What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

This is just at the limit of acceptable sound for me - it's quite an old CD so not the more recently remastered version. Although it features some of the greats (Gobbi, de los Angeles) I prefer more modern versions. Boris Christoff's Italian - lol, so many Russian dark Ls.


Verdi: Simon Boccanegra
Tito Gobbi (Simon Boccanegra), Giuseppe Campora (Gabriele Adorno), Boris Christoff (Jacopo Fiesco), Victoria de los Angeles (Amelia Grimaldi/Maria Boccanegra), Walter Monachesi (Paolo), Paolo Dari (Pietro)
Chorus and Orchestra of Rome Opera, Gabriele Santini

[Clayton]

Mozart: La Finta Giardiniera, conducted by Renee Jacobs

Beautiful cover art!

That's one that should go in the list of CD covers we like

https://operalively.com/forums/showt...covers-we-like

and I'm putting it next in my listening pile.

Though the cricket has just started today...

[Clayton]

I have been mainly listening to Vivaldi recently.



When I listen to a different opera, I mostly then decide that that one is my favourite Vivaldi. Is that what Vivaldi operas do or is this just the bog standard common garden hearditis?



Obviously my two month old baby lemur concentration span didn't hold with the listening pile and La Finta Giardiniera.

[Ann Lander (sospiro)]

I have been mainly listening to Vivaldi recently.



When I listen to a different opera, I mostly then decide that that one is my favourite Vivaldi. Is that what Vivaldi operas do or is this just the bog standard common garden hearditis?

I suffer from it too; must be hearditis!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

I suffer from it too; must be hearditis!

I think it is particularly Vivaldi operas, all recognizably Vivaldi but not very distinct from one another.

[Sonata]

And Ariadne Auf Naxos, conducted by Kempe


- - - Updated - - -

That's one that should go in the list of CD covers we like

https://operalively.com/forums/showt...covers-we-like

and I'm putting it next in my listening pile.

Though the cricket has just started today...

Great idea! And with cricket: you can always lower the volume, so you can watch the match AND listen to the opera at the same time Sometimes I'll do that with hockey when I just can't make up my mind what to do

[Florestan]

Since yesterday evening:

[Sonata]

Camille Saint Saens: Sampson and Delilah
with Jon Vickers, conducted by Pretre


A selection from my unlistened to pile. Very satisfying to be chipping away at that! It was nice to see that I had a Vickers recording in my collection that I didn't even know about. Far from my favorite Vickers role so far but still good to have. The opera itself feels uneven to me. The opening and choral pieces are wonderful. It feels early in the opera Saint Saens is trying to be Wagnerian but not pulling it off well. Then we get to the love duet, which then feels much more French opera-y and very well done. Just starting Act II now, so curious to see what lies ahead

[Florestan]

[Sonata]

That's a great recording Florestan!

I finished Sampson and Delilah while doing some morning grocery shopping. Now I am making sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuits from scratch for my family and my sister and nephew who are here visiting. While I cook, this is on:

Verdi: Attila

[MAuer]

Conductor/orchestra: Julius Rudel, Philharmonia Orchestra
Ambrosian Opera Chorus (John McCarthy, director)
Cast: Frederica von Stade (Lucette/Cendrillon), Nicolai Gedda (Prince Charmant), Jane Berbié (Madame de la Haltiere), Jules Bastin (Pandolfe), Ruth Welting (Fairy Godmother), Teresa Cahill (Noémie), Elizabeth Bainbridge (Dorothée), Claude Méloni (the King), et. al.

Mentioning this recording in another thread had me reaching for it again. This really is a delightful opera and a wonderful recording with a superb cast. Massenet, forgive me and my limited imagination, but I really do think it sounds better when the Prince is sung by a tenor rather than a mezzo. Sometimes I wonder if Cendrillon might have been more popular had the Prince been written for a tenor, since its characters stick closer to the traditional fairy tale than those in Rossini's La Cenerentola (i.e., wicked stepmother and fairy godmother instead of a wicked stepfather and the Prince's male adviser in place of the godmother).

[Florestan]

Yesterday (still not liking French Opera but for Saint-Saens' Henry VIII):


This morning (I am liking this one, particular after the 73 minute movie with same principal singers):

[Clayton]

Borodin: Prince Igor
Kaludi Kaludov (Igoryevich), Boris Martinovich (Igor Svytoslavich), Nicolai Ghiuselev (Yaroslavich),
Nicolai Ghiaurov (Khan Konchak), Alexandrina Milcheva (Konchakovna), Stoil Georgiev (Skula),
Mincho Popov (Ovlur), Angel Petkov (Yeroshka), Elena Stoyanova (nurse/maiden),
Stefka Evstatieva (Yaroslavna)
Sofia National Opera Chorus, Sofia Festival Orchestra
Emil Tchakarov
Recorded National Palace of Culture, Sofia July 1987

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Borodin: Prince Igor
Kaludi Kaludov (Igoryevich), Boris Martinovich (Igor Svytoslavich), Nicolai Ghiuselev (Yaroslavich),
Nicolai Ghiaurov (Khan Konchak), Alexandrina Milcheva (Konchakovna), Stoil Georgiev (Skula),
Mincho Popov (Ovlur), Angel Petkov (Yeroshka), Elena Stoyanova (nurse/maiden),
Stefka Evstatieva (Yaroslavna)
Sofia National Opera Chorus, Sofia Festival Orchestra
Emil Tchakarov
Recorded National Palace of Culture, Sofia July 1987

Lovely lovely lovely. I adore this opera.

[Florestan]

Lovely lovely lovely. I adore this opera.

I have it but need to get into it. Need a DVD I guess.