What opera have you been listening to, lately?

**Florestan** · February 3rd, 2021, 12:14 AM

**MAuer** · February 3rd, 2021, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by Florestan

I have the video version of this, and it's delightful if a little old-fashioned. (The original film was made for TV.)

**Florestan** · February 3rd, 2021, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by MAuer

I have the video version of this, and it's delightful if a little old-fashioned. (The original film was made for TV.)

I have two videos, one with Teresa Stratas, and one with Lucia Popp. Both good. It is a delightful opera with much wonderul music and enough ballet music to make me happy (too much ballet is not good IMO). This opera should definitely be on my top operas list. I have the sung in English and am undecided about it. I also have the sung in German which has some awesome singers. I should try the German one next.

Oh, every time I hear the kutzy half brother laughing in this one I think of Nemorino laughing at the soldier. Really, this opera ranks right up there with L'elisir IMO, and probably Barber of Seville too. Just not Italian music, but that is the bonus, I don't have much Czech music. This is probably it. Any recommendations for Czech composers of symphony or opera?

Edit: ha, dummy me. Next up in my queue was this Czech opera! Nice one too. Sort of a sequel to Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov. Still, more Czech suggestions please.

**MAuer** · February 4th, 2021, 12:55 PM

Regrettably, I have few recordings of operas in the Czech (specifically) or Slavic (generally) repertoire. My only other Czech opera is Rusalka, which I suspect you already have.

**Florestan** · February 4th, 2021, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by MAuer

Regrettably, I have few recordings of operas in the Czech (specifically) or Slavic (generally) repertoire. My only other Czech opera is Rusalka, which I suspect you already have.

I don't have Rusalka because the story did not appeal to me.

**MAuer** · February 5th, 2021, 12:12 PM

No happy ending, that's for sure.

**Florestan** · February 6th, 2021, 05:13 AM

Originally Posted by MAuer

No happy ending, that's for sure.

Sometimes I can live with the no happy ending: Tosca because Scarpia gets paid back for all the women he abused and Traviata because Violetta gives up her new found joy for the sake of her beau's sister and family.

**Nemorino** · February 9th, 2021, 01:24 AM

Originally Posted by Florestan

I don't have Rusalka because the story did not appeal to me.

I know you what mean. When I first heard Rusalka I was skeptical about the story, but the music is so good that I fell in love with it. Like La Traviata, too. I think it's dramatically very good and offers lots of possibilities for different interpretations of the characters. So just for the sake of it being one of the best Dvorak operas, and best Czech operas, I hope you give it a listen sometime.

I haven't listened to too much Smetana yet, but I really like the music to Dalibor, and the heroic plot with parallels to Fidelio might appeal to you.

And Janacek is one of the great opera composers, but his operas vary quite a bit in listenability. The Cunning Little Vixen is the best starting point, I think, because the music is just GORGEOUS. It sounds like it's a kiddie story but it's actually very adult and complex.

**Florestan** · February 10th, 2021, 04:06 AM

Originally Posted by Nemorino

I know you what mean. When I first heard Rusalka I was skeptical about the story, but the music is so good that I fell in love with it. Like La Traviata, too. I think it's dramatically very good and offers lots of possibilities for different interpretations of the characters. So just for the sake of it being one of the best Dvorak operas, and best Czech operas, I hope you give it a listen sometime.

I haven't listened to too much Smetana yet, but I really like the music to Dalibor, and the heroic plot with parallels to Fidelio might appeal to you.

And Janacek is one of the great opera composers, but his operas vary quite a bit in listenability. The Cunning Little Vixen is the best starting point, I think, because the music is just GORGEOUS. It sounds like it's a kiddie story but it's actually very adult and complex.

Yes, I avoided La Traviata for years because I wasn't interested in a story about a whore. But when I saw a used copy featuring Renee Fleming at my music store one day, I bought it and was hooked. There are a number of operas I first experienced while pursuing a particular singer. Others I pursued based on the story.

I suppose I owe Rusalka a listen sometime. Had not heard of Dalibor, but see much of Act II is like Fidelio. However, Dalibor has a very nasty ending, yet I like I Capuleti e i Montecchi which has a nasty ending too, and Tosca. Ha, when i tell someone about Tosca, I always say it is a great opera where all the main characters die nasty deaths. I have considered the Vixen in the past but never followed through.

**StarThrower** · February 12th, 2021, 06:54 PM

I'm waiting on a copy of La Traviata. I ordered the Carlos Kleiber recording. I've spread myself quite thin listening to many different operas in the past month. This week it's Boris Godunov, and Aida. I've also been listening to Donizetti's popular works, and Tannhauser. I wanted the Sawallisch '62 CD, but had to settle for the Solti which is on its way. I'm also listening to Don Carlo by Abbado, and Giulini. And I have a copy of Macbeth on the way. The Muti was a bit pricey so I settled for Abbado. I've also listened to Mehta's Turandot, and Solti's Die Frau Ohne Shatten.