# Current watching



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I thought I might start a companion thread to the Opera on DVD thread for what we are watching - in the same vein as current listening on the classical music forum. I feel a bit uncomfortable posting DVDs there because it isn't strictly listening.

We could keep the Opera on DVD thread for proper reviews and just post short comments here.

So here goes:










Have watched this over the past few nights with my 7-year-old - it reminded me what an outstanding spectacle this is. We went up stairs singing the chicken dance from les Sauvages together.

Once she was in bed watched these:


















A spectacle of a different variety, visually never a dull moment, the projections were relevant to the story and were stunning, especially in Rheingold, thought the singing was not that strong, Wotan particularly lacking gravitas. Loved the Walsungs in Walkure, sort of the Flintstones meets L'enfant sauvage. Walkure also wins my prize for having the most hideous costume for Brunnhilde ever - especially the one-nippled breastplate. If she's still wearing it in Siegfried I expect him to run screaming back to his step-daddy.

I'm waiting for the next two Ring DVDs, so in the meantime watching Pagliacci on Met Player. I'm not familiar with the work but Domingo is great, both menacing and heart-breaking, and Stratas a feisty Nedda (if a touch shrill).

My next puzzle is what to watch with my daughter next week. It's got to be engaging, with a comprehensible story and good melodies, but suitable for kids (so no Bondy Tosca then). So far she's also seen and enjoyed Giulio Cesare, Acis and Galatea, Hansel and Gretel, Magic flute. I'm thinking maybe the film of La Boheme, the Bartered bride or possibly even Carmen.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I thought I might start a companion thread to the Opera on DVD thread for what we are watching - in the same vein as current listening on the classical music forum. I feel a bit uncomfortable posting DVDs there because it isn't strictly listening.
> 
> We could keep the Opera on DVD thread for proper reviews and just post short comments here.
> 
> ...


Not one I've seen but sounds like fun.



mamascarlatti said:


> Once she was in bed watched these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My speed is awful. Average 500 - 750 *kb*ps  so subscribing to Met Player would be a waste of money.



mamascarlatti said:


> My next puzzle is what to watch with my daughter next week. It's got to be engaging, with a comprehensible story and good melodies, but suitable for kids (so no Bondy Tosca then). So far she's also seen and enjoyed Giulio Cesare, Acis and Galatea, Hansel and Gretel, Magic flute. I'm thinking maybe the film of La Boheme, the Bartered bride or possibly even Carmen.


What about l'elisir d'amore? I've got Villazón's & it's lovely but the Pavarotti one is supposed to be good as well.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> What about l'elisir d'amore? I've got Villazón's & it's lovely but the Pavarotti one is supposed to be good as well.


Oh of course, the Villazón one is great, and la Fille du regiment would be another. Doh.

As for Met player, I know speeds are poor in NZ but it works here. You could always try the 7 day free trial and see how it goes - just make sure that you unsubscribe after 6 days as they are pretty fast off the blocks in terms of collecting your money.

It's funny, but Pavarotti remains a mystery to me. I mean I can see he is a super fantastic singer who can really belt it out, but it leaves me cold. Even when he was at his peak I preferred Domingo or even Carreras, because at least they were making an effort to inhabit their roles. Pavarotti always sounds and looks the same to me, whatever he is singing. But I know he brought immense pleasure to many people, and I don't want to disrespect that.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> Have watched this over the past few nights with my 7-year-old - it reminded me what an outstanding spectacle this is. We went up stairs singing the chicken dance from les Sauvages together.


I really want to see this, but I don't think I want to purchase it and it doesn't seem to be available for rental (via Netflix) yet. Maybe someday. I've seen excerpts on YouTube and I especially enjoy the "drummer." His flourishes of the drumstick or mallet and his mischievous facial expressions are fantastic. It makes me want to join in on the fun.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> As for Met player, I know speeds are poor in NZ but it works here. You could always try the 7 day free trial and see how it goes - just make sure that you unsubscribe after 6 days as they are pretty fast off the blocks in terms of collecting your money.


Thanks for the tip - didn't know that. Will give it a go.



mamascarlatti said:


> It's funny, but Pavarotti remains a mystery to me. I mean I can see he is a super fantastic singer who can really belt it out, but it leaves me cold. Even when he was at his peak I preferred Domingo or even Carreras, because at least they were making an effort to inhabit their roles. Pavarotti always sounds and looks the same to me, whatever he is singing. But I know he brought immense pleasure to many people, and I don't want to disrespect that.


Will discuss in the 'gorgeous baritones/tenors' thread.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*Les indes galantes*



Weston said:


> I really want to see this, but I don't think I want to purchase it and it doesn't seem to be available for rental (via Netflix) yet. Maybe someday. I've seen excerpts on YouTube and I especially enjoy the "drummer." His flourishes of the drumstick or mallet and his mischievous facial expressions are fantastic. It makes me want to join in on the fun.


This is definitely on my top 10 list of opera DVDs - gorgeous music, a production which manages to be modern but faithful to the spirit of the court opera ballet, and loads of fun.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I've been watching some terrific opera performances on DVD lately,mainly from my local library.

Carl Nielsen's comic masterpiece Maskarade from the Copenhagen opera conducted by Michael Schonwandt. A blast ! great fun . Funniest comic opera I've ever seen.

Richard Strauss: Die Frau Ohne Schatten: Solti and the Vienna Phil. from the Salzburg festival, with Eva Marton,Cheryl Studer, Thomas Moser,Marjana Lipovsek, and Bryn Terfel. 
Sublime . 

Berlioz: Les Troyens: John Eliot Gardiner and the Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique on period instruments from the Theatre de Chatelet in Paris, with Susan Graham,Gregory Kunde, 
Maria Caterina Antonacci and Laurent Naouri(Mr. Natlie Dessay). Poweful and epic.

Leos Janacek: From the House of the Dead: Pierre Boulez conducts the Mahler Chamber orchestra from the Aix-En-Provence festival and a largely Czech cast. Same production seen recently at the Met,but with Salonen conducting. Harrowing and unforgettable.

Ferruccio Busoni : Doktor Faust. Philippe Jordan(son of the late Armin) and the Zurich opera, with Thomas Hampson and Gregory Kunde as Faust and Mephistopheles. 
Great performance of this enigmatic,esoteric and fascinating opera. Not for every opera lover, but an aquired taste.

Massenet: Werther. Vienna State opera,Philippe Jordan conducting, with lucious Elina Garanca as Charlotte and smoldering Marcelo Alvarez. Production by Andrei Serban shifts the action from the 18th century to the 1950s, but no damage to the opera,unlike other ridiculous Eurotrash productions.

All of these are eminently recommendable.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

sospiro said:


> What about l'elisir d'amore? I've got Villazón's & it's lovely but the Pavarotti one is supposed to be good as well.


The Pavarotti/Battle one is vocally very good, but I easily prefer Villazon & Netrebko because the acting is much better.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

superhorn said:


> Carl Nielsen's comic masterpiece Maskarade from the Copenhagen opera conducted by Michael Schonwandt. A blast ! great fun . Funniest comic opera I've ever seen..


After you recommended this on another thread I checked it out on Amazon. Many of the reviewers complained that the filming interfered with their enjoyment because the camera kept cutting back and forth between the orchestra and the performance. What did you think about this?



superhorn said:


> Berlioz: Les Troyens: John Eliot Gardiner and the Orchestre Revolutionaire et Romantique on period instruments from the Theatre de Chatelet in Paris, with Susan Graham,Gregory Kunde, Maria Caterina Antonacci and Laurent Naouri(Mr. Natlie Dessay). Poweful and epic..


This arrived in the post the other day - looking forward to it after enjoying the Damnation de Faust on Met Player and being totally swept up in the music and production. I then tried the Met Player Troyens but kept getting the giggles at Domingo's incredibly camp Greek Superman outfit (involving some very revealing tights) and thought I should try another production.



superhorn said:


> Ferruccio Busoni : Doktor Faust. Philippe Jordan(son of the late Armin) and the Zurich opera, with Thomas Hampson and Gregory Kunde as Faust and Mephistopheles.
> Great performance of this enigmatic,esoteric and fascinating opera. Not for every opera lover, but an aquired taste..


Is this an acquired taste because of the music? Or the production? (I know nothing about this opera).



superhorn said:


> Massenet: Werther. Vienna State opera,Philippe Jordan conducting, with lucious Elina Garanca as Charlotte and smoldering Marcelo Alvarez. Production by Andrei Serban shifts the action from the 18th century to the 1950s, but no damage to the opera,unlike other ridiculous Eurotrash productions..


I'm looking for a good version of Werther. I saw the Chatelet one with Sophie Koch and Jonas Kaufmann on Medici TV which was brilliant, I'd get on DVD if it was available but I don't even know if it is going to be released.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> The Pavarotti/Battle one is vocally very good, but I easily prefer Villazon & Netrebko because the acting is much better.


And don't you love the juggling? Showing that Nemorino isn't going to remain downtrodden forever.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> And don't you love the juggling? Showing that Nemorino isn't going to remain downtrodden forever.


Yes, his enthusiasm always makes me regret that I can't sing myself. He's funny too.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> And don't you love the juggling? Showing that Nemorino isn't going to remain downtrodden forever.


And how about that looooooong kiss at the end?


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

In Maskarade, the frequent shots of the orchestra and conductor didn't really bother me.and it was interesting to see how the conductor was mouthing the words of the libretto.
Busoni's Doktor Faust has really fascinating music, but it's definitely not easy listening.
It's a strange and mysterious opera. The staging in Zurich was good and did no damage to the work.
Try the DG recording with Fischer-Dieskau as Faust conducted by Ferdinand Leitner, or the more recent Erato version conducted by Kent Nagano. This will never be as popular as Gounod's Faust, but it's infinitely more interesting !


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

rgz said:


> ... and a duet that everyone, no matter how stodgy, will find hilarious. I've successfully used Duo de la Mouche to get a friend of mine, who was convinced opera was stuffy and not for him, interested in exploring a bit more


That is probably one of the funniest scenes in any production I've seen. It'll be a hard act to follow for your friend, but for Dessay in a full flight of Gallic humour and stomping about, there's always this.










I'm revisiting it with my small daughter and she's loving it (you should have seen her face when Florez hit and held his last high C- even at her age she realised this was difficult).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm a little disappointed with this compared with the previous two. Lance Ryan looks the part of Siegfried but his singing is variable and he can't tear his eyes off the conductor.
The "forest whispers" scene was lacking in magic - I would have thought that with all that technology they could have made something more natural and beautiful. But the gradual falling in love of Siegfreid and Brünnhilde was very moving, Siegfried's impetuous ardour contrasting well with Brünnhilde's inital reluctance to lose herself in love.

For a complete contrast:










A very funny production from Glyndebourne, with a lovely soprano (new to me) in Annick Massis. I know Viaggio a Reims pretty well and it's interesting to see how Rossini recycled the music, and in a different language too.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> It's funny, but Pavarotti remains a mystery to me. I mean I can see he is a super fantastic singer who can really belt it out, but it leaves me cold. Even when he was at his peak I preferred Domingo or even Carreras, because at least they were making an effort to inhabit their roles. Pavarotti always sounds and looks the same to me, whatever he is singing. But I know he brought immense pleasure to many people, and I don't want to disrespect that.


Not to derail this thread (via which I've added significantly to my queue -- thanks all!), but to respond to this question -- it's difficult to objectively define, but certain singers have something in their tone that really calls to something inside of me and elevates them to a special tier in my mind, even ahead of objectively superior singers. Pavarotti is such a one for me, as are Natalie Dessay and most especially Diana Damrau. I often find Ms. Damrau to be a touch sharp, and I've read from others that her breath control isn't top tier, but something in her tone ... I'd listen to her sing the phone book, and pay for the privilege.

I think Maria Callas is such a singer for many people ... certainly not the best singer _cum _singer, but some aspect of her tone just reaches in to one's soul and grabs hold.

Again, that's just my feelings on it, and I'll leave off from silly metaphysics ramblings


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

rgz said:


> ...certain singers have something in their tone that really calls to something inside of me and elevates them to a special tier in my mind, even ahead of objectively superior singers.


That's a good way of putting it, in so far as that deep-felt emotional resonance can be expressed in words. We all have our "special" singers, and Maria Callas was certainly the one who drew me into opera. Nowadays I just thave to hear Jonas Kaufmann to melt, even when the left brain side of me is nagging away in critical mode.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Family watching with my small daughter this weekend (she was only supposed to be allowed Carmen but after much nagging we saw L'Elisir d'Amore as well). We're going to run out of suitable material pretty soon at this rate.

















I love this Elisir, everyone seems to be having so much fun, and Villazon's somewhat Mr Beanish goofiness fits Nemorino very well. Netrebko is also charming, in turn coquetish and sincere, although she does get the giggles at one point when Villazon is being particularly daft.

Rosi's Carmen is another long-time favourite (once I've got past the bullfight). Migenes is a sexy defiant Carmen, Domingo is an ardent then angry Don Jose and Ruggero Raimondi the most dashing and dignified Escamillo ever. And the sun-drenched dusty locations are so evocative of the place and period.

Finished this Ring:










Normally I don't really notice conducting, but here my favourite bit of the whole Ring, Siegfried's death march, which usually brings me out in goosebumps, left me cold. But visually still dazzling, and Jennifer Wilson overcomes her cliche costume and size to be a very fine Brunnhilde.

And Lance Ryan as Siegfried at one point manages to keep singing while suspended upside down by his ankles from a crane.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Family watching with my small daughter this weekend (she was only supposed to be allowed Carmen but after much nagging we saw L'Elisir d'Amore as well). We're going to run out of suitable material pretty soon at this rate.


Have you seen this?










Costumes take a bit of getting used to but I'd watch Flórez in whatever he wore. Joyce DiDonato is great as Cinders.


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## Grosse Fugue (Mar 3, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Have you seen this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My second favourite Cenerentola after Von Stade's. The performance makes up for the 18thC psychedelic set.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Have you seen this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cenerentola is definitely on the family viewing list, but I've already got the Von Stade DVD and there is the Garanča/Brownlee production on Met Player, so I don't think I can justify another version even though I really really want it.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> That is probably one of the funniest scenes in any production I've seen. It'll be a hard act to follow for your friend, but for Dessay in a full flight of Gallic humour and stomping about, there's always this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks, just ordered it!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Thanks Herkku, I really enjoyed Raimondi's truly diabolical performance in this.










And thanks Gaston for the recommendation, this was wonderful, the two leads really gave it their all, Domingo made my heart beat faster and then Scotto broke it.
The joy is that I also have the other production you mentioned so can have the pleasure of that beautiful music all over again.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Saw a 1981 production of Rigoletto on Met player yesterday. Pavarotti (the duke) is in glorious voice, but he's a poor actor. I love his singing but it's always hard to tell if he has just won the lottery or if his house is on fire going by his facial expressions or body language. Christiane Eda-Pierre is ok as Gilda I suppose, but her voice does for whatever reason not appeal to me. Not her fault of course - just not my taste. Louis Quilico (Rigoletto) is very good. Maybe not as great as Tito Gobbi in the Callas recording, but nobody I've heard can compete with him for this role in my opinion. The production is traditional, but by Met standards a bit run of the mill. Nothing wrong with it mind you, but nothing jaw dropping either. Same can be said about the whole thing. It makes for an entertaining 2 hours plus, but it doesn't excite me to a degree where I want to buy the DVD (if there is one).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> Pavarotti (the duke) is in glorious voice, but he's a poor actor. I love his singing but it's always hard to tell if he has just won the lottery or if his house is on fire going by his facial expressions or body language.


My problem with him exactly. I think he's concentrating so hard on the singing that there is no room for anything else. I always get the impression of complete control from Pavarotti, nothing is done impulsively or in the heat of the moment, and that's what makes him technically so fine. He could sing the telephone book and it would sound good.

But it's also why I prefer Domingo - he might crack or miss his notes sometimes, but the ride is so exciting, and so closely involved with the drama, that I don't care.

This is shown to great effect in this DVD, which I had to finish watching this morning because I couldn't wait until tonight.










I was pretty dubious about it after reading the rather damning reviews on Amazon, but it was part of my new La Scala boxed set so I thought "what the hell".

Drammatically it was at least as satifying as the Met version I've just seen. True, Zampieri's voice leaves a lot to be desired, and she's not a young thing any more (but then neither is Minnie, who has sacrificed her youth to the miners), but she turns in a very finely nuanced performance, in turns strong and vulnerable. Her gambling scene with Rance is a study in suspense (you should see her in the curtain call straight after, she clearly hasn't recovered emotionally), and she is truly touching in her appeals to the miners for Johnson's life.

Pons as Rance was very good at highlighting the difference between Eros and Agape, his love for Minnie being based so clearly on lust as opposed to Johnson's true affection.

As for Domingo, what can I say, he's even better, more involved and subtle, than in the Met, his final aria, baring Johnson's soul, made me cry, wow!

I also liked Jonathan Miller's staging, darker but very realistic, (especially Act III), less generic "Wild West" than the Met.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I thought this would be rather sweet and old-fashioned, but not at all. The music is exciting and spiky, full of unexpected delights; the staging,sets and costumes much brighter and more inventive than I have come to expect from Marinsky, and Anna Netrebko nearly stole the show as the headstrong daughter who runs away from an arranged marriage to a fish merchant.










Orlando as a shell-shocked soldier in a psychiatric ward? Zoroastro as his doctor? Dorinda a nurse? Well, funnily enough it kind of worked, although I kept thinking of Jack Nicholson when Orlando was going berserk with his axe! Marijana Mijanovic was impressive and suitably androgymous as Orlando (although the virtuosic nature of the music sorely tested her - I understand she had been sick) and Martina Jankova was gorgeous as Angelica. On the whole I thought it was one of the slightly better of the ubiquitous Handel updatings.










David McVicar's definition of sexy is crotch-grabbing. I'm not convinced. I'm sticking to the ROH version from now on.










This Turandot dates back to 1983 and Carreras is in gorgeous voice (and physically perfect) as Calaf. Turandot is not my favourite Puccini opera by far - it's such a cruel story, Turandot so cold-hearted and Calaf forgets Liu pretty damn quickly once he's got what he wants.

I've just watch La Rondine again on Met Player. The music is pretty and the story slight, but the staging was attractive and there's a kind of gruesome pleasure in watching Alagna and Gheorghiu together. Unfortunately Alagna's voice is not holding up with time, he's really straining for the high notes. Pity it's him and not Kaufmann in the 2011 HD Don Carlo.

However anyone who can have such fun while cooking spaghetti sauce still has a place in my heart.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I had never heard or seen this famous opera before, but I enjoyed it very much. Completely absurd story, surrealistic, but very amusing indeed.










Monteverdi as 'grand opera.' Less accessible than "l'Orfeo" maybe, but no doubt a great work. It's not a live performance but playback with some audience shots from the real performance mixed between. It's not as much of a problem as it sounds and I would actually strongly recommend this DVD to people interested in 17th century opera.

And I also watched the Magic Flute (sung in English) on Met player. Magical production, Natalie. Watch if you haven't done so already.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> And I also watched the Magic Flute (sung in English) on Met player. Magical production, Natalie. Watch if you haven't done so already.


Yes it really is, absolutely stunning!


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Pretty sure I know the answer already, but is there anywhere, pay or no, where I could watch Diana Damrau in La Fille du Regiment? Met Player only has the Dessay version which I already have on dvd.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

rgz said:


> Pretty sure I know the answer already, but is there anywhere, pay or no, where I could watch Diana Damrau in La Fille du Regiment? Met Player only has the Dessay version which I already have on dvd.


I've only seen some on YouTube. She's pretty good, too!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Roméo et Juliette

Oh dear, in act III, with people dying like flies all over the place, I kept getting distracted by Roberto's REALLY tight trousers and seriously anachronistic heeled winkle pickers, which might be an indication that his singing and acting weren't of the highest quality.

But in Act IV, Anna kept me stuck to my seat, particularly in her wild imaginings about being locked in a tomb with her brother's corpse. Sent shivers down my spine, worth watching just for that.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Salome with Karita Mattilla on Met player. The production does nothing for me, but this is one of the few times that I couldn't care less about that because Mattilla is just sensational. I'm not impressed with her dance of the seven veils but other than that she must be one of the best Salome's ever.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> Salome with Karita Mattilla on Met player. The production does nothing for me, but this is one of the few times that I couldn't care less about that because Mattilla is just sensational. I'm not impressed with her dance of the seven veils but other than that she must be one of the best Salome's ever.


That's good to know. I've been avoiding it because I don't always like Mattila's timbre but I'll give it a go.

I watched La belle Helene in this version










free on Classical TV. This Laurent Pelly production was such fun, particularly when Felicity Lott was on stage, that I'm tempted to buy the DVD to get a good quality copy.

Also saw the ROH Simon Boccanegra that a friend put on DVD for me. I was most impressed with Domingo as Boccanegra - his voice sounded really good in that register and he made a most convincing Doge.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> That's good to know. I've been avoiding it because I don't always like Mattila's timbre but I'll give it a go.


She isn't one of the names that come to mind when thinking about my favorite sopranos, but she has totally convinced me with her Salome. VERY good actress too. I also like her Leonora (Fidelio). She's the only one I've seen so far who made it plausible that she convinced the other characters in the opera that she was a boy. Yep - Karita's got what it takes, at least for these roles (I think so anyway ).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> She isn't one of the names that come to mind when thinking about my favorite sopranos, but she has totally convinced me with her Salome. VERY good actress too. I also like her Leonora (Fidelio). She's the only one I've seen so far who made it plausible that she convinced the other characters in the opera that she was a boy. Yep - Karita's got what it takes, at least for these roles (I think so anyway ).


Just watched the Salome - I agree, she was fantastic. Every word counts with her. Will try the Fidelio next, assuming it's still on Met Player tomorrow.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> VERY good actress too. I also like her Leonora (Fidelio). She's the only one I've seen so far who made it plausible that she convinced the other characters in the opera that she was a boy. Yep - Karita's got what it takes, at least for these roles (I think so anyway ).


Crickey, the Met Fidelio is amazing. I've got tears streaming down my face and my heart is beating hard after that finale.

I see what you mean about Karita making a plausible boy and being a fantastic actress. I also really like Rene Pape as Rocco - a more three-dimentional portrayal than usual. The dialogue seemed really natural and it worked dramatically as well as musically.

Ben Heppner didn't look particularly starving though.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> Ben Heppner didn't look particularly starving though.


Not exactly, no.  Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the Fidelio and Salome and that you're as impressed with Mattilla as I am. She's gone up in my estimation from "well, I suppose she's good" to "she's really special."


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

La Sonnambula with Juan Diego Florez and Natalie Dessay on Met player. Fun belcanto opera from Bellini full of lovely tunes and the principals (especially Florez) are in great voice, but unfortunately the production is just silly. What we're supposed to be looking at is not the actual opera, but a rehearsal for La Sonnambula which goes on simultaneously with the love story which also happens to be a part of the opera they are rehearsing. Confusing?  Problem is that it's never clear when they are just rehearsing and what is 'for real.' And the character of the count doesn't at all fit in with this concept. If you're not familiar with this opera you'll probably think, "where does this guy come from and what's he doing here?" In short, another modernized production that tries to be too smart for it's own good. Still worth it for the lovely music and the mostly great singing though, but not one I would pay money for to have on DVD.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> In short, another modernized production that tries to be too smart for its own good. Still worth it for the lovely music and the mostly great singing though, but not one I would pay money for to have on DVD.


I think that production-wise, this is one of the most vacuous concepts anyone has ever come up with (narrowly beaten by the Rinaldo with Daniels). One minute Dessay is a hip Prada-toting diva, the next moment she's upset because her boyfirend has discovered her sleeping .... wait for it... in the rehearsal room. And no-one in the 21st century has ever heard of sleepwalking?! But it is wonderful when you just close your eyes....


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> And no-one in the 21st century has ever heard of sleepwalking?!


Exactly. I think it would be hard to come up with a more misguided production if you tried.


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## Sebastien Melmoth (Apr 14, 2010)

Oh, mamma--saw the Met's December 31, 2009 *Carmen* with Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna, directed by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

That's gotta be the *h o t t e s t* _Carmen_ ever!

Elina Garanca _is_ Carmen!

Alagna seemed to sing well, and was vigorously applauded after the Flower Song.

The staging and dance were very nice as well.

Fans should see this production!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I have just watched Don Giovanni from Aix-en-Provence free on Arte TV and I really am none the wiser regarding what it was all about. This is a Don Giovanni more sinned against than sinning, Elvira is his ex-wife and Zerlina her daughter, Donna Anna a volatile nymphomaniac, Leporello an updated Bertie Wooster lookalike and the whole thing like some post-modern dysfunctional family soap. The playing and singing are excellent although Bo Skovus' voice a bit lightweight for the title role, but there are some quite moving moments among the mayhem and blatant contradictions.

I must say I quite enjoy revisiting an old favourite from a radically different perspective - in fact more than seeing a faithful but predictable production.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

mamascarlatti said:


> I must say I quite enjoy revisiting an old favourite from a radically different perspective - in fact more than seeing a faithful but predictable production.


Like this Don Giovanni from Glyndebourne, free on Medici TV.










Although Gerald Finley has a glorious voice, he really isn't convincing as a ruthless lady-killer, and by halfway though when my internet connection cut out I was bored by the production and rather irritated by Finley's insistence on rrrrrrolling everrrry rrrrrrr in the rrrrrrrrrecitative, probably in a misguided attempt to sound more Italian (he should have listened more carefully to Luca Pisaroni as Leporello, whose idiomatic delivery of his lines is the highlight of this production, better than his initial appearance in what looks like a set of someone's grandfather's aged underwear, bit of a wasted opportunity, that.)

I don't think I'm going to bother to try and connect for the second act, I'd rather watch the Aix-en-Provence one again. It's still haunting me, partly because I'm trying to understand it and partly for some very striking moments - eg the Zerlina seduction scene, and the serenade (sung alone, clutching a bottle of whisky). One aspect I keep remembering is the inspired use of silences in the recitative, and the unexpected take on the lines: for example at the beginning, when the Don is usually blustering at Leporello for his impudence, in this case he was gently reproachful and long suffering.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Yet more hospital-based Handel, with the King dying in his hopital bed and the queen committing suicide by lethal injection. It did make sense, but this version is let down by the thin hooty countertenor voice of the title role singer.










La Fanciulla del West, with its rich melodic music, feisty heroine, and up-beat ending is rapidly becoming my favourite Puccini opera. This production serves it well, Daniela Dessi a little mature but quite moving, Fabio Armiliato very dashing, and Lucio Gallo suitably lecherous and ruthless. The rendition is beautifully idiomatic and the sets quite good, apart from the giant bones in the last act ??










What fun this production of Ariadne auf Naxos is, a real pleasure to watch, beautifully up-dated and sung. Love that Sophie Koch.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> What fun this production of *Ariadne auf Naxos* is, a real pleasure to watch, beautifully up-dated and sung. Love that Sophie Koch.


I was just looking to see if there were any good DVD versions to buy, not many choices and youtubes of the Jessie Norman & Kathleen Battle version didn't get me too excited although it seems to be current favorite........

The Bohm/DG "toga party" version seems too retro with a good chance of being a snooze (I may be wrong of course)

Any comparisons or preferences among these three?


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> The Bohm/DG "toga party" version seems too retro with a good chance of being a snooze (I may be wrong of course)
> 
> Any comparisons or preferences among these three?


The Bohm dvd is a film, not a live performance.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> The Bohm dvd is a film, not a live performance.


I have no problem in general with opera movies if they are done well........
I have a few Ponselle opera movie versions that I really like

Do you have the Bohm version, any comments?


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> I have no problem in general with opera movies if they are done well........
> I have a few Ponselle opera movie versions that I really like
> 
> Do you have the Bohm version, any comments?


I also have some opera films that I love. I haven't got this Bohm/Ariadne (yet), but reviews that I've read are positive.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> I was just looking to see if there were any good DVD versions to buy, not many choices and youtubes of the Jessie Norman & Kathleen Battle version didn't get me too excited although it seems to be current favorite........
> 
> The Bohm/DG "toga party" version seems too retro with a good chance of being a snooze (I may be wrong of course)
> 
> Any comparisons or preferences among these three?


I decided to go with *Janowitz / Gruberova* movie version of Ariadne..........

Something about Jessie Norman and R Strauss doesn't click for me


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Sebastien Melmoth said:


> Oh, mamma--saw the Met's December 31, 2009 *Carmen* with Elina Garanca and Roberto Alagna, directed by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
> 
> That's gotta be the *h o t t e s t* _Carmen_ ever!
> 
> ...


Just watching this one too at the moment - Garanca is very convincing, seductive and free spirited. Jose simply doesn't stand a chance.

I'm not so keen on Alagna - voice a bit tired, and too much boyish charm to be a killer. But he's OK. Tahu Rhodes is very dashing as Escamillo, especially considering he had about 4 hours notice before going on.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Just watching this one too at the moment - Garanca is very convincing, seductive and free spirited. Jose simply doesn't stand a chance.
> 
> I'm not so keen on Alagna - voice a bit tired, and too much boyish charm to be a killer. But he's OK. Tahu Rhodes is very dashing as Escamillo, especially considering he had about 4 hours notice before going on.


 

USA release date is 9/21/10 and I have Garanca in my Amazon wish list.

I love Carmen and my current favorite DVD is Antonacci / Kaufmann with conductor Pappano........excellent DVD for any opera fan, can't own just one version of this!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> I love Carmen and my current favorite DVD is Antonacci / Kaufmann with conductor Pappano........excellent DVD for any opera fan, can't own just one version of this!


This is my favourite too - although this production should really be titled Don Jose.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

More of a "listening to", but I'm currently entranced by 



Anyone know if the full opera (Les Caprices de Marianne) is worth springing for on Amazon? Audio only, it appears.


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## Grosse Fugue (Mar 3, 2010)

Loved these especially the Cesare.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Just saw John Adams' "Doctor Atomic" on Met player. I can't say that I enjoyed it very much. I like some of Adams' work, but I struggled to keep on watching this one to the end. There's some good music towards the end of both acts in particular, but most of it is rather boring.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I don't know any really good version of Macbeth. This one has the excellent Shirley Verrett, the adequate if slightly constipated looking Leo Nucci, a couple of actors synching to Sam Ramey and Verriano Lucchetti, some atmospheric Belgian dungeons, marshes, caves and some severely creepy feral wolf-children witches. The problem is partly Verdi's - the music for the witches is so relentlessly up-beat and jolly that you'd really want them in sugar-hued cocktail dresses to match, whereas blue-tinted monkey-women crawling around the rocks and cannibalising rotting corpses don't really fit...

Actually I had more fun watching the accompanying "making-of" doco, with the chain-smoking Francophone director alternately snarling about missing cellphones and the method-acting bit-part thespian playing Macduff, and the next minute coaxing Shirley Verrett (who just managed to keep a straight face) into tugging on Nucci's sword as though she is pleasuring him sexually.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I don't know any really good version of Macbeth. This one has the excellent Shirley Verrett, the adequate if slightly constipated looking Leo Nucci, a couple of actors synching to Sam Ramey and Verriano Lucchetti, some atmospheric Belgian dungeons, marshes, caves and some severely creepy feral wolf-children witches. The problem is partly Verdi's - the music for the witches is so relentlessly up-beat and jolly that you'd really want them in sugar-hued cocktail dresses to match, whereas blue-tinted monkey-women crawling around the rocks and cannibalising rotting corpses don't really fit...
> 
> Actually I had more fun watching the accompanying "making-of" doco, with the chain-smoking Francophone director alternately snarling about missing cellphones and the method-acting bit-part thespian playing Macduff, and the next minute coaxing Shirley Verrett (who just managed to keep a straight face) into tugging on Nucci's sword as though she is pleasuring him sexually.




What a fabulous review!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

I do not own any Macbeth DVDs now, but when I see a cover photo showing those bland grey monochromatic outfits red flags go up for me........

I could see why some people would try that version with Shirley Verrett since she is featured on the famous CD version conducted by Abbado



And to confuse matters slightly we have the Shostakovich opera Lady Macbeth.......



> Actually I had more fun watching the accompanying "making-of" doco, with the chain-smoking Francophone director alternately snarling about missing cellphones and the method-acting bit-part thespian playing Macduff, and the next minute coaxing Shirley Verrett (who just managed to keep a straight face) into tugging on Nucci's sword as though she is pleasuring him sexually


This is one of the great advantages of DVD or Blu Ray is bonus behind the scences interviews, documentaries or featurettes. For example fun to see how stage was designed and props are quickly changed between acts, seeing fun personal side of singers etc


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> I do not own any Macbeth DVDs now, but when I see a cover photo showing those bland grey monochromatic outfits red flags go up for me........
> 
> I could see why some people would try that version with Shirley Verrett since she is featured on the famous CD version conducted by Abbado


Now if that version was on DVD I would certainly get it.



DarkAngel said:


> This is one of the great advantages of DVD or Blu Ray is bonus behind the scenes interviews, documentaries or featurettes. For example fun to see how stage was designed and props are quickly changed between acts, seeing fun personal side of singers etc


Yes I love those extras.

Anyhoo

Just finished watching










Absolutely brilliant singing & acting, totally believable & I adored it. Villazón & Netrebko are the perfect Nemorino & Adina.

I love Rolando & hope one day he'll get back to how he was.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Now if that version was on DVD I would certainly get it.
> 
> Just finished watching
> 
> ...


Yes an absolute delight, sparkling production.......Anna is such a ray of light

One Elixir DVD that *does not work well* for me is the "odd couple" of superstars Pavarotti and Battle, best left on CD and your imagination, DVD looks like a mismatch in real life , not really believeable (yes I am cruel)


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> One Elixir DVD that *does not work well* for me is the "odd couple" of superstars Pavarotti and Battle, best left on CD and your imagination, DVD looks like a mismatch in real life , not really believeable (yes I am cruel)


I like it ok because the singing is great, but they don't have the chemistry or acting ability of Rolando and Anna, I agree. With all that passionate kissing towards the end (no acting needed there from Villazon, I'm sure ) it's hard to believe that they aren't a couple in real life.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> I like it ok because the singing is great, but they don't have the chemistry or acting ability of Rolando and Anna, I agree. With all that passionate kissing towards the end (no acting needed there from Villazón, I'm sure ) it's hard to believe that they aren't a couple in real life.


I agree with DA - can only really appreciate Pavarotti on CD.

Rolando/Anna kiss was very convincing but I'm sure they're only really just very good buddies who prolonged the kiss because of the audience reaction. So pleased it was recorded & we have it for posterity.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Wanted to watch the Puritani being discussed on the Opera on DVD thread but Met Player was being capricious so I settled for this.










Agree with Sospiro that the cast is excellent, but I'm not sure that I'm convinced by a Lucia in the 19th Century, although I suppose women married against their will then too (you just have to read Trollope). But somehow the feuds and plotting and arranged marriage would sit better in the original time setting, and there would be no danger of some contrived photo opportunity disturbing the sextet.

Anyway I enjoyed it more than the Ernani from the previous night










really the story is just too silly despite all the eminently hummable tunes and presence of the delicious Placido Domingo.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> Wanted to watch the Puritani being discussed on the Opera on DVD thread but Met Player was being capricious so I settled for this.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like the "Ernani" ok. As you say, many hummable tunes and Domingo is Domingo, and thus very good. And I always enjoy watching/listening to Mirella Freni as well, although I'm not sure if all that coloratura in her big aria is really her forté. But probably one of the better early Verdi operas I think.

I expect that "Lucia" any day now in my mailbox.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Watched Rossini's La Cenerentola with Elina Garanca on Met player. Garanca must be close to ideal for this role I think. Lawrence Browlee as the Prince vocally rivals Juan Diego Florez at his best, which means that he's very good. Unfortunately he isn't much of an actor. I also liked Alessandro Corbelli as Don Magnifico. The production is kinda cartoonish with the two sisters severely over acting (probably not their fault but part of the producer's vision) and the giant scenery - doors up to the ceiling, a wedding cake almost (but not quite ) as big as Martha Argerich's genius, etc.... But I had nevertheless a very good time watching this. I don't rule out the possibility that I might buy this on DVD at some point.....


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*Carlos Gomes' Il Guarany*

Relatively obscure Brazilian composer, his style is very close to Verdi's (who respected him). I have just finished listening to his most known opera Il Guarany, with Placido Domingo. Here is what I thought:

Beautiful overture (_Sinfonia_)

Nice start with the chorus of the 'cacciatori.' It does sound like Verdi. Quality without originality, I see.

Wow, this is very beautiful, Cecilia's second aria (after a very brief and tuneful pollaca) is very good, with a very effective choral punctuation. _Deh! Riedi... deh riedi!_

Antonio's Ave Maria is beautiful too. _Salve, possente Vergine_.

All these arias turn to ensembles and the effect is impressive.

Now I got to the gorgeous duet _Sento una forza indomita_. Excellent!

End of first act. Homogeneously good. A+

Act II starts with a scena and a nice Pery aria, _Vanto io pur superba cuna_, majestic. Wow, this is a really good opera!

It is followed by a rather theatrical scene full of action, then a dramatic duet - _Serpe vil_. The steady high quality continues. We're getting to a chorus piece now - _Udiste? - L'ore è un ente sì giocondo._ Verdian again.

What a nice, tuneful waltz-like rondò follows - _Senza tetto, senza cuna_, Canzone dell'Avventuriere!

Now, Cecilia's ballata, _Oh, come è bello il ciel! - C'era una volta un principe_. Delicate orchestration with guitar sounds, light, with beautiful opportunities for the soprano to work the musical lines and do some coloratura. Very lyric, very romantic. I like it!

Here, in a Brazilian production (nice soprano!):

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=GRXKWWw3B0M&feature=related

The duet between Cecilia and her assailant Gonzales is very dramatic, with a good dose of pathos._Donna, tu forse l'unica_

Some more good theatrical action, and we get to the finale of Act II. Majestic and impressive ensemble, in two parts, the second one start with the attack of the Aimorès and is appropriately solemn with a moment of frozen fear, then everybody jumps to the arms and prepares for the fight. Good Verdian orchestration.

Poor Carlos Gomes, if only Verdi hadn't done it before him! I mean, if only he had Verdi's creativity as well and weren't just a copycat...
Regardless, even if it's a copy, it's a pretty good copy and Act II earns from me another A+.

Act III now. Opens with a ballet - which unfortunately I can't see. But I can look at it on YouTube later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=8L0QZ7yyEdQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=aHEtSDIKTS4&feature=related

Chorus piece, _Aspra, crudel, terribil_, pretty good, finishing by a rather effective line, Ferro e fuoco (steel - or rather, iron, and fire).

Next, the chief Aimorè indian sings a bone-chilling aria, it does feel salvage and evocative of the fierce tribe's warring ways (the Aimorès historically were very bellicose indians). He turns more mellow and romantic as he sees the beautiful face of his prisoner and falls in love with her, addressing her more gently. The change in tone is striking. Well done, Gomes!

Then, we get to a big gaffe from the Italian librettists, I don't know why a genuine Brazilian like Carlos Gomes didn't correct it. The Cacico calls Pery 'the desert tiger.' What desert, and what tiger??? LOL, the Rio de Janeiro surroundings at the time in 1560 were a luxurious subtropical forest, no desert in sight for thousands of miles, and tigers were not part of the Brazilian fauna. A metaphor, sure, but how would the chief Aimorè even know about these things to be able to formulate such metaphor??? [laugh]

Another quite dramatic and theatrically rich scene, when the Cacico is calling for Pery to be killed and eaten, Cecilia pleads for him, etc. Pery's line is exquisite and plaintiff, _Ah! tu me vedrai morir!_ (Ah! You'll see me die!).

The theme of the overture comes back briefly to a beautiful effect. The Cacico grants to Pery and Cecilia a moment alone to express their love for each other before Pery is killed.

Then, a duet between the two protagonists, pungent and tearful. Superb! _Ebben, che fu - Perché di meste lagrime_. A+ quality material.

All right. Pery drinks poison. Why does opera like poison so much?[laugh]

Now a chorus with the Cacico and his tribe. The overture theme comes back in full force while the indians kneel and pray to their gods. The effect is very solemn and the orchestration is very beautiful. The choral piece is gorgeous, followed by a short finale to ACT III when the Portuguese come to the rescue.

Did I mention that it all deserves an A+? LOL

Act IV

Very beautiful orchestration again with elements from the overture (different ones) into which the voices of the coro di avventurieri melt; wavy music, again it starts well.

Another gaffe from the libretto - Pery is alive - what happened to that poison?!? Ah, OK, it is explained later that he got antidotes from forest herbs, how convenient.[eyes]

Beautiful aria for Gonzales, _In quest'ora suprema_.

Good dramatic scenes continue, there is the baptism scene, this is turning more into theater than music, Act IV seems dramatic enough but less musical so far, they're having to pack too much action into a short span and there is no space for good arias. A pity, it's the first downside so far of his entire opera.

OK, Pery's soaring aria (although short - can't really call it an aria, it's more like a short arioso) when he converts *is* beautiful, so, never mind._Al Dio che in me regenera_.

Beautiful display by Cecilia._Che sento? Ed io dividermi_

Now, for the Gran scena e terzetto finale ultimo. Spectacular! Don Antonio gets to be a suicide bomber 450 years before they became fashionable[laugh] and it literally ends with a bang, with the overture theme returning for a - er... - bombastic finale. Goosebumps!

A+ all around. Excellent opera. I wonder why in the hell this is not part of the repertoire. Not very demanding, not too long, full of dramatic potential, beautiful orchestration, some outstanding arias, duets, and ensembles... A winner from beginning to the end.

The only way to explain its failure to endure is the fact that it is, note by note, done in the exact style of Giuseppe Verdi, and it was composed by an obscure South American composer.

But while not matching a _Don Carlo_ or _Aida_ in terms of majestic impact, or _Il Trovatore_ which is stylistically closer, if only we got Verdi out of our mind and just listened to this opera, we'd easily see that it is extremely good, and certainly much better than _I Lombardi_ which gets staged fairly often.

I'd like to know its history of performances.

Folks, if there is anybody reading this long post about an obscure opera composer's least obscure work, get this one.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

> Act III now. Opens with a ballet - which unfortunately I can't see. But I can look at it on YouTube later.
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=8L0Q...eature=related
> http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=aHEt...eature=related


It harkens back to french opera style by Lully and Rameau with the ballet pieces integrated into the opera, it becomes multi-discipline work of art letting everyone get some stage time


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Watched Rossini's La Cenerentola with Elina Garanca on Met player. Garanca must be close to ideal for this role I think. Lawrence Browlee as the Prince vocally rivals Juan Diego Florez at his best, which means that he's very good. Unfortunately he isn't much of an actor. I also liked Alessandro Corbelli as Don Magnifico. The production is kinda cartoonish with the two sisters severely over acting (probably not their fault but part of the producer's vision) and the giant scenery - doors up to the ceiling, a wedding cake almost (but not quite ) as big as Martha Argerich's genius, etc.... But I had nevertheless a very good time watching this. I don't rule out the possibility that I might buy this on DVD at some point.....


*I did just recently buy this* after watching youtube samples, in my to watch pile!
I looked for Blu ray version but Amazon had none to be found
Already have the older DVD with Von Stade that seems to be the previous standard.

Also in my Amazon basket is Garanca's Bizet waiting for release date......


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*ballet in opera*



DarkAngel said:


> It harkens back to french opera style by Lully and Rameau with the ballet pieces integrated into the opera, it becomes multi-discipline work of art letting everyone get some stage time


I usually don't care too much for ballet in opera, since the best dancers and choreographers are with the prestigious dance companies rather than with the opera companies, so, we usually get some mediocre ballet that halts the action. This ballet in Il Guarany was a bit too long, but the ballet music is beautiful.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> I usually don't care too much for ballet in opera, since the best dancers and choreographers are with the prestigious dance companies rather than with the opera companies, so, we usually get some mediocre ballet that halts the action. This ballet in Il Guarany was a bit too long, but the ballet music is beautiful.


Watch this if you haven't already:










It's a collaboration between an opera and dance company so the dancing is wonderful.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Great recommendation, thanks! I'll look into it. So Danielle de Niese is doing another fine Handel. While I don't care a lot for her voice, she looks good and can act, and I think she's a pleasure to watch, I loved her in the touted (and controversial) Glyndebourne production of Giulio Cesare.

Edit - I looked it up on YouTube, looks great. I purchased the blu-ray version, thanks again.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Great recommendation, thanks! I'll look into it. So Danielle de Niese is doing another fine Handel. While I don't care a lot for her voice, she looks good and can act, and I think she's a pleasure to watch, I loved her in the touted (and controversial) Glyndebourne production of Giulio Cesare.
> 
> Edit - I looked it up on YouTube, looks great. I purchased the blu-ray version, thanks again.


I love that Giulio Cesare too although I agree about de Niese's voice, but she is very engaging as a performer. Let us know what you think of the Acis and Galatea.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> If you love Anna you won't be disappointed. The other singers do ok vocally. It's just that you hardly notice them, and not only because Anna is so pretty. Netrebko totally dominates the stage while everyone else seems almost nailed to the floor.


Just finished watching this on Met Player. Anna was wonderful, especially considering what a flaky character she is playing. Love that John Relyea too. But oh dear someone give Eric Cutler some intensive Italian lessons before letting him loose on a bel canto part again.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Just finished watching this on Met Player. Anna was wonderful, especially considering what a flaky character she is playing. Love that John Relyea too. But oh dear someone give Eric Cutler some intensive Italian lessons before letting him loose on a bel canto part again.


I paid a few dollars more for *blu ray version* and was very impressed with picture quality. When Netrebko has the wedding gown on for mad scence etc it has very fine intricate brocading patterns, on close-ups you could see the most minute details of the beautiful dimensional brocade patterns......very impressive on big screen!

I will always buy blu ray if cost is only 10-20% more than DVD version........1080p native resolution is a wonderful thing! 

Sometimes blu ray is actually cheaper if 2 DVDs can fit on 1 blu ray disc.......


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> I paid a few dollars more for *blu ray version* and was very impressed with picture quality. When Netrebko has the wedding gown on for mad scence etc it has very fine intricate brocading patterns, on close-ups you could see the most minute details of the beautiful dimensional brocade patterns......very impressive on big screen!
> 
> I will always buy blu ray if cost is only 10-20% more than DVD version........1080p native resolution is a wonderful thing!




I need an HD TV & player before I can do this.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

*Sospiro you poor child......you must not deprive yourself any longer!*

If you only own two baroque DVDs then make it these two both with William Christie and Danielle DeNiese, life without these is unthinkable 

 

I will be looking to buy any future William Christie baroque DVD........he is really doing great things!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> *Sospiro you poor child......you must not deprive yourself any longer!*


:lol:



DarkAngel said:


> If you only own two baroque DVDs then make it these two both with William Christie and Danielle DeNiese, life without these is unthinkable


I do have this one but haven't watched it yet.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> *Sospiro you poor child......you must not deprive yourself any longer!*
> 
> If you only own two baroque DVDs then make it these two both with William Christie and Danielle DeNiese, life without these is unthinkable


Yes, those two are incredible, I agree. And here are two more baroque DVD's that are must haves if you happen to like these composers.....


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Yes, those two are incredible, I agree. And here are two more baroque DVD's that are must haves if you happen to like these composers.....


Best part is the "entrance" by conductor Savall with trumpets in balcony and the flowing black cape filmed from behind at low angle.......impressive

Also the shots of the original instruments played by band..........check it out


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Best part is the "entrance" by conductor Savall with trumpets in balcony and the flowing black cape filmed from behind at low angle.......impressive
> 
> Also the shots of the original instruments played by band..........check it out


This is great. Help! I don't want to spend more money! I've been buying too many DVDs!!!

Question: how do you make the YouTube clip be displayed directly on the post? I'm new to this board and not used to the commands yet.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> Best part is the "entrance" by conductor Savall with trumpets in balcony and the flowing black cape filmed from behind at low angle.......impressive


And the GREAT thing about it is that Savall actually looks a lot like Monteverdi!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*Parsifal*

I'm having a break between ACTs I and II.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Yes, the Russian accent - I've listened to her singing a couple of Slavic language arias and she sounds nicer than in French or Italian. But still, most top singers manage to reduce accent with intensive training, and Anna's, although lessened as compared to the beginning of her career, is still quite heavy - which, like I said, doesn't stop me from loving her.


Actually after watching the Met Puritani Anna was the one who sounded most Italian out of the non-native singers. Eric Cutler was truly shocking but I don't hear anyone going on about his accent. Maybe because he's not as glamorous.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Actually after watching the Met Puritani Anna was the one who sounded most Italian out of the non-native singers. Eric Cutler was truly shocking but I don't hear anyone going on about his accent. Maybe because he's not as glamorous.


Yes, that's what happens, people pick on lovely Anna *because* she is glamurous.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I watched the Domingo Simone Boccanegra on Met player, the same production as the Chernov one from 1995. I preferred the original, Chernov is obviously singing in his fach although Domingo was quite moving in the last act and gets full marks for an alarming last collapse. But the earlier cast is better - Morris as Fiesco under-acted almost to the point of catatonia, Giordano as Adorno over-acted almost to the point of hysteria, and Pieczonka was a pleasant enough Amelia if a little monochrome.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I was watching this and loving it, then the site I was streaming it from crashed. It's driving me crazy. I was 49 minutes into it, just at the beginning of act II, and it was sublime.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> I was watching this and loving it, then the site I was streaming it from crashed. It's driving me crazy. I was 49 minutes into it, just at the beginning of act II, and it was sublime.


That's a real bummer and the only problem with streaming stuff. I guess there's still a place for buying the DVDs, although I worry the technology will go all obsolete on me.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> That's a real bummer and the only problem with streaming stuff. I guess there's still a place for buying the DVDs, although I worry the technology will go all obsolete on me.


You know, it's not a matter of worrying about "if" the technology will go all obsolete on us, but rather one of "when." It certainly will, I just hope it takes a while. They always do it, so that they can sell more stuff to us.

I guess if you keep a DVD player in good working order and a TV that connects to it you can still play your discs even after they go out of fashion. The problem is, DVD players have moving parts, so, they may go kaput after a few years of service.

I have already upgraded to blu-ray but my collection of operas on blu-ray is very small and barely one tenth of my DVD collection. Also, while I love the HD image and superior sound of blu-ray, I don't like the fact that they are more expensive than DVDs, since I worry about my budget for opera.

I'm glad that the new blu-ray players are retro-compatible (there's gotta be a better word for what I'm saying, I've just made this one up) and can still play DVDs, but who knows what the next step in the technology wars will be? No more home players, just downloads that we need to pay for each time we want to see them again?

These corporations will always find a way to profit out of our love for opera and other forms of art/entertainment. I don't want to sound like a conspiracy nut, I find it perfectly normal that corportations try to profit from their products, I'm just calling it the way I see it.

We've seen what happened to floppy computer discs and vinyl, so DVD will disappear at some point, that's for sure.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Yes, but those things go very, very slowly. Vinyl albums for example are still up for sale and so are the turntables to play them. I'm more worried about the life span of DVD's and CD's. Several of the first CD's I bought in the mid-80's are already unplayable.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Yes, but those things go very, very slowly. Vinyl albums for example are still up for sale and so are the turntables to play them. I'm more worried about the life span of DVD's and CD's. Several of the first CD's I bought in the mid-80's are already unplayable.


I may be stating the obvious, but the solution for this would be to duplicate every CD you buy (easy to do in computers) and keep playing the copy until it gets unplayable, at which point you'd still have the original one in like new state to duplicate again. Another way to go is to import the tracks to an iPod and play them there instead of playing the original CD.

While duplication of DVDs is also possible, it is more complicated, but then I think most people don't play their DVDs over and over so they should last for decades and decades.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

It's all about how old they are, not how many times you play them. I have a substantial collection of cd's, so it's not as though I keep playing the same ones over and over. And all of them are well taken care of - no scratches, no fingerprints or anything else that could potentially harm them.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I only occasionally play a CD & listen mostly on my PC or mp3. I do take great care of my CDs so they should last.

We seem to have gone slightly OT so to bring it back I'm watching this.










I've seen it lots of times & I'm sure it's been reviewed so all I can add is "fabulous".


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> It's all about how old they are, not how many times you play them. I have a substantial collection of cd's, so it's not as though I keep playing the same ones over and over. And all of them are well taken care of - no scratches, no fingerprints or anything else that could potentially harm them.


Really? I didn't know that they could age even with an intact plastic layer without scratches. I guess I should go check my old CDs that I haven't been playing for years.

Anyway, iPod and electronic music libraries would still be a solution. Although more time consuming, it would be possible to transfer CDs to a large external hard drive and have the music kept safe virtually forever, since if new hard drive interfaces develop, you could just periodically migrate it all to a new model as they are released.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Really? I didn't know that they could age even with an intact plastic layer without scratches. I guess I should go check my old CDs that I haven't been playing for years.


So far it's happened with three of my cd's from the 80's. None of the others from that time that I've played recently have any such problems.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> That's a real bummer and the only problem with streaming stuff. I guess there's still a place for buying the DVDs, although I worry the technology will go all obsolete on me.


It worked today. I watched until the end, with no freezing of the image. And then I watched the entire Les Indes Galantes. Wow! That production from Opéra Garnier is simply spectacular!!!

So, two A+ operas today. Not bad, and for free!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Sold my DVD version and upgraded to blu ray..........excellent picture and sound quality.

About the performance, a true hit or miss affair:

*Scence 1 "brindisi" 10/10*
This is a grand slam home run, as thrilling and sweeping performance as any I have seen, Anna has all the swagger and beauty a Violetta needs, what great ideas and bold images here, bravo!

*Scence 2 Father tells Violeta to leave 5/10*
What happened to all promise and creative thinking, a let down from opening scence, modern staging seems lackluster, pretty average overall only Anna keeps me watching......my least favorite part of La Traviata in general

*Scence 3 party with gypsies and bull fighters 2/10*
A disaster, complete failure compared to good traditional staging, comical in it obvious short coming with paper masks etc, oh dear..........

*Scence 4 death bed 7/10*
Pretty effective but compared to opening can't help but feel there could be more, clock perhaps too obvious and intrusive


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Sold my DVD version and upgraded to blu ray..........excellent picture and sound quality.
> 
> About the performance, a true hit or miss affair:
> 
> ...


You make good points and I'd tend to agree; nevertheless, this production has so many high sides as well that it became my favorite La Traviata of the 4 I own and a few others I've seen that I don't own.

About the "Father tells Violetta to leave" - while not as spectacular (for being more introspective and slowly paced), it is actually the core of the opera and it is very well constructed. There are several subtle aspects there, in terms of the father's changing strategies (he uses four different approaches as the first three don't produce the intended result) and Violetta's different reactions to each one. The music matches these strategies admirably. The emotional tension is phenomenal. In the matter of well developed psychological drama, it is one of the best moments in all of opera in my opinion. It reads like a duel between these two strong characters.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

*Mamascarlatti.........*

Hope you don't live near Christchurch NZ, big earthquake today 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wait, I see from your listed location you live in Auckland........northern part of island and not in danger


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> *Mamascarlatti.........*
> Hope you don't live near Christchurch NZ, big earthquake today


Thanks for your concern DarkAngel, we're all fine here and my family members in Christchurch are Ok too.
The danger in Auckland is more from volcanoes - we have 53 extinct cones and are waiting for the next one to pop up.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Well that was amazing fun in a baroque meets hip hop kind of way. I think it is probably a very divisive production in that it is not in the least traditional, but then I don't think of Rameau as rooted in his epoch in the same way as I perceive Lully to be. Rameau's danse music is particularly infectious, and in this production the young energetic dancers perform sublimely. There is not a weak link amongst the singers, and the staging is endlessly inventive. There's a great review by Mike Birman on Amazon which goes into more detail - I'd concur with everything he says.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Well that was amazing fun in a baroque meets hip hop kind of way. I think it is probably a very divisive production in that it is not in the least traditional, but then I don't think of Rameau as rooted in his epoch in the same way as I perceive Lully to be. Rameau's danse music is particularly infectious, and in this production the young energetic dancers perform sublimely. There is not a weak link amongst the singers, and the staging is endlessly inventive. There's a great review by Mike Birman on Amazon which goes into more detail - I'd concur with everything he says.


Yes I bought this same time as Les Indes Gallantes and I am thrilled with both of them, the inventive use of back projected screens makes almost anything possible on stage just limited by ones imagination, After this I check everything William Christie is invloved in.........next for me


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> After this I check everything William Christie is invloved in.........next for me


I've been considering this but I already have a Fairy Queen from ENO. Let us know what you think, whether it's as good as Les Indes or Les Paladins.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Yes I bought this same time as Les Indes Gallantes and I am thrilled with both of them, the inventive use of back projected screens makes almost anything possible on stage just limited by ones imagination, After this I check everything William Christie is invloved in.........next for me
> 
> I just finished Les Paladins as well and loved it, just not as much as Les Indes Galantes. Like you said, very imaginative production. Regarding the use of projected screens, have you seen this one? It's just as imaginative, or more!


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## Bix (Aug 12, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Thanks for your concern DarkAngel, we're all fine here and my family members in Christchurch are Ok too.
> The danger in Auckland is more from volcanoes - we have 53 extinct cones and are waiting for the next one to pop up.


Im glad you are all safe - we never have anything like that here so we don't know the half of it with natural disaster.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> DarkAngel said:
> 
> 
> > Yes I bought this same time as Les Indes Gallantes and I am thrilled with both of them, the inventive use of back projected screens makes almost anything possible on stage just limited by ones imagination, After this I check everything William Christie is invloved in.........next for me
> ...


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Looks like fun..........but very expensive!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*Euryanthe*

I'm watching this, right now:










Quite extraordinary. Highly recommended. This is a very melodious opera, and the principals in this DVD do an excellent job. Not to forget that Jolana Fogasova looks incredibly beautiful in this production as evil Eglantine.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Looks like fun..........but very expensive!


Your picture is broken in my browser, I can't see what it is. What is it?


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Benjamin Britten's Curlew River, courtesy this link: http://www.classicaltv.com/v889/britten-curlew-river-aix-en-provence-festival

I've heard nothing quite like this; I was captivated by it on first hearing Britten's own recording almost two years ago now, and this production is simply stunning.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I've watched the Luc Bondy production of Tosca on Met player yesterday. For me this production is close to ideal. The story is set in 18th century Rome like Puccini intended, although one wonders why some of the more sinister characters are wearing sun glasses and long black leather coats in this setting.  But ok, it's a minor detail and overall Bondy did a great job. 

Every time I watch Karita Matilla at work I love her more and more. It's not as though she's vocally ideally suited for the role of Tosca in my view. In fact, sometimes she sounds rather shrill. But the woman is such a unbelievable actress and she brings such intensity to the role that it's (very) easy to forgive her for that. Marcello Alvarez sings a fine Cavaradossi, although for reasons I can't put my finger on I'm always a bit indifferent about him. The (for me) unknown George Gagnidze is a great menacing Scarpia with a dark voice and he's a good actor too. If I ever meet him I'll punch him on the nose, which is exactly how one should feel about this character.:lol:

A pity that there's no DVD of this one, because I would definitely buy a copy.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

More R Strauss from Renee Fleming at the MET soon.......

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a95fa72f#/a95fa72f/36


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> More R Strauss from Renee Fleming at the MET soon.......
> 
> http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/a95fa72f#/a95fa72f/36


I got my ticket to the Met in HD broadcasting of this performance already. Can't wait.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

This is extremely powerful stuff. The music is a stream of ever-shifting melody and beautiful harmonies which effectively underline the dramatic and ultimately harrowing story. This production is traditional but makes good use of dramatic stylised movement. I feel quite emotionally wrung out by this last scene punctuated by the whirring slash of the guillotine.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> This is extremely powerful stuff. The music is a stream of ever-shifting melody and beautiful harmonies which effectively underline the dramatic and ultimately harrowing story. This production is traditional but makes good use of dramatic stylised movement. I feel quite emotionally wrung out by this last scene punctuated by the whirring slash of the guillotine.


Nice, thanks. I'll get to it soon.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> The ever-effervescent Cecilia Bartoli carried the day in this candy-coloured production from Zurich. A perfect antidote to all the gloom and doom in the Poulenc the day before.


I own this one but haven't seen it yet.

About the Dialogue des Carmelites, do you have the libretto? I have the exact same production in my Opera America membership but weirdly, there are no subtitles, and while I do speak French, in lyric singing it's harder to understand, so, I'm waiting to find a libretto before I see it, but I haven't found it so far.
Would you be able to direct me to a link with the libretto?


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I watched Orfeo and Euridyce on Met player. Loved Stephanie Blythe's singing, but as for the production........
    :scold:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> I watched Orfeo and Euridyce on Met player. Loved Stephanie Blythe's singing, but as for the production........
> :scold:


It's very distracting isn't it, with all those historical figures, it makes you keep drifting off and trying to identify them.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> It's very distracting isn't it, with all those historical figures, it makes you keep drifting off and trying to identify them.


Indeed. The dancing is boring - almost amateurish looking as well. But everything about this production looks weird to me.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> The ever-effervescent Cecilia Bartoli carried the day in this candy-coloured production from Zurich. A perfect antidote to all the gloom and doom in the Poulenc the day before.


We are on same Rossini track, just recently purchased these two but not watched yet.....
Il Turco was extremely cheap at Amazon USA

















I have had very good success with BelAir label DVDs in this type of production, love this Mozart DVD:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


>


It'll be interesting to hear what you think of this - l'Italiana is a gap in my collection.

Just finished watching this:










There are a couple of things that spoil what could have been a lovely film of this fairy tale:
1. The intrusion of "modern" but actually now dated artefacts such as computer screens and mobile phones - it just felt jarring.
2. The extra sound effects, and most particularly about 10 minutes (felt like hours) of canned hand-clapping in the middle of this film - it's supposed to be the masses applauding the emperor, but actually it was just incredibly irritating.

It's a pity as it's such lovely hypnotic music.

Luckily I've just discovered from a review on Amazon that you can choose to hear the score without effects from the audio menu.

Be warned!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> It'll be interesting to hear what you think of this - l'Italiana is a gap in my collection.
> 
> Just finished watching this:
> 
> ...


Exactly, I was about to tell you when I read your last phrase, you *can* turn off the sound effects, which is what I did, and I loved it.
Le Rossignol is extremely beautiful, dreamy, and one of my favorite operas. Short, but such a little gem! Natalie Dessay sang beautifully here.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I have just finished this. The opera itself is terrific, of course; this is one of my favorites (although I still prefer Euryanthe). The staging - well, you gotta see this. It's period staging. It's supposed to be *exactly* how it was at the time of Weber, with all the primitive 'special effects' and the primitive scenery. It is a curiosity, and I did enjoy seeing what opera staging was like at the time. But I'll tell you, if this is what tradition indicates, then tradition is vastly over-rated, LOL. Because nowadays, this staging seems very amadoristic. If someone sees this without knowing that it was done in purpose, the person will be completely puzzled - which is what we get from some Amazon.com customers in their reviews. It's pretty hilarious, most of these folks didn't realize that this was period staging and kept complaining of the primitivism... LOL. But, you know, it works fine as a curiosity but at one point the novelty wears off, and we keep imagining what gorgeous scenes could have happened with *today's* special effects (the spooky Halloween-like scene of the Wolf's Glen with its eery music would look formidable with todays resources). Everything was a throwback, including the small period orchestra, the intimate setting... except that of course the stage director had to thrown in some "ideas" (at times I think that stage directors ought to be shot) and decided to include a six-feet tall ************ bunny. No, I'm not kidding. I'm definitely not! Watch this and you will see that it is true! So there goes by the drains the period staging, since I most certainly doubt that in Weber's time they'd have included a six-feet tall ************ bunny. Beware of this production, depending on who you want to show it to.

The bottom line is that I liked it, and Der Freischütz is so interesting that you kind of forget about the staging anyway and you just listen to this creative, varied, good-paced, perfectly orchestrated masterpiece.

Another warning - it's Singspiel, and the first act has more Spiel than Sing, LOL... so, if this is your first encounter with this opera, take it easy, and wait patiently because it *will* take off - the second and third acts are spectacular.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I'll be watching Madame Butterfly, a version from 1995
Cast: Ying Huang, Richard Troxell
Director: Frédéric Mitterrand 

It should arrive from Netflix by the weekend. It will be the first full opera that I'll watch. I figured it would be a good place to get my feet wet. Even though it's not my favorite opera, I do enjoy it, and I know the story better than any other.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Sonata said:


> I'll be watching Madame Butterfly, a version from 1995
> Cast: Ying Huang, Richard Troxell
> Director: Frédéric Mitterrand
> 
> It should arrive from Netflix by the weekend. It will be the first full opera that I'll watch. I figured it would be a good place to get my feet wet. Even though it's not my favorite opera, I do enjoy it, and I know the story better than any other.


Good choice.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Sonata said:


> I'll be watching Madame Butterfly, a version from 1995
> Cast: Ying Huang, Richard Troxell
> Director: Frédéric Mitterrand
> 
> It should arrive from Netflix by the weekend. It will be the first full opera that I'll watch. I figured it would be a good place to get my feet wet. Even though it's not my favorite opera, I do enjoy it, and I know the story better than any other.


Frédéric Mitterrand? Wasn't this the exact name of the late French president, or was his given name different? Just curious.

Anyway, Madame Butterfly is a beautiful opera in terms of music, but not one of my favorites in terms of theatrical aspects. I find it too lachrymose and melodramatic. I know that this is true of most operas but this one I find particularly unappealing in terms of plot, enough to distract me of the beautiful music.

My favorite Puccini is La Bohème (I know, it's lachrimose too, LOL, but for some reason - not the least of them the fact that the music is so sublime) it works better for me.

In any case, enjoy! Madama Butterfly is hugely popular and I guess I'm really in the minority when I raise this objection, so never mind what I'm saying. The important thing is, do continue to get your feet wet, there are so many wonderful operas out there!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Frédérick Mitterrand? Wasn't this the exact name of the late French president, or was his given name different? Just curious.


François Mitterrand was the French President.

Frédéric is François' nephew.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> François Mitterrand was the French President.
> 
> Frédéric is François' nephew.


Right, of course! His nephew? Wow. Is he good?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Right, of course! His nephew? Wow. Is he good?


No I think he's quite naughty. Given to sex with under-age boys in Thai brothels.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> No I think he's quite naughty. Given to sex with under-age boys in Thai brothels.


Zut, le salaud!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Oh my, vade retro, Satanás! I need someone to cancel my credit card!


You don't know the worst. This is part of a very enticing set called "Glyndebourne diamonds" of 5 stellar productions in the 70s.

Each one in this set gets good reviews on Amazon. I reckon the sound might not be wonderful but still....


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Phew, got to the end of this. Don't get me wrong, the singers did a good job with some very challenging material, but the production is deadly dull and predictable, with totally static blocking, stock gestures, gloomy sets, even gloomier lighting (what's with La Scala and murky darkness?) and costumes that make the singers look more like Stone Age homespun hippies than Highland Scots.

And all this from the director who brought us Fitzcarraldo, Nosferatu the Vampyre and the Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. Go figure.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Phew, got to the end of this. Don't get me wrong, the singers did a good job with some very challenging material, but the production is deadly dull and predictable, with totally static blocking, stock gestures, gloomy sets, even gloomier lighting (what's with La Scala and murky darkness?) and costumes that make the singers look more like Stone Age homespun hippies than Highland Scots.
> 
> And all this from the director who brought us Fitzcarraldo, Nosferatu the Vampyre and the Enigma of Kaspar Hauser. Go figure.


More often than not I don't like La Scala productions. Not that they can't be brilliant, sometimes they are, but often they're dull.

Glad to know that you otherwise love Herzog. His Nosferatu is one of the rare cases of a remake of a masterpiece that is also a masterpiece.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> More often than not I don't like La Scala productions. Not that they can't be brilliant, sometimes they are, but often they're dull.


This is borne out by my experience of many DVDs so far. So why does it have this amazing reputation? Is it because the audience is demanding? Or simply the history?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I think the history has a lot to do with it. But it is a company full of problems, I believe due to the fact that they have all sorts of unions and guilds that are untouchable and get all those governmental funds, it's like a public servant environment in which the employees don't want to do any serious work because they know they can't be fired. So now Berlusconi is trying to end these privileges and people are going on strike. La Scala doesn't look to me (from a distance, I'm no expert in their ins and outs) like a company that is not agile nor up to date with modern management and healthy competition. While I know very well that Berlusconi is using this all as an excuse to cut funds, I think that if this goes through and after some even more troubled times it may be a good thing in the end - if La Scala and other Italian opera houses stop depending so much on the government then maybe they'll modernize and became lean and mean instead of bloated and stiff.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Elgarian said:


> Three people converging at this point in space/time with an almost complete understanding of what the others have experienced. Magic.


*Correction: *_Four _people converging at this point in space/time with an almost complete understanding of what the others have experienced....

(with a fifth soon to join them, I think)


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> *Correction: *_Four _people converging at this point in space/time with an almost complete understanding of what the others have experienced....
> 
> (with a fifth soon to join them, I think)


It is pretty special isn't it, one of the joys of a "place" like this.

I've just finished watching the Magic Flute we have been discussing, on Met Player. It is one of the most visually arresting and beguiling productions I have ever seen, and in fact I found watching it in English quite enlightening. I shall enjoy my German language version all the more for it.










Alan, I was thinking, if you have trouble getting hold of a copy, you could join Met Player for the seven days free period and watch it on that.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> Alan, I was thinking, if you have trouble getting hold of a copy, you could join Met Player for the seven days free period and watch it on that.


It would mean watching it on my computer, though, with its tiny monitor and poor sound. I think my best bet is to keep it in mind as a purchase when I get back in funds after all my recent Wagner extravagances (around 2050?).

Meanwhile, my current watching, at about half an hour per day, is this:










Despite the best of intentions, I still find the first two Acts of _Siegfried_ terribly dull and almost impossible to cope with. I had hopes that I might enjoy the Chereau/Boulez version, but no. The solid persistence of all-male voices for so long (I don't count the woodbird, who in any case appears too late, after the damage is done) is just one of the things that make for such a difficult soundscape. My attention drifts everywhere, anywhere, except on the music. Nevermind. The hard part is now done, and tomorrow Gwyneth wakes up.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Elgarian said:


> It would mean watching it on my computer, though, with its tiny monitor and poor sound. I think my best bet is to keep it in mind as a purchase when I get back in funds after all my recent Wagner extravagances (around 2050?).


I don't do this myself since I get good sound when I plug in and listen with headphones, and I have a big enough computer screen, but I believe you can connect your puter with your television and watch Met player on there. It would involve moving some stuff around, but I think I'm gonna try that myself some time - there's no reason why I shouldn't really.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

jhar26 said:


> I don't do this myself since I get good sound when I plug in and listen with headphones, and I have a big enough computer screen, but I believe you can connect your puter with your television and watch Met player on there. It would involve moving some stuff around, but I think I'm gonna try that myself some time - there's no reason why I shouldn't really.


There are all sorts of domestic hurdles to overcome in this area, here. I don't _watch_ opera (in contrast to listening to it) all that often, and when I do it has to be on the TV, using headphones, to get a sizeable image and decent sound. It's a huge shame that we can't tolerate an arrangement with the LS3/5As on each side of the TV, but it's a small room, and they're placed for optimum playing of music through the hifi (the prime consideration), on either side of a fireplace, and the TV is necessarily sidelined in a corner. My computer is miles away in another room. So ... it's TV, DVD player and headphones - short of a massive upheaval which isn't going to happen.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> There are all sorts of domestic hurdles to overcome in this area, here. I don't _watch_ opera (in contrast to listening to it) all that often, and when I do it has to be on the TV, using headphones, to get a sizeable image and decent sound. It's a huge shame that we can't tolerate an arrangement with the LS3/5As on each side of the TV, but it's a small room, and they're placed for optimum playing of music through the hifi (the prime consideration), on either side of a fireplace, and the TV is necessarily sidelined in a corner. My computer is miles away in another room. So ... it's TV, DVD player and headphones - short of a massive upheaval which isn't going to happen.


Actually you don't need a massive upheavel. These days there are devices that you plug in any electric outlet in the room where your computer and Internet connection are, and you plug the other one in another outlet by your TV. Then you can bring your computer to where the TV is and connect it to the Internet through this device then with a simple monitor cable you can connect your computer to your TV. These devices are called plug-in network adapters or links. If you buy two of these for 25 bucks each (available for this price by one of the market vendors), you're all set:

http://www.amazon.com/Sling-Media-S...2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1284923436&sr=1-2

This, assuming you don't have wireless in your home which makes it even easier. Good wireless routers can be found for as cheap as 25 bucks.

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-Wirele...7?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1284923684&sr=1-7

Or else, there are also wireless network bridges with access points that you can put close to your TV. Several cheap solutions exist, within 50 dollars.

http://www.amazon.com/ZyXEL-WAP3205-Wireless-Access-Ethernet/dp/B002LITI7K/ref=pd_cp_e_2


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I've got wireless internet and a laptop so it's really easy - I just connect my laptop to the TV with an HDMI cable. 
To get better sound out of my TV I use headphones through a headphone amp, which I've discovered also improves the sound from small portable speakers. It's not wonderful quality like out of a proper hi-fi system but it's OK for me, bearing in mind that we have limited space, our full size speakers are connected to the hi-fi system, and I'm the only one who really watches opera.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> Despite the best of intentions, I still find the first two Acts of _Siegfried_ terribly dull and almost impossible to cope with. I had hopes that I might enjoy the Chereau/Boulez version, but no. The solid persistence of all-male voices for so long (I don't count the woodbird, who in any case appears too late, after the damage is done) is just one of the things that make for such a difficult soundscape. My attention drifts everywhere, anywhere, except on the music. Nevermind. The hard part is now done, and tomorrow Gwyneth wakes up.


Like you I find these acts hard to cope with, they seem interminable, although I love isolated moments like the forest whispers section and of course the Woodbird. It is worth it for the last act.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm the only one who really watches opera.


That's virtually the same here - mostly if I want to watch opera, I choose times when I'm alone. So really - TV, headphones - like you, I find it works well enough.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Yep. I got all sorts of stuff here, I like technology (boys will be boys). Wireless N standard (the speediest), laptop with HDMI output, TV 1080p with several HDMI inputs, and the TV is linked to the Internet by a router bridge (N as well) so I have YouTube on the TV with all the opera clips, and all sound-capable devices (blu-ray player, TV, DVR, Roku, mp3 player) are linked to a receiver with DTS and Dolby Digital surround sound. So regardless of the source I get the sound to the surround system - the receiver is also capable of simulating surround when the track is just stereo). The receiver also accepts headphones (this is when I don't want to disturb my wife who is an early sleeper). So I'm all set. When I play my operas and concert discs the sound is incredible, just like in the theater.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Like you I find these acts hard to cope with, they seem interminable, although I love isolated moments like the forest whispers section and of course the Woodbird. It is worth it for the last act.


Definitely, the first two acts of Siegfried are the down point of the Ring. The third does make up for it.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I simply cannot understand why this Met production of La Damnation de Faust is not available on DVD. It is spectacular - the use of back projections and a series of balconies on which dancers celebrate spring, soldiers march to their deaths, devils crawl and climb, and horses ride to Marguerite's rescue work wonderfully to unify the episodic nature of this opera. If this is what Robert Lepage can do, I look forward to his upcoming Ring.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I simply cannot understand why this Met production of La Damnation de Faust is not available on DVD. It is spectacular - the use of back projections and a series of balconies on which dancers celebrate spring, soldiers march to their deaths, devils crawl and climb, and horses ride to Marguerite's rescue work wonderfully to unify the eposidic nature of this opera. If this is what Robert Lepage can do, I look forward to his upcoming Ring.


Oh wow, my dream is to see La Damnation de Faust staged live. I have only seen it as opera-concert. This is one of my top 10 favorite operas. I think it is utterly, completely, overwhelmingly perfect in all regards. I know, I should subscribe to Met Player... I will, eventually. But yes, if they released this on DVD or blu-ray, I'd jump on it. And yes, I am very excited about the new Ring.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Oh wow, my dream is to see La Damnation de Faust staged live. I have only seen it as opera-concert. This is one of my top 10 favorite operas. I think it is utterly, completely, overwhelmingly perfect in all regards. I know, I should subscribe to Met Player... I will, eventually. But yes, if they released this on DVD or blu-ray, I'd jump on it. And yes, I am very excited about the new Ring.


Just do the 7 day trial, watch it and then unsubscribe (well within the time). I was thinking of you when I posted this about the DVD!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Just do the 7 day trial, watch it and then unsubscribe (well within the time). I was thinking of you when I posted this about the DVD!


Thanks for thinking of me, and yes, I shall do this soon, it's just that I'd be tempted to see several operas in those seven days, and I should do it when I'm on vacation or something. I'm also using up my Opera America / Naxos perk that I've talked about because that free unlimited subscription is time limited (ends on 12/31/2010) while the Met Player thing I can do anytime. So any free time I've been having lately, I've been watching operas from that Naxos list. Once I see everything that I want to see there or 12/31/2010 arrives (whatever comes first) then I'll get the Met Player trial. I saw two Macbeth productions there today, liked both (ups and downs in both but overall good ones - one from Glyndebourne and one from the Liceu).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> I saw two Macbeth productions there today, liked both (ups and downs in both but overall good ones - one from Glyndebourne and one from the Liceu).












Was this the Glyndebourne one? If so, tell me more!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Was this the Glyndebourne one? If so, tell me more!


Yep, that's the one. Gotta go now, won't have time for details (I'm late to go to work) but in a couple of lines, good Macbeth, good witches (looking scarier than the ones from the Liceu), good orchestra with a fast and thrilling tempo (again better than the Liceu's), but weak Lady Macbeth with a small voice that disappeared in duets. Singing in the Liceu is overall superior in my opinion, especially with a much fuller and passionate Lady Macbeth.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> I simply cannot understand why this Met production of La Damnation de Faust is not available on DVD. It is spectacular - the use of back projections and a series of balconies on which dancers celebrate spring, soldiers march to their deaths, devils crawl and climb, and horses ride to Marguerite's rescue work wonderfully to unify the episodic nature of this opera. If this is what Robert Lepage can do, I look forward to his upcoming Ring.


I share your enthusiasm. If this ever is released on DVD I'll buy it.

BTW - I watched Hansel und Gretel with Von Stade yesterday. It's the first time I ever saw and/or heard that opera. It's delighful. I LOVED the production and Von Stade and Judith Blegen were close to ideal. Gotta love that witch also. :lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> I share your enthusiasm. If this ever is released on DVD I'll buy it.
> 
> BTW - I watched Hansel und Gretel with Von Stade yesterday. It's the first time I ever saw and/or heard that opera. It's delighful. I LOVED the production and Von Stade and Judith Blegen were close to ideal. Gotta love that witch also. :lol:


I own that production but haven't seen it yet.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> BTW - I watched Hansel und Gretel with Von Stade yesterday. It's the first time I ever saw and/or heard that opera. It's delighful. I LOVED the production and Von Stade and Judith Blegen were close to ideal. Gotta love that witch also. :lol:


Yes it's enchanting music and a charming production. The other version is quite interesting, rather gritty in the first act, but some magical effects in the forest and Philip Langridge as a very enthusiastic witch.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> That's too funny. I didn't notice wobbly tum (no one expects Azucena to be sexy although there was some enthusiastic raping when she was captured in Act III), but I did think Leonora looked like a respectable middle-aged housewife who had taken a wrong turning on the way to buy a nice merluza at the Madrid fish market.
> 
> No wonder the boys didn't like it, no Annas, Renees, Natalies, Elinas, Dianas or other lovelies.


Like I said before, this is the ONLY production in my life as an opera lover that found its way - literally - into my kitchen garbage can. No Annas, Renees, Natalies, etc must have had a very significant part in my decision to toss it there.:lol:


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I've been out this evening, watching a bunch of nice people called London Festival Opera perform a selection of opera pops, accompanied by a piano quintet. Not the greatest performances you'll ever hear, but presented with a sense of fun and with steadily increasing rapport between performers and audience - so that by the end, I don't think there was anyone in the theatre who wasn't smiling, and who didn't want them to do 'just one more'.
Beats TV, anyway.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> I've been out this evening, watching a bunch of nice people called London Festival Opera perform a selection of opera pops, accompanied by a piano quintet. Not the greatest performances you'll ever hear, but presented with a sense of fun and with steadily increasing rapport between performers and audience - so that by the end, I don't think there was anyone in the theatre who wasn't smiling, and who didn't want them to do 'just one more'.
> Beats TV, anyway.


Ah, there's nothing like sitting in a room with a group of people all sharing the same enjoyment of a wonderful art form. Even your post made me smile at the thought of it.


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

I recently borrowed the Glyndebourne production of Rossini's Le Comte Ory from my library, and I must say this is great fun ! It's prime Rossini, and the Met will be doing its first production of this zany comic opera this season,which is great news.
This was I believe, Rossini' next to last opera,written just before William Tell, and is in French.
It's the story of a horndog French nobleman,count Ory ,who tries to take advantage of the fact that all the husbands and boyfriends of the inhabitants of a castle have gone to the crusades, hoping to score as much as possible,especially with the lovely countess Adele.
He and his buddies disguise themselves as a group of nuns, and gain entrance to the castle, but are interrupted by the sudden return of the men from the crusades. 
The music is as bubbly and melodious as any Rossini opera I know, and the Glyndebourne performance is absolutely first rate,with Marc Laho, a tenor new to me as the wily and lustful Ory,Annick Massis as Adele, and Dianan Montegue as Ory's page Isolier, a trouser role.
Andrew Davis, who is not known for his Rossini, conducts with all the sparkle and verve you could want, and the whole cast acts with consummate comic flair. 
If you love Rossini, don't miss this !


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

superhorn said:


> I recently borrowed the Glyndebourne production of Rossini's Le Comte Ory from my library, and I must say this is great fun ! It's prime Rossini, and the Met will be doing its first production of this zany comic opera this season,which is great news.
> If you love Rossini, don't miss this !


I would definitely endorse this recommendation. It's a romp, and well sung and staged, and if you know Viaggio a Reims you even already know the music!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> I've been out this evening, watching a bunch of nice people called London Festival Opera perform a selection of opera pops, accompanied by a piano quintet. Not the greatest performances you'll ever hear, but presented with a sense of fun and with steadily increasing rapport between performers and audience - so that by the end, I don't think there was anyone in the theatre who wasn't smiling, and who didn't want them to do 'just one more'.
> Beats TV, anyway.


Nothing wrong with this. I love this kind of event. My local opera company and my local symphony do a couple of these every summer, one each.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Watched this famous Tosca which has now been released in DVD format for 1st time as part of reduced price 3 opera set shown..........it is one of the very best Toscas, perhaps the best.

Shot on location in Italy often using natural lighting there are some scences where shadows are too prominent and the golden late day sunlight in Scarpias office gets to be overdone. Also who was the fool who dressed Tosca in all grey solid color dress (like a prison inmate) in first act cathedral scences, what a wasted opportunity with someone as beautiful as Catherine Malfitano to model the finest intricate gown

Domingo was solid as a rock (as usual) and Malfitano has all the beauty and fire Tosca character needs, very good actress I though she was just made for the part. There is a unique scence here (mentioned by Natalie aka Mammascarlatti) where Scarpia actually passionately kisses Tosca before writing her letter and Tosca does not resist as strongly as you might think 

Very dramatic plunge from the ramparts by Tosca with red cape flowing (like blood) in the wind and angel statue presiding over events. On my system picture and sound quality much better than Amazon comments, upscales very nice


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

superhorn said:


> If you love Rossini, don't miss this !


I'm salivating already! I have had a couple of opportunities to watch DVDs/listen to CDs of Le Comte Ory, and I have declined because I want to approach this like a virgin... I have my Met in HD tickets for this already and can't wait! It should be lots of fun!!!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I would definitely endorse this recommendation. It's a romp, and well sung and staged, and if you know Viaggio a Reims you even already know the music!


Oh darn, you just shattered my plan of approaching Le Comte Ory like a virgin...
I do know Viaggio a Reims, and I forgot that Rossini used its music in 50% of Le Comte Ory. Rossini, the recycler! 

Anyway, just kidding, it should still be lots of fun, Viaggio a Reims seems like a concert, and Le Comte Ory is supposed to have a plot and comic flair.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Ah, there's nothing like sitting in a room with a group of people all sharing the same enjoyment of a wonderful art form. Even your post made me smile at the thought of it.


Natalie, I was wondering about this, daydreaming today.

Can you imagine a Talk Classical Opera Forum Convention? Like Trekkies or something?

We'd gather in a proper location - say, Vienna...

We'd wear badges... Elgarian... Dark Angel... Mammascarlatti... Almaviva... Jhar26... Sonata... Aramis... Sospiro... etc, etc, etc.

It would have to be a fancy hotel with all the perks of modern technology.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please get your badges on the left side of the Registration room, then proceed to the right side to get your complimentary portable DVD player, sponsored by Decca, and your complimentary headphones, sponsored by Opus Arte."

"Please understand that the organizers are not legally responsible for any bodily injuries sustained in fights between proponents of modern vs. proponents of traditional stagings of Wagner's Ring."

"Room 213 is for screening of 21st century off-the-beaten-path upcoming masterpieces. King Roger starts in 20 minutes. Room 217 will be screening Baroque operas. Rameau, Handel, and Lully lovers, please stand by; the program will be announced soon."

"Anna Netrebko is holding an autograph session in Room 221. The Vienna Fire Department recommends no more than 100 people in the room at one time. Anna says that her fans should calm down because she is not planning any Salome performances with full strip-tease."

"Do not miss the Champagne Party later tonight in the Ball Room, following the screening of Die Fledermaus. Tickets are on sale. There is a surcharge for Roederer Crystal, but plain Veuve Clicquot tickets are more affordable."

:lol:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Natalie, I was wondering about this, daydreaming today.
> 
> Can you imagine a Talk Classical Opera Forum Convention? Like Trekkies or something?
> 
> ...


Ah, that's beautiful!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> There is a unique scene here (mentioned by Natalie aka Mammascarlatti) where Scarpia actually passionately kisses Tosca before writing her letter and Tosca does not resist as strongly as you might think


Cripes, with this Scarpia I'd be a complete pushover.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Natalie, I was wondering about this, daydreaming today.
> 
> Can you imagine a Talk Classical Opera Forum Convention? Like Trekkies or something?
> 
> ...




That is so scary .... I've been to a Trekkie Convention  so I know. We would need to wear costumes though - I want to be La Marquise de Berkenfeld cos she's had a 'past' & ends up with Sulpice.

The girls will need a few guys for the autograph sessions. Keenlyside & Kaufmann would do nicely.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> The girls will need a few guys for the autograph sessions. Keenlyside & Kaufmann would do nicely.


And the Siberian Silver Fox.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Can you imagine a Talk Classical Opera Forum Convention? Like Trekkies or something?
> 
> We'd gather in a proper location - say, Vienna...
> 
> ...


Simply inspired!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Was intrigued to watch this after emiellucifuge put it at the top of his/her favourite opera list.

There are some lovely melodies, dramatic moments and a rather brutal story which ostensibly revolves around the liberation of Sicily from the French, but which I saw as being more about a relationship between father and estranged son (hey, it's Verdi, there has to be something about Dad in there).

La Scala have put on a totally traditional production, with a genuinely Sicilian feel (and the lighting technicians are back on the job after the deeply murky Donna del lago). The singing is above reproach, performed by luminaries such as Furlanetto, Zancanaro and Studer. The romantic leads are rather physically unattractive (there's a hilarious near-kiss where you don't know who is more reluctant to actually get to the clinch) but the love story is not as central here as in other operas so it doesn't matter too much.

Just make sure you fast forward through the interminable ballet which completely interrupts the action for about 20 minutes.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm about to watch this (after I come home tonight from a Chick Corea concert, or maybe tomorrow if I'm too sleepy). Is it a goodie? Has anybody reviewed this yet? I anticipate lots of fun since there's Danielle de Diese in it, and the opera itself is beautiful.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Oh this is the production that made me realise that Monteverdi is a genius. The standout performance is Alice Coote - she is genuinely chilling as Nero! Danielle does her usual sex kitten thing. The production is modernised but I find it works - I love the soldiers lounging around complaining about work, nothing changes.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

After watching the vocally superior production on Met player, with Domingo, Sweet and Chernov, I wanted a version that satisfied dramatically and, frankly, that didn't have a 300 lb soprano in the main role. This was a good workmanlike production, no great shakes but showcased the music well, individual intruments especially shining in their solos.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Oh this is the production that made me realise that Monteverdi is a genius. The standout performance is Alice Coote - she is genuinely chilling as Nero! Danielle does her usual sex kitten thing. The production is modernised but I find it works - I love the soldiers lounging around complaining about work, nothing changes.


Great. Actually I'm looking forward to this more than to the Chick Corea concert I'm about to attend. I just learned from Wikipedia that he is a supporter of Scientology. I sure like his jazz, but not his ideas.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Great. Actually I'm looking forward to this more than to the Chick Corea concert I'm about to attend. I just learned from Wikipedia that he is a supporter of Scientology. I sure like his jazz, but not his ideas.


If you start jumping around on sofas when you come back we'll know he got to you with subliminal messages in the music.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> If you start jumping around on sofas when you come back we'll know he got to you with subliminal messages in the music.


Then I'm doomed because usually when I see Danielle de Niese being a sex kitten, I start jumping around on sofas.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*La Traviata a Paris*












sospiro said:


> Can you enjoy something which has you in tears for most of it? All I can say is I love this production. José Cura is gorgeous, especially crawling under the table & in a half dressed state in the morning; Eteri Gvazava breaks your heart as she agrees to Père Germont's request & when she forgives Alfredo for the insult.
> 
> I've been disappointed sometimes with 'Parigi, o cara' but not this time.
> 
> ...


This is not the best sung version of la Traviata out there (Cura a little lacking in piano, Panerai a bit long in the tooth, Eteri Gvazava not really having the "3 voices", as she readily admits herself).

On other hand, particularly in Acts II and III, Gvazava *was* Violetta - beautiful, heartbreaking, despairing, fundamentally innocent and definitely too young to die. You see in the doco, half the team was in tears at the end after her death. And I've never heard the words at the end spoken so meaningfully.

Annie, the country house scenes were shot in Le hameau de la reine, Versailles. Maybe a good place to go for your next holiday?


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm watching my recording off the TV of the ROH Simon Boccanegro with Plácido Domingo in the title role. My recording isn't very good so looking forward to the professional DVD.

A reminder of a very special night.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Simon Boccanegra is a fabulous opera, kind of underestimated due to its somewhat convoluted libretto, which has this reputation but actually I consider to be just fine.

Placido sings it very well.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Simon Boccanegra is a fabulous opera, kind of underestimated due to its somewhat convoluted libretto, which has this reputation but actually I consider to be just fine.
> 
> Placido sings it very well.


In the programme the producer Elijah Moshinsky is interviewed & he says Plácido does not sing the role as a tenor nor as a baritone but as Plácido Domingo.

And that's fine by me & long may he continue.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> In the programme the producer Elijah Moshinsky is interviewed & he says Plácido does not sing the role as a tenor nor as a baritone but as Plácido Domingo.
> 
> And that's fine by me & long may he continue.


Yes we don't have to label everything. After all the human voice is a living entity and pretty complicated, not a tuned artificial instrument.

I'm always interested how at the beginning of their careers singers often talk about how they have to decide what they are - eg soprano or mezzo, or in Domingo's case baritone or tenor.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> In the programme the producer Elijah Moshinsky is interviewed & he says Plácido does not sing the role as a tenor nor as a baritone but as Plácido Domingo.
> 
> And that's fine by me & long may he continue.


I'd say that in the performance that I saw, Plácido sang it in between the tenor and baritone ranges. He wasn't quite as high as a tenor, but not as low as a baritone. He was kind of a tenor with a darker voice, in function of age and maturity.

I found his singing to be truly excellent, and was in awe of him the entire time. I was mumbling to myself "wow" throughout the performance every time he had a line, and left the theater very, very happy.

I thought that his Simon was one of the best roles I've seen with Plácido. It really shone a light into this usually underappreciated opera. I'm glad for him and for Verdi that he kind of restored this opera to its proper place.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I'd say that in the performance that I saw, Plácido sang it in between the tenor and baritone ranges. He wasn't quite as high as a tenor, but not as low as a baritone. He was kind of a tenor with a darker voice, in function of age and maturity.
> 
> I found his singing to be truly excellent, and was in awe of him the entire time. I was mumbling to myself "wow" throughout the performance every time he had a line, and left the theater very, very happy.
> 
> I thought that his Simon was one of the best roles I've seen with Plácido. It really shone a light into this usually underappreciated opera. I'm glad for him and for Verdi that he kind of restored this opera to its proper place.


Where did you see it?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Where did you see it?


Met in HD broadcast to movie theaters.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Met in HD broadcast to movie theaters.


I've heard these are really good. Some operas are shown at movie theatres here but not near to where I live.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I've watched this one today. I had never before seen or heard it, although I was of course aware of it's reputation. I must say that I was impressed. It's sorta the 'grand opera' of grand operas. I like the production, although I don't think it's 'perfect'. The scenery on the revolving stage is often basic, and sometimes even ugly, but not too bad. The costumes are ok, although Jessye Norman's dress does little to hide the fact that she's almost as big as Troy. Vocally Norman is sublime though, and Troyanos and Domingo also do a great job. The minor roles are less well sung, but they are at least adequate. I had a great time watching and listening to this, as is to be expected when you hear a masterpiece for the first time.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> I've heard these are really good. Some operas are shown at movie theatres here but not near to where I live.


It's not like being live, but you are watching it with a great picture, surround sound and a living breathing audience, so it's closer.

There are some clunkers though, last season's Aida being one of them. Nearly put my kids off for life. I just have to make a face like a fish and Alice shouts "Amneris" at me.

That's why I want Almaviva to go to them all before I decide what I'm booking for.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> The costumes are ok, although Jessye Norman's dress does little to hide the fact that she's almost as big as Troy.


:lol:

I got the giggles at Domingo in his tights too and HAD to go and buy the other version.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> I've watched this one today. I had never before seen or heard it, although I was of course aware of it's reputation. I must say that I was impressed. It's sorta the 'grand opera' of grand operas. I like the production, although I don't think it's 'perfect'. The scenery on the revolving stage is often basic, and sometimes even ugly, but not too bad. The costumes are ok, although Jessye Norman's dress does little to hide the fact that she's almost as big as Troy. Vocally Norman is sublime though, and Troyanos and Domingo also do a great job. The minor roles are less well sung, but they are at least adequate. I had a great time watching and listening to this, as is to be expected when you hear a masterpiece for the first time.


Les Troyens is a sublime masterpiece, one of my top five favorite operas. I'm glad that you like it.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> It's not like being live, but you are watching it with a great picture, surround sound and a living breathing audience, so it's closer.
> 
> There are some clunkers though, last season's Aida being one of them. Nearly put my kids off for life. I just have to make a face like a fish and Alice shouts "Amneris" at me.
> 
> That's why I want Almaviva to go to them all before I decide what I'm booking for.


Natalie, I think she meant that the movie theaters showing the broadcasts are distant from where she lives, not that it is not the same as watching the operas live. Well, it isn't, but like you said, it's pretty close.

That Aida was a stinker. One of the lowest points of the Met.

I'm not going to them all this season - actually just a handful. But I'll be happy to post about the ones I'll be attending.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Natalie, I think she meant that the movie theaters showing the broadcasts are distant from where she lives, not that it is not the same as watching the operas live. Well, it isn't, but like you said, it's pretty close.


No, I understood that, I just was trying to describe the experience.

Will be glad to read your reviews. Of course some of the time, you'll be going to the real thing, even better.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> There are some clunkers though, last season's Aida being one of them. Nearly put my kids off for life. I just have to make a face like a fish and Alice shouts "Amneris" at me .


That's made me want to see it!!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> That's made me want to see it!!


Well here's a taster but really you had to be there.

The funniest part was when Renee was trying to interview Zajick in the interval and was getting the stony treatment - it was like trying to find out from a teenage boy how school went that day, just a series of Neanderthal grunts .


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> The funniest part was when Renee was trying to interview Zajick in the interval and was getting the stony treatment - it was like trying to find out from a teenage boy how school went that day, just a series of Neanderthal grunts .


:lol: I'd like to see a youtube of that.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

*Another great Flute, the M22 version with Muti conducting......*
In the last month have found my two favorite Flutes by far after going through many versions previously and feeling something was missing and wondering why things seemed kinda flat

M22 does not have superstar cast, except for queen with Diana Damrau again proving she is the ultimate queen. Very colorful and creative production full of delightful surprises, tremendous fun and stunning visuals unlike any other version. If you love the MET Levine Flute this is cut from the same cloth....another "childrens" version that is pure entertainment

Ultimate Queen

If I keep only one *slight edge to MET Flute* because it is both stunning production and sophisticated at the same time also Papageno is more animated and funny, my reference Flute DVD!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> If I keep only one *slight edge to MET Flute* because it is both stunning production and sophisticated at the same time also Papageno is more animated and funny, my reference Flute DVD!


Isn't the Met version abridged? This, and the fact that it is sung in English, would definitely tip it in favor of the M22 version for me (I hope it is sung in German, correct?)

I'll end up having to take the plunge and buy this M22 box set.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> I'll end up having to take the plunge and buy this M22 box set.


In a sense I'm tempted but I already have Nozze, Don Giovanni and Idomeneo from this set. I love the Nozze - a very dark alternative reading, but the Don Giovanni is just plain silly. (Don't tell the UWP but I haven't watched Idomeneo yet).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*Liceu Otello*










This production was directed by Willy Decker, the guy who gave us the Salzburg Traviata. Here we have the same minimalist sets, but the dominant symbol is a cross. The chorus carries it around, Iago sneers at it, Desdemona prays to it & goes to sleep on it, and Otello eventually breaks it in half. Doesn't really add much actually.

Cura, as is often the case, doesn't have the beauty of tone for the romantic arias (definitely missed PD for "gia nella notte densa"), but he comes into his own when he portrays Otello's slow descent into madness. This is a frightening but also weak Otello, prone to epileptic fits and a clear outsider in the Venetian populace he has been set to rule. I'd be terrified to be married to him. You can see how much this role took out of Cura at the curtain call, when he stands like a stunned mullet hugging his co-star.

Krassimira Stoyanova is moving as Desdemona and sounded lovely, but Lado Ataneli was a little weak as Iago. I like my Iagos Really Evil







. Vittorio Grigolo as Cassio does his usual hot young buck performance. His singing is accomplished, but is it just me or does anyone else find his singing irritatingly monochromatic?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Just finished watching this:










From a streaming site, libretto provided by mamascarlatti :tiphat:

Although some may be turned off by the recitatif-only style, the orchestration is beautiful, the libretto (directly coming from the play with some cuts) is high quality, and the final scene is a thing of beauty.

It is a decent production from La Scala although I thought that the singer who portrayed Blanche often didn't match her body language/expression very well to Poulenc's written instructions, and was a bit monochromatic in her characterization. I think Natalie Dessay would have done better.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm now onto Die Walküre from this Ring. It was worth buying the whole set just for the first act alone - as I watch I really believe that Siegmund and Sieglinde are meeting and falling in love, it's just totally convincing. No gimmicks, just wonderful acting and singing.

And I'm really glad I'm not married to Hunding either - he's not portrayed as a hairy oaf but rather a steely prosperous-looking man just brimming with barely repressed violence. Absolutely chilling!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

*Romeo & Juliet - Gounod (Nino Machaidze)*

This Romeo & Juliet costs less in blu ray than DVD so the format choice is easy, dangerous to watch a steady diet of blu rays since you never want to ccome back to only DVD quality :lol:

Impressive period costumes and large cast on stage for ball and market place scences. A simple stage design with raised central platform with backwall of arched walkways, additional props brought onstage as required, nice flow of action

My first encounter with Nino and she is delightfully charismatic with very natural acting ability and vocally has great future ahead, her rendition of the famous aria "je veux vivre" was a show stopper, a large powerful voice with clean agile top end ......I have my eye and this lady. This is not my favorite opera since the romance scences become a bit heavy and too long for my tastes, but there are many good parts to make up for that

Not much competition out there, have not seen the super couple Alagna/Gheorghiu performance on DVD but I suspect this one is much better.

*I am now pre-sold for the upcoming Puritani with JDF*......
(I will of course not give up my Netrebko "puritani" regardless of how good new one is)


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> *I am now pre-sold for the upcoming Puritani with JDF*......


Yes, the second that comes out I'm breaking my purchase ban.

I'm not much worried about Nino vs Anna (they're both gorgeous, I hasten to add) but I'm sure JDF will be an improvement on Cutler.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> In a sense *I'm tempted but I already have Nozze*, Don Giovanni and Idomeneo from this set. I love the Nozze - a very dark alternative reading, but the Don Giovanni is just plain silly. (Don't tell the UWP but I haven't watched Idomeneo yet).


*I have the M22 box now* (at new reduced price) already taked about wonderful M22 Flute above, I did a quick survey of the Le Nozze, a strange dark version with a guardian angel directing things behind the scences like a grand puppet master...........

Miss Netrebko plays susana but before poor figaro can measure space for the bed and sing the "din din" part Netrebko sneaks off into a closet to get a quickie from her boss! Poor Cherubino is turned into a twisted psycho teen that would scare most people, here he has his way after voi che sapete and seduces both susana and the countess in her bedroom at the same time......oh my, you get the picture......interesting but distorted alternate Le Nozze 










(If I talk about these enough soon Almaviva and Mama S will join the fun)


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Miss Netrebko plays susana but before poor figaro can measure space for the bed and sing the "din din" part Netrebko sneaks off into a closet to get a quickie from her boss! Poor Cherubino is turned into a twisted psycho teen that would scare most people, here he has his way after voi che sapete and seduces both susana and the countess in her bedroom at the same time......



I can't believe this!
Oh my God, I'm talking to my lawyers again!
This lawsuit will have to take precedence over the one against the Danish Ring with a pregnant Brunnhilde!
As a matter of fact I'm doubling my lawyering team.
The M22 people will regret this one!!!
If I need to sell the house to fund this lawsuit, I will.
:scold:


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I can't believe this!
> Oh my God, I'm talking to my lawyers again!
> This lawsuit will have to take precedence over the one against the Danish Ring with a pregnant Brunnhilde!
> As a matter of fact I'm doubling my lawyering team.
> ...


And to make matters worse your sweetheart *Anna Netrebko* is involved in this "alternate" look at Le Nozze :lol:

This weekend I will try to make sense of the *M22 Don Giovanni*.......










(Almaviva secretly puts the M22 boxset in his Amazon buy basket, heh heh)


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> And to make matters worse your sweetheart *Anna Netrebko* is involved in this "alternate" look at Le Nozze :lol:
> 
> This weekend I will try to make sense of the *M22 Don Giovanni*.......
> 
> ...


Check Mate.
Done.

Wait a moment - not done! How do you get the discount price you've been talking about? Amazon.com has it for more than $400 and market vendors for $270. 
No deal!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Check Mate.
> Done.


You sure?

View attachment 1193


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Check Mate.
> Done.
> 
> Wait a moment - not done! How do you get the discount price you've been talking about? Amazon.com has it for more than* $400 and market vendors for $270*.
> No deal!


No no..........that is the old one, new release is reduced price

M22


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> No no..........that is the old one, new release is reduced price
> 
> M22


I've just seen it on Arkivmusic for $169.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> You sure?
> 
> View attachment 1193


Hmmm... maybe I should think this through a little more...


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> No no..........that is the old one, new release is reduced price
> 
> M22


OK, I bought it.
I watched Il Sogno di Scipioni from the collection which I owned before, and found the singing to be outstanding. This tipped the balance, and I bit the bullet.
My UW pile was at 46 and now is at 67 (46+22-1).


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I'm watching this right now (as I type)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*Watched once and sold it right away.....no regrets*
I wasn't really too impressed with Schafer like others seem to be, I wish I could find Lulu DVD with Teresa Stratas conducted by Boulez (CD pictured)


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> OK, I bought it.
> I watched Il Sogno di Scipioni from the collection which I owned before, and found the singing to be outstanding. This tipped the balance, and I bit the bullet.
> My UW pile was at 46 and now is at 67 (46+22-1).


I think we will find several real gems buried in M22 set, plus you will never find most of these operas anywhere else.......it "had" to be done, there was no choice really 

The picture quality for these DVDs is quite good.......


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> I think we will find several real gems buried in M22 set, plus you will never find most of these operas anywhere else.......it "had" to be done, there was no choice really
> 
> The picrure quality for these DVDs is quite good.......


OK, now I need to sell my Il Sogno di Scipioni.
Can you help?


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> OK, now I need to sell my Il Sogno di Scipioni.
> Can you help?


Best way is to become a seller at Amazon USA.........
Amazon

Make sure to package items well so item not damaged in shipment, just a couple unhappy buyers and your feedback rating is screwed, be accurate and conservative in descibing condition so buyer will be pleasantly surprised


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I can't wait for you guys to watch the M22 Don Giovanni, he he. 

In fact I might even refresh my memory of it and take a break from the wonderful Barenboim Ring (I'm halfway through and still loving it, despite the occasionally puzzling staging; Ann Evans is a beautiful ardent Brünnhilde, Tomlinson a vulnerable Wotan and Siegmund is plain hot:devil: which makes a nice change). 

I'm not really looking forward to the first two acts of Siegfried, being less than keen on Jerusalem or Siegfried himself.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> And to make matters worse your sweetheart *Anna Netrebko* is involved in this "alternate" look at Le Nozze :lol:
> 
> This weekend I will try to make sense of the *M22 Don Giovanni*.......
> 
> ...


*I watched the M22 Don G and it did make sense to me.......*
The stage was very clever white rotating concentric rings that had various openings and like a labyrinth could form an endless number of spaces, lighting effects set the mood. To understand the women in scanty underwear recurring metaphor you have to go back and remember that famous video by Robert Palmer:

Simply Irresistible

These are the generic conquests of DG that have no name, no personality, no individual clothing......like an army of mindless manequins used and then discarded. Early on they wear white, at the cemetary they are older and zombie like, at final scence above with stone commendore dressed in black "funeral" bikinis.....

I thought for sure the black bikini girls would all surround Don G and drag him off back stage through a door with red glow to hell......but no a big surprise ending involving Leporello, Almaviva with explode with this alternate ending :lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Almaviva with explode with this alternate ending :lol:


You know, I bark more than I bite.
A production with beautiful women in black bikinis is likely to win me over in spite of an alternate ending...


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> In fact I might even refresh my memory of it and take a break from the wonderful Barenboim Ring (I'm halfway through and still loving it, despite the occasionally puzzling staging; Ann Evans is a beautiful ardent Brünnhilde, .


WOULD YOU GUYS PLEASE STOP MAKING ME BUY STUFF?

Soon enough I'll default in my kid's college tuition and will have no food in my fridge. The phone company will cut my landline and there will be no heating if I don't pay the gas company.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> WOULD YOU GUYS PLEASE STOP MAKING ME BUY STUFF?


This raised a sympathetic chuckle. I feel really quite frustrated sometimes, with this enormous, ever-growing list of RECORDINGS I WANT (both audio and visual). Just at the moment when I feel I'm on top of it, up comes another suggestion or six.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> In fact I might even refresh my memory of it and take a break from the wonderful Barenboim Ring (I'm halfway through and still loving it, despite the occasionally puzzling staging; Ann Evans is a beautiful ardent Brünnhilde, Tomlinson a vulnerable Wotan and Siegmund is plain hot:devil: which makes a nice change).
> 
> I'm not really looking forward to the first two acts of Siegfried, being less than keen on Jerusalem or Siegfried himself.


I'm likely to be some way behind you I think, having watched just enough to reassure myself that I _am_ going to enjoy it, but needing a Wagnerian break.

(I feel less than keen about Jerusalem too. Do you have any theory about why we might respond like that to someone who clearly is a fine performer?)


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> (I feel less than keen about Jerusalem too. Do you have any theory about why we might respond like that to someone who clearly is a fine performer?)


Funnily enough I'm halfway through act 1 (couldn't resist in the end) and I'm feeling much better disposed towards him. In the Levine Ring he seemed detached and rather mocking of the character, but he's giving an involved and rather more serious performance here. He's actually responding to the other characters (well, Mime) rather than going through the motions. And he's in good voice, ringing and heroic.

Mime's convincing too, cunning and timorous at the same time.

I'm not bored!:tiphat:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> This raised a sympathetic chuckle. I feel really quite frustrated sometimes, with this enormous, ever-growing list of RECORDINGS I WANT (both audio and visual). Just at the moment when I feel I'm on top of it, up comes another suggestion or six.


And of course, by now I have bought both the M22 set and the Barenboim Ring.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> And of course, by now I have bought both the M22 set and the Barenboim Ring.


Ok we're going to have to cut up your credit card. But you're making me feel better about my own spending. And so what if my kids have to busk for dinner.:devil:

Seriously, I really think you won't regret this Ring, it knocks all my other versions into a cocked (trilby) hat. I feel just so happy watching it.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Ok we're going to have to cut up your credit card. But you're making me feel better about my own spending. And so what if my kids have to busk for dinner.:devil:
> 
> Seriously, I really think you won't regret this Ring, it knocks all my other versions into a cocked (trilby) hat. I feel just so happy watching it.


OK I'm getting really excited. It's coming from the UK so it may be a while, I don't know, a week or two. But regardless of a couple of controversial staging solutions, I feel that the pit will deliver an outstanding experience!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Finished the Da Ponte trio in my M22 boxset watching this CFT.......some oddities:

- Don Alfonso looked like a drag queen from Rocky Horror Picture Show casting
- Despina was older veteran diva Helen Donath in extreme buffo mode
- A huge egg that sits on stage but never hatches
- Keyboard player from orchestra is on stage among the singers

I thought at points this was going to be a "double agent" Cosi where the sisters knew the Turks were thier boyfriends in disguise but went along with the game in order to spring thier own bigger surpise at the end, I thought I saw little clues the sisters figured it out, but not to be just standard conclusion......another "interesting" M22 production but doesn't threaten any of the established great Cosi's


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## haydnguy (Oct 13, 2008)

World Violist said:


> Yeeeahhhh Wozzeck is easier. Way easier. I haven't heard Lulu yet, but I've definitely heard it's leaps and bounds ahead of Wozzeck in difficulty. Apparently still a great opera though.
> 
> Christine Schafer is brilliant... I heard her singing some Webern songs a while back and she made me fall in love with them. Seriously. She's brilliant!


I liked this one quite well. But Wozzek is better. It's SO intense. 

EDIT: oops the pic didn't transfer. I was referring to 'Lulu' with Christine Schaeffer.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

My browser isn't loading things very well today, so I couldn't get a picture, but now I'm going to make my first actual contribution to this thread today, as today I'm going to be watching the Boulez/Chereau Rheingold!


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

World Violist said:


> I'm going to be watching the Boulez/Chereau Rheingold!


Be careful. Those giants are dangerous. You may fall off your chair laughing.


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

I'm taking a peek at Dornhelm's Boheme. I'm not sure if I like all ideas but the whole production is marvelous, people that want to make movie on operas should learn from it, if the future will bring something new in this aspect I think it will come from this one's influence. Just imagine Wagner's works in such quality, with such details and all possibilities lacking in traditional staging - not that I would think of it as something that is going to be replaced by various movies - but movie operas have a lot to offer and I hope that this potential will be used properly in the future, that is - no cut versions of most popular operas made like hollywood movies for dumb people that can pay but the real art for opera aficionados. I know that it would take a lot of money but hopefully there are places in this world where artistic cinema is doing well and will be capeable of producing real gems with both movie makers and musicians from the top shelf. 

If Karajan would be still alive and active I belive he would take part in this all and would do great job. Again, hopefully, there are other geniuses that won't fail.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Elgarian said:


> Be careful. Those giants are dangerous. You may fall off your chair laughing.


I've not gotten to that point yet, but I have watched the first scene and it is thrilling. I actually love Boulez's approach to Wagner; the clarity greatly helps the intensity.

EDIT: I have gotten to the giants' bit now... thanks for the warning, else I might well have fallen off my chair laughing. I knew what to expect though.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Yay, my M22 arrived in the mail! With which of the 22 toys should I play first?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Start at the beginning and work your way through, then you get an idea of the progression.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Yay, my M22 arrived in the mail! With which of the 22 toys should I play first?


I started with the later famous Da Ponte opera M22 volume, just watched La Clemenza last opera in this M22 volume and it is same performance as this:










2003 performance conducted by Harnoncourt, a few comments:

- huge 3 story stage set
- young Elina Garanca with very short hair plays a male part
- Dorothea Roschmann very impressive here, best I have heard by her
- the women playing mens role do not hesitate to physically "romance" thier female love intrests

(wonder if they knew that was part of the job in opera school) :lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> I started with the later famous Da Ponte opera M22 volume, just watched La Clemenza last opera in this M22 volume and it is same performance as this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds great!
But I may follow Natalie's advice and proceed one by one.
There are so many unwatched DVDs now...


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm putting the M22 aside - in the UW pile - and catching up with my list of Verdis that I don't know. Verdi being one of my top two preferred opera composers (the other one being Wagner) I'm sort of ashamed of still not knowing many of his operas, so, I'm trying to advance a bit more in my project of listening to more Verdi.

Today, _La Forza del Destino. _The problem is, I'm watching the much less performed original version of 1862, and from comments and reviews I understand that the 1869 version *is* superior.

This DVD is interesting, though. It tried to reproduce as closely as possible the world première in St. Petersburg: it's staged by the Mariinski theatre where it was originally given, with settings that reproduce the ones used in the première (they are beautiful). It's an entire Russian cast - pronounciation of Italian is not ideal, and while some singers are very good, others are less so, and supposedly do an adequate job but can't compete with the greats that took upon this opera as signature roles, such as Price, Tebaldi, and Corelli. In this I'm helped by the fact that I have never heard the 1869 version, much less with those great names, so, I can't negatively compare this version with that one, and I'm therefore rather enjoying this one.

For one thing, the orchestra in this DVD under Gergiev is doing a wonderful job. It seems like the overture and the preludes to other acts are actually the strong point of this opera, and indeed they are very beautiful (although apparently the main difference between the 1862 and the 1869 versions is a much improved overture for the latter - I'll see if I catch it on YouTube).

The DVD is odd in the sense that there are no interactive menus, it starts playing directly the opera with English subtitles - but this lack of technical sophistication, on the other hand, doesn't hinder this disc from having excellent image and sound.

I'd like to read opinions of those among you who know well the 1869 version, to tell me what I'm missing. I understand that the other two major differences besides the re-worked overture are an added third scene to the third act, and a different ending with Alvaro surviving in the 1869 version while he kills himself by jumping from a cliff in the version I'm watching. Minor differences include some abbreviated recitatifs in the new version while some of them go on for too long in the original one, and some other changes in the score.

One of the critics that I read considers this to be the weakest opera composed by Verdi. I hope so, because I'm enjoying it, and if this one is the weakest, then I'll surely enjoy even more the other ones that I still haven't seen. In my opinion _I Lombardi _continues to be the one I like the least of the 13 that I know (this is the 13th one).










Highlights so far - overture, preludes, all very exquisite
_Madre Pietosa_ - Leonora's prayer in act II
_Infelice, Delusa_ - Leonora's duet with the Father Superior
_Maledizione_ - the monk's chorus
Leonora's last aria in Act II - I didn't catch the name in Italian and like I said this DVD doesn't have chapters and I don't have the insert (it's a Netflix rental) - pretty beautiful - it starts in English with "May the Virgin... etc" - does anybody know the name of this aria?
_Solenne in quest'ora_ - beautiful solemn (as it's first word indicates) duet between Alvaro and Carlo
_Non io, fu il destino_ - another good Alvaro/Carlo duet
The divertissements in act III with music praising the war, soldiers, Preziosilla's, etc, are rather silly and stop the action for too long. I don't care for this part.
Alvaro's lament after he strikes Carlo who is left for dead - but will resurface later - is good too.
Another downturn - Melitone's soup kitchen aria - these attempts at humor are out of place in this otherwise somber opera. What were Verdi and Piave thinking?
Finally the silly parts are over and we get to serious business as Alvaro and Carlo meet again.
Another good duet - this is the opera of good tenor-baritone duets... It starts with Alvaro, _Le minaccie_ it's called, and is very beautiful - the Pity motif.
_Pace, pace - _another beautiful aria for Leonora, with harp accompaniment.
The final trio _Non imprecare _doesn't exist in the 1862 version - the ending *is* sort of awful with Alvaro suddenly saying he is an envy from Hell and asking for humankind's destruction. I can understand why Verdi asked for a different ending when he re-wrote the opera in 1869.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

What am I going to watch now? I've just finished the Barenboim Ring, and anything else is going to be an anti-climax. Maybe I should just start again at the beginning.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Watching this:










Believe me, my friends, this is a powerful masterpiece!
I'm highly impressed.  Not to be missed!
Boulez and Stravinsky didn't like it.
I do.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Solved my "what to watch after an overhelming diet of Wagner" dilemma with Mozart, a great palate cleanser.










Vargas was born to play Idomeneo, both physically and vocally. Kozena and Siurina made a fine pair of star-crossed lovers; the chorus sang with notable skill and musicality, but for me the night belonged to Anja Harteros. Her last aria as Elettra finally descends into madness, with Mozart's subtle but profoundly unsettling music, was a veritable tour de force.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Solved my "what to watch after an overhelming diet of Wagner" dilemma with Mozart, a great palate cleanser.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have started some notes on each opera for quick reminder to keep with boxset, but at least 1/2 of these M22 operas I will never watch again, a mixed bag for sure worst so far for me is:

*Der Schauspieldirektor & **Bastien und Bastienne*

I call this disaster the Mozart puppet show, we have a narrator in audience who talks to the bare wood marionette puppets and advances storyline acted out by puppets, no no no.......

Anyone like this? :lol:

BTW, Looks like Herkku found some redeeming qualities in his comments:



> This one will surely divide opinions, as both operas, or rather Singspiels, have been combined, although they were composed 18 years apart (which also prevents me from commenting in a strictly chronological order), and the* action on the stage is played almost exclusively by marionettes*. Added to that, one has to wait for almost a half of an hour for the singing to begin.
> 
> This may sound quite off-putting, but for me, it's a perfect solution to perform two works that, on their own, wouldn't make much of an impact. Bastien und Bastienne is a simple pastoral Singspiel, kind of surprising after the preceding two. It's kind of simplified Papageno and Papagena. Der Schauspieldirektor is about two rivalling sopranos, each one claiming to be better than the other.
> 
> ...


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> but at least 1/2 of these M22 operas I will never watch :


Now you tell me! You made me buy it!


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Now you tell me! *You made me buy it! *


If I had paid intial price of $500+ I would be feeling physically ill right now 

For $144 only feeling slightly uncomfortable, still after seeing all operas I may sell M22 and just keep the Zauberflote which is by far my favorite M22 opera so far......

I figure for $144 should be able to buy 6-8 individual full price new operas that I really like


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Watching this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I finished it today.
I'm stunned.
I'm at a loss of words to define how impressed I am.
This is *the* best 20th century opera I've ever seen, and one of the best overall.
I'll have to appeal to all sorts of clichés, but what can I do? Here they go: brilliant! Outstanding! Spectacular!

Here is to a team of incredible artists that put this together::tiphat:

*Composer:* Shostakovich, Dmitry 
*Libretto/Text Author:* Preys, Alexander 
*Libretto Source:* Leskov, Nikolai 
*Conductor:* Jansons, Mariss 
*Orchestra:* Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 
*Chorus:* Netherlands Opera Chorus *Chorus Master:* Maczewski, Winfried 

*Aksinya:* Wilson, Carole 
*Boris Timofeyevich Ismailov:* Vaneev, Vladimir 
*Chief of Police:* Storojev, Nikita 
*Katerina Lvovna Ismailova:* Westbroek, Eva-Maria 
*Priest:* Vassiliev, Alexander 
*Sergey:* Ventris, Christopher 
*Shabby Peasant:* Kravets, Alexandre 
*Sonyetka:* Poulson, Lani 
*Teacher:* Jar, Valentin 
*Zinovy Borisovich Ismailov:* Ludha, Ludovit 

*Set/Stage Designer:* Zehetgruber, Martin 
*Costume Designer:* Kastler, Heide 
*Lighting Designer:* Traub, Reinhard 
*Stage Director:* Kusej, Martin 

This is a high quality score, with a high quality libretto, very well rendered in an impactful production.

The orchestra in this production is nothing less than the one that in my opinion is the current best orchestra in the world, the Royal Concertgebouw, with its famous ressonance.

The conductor is also one of the best, Mariss Jansons.

The soprano was simply outstanding (here I go with clichés again - but what other word to pick?). Eva-Maria Westbroek, great in everything: stage presence, acting, genuine emotion (her crying at the end and during the curtain calls were goosebumping), incredible voice, perfect looks for the role.

I'm speechless - well, not really, I did say a lot above...

I hope my emphatic admiration will motivate more people to get acquainted with this masterpiece - and I hope that approaching it with too high expectations given my high praise here won't produce the familiar effect of disappointment.

But let me tell you, this is one darn good opera, with a darn good orchestra, a darn good conductor, and a darn good leading soprano. Did I mention that everything is darn good? I think I did. (still stunned)

P.S. It's not for the faint of heart - there are ultrarealistic scenes of rape, sex, abuse, and graphic nudity (and it's all repulsive, no titillating eroticism, just plain raw human condition). So, be dully warned, but don't miss it!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Oops, for some reason my post was posted twice.
I edited out the second one.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> really the story is just too silly despite all the eminently hummable tunes and presence of the delicious Placido Domingo.


Rewatched it today and I sort of agree, although the good tunes still make it an enjoyable experience for me. The sound isn't all that it should be (maybe because of the acoustics at LaScala?) and Mirella often sounds out of her comfort zone in the role of Elvira.


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## haydnguy (Oct 13, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> I finished it today.
> I'm stunned.
> I'm at a loss of words to define how impressed I am.
> This is *the* best 20th century opera I've ever seen, and one of the best overall.
> I'll have to appeal to all sorts of clichés, but what can I do? Here they go: brilliant! Outstanding! Spectacular!


I must say you have me curious Almaviva. I have had that on my shelf for quite a while and haven't watched it. Your review may give me the ummph to watch it. It will have to be pretty *darn* good to beat Wozzek though.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

haydnguy said:


> I must say you have me curious Almaviva. I have had that on my shelf for quite a while and haven't watched it. Your review may give me the ummph to watch it. It will have to be pretty *darn* good to beat Wozzek though.


I don't know, haydnguy, while ultimately it's a matter of personal taste, this one may just indeed be a little better than Wozzeck. The thing is, it is both tonal and atonal. Shostakovich has stretches of atonal music, but in other stretches he reverts back to melodious tonal music. So, like in Berg, you have the intensely emotional fractured-sounding music punctuating the despair and dysfunction being depicted by the libretto, while also at other moments having sublime melody for the most touching parts. Then, it sounds modern but also beautiful. In terms of psychological drama the libretto is just as good as Wozzeck's. And of course, the impact in this particular production is heightened by the outstanding orchestra and conducting, smart staging, and the fabulous soprano.

I won't put down anybody who likes Wozzeck better than this one, but in my opinion at the very least they are in the same league.

This is a very satisfying opera. This work in my opinion has true operatic greatness which, in spite of a fair number of exceptions such as some operas of Britten, Berg, Stravinsky, R. Strauss, or Puccini, among a few others, is not as easy to find in the 20th century as in the three preceding centuries.

Watch it please, and tell me what you think. Of course, like I said, any time someone praises too much a work, people get to it with lots of expectations and risk to be disappointed. For me this opera was a total surprise; this may have contributed to how much I liked it.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

This my first encounter with Thomas' Hamlet and I was pleasantly surprised, I thought it might drag a bit but the music was melodic and illuminated the words well and three hours passed very pleasantly. Dessay was fantastic as Ophelie, particularly in her mad scene, and Keenlyside is just perfect as the tortured Hamlet, his light baritone sits beautifully in the role and his French is impressive.

BTW I watched this film of the play first and it was even more fantastic - I hadn't realised how witty Hamlet is, as well as tragic.


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

Il Barbiere di Siviglia from the Met in 2007, with DiDonato & Florez It aired on Norwegian TV last night and I recorded it, of course.... the only other Barbiere I've seen was a production from 1992 with Richard Croft, Jennifer Larmore and David Malis, and while that had some great singing, this really takes the biscuit... in terms of singing, staging, everything...! especially the comedy moments.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

karenpat said:


> Il Barbiere di Siviglia from the Met in 2007, with DiDonato & Florez It aired on Norwegian TV last night and I recorded it, of course.... the only other Barbiere I've seen was a production from 1992 with Richard Croft, Jennifer Larmore and David Malis, and while that had some great singing, this really takes the biscuit... in terms of singing, staging, everything...! especially the comedy moments.


This was a spectacular Barbiere. I saw it on Met in HD and have been waiting for the DVD ever since. I have seen bits and pieces on YouTube. I know it's on MetPlayer as well, but I wish they released a DVD, or even better, a blu-ray disc.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I have just finished this:










The opera itself is very, very beautiful; one of Verdi's best in my opinion; it is sort of underrated since it is not as popular as Trav Rig Trov etc, but it is excellent. The Verdian trade mark of father-daughter relationship got splendid treatment here, better than in Simon Boccanegra.

About this production, it's a mixed bag. The acting is atrocious, and the tenor singing Rodolfo could be better (but he does have his moments). However, the other principals do a rather good job in terms of singing (not a single one among them is a good actor, though), and the staging is rather interesting.

Certainly better versions must exist (this was my first contact with this opera), but this one is not too bad.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> I have just finished this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There's a good traditional Met production with Placido Domingo and Renata Scotto on DVD but the sound is sub-par. So much so that I wonder if I don't have a faulty copy.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> There's a good traditional Met production with Placido Domingo and Renata Scotto on DVD but the sound is sub-par. So much so that I wonder if I don't have a faulty copy.


Yes, I noticed the Domingo-Scotto version. Reviewers do say that the sound is distant and echoey, so, it may be that your copy is not faulty, but the original stereo track is.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Yes, I noticed the Domingo-Scotto version. Reviewers do say that the sound is distant and echoey, so, it may be that your copy is not faulty, but the original stereo track is.


Don't like to generalize but..........

*1980s Domingo + MET Production = Buy*

This is such a consistently good combo that I will just buy and ask questions later 
(I have the Domingo Scotto LM)


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Don't like to generalize but..........
> 
> *1980s Domingo + MET Production = Buy*
> 
> ...


Yes, the Amazon.com reviewers consistently rate this DVD 5 stars.
I bet it's very good.
I was just commenting on the sound.
But with the size of my UWP now being measured in light years (in part thanks to you, DA), I should better give myself a break.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Almaviva said:


> But with the size of my UWP now being measured in light years (in part thanks to you, DA), I should better give myself a break.


First, tell that to the unwatched judge (wow, wonder what he does...).

Second, marvelous idea and I need to follow suite.

Thirdly, as for my current watching, I don't have any DVDs with me but I shall be watching one when I get back to university tomorrow (had a four-day weekend and so took advantage of it to go home).


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## Grosse Fugue (Mar 3, 2010)

Just finished this




Never seen it before. Amazing.
I ordered the soundtrack based on Dame Kiri in the final few minutes of





Curse YouTube for distracting me when I have a paper to write:devil:.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Thomas' "Hamlet" on Met player. I had never before seen or heard it and it's a better opera than I had expected. There's almost no scenery and the production is focussed entirely on the drama (Natalie will love it ). Keenlyside especially is awesome as Hamlet, Going by his performance here James Morris (Claudius) is way past his prime, although after a difficult start he gets better during the course of the evening. Marlis Petersen (Ophelia) makes the most of her famous mad scene and Jennifer Larmore's (Gertrude) stage persona is impressive.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> To be fair I have to say that reviews have been very favourable to Devia and the la Scala audience went bananas about her at curtain call. She was 60 at the time and really you wouldn't know it. But... she just doesn't grab me. I know Alma has seen this but I can't track down his review.


No, I think I saw a different Maria Stuarda.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm currently watching this:










I have mixed feelings. I like it and I don't - yeah, literally mixed.
I like it because of the beautiful Shostakovich orchestration which is more interesting and accessible than either version of Boris Godunov. But I don't because the plot is a lot more confusing and gloomy than in Boris. One often needs to stop and say - "uh... what?" and re-read a good synopsys, with so many characters and events. The singing and staging are fine, especially the male voices, and there is some very exquisite bass music. But then Marfa by Elena Zaremba is definitely a weak link. This thing is damn long, and while it has many beautiful stretches and interesting dilemmas regarding power and the will of the people, it could definitely use some cuts. Mussorgsky rambles a lot (it must be the vodka speaking). But on the other hand, he is a talented rambler.

Edit - it turns out that the fourth and fifth acts, which I hadn't seen yet when I posted the above, are very beautiful, clearly better than the preceding three, with some beautiful chorals. So, my appreciation went up, and by now I'm out of the mixed feelings and into liking it. I mean, I'm not crazy about it, but I can say I like it. Although, one wonders how much of what we listen to is Mussorgsky, how much is Shostakovich (a composer I very much admire, and I was blown away by his Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District).


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm about to start this one; opinions?










Edit - one thing I already know for sure about this production: this may be good for those who like Handel's music, but it is even more interesting for those who like boobs, because Catherine Naglestad is topless (or almost, with entirely transparent outfits with nothing underneath them) for most of her stage time. I don't think I've seen this much nudity in any other opera production, and certainly not by the leading soprano with the title role (there is a Thaïs with lots of nudity, but it happens mostly from the ballet dancers, not from Thaïs herself - and this production of Alcina has 30 times more nudity than Salomé).

But I confess that it gets very distracting. I'm following the Italian libretto in my computer, and the English translation on the screen (it's rather difficult, old Italian) but Catherine's boobs, which are incredibly beautiful (her legs are nice too), tend to get my eyes off the text.

It's a very distracting staging for other reasons as well - first of all, the scenery is atrocious, sort of an old room in disarray and falling apart, with a big mirror, all very dark and strange, with a number of odd objects, and in many of the arias there are other characters on stage that weren't supposed to be there, doing various distracting stuff.

It's well sung, and sometimes I have the impulse of shutting my eyes so that I listen to the the sequence of beautiful da capo arias... but then, those damn boobs make me keep my eyes wide open... LOL

I feel that the list of characters in this production should go like this:

Ruggiero - Alice Coote
Alcina - Catherine Naglestad
Alcina's boobs - Catherine Naglestad's boobs
Alcina's legs - Catherine Naglestad's legs

and so forth...

OK, now Catherine for the very first time - we're at the end of the second act, therefore two thirds into the opera - changed into an outfit that doesn't show her breasts, but not before getting totally naked (seen from her back) while changing into it.

Oh boy. At least now I can focus a little more on her singing which is not bad.

Edit 2 - Nudity is overrated. Catherine is at her most sensual look when she wears her least revealing outfit in Act III Scene II for her aria _Ma quando tornerai. _There is still generous clivage and a bit of her legs showing but it's a lot more classy than the ****ty outfits she had before.

Anyway, this is turning into a review of Catherine's gorgeous body and revealing outfits rather than of Handel's music... which is the big risk that this production took.

So for those who aren't into women's bodies, this production can be a turn off.

OK, now we got to the most famous aria of this opera, _Mi restano le lagrime_ and very beautiful it is indeed. Catherine does a great job with it, with her breasts showing just a bit (the outfit is more revealing than the previous one but not as much as those of acts I and II).

I definitely like this production, maybe helped by extra-musical reasons, but what can I do? I can't change the wiring of my brain.

Edit - OK, I spoke too soon. The ending is sort of a letdown. Of course, we get treated to another transparent outfit, this time whole body transparent but it is actually not very flattering, Catherine doesn't look as good in it. And the famous shattering of the urn which supposedly leads to the entire change of the scenery with all the people who had been transformed by Alcina into beasts and streams and trees and what not coming back to life and dancing a ballet, in this production was just the lights going off and on again without any change of scenery, with just Astolfo being added to the other characters, and there was no ballet.

Well, the bottom line is... a controversial production. P.S.: but with nice boobs.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> So for those who aren't into women's bodies, this production can be a turn off.


Too bl**dy right, boyo. That wallpaper, about as magic as a 50s suburban sitting room in Dawlish! And from memory some of the singing was shocking (not Coote though). That must be the reason for all the girl-on-girl fondling and bewbs, to distract us from the noise. Even I got slightly befuddled when one of Naglestad's popped out inavertently in the middle of her big aria, but it was more because I was trying to work out whether it was on purpose or just a wardrobe malfunction.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Too bl**dy right, boyo. That wallpaper, about as magic as a 50s suburban sitting room in Dawlish! And from memory some of the singing was shocking (not Coote though). That must be the reason for all the girl-on-girl fondling and bewbs, to distract us from the noise. Even I got slightly befuddled when one of Naglestad's popped out inavertently in the middle of her big aria, but it was more because I was trying to work out whether it was on purpose or just a wardrobe malfunction.


Oh, it was definitely in purpose. They made it abundantly clear. It's not like they weren't showing her bewbs before that happened, and I remind you that they made her change on stage, and stand completely butt-naked there. So definitely they wanted the shock value of the nudity. Not that *I'm* complaining, because her bewbs were really beautiful, wouldn't you agree? I liked her singing. Maybe because I was so in love with her boobs, then I got biased. Some of the other singers weren't as good, though. You know, I have *just* finished it and some of the singing is already a blurb in my memory, I think the weak ones were Morgana and Oronte. No, seriously, I couldn't really concentrate, so fascinated I was with Naglestad's boobs. I'm not kidding. I really am not.

I wonder what critics said of this production.

I'd say that the two main characters in this production, the two with the most stage presence and at the very center of attention almost all the time, where Ms. Naglestad's left and right boobs, and they didn't even sing!!!:lol:

How in hell does a stage director come up with something like this? Even though I loooooooved them bewbs, I'm still a little puzzled and wondering what people who are in it for Handel's music must have thought.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*Alcina*

Ok, so in my book boobs are things that are really useful for feeding babies but otherwise get in the way when you are jogging or else burst out of nice tops that otherwise fit perfectly.

This means that when I see other people's it doesn't disturb my critical faculties, and I thought this production was really a dog. You are right, Morgana and Oronte were very weak - this is one of the few occasions when I have fast forwarded in order to avoid listening to arias. On the other hand it seems that Naglestad has enough personal magic to be a credible Alcina (to male viewers anyway), she certainly needed it in this sorry production which stripped all the beauty from the story.

And it's the only Alcina available on DVD, so sad.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

jhar26 said:


> Thomas' "Hamlet" on Met player. I had never before seen or heard it and it's a better opera than I had expected. There's almost no scenery and the production is focussed entirely on the drama (Natalie will love it ). Keenlyside especially is awesome as Hamlet, Going by his performance here James Morris (Claudius) is way past his prime, although after a difficult start he gets better during the course of the evening. Marlis Petersen (Ophelia) makes the most of her famous mad scene and Jennifer Larmore's (Gertrude) stage persona is impressive.


I'm currently watching this too and concur with everything you have said. This is the same production as the 2003 DVD which I mentioned earlier. Keenlyside is even better and gives a fuller performance at the Met, and there is an interesting if short interview with him where his intelligence and sensitivity absolutely shine. I think Petersen is more convincing as a young innocent Ophelia than Dessay, whom I prefer in comical or very strong roles.

On second watching I am still very impressed with the quality of the music, and the plot in a sense is tighter than Shakespeare's - for example Hamlet is given a clear reason for his rejection of Ophelia, because Polonius is implicated in the King's murder.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Ok, so in my book boobs are things that are really useful for feeding babies but otherwise get in the way when you are jogging or else burst out of nice tops that otherwise fit perfectly.


Well, in *my* book boobs are the ultimate perfect artwork ever created, especially when they are fine exemplars like Naglestad's.











> she certainly needed it in this sorry production which *stripped* ...


Yep, you got that right!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Seeing him in the flesh tomorrow


Report back, won't you!


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> An affecting if straightforward production, carried by the amazingly versatile acting and singing skills of Dimitra Theodossiou and the truly sweet but powerful voice of Massimiliano Pisapia in the title role (better to close your eyes though as he's not physically much of a romantic figure).


Thanks for that Natalie, have been wanting a DVD of this for a while now & I might go for that one.

I am currently watching a DVD of La Traviata with Renée Fleming, Joseph Calleja and Thomas Hampson from ROH last June. It's recorded off the TV & someone has kindly done me a copy from her master. This was on TV but I missed it as I was away & we had a power cut. (Always having them :scold: they keep saying they're going to replace the old cable but no sign yet)

Anyway I'd read some critical reviews especially of Joseph's portrayal but so far can't fault him. Only watched 20 minutes and he's playing the besotted & naive younger man very well. His singing is superb.

Renée Fleming is a totally believable Violetta & looking forward to watching some more when I've done a few jobs.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Thanks for that Natalie, have been wanting a DVD of this for a while now & I might go for that one.


Annie you'll really love the tenor, But I'm serious about the eye-closing, I only really appreciated the youthful beauty of his voice when I couldn't see him. It's at odds with his rather portly appearance and large face.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Annie you'll really love the tenor, But I'm serious about the eye-closing, I only really appreciated the youthful beauty of his voice when I couldn't see him. It's at odds with his rather portly appearance and large face.


Roberto Devereux is one of my favorite operas, it is so melodious!
Donizetti is the king of melody!


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2010)

Last night on PBS was Great Performances - Pierre Boulez conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mahler's 7th Symphony. I recorded it on my DVR and am watching it right now.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Ok, I think I need to watch something resolutely undepressing now.










Maybe this will do it.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Have just finished watching La Traviata with Renée Fleming, Joseph Calleja and Thomas Hampson from ROH recorded off the TV last June. I expect most people will have seen this but I hadn't & it's taken me longer to watch this through first time than any other opera because I'd watch a scene then want to watch it again and again before I moved on to the next.

Calleja is often criticised as being wooden but the Germont/Alfredo (Mio figlio!) scene is the most amazing & heart wrenching I've ever seen. Germont snatches the letter out of Alfredo's hands as if to say 'pull yourself together' and then they fight & Germont's look of horror after they wrestle & he hits Alfredo who falls to the floor .. And when Alfredo throws his winnings at Violetta, his look of contempt and anguish is oscar winning.

Fleming is absolutely fabulous. Act III can be mawkish but not with Fleming playing this with so much deeply felt anger.


My recording has a couple of glitches so I hope it's released on commercial DVD soon.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)




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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I saw the Met Armida on Met Player last night (have you watched it yet Gaston?).










I have slightly mixed feelings about Fleming in this kind of role. She's beautiful, a good actress, and was especially moving in the last act when Rinaldo leaves her to go back to war (choosing war over love, how silly), and I enjoyed her performance. But I was left feeling curious about what a real specialist in the genre could do with all the ornamentation and fioritura - Renée frankly sounded a bit muddy at times.

The two standout performances for me were Lawrence Brownlee as Rinaldo - he's more confident and slimmer than in Cenerentola and is voice _is _made for this kind of role, and the uncredited Keith Miller as the Demon King whose sonorous bass voice rang out despite being required to sing standing on people's backs dressed in this costume (note the artificial eyeballs):










The production is traditional if a little stylised, allowing the action to unfold naturally, with the aid of two non-speaking parts, "Revenge" the scorpion king and "Love", played by a radiant young girl in a red tutu. It was effective, especially at the end when Armida was torn between the her emotions and this was physically conveyed by the two symbolically persuading her in opposite directions.

Usually I don't like ballets in the middle of operas, but this one was fun, brilliantly danced, and choreographed specifically to illustrate the action.

The makers of the terrible Handel Alcina could learn from this production about how to create a magical atmosphere on their enchanted island.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> I saw the Met Armida on Met Player last night (have you watched it yet Gaston?).


Yes, I have. I agree with your review. Maybe a coloratura specialist would be vocally more spectacular, but it's still a good performance from Renee in my opinion. I enjoyed it anyway.

Great show and I agree about the ballet - very entertaining (and funny when those demons join in :lol.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Ok this is getting a bit scary
> 
> 
> 
> ...


One does not normally connect the names Rossini and Fleming but.......

Very famous Armida recording from 1992 features the one and only Renee Fleming


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Ok this is getting a bit scary
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree with almost all of what you said, and wildly enjoyed this production, which I saw on Met in HD. What I don't agree is with the Renee Fleming comment. Armida, of ALL operas, is the one with the *most* music written for a single soprano. It's Armida and the boys, six tenors, one soprano. She sings non stop. No wonder she sounded a little muddy sometimes. Another soprano might just had failed entirely even if she were better prepared for the coloraturas. Renee on the other hand is a specialist in administering the vocal demands of a role. And her acting was just extraordinary, and in my opinion compensates for any vocal shortcomings in this incredibly difficult role. She went from cunning to seductive to frightening to in love to panicky to desperate and so on, with incredible ease. This was one of the best acting jobs I've ever seen from any singer. So, I'm not sure that another leading lady would have done any better than Renee. Maybe someone else would initially show better singing, but would be deteriorating as time went buy, and certainly would not display as good acting.

Yep, you know I'm not a big opera ballet fan, but this one was exquisite, not to forget that the ballerinas were incredibly beautiful.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> I agree with almost all of what you said, and wildly enjoyed this production, which I saw on Met in HD. What I don't agree is with the Renee Fleming comment. Armida, of ALL operas, is the one with the *most* music written for a single soprano. It's Armida and the boys, six tenors, one soprano. She sings non stop. No wonder she sounded a little muddy sometimes. Another soprano might just had failed entirely even if she were better prepared for the coloraturas. Renee on the other hand is a specialist in administering the vocal demands of a role. And her acting was just extraordinary, and in my opinion compensates for any vocal shortcomings in this incredibly difficult role. She went from cunning to seductive to frightening to in love to panicky to desperate and so on, with incredible ease. This was one of the best acting jobs I've ever seen from any singer. So, I'm not sure that another leading lady would have done any better than Renee. Maybe someone else would initially show better singing, but would be deteriorating as time went buy, and certainly would not display as good acting.


I wish this was my post. :lol: well said.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Vocally we cannot discuss Armida without referencing the Callas 1952 recording, astonishing colortura technique displayed here, 50 second sample says it all!

Armida


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> I wish this was my post. :lol: well said.


Wanna rent it? What about $25? I'll let you have it for a full week for this price, and this will defray the costs of the latest Renee + Dmitri DVD that I've just ordered yesterday.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Vocally we cannot discuss Armida without referencing the Callas 1952 recording, astonishing colortura technique displayed here, 50 second sample says it all!
> 
> Armida


Yeah, but studio recording is one thing, while tackling the role of Armida on stage is a totally different ball game, since like I said it is the opera with the most pages of soprano music in all of the repertory, and all for just one soprano. The problem sopranos face when they sing Rossini's Armida on stage is voice exhaustion. A smart lady like Renee pulls it well. As much as I love Callas, she wasn't as able to administer her voice as Renee is, and that's one of the reasons why Callas' career showed strong signs of voice deterioration while Renee keeps going and going and going.

Oops, OK, yours is live recording too, darn! Hmm... but Renee is prettier than Callas, so there!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Renee did talk in the interview about pacing herself through this role. She also admitted she wasn't an expert in type of singing.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this performance immensely. You're right Gaston about the ballet, loved those tutu-clad demons, camper than tent city, the Parterre boys must have been in ecstasy.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Wanna rent it? What about $25? I'll let you have it for a full week for this price, and this will defray the costs of the latest Renee + Dmitri DVD that I've just ordered yesterday.


Unfortunately that one is only available in region one format, but I got this one in my mailbox a few weeks ago....


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Unfortunately that one is only available in region one format, but I got this one in my mailbox a few weeks ago....


Wow! She looks stunning there!
Now that Anna has failed to correctly hand-signal her phone number to me, maybe I should set my eyes on Renee.

Hey mate, you need to do what DA and I did, and get a cheap region free DVD player.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> Bellini on the other hand was a revelation quite recently (I was knocked over by a live performance of _I Capuleti_) and he's the only one of those _bel canto_ guys that I'm likely to explore more deeply in the near future.


For me too, but with Puritani. Amazing!

Must listen to Capuleti (what CD version do you have?).


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> Must listen to Capuleti (what CD version do you have?).


I have two. The first I bought, following a recommendation in _Gramophone_, and also attracted by the lowish price, was this one:










But I couldn't get on with it at all. It's a live performance, but it doesn't sound like it - the sound quality is very hard and dry - even thin and lacking in weight. So I tried again, following the _Penguin Guide_'s recommendation and spending significantly more:










This was and is wonderful. I'm a Kasarova fan anyway, so I knew I'd love her portrayal of Romeo, but also the sound quality is full, warm, and inviting - a big contrast to the harsh Muti recording.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> This was and is wonderful. I'm a Kasarova fan anyway, so I knew I'd love her portrayal of Romeo, but also the sound quality is full, warm, and inviting - a big contrast to the harsh Muti recording.


Puh-leeeeeease!
How dare you? You're leaving out my Anna!


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Puh-leeeeeease!
> How dare you? You're leaving out my Anna!


Well I'm sure hers is very good too! But Natalie asked me which CDs I _own._ And I only have the two sets I mentioned.

Inspired by this _Capuleti_ conversation, I've been listening to it this afternoon, and I'm struck again not only by the exquisite beauty of Bellini's music (there's a special type of piercing bitter-sweetness that seems characteristic of him, and it certainly presses all my buttons), but also the fabulousness of Kasarova's singing. Reminds me that I'm overdue for watching her astounding performance in the 1999 Saltzburg _La Damnation de Faust_ again.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> Well I'm sure hers is very good too! But Natalie asked me which CDs I _own._ And I only have the two I mentioned.


That's what your grave mistake is. You *must* own Anna's CD!


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> That's what your grave mistake is. You *must* own Anna's CD!


I know, I know. My lack of Anna CDs is a heavy burden to bear, but I like to think the consequent pain is character-building....


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> This was and is wonderful. I'm a Kasarova fan anyway, so I knew I'd love her portrayal of Romeo, but also the sound quality is full, warm, and inviting - a big contrast to the harsh Muti recording.


Alma is now going to descend into full-blown apoplexy aggravated by severe lack of sleep and being high as a kite on cough suppressant syrup, but this is the version in the local library, so this is the version I'm going to try.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> this is the version I'm going to try.


I betcha 5 million pounds that you'll love it.

[Alma, we're sending you some special cough syrup with extra calming effect.]


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Well to make up for all the Anna-less versions, I have the Anna version & I think it's excellent.

But sorry Alma, I bought it because of Calleja, not for Anna.

*not really 'current watching' more 'will be watching later this evening' 



at my favourite place


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> *not really 'current watching' more 'will be watching later this evening'
> 
> 
> 
> at my favourite place


Oh Annie give Dima a big kiss from me. He got great reviews! Have fun.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Wow! She looks stunning there!
> Now that Anna has failed to correctly hand-signal her phone number to me, maybe I should set my eyes on Renee.


First Anna, then Patricia, now Renée....just how many ladies do you want in that seraglio of yours!?  :lol:


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Oh Annie give Dima a big kiss from me.


Sorry nope, all kisses will be from me & me alone :devil:



mamascarlatti said:


> He got great reviews! Have fun.


 Will try


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> First Anna, then Patricia, now Renée....just how many ladies do you want in that seraglio of yours!?  :lol:


About as many as we've included in the Lovely Sopranos thread.
Like I had mentioned before, I'm for soprano polygamy.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> By the way, in that Met performance, Florez incorporated additional arias in his finale that aren't in Rossini's _Barbiere_. This made the ending drag on for too long. Although I loved that production, I thought that this was a grave mistake. One doesn't try to improve a masterpiece.


Interesting, I didn't know that. This may have been the reason I was underwhelmed by the finale. I had a good hunch then! 

Just to clarify, I never said I disliked Rossini. I quite enjoyed _Il Barbiere_, especially while watching it. It was after watching the opera that I got the kind of feelings I described. Yet I still liked it, on the whole.

Thanks for your comments too Elgarian.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

This arrived this morning:










Having been bowled over by the Gheorghiu DVD of _La Rondine_ a few days ago, I've been anticipating the arrival of this with some excitement. When it dropped through the letterbox I popped it straight into the player to check out the Doretta aria.

The youtube excerpt does this no kind of justice, either visually, or soundwise. Based on just these few minutes, I can say that this production is _staggeringly_ beautiful to look at, and by halfway through the aria the music had reduced me to tears. I stopped at that point, not wanting to spoil the experience of watching the whole thing, but all the indications are that this may become one of the most precious opera DVDs I own.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> This arrived this morning:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


May have to move this up my pile of unwatched DVDs, bought it a couple months ago and is my only La Rondine DVD......

Next to watch however is a few Falstaff DVDs.......


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I found time this evening to watch Act 1 of the Washington _La Rondine_, and I must say this is far, far exceeding my expectations. The atmosphere of _fin-de-siecle_ France is evoked exquisitely: there's that strange combination of beauty and decadence, of elegance and melancholy. It's like watching a painting by Tissot coming alive. And in fact the characters do have a tendency to group themselves into beautiful compositions around the stage, as if they were in a painting. Here are a couple of examples:



















It's quite impossible to take my eyes off Magda. Ainhoa Arteta plays her in such a way that each gesture is made with grace and beguilingly expressive effect, whether she's singing, or just reacting with others - so that almost regardless of what else is happening, we know she's the focus of attention even if she's in the background. I find myself imagining that her merest touch would bring shivers down the spine.

I thought the Gheorghiu version would be hard to beat - and in some ways these two productions are so different in spirit that they can't be compared - but so far this is one of the finest traditional opera productions I've ever seen. If the Gheorghiu is 9 stars, this is 12.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Elgarian said:


> I found time this evening to watch Act 1 of the Washington _La Rondine_, and I must say this is far, far exceeding my expectations.


This looks stunningly beautiful Alan. And it's in the library, so I will order it soon!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> I found time this evening to watch Act 1 of the Washington _La Rondine_, and I must say this is far, far exceeding my expectations. The atmosphere of _fin-de-siecle_ France is evoked exquisitely: there's that strange combination of beauty and decadence, of elegance and melancholy. It's like watching a painting by Tissot coming alive. And in fact the characters do have a tendency to group themselves into beautiful compositions around the stage, as if they were in a painting.
> 
> 
> > This is the same feeling I got from that DVD _La Traviata in Paris. _If you loved this La Rondine, you should try that one too. It's the same kind of spectacular staging and costumes.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> This is the same feeling I got from that DVD _La Traviata in Paris. _If you loved this La Rondine, you should try that one too. It's the same kind of spectacular staging and costumes.


I don't suppose you know where I can see clips from it, do you? I can't find any on youtube.

Thanks for the recommendation. Given your description, this may well prove to be [and here comes the shocking revelation] a possible means for me to find my way into to Verdi - whose music has remained impenetrable to me for over 30 years! No, I can't explain it; yes, I daresay I need psychotherapy.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I managed to squeeze in Act 2 before bedtime. Again as you see, the set is very beautiful, and the crowd movements very attractively choreographed. The quartet doesn't have the feeling of lyrical abandon of the Gheorghiu version. In one sense, that restraint seems appropriate for this setting: Gheorghui's swaying and 'I'm-a-party-girl' arm-gestures suit her art deco setting, but wouldn't fit here. Even so, if one were cherry picking favourite 'moments', the Gheorghui version of the quartet would win on points in my book.

None of these reservations prevented me from watching Act 2 through a veil of tears for much of the time. The music of this opera presses all my weepy buttons, I must say.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> I don't suppose you know where I can see clips from it, do you? I can't find any on youtube.
> 
> Thanks for the recommendation. Given your description, this may well prove to be [and here comes the shocking revelation] a possible means for me to find my way into to Verdi - whose music has remained impenetrable to me for over 30 years! No, I can't explain it; yes, I daresay I need psychotherapy.


No, I pretty much only use YouTube for my clips needs and don't even know of other sites. But I misspoke when I mentioned staging: it's actually a filmed version (no lipsync problems at all), and it is filmed in location in Paris. So the settings are real Parisian venues, palaces, etc., parts of it are filmed in Versailles. The soprano who does Violetta is very pretty (really, eye candy), skinny, looks very convincing as someone who is very attractive but is frail and dying of tuberculosis.

Not all is good, though.For one, I don't think the orchestra does a good job, and the singers are not top quality. It's not a _La Traviata _that stands out for the music. Actually I think it is for someone who is already very familiar with the music and just wants to see the beautiful settings, because I wouldn't want someone who is approaching _La Traviata _for the first time to conclude that this is all that there is to enjoy in terms of Verdi's spectacular music for this opera. But the settings are so beautiful that they transport you to the Parisian demi-monde and you have the impression of witnessing the real events (if they were real, that is). I wish we had a device called _audio synchronizer _or something, and we could watch this movie while listening to a good recorded version (I have one with Beverly Sills that is spectacular).


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> But the settings are so beautiful that they transport you to the Parisian demi-monde and you have the impression of witnessing the real events (if they were real, that is).


Actually, this is the kind of thing that just might do it, for me - to get carried away with what I'm seeing and not to have to worry overmuch about the music might allow the music to get in subliminally, as it were....


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> I don't suppose you know where I can see clips from it, do you? I can't find any on youtube.
> 
> Thanks for the recommendation. Given your description, this may well prove to be [and here comes the shocking revelation] a possible means for me to find my way into to Verdi - whose music has remained impenetrable to me for over 30 years! No, I can't explain it; yes, I daresay I need psychotherapy.


I feel the same way about Wagner - haven't spent 30 years but it seems I've been trying for ages & I still don't get it.

I will persevere though.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

sospiro said:


> I feel the same way about Wagner - haven't spent 30 years but it seems I've been trying for ages & I still don't get it.
> 
> I will persevere though.


Like you, I keep trying from this side of the Verdi/Wagner fence, but with no luck so far. I forced myself last year to see Opera North's _Don Carlos_, and I listened to the CDs twice through beforehand, and on the night tried really, really hard to like it, but oh ... it just seemed like an ocean of vaguely related notes with no destination in sight, and the three hours (or whatever it was) seemed like as many days. I've never known how to solve this problem.

I've told this tale several times before, but it's maybe worth telling again for the fun of it. Many years ago I met up with a friend and he asked, 'What are you listening to these days?' 
'Wagner,' I said.
'But there aren't any _tunes_ in Wagner!' he said.
I boggled. 'But it's _full_ of tunes,' I said. 'What are you listening to, then?'
'Verdi,' he said.
'But there aren't any _tunes_ in Verdi!' I replied .....


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I've finished watching the Washington _La Rondine_, but I think it now makes sense to try to summarise my comments about the whole thing over in the 'Opera on DVD' thread, rather than carry on here. I _think_.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

This is definitely epic and a wonderful production. I love the visual contrast between war-torn, gray and black Troy and prosperous clean-coloured Carthage. I'm still thinking about the music, I will have to get to know it better to really make a judgement. But I loved Antonacci and Graham. Next plan is to watch the Domingo one on Met player.










Got this out of the library. It is exactly the same production as the previous one I reviewed. There's not much to choose between Dessi and Freni in the title roles as Freni was past her best vocally, but Borodina knocks Cossotto into a cocked hat as the love rival. The chemistry between Dessi and Larin is better (despite the fact that he looks like a small-town plumber). The standout for me was Carlo Guelfi as Michonnet, beautiful singing and totally naturalistic acting.

One rather sweet note: the film director obviously had the Italian's love for children, as during the ballet the camera kept giving us charming close-ups of the little yawning mop-haired tots playing the cupids.










This finally arrived. Only one thing stops it going in my top 5 live list, and that is the @#*& film director's mock-post-modernist decision to show us incongruous bits of backstage business, particularly in the the first act. Luckily he manages to rein himself in a bit later. But I'd like to skin him and roll him in budgie feathers for spoiling something perfect.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> This finally arrived. Only one thing stops it going in my top 5 live list, and that is the @#*& *film director's mock-post-modernist decision to show us incongruous bits of backstage business*, particularly in the the first act. Luckily he manages to rein himself in a bit later. But I'd like to skin him and roll him in budgie feathers for spoiling something perfect.


Are you saying that during the actual opera they would cut away to show some backstage production details like moving props around?

Or are you saying that director is using some film edited flashback technique to show past events to advance storyline......


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> Are you saying that during the actual opera they would cut away to show some backstage production details like moving props around?
> 
> Or are you saying that director is using some film edited flashback technique to show past events to advance storyline......


Some examples: as the overture is rolling we cut backstage to see Kaufmann grinning and waving at someone, then waiting before he comes in. Later we see the children jostling around in the wings with their minder as they wait to enter. Sometimes the onstage action is filmed from the wings, so that we see unrelated backstage workers as part of the frame.

Oh yes, let's suspend disbelief. Not. Grrrr.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Some examples: as the overture is rolling we cut backstage to see Kaufmann grinning and waving at someone, then waiting before he comes in. Later we see the children jostling around in the wings with their minder as they wait to enter. Sometimes the onstage action is filmed from the wings, so that we see unrelated backstage workers as part of the frame.
> 
> Oh yes, let's suspend disbelief. Not. Grrrr.












OOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKKK...........

They do similar things for Draculette's Tosca........keep cutting back to show scences of recording sessions for vocal track in B&W then going back to live action of opera


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> OOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKKK...........
> 
> They do similar things for Draculette's Tosca........keep cutting back to show scences of recording sessions for vocal track in B&W then going back to live action of opera


It's funny, I don't mind it that much in Tosca (except for the anticlimatic bit after the finale when Draculette goes urghhh in a stupid voice).

There's one bit which actually adds to the atmosphere for me, in fact, when Raimondi prepares to sing Scarpia's Te Deum. The grim and terrifying look he assumes as he stands up chills me to the bone.

The problem with the Werther DVD is that without the intrusions this would be a perfect production and cast. Koch and Kaufmann are beautifully matched and convincing and even the bit parts are wonderfully sung and delineated. The production is simple and apposite.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> It's funny, I don't mind it that much in Tosca (except for the anticlimatic bit after the finale when Draculette goes urghhh in a stupid voice).
> 
> There's one bit which actually adds to the atmosphere for me, in fact, when Raimondi prepares to sing Scarpia's Te Deum. The grim and terrifying look he assumes as he stands up chills me to the bone.
> 
> The problem with the Werther DVD is that without the intrusions this would be a perfect production and cast. Koch and Kaufmann are beautifully matched and convincing and even the bit parts are wonderfully sung and delineated. The production is simple and apposite.


We need to found the AOFAOBSDATL.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> We need to found the AOFAOBSDATL.


All right, then, I give up.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> All right, then, I give up.


AOFAOBSDATL

Association of Opera Fans Against Outrageous Behaviors of Stage Directors And The Like


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> But I'll tell you, life as a king then must have been pretty boring.


Not when the great Mademoiselle de Maupin was on stage! :lol:



> And now I regret my $51.50!!!


That's why I never feel comfortable recommending stuff to other people, although I usually will do it when asked. I mean, I know what I like, but I haven't got a clue what others will like.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Elgarian said:


> I love Lully's music. He isn't Rameau: he's not, as you say, adventurous, but he's in the spirit of his time


But he was  very creative. He virtually 'invented' the French opera genre which sounded completely different from Italian opera.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

jhar26 said:


> But he was  very creative. He virtually 'invented' the French opera genre which sounded completely different from Italian opera.


I think Alma's beef was that he seems to have been happy then to repeat the same kind of formula. Or so they tell me. I'm not knowledgeable on the matter - just love the music. So when I listen to _Psyche_ or _Proserpine_, I'm not really asking myself whether there's a formula being followed.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

If it's any consolation (it won't be, but at least we can be companions in disappointment), your $51.50 is only slightly more than I paid for the Christie _Fairy Queen_ recently - which actually made me more and more bad-tempered and upset the more I watched it, so that by the end I'd have been grateful if it had only bored me.

It's an occupational hazard, don't you think? I have a little stack of opera DVDs that I've not been able to force myself to watch to the end and probably never will. And I'll never get back the 3 hours I spent trying to stay awake at the performance of_ Don Carlos_ I attended last year in the spirit of 'let's try Verdi again'. Fortunately the good experiences far outweigh the bad, so we go on exploring.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> If it's any consolation (it won't be, but at least we can be companions in disappointment), your $51.50 is only slightly more than I paid for the Christie _Fairy Queen_ recently - which actually made me more and more bad-tempered and upset the more I watched it, so that by the end I'd have been grateful if it had only bored me.
> 
> It's an occupational hazard, don't you think? I have a little stack of opera DVDs that I've not been able to force myself to watch to the end and probably never will. And I'll never get back the 3 hours I spent trying to stay awake at the performance of_ Don Carlos_ I attended last year in the spirit of 'let's try Verdi again'. Fortunately the good experiences far outweigh the bad, so we go on exploring.


Uhoh, I do have this Fairy Queen in my unwatched pile. Am I in for another disappointment?


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Uhoh, I do have this Fairy Queen in my unwatched pile. Am I in for another disappointment?


For the full, miserable tale, see the Opera on DVD thread, #726, #734, #738.

Of course, this could be just one of those times when all _my_ wrong buttons have been pushed. One can never be sure.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> For the full, miserable tale, see the Opera on DVD thread, #726, #734, #738.
> 
> Of course, this could be just one of those times when all _my_ wrong buttons have been pushed. One can never be sure.


Oh, I remember now, it's the one with the copulating rabbits.
I'm kind of curious. May give it a try this weekend.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> For the full, miserable tale, see the Opera on DVD thread, #726, #734, #738.
> 
> Of course, this could be just one of those times when all _my_ wrong buttons have been pushed. One can never be sure.


I have just finished it. Brilliant! Outstanding! Sublime!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I've just finished this:










The opera itself is beautiful. The big star is R. Strauss' orchestration.
The production has very good singing and good playing/conducting.
That's where the good ends.
This is a non-staging. It's staging minimalism pushed to an extreme.
This is no different from a CD.
The images don't add *anything* to the opera.
Nothing happens in terms of staging. Apollo has no arrows. Every time people talk about his arms, he just stands there with no arms whatsoever. Daphne doesn't change into a tree, she just walks around during the famous metamorphosis scene. The ballet is very mediocre. The characters most of the time throughout this production just stand and sing. They sing well, but there is no need to buy this as a DVD. Just get a CD. And by the way, the soprano who does Daphne looks much older than her mother Gaea. Apollo doesn't look godly at all, much less the Sun god, dressed in... guess what? A simple black gown. And don't get fooled by the cover. There is nothing inside that looks like the cover.
This is complete dissociation between the music/libretto, and the staging. Complete. If I didn't have the stage directions from a libretto that I downloaded from the internet, I wouldn't have understood the plot, because when essential events are happening during the vocal or the orchestral numbers as per the narration in the stage directions (e.g., "Apollo points an arrow at Leukippos while Daphne tries to get in between them") on the screen there is absolutely nothing happening... just people standing and singing or waiting for the orchestra to get to the next part. It's like a concert version, except that there is this elaborate machinery in the middle of the stage with holes and moving parts (which makes no sense whatsoever). At least in the first scene there is a tree - the only prop in the whole thing. If you happen to bump into this DVD and it's cheaper than a CD version, then buy it, put it in your DVD player but turn the TV off and just listen to the opera (which is beautiful enough).

Sometimes stage directors do too much. This one did too little. Weird. Because if they wanted a concert version, then why have the elaborate stage machinery? With the money they spent with the moving parts of the stage, they could have bought some arrows for Apollo and had some leaves sprig on Daphne...


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*Daphne*

Isn't that weird? From the cover you would expect some magical enchanted production. What a rip-off!


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> I've just finished this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


O dear. I have a copy of that one on my not yet seen pile.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> O dear. I have a copy of that one on my not yet seen pile.


Oh well, the music is beautiful with good singing and conducting, just don't bother too much with the images. Or else maybe you'll like it.

I find myself very inconsistent these days. Sometimes I hate period stagings, sometimes I crave them, sometimes I hate Eurotrash, sometimes I don't mind it... (I tend to like it more when it includes naked boobs).

I remember an old Brazilian song that said something like this: "I prefer to be a walking metamorphosis than to hold that old well formed opinion about everything."


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

This is my opera of today:










More on it later.

OK. It's started.
OH! MY! GOD!!!!
Anna looks drop dead gorgeous! A young Anna Netrebko! I need a plastic sheet otherwise I'll drool all over the sofa!
And this is a transposition of a plot in the style of an Italian opera buffa into Russian 20th century musical language with spectacular and imaginative costumes and ballet at the Mariinsky, with Gergiev conducting. And have I mentioned a young Anna?
I'm in for a treat!!!









Even though I'm a big fan of Anna's, it is surprisingly the first time that I see her in a Russian opera.
It's very refreshing to listen to her voice in Russian, without the heavy accent and articulation problems that sometimes taint her French and Italian performances.
She is completely natural, in her element (of course). Wow.

WOW!








OK, have I made sufficiently clear how much I'm enjoying this?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I have just watched the Renée and Dmitri DVD in St. Petersburg.










This is a very good DVD. First of all, it doubles as a travelogue with Renée taking us on a tour of this gorgeous city. St. Petersburg is really fascinating! One of the best moments is the visit to the cemetery where great Russian musicians are buried, including Glinka, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakof, Mussorgsky, and Tchaikowsky. I had goosebumps. The palaces, gardens, churches, fountains, canals, and bridges are all spectacular.

Then, the musical selections are pretty damn good.

Thanks to Verdi's love for this city where he premiered _La Forza del Destino, _we're treated to two of his duets, from Act IV of _Il Trovatore_ and the very moving recognition scene from Act I of _Simon Boccanegra_ which Renée and Dmitri did very well, it's one of the best moments of the DVD.

Then, as appropriate, we move to the Russian repertory, with arias from _Pique Dame, Oprichnkik, Eugene Onegin _(including the entire 15 minutes of the final scene), and songs from Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. For the songs, there is a hot pianist called Olga Kern. In the bonus track there is an aria from Rubinstein's _Nero _which I didn't care for.

Then there is a bit of a weird choice, the bonus tracks also have Thomas' drinking song from _Hamlet _(pretty nice)_, _and, brace yourselves, _Casta Diva._

The latter was a little disappointing since for the first time in a long career, I thought that Renée's voice was showing a little wear and tear. She used her considerable resources to adapt herself to the demands of this aria and was of course still able to deliver an enjoyable product, but even though she hit all the right notes, one could see that she was sustaining them for shorter periods with the maestro speeding up the tempo so that she'd be able to go all the way.

Renée is always very careful in her repertory and I was surprised that she agreed with this one; I thought that it was risky and outside of her range and style. It's not very flattering for a soprano in her 6th decade of life to be incurring the risk of comparison with the _Casta Diva _standards of Caballé and Callas. It was pretty much a given that she wouldn't be able to deliver a top notch product, so, why try it?

Anyway, otherwise this was an excellent DVD, and it will please the gents and the ladies alike (Renée still manages to look beautiful at her age - and I've mentioned the hot pianist; and Dmitri, I'm told, doesn't look bad either).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I might have been too hard on Werther. Sure the videography is stupid and intrusive, but I must reiterate that the performance, production and singing are utterly wonderful and moving, particularly in Acts 3 and 4. Can't imagine a better cast.

Then moved on to some Handel.

So, how do you stage the Messiah?










Well, if you are Claus Guth you invent a story about 3 men (and their families), one of whom takes his own life, and show the events leading up to the suicide - christenings, adultery, drunkenness - and the aftermath at the funeral and beyond. Emotions are underlined by the words in the different arias, the chorus comments on developments, and a mysterious sign language performer "says" things in a language that presumably no one in the audience understands, as if they did they wouldn't be able to listen to music.

It kind of works, and certainly makes you think about the meaning of what is being sung in a way that you might not at a concert performance. The cast is very fine, particularly Richard Croft (more in his element here than as Loge), Florian Boesch and Bejun Mehta.

An interesting experience and of course you can't go wrong with the music.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

World Violist said:


> Good but harrowing. It's really quite stunning. Yes, I like it quite a lot.
> 
> Sorry for the indistinct post!


Damn, our tastes keep overlapping. You're turning to be one of my preferred references... by the way, my Oedipe by Enescu has arrived (it was a smart move to buy it used, because the discs are in excellent shape and the box includes the libretto), but I haven't listened to it yet.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Almaviva said:


> Damn, our tastes keep overlapping. You're turning to be one of my preferred referrences... by the way, my Oedipe by Enescu has arrived (it was a smart move to buy it used, because the discs are in excellent shape and the box includes the libretto), but I haven't listened to it yet.


Great! I look forward to hearing what you think of it!


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Yesterday I watched Corigliano's "The Gosts of Versailles" on Met player. The story of this opera within an opera is much too complicated to explain in detail here, but it's effective. In short, in the afterlife Beaumarchais puts on an opera with the well known characters of the famous Figaro plays/operas. He's madly in love with the depressed Marie Antoinette and he wants the characters in his opera to rewrite history and save Marie Antoinette's life. The quality of the music is very uneven. It ranges from the almost boring to the highly amusing and the very moving. Stylistically it's all over the place with long-ish bits of atonal music, arias and duets that remind us of Rossini and Mozart to make the link with the two most famous previous Figaro operas, and even a exotic and hilarious 'Turkish' aria for Marilyn Horne. Most of these things work very well on their own but they don't always contribute to the unity of the work as a whole. 

So, there are both positive AND negative things to say about this opera, but overall it makes for a great show, not in the least because of a bigger than life production that I think will be very hard to reproduce in most other opera houses. I have nothing negative to say about the singers (which include a young Renée) but I must single out Teresa Stratas (Marie Antoinette) for special praise - her performance here is truly remarkable.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> Yesterday I watched Corigliano's "The Gosts of Versailles" on Met player. The story of this opera within an opera is much too complicated to explain in detail here, but it's effective. In short, in the afterlife Beaumarchais puts on an opera with the well known characters of the famous Figaro plays/operas. He's madly in love with the depressed Marie Antoinette and he wants the characters in his opera to rewrite history and save Marie Antoinette's life. The quality of the music is very uneven. It ranges from the almost boring to the highly amusing and the very moving. Stylistically it's all over the place with long-ish bits of atonal music, arias and duets that remind us of Rossini and Mozart to make the link with the two most famous previous Figaro operas, and even a exotic and hilarious 'Turkish' aria for Marilyn Horne. Most of these things work very well on their own but they don't always contribute to the unity of the work as a whole.
> 
> So, there are both positive AND negative things to say about this opera, but overall it makes for a great show, not in the least because of a bigger than life production that I think will be very hard to reproduce in most other opera houses. I have nothing negative to say about the singers (which include a young Renée) but I must single out Teresa Stratas (Marie Antoinette) for special praise - her performance here is truly remarkable.


Sounds very interesting. I saw a picture of the production and it is impressive. I must bite the bullet and subscribe to Met Player one of these days. I'm still pushing it ahead due to the large number of UW DVDs I have and my free membership to Naxos which goes until 12/31/2010. I guess my New Years resolution will be to subscribe to Met Player...:lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I've finished this:










Probably not the best version around but good enough, especially because of outstanding singing from Susan Anthony in the title role, pretty good Bacchus with Jon Villars, and excellent Zerbinetta in terms of acting (not as much in terms of singing, small voice) with Iride Martinez, plus very decent conducting by Sir Colin Davis. Sophie Koch was a rather annoying Composer. The minor roles were OK. Staging was rather ugly and bleh in the first act, better in the second act. Anyway, _Ariadne auf Naxos_ is an opera that takes a while to get going (the entire first act is rather boring with all the whining) but when it does, it delivers (the second act has some of the best R. Strauss music). It is theatrically problematic with a lack of unity, and too messy in its attempt to mix opera buffa and lyric tragedy, so, it's one of these operas better listened to than seen, except that this version is pretty good in terms of acting as far as Zerbinetta is concerned, so it's nice to watch that part, but still, it's better to just listen to the outstanding music in the second act than to try to get in the mood of the farfetched double opera inside the opera.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

This:










Eva Marton is a fearsome Electra. She is a little passed her prime with some wobble but one hardly notices it thanks to her excellent acting, powerful stage presence, and intense emotional impact with her her heart and soul fully expressed to the point of tears while she sings. Claudio Abbado in my opinion was excellent and got from the Vienna State Orchestra a rather full and resonant sound, I really can't understand why he was booed at the end. Brigitte Fassbänder steals the show even though Klytemnestra has less stage time. She is crazed, decrepit, deranged, frightening, incredibly effective. Cheryl Studer is excellent as Chrysothemis as well. It's a rather fabulous cast.

The staging is another high point of this production. It is appropriately dark, with a huge statue of Agamemnon that has been decapitated. The head lies on the ground at the back of the stage, and Elektra roams all the time around the feet of the statue, with very interesting symbolic effect. There are ropes hanging from the top of the statue like they're preparing to finish bringing it down, and the characters keep getting entangled in the ropes, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Highly recommended, folks!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> O dear. I have a copy of that one on my not yet seen pile.


So you say "not yet seen pile" instead of "unwatched pile" in the hope that you'll fool the UWP?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

This one is a mixed bag:










Just like Rossini's opera - which is filled with masterful outstanding bits but also too long, slow-paced, and with some silly ballets, this production has both very good and rather weak sides.

The good:

Riccardo Muti, the chorus and the orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala are all three stupendous in this DVD, which is musically (I mean, regarding the orchestra and the chorus - see details on the singing below) of high quality. The famous overture, and the excellent finales for each act show the orchestra in full force, with energetic and well-paced conducting. The chorus is very precise and delivered with the righ volume. The balance between voices and orchestra is very good. One regrets that the DVD only has a Dolby Stereo track with no surround sound.

Tenor Chris Merrit is spectacular. His voice is strong, rightfully steely for this tortured role, projects very well, and can also convey emotion, as in his extraordinary rendition of the most beautiful aria in this opera in my opinion, Arnoldo's opening of the fourth act, _O muto asil del pianto. _This, coupled with the good orchestra and conducting, is enough to make of this cheap DVD a good deal.

Giorgio Zancanaro, while not a good actor, sings beautifully the title role.

Amelia Felle sings an adequate Jemmy, with no errors but no big hits either.

Other secondary roles like Gualtiero, Melchthal, and Gesser are pretty good.

The bad:

Unbelievably bad staging. This is an opera that is best staged with an outdoor feel. Instead, we get a dark, stuffy and claustrophobic room, and they try to lighten it up with three large panels of videos showing outdoor scenes in Switzerland, but it doesn't work, it falls really flat. The only good moment on the screens is when they show Riccardo Muti conducting the final ensemble.

Park and Bark with pretty minimal acting, which is demeaning for an opera that aspires to dramatic impact.

Very, very, mediocre ballets with dreadful, unflattering costumes. I actually started to fast forward during the ballets. By the way, Rossini should never have included them. I know that he wanted to compose a Grand Opéra in the French tradition, but the ballets are not only ordinary (including musically), but also stop the action flat in an opera that is already too long and too heavy on choral music comments - which makes the plot painfully slow. A few cuts would make of Guglielmo Tell a much better opera, there just isn't enough material here to last for four hours as it does.

Cheril Studer as Matilde was very uneven. She was capable of singing beautifully at certain moments, and obviously off-pitch in others. I thought that overall she did a poor job.

Ludicana D'Intino as Edwige wasn't much better. Overall, the female voices were not the best in this production, but the fact that Guglielmo Tell is a predominantly male opera still saves this production because the boys generally did a much better job than the girls, except for another small role: the fisherman in Act I who also sang off-pitch.

This is a production best enjoyed with the Chapter Selection feature, when you can listen to the well played overture, the best arias and ensembles, and the finales, which are all very enjoyable and well delivered, but you don't want to go through the whole four hours including off-pitch singing and mediocre ballets in a dreadfully bad staging.


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## Air (Jul 19, 2008)

Fascinating, the whole DVD is on YouTube.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I bought this because Karenpat recommended the acting by Behjun Mehta and Richard Croft, and indeed they were fantastic as the estranged father and son who finally reconcile at the end. There is a really moving scene when the still rather homicidally unbalanced father releases his son from the prison he had cast him into, while the son has a change of heart, which made me cry, rare in this kind of stylised opera seria.






The rest of the cast was also standout, particularly Miah Persson in the trouser role of the other brother. The production was pretty standard M22 wackiness, there's a kind of stage mirror where people slide around aimlessly; a bewigged chorus with false eyeballs, and the adult sons are dressed like Tom Brown's schooldays, but really with singer-actors like these it wasn't too distracting.

And the most amazing thing? A fourteen-year-old wrote this beautiful emotional music.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Wow. Have you guys seen this?










Nina Stemme is a Jenufa for the ages. She put together one of the best operatic performances by a soprano I've ever seen in my life, no kidding (another one, since I also loved her as Isolde). This is epic. You won't believe it, so good it is! Brava, Nina!!!!

Not to forget that Eva Marton as the Kostelnicka and Silvasti as Luca were almost as good. This was a powerful trio of singing actors, who portrayed their roles to the utmost perfection, both vocally and in terms of acting.

OK, I should say that not all is good. It's not Sir Charles Mackerras with the baton, unfortunately, and it's not Janacek's orchestration, but rather that of Kovarovic, so Janacek's music lovers should better stick with the CD with Mackerras and the Wiener Philharmoniker, with Elisabeth Södeström in the title role (there's even a small part for Lucia Popp). But that performance is not on DVD, so... I know that there is a Glyndebourne one which I haven't seen, and I hear that Roberta Alexander was a fine Jenufa there as well, but sincerely, I doubt that anybody can do better than Nina Stemme these days.

In this Liceu production (which is with the same staging that was shown recently at the Met) the staging has its moments but the boulder metaphor could have been pushed down our throats less insistently.

But I'm talking purely about Nina Stemme's Janufa. It justifies the price of the DVD three times over. It's a must buy!!!


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Nina Stemme is a wonderful moving Jenufa and Isolde. And Marton's Kostelnicka is a triumph of acting (but not of singing). I love this DVD but as you say the stone metaphor goes on and on.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Nina Stemme is a wonderful moving Jenufa and Isolde. And Marton's Kostelnicka is a triumph of acting (but not of singing). I love this DVD but as you say the stone metaphor goes on and on.


Well Marton's Kostelnicka shows vocal strain but it's kind of appropriate because of the way Kostelnicka breaks down throughout the opera. Not that she did it in purpose of course, she did it because she is passed her prime, but the effect ends up even more believable.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I saw the Met Armida on Met Player last night (have you watched it yet Gaston?).
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just watched this on MET Player and overall visually very enjoyable, but this is not Renee Flemings strong suite (I think we are agreeing).....vocally she does not naturally have the inventive dramatic oramanted runs of someone like Callas, too smooth and safely controlled for me. Brownlee does not do much for me either so I would definitely not be buying a CD of this

The production is the best part here especially when they go to Armida's island. The furies were very well handled (this could have been real silly) and moved about like a sinister swarm, costumes were nicely done. I also liked the various ballet pieces done to entertain and bewitch Rinaldo, lovely red flower field and visual effects in sky were nicely done, almost certainly we will not get another version that looks this good visually anytime soon

Yes I have MET player......


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

DarkAngel said:


> Just watched this on MET Player and overall visually very enjoyable, but this is not Renee Flemings strong suite (I think we are agreeing).....vocally she does not naturally have the inventive dramatic oramanted runs of someone like Callas, too smooth and safely controlled for me.


If we'd always have to wait for someone who can sing those belcanto roles like Callas did them they could only be staged every fifty years or so.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Just watched this on MET Player and overall visually very enjoyable, but this is not Renee Flemings strong suite (I think we are agreeing).....vocally she does not naturally have the inventive dramatic oramanted runs of someone like Callas, too smooth and safely controlled for me. Brownlee does not do much for me either so I would definitely not be buying a CD of this
> 
> The production is the best part here especially when they go to Armida's island. The furies were very well handled (this could have been real silly) and moved about like a sinister swarm, costumes were nicely done. I also liked the various ballet pieces done to entertain and bewitch Rinaldo, lovely red flower field and visual effects in sky were nicely done, almost certainly we will not get another version that looks this good visually anytime soon
> 
> Yes I have MET player......


You guys are both right, the staging was spectacular, one of the best of the last several years, with smart and tasteful scenery, nothing out of place, and the only small bits that could have thought to be outrageous stage director behavior (the devils with pink tutus, the phallic drag queens [were these in this production, or am I mixing things up?], the cupido girl) were actually very funny and/or nice, just a wink from the director who wasn't that intrusive. The ballets had *very* attractive people who danced well, unlike what's usually the case in operas (one of my pet peeves). A score of 10 for the staging, costumes, ballets, and all the visual aspects!

I thought that Renée did so well in the acting department that she compensated for the fact that her voice is not really suited to this repertory. A score of 10 for the acting. It's not so easy to go through the intense transformations that Armida requires, from cunning politician to seductive femme fatale to wicked sorceress to woman in love to scorned rageful woman to despondent/desperate woman, all in the space of one opera. A formidable acting job.

OK, the singing, well, not ideal as you both said. Maybe a 7. Do remember that Armida has the highest number of bars for a single soprano in all of opera and she's on stage almost the entire time so it's not easy to sing it all the way; it also requires 6 tenors with big roles (no way to hire second stringers for the secondary tenor roles, you pretty much need 6 good tenors). All things considered, if you don't hire an absolute first rate singing cast to do Rossini's Armida which can get very expensive and hard to coordinate over several days of a run, it's hard to achieve much more than a 7 out of 10 for the singing.

So, 27 out of 30, if we think of an average, this is still a production that scores a 9 out of 10, and I think it's a good buy when it comes out on DVD.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> If we'd always have to wait for someone who can sing those belcanto roles like Callas did them they could only be staged every fifty years or so.


It is a hard act to follow :lol:

*If they would have asked me........*
I would have suggested women like AC Antonacci or Joyce DiDonato for Armida


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Spectacular lively overture! Wow! Contagious uplifiting choruses. Siegfried Jerusalem is in excellent form with good chemistry with Lucia Popp. There are very funny moments, to the point that the public laughed out loud several times. Lucia Popp seemed a little hoarse and out of breath at first (maybe she was a little sick in this performance) but warmed up and delivered.

There are several Bohemian sounding songs and folk dance. The opera goes in vertiginous pace from recitatif secco to accompagnato to arioso to aria to duet to ensemble in crescendo to chorus and all the way back... you get the idea. The orchestration is wonderful, with wicked rhythm, it always melts very well into what follows. Wow, the structure of this opera is as lively as its music. It's all very eventful, both in the voices and the orchestra.

I found the third act a little uneven. The spoken dialogue during the circus act goes on for a bit too long (although it's funny), breaking up the action, and Marie's (Marenka's) weepy aria also could have been shortened. But then the finale picks up again.

Overall, a very, very enjoyable opera in a good production.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Boulez's Rheingold again. It's one of my favorite DVDs now, phony giant arms aside.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I have just watched the Renée and Dmitri DVD in St. Petersburg.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


@ Alma (or anyone)

Is this YouTube from the DVD?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Yes, and it's a very good bit.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm struggling with this one:










I have never seen such ugly choreography in any opera or ballet DVD. You gotta see it to believe it, folks. The dancers seem to be fighting martial arts or giving flight attendant safety instructions. And the costumes don't help either. Ugh!

I don't care for the visuals of this staging either. They are monotonous. I usually like minimalist stagings but this one just doesn't get it right.

I don't know this opera on CD, maybe these are the correct tempi, but they feel too slow to me, at least in comparison to the other Rameau works that I know. Maybe they are slow and it's Rameau's fault, not the conductor's.

The cast members are unattractive. Singing is OK but nothing special.

I've watched acts I and II and almost fell asleep. I'm kind of dreading having to face acts III, IV, and V next.

Again, unclear to me if it's Rameau's fault, or the producers' of this staging, but certainly this one is a lot more boring than the other three from Rameau that I know, Les Indes Galantes, Les Paladins, and Platée.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I'm struggling with this one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Absolutely not Rameau's fault.......

Baroque opera is very challenging for a skilled production team, only the very best efforts will succeed with fabulous results. Since the story lines are very complicated with mythical gods, occult figures, and war heroes you cannot do straight interpitation, a certain degree of creative abstraction and dramatic visual imagination is needed......seems that your DVD failed badly in that task. Les Indes Gallantes could be equally boring if that same production team were involved (thank goodness they were not!)

Were any dance numbers worked into production?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Absolutely not Rameau's fault.......
> 
> Baroque opera is very challenging for a skilled production team, only the very best efforts will succeed with fabulous results. Since the story lines are very complicated with mythical gods, occult figures, and war heroes you cannot do straight interpitation, a certain degree of creative abstraction and dramatic visual imagination is needed......seems that your DVD failed badly in that task. Les Indes Gallantes could be equally boring if that same production team were involved (thank goodness they were not!)
> 
> Were any dance numbers worked into production?


Yes, that's likely what it is since most people say that Castor et Pollux is a fine opera.
Yes, there are plenty of dance numbers, each one uglier and less appealing than the other.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Damn, I've got this one packed in my bag ready to take away on holiday with me.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Damn, I've got this one packed in my bag ready to take away on holiday with me.


When do you go?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm off in about 24 hours. I'll probably be out of internet access so I won't be posting, and I'll miss out on the 100 recommended operas voting.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm off in about 24 hours. I'll probably be out of internet access so I won't be posting, and I'll miss out on the 100 recommended operas voting.


Have a fab time - I can be your proxy voter?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> Have a fab time - I can be your proxy voter?


If you go strictly baroque and head off all that modern stuff.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> If you go strictly baroque and head off all that modern stuff.












Like that well know baroque composer Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco's 21st opera?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I'll probably be out of internet access so I won't be posting


I'm really mad at you! How can you abandon us for three weeks? I can't believe the highly developed nation of New Zealand can't provide some wi-fi hot spots here and there! Get yourself to the next town at least every other day and keep posting, dammit!:scold:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> I'm really mad at you! How can you abandon us for three weeks? I can't believe the highly developed nation of New Zealand can't provide some wi-fi hot spots here and there! Get yourself to the *next town *at least every other day and keep posting, dammit!:scold:


Town! What town?

I'll have to send my messages by homing penguins:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Town! What town?
> 
> I'll have to send my messages by homing penguins:


OK. Tell your husband that you're sorry, but your friends at Talk Classical are not letting you go on vacation to remote locations with no Internet access with him, so you'll just have to stay home.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> OK. Tell your husband that you're sorry, but your friends at Talk Classical are not letting you go on vacation to remote locations with no Internet access with him, so you'll just have to stay home.


That'll go down well. He's already freaking out at the ever expanding shelves of DVDs which is all due to you guys egging me on!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> That'll go down well. He's already freaking out at the ever expanding shelves of DVDs which is all due to you guys egging me on!


A good husband knows that he needs to share his wife with her opera-loving Internet penpals and make sure she's got enough shelf space at home. A man needs to keep his wife happy.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm off in about 24 hours. I'll probably be out of internet access so I won't be posting, and I'll miss out on the 100 recommended operas voting.


I think I may be too late to say _Bon Voyage_. But I do, nevertheless.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm off in about 24 hours. I'll probably be out of internet access so I won't be posting, and I'll miss out on the 100 recommended operas voting.


What a pity.  But indeed - bon voyage.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Attila is one of Verdi's formulaic, flag waving, patriotic operas that even some of his staunchest fans aren't keen on but I can't help loving it & especially all that masculinity. This CD has often warmed me up on winter mornings.










But this came today










*Attila*: Samuel Ramey
*Ezio*: Giorgio Zancarnaro
*Odabella*: Cheryl Studer
*Foresto*: Kaludi Kaludov 
*Uldino*: Ernesto Gavazzi
*Leone*: Mario Luperi
*Conductor*: Riccardo Muti

& have just sat & watched it all through & can't decide if I need a cold shower or a lie down in a darkened room. There's masculine, there's virile & then there's Samuel Ramey stripped to his navel and singing like a God. I've not had the privilege of actually _watching_ such amazing breath control before & I've been sitting mesmerised by Ramey's diaphragm.











From the glowering Muti to the wonderful towering set including giant dead horses with legs in the air & giant headless statues, I've loved every moment. In my opinion, not a weak link anywhere, even the real horses behaved themselves.

You guys know how I hate anything which interrupts the fantasy but at the end of Act1 the audience goes bonkers & I was actually delighted to see Ramey & co take a brief bow.

One thing - if I was Odabella I'd choose über-male Attila over wimpish Foresto any day. 

(Going to watch it again now)


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Great review Annie. I'll have to dig it out and watch it again. Ramey in his athletic prime was pretty amazing. You don't really need him to move cause you can just listen and admire his chest. Have you seen his Don Giovanni (it's on Met Player)?

Thanks everyone for all the good wishes. Checking in one last time this morning before flying out at 11.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Bye for now Natalie & have a great time.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Watching these made me feel very sad about Villazon's vocal problems, both for us and for him. He's a good performer and when he's in full flight sounds great. Not surprised though, I've always wondered at the way he starts singing his arias, the way he swoops up to the first note; it doesn't sound easy and controlled, more like a desperate attack. Would this be what caused his problems?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Thanks everyone for all the good wishes. Checking in one last time this morning before flying out at 11.


Have a good time, Natalie. We'll miss you.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Watching these made me feel very sad about Villazon's vocal problems, both for us and for him. He's a good performer and when he's in full flight sounds great. Not surprised though, I've always wondered at the way he starts singing his arias, the way he swoops up to the first note; it doesn't sound easy and controlled, more like a desperate attack. Would this be what caused his problems?


I believe I rated the blu ray version of that Fleming/Villazon Traviata as my current reference and also top 6 all time opera DVDs list.......it is a good one!

The Romeo and Juliet introduced me to Nino Machaidze and made me a huge fan I love that DVD, too bad the recent Puritani with JDF was given such a poor production


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Great review Annie. I'll have to dig it out and watch it again. Ramey in his athletic prime was pretty amazing. You don't really need him to move cause you can just listen and admire his chest. Have you seen his Don Giovanni (it's on Met Player)?




This? (picture not very clear)










Anyone seen this?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Anyone seen this?


Sam Ramey is spectacular in this one. And it's not only him, there is outstanding singing from everybody, no weak links at all, very impressive cast. The staging is pretty wild (warning: naked boobs and simulated sex), but is good, everything works. You know, Boito was too ambitious and this opera is quite messy, overblown, over the top, and musically weak in some parts. But it is rather entertaining, and very interesting. A winner.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I have started using my brand new subscription to MetPlayer. I saw Andrea Chénier with Pavarotti (great) and a documentary about young singers competing in the National Council auditions at the Met. Excellent and informative film, 1h47' long, with some outstanding singing.

It's simply called The Audition. It was released on DVD. Worth seeing, folks, especially for people who like the technical aspects of singing (but not only, it is interesting in several levels).


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I have started using my brand new subscription to MetPlayer.


How does the subscription work?

Once you've signed up, are you able to watch any production they've got in their 'library'?

For example, in January they are staging _Boccanegra_ with Hvorostovsky in the title role. If this is available through Met Player, if I subscribe, will I be able to watch it whenever I want & as many times as I want?


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

sospiro said:


> How does the subscription work?
> 
> Once you've signed up, are you able to watch any production they've got in their 'library'?
> 
> For example, in January they are staging _Boccanegra_ with Hvorostovsky in the title role. If this is available through Met Player, if I subscribe, will I be able to watch it whenever I want & as many times as I want?


If they stage it in Januari it won't be available on Met player in Januari. But once a production is in their library you can watch it whenever you want and as many times as you want.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> If they stage it in January it won't be available on Met player in January.


Yes I remember Natalie saying it may take a few months for a performance to become available.



jhar26 said:


> But once a production is in their library you can watch it whenever you want and as many times as you want.


That's useful to know.  I'll need to trial it first though because my PC speed is rubbish.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

I'm still watching this entrancing 1958 production of _La Rondine_, ekeing it out at one act per evening. In Act 2 the limitations of the filming become more obtrusive - the camera doesn't adequately follow the multiplicity of movements going on at Bullier's, so at times everything gets a bit chaotic, visually. Sound limitations seem a bit more obtrusive too, when lots of people are singing. But somehow none of this seems to matter all that much. Lisette seems a little too old for the part, and Ruggero seems a little stiff, but Prunier and Magda are acted and sung with particular brilliance, and overall this is one of my most surprisingly successful purchases this year.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Yes I remember Natalie saying it may take a few months for a performance to become available.


I'm afraid it's even more than a few months, Annie.



> That's useful to know.  I'll need to trial it first though because my PC speed is rubbish.


I believe I may have paid for six months a little prematurely (I got the $49.99 six-month deal for Met patrons). I'm underwhelmed with the selection, and I think I'll be done with most things I want to see in a month or so; should have opted for the 7-day free trial followed by $14.99 for one month. The problem is, many of the main offers I own already or have seen and don't want to see again. There isn't much left that I'd be dying to see. There are many more audio files than video files, but those can be found for free elsewhere.

So what I recommend is that you get the 7-day free trial, watch at least 7 operas (one per day, maybe 9 if you see two on Saturday and two on Sunday), see what is left, and decide on the size of your subscription. Don't jump on it like I did.

As for speed, it may be very important. I have a rather advanced set up (10 mbs broadband, Intel Core i5 processor with 2.4GHz, a video card with huge memory, wireless N) and still I had some freezes when playing a high definition video, so, beware of a rather unpleasant experience if your hardware is not as fast.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> I'm still watching this entrancing 1958 production of _La Rondine_, ekeing it out at one act per evening. In Act 2 the limitations of the filming become more obtrusive - the camera doesn't adequately follow the multiplicity of movements going on at Bullier's, so at times everything gets a bit chaotic, visually. Sound limitations seem a bit more obtrusive too, when lots of people are singing. But somehow none of this seems to matter all that much. Lisette seems a little too old for the part, and Ruggero seems a little stiff, but Prunier and Magda are acted and sung with particular brilliance, and overall this is one of my most surprisingly successful purchases this year.


Man, you've been on a_ La Rondine_ spree! I think you can be easily nominated The World's Number One _La Rondine_ Fan. I'll call the Guiness and let them know. I hear that Puccini's soul in Heaven sends thanks, and also expresses some surprise because he doesn't like _La Rondine_ that much, himself.:lol:


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> I'm afraid it's even more than a few months, Annie.
> 
> I believe I may have paid for six months a little prematurely (I got the $49.99 six-month deal for Met patrons). I'm underwhelmed with the selection, and I think I'll be done with most things I want to see in a month or so; should have opted for the 7-day free trial followed by $14.99 for one month. *The problem is, many of the main offers I own already or have seen and don't want to see again. There isn't much left that I'd be dying to see. There are many more audio files than video files, but those can be found for free elsewhere. *
> 
> ...


As Alma says the library of operas to watch for MET player is limited but still large and a step up from youtube for sure:

- 33 HD quality operas
- 58 standard video quality operas
- many more in audio only

I probably own about 25% of these already and used the free trail followed by monthly fee.........probably keep it going through the holidays.

I am watching from fairly new computer with MS Vista software and my cable broadband speed is only 7 mbs but don't have any freezes during playback. Also I only use MET player to scan or preview operas and will not spend 2+ hours watching complete opera on small screen.......have not made my 55" TV system capable of internet streaming yet


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Also I only use MET player to scan or preview operas and will not spend 2+ hours watching complete opera on small screen.......have not made my 55" TV system capable of internet streaming yet


But you can plug your computer into your TV and watch on the large screen.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> But you can plug your computer into your TV and watch on the large screen.


Oh yeah I see now.......
My TV does have a way to connect a computer with RGB & Audio cables, never tried to fool with it.

I must eventually get TV or blu ray player that can stream direct content from broadband internet connection so I can watch "play now" movies at Netflix on my AV system


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

DarkAngel said:


> Oh yeah I see now.......
> My TV does have a way to connect a computer with RGB & Audio cables, never tried to fool with it.
> 
> I must eventually get TV or blu ray player that can stream direct content from broadband internet connection so I can watch "play now" movies at Netflix on my AV system


Yes, I have that. Netflix and also YouTube stream to my TV, as well as Pandora Radio and a bunch of other things. Netflix however doesn't have any operas in the Instant View category.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Watching this now online, from the Naxos library:










I've only seen the first 30 minutes so far, but I know I'll like it. It's really spectacular, what a great opera (it's my first encounter with it)! This one must be included in our top 100! And this DVD has good singing, effective minimalist staging, attractive principals. I think I'll have to buy it.

Ok, I loved Part I (Peace) but I can't say I love part II (War) as much.
I see its quality, it's not that. Good dramatic orchestration, choruses, impactful libretto, sure. But it's just too long and too over-the-top patriotic. Apparently Prokofiev wanted to focus on the love story of Part I but was forced by the Soviet authorities to do the patriotic War part too, if he ever wanted to see the piece accepted. He did, but ended up not seeing it staged anyway (had the bad idea of dying two months before it premiered, although partial productions with less scenes had been presented during his lifetime).


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Watching this now online, from the Naxos library:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It is! It's our number 37.


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

I watched Alan's current fave today. I had already seen it on Met player and I liked it enough to buy the DVD. It's still not mong my favorite Puccini operas, and it probably never will be, but I like it more than I did in the past. I still think that the third act lacks inspiration though. The music in the first two acts is far more impressive. And it will (for me) inevitably always suffer from the comparison with the superior La Traviata, but yes - it's nevertheless a fine opera.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

jhar26 said:


> I watched Alan's current fave today. I had already seen it on Met player and I liked it enough to buy the DVD. It's still not mong my favorite Puccini operas, and it probably never will be, but I like it more than I did in the past. I still think that the third act lacks inspiration though. The music in the first two acts is far more impressive. And it will (for me) inevitably always suffer from the comparison with the superior La Traviata, but yes - it's nevertheless a fine opera.


Yes, the third act is seriously flawed, whichever version one considers. To be honest, I'd prefer to regard it as an incomplete opera of which only 2 Acts are finished, and in some ways wish the third act were missing. But those first two Acts ... well, look, this is seriously personal territory, but those first two acts are for me pretty well everything I ever hoped to get from opera, but never did, quite, until now. For some reason the plot and the music together have really pressed a heap of personal buttons for me.

Incidentally, if I had to choose just one version on DVD, I'd choose the Washington production with the breathtaking Ainhoa Arteta as Magda (5 stars) over the Gheorghiu Met production (4 stars). Fortunately both can be had for the price of a single standard-price opera DVD, so the choice doesn't have to be made.


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> Man, you've been on a_ La Rondine_ spree! I think you can be easily nominated The World's Number One _La Rondine_ Fan. I'll call the Guiness and let them know. I hear that Puccini's soul in Heaven sends thanks, and also expresses some surprise because he doesn't like _La Rondine_ that much, himself.:lol:


Award gladly accepted. And while you're conversing with Puccini's ghost, ask him why the devil he made such a muck-up of the ending after such a wonderful beginning.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Elgarian said:


> Award gladly accepted. And while you're conversing with Puccini's ghost, ask him why the devil he made such a muck-up of the ending after such a wonderful beginning.


He said he did it in purpose just to annoy you. He was in a joking mood that day.:lol:


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> It is! It's our number 37.


Oh, OK, then. Even though now that I've seen the entire thing I have some mixed feelings, see my edit above. The second part goes on forever and ever.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I still have some $90 left to spend in my opera shopping spree and now that the money is dwindling I'm getting more selective. This one is expensive - $33, more than one third of what is left - is it worth it? Does anybody here know this one?


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## Elgarian (Jul 30, 2008)

Just finished watching Act 3 of the 1958 _La Rondine_. I think this version of the ending (where Magda leaves Ruggero, and doesn't walk into the sea) is probably the most acceptable, but both are disappointing, and in both, the drama and the music consist of bits bolted together in a jarring manner - such a marked contrast with the first two acts where everyting is so perfectly and seamlessly woven together. Here's a youtube from the final act.






Of course there are two issues: the problems of the opera itself, and the limitations of this ancient recording of it. We're stuck with the score of course, but overall, I'm delighted to have this black and white historic version, for all its faults, mainly for the wonderful performances in Act 1. Carteri is a Magda one can fall in love with, and the whole act flows so smoothly, though my number one favourite remains the Washington production, with Ainhoa Arteta.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Hey guys, this is a bargain that is very much worth buying. I've just finished a non-commercial House of Opera DVD of Bluebeard's Castle. Unlike other DVDs from this vendor, this one has excellent image and sound, and English subtitles. It cost me $5, and is an outstanding production with exquisite staging, good singing, and a strikingly beautiful Judith. Here is what it is: Bluebeard is Kolos Kovats, Judith is Sylvia Sass, the orchestra is the London Philharmonic conducted by Sir Georg Solti, stage direction is by Miklos Szinetar. Apparently this was recorded from Hungarian television. No other details are available. But I loved it, and even more because I got it so cheap.

Sylvia Sass, another one that should be included in our Lovely Sopranos thread.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm finally watching this, and it's the first time I encounter this opera. This will finally fill the gap of not knowing one of the 10 major Wagner operas.










Spectacular overture, excellent orchestra (Nelsson conducting, Bayreuth orchestra), superlative singing, especially by Simon Estes and Matti Salminen, a dream cast. But the production is controversial. First of all, they show the original version so I won't listen to the redemption music at the end which Wagner added to the revised version which apparently became the dominant version, but Bayreuth did the original. Second, they make the entire thing be inside Senta's mind (she is present 100% of the time even when in Wagner's opera she is not supposed to be on stage). Apparently this production gave force to the dreaded Regietheater craze. And to top it all, they make of the Dutchman, two Dutchmen. I'm not sure if I like all this tampering.

One weird aspect of this production: Senta keeps singing of the pale seaman, but Simon Estes, of course, is all but pale... it causes an unintended comic effect.

Well anyway, controversy or not, I got to Senta's ballad in the second act, and of course fell in love with the music (there were several fine moments in the first act as well).


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Not watching as much opera as I thought I would due to family DVD nights, but saw this:










It's convincingly updated to wartime Britain - and I loved it, it made me laugh, due particularly to the fine acting talents of Falstaff










This on the other hand left me stony-faced thoughout, except when I was wincing at Jennifer Larmore's very Anglo-Saxon diphthongs. I found the production heavy handed and bewildering. What's with the gorilla?

I'm now half-way through L'amour de Loin - more later.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I'm now half-way through L'amour de Loin - more later.


Given that the second half is the most impressive part, I'm curious to know what you think of it. But will you spend another 10 days without wi-fi until you head back home?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> Given that the second half is the most impressive part, I'm curious to know what you think of it. But will you spend another 10 days without wi-fi until you head back home?


So far I'm enjoying, bearing in mind my shameful lack of exposure to more modern music. There are moments when it sounds "medieval through a filter" to my untutored ears. Ford is great, and the only fly in the ointment is Upshaw's french accent, but I'm not noticing it so much now.

No wi-fi (I think) after Saturday NZ time.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

Perhaps as a Finn I should like it more, but I just found it listenable as the modern music goes. I loved Katia Kabanova, though, but it's not exactly modern any more.

Although it's not opera, I am currently watching the finale of The Sibelius Violin Competition and I am pretty sure that Korean girl who played Stravinsky's Concerto will win.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> So far I'm enjoying, bearing in mind my shameful lack of exposure to more modern music. There are moments when it sounds "medieval through a filter" to my untutored ears. Ford is great, and the only fly in the ointment is Upshaw's french accent, but I'm not noticing it so much now.
> 
> No wi-fi (I think) after Saturday NZ time.


French was truly atrocious in this production. This is *the only* downside I can think of. Everything else was sublime.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> French was truly atrocious in this production. This is *the only* downside I can think of. Everything else was sublime.


I think on the whole non-native singers do a better of job of Italian than French (with the glaring exceptions of Jennifer Larmore and Eric Cutler) - it's probably harder to get the vowel sounds right, and the "r". His native accent is the best thing about Alagna in things like Carmen and Don Carlos.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I think on the whole non-native singers do a better of job of Italian than French (with the glaring exceptions of Jennifer Larmore and Eric Cutler) - it's probably harder to get the vowel sounds right, and the "r". His native accent is the best thing about Alagna in things like Carmen and Don Carlos.


Yes, Italian is easy to pronounce with its open vowel sounds and absence of guttural sounds, no wonder it is the language of music.

Another recording that is otherwise sublime but has painfully bad French is Enescu's _Oedipe_ I've just commented upon.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Almaviva said:


> Another recording that is otherwise sublime but has painfully bad French is the Moses und Aron I've just commented upon - Boulez's first recording of it.


That recording's in French? It's a German libretto!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

World Violist said:


> That recording's in French? It's a German libretto!


You mean German and French are actually two different languages? I can never tell the difference. LOL, just kidding, the truth is below:

Oops, my bad, I meant Enescu's Oedipe and I had Moses und Aron in my head, of course the latter is in German.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Almaviva said:


> Oops, my bad, I meant Enescu's Oedipe and I had Moses und Aron in my head, of course the latter is in German.


Huh... That's rather odd, since Jose van Dam is Belgian... I think I've been at least marginally dissatisfied with most the French singing I've heard, though (though I've learned that Gerald Finley can make virtually anything sound good). Having studied the language in high school, it sounds really weird having "e"s and such sticking out at the ends of words, whereas I didn't learn it being quite that pronounced in spoken French. By the way, my mention of studying French is not an invitation to strike up a conversation in French; I don't remember much of the language itself.

I suppose I should give "Les Indes Galantes" another chance... I got rather tired of the over-elaborateness of the staging, but that DVD has native French speakers singing stuff. Interesting compare-contrast.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

World Violist said:


> Huh... That's rather odd, since Jose van Dam is Belgian... I think I've been at least marginally dissatisfied with most the French singing I've heard, though (though I've learned that Gerald Finley can make virtually anything sound good). Having studied the language in high school, it sounds really weird having "e"s and such sticking out at the ends of words, whereas I didn't learn it being quite that pronounced in spoken French. By the way, my mention of studying French is not an invitation to strike up a conversation in French; I don't remember much of the language itself.
> 
> I suppose I should give "Les Indes Galantes" another chance... I got rather tired of the over-elaborateness of the staging, but that DVD has native French speakers singing stuff. Interesting compare-contrast.


With his last name he is probably from the Dutch-speaking side of Belgium. OK, I checked, he was born in bilingual Brussels, but Brussels as you know is inside the Flemish territory and going by the last name his family is likely to be Flemish so his native language is likely to be Dutch. As weird as this may seem, I remember when I once visited the Flemish side and nobody could speak French, or at least they pretended that they couldn't (because the two communities are not exactly friendly with each other, if I understand their situation correctly).

Yep, Les Indes Galantes has the delightful and charming native French speaker Patricia Petibon!


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## Geronimo (Dec 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> ...but Brussels as you know is inside the Flemish territory and going by the last name his family is likely to be Flemish so his native language is likely to be Dutch.


Brussels may be inside the Flemish territory, but Belgium is way too complicated to conclude that Brussels is Flemish.

In 2005 their was a poll to choose the 'greatest Belgian of all time'. In fact there were 2 polls, one organised in the French part of Belgium, and José Van Dam ended 6th (!). In the poll organised in Flanders, he ended on place... 320. So he is not Flemish at all.
(me personally doesn't like to make differences between Dutch and French speaking people - did you know we have a German speaking community too? For me we are all Belgians)


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Almaviva said:


> With his last name he is probably from the Dutch-speaking side of Belgium. OK, I checked, he was born in bilingual Brussels, but Brussels as you know is inside the Flemish territory and going by the last name his family is likely to be Flemish so his native language is likely to be Dutch.


His native language is French. Could be that he can speak Dutch, but I've never heard him do so.


> As weird as this may seem, I remember when I once visited the Flemish side and nobody could speak French, or at least they pretended that they couldn't (because the two communities are not exactly friendly with each other, if I understand their situation correctly).


It's the politicians from the two communities that don't get along. And you know politicians always try to cause problems where there aren't any. Without them things would be just fine.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Geronimo said:


> Brussels may be inside the Flemish territory, but Belgium is way too complicated to conclude that Brussels is Flemish.
> 
> In 2005 their was a poll to choose the 'greatest Belgian of all time'. In fact there were 2 polls, one organised in the French part of Belgium, and José Van Dam ended 6th (!). In the poll organised in Flanders, he ended on place... 320. So he is not Flemish at all.
> (me personally doesn't like to make differences between Dutch and French speaking people - did you know we have a German speaking community too? For me we are all Belgians)


Yes, I did know about the small strip of German speaking territory, and the fact that all three languages are official languages there.

I didn't say that Brussels is Flemish, I said bilingual Brussels, inside the Flemish territory. Both of my statements are true.

Good for you that you don't make that difference. But I remember that when I visited, I got interested in the Belgian language issue and even checked out a book in my local library about it, and learned from this book (years ago, I don't recall the name) that the two communities did indeed have many tensions, due to the fact that historically the French were aristocrats and the Flemish were commoners and servants, then the economic situation changed with the Flemish side becoming more prosperous and powerful, resulting still to the date of the publication of that book in significant tensions between the two communities. But since I don't know whether these things got solved (after all, it's all European Union now and it makes little sense to have these regional tensions within one country), I said "if I understand their situation correctly" because obviously I'm no authority in Belgian issues and will gladly defer to the Belgian nationals here.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

jhar26 said:


> His native language is French. Could be that he can speak Dutch, but I've never heard him do so.


I stand corrected, then. Thanks for the information. Maybe my feelings about that recording have to do with a different accent than the one I'm used to, and to the other singers who aren't native French speakers. But I do speak reasonably fluent French (and understand it even better), and I had the French libretto, and still thought that the singers were murdering the sounds of the language (maybe not van Dam, I don't recall specifics, just the general impression).


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I'm starting this one:










Given how impressed I was with the first two Janacek operas I've seen, Jenufa and The Cunning Little Vixen, I think I'm in for a treat. We'll see.

Well, technically speaking this DVD is horrible. 4:3 image, poor sound balance, no surround, subtitles are fixed in English only, no extras. And the subtitles seem to simplify things a lot, since whe a character sings a full and long phrase, the subtitles translate it into just one word.

It's a Glyndebourne production but strangely (I got accostumed to expecting wonders from them), the staging is rather dull, and the pink, blue, green pastel colors just don't go well with what is going on in the story.

Singing and orchestra are marred by the poor sound balance and distant, muffled sound.

I hope Janacek's opera itself saves the day.

-----

OK, I've finished it. Here is my final verdict, regarding the opera more than the production: it's a good opera with effective orchestration, but in my opinion it is not as good as the other two from him I had seen before, and it comes from it being so short (under 90 minutes). It all happens in lightning speed, with not enough time for character development or build up of dramatic tension. Married girl has bitchy mother-in-law and drunken, abusive husband. A few side kicks show up with their side stories but aren't that important and their subplots go nowhere. Husband goes out of town in business, she has an affair. He comes back, she gets guilty and confesses. He beats her up, bitchy mother in law humiliates her, she wants to leave town with lover but he doesn't have the guts to take her. She kills herself. Curtain.

You know, 90 minutes could have been sufficient, but then, maybe Janacek and his librettist could have eliminated all the non-essential characters from the play and focused on the love triangle and the mother-in-law, with more time for the development of the psychological drama, because when you think of the 90 minutes minus the time wasted with the side plots (who cares for the lover's uncle, for the maid, for the adopted sister and her lover, etc) there is precious little time to get to 'Kát'a's desperation, ambivalence, and slow derailment. The core of the story feels very rushed the way it is. Opera takes longer to tell a story due to the singing which is slower than spoken dialogue, so, what may have been sufficient for the play seems rushed for the opera. Unsurprisingly, the best moment of the opera is her longer monologue at the end, the only part when she was given enough time to express her feelings. I'd like to have had more of these moments and less of the distracting junk.

Jenufa also has several other characters but it focuses a lot more on the four important ones - Jenufa, the two brothers, and the mother. And the Cunning Little Vixen is just very lively and varied, and the fact that there isn't big focus on any one character is meant to convey the cycle of life and the nature/humankind opposition. But Kát'a Kabanová could have used more focus. For an allegory of natural versus civilized life, no focus is needed, but it's hard to tell a psychological drama without focus.


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## Lipatti (Oct 9, 2010)

I've just watched the first act of Il barbiere di Siviglia and I love it so far. This is the musical equivalent of fireworks.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I wondered why Alma said he didn't like this production. Well, I'm halfway through and I see.










Someone should have told the singers what belcanto means. They think it's the same as verismo (the Pollione is shocking, barking like a fur seal). The only exception is the Adalgisa who is doing a fine job. I'll watch it to the bitter end, because it's beautiful and reasonably acted, but I have to keep listening to my CD set with Caballe and Domingo to get a break from the emoting.


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I wondered why Alma said he didn't like this production. Well, I'm halfway through and I see.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I don't quite understand want you are not liking.....too much realistic emotion? 
Is that a bad thing for Norma (or any opera)?

Both Herkku and I agreed that Pollione could be improved upon here........


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Almaviva said:


> I think I'm for the death penalty for "smart" stage directors. They ought to be shot.


Or "cultured" directors.



Gualtier Malde said:


> I agree. Or at least they should be forced to furnish their homes with their sets. Maybe that will cure them, if they have to look at vending machines, business suits, automatic weapons and the like all day long.


Best idea I've heard all day.

Thread stuff!










Giving this a second shot. What seems rather odd is that there are multiple distinct parts, but all the promotional stuff (internet images, Youtube videos, etc.) is from the last part. What?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

World Violist said:


> Or "cultured" directors.
> 
> Best idea I've heard all day.
> 
> ...


They were running out of money by the last part so they needed some marketing and advertising.


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## Sebastien Melmoth (Apr 14, 2010)

*There Will Be Blood*.

Film's been out for a while, but rewatched the DVD last night.

Really a powerful work; Day-Lewis is incredible.

http://www.amazon.com/There-Will-Bl...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1291904280&sr=1-1

Based on Upton Sinclair's *Oil!*

http://www.amazon.com/Oil-Upton-Sin...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1291904373&sr=1-1


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

DarkAngel said:


> I don't quite understand want you are not liking.....too much realistic emotion?
> Is that a bad thing for Norma (or any opera)?
> 
> Both Herkku and I agreed that Pollione could be improved upon here........


I think you should be able to do emotion and still sound good in this kind of music - which I don't think Cedolins does. As I said the acting was fine, but I didn't enjoy listening to the singing. In Casta Diva I kept panicking that she was going to run out of breath.

However I enjoyed the second half more and found the ending quite moving.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> In Casta Diva I kept panicking that she was going to run out of breath.


Exactly!!!


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*Die Tote Stadt*

While we wait for Gaston's and Herkku's subforum, I'll be posting here.
I encourage anyone posting an opera review to put the name of the opera on the title instead of merely identifying it by the cover picture, so that later we can retrieve reviews by using the search function.

I'm watching Korngold's Die Tote Stadt.










Torsten Kerl and Angela Denoke are the two excellent principal singers in this production, and the singers in the two secondary roles are not bad either.

The staging is quite weird but strangely effective, since this is a nightmarish kind of opera, in which acts II and half of act III happen inside the main character's head. It's literally a nightmare and the disturbing images fit this opera well.

This is late romantic opera, folks, so, do expect lots of over-the-top emotions. Do your homework otherwise the plot will be hard to follow (for instance, nothing clearly indicates that acts II and half of act III are a dream or hallucination, and if you don't know it, you'll make little sense of what goes on).

This is a difficult opera to sing and stage (lots of strain on the tenor, and the structure of a dream is hard to convey well), and this production is largely successful, since the novel on which it was based, Bruges-la-Morte, is highly symbolic, and so is the staging - therefore, no big problem with some regietheater here because it does make sense to be weird. So far so good, but then, the staging director thought he should change the end, and instead of the redemption at the end as intended by Korngold (and his father, who was the co-librettist with the composer himself, under a pseudonym), decided to have the main character commit suicide. What a travesty!

But if you can get passed the outrage of such a radical tampering of somebody else's work, you'll be treated to a very intriguing opera with interesting imagery, rather colorful orchestration, some fabulous arias, and good singing.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

*Natalie Dessay - the miracle of a voice DVD*

I'm watching this, and it is quite enjoyable, with some excellent scenes.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> While we wait for Gaston's and Herkku's subforum, I'll be posting here.


I resent calling it by that name. I may have suggested it and I am in favour of it, that's all.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Herkku said:


> I resent calling it by that name. I may have suggested it and I am in favour of it, that's all.


Hey, if it's a big success, then you can enjoy the credit!
Well, on the other hand...

But I didn't mean anything by it. You've suggested it, and Gaston is working on the idea. Before an official name comes up, I had to call it something, so I just mentioned the two people most involved in its creation, that's all. No hidden message.


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## Herkku (Apr 18, 2010)

I'm currently watching Renée Fleming's concert in Helsinki a couple of weeks ago as a Finnish Television broadcast. She is just singing the popular section, so I feel free to write. I liked her starting aria from Massenet's Cléopâtre, which I hadn't heard before. The Mirror Aria was good until the last high note - is it a D? I think Der Richtige from Arabella was supposed to follow, but intead she sang Mein Elemer!, and Zueignung. Not so impressive, and now we have this popular music...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The second part of the concert was dedicated to Verismo, but I think it was heavily cut. I had looked forward to the scene from Leoncavallo's Zaza, in vain. I watched Renée sing Puccini's Addio! Senza rancor!, two short arias from Leoncavallo's opera of the same name, an aria from Conchita, the ending of Fedora, and the encores: O mio babbino caro, I Feel Pretty and Somewhere from the West Side Story.

And I feel Renée's voice is showing some wear and tear...


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

BBC TV is about to broadcast a Glyndebourne Don Giovanni with Gerald Finley. What a delicious Christmas treat.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Now I'm watching the DVD of Bernstein's Candide in his own performance with Jerry Hadley etc. It's really quite disturbing when Hadley starts rushing like crazy and then has to wait for Bernstein to catch up... and then rushes again. Otherwise, this is a marvel, in no small part because of the brilliant commentary.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

*Wagner:* Gotterdammerung
Metropolitan Opera/Levine
DGG DVD

*Puccini Gold*
Arias and scenes sung by Freni, Pavorotti, Domingo, Milnes, Terfel, etc.
Decca DVD

I borrowed these DVDs from my local library & watched them over the Christmas/New Year break.

I had never watched a Wagner opera in full before. I previously thought that Wagner's music was a bit pretentious, but I actually quite enjoyed it. It's interesting how there are so many parallel's between this story and Tolkein's _Lord of the Rings_. The standout character for me was Hagen, sung by a baritone. He was the baddie, and quite menacing even when he didn't sing. I was a bit non plussed by the ending. I had always imagined Brunnhilde riding a horse into the flames, with one of those hats with two horns, but in this production, she just leapt into the flames (with no head gear!). & she wasn't fat either, so it wasn't all over when the fat lady sings. Anyway, I enjoyed this DVD, and plan to borrow more opera DVD's from the library.

I also enjoyed the Puccini dvd, particularly the arias sung in concert with Pavorotti, Domingo and Te Kanawa. This music can be a bit sentimental and cloying at times, but in the right hands it can also be quite moving...


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Andre said:


> It's interesting how there are so many parallel's between this story and Tolkein's _Lord of the Rings_.


Like Tolkien himself once said, dismissing the parallels, "they both have rings, and that's about it."


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*I received today 3 DVDs*

from First opera:

http://premiereopera.com/

Volo di Notte, il Prigoniero (Dallapiccola) - subtitles in Japanese (very useful for me, I don't speak even a word of Japanese; luckily I know the story).
Elektra (Paris 2005) - a bit modern mise en scene...kind of war somewhere, I'm not sure Subtitles in French, ok for me).
Barber of Seville (1982) - awesome (no subtitles but I know the story by heart). Good singers.

I watched a bit each just to know that the image was ok and the sound.

Later I'll watch them well.

Martin


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Tonight!!!!!*

Do you know Renee Fleming?










It was my birthday present. My son, Christopher (25) gave it to me!

take a look:











Am I lucky? I think I am!

Better than a DVD! LOL

Martin


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Do you know Renee Fleming?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow, Martin, good for you, and happy birthday!:tiphat:


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Birthday*

Thank you, but it was on December the 12th...I mean the ticket was for last Tuesday.
But I was disappointed, her repertoire was unusual...Her voice was wonderful and she is a beauiful woman. Her _encore_ was great, she sang "O mio babbino caro (Puccini), Sumertime (Gershwin), Morgan (Strauss)...

Martin


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

A very well-written and scholarly essay on Wagner's Ring Cycle:


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Very disappointed*

La Bohème with Anna Netrebko...

Bad.

For more details, see Puccini's DVDs site or ask.

Martin


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

World Violist said:


> A very well-written and scholarly essay on Wagner's Ring Cycle:


I love this woman. I've downloaded everything on youtube by her in case it disappears. Her "how to become a singer" skit is a classic.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> I love this woman. I've downloaded everything on youtube by her in case it disappears. Her "how to become a singer" skit is a classic.


This is fabulous!!! I'm rolling on the ground laughing!:lol::lol::lol:
I had never heard of her before! Who is she?


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Almaviva said:


> This is fabulous!!! I'm rolling on the ground laughing!:lol::lol::lol:
> I had never heard of her before! Who is she?


Anna Russell. She started off as a real opera singer, realised her voice wasn't all that great, and then moved on to a very successful stand up comedy career. Just youtube her, you won't be disappointed.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Anna Russell. She started off as a real opera singer, realised her voice wasn't all that great, and then moved on to a very successful stand up comedy career. Just youtube her, you won't be disappointed.


Yeah, I just spent the last forty minutes listening to the three parts of her Ring, and to the How to Be an Opera Singer bit.

Hilarious!!!

Her second Ring part is phenomenal! I couldn't stop laughing with that comment: "Erda told Wotan: Bewwwaaaaaaare!... And then got to bear him eight daughters. *She* was the one who should have been careful.:lol:"

"Siegfried was brave, courageous, handsome, strong... and STUPID!":lol:

"The understatement of the year: She is no man!":lol:

"I'm not making this stuff up!":lol:

And for the opera singer: "You gotta have a gorgeous voice, be independently wealthy, be sexy, be politically inclined... and be a backstabing bitch!":lol:


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

What about Siegfried being attracted to Gutrune because "she was the first woman he'd met who wasn't his aunt"


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> What about Siegfried being attracted to Gutrune because "she was the first woman he'd met who wasn't his aunt"


Yes, spectacular!

"Siegfried then killed Fafner. Do you recall Fafner? The giant, right? Now he is a dragon. Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway, he's dead.":lol:

By the way, thinking about it, one thing that has always bothered me in the Ring is the fact that Fafner goes to all that trouble to get the Ring that will ensure him world domination, and then instead of dominating the world and enjoying the perks of his power, he goes to some cave to hibernate until some kid comes and slays him. What the...?


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## jhar26 (Jul 6, 2008)

Don Pasquale with Anna on Met player.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Guess this thread is more appropriate as the other is geared towards live opera.
Just finished Das Rheingold, the 1990 Met version. It was my first exposure to Wagner, being a newish operaphile. I meant to catch the first 20 minutes or so and then go to bed but couldn't stop watching. 

I'm not sure what to say right now that won't make me sound like an ignorant hick. I wrote a bunch of gushing stuff, but deleted it. I'll just leave it at this: I'm dumbstruck. I literally don't know what to say right now, except that I absolutely have to go to bed and so wish I didn't as I'd much rather start watching Die Walkure.

OK, in the interest of balance I'll include the negatives: the frog and snake were pretty cheesy.

I'm glad I didn't try watching this sooner, I think this was about the perfect time in my time learning about opera to be exposed to the Ring Cycle.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> Guess this thread is more appropriate as the other is geared towards live opera.
> Just finished Das Rheingold, the 1990 Met version. It was my first exposure to Wagner, being a newish operaphile. I meant to catch the first 20 minutes or so and then go to bed but couldn't stop watching.
> 
> I'm not sure what to say right now that won't make me sound like an ignorant hick. I wrote a bunch of gushing stuff, but deleted it. I'll just leave it at this: I'm dumbstruck. I literally don't know what to say right now, except that I absolutely have to go to bed and so wish I didn't as I'd much rather start watching Die Walkure.
> ...


Yes, the Ring is so compelling that one watches from the edge of the seat, eyes glued on the screen (and ears glued on the sublime music). It's stunning. Welcome to lifelong Wagnerian pleasure.:tiphat:
Oh, and don't worry about sounding like an ignorant hick. We know you aren't one, and we're not snobs here.


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

rgz said:


> Guess this thread is more appropriate as the other is geared towards live opera.
> Just finished Das Rheingold, the 1990 Met version. It was my first exposure to Wagner, being a newish operaphile. I meant to catch the first 20 minutes or so and then go to bed but couldn't stop watching.
> 
> I'm not sure what to say right now that won't make me sound like an ignorant hick. I wrote a bunch of gushing stuff, but deleted it. I'll just leave it at this: I'm dumbstruck. I literally don't know what to say right now, except that I absolutely have to go to bed and so wish I didn't as I'd much rather start watching Die Walkure.
> ...


You're much less of an ignorant hick than I was first time I heard Das Rheingold... I had no idea what was going on, but I certainly knew that D-flat chord at the end was freakin' epic (it was Solti, what can I say). Die Walkure kept my attention riveted straight through, if I remember correctly. It's genius.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

Just finished Die Walkure so I'm technically halfway through my first Ring. Have to say I didn't enjoy it as much as Das Rhiengold; I felt like Act 3 in particular dragged. 
Now, to my question. First two were from the early 90s Met production. My local library, in their infinite wisdom, does not have the other two. They do have a full ring cycle that I believe is the 1980 Boulez version. I'd kind of like to stick with a traditionalist Ring for my first time, but I'm also impatient and frugal  Would you recommend switching versions halfway through or hunt around a bit and try to stick with the Levine Ring?


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> Just finished Die Walkure so I'm technically halfway through my first Ring. Have to say I didn't enjoy it as much as Das Rhiengold; I felt like Act 3 in particular dragged.
> Now, to my question. First two were from the early 90s Met production. My local library, in their infinite wisdom, does not have the other two. They do have a full ring cycle that I believe is the 1980 Boulez version. I'd kind of like to stick with a traditionalist Ring for my first time, but I'm also impatient and frugal  Would you recommend switching versions halfway through or hunt around a bit and try to stick with the Levine Ring?


In your place I wouldn't switch versions halfway through. I'd finish the Levine Ring, then I'd watch another version in full.

I'm surprised that you didn't like Act 3 of Die Walkure. For me it's one of the best acts in the entire Ring.

Siegfried is the one that drags, especially acts 1 and 2.

Götterdämmerung is excellent.

The above comments apply to the Ring itself, not necessarily to Levine's version.


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## rgz (Mar 6, 2010)

I had checked out the other version just in case and started watching it, again intending to stop after 15 or 20 minutes. Despite the horrible stage design (imo, of course) and the distractingly small and reedy voice for Mime, the music and story was so compelling that I only forced myself to turn it off after an hour had gone by. I think I'd like the more traditional staging much, much more so I'll hold out for that. Maybe another library in the area will have it.

Die Walkure Act 3 starts off great (understatement right there, though I did have to laugh at how Hollywood had completely messed with my expectations. I hear Ride of the Valkyries build during the interlude and I'm thinking ... hmm, they didn't talk about any battles coming up but guess it's time to watch some war maidens kick some ***. And instead they're talking about their horses  ) but I thought the Wotan / Brunnhilde dialogue went on too long.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

rgz said:


> I had checked out the other version just in case and started watching it, again intending to stop after 15 or 20 minutes. Despite the horrible stage design (imo, of course) and the distractingly small and reedy voice for Mime, the music and story was so compelling that I only forced myself to turn it off after an hour had gone by. I think I'd like the more traditional staging much, much more so I'll hold out for that. Maybe another library in the area will have it.
> 
> Die Walkure Act 3 starts off great (understatement right there, though I did have to laugh at how Hollywood had completely messed with my expectations. I hear Ride of the Valkyries build during the interlude and I'm thinking ... hmm, they didn't talk about any battles coming up but guess it's time to watch some war maidens kick some ***. And instead they're talking about their horses  ) but I thought the Wotan / Brunnhilde dialogue went on too long.


Fair enough, different strokes for different folks. For me, the Wotan/Brunnhilde dialogue that goes on for 30 minutes in act 3 is one of the best moments of the entire Ring cycle. It had me in tears at the end. I was completely stunned, and it made of Die Walkure my favorite of the four operas, Gotterdammerung being second, then Das Rheingold, then Siegfried. But don't read me wrong, even though I place Siegfried last, I love all four; it is just last as compared to the other three, but still much better than most operas.

Can't you rent the other two from DVD rental stores/businesses and finish them up, if your library doesn't carry them? And what about inter-library loans? Why don't you ask the librarian if they can order it for you temporarily from a sister library?

Next, you should consider a purchase. The Ring is a vast universe and repeated viewing only increases the understanding and the pleasure.

Another good idea is to get a CD with explanation of the leitmotives, such as this one:










The enjoyment increases exponentially when you can identify the leitmotives, because like Natalie said, the orchestra tells the story as well. This lecture on 2 CDs is sold for around $17 and contains a detailed explanation (with musical examples conducted by Solti) of 200 of the leitmotives, more than enough to get a good sense of them.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

I recently finished the 2008 "Tannhäuser" from the Baden Baden Festspielhaus. I'd originally purchased the DVD because the performance features some of my favorite singers (Camilla Nylund, Waltraud Meier, and Stephen Milling), and I was curious to finally hear Robert Gambill. I now fondly think of this video as "Tannhäuser on the Planet Zork." The staging and costumes remind me of some cheap 1960's Hollywood movie supposedly set on some exotic planet in "outer space." The minnesingers in Act II all look like Liberace clones.

Nonetheless, the singing is usually marvelous -- though I find Gambill disappointing. When he is singing at moderate dynamic levels and in his mid-range, the voice is attractive. But when the music lies higher, the voice sounds (to me) strained and develops a vibrato that unfortunately calls to mind the Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz." Still, the contributions of Nylund, Meier, and Milling make me want to listen to this performance again.


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## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

MAuer said:


> I recently finished the 2008 "Tannhäuser" from the Baden Baden Festspielhaus. I'd originally purchased the DVD because the performance features some of my favorite singers (Camilla Nylund, Waltraud Meier, and Stephen Milling), and I was curious to finally hear Robert Gambill. I now fondly think of this video as "Tannhäuser on the Planet Zork." The staging and costumes remind me of some cheap 1960's Hollywood movie supposedly set on some exotic planet in "outer space." The minnesingers in Act II all look like Liberace clones.
> 
> Nonetheless, the singing is usually marvelous -- though I find Gambill disappointing. When he is singing at moderate dynamic levels and in his mid-range, the voice is attractive. But when the music lies higher, the voice sounds (to me) strained and develops a vibrato that unfortunately calls to mind the Cowardly Lion in "The Wizard of Oz." Still, the contributions of Nylund, Meier, and Milling make me want to listen to this performance again.


In the Wagner thread of the sub-forum you'll find a long list of pros and cons that I wrote down regarding this version. All things considered, I still think that it is a good one.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*La Fanciulla del West*










Went to the Met Fanciulla del West in the Live in HD series last night. I had low expectations of this production of my favourite Puccini opera - I thought Voigt would sound bad and Marcello Giordani's acting would suck, but I was pleasantly surprised.

While Voigt didn't always sound gorgeous, she inhabited that part better than anyone else I've seen (Dessi, Daniels, Zampieri, Neblett). She really conveyed Minnie's journey from hero-worship to disillusionment and finally acceptance of Johnson's fallibility and compassionate love for him. Giordani's acting was quite animated, showing his dilemma between stealing the gold and not wanting to hurt Minnie, and then being redeemed by her love, and his Italianate voice suits the part. Lucio Gallo as Rance hammed it up and came over as more of a sad loser than than a menacing sherriff, I think he;s fundamentally too nice for this part. Other members of the cast were wonderful, and the chorus was very finely nuanced. The orchestra was lush but occasionally overpowered the singers, can't blame them with that lovely music.

What really sold it for me was the wonderful chemistry between Voigt and Giordani. It's not often that I can believe that the principals are in love with each other. They look at each other, they smile, they are physically comfortable in whatever clinches they are directed in and they obviously have affection for each other off-stage.

If that comes out as a DVD I'm getting it.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

*Io, Don Giovanni (Carlos Saura)*










From the blurb on the back ("decadence", "debauched libertine", "art of seduction", blah blah blah) I thought this would be a bodice ripper of the kind that'd make Alma's Boobometer overheat and explode, but it wasn't (except for a gratuitous Turkish brothel scene).

Rather it was a fictionalised account of Da Ponte's early days in Venice (in real life he was exiled for running a bothel rather than penning scurrilous verses), his friendship with Casanova, his travel to Vienna and his eventual collaboration with Mozart on Don Giovanni. You'd need to take it all with a pinch of salt, as I believe there are no actual records of the process, but it's a fairly interesting speculation about the process of creation and the interweaving of art and life, and visually it is sumptuous.

I wouldn't recommend buying it - the characterisation is not particularly satisifying and the leads pretty rather than gifted, but it's probably worth borrowing from Netflix or the library.


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