Natalie
This is a very nice, if not the best version of I Pagliacci. Bergonzi is great as Canio...his voice suits that pent up emotion about to, then finally exploding. Karajan produces thick dreamy sounds from his orchestra that suits this verisimo style. Think this and the Bjorling/de Los Angeles version I would not want to be without, with the manic James Macracken set coming in 3rd for sheer vocal unhingedness!!Originally Posted by Schigolch
On DVD I am afraid the opera is not so well served. Pavarotti at the Met in the DVD combined with Il Tabarro will do for me. He looks like he is welling up in his eyes during "Recitar...". Whilst Pav was light in voice compared to come of the heavyweights who have tackled this role such as Del Monaco, Corelli,Atlantov, Giacomini and Domingo I think he gets away with it because of the sheer beauty of the sound and pent up emotion like Bergonzi. That tear in the voice they often talk about.
I have nickname for Barbara Frittoli, in vein of other sopranos, it's "La Vibrante".
This isn't my favourite Mozart recital CD but it's great listen nevertheless, most of arias are standards from Figaro or Giovanni but there's a concert aria too and the fierce Idomeneo aria, d'Oreste d'Ajace, one of best renditions I can think of:
Quite glad that this is over actually. Gruberova did a good job although there were some signs of strain, but there is a limit to the amount of very high soprano singing I can take. And she wore the same glittery evening dress throughout, even after she had supposedly been dragged to prison and tortured - amazingly this did not disarrange her hairdo. Liked the mezzo Stefania Kaluza much more.
But it is lovely music, and the only Beatrice di Tenda on DVD, unfortunately. I'd like to see a production of it that was more dramatic and less canary-fancier.
Natalie
A couple friends and I were going to see the Met movie theatre broadcast of Aida, but as one friend had family matters to attend to, we'll be seeing Rigoletto instead...
In any case, while I'm usually so devoted to Mozart/Tchaikovsky/Puccini as my Opera Holy Trinity, lately Verdi's been elbowing in for more and more air time...
Netrebko above.
"There are more things in heaven and earth then are dreamt of in your philosophy" --Hamlet
You can see the latest Met in HD Aida online.
A couple friends and I were going to see the Met movie theatre broadcast of Aida, but as one friend had family matters to attend to, we'll be seeing Rigoletto instead...
In any case, while I'm usually so devoted to Mozart/Tchaikovsky/Puccini as my Opera Holy Trinity, lately Verdi's been elbowing in for more and more air time...
Netrebko above.
I think Rigoletto will be a better bet anyway.
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 5th, 2018 at 08:26 AM.
Natalie
Hm, why do you say that?
(I don't actually "see" a lot of operas, truth be told, I LISTEN to then via iPod between classes or while reading and writing and whatnot, so I'm by no means a vet at watching performances the way one might sit down and watch a play...which is probably a terrible sin here, but it just fits so well with reading...)
Last edited by Soave_Fanciulla; January 5th, 2018 at 08:26 AM.
"There are more things in heaven and earth then are dreamt of in your philosophy" --Hamlet
I'm not keen on the production, it's very overblown and stuffy, and I'm not that keen on Alagna these days. The Rigoletto sounds as though it could be an interesting production with a good cast (Zeljko Lucic, Diana Damrau and Piotr Bezala) and an intriguing concept (Vegas in the 60s).Hm, why do you say that?
(I don't actually "see" a lot of operas, truth be told, I LISTEN to then via iPod between classes or while reading and writing and whatnot, so I'm by no means a vet at watching performances the way one might sit down and watch a play...which is probably a terrible sin here, but it just fits so well with reading...)
As for how you experience opera, whatever works for you! Though not Britten, I defy you not to pay attention to what is happening in Turn of the Screw, Billy Budd, Owen Wingrave and Peter Grimes.
Natalie
After more than thirty years on this business, I still listen a lot more than watching, Mr. Hamlet, so there is not really one recipe for all. Each lover of Opera must find his own way into the genre.
This little wrist-slitter. Serious contender for most depressing third act in ALL of opera this one.
Oh, what's your job, what's your career in opera, that's great...After more than thirty years on this business, I still listen a lot more than watching, Mr. Hamlet, so there is not really one recipe for all. Each lover of Opera must find his own way into the genre.
(Personally ANY job sounds great and mythical to me, aside from freelance tutoring, I just can't nail one...years wasted "learning" quadratic equations in algebra classes an English major like myself will NEVER need and NEVER apply when my high school of years back and colleges could have taught job skills instead...meh.)
Aside from the fact it does go very nicely with reading--granted I don't think it deserved the Pulitzer, but there's nothing quite like listening to The Flower Duet while Edith Wharton's characters watch a performance of it in The Age of Innocence.
But I'm getting a cable to connect my iPod to the TV, so maybe I'll download some of these operas that you have on here from YouTube and watch on my TV...
While reading or writing (and certainly drinking...there should be a drinking game for La Traviata or La Boheme.)
"There are more things in heaven and earth then are dreamt of in your philosophy" --Hamlet
Traviata drinking gameWhile reading or writing (and certainly drinking...there should be a drinking game for La Traviata or La Boheme.)
Act 1:
Take a sip every time the word 'libiamo' is sung.
One drink every time Violetta coughs.
Two drinks every time Alfredo looks awkward
One drink per meter diameter of Violetta's dress. Round upwards to the nearest meter.
If Violetta is wearing a short dress, one drink for every 10 in. of leg on display
Special regie bonus:
Two drinks if production is set as a flashback
Three drinks if everyone is wearing the same clothes, men and women.
One drink for a big red couch.
One drink for masks
Act 2: Special regie round!
Two drinks for Alfredo forcibly shoving money down Violetta's dress
One drink for an abusive Germont pere
One drink per stripper at Flora's party
One drink for every bullfighter/gypsy (there should not be any)
Act 3:
Two drinks for every time Violetta coughs
^Once I get that cable to watch it on my TV...
This drinking game is HAPPENING.
"There are more things in heaven and earth then are dreamt of in your philosophy" --Hamlet
Oh my God! This will lead to alcohol poisoning!
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
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