What opera have you been listening to, lately?

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Coincidentally I have also just watched Oberto, but this version mainly notable for the great Oberto of the lovely Ildar Abdrazakov:



I was attracted to this Nozze on Youtube by the presence of Terfel and Hvorostovsky, but what I enjoyed most of all was the gorgeous singing of a very young Dorothea Röschmann. Her "Deh Vieni" was to die for. This production would have been almost perfect except for the glacial tempi adopted by Harnoncourt. Sucks all the fun and sparkle out of the music.



Another M22 production that doesn't quite work.



Some listening:

[Dark_Angel]

OMG tell me you didn't spend money on that new Bartoli sung Norma, Cecci is trying to warn you




M22 Cosi has some interesting wrinkles, didn't you like the giant dinosaur egg?
My impression is that sisters knew that boyfriends were in disguise but played the game anyway, hmmmmm




Excellent choice

[Jephtha]

I was attracted to this Nozze on Youtube by the presence of Terfel and Hvorostovsky, but what I enjoyed most of all was the gorgeous singing of a very young Dorothea Röschmann. Her "Deh Vieni" was to die for. This production would have been almost perfect except for the glacial tempi adopted by Harnoncourt. Sucks all the fun and sparkle out of the music.

Harnoncourt's tempi are also quite slow in his studio Figaro. He gives interesting reasons for this in his interview in the booklet that comes with the set, but unfortunately in practical reality they just don't work, as you point out. His studio Cosi displays similar slow tempi, but there they are more suited to the soft edges and pastel colors of the work, unlike Figaro which is all(or should be)vivacity and high energy, the Countess' arias and 'Deh vieni' aside.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

OMG tell me you didn't spend money on that new Bartoli sung Norma, Cecci is trying to warn you

Sorry mate, I like it. I'm not too keen on dramatic sopranos so having a mezzo in the role works for me. And I love Sumi Jo as the virginal young Adalgisa (by contrast Ludwig, for instance, sounds as though she should be someone's nutrice). And as the male roles are more important to me I far prefer John Osborn's light bel canto approach than someone like Corelli who sounds as though he's singing Verdi. And I like the light orchestral colours. So it works fine for me; I'm not really a Norma fan anyway, but I'll listen to this again. But I appreciate that if you like traditional renditions of Norma this will come as a shock.

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Harnoncourt's tempi are also quite slow in his studio Figaro. He gives interesting reasons for this in his interview in the booklet that comes with the set, but unfortunately in practical reality they just don't work, as you point out. His studio Cosi displays similar slow tempi, but there they are more suited to the soft edges and pastel colors of the work, unlike Figaro which is all(or should be)vivacity and high energy, the Countess' arias and 'Deh vieni' aside.

Yes, he used the same tempi in the M22 production, but that was a much darker affair in terms of the stage direction so it worked better.

The slow tempi worked fine with Deh Vieni and Röschmann coped well, but they imposed extra strain on Solveig Kringelborn in the Countess's arias and magnified any slight wobble or unevenness in her tone.

[Dark_Angel]

Lombardi x 2
After watching the Tutto Verdi Lombardi DVD these CD sets take on new enjoyment

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Lombardi x 2
After watching the Tutto Verdi Lombardi DVD these CD sets take on new enjoyment

Yes I often find increased enjoyment if I listen to the CD in tandem with watching a DVD. It allows me to concentrate on different aspects of the work. Not to mention that choices on CD often have finer singers. I love the gardelli version ( that violin prelude).

[Nervous Gentleman]

[Jephtha]

[Dark_Angel]

Kurzak x 2

[Amfortas]

Yeah, she seriously needs to get that scoliosis thing looked at.

[tyroneslothrop]

Kurzak x 2

Yay! The only two things she's ever recorded!

[Hoffmann]

Not as rewarding on my little Bose Soundlink as my new system at home, but at least I have a taste of civilization out here on Cape Cod!

[Soave_Fanciulla]

Still on my Mozart big 4 kick. I needed some rational Enlightenment values to restore me from all the mystical introspection (Wagner), high drama and unlikely deaths (Verdi) and the destruction of innocence (Britten).

Don Giovanni from la Scala 2011, in a production by Robert Carsen, with a rather kind and gentle Don Giovanni (Mattei) and the idea that Anna is a willing participant and only changes her mind when she sees what a roué the Don is. Bryn Terfel a very good and funny Leporello, Frittoli committed but I'm not keen on her voice, Trebs as Donna Anna a little murky on the note attacks, but very pretty, and Filianoti sounded strained, so a mixed bag, but Mattei makes up for any deficiencies. He knows this role so well, that I like the recit almost as much as the arias. I could listen to him forever.



The I watched Die Zauberflöte with Topi Lehtipuu and Sophie Karthäuser, conducted by René Jacobs, from 2005 at La Monnaie. I reckon these two are the best Tamino and Tamina I have ever seen, ardent and young and sounding just gorgeous and looking the part perfectly too. Dammit, the playlist has been taken down though! I'd buy it if it came out on DVD. But meanwhile here is Topi and a dancing rhino:



I'm glad Annie persuaded me to get this. It's definitely my favourite Meyerbeer musically so far, and the Pelly production ensures that it doesn't drag. (When I watched the DVD of Le Crociati I though I wasn't going to make it through, it dragged, but this went a long at a lickety-split pace.) My favourite Twitter comment about this production, referring to the ballet of the dead nuns:"I thought zombies liked brains, not tenor".



Some listening:

[Dark_Angel]

Yay! The only two things she's ever recorded!

I am trying to help the poor girl out......