# Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Lucio Silla recommended recordings?



## Dulova Harps On (Nov 2, 2018)

Would appreciate some suggestions for recommended recordings of those two works. Also i was watching an acting in opera workshop featuring Jonathan Miller recently that featured La Traviata sung in English. Are there recordings of this? I was hoping some of the more learned TC members may know the answer.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

https://www.talkclassical.com/32945....html?highlight=Die+Entführung+aus+dem+Serail


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

For the latter one no much response.

https://www.talkclassical.com/24139-need-some-help-finding.html?highlight=Lucio+Silla
But I like this one:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8051494--mozart-lucio-silla-k135


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## gvn (Dec 14, 2019)

As regards Lucio Silla, I think the safest general recommendation would be the Philips recording conducted by Leopold Hager, with Peter Schreier as Silla and excellent Mozartians in all the other roles. 

A fascinating supplement would be Harnoncourt's Teldec recording, with Schreier giving his later thoughts on the title role and an equally good team of singers overall, but the conducting is of course much more eccentric, and the work is substantially cut. (I suspect the role may have been a special favourite of Schreier's; didn't he also do excellent separate versions of all the arias on a recital disc, or am I dreaming that?)

Of more recent releases, I have enjoyed most the Da Capo recording conducted by Adam Fischer with Lothar Odinius as Silla. But I wouldn't seriously claim that the singing overall can match that on the two earlier recordings.

Note that even the Hager and Fischer sets have cuts in the recitatives, but all the musical numbers are complete.

I've seen several video productions but couldn't honestly recommend any of them. I have a feeling that, in a really good staging with a first-rate singing actor as Silla, the work would be an absolute knockout, quite possibly the finest of all Mozart's pre-Idomeneo operas (i.e., even better than Mitridate). The available videos seem to me to make little of the opportunities here.


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## zxxyxxz (Apr 14, 2020)

For Die Entführung aus dem Serail I must admit to liking the old english language version with Nicolai Gedda and Mattiwilda Dobbs that is available from Chandos.

For me the dialogue makes the work and being able to hear all the jokes and of course be moved by Pasha Selim's mercy.

Though if not a native english speaker your mileage may vary.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I don't know Lucio Silla, however for Entfuhrung there are a number of good sets. I would look into the Rene Jacobs one on Harmonia Mundi (possibly the most recent).

(It would help to know whether you like historic recordings on modern instruments or if you prefer period orchestras and style etc.)

I also think it worth listening to a few recordings you hear on YouTube to give you an idea of what you like.

N.


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## Dulova Harps On (Nov 2, 2018)

Rogerx said:


> For the latter one no much response.
> 
> https://www.talkclassical.com/24139-need-some-help-finding.html?highlight=Lucio+Silla
> But I like this one:
> https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8051494--mozart-lucio-silla-k135


Listening to it right now and it's wonderful.Thank you so much for the suggestion Rogerx! And to all of you as always your insights and knowledge are most helpful.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

If you do like watching DVD:



Really what a gem.


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## Dulova Harps On (Nov 2, 2018)

Finished Lucio Silla last night.
I loved it. Will now explore some more of the lesser known/earlier and middle period Mozart Operas.Any recommendations of recordings are appreciated as I am a novice having only heard Don Giovanni, Magic Flute and of the lesser knowns Idomeneo and Il Re Pastore. As well as Lucio of course.


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## gvn (Dec 14, 2019)

Dulova Harps On said:


> Finished Lucio Silla last night.
> I loved it. Will now explore some more of the lesser known/earlier and middle period Mozart Operas.Any recommendations of recordings are appreciated as I am a novice having only heard Don Giovanni, Magic Flute and of the lesser knowns Idomeneo and Il Re Pastore. As well as Lucio of course.


Three suggestions, in my personal order of preference:

1. MITRIDATE was the immediate predecessor of Lucio Silla and is similar in style and quality. If you liked Hager's recording of Lucio, you'd probably enjoy his classic recording of Mitridate with Werner Hollweg in the title role (for Philips). I'd also recommend the recordings conducted by Christophe Rousset with Giuseppe Sabbatini (Decca) and by Ian Page with Barry Banks (Signum). A particularly admired production of it, conducted by Theodor Guschlbauer and staged by Jean-Claude Fall at Aix-en-Provence in 1986, is or has been available on DVD in Europe. There is also a serviceable Covent Garden DVD, though some people find the production rather silly.

2. The little one-act comedy BASTIEN UND BASTIENNE is also popular, although recommending recordings of it would be a very complex job--different listeners have very different preferences here!

3. LA FINTA GIARDINIERA contains some brilliant music, although the libretto is a strange mixture, well below the standard of Lucio & Mitridate, or even Bastien. Again there are excellent recordings of it by Hager and others.


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## Dulova Harps On (Nov 2, 2018)

gvn said:


> Three suggestions, in my personal order of preference:
> 
> 1. MITRIDATE was the immediate predecessor of Lucio Silla and is similar in style and quality. If you liked Hager's recording of Lucio, you'd probably enjoy his classic recording of Mitridate with Werner Hollweg in the title role (for Philips). I'd also recommend the recordings conducted by Christophe Rousset with Giuseppe Sabbatini (Decca) and by Ian Page with Barry Banks (Signum). A particularly admired production of it, conducted by Theodor Guschlbauer and staged by Jean-Claude Fall at Aix-en-Provence in 1986, is or has been available on DVD in Europe. There is also a serviceable Covent Garden DVD, though some people find the production rather silly.
> 
> ...


I had flirted with Mitridate but needed help with suggestions on recordings. Bastien Und Bastienne i was unaware of so thank you so much this is most helpful! Much appreciated.


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