What opera have you been listening to, lately?

**Florestan** · February 13th, 2018, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

Some wonderful singing in this. Annie would love the bass arias!

Tchaikovsky: Iolanta
Galina Vishnevskaya (Iolanta), Nicolai Gedda (Vaudemont), Walton Gronroos (Robert), Tom Krause (Ibn-Hakia), Dimiter Petkov (René), James Anderson (Almeric), Fernand Dumont (Bertrand), Viorica Cortez (Martha), Tania Gedda (Brigitta)
Groupe Vocal de France & Orchestre de Paris, Mstislav Rostropovich

That is a very nice opera that does not seem to get much attention. I have a couple sets on CD and ought to revisit them.

**Florestan** · February 14th, 2018, 09:59 PM

This morning:

This afternoon:

This evening:

**Sonata** · February 14th, 2018, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by Florestan

That is a very nice opera that does not seem to get much attention. I have a couple sets on CD and ought to revisit them.

I like Iolanta a lot too, Florestan.

Right now:

Verdi: I Masnadieri

**Soave_Fanciulla** · February 16th, 2018, 02:05 AM

Bellini is growing on me; and William Matteuzzi is great in this.

Bellini: I Puritani
Mariella Devia (Elvira), William Matteuzzi (Arturo Talbot), Christopher Robertson (Sir Riccardo Forth), Paolo Washington (Sir Giorgio), Eleonora Jankovic (Enrichetta di Francia), Franco Federici (Lord Gualtiero Valton), Teatro Massimo Bellini di Catania (chorus)
Richard Bonynge

**MAuer** · February 16th, 2018, 11:52 AM

More Mozart. Although this performance from the Vienna State Opera is flawed -- sliced, diced, and rearranged -- I keep coming back to it for Werner Krenn's Idamante and Sena Jurinac's Elettra.

**Florestan** · February 18th, 2018, 04:34 PM

It is operetta day for me with my new set that I got for $10 shipped. Mostly if not all highlights sets. What do you think? Will I get my belly full of operetta today? Will I find one I want to pursue for the whole work? If so, am looking for the set with Anneliese Rothenberger (the German Beverly Sills IMO).

**Soave_Fanciulla** · February 18th, 2018, 07:22 PM

Do you like opera in-jokes? (eg Nathan Gunn as the air-headed baritone dropping his shirt at any possible opportunity)
Have you watched or heard a few belcanto opera serias? (opera serie???)
Do you ever worry that opera is not relevant, or that there are no new operas?
Do you find that many modern operas have over-challenging music and would like something that is musically interesting but accessible? Heggie knows how to write for voices, too.
Do you want to hear the star spangled banner as it has never been heard before?
Do you want a laugh, some seriously good singing (Joyce DD, Nathan Gunn, Flicka!!!) and a good plot with a bitter-sweet ending?

If yes, Great Scott is for you. One of the jokes made me laugh so hard that I got some very funny looks from all the traffic as I was walking to work.

Now someone needs to make a DVD so that I can see all the staged jokes. PLEASE.

Heggie: Great Scott
Joyce DiDonato (Arden Scott), Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Winnie Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Roane Heckle)
Orchestra and Chorus of The Dallas Opera, Patrick Summers

For a proper critique read the entry in Mary's Critics picks and pans

**Florestan** · February 18th, 2018, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by Soave_Fanciulla

Do you like opera in-jokes? (eg Nathan Gunn as the air-headed baritone dropping his shirt at any possible opportunity)
Have you watched or heard a few belcanto opera serias? (opera serie???)
Do you ever worry that opera is not relevant, or that there are no new operas?
Do you find that many modern operas have over-challenging music and would like something that is musically interesting but accessible? Heggie knows how to write for voices, too.
Do you want to hear the star spangled banner as it has never been heard before?
Do you want a laugh, some seriously good singing (Joyce DD, Nathan Gunn, Flicka!!!) and a good plot with a bitter-sweet ending?

If yes, Great Scott is for you. One of the jokes made me laugh so hard that I got some very funny looks from all the traffic as I was walking to work.

Now someone needs to make a DVD so that I can see all the staged jokes. PLEASE.

Heggie: Great Scott
Joyce DiDonato (Arden Scott), Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Winnie Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo (Roane Heckle)
Orchestra and Chorus of The Dallas Opera, Patrick Summers

For a proper critique read the entry in Mary's Critics picks and pans

Thanks to your intro and the fact that Joyce is on this, I am checking it out!

Had to go to Amazon.de for sound clips. They often have them when no other Amazon does.
https://www.amazon.de/dp/B076JTK8QN?

**Itullian** · February 19th, 2018, 01:53 AM

Act 2 today. Great.

**Florestan** · February 19th, 2018, 03:54 PM

Then Rheingold off this set:

**Ann Lander (sospiro)** · February 20th, 2018, 12:36 PM

To celebrate the interview with Riccardo Muti who mentioned he was a fan of this opera, I listened to it today.

**Sonata** · February 20th, 2018, 01:20 PM

From the depths of my unlistened-to-pile. Funny how deep I'm digging into that now that I cut up my credit card and have not bought a new opera (or any music) in the New Year!

Mehul: Uthal
A very little known French opera. This Opera Francais label is very enticing. So this opera is interesting in that there are no violins used, to give it a deeper richer sound. An interesting idea. Otherwise nothing too special. It's apparently a comic opera about a man who steals his father in laws lands then apologizes in the end and everyone is happy again. It's an hour, so nice if you want to get in a full opera in one sitting. This will never crack my top 50, still I'm enjoying exploring it.

Also, yesterday I listened to one of my favorite Rossini operas, La Donna Del Lago