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Not usually considered one of Bellini's finest efforts (it was only his third opera, after all), but full of the lovely melodies one expects from Bellini, and some really lovely singing by Montserrat Caballe.
I've seen her live as Carmen (opposite Carreras) and as Dalila (opposite Domingo) and she was cracking in both rolesOriginally Posted by MAuer
. It's that fiery Greek temperament.
Natalie
Ann Lander (sospiro) liked this post
Not usually considered one of Bellini's finest efforts (it was only his third opera, after all), but full of the lovely melodies one expects from Bellini, and some really lovely singing by Montserrat Caballe.
Regardless of what is considered his finest efforts, like you, I like Il Pirata. As a matter of fact, of the ten Bellini operas, there are only two I'm not that fond of: Zaira, and Adelson e Salvini. I like all the other eight.
Not usually considered one of Bellini's finest efforts (it was only his third opera, after all), but full of the lovely melodies one expects from Bellini, and some really lovely singing by Montserrat Caballe.
"J'ai dit qu'il ne suffisait pas d'entendre la musique, mais qu'il fallait encore la voir" (Stravinsky)
Hoffmann liked this post
Agree with you on everything. My first Aida and still my favourite.
Conductor/orchestra: Herbert von Karajan, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Vienna State Opera Chorus
Cast: Mirella Freni (Aida), José Carreras (Radamès), Agnes Baltsa (Amneris), Piero Cappuccilli (Amonasro), Ruggero Raimondi (Ramfis), José Van Dam (King of Egypt, Katia Ricciarelli (Temple Priestess), Thomas Moser (Messenger)
More Aida. Baltsa is my favorite Amneris -- she not only has a beautiful voice, but is a powerful actress who is always totally committed to a role. Her confrontation with Carreras' Radamès is packed with high-voltage intensity. And speaking of Carreras, I also like his Radamès, although some have thought his voice too light for the role.
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
I have to confess this was one of those sets I bought just for the picture and the packaging. Fortunately I did like the actual opera as well!
Not usually considered one of Bellini's finest efforts (it was only his third opera, after all), but full of the lovely melodies one expects from Bellini, and some really lovely singing by Montserrat Caballe.
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
My first Macbeth and still my favourite!
Conductor/orchestra: Riccardo Muti, New Philharmonia Orchestra; Ambrosian Opera Chorus
Cast: Sherrill Milnes (Macbeth), Fiorenza Cossotto (Lady Macbeth), Jose Carreras (Macduff), Ruggero Raimondi (Banco), Giuliano Bernardi (Malcolm), Maria Borgato (Lady-in-Waiting), Carlo Del Bosco (Doctor)
What a cast, beginning with Milnes' Macbeth!
"Every theatre is an insane asylum, but an opera theatre is the ward for the incurables."
FRANZ SCHALK, attributed, Losing the Plot in Opera: Myths and Secrets of the World's Great Operas
I admit that my favorite Macbeth is the Gardelli set with Elena Suliotis and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and young Luciano Pavarotti singing Macduff. Yes, Suliotis' voice on this 1970 recording was not what it was (her Abigaille in the Gardelli Nabucco was recorded in 1965) but her Lady Macbeth is determined and dramatically intense.
I have the Muti set and haven't listened to it in a while - time to queue it up again!
I grabbed this used at Dearborn Music yesterday for two reasons:
1) I have Ariodante and Alcina and I read that those along with Orlando make up the three Handel operas based on the epic poem Orlando Furioso. However, I don't think the three operas Orlando, Ariodante, and Alcina relate in any meaningful way apart from the source poem, nothing like how Donizetti's three queens can be organized in historical sequence.
2) I like that this set has a contralto and a mezzo, besides two sopranos and a basss.
It is a bit slow moving but beautiful.
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
Ann Lander (sospiro) liked this post
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
MAuer liked this post
I am unfamiliar with Flotow's opera.
One day...
Sooner than you think. But just don't get that atrocious Weigle Regietheatre new release. I have all the Martha sets on CD and am convinced that the Popp/Jerusalem set is the best.
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
Clayton thanked for this post
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
These two are next up on my play list:
There is an edginess to Behren's voice in this that really fits a woman gone insane:
This is one of the best opera-in-English sets out there.
The vocal clarity is great for understanding the words.
Also quite a fine performance.
"Music is enought for a whole lifetime--but a lifetime is not enough for music." --Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff
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