus, Bayreuth, Germany

[Itullian]

Seems I always come back to this recording.

An imperfect fool to a perfect fool

[Sonata]

Richard Strauss: Die ägyptische Helena

My first listen to this lesser known Richard Strauss opera. I like it! I think it's underrated. Personally I prefer it to Rosenkavalier and Capriccio. I base this off listening alone as I don't know the libretto other than the fact that it's based on Helen of Troy and Meneleus. I'll have to put it on my wish list to buy later

[Florestan]

[Itullian]

all I can say is wow.