# I need opinions on the quality of these operas



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Rimsky-Korsakov - Mlada
Tan Dun - Tea
Britten - Gloriana
Tchaikovsky - The Maid of Orleans
Vaughan Williams - Riders to the Sea
Britten - Owen Wingrave
Pizzetti - Murder in the Cathedral
Salieri - Falstaff
Eugen D'Albert - Tiefland

Thanks in advance


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I've only seen the film of Owen Wingrave (it was written FOR film) so I can't really detach it from this experience. I thought it was a pretty good film and a good opera in this context. You can watch it free on Arte TV.

http://www.classicaltv.com/v886/oper...-wingrave-film

Don't know the others...yet


----------



## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

Agree with the birthday girl about _Owen Wingrave_.

I think you would like Salieri's _Falstaff_ given you liked his _Tarare_. _Falstaff_ is musically much stronger and was much influenced by Mozart's _Figaro_ (but it's not anyway near Mozart's). Yes, no harm giving it a listen.


----------



## Yashin (Jul 22, 2011)

Tan Dun's tea was released on DVD and is quite enjoyable whilst not exactly being the most riveting experience. I think if you have the patience or taste for experimental music then give it a whirl. If not, then don't bother.


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Almaviva said:


> Rimsky-Korsakov - Mlada
> Tan Dun - Tea
> Britten - Gloriana
> Tchaikovsky - The Maid of Orleans
> ...


I don't know any of them. Are you giving them away?


----------



## amfortas (Jun 15, 2011)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Agree with the birthday girl about _Owen Wingrave_.


Is it today, Nat? Happy birthday!


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

sospiro said:


> I don't know any of them. Are you giving them away?


- Mlada, a wonderful Ballet-Opera you can get on DVD.  Two versions available, one bad, one good.
- Tan Dun...I kow another opera by him and many pieces...a bricolage American Chinese...very commercial, I know nothing about TEA
- Britten...I don't like his music, except his last opera (Thomas Mann) Deat in Venice
- Maid of Orleans: not his best opera, very beautiful monets, some "longeurs"
The others I have no idea...I have anothe opera by Salieri...it's not terrific...just ok.

Martin


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> - Mlada, a wonderful Ballet-Opera you can get on DVD. Two versions available, one bad, one good.
> -


You'll be pleased to hear, Martin, that I'm really getting into your favourite Rimsky-Korsakov. My favourite so far: The Tsar's Bride. Which DVD version of Mlada do you recommend?


----------



## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

Vaughan Williams - Riders to the Sea

A very good opera. The Hickox recording is excellent.

Pizzetti - Murder in the Cathedral

Interesting, don't expect any marvel, but worth a hearing, especially the First Act (the ending of this Act is really beautiful). Version with Gencer and Rossi Lemeni is ok.

Eugen D'Albert - Tiefland

I watched this opera in the Liceu, and is very solid piece. Eva Marton / René Kollo version is fine.


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> You'll be pleased to hear, Martin, that I'm really getting into your favourite Rimsky-Korsakov. My favourite so far: The Tsar's Bride. Which DVD version of Mlada do you recommend?


I love tsarskaya nevesta (the tsar's bride). For Mlada I would recommend this one:










I could get many "weird versions" at

http://premiereopera.com/search.aspx?find=rimsky-korsakov&log=false&category=2

Don't buy their Golden cockerel, is not good...Instead:










if you can find it...

Best regards

Martin


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

*Sadko...a bit boring but nice moments...*


----------



## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

Of these operas, I haven't heard or seen Mlada, Tea, and Murder in the Cathedral, but I am very curious to get to know these. 
By co-incidence ,I was listening to my Eurodisc CD of Teifland yesterday after quite a long time. D'Albert was an almost exact contemporary of Richard Strauss, and was best known in his day as a brilliant virtuoso pianist. Tiefland is his best -known work, and is a kind of Germanic verismo opera , quite melodious and dramatically effective. 
My recording, from the 60s, has some once well-known German singers such as tenor Rudolf Schock, Isabel Strauss and Gerd Feldhoff. There are a few other recordings, including a fairly recent digital one conducted by Marek Janowski with Eva Marton , but I haven;t heard them.
Tiefland meand "lowland" in German. The story takes place in the Spanish Pyranees and Catalonia and deals with a simple simple but good-hearted shepherd whose evil and corrupt boss tries to marry his mistress off to him to avoid getting in trouble because he is about to get into a respectable marriage , but who eventually kills the bad guy and runs off to freedom with the mistress in the end.
I heard the Decca recording conducted by the composer with Janet Baker long ago during the LP era, and have also seen the PBS telecast. But not the recent Chandos recording. It's a rather somber and austere opera, but worth hearing.
I got familiar with Tchaikovsky's Maid of Orleans long ago,also long before the CD era, in a Melodiya/CBS recording from Moscow with the late,great Irina Arkhipova as Joan of Arc, conducted by Gennady Rozhdestvensky. This is Tchaikovsky's most Meyerbeerian opera, with a lot of spectacle. Let's hope that Gergiev and the Mariinsky forces will do and record it soon. 
I recently borrowed the DVD of Salieri's Falstaff from the Schwetzingen festival in Germany from my library, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It's a first-rate 
Italian opera buffa. No one who sees this will ever be able to dismiss Salieri as a worthless mediocre compose again ! It has the Met's basso buffo John Del Carlo as falstaff., and he's terrific in the title role.
I got to hear Goriana several years ago from the world premiere recording on Argo conducted by the late, great Sir Charles Mackerras. The opera was apparently a flop at its premiere in London, but the recording proves that it's prime Britten.
I also heard Riders To the Sea from a long out of print EMI LP long ago. It;s a tragedy of an Irish seafaring family, and the womenfolk's grief at the loss of their men at sea, and quite powerful in a folksy way.


----------



## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> For Mlada I would recommend this one:


Thanks Martin, it's on my wishlist.



> Don't buy their Golden cockerel, is not good...Instead:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, I've got that version. I think it's very beautiful, although the staging is perhaps a little too stylised, and removes the human element of the story, which is really about crazed power.

I agree about Sadko, lovely if dull at times.



> I love tsarskaya nevesta (the tsar's bride).


The Tsar's bride is quite exciting and I enjoyed this B&W film which arrived in the post last week:










And LOVE Hvorostovsky and Borodina in this CD


----------



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

Wow, thanks, folks, very nice opinions.
I've selected these operas to try next, and I believe they were good choices, given your opinions above.
Much appreciated.:tiphat:
I'll be posting reviews once I get to them.


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Thanks Martin, it's on my wishlist.
> 
> Yes, I've got that version. I think it's very beautiful, although the staging is perhaps a little too stylised, and removes the human element of the story, which is really about crazed power.
> 
> ...


Your choice of the DVD is the best. Your cd is not that good. I don't like Gergiev (rather...I hate Gergiev). Invest and buy the very best version (Galina Vizhnestkaya, Irina Arkhipova)










Inexpensive and the very best. I had this version on LP, I bought this one to replace it.

Best regards

Martin


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Your choice of the DVD is the best. Your cd is not that good. I don't like Gergiev (rather...I hate Gergiev). Invest and buy the very best version (Galina Vizhnestkaya, Irina Arkhipova)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you Martin. This opera is on my wish list.


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

superhorn said:


> Of these operas, I haven't heard or seen Mlada, Tea, and Murder in the Cathedral, but I am very curious to get to know these.
> By co-incidence ,I was listening to my Eurodisc CD of Teifland yesterday after quite a long time. D'Albert was an almost exact contemporary of Richard Strauss, and was best known in his day as a brilliant virtuoso pianist. Tiefland is his best -known work, and is a kind of Germanic verismo opera , quite melodious and dramatically effective.
> My recording, from the 60s, has some once well-known German singers such as tenor Rudolf Schock, Isabel Strauss and Gerd Feldhoff. There are a few other recordings, including a fairly recent digital one conducted by Marek Janowski with Eva Marton , but I haven;t heard them.
> Tiefland meand "lowland" in German. The story takes place in the Spanish Pyranees and Catalonia and deals with a simple simple but good-hearted shepherd whose evil and corrupt boss tries to marry his mistress off to him to avoid getting in trouble because he is about to get into a respectable marriage , but who eventually kills the bad guy and runs off to freedom with the mistress in the end.
> ...


Personally I am not a fan of Gergiev...I'd suggest an older version availabe on CD:










Very inexpensive...indeed.

Sincerely,

Martin


----------



## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

I haven't heard the Tan Dun or Pizzetti, but the rest are at least worth a listen. Mlada is a ballet/opera mix so the generally available DVD is the way to go. There aren't many Britten or Tchaikovsky operas that I don't like (maybe Paul Bunyan). I have the composer's recording of Wingate, but the Hickox version is probably an upgrade and I'd second the praise for the Mackerras Gloriana. The Lazarev DVD is lively with a great Joan of Arc, but the plot is messy.

The Vaughan Williams is more of a scene and didn't leave much of an impression with me. d'Albert is lush and lyrical, unfortunately my recording does not include a libretto. I need to give that another spin. Finally, Falstaff won't push the Verdi off the boards but it is fun and encouraged me to explore more Salieri.


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

sospiro said:


> Thank you Martin. This opera is on my wish list.


It is quite inexpensice though...Not wour wish list but your BUYING list. he version is MUCH better than the one you have...is like another opera...improved...like upgrading yor Gergiev version...LOL

Smiles

Martin


----------



## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

myaskovsky2002 said:


> ...Not your wish list but your BUYING list.


Unfortunately for my bank account that ends up being the same thing



myaskovsky2002 said:


> The version is MUCH better than the one you have...is like another opera...improved...like upgrading your Gergiev version...LOL


I don't have any version yet, the opera is on my wish list rather than a particular version


----------



## ooopera (Jul 27, 2011)

Choosing between Britten's Gloriana and Owen Wingrave, I'll say Owen. I really liked this production with Gerald Finley:


----------



## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

There are other great Russian conductors of Russian opera, such as Rozhdestvensky,
Rostropovich, Bychkov, Fedoseyev,etc, but Gergiev, (who is actually an ethnic Ossetian,not a Russian),is certainly every bit their equal,IMHO. I have his Philips recordings of Sadko,
The Maid of Pskov, Kitezh, and Kashchei the Immortal by Rimsky, and Prokofiev's Fiery Angel, the Gambler and Semyon Kotko, and I wouldn't want to be without them.
His recordings, of Boris,Khovanshchina, Pique Dame, The Nose, Prince Igor, Ruslan&Lyudmilla The Love For 3 Oranges, Iolanta et al, are also terrfic.
He's no mean conductor of Verdi and Wagner,either.


----------



## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

superhorn said:


> There are other great Russian conductors of Russian opera, such as Rozhdestvensky,
> Rostropovich, Bychkov, Fedoseyev,etc, but Gergiev, (who is actually an ethnic Ossetian,not a Russian),is certainly every bit their equal,IMHO. I have his Philips recordings of Sadko,
> The Maid of Pskov, Kitezh, and Kashchei the Immortal by Rimsky, and Prokofiev's Fiery Angel, the Gambler and Semyon Kotko, and I wouldn't want to be without them.
> His recordings, of Boris,Khovanshchina, Pique Dame, The Nose, Prince Igor, Ruslan&Lyudmilla The Love For 3 Oranges, Iolanta et al, are also terrfic.
> He's no mean conductor of Verdi and Wagner,either.


I'm glad yo *do* like Russian music...I am in love with it!

Ia ochien liublui russkuyu muziku

Martin Bertinovich


----------

