# Favorite Donizetti Queen Opera



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Donizetti wrote four operas about Tudor Queens:

Elisabetta al Castello di Kenilworth 1829

Anna Bolena 1830

Maria Stuarda 1835

Roberto Devereux 1837

Which is your favorite? I understand the obscurity of Elisabetta al Castello di Kenilworth as there are few recordings available and the other three have been produced/promoted as Donizetti's "Three Queens." But among the Three Queens, there seems to be a lack of love for Roberto Devereux. Maybe this is partly attributable to the number of available recordings for each one and what ones certain singers recorded (e.g., as far as I know Maria Callas only recorded Anna Bolena). Lets vote and see where it goes.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I didn't find the music in Roberto D. to be as vocally showy as in Anna Bolena or Maria Stuarda, which both have a lot of coloratura.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I think Maria Stuarda would be considered the most satisfactory of the operas (it has the best source material for a start in Schiller's play). It's musically strong throughout and I always think that having two prima donnas as opposite poles of attraction is more interesting than having one woman surrounded by a phalanx of men who all react differently to her. Structurally it's less sprawling than Anna Bolena which is a significantly longer opera and is closer to Rossini's war house opera serias. (It's no surprise that Gavazzeni cut so much of the score for his La Scala performances.)

However, I prefer Anna Bolena as the melodies are more memorable (the more work a day nature of Deveraux is why it's performed less than the other two in the trilogy IMO). There are so many superb moments in Bolena that stick in the mind due to their musical originality: the final grand aria; but also Tu che mi vedi in core; and Io sentii. Then there's Giudici!

I don't know Elisabetta, which recordings do you recommend?

N.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I voted Maria Stuarda , keeps my attention from start to finish whilst by Bolena and Devereux the last aria are the most strong parts, I long for the finales like that


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Actually my favorite queen without a single doubt is SONDRA RADVANOVSKY


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

nina foresti said:


> Actually my favorite queen without a single doubt is SONDRA RADVANOVSKY


I would buy that performance without any hesitation.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

*Anna Bolena*, but mostly for the blisteringly brilliant singing of Callas in the live performance from La Scala in 1957. Yes, I know it's cut, but I doubt anyone ever sang it better, even the great Giuditta Pasta herself. One of Callas's greatest nights in the theatre and the one which spearheaded the whole _bel canto_ revival.










My review of the performance on my blog

I think *Maria Stuarda* is musically stronger, and that would be my second choice, with *Roberto Devereux* coming third. I don't know *Elisabetta* at all.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

The Conte said:


> I think Maria Stuarda would be considered the most satisfactory of the operas (it has the best source material for a start in Schiller's play). It's musically strong throughout and I always think that having two prima donnas as opposite poles of attraction is more interesting than having one woman surrounded by a phalanx of men who all react differently to her. Structurally it's less sprawling than Anna Bolena which is a significantly longer opera and is closer to Rossini's war house opera serias. (It's no surprise that Gavazzeni cut so much of the score for his La Scala performances.)
> 
> However, I prefer Anna Bolena as the melodies are more memorable (the more work a day nature of Deveraux is why it's performed less than the other two in the trilogy IMO). *There are so many superb moments in Bolena that stick in the mind due to their musical originality: the final grand aria; but also Tu che mi vedi in core; and Io sentii. Then there's Giudici!
> *
> ...


Good points as usual Conte and TL, having two women as rivals in AB & MS sets up fabulous mad scences and both operas have very high quality orchestral scores and vocal parts, but the ending of Anna Bolena is just a stunning masterwork by Donnizetti, one of the pinnacles of Bel Canto opera genre.....

From the heartbreaking "piangete voi"/"al dolce guidami" which "set up" and amplify the dramatic defiance of "copia iniqua" conclusion I never tire of hearing this, when sung by a great diva (ie: la divina) it is one of the greatest opera scences so emotionally powerful


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Seattleoperafan said:


> I didn't find the music in Roberto D. to be as vocally showy as in Anna Bolena or Maria Stuarda, which both have a lot of coloratura.


My understanding is that the coloratura in Devereux is all with the queen and only the queen.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

The Conte said:


> I don't know Elisabetta, which recordings do you recommend?
> 
> N.


Well I think up until recently there was only one recording and only on CD. 









There is a new one out as of May 2019 on both CD and DVD. I just watched it on DVD and that is what got me excited about Devereux.









As to which is a better recording, I leave that to others who are musically astute. I am not qualified, but my feeling is (and no longer being a Devia nut) that one might do better going for the Jessica Pratt recording on CD and DVD. If nothing else, the Devia CD set seems to be going for way too high of prices and that alone would drive me to Pratt, which can be had for around $20.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Interesting that Anna is in the lead. That is my least favorite of the Three Queens. Right now Roberto is my favorite. I tried likeing Anna more by listening to her with Sills, Sutherland, and Theodossiou, but none of those three (which I believe are the most complete productions available) really took me by storm. I have a few of the cut versions: Callas, Gencer, Scotto. Maybe, if any of those has decent sound, I should give them a try. Maybe shorter is better in this case (for me).


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

If you are going to listen to Callas' Anna Bolena and are concerned about the sound then you need to listen to the release on Myto:









Or the one on Divina. All the other releases aren't as good as these two soundwise.

N.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

SixFootScowl said:


> Interesting that Anna is in the lead. That is my least favorite of the Three Queens. Right now Roberto is my favorite. I tried likeing Anna more by listening to her with Sills, Sutherland, and Theodossiou, but none of those three (which I believe are the most complete productions available) really took me by storm. I have a few of the cut versions: Callas, Gencer, Scotto. Maybe, if any of those has decent sound, I should give them a try. Maybe shorter is better in this case (for me).


You're short in the hatch, Mac! The one to beat is Sondra Radvanovsky. If you don't flip for that one, it just ain't gonna happen for you, my friend.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

The Conte said:


> If you are going to listen to Callas' Anna Bolena and are concerned about the sound then you need to listen to the release on Myto:
> 
> View attachment 132765
> 
> ...


I may have that one. Problem is I sometimes put a different cover picture than the one I have, so would have to dig out the actual CD which could be quite a job. Anyway, it is a good one, but the sound quality is less than stellar.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

nina foresti said:


> You're short in the hatch, Mac! The one to beat is Sondra Radvanovsky. If you don't flip for that one, it just ain't gonna happen for you, my friend.


Is there a CD or DVD of it?


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

SixFootScowl said:


> Is there a CD or DVD of it?


One can dream........


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I think I have found an Anna Bolena I really like:


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

SixFootScowl said:


> I think I have found an Anna Bolena I really like:


For Gencer did you check the Tudor trilogy set, or Myto single set with Simionato, very good live sound.......


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> For Gencer did you check the Tudor trilogy set, or Myto single set with Simionato, very good live sound.......


I have all three but not in the trilogy set. My Anna and Roberto are both Opera D'oro label.


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