1 comments about Riccardo Zandonai: Francesca Da Rimini.

1. Unless the listener has seen this Zondonai masterpiece, on stage, or on film, this will be a difficult audio experience. There are few haunting melodies, the types one loves so in the operas of Puccini or Cilea. Zondanai is a 20th Century composer, and an innovator of operatic score. It is important to know the medieval story well. This is the story of two families decsribed in lurid and damning words by Dante in his "Inferno" of the Divine Comedy. It is fitting then, that Zondanai employs a modal sound in harmony, recitative, and brief melodic phrases. Opera critics write that Raina Kabaivanska is magnificent as Francesca. This titled "Queen of opera melodrams," brings Francesca da Rimini to life, to the extent that such is possible in audio only. Her extraordinary talents are well met by Placido Domingo as the love of her heart, Paulo, the handsome. It is a pity their great acting abilities cannot be seen here. Merely listening to this CD, without benefit of sight, will be a challenge worth taking. For those who know the opera well, it will be a great joy. For those, then, I give the recording 5 stars. G.K. Brown, DMA, Prof. of Music (Ret.)

No comments about Rossini - Tancredi (Complete Opera).

5 comments about Gounod - Roméo et Juliette / Alagna, Gheorghiu, van Dam, Keenlyside, Capitole de Toulouse, Plasson.

1. This would be a much better recording, if not for the _extreme_
   liberties taken by the recording engineers -- always -- given AG's voice
   and the difference between her in performance and studio recordings.
   What one hears here is not what a performance is like, and should be better, but isn't because there is also the issue of her musicality and her substantial deviations from the score. AG has been called an "average" soprano, not without good reason, and has gotten by largely because of her looks, silly dramatic flair onstage, and other non-musical qualities.
   I am also sorry to say that her reputation among serious long-term observers-critics is not good. (cf. operachic.typepad.com etc etc etc)
   AG's musical life is one of the few situations where ad-hominem issues
   are relevant, I would argue; not least, her gross unprofessionalism.
   (what I found most repugnant was her very demeaning and insulting comments about the very popular blind tenor....) Please note that I was an
   unqualified (and uninformed) admirer of the singer for several years, until I started to pay attention to more knowledgeable observor-critics, and also saw her serious human failings firsthand. (which are also better-known than I, by serious observors!)



2. Gounod's music in 'Romeo et Juliette' is sugary, as the Amazon reviewer says, but here Alagna and Gheorghiu connect so tenderly that you feel like a voyeur intruding on their intimacy. Alagna scales his voice down considerably in the duets, and Gheorghiu matches his perfect French pronunciation--they are merged in the language of love. No ohter recording has quite this gentleness (in my student days Freni and Corelli were the Met's standard Romeo and Juliet, and their presence made the work Italiante, a showpiece for gorgeous vocals).
   
   Plasson and his Toulouse forces sound fine, as does EMI's recording. Alagna reverts to his habit of pushing his voice in solo arias, and Gheorghiu is by nature too hard-edged for Juliet--her waltz aria is attacked a bit fiercely when ideally it should melt on the tongue. But when they sing together, these flaws disappear, and we get to be carried away by their love and Gounod's angelic melodies.



3. ABOUT THIS RECORDING:
   
   Roberto Alagna [Roméo] ** Angela Gheorghiu [Juliette] ** José van Dam [FrIAR Laurent] ** Marie-Ange Todorovitch [Stéphano] ** Simon Keenlyside [Mercutio] ** Alain Fondary [Capulet] ** Claire Larcher [Gertrude] ** Daniel Galvez Vallejo [Tybalt] ** Guy Flechter [Benvolio] ** Didier Henry [Pâris] ** Till Fecnher [Grégorio] ** Alain Vernhes [The Duke] ** Chœur et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse ** Michel Plasson
   
   This is the last recording of Gounod's Romeo Et Juliette we are likely to see. From 2000-2001, this also is the soundtrack to the film version. The Shakespearean classic tale of doomed love and the power it had to reconcile two feuding families in Renaissance Verona, Italy was a moving theatrical work of opera earlier in the 20th century and most especially in the 19th century. Traditionally, the voices of Romeo and Juliet have been sung by lighter, lyric voices trained in the art of French opera, particularly the operas of Gounod. In a 60's recording we find a young Franco Corelli and Mirella Freni as the lovers and to me, these two have most convincingly sung the lovers with flawless vocal technique and dramatic abilities. In a mid 90's recording you have Placido Domingo and Ruth Anne Sweson. Another winner as Domingo and Swenson get into character and have the lyricism and French style so suited to the opera. This recording, however, thanks to the efforts of Plasson's Gaellic conducting and dramatic treatment of the score and the dramatic, vibrant and beautiful voices of the leads, we get another winner.
   
   All opera lovers with the inside scoop know that Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are real-life husband and wife. Singing the famous lovers Romeo and Juliette must have been a pleasure for them and a piece of cake. Their commitment to each other and to themselves as artists is evident and their chemistry is electric. I'm not a learned opera scholar or voice coach but I have to say they sound amazing and they really get into character, with perhaps just slightly more emphasis on the voice. They make beautiful music together. The duets in this opera are plenty and they are unbelievably beautiful, erotic, seductive, enchanting. The Balcony Scene Duet (O Leve Toi Soleil) and the Hymn To Night later on -after Juliet forgives Romeo for killing Tybald (Va Je Te Pardonne) are all exquisitely and dramatically sung. It is as if they are singing Puccini duets. Yes, Alagna and Gheorghiu sing with self-consciously dramatic voices and since we are living in a time where studio recordings no longer rely on natural voice alone, we can miss out on some natural singing that has passion. But for some reason, these two do have the passion in the voices and they sing with faultless musicianship and dramatic power. Gheorghiu is a consummate artist and sings all her roles well but her Juliette is a weird sort of scenario: Maria Callas singing Juliet in a big dramatic way but with some vulnerability and sweetness. I don't care for Gheorghiu especially for the reason she sounds like an unbeatable Maria Callas imitator. Alagna sings great but he is obviously influenced and nearly imitating Franco Corelli and another scenario: Pavarotti as Romeo ? He sings like Pavarotti at times. I don't like this recording more than the Domingo/Swenson version though. I feel Domingo and Swenson genuinely want to act more than just sing beautifully. But this one is lovely too.
   
   Jose Van Dam sings Friar Laurence. He is amazing. The voice has not aged or gotten worse. It is rich, deep and saintly for the part. He has done a number of roles over the years and each time gets into character. Van Dam is still a terrific bass-baritone, able to sing such diverse repertoire as Mozart and Verdi. This is one of his best roles on recording. Simon Keenlyside, another Mozartian tenor, sings with great gusto and bravura as Mercutio. We genuinely feel for his tragic fate and he is not just a silly goofball. He's a tragic idealist/dreamer.
   
   Great cast, strong performances, great music.



4. Amazon's professional reviewer wrote, "Gheorghiu, with her grainy, textured soprano, is not the chirpy soubrette who too frequently is cast in this role". That is absolutely true, largely because the role of Juliette was re-written by Gounod to make her into a chirpy character. (Admittedly, her chirpy life goes hideously wrong. It is the descent of this blithe spirit into tragedy that gives the tale its epic stature, For never was a story of more woe / Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.) Gounod had a Jones for what he perceived to be epic literary drama: Faust, Mereille, Romeo and Juliet. When he was writing this opera, he portrayed his Juliette in very dramatic terms. Fortunately, in my opinion at least, the soprano who was to premiere the part told him firmly that he had it all wrong. At her prompting, he tossed out some heavy material from the back end of the opera and loaded Juliette's waltz song--that essential distillation of chirpy joy--onto the front.
   
   Gheorghiu is not really bad as Juliette. She's just wrong, irretrievably, unquestionably wrong. Her assault on the diamond-bright waltz is likely the most leaden misfire on record, She is not a lot better in some other places.
   
   Alagna has a smallish voice. He offers a retiring, small-scale, inoffensive Romeo. For those of you who consider Romeo to be a retiring, small-scale, inoffensive character, Alagna is just the man for you. He is not the man for me.
   
   An earlier Amazon reviewer stated his dislike for people who are forever praising singers of the past. Alagna is clearly his singer of today. For him, the main theme of this opera is "Roberto Alagna; singing Romeo, Nemorino, Don José, Werther, Edgardo ... he is teaching a new way to sing, with the heart in the hands." Well, yeah, okay, everybody has the right to an opinion, however misguided. I am one of those who praise singers of the past. I do this not because I dislike the present, but because many singers of the past are better and some cases vastly better than those of today, and it is of tenors in the French-Italian repertory that this is most particularly true. I except Domingo and the young Pavarotti, whom I consider members of an earlier generation. Oh, I remember well the thrill of discovering those two back in the 1960s. Believe me, I'd love to re-experience that sort of excitement, to find a new Caruso, Gigli, Lauri-Volpi, Thill, Björling, Vanzo, diStefano, Del Monaco, Corelli or Bergonzi whom I could praise to the stars...! But, alas, all I've got is Alagna, whom I can praise as better than Bocelli. Slightly.
   
   As for the rest of this set, the sound is up to date, if a little distant. The supporting rôles are filled by singers who are perfectly competent, perfectly authentic and perfectly forgettable. The orchestra sounds fine, but the conducting seems largely without such bite as even this sugary opera demands.
   
   This recording of "Romeo et Juliette" is certainly not bad, but equally certainly, it is not terribly good.



5. Let's start with the positive aspects of this CD-it's very complete, informative, has a CD-ROM feature, and it looks good on your CD shelf. The singers also have acceptable French and Alagna absolutely soars! But annoyingly, the accompanying book provides the libretto with a translation that is not lined up with the French. How hard is it to line up the translation??
   Being a coloratura soprano myself, I was particularly interested in Gheorghiu's interpretation of Juliette's waltz "Je veux vivre". In fact, I bought this recording to aid my learning of the role, but in my opinion, Angela completely murders this aria. Was she even reading the music? Her voice is sluggish and exhibits an unflattering vibrato, not to mention the completely overdone slurring. Granted, as a major opera star I suppose she is allowed to take liberties with the music, but thoroughly ignoring rests and articulation does not fly in my book. In addition, where is the youthfulness of Juliette in Angela's portrayal? Saying all this, I do appreciate the inclusion of the often cut Poison Aria at the end, but if you are a soprano looking for a role model, this would not be my first choice.

5 comments about Previn - A Streetcar Named Desire / Fleming, Futral, Gilfry, Griffey, SF Opera, Previn.

1. I'm gradually liking this opera. I've recently gotten into opera and I love 'streetcar' so I bought this. The music is great, and so is the singing. But the constant sing-talking is obnoxious, in my opinion. I know it doesn't bother some, so obviously this is a point-of-view thing, but to be honest I'd rather they just spoke or sang more of it than the sing-talk. There were moments when I would've preferred hearing just the background music. The story, though, is good, of course. If you like streetcar, check it out.



2. Streetcar Named Desire is the most operatic of plays and one of my all-time favorite plays. I think it would make a terrific opera. But unfortunately this isn't it. Andre Previn's previous Musical Theatre works include several lackluster shows: Coco and Good Companions. They were both moderately agreeable but plainly derivative and neither one of them was successful.
   
   I was hoping Streetcar would prove an exception. But for me it only confirms the shallowness of Previn's musical imagination. Once again we get a pale imitation of other people's work. This opera sounds like a rip off of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah--- accompanied by some phony, cliched 1950's jazz soundtrack music. This was the general consensus among critics when the show debuted and I concur.
   
   Oh sure, there are some effective moments like Stella's bedroom music, Mitch's big aria and the finale--- but where is the real passion and beautiful melody this story cries out for? Renee Fleming is in splendid form as a singer but I am sorry... I just don't see Blanche Du Bois as a loud mouthed belter. For God's sake, she's supposed to be a fragile creature who has been crushed by the brutality of the world. If this is not made explicit, then all the pathos disappears and the power of this great work is lost. I'm afraid Fleming's Blanche is far too robust to be seen as fragile. Her acting skills are simply not strong enough to convince me that she is teetering on the twilight edge of reality. Fleming's Blanche seems like a cheesy hustler trying to con Mitch into marrying her.
   
   Leonard Bernstein might have been able to create a masterpiece with this material but I'm afraid Previn is out of his league. He has all the right ambitions, but after watching and listening to this I have to agree with the majority of the original reviewers that he will never be known as anything but an "also-ran."



3. Not since Vivien Leigh's haunting interpretations of Blanche on the big screen and in theatres has Blanche been brought to life like this. I'm not a fan of modern opera but with this god-given cast nothing can go wrong. A recording to cherish and to adore! Also try to find the video, there is at least one!



4. This is an excellent recording of a very interesting work. I really enjoyed it. Unlike some, I have never seen the opera in performance, so I don't know how it worked. I have seen the play, and the now classic movie version. Whenever standard spoken theatre plays are rewritten as operas some of the touching moments change. The importance shifts, and the subtleties alter. That has happened even when the Great Verdi wrote his Shakespeare operas. The two types of works must be judged separately and one their own terms.

   This opera is really quite beautiful, and the music quite exciting. The performers seem to work well together as a group and not a collection of egos and stars, which is so necessary for this story to work. Modern opera is a funny thing, for in many cases it is very alienating, it literally drives the listener/audience away because it is so foreign and the composers are so stuck on themselves and some theory of music they are trying to present they bore the audience completely. It is as if they are writing deliberately to spite those who would eventually make the opera last, the paying audience. This opera, on the other hand, does NOT do that at all. It engages the listener right from the start. True, it is more "traditional" in some ways than many modern operas (excepting a very new one premiered here in Calgary where I live, written specifically for our local opera company, Filamina; it even deals with a locally historical incident; sadly, since it has just had its world premier there is no recording of it available) but it is really completely modern.

   Like other modern operas I have spoken of, I have to admit, it is not something that will grow on you. This one impresses right from the beginning, but if you are not into modern opera, it will leave you flat. It does have its "meandering" moments, like most modern opera have, and those are often even more boring than the pages of endless recitative one finds in Baroque opera. Fortunately, in this opera these moments are very rare and very far between.

   My only complaint with this opera, and I guess with English opera in general, is the poor diction. The singers may as well sing in meaningless syllables for all the meaning one gets out of what they do sing. I don't understand it, for one can go to some super old and horrible historic recordings of singers at the turn of the century and their English is flawlessly easy to understand. I have recordings of Edward Johnson singing Canadian songs (and anthems) along with operatic music, and his English is so perfect and unmannered it is a real treat to hear and understand every word, particularly in ones own language (a treat only foreigners seem to have when listening to opera). Most singers of today, and it started before the complaints about Sutherland and her diction, simply make English sound like they are singing with a mouth full of mashed potatoes. Diction is so important in opera, and we have all come to expect it in other languages, but why it is allowed to be so poor in our own language is simply unacceptable. English is a funny language and has NO pure vowel sounds as other languages have. It is nothing but dipthongs, and to sing it correctly each and everyone of them must sound. Even in words that one thinks are Pure Vowels aren't if a little thought is put in. Until directors and singers stop singing English with the same pure vowels they learned as singing students (everything based on Italian) and learn to think through the dipthongs (like the old singers did) we will never understand the words, and thus we miss half the fun of the work. English also requires a far more "forward" sound. That is why the broadway belt was invented. Belting is not loud singing, or shouting, as is often thought. It is a form of singing, well supported with the breath like classical singing, but the dome or raised soft palat is not stressed. The tone if focused very heavily into the upper teeth/nasal area, but the tone is not "nasal." Broadway developed belting without really thinking, really. All it learned was the old "operetta" way of singing English, though pretty, made the words unclear, and the transition from speaking to singing too noticeable. To be understood clearly, that sort of forcus is necessary for English, and until singers start adding it to their way of singing, we will never understand a word of things when sung in English, and that in and of itself is one reason English opera, and modern opera like this is often disliked by the opera going public. The old adage and complaint about opera rings completely true, "you can't understand a thing they sing." Renee Fleming should have done much better in this than she did, as she was first before an opera singer a jazz singer. Of all the cast she should have known better what to do to be understood.

   Still, you will either like this opera, or you won't, there is no middle ground. If you are not sure, borrow it from the library before buying it.




5. First I must say that Renee Fleming renders a marvelously complex Blanche. Brava! Now down to business: While reading the other reviews posted here, I've noticed that much criticism stems from the fact that this is an adaptation of a play which didn't need improving. From my point of view, this work is not "Tennessee Williams set to music." It is an entirely different piece, using his words as a backbone, but leaving behind some ideas and highlighting in bold relief other concepts. Opera is rarely as subtle in its characterizations as legitimate theatre. Certain key elements of drama and character are retained for operatic adaptations because it is nearly impossible to musically portray the full complexity and nuance present in the spoken (and unabridged) word. Among the composers to attempt to convey through music the myriad emotions that may cross a stage actors face is Wagner, whose music is incredibly intense and rich but notoriously dense and difficult. Essentially, don't expect to see or hear a play set to music. Previn has created his own Streetcar here, and it shines in its own light.

5 comments about Meyerbeer: Les Huguenots (Gli Ugonotti).

1. These were the last of the titans of opera and we will not see their like again. All the blah blah blather by the opera elitists. What a bore. These are the same 'educated' opera lovers who accused Caruso of being too crude in his lifetime. They just HATE any singing with a temperature over 98.6......



2. I am astounded by some of the comments in these postings. To begin with, under the guise of a "kid's review", such sophisticated
   aural observations are made? If these are "kids", then the rest of us must have been retards when we were twelve. Secondly, I would like to inform "Madamemusica", or whatever she calls herself, that despite whatever musical education she has had, her comment that those who love Corelli don't know much about music, defies all logic, and defaces whatever she professes to know about music. This performance of "Ugonotti" is a live broadcast of a 1962 performance that took place at La Scala - with the most spectacular cast that could be assembled at the time. The combination of Sutherland/Corelli/Simionato/Cossotto alone is a cause for wonder. The broadcast sound is adequate for the document that it is. This opera would not be performed like this today (to begin with, are there singers to do it?), certainly not in Italian anyway, and nor would it be cut as drastically. Whatever the case, a lot of the singing is involving and the big Corelli-Simionato duet is something to hear. And yes, I happen to admire Franco Corelli tremendously. What a fabulous sound legacy he has left behind, and how vividly I recall the effects he made on opera audiences here in Chicago as well as New York. I am sure that "Madamemusica" has had the same acclaim in her life. People who bash artists in such a fashion reduce music to something on the level of a wrestling match to be seen on late Saturday night television. They should be ashamed of themselves.



3. All these great voices in one place...it would be nice if they actually sang the music as written.
   
   Even Sutherland has complained about this performance. Though she was in fabulous voice, the music of the opera was virtually ruined by the sluggish tempi and especially by Franco Corelli's abuse of legato when he should be singing more rhythmically, skipping many of the written high notes, and omitting some cadenzas. Of course, if you are a Corelli fan you probably don't know much about music anyway, so you can just ignore this review and go on adoring his goopy vocal style.
   
   Overall, the finest "Huguenots" is still the famous 1971 Vienna performance with Shane, Tarres, Petkov, Diaz and the superb Nicolai Gedda as Raoul. Marzendorfer conducts with a real sense of purpose and drama, the sound is shockingly superb for so vintage a live recording, and Gedda comes closest to the Meyerbeerian ideal tenor. A shame it is abridged, just as this recording is.



4. Gli Ugonotti is a grand opera and probely the Grandest of all operas. This CD is the five act version thought edited it is there. The company must have scruded up there. This recording is would be tops if not for the microphone. Sutherland is excelent with the high notes as is Corelli with his. I have been an opera fan for about three years now and I know this is a great recording!!!



5. The singing in this opera is stupendous all around, even if the tenor is somewhat weak and has a very reedy voice. This tenor (Vrenios) sings the music adequately and includes all the very high notes, which in the live Italian version of this opera Corelli does NOT do (I stress this because if you read the reviews of that recording everyone is going on and on about all his high B's and C's and D's; he sings a few high B flats, one High C, and NO high D flats at all, that is the facts, and all the cadenza. I have heard this tenor in other recordings, and the voice is very different. He does have very powerful high notes in the traditional manner. That makes me wonder if Bonynge was trying to have the tenor sing in accordance to the time the opera was written. High notes from the chest were seldom heard, and tenors sang them either in a full falsetto or in a mixed falsetto middle voice. To my ear, that is the sound he is trying to achieve. It works, though there is some strain, but it is so different from the sound we are used to I am not that sure it comes across that effectively.

1 comments about Mozart: Die Gärtnerin aus Liebe.

1. Even if the conducting may not be to your taste. Even if the singspiel version lacked the elaborate recitatives but substituted for by German spoken dialogue, this version is still very attractive in that Cortubas, Norman and Trayanos gave outstanding performances, especially the young Jessye Norman as the secondo donna Arminda.
   Prey and Unger did not gave their best performances here. Helen Donath may not be as good as Gruberova's Sandrina in Harnoncourt's Italian version of the same opera.
   But Norman and Trayanos gave very touching portrayals to the two 'secondary roles'. The young Norman is such a sweet yet rich sound that you really need to hear it if you are interested in her singing.

5 comments about Meyerbeer - Il Crociato in Egitto / Y. Kenny · D. Jones · Montague · B. Ford · Benelli · Kitchen · Royal PO · D. Parry.

1. Some great singing and fine orchestrasl work but the work doesn't live up to lthe hoopla and five star raves this recording has received. Five stars for the cast and production, yes! But the work is not a masterpeice even though it was apparently Meyebeer's greatest success in Italy. After this performance he would go to Paris and develolp his career their. His French operas always have overhelming scenes but none of his operas are without those interminably long moments. Moments is being polite. Often too much music for too little plot and I think that this comment fits here especially. The opera is an hour too long at best. Kenny, Ford, and Montague in particular are very impressive but the music holds them back from the exciting, enthralling deliveries that their voices promise. When I think of this comoser I think of Helavy, whose La Juive falls in the same category, some beautiful moments but there is far too much haranguing used to carry too llittle plot ; the music can't carry so much conversation and dialogues. Even Shicoff and Soile Isokoski in the recent RCA release can pull that opera off. Wagner gets away with those long moments but Meyerbeer does not. If I had paid the very high price that the recording sells for I would have enjoyed the recording even less. This is definitely not a must have but it is worth hearing, I just don't know how often I will listen to it. And for ... that is a very expensive luxury indeed. I wish that the Peter Moores Foundation and Opera Rara would get into more rewarding revivals; their quality and care of production is exemplary; they fhave released some great recordings. This just isn't one of them, at least as far as the music is concerned.



2. All the reviews so far have said basically the same things I would say about this recording: it is wonderful, and an excellent presentation of a very exciting work (and the great trio in the second act, in the garden later becomes a hymn in Christian hymnals, "Jesus, once of Humble Birth", so it you know that piece, then you can say you don't come to this opera unfamiliar with all the music). With this opera it doesn't matter if you are familiar with the music or not, there is simply not a single boring moment in it. Even the Recitatives are exciting! I think I would also say Meyerbeer did out Rossini even Rossini. He captured his style perfectly, which can be a drawback for some; after all, this isn't Rossini.

   The orchestra is lead in a very exciting way, and real life is breathed into the music. The delicate touches needed in places are simply as fine as spun lace. The singers actually bubble away with real enthusiasm for the work they are singing. Now, mind you, these singers never disappoint in anything they do. They may not be the biggest names around, but I have yet to find anything they have done (including concerts I have attended with them) where one was not impressed. I really doubt anyone will be disappointed in this work, even if you are not a real bel canto fan.

   As for using a female mezzo for the lead, well, I think it works out great. I simply couldn't imagine a countertenor doing that music justice. Now, you are not hearing Velluti or any of his embellishments, and really if one were to sing them, one would have had to use an Ewa Podles. Everyone concentrates on how "high " castrati must have sounded, basing everything on what boys sound like (the boy choir sound we are used to is very modern). We firstly have to look at the recordings of Moreschi. He has virtually no technique, so it is not that we are looking at. However, the voice is not like a boy at all. It has body, strength, and a very strong lower register. He floats his upper notes, as was the old way of singing, very focused so they carry, but not that loud. When one reads the reviews of this opera when Velluti sang it in London, one sees something about his way of singing, and combining that with his embellishments, one sees quite a different singer than we expect. He hardly ever ventured above the staff, and then only touched the notes. He also was want to descend as low as E and D below middle C and sustain those tones (he also transposed much of the music down, even as much as a third). Critics found his performance "Lifeless", as they did the lead female singer who was one of his pupils. The reasons are interesting. Both singers sang in a very old style, where the lower tones and middle tones were the strongest, and the upper tones weak, though penetrating. Times were changing, and singers like Pasta and Malibran were starting to sing more full-voiced high notes (though since both women were really mezzos or contraltos who forced their voices to sing soprano, the volume was probably more from forcing than a free volume we are used to today). The public were not greatly impressed with Velluti or his performance. However, when Malibran sang in it, the opera pleased. So the entire thing is academic. We don't train singers the way they used to be trained. We don't train big contralto low notes into our sopranos as was done in the past, and we sing high notes with far more volume than was ever imagined in earlier times. We don't have castrati either. So since in many ways we are not authentic anyway, why worry about it. The work speaks for itself, and that is enough. Great excitement is shared by the performers, and it is obvious they enjoy this work. That is the key to enjoying this work, just sitting back and drinking it in. And as was stated by another reviewer, this is one of the finest renditions of bel canto singing you will find on record.




3. Meyerbeer was an amazing composer, reinventing himself a couple of times in the course of a long career. This work is the last of his Italian operas. It is clearly a masterpiece in its own right, not just as an indication of what might be yet to come (there is actually very little such indications in it) or as an example of second-class bel canto operas in the period right after Rossini. While the opera is much in the Rossini mould, this work can stand on its own and it is splendid.

   This recording from Opera Rara produces a great deal of excitement. Parry, conducting a major orchestra, does a marvelous job, and the Geoffrey Mitchell Choir comes through splendidly in a work where the chorus is far from being an addendum. Yvonne Kenny is outstanding as the lead soprano, with brilliant singing sending shivers of excitement down one's back. Diane Montague also does brilliantly, in a role that is difficult for a mezzo -- it was written for the last great castrato. Whatever castratos sounded like, using a mezzo - and one with a very womanly voice at that - does raise problems of making the plot come through, but that is probably inevitable when only an aural presentation is being made. I prefer the solution of using a mezzo to that of using a counter tenor. In any case, taken on her performance's own merits, Montague does a first-class job. Similarly, Bruce Ford is amazing - singing a role with a very wide range with aplomb. His is not the sweetest of tenor voices, but he brings vigor and musicianship as well as an amazing range to the role. Della Jones completes the list of outstanding performances; I found the others in the cast a bit weaker.

   Opera Rara chose to go with the first version of the Opera, even though Meyerbeer later revised it for a mezzo hero rather than a castrato. The producers make up for this by including a series of other material from later versions on the final disc.

   The booklet doesn't really doesn't justify the choices made in the main presentation. It is long on historical stamp-collecting and very short on analysis. If we are to hear about the original performers, then we need a discussion of what their voices were like and how they compare with those now assuming the roles. Otherwise - as here - telling at length who created the roles is just silly. But the booklet has the full libretto and that is all that really matters.




4. If you love Rossini or Donizetti or any other composer of 19th-century Italian opera, then this recording is an absolute must! Read the other two excellent reviews here to find out about all the details, and take their word for it. After listening to this opera (all 4 discs of it!) all I wish was that more of Meyerbeer's Italian operatic output was available on record. And so will you. Buy this or miss out! Opera recordings don't get much better. Bravo, Signore Meyerbeer.



5. Opera Rara has done opera lovers many invaluable services throughout the past two decades by reviving forgotten yet beautiful works on records. This recording of Meyerbeer's "Il Crociato in Egitto" is another jewel in their crown. As always, David Parry conducts with just the right combination of musicianship and authority to ensure that the recording never lapses into dullness even when the music fails to impress with its inspiration. On the whole, however, "Il Crociato" is quite an accomplishment. Meyerbeer is sadly neglected, and apart from Dame Joan Sutherland's lovely recording of his "Les Huguenots" and Marilyn Horne's "Le Prophete" (not to mention Opera Rara's nicely-balanced "Dinorah"), Meyerbeer is poorly represented in the catalogue of recorded opera. The orchestra and chorus are excellent (although the stage bands are a bit blaring at moments). It is the soloists that make this set so rewarding, though. With Yvonne Kenny, Diana Montague, and Della Jones contributing, the recording cannot fail to impress. Each of these singers displays her customary technical prowess, and the excellent Ugo Benelli continues to impress with his bel canto instincts--just as he did decades ago on his recordings of Rossini's masterpieces. Truly, Meyerbeer's composition here resembles Rossini. Tenor Bruce Ford makes this recording indispensible. Although his arias and ensembles are vocally fiendish, he never seems strained or even challenged. The most amazing moment of the recording comes in Appendix, when Ford assays an alernative entrance aria Meyerbeer composed for Adriano. Bruce Ford proves that Donizetti's famous aria containing nine high C's in "La Fille du Regiment" is not the epitome of stratospheric writing for the tenor. Top C's explode with every repeat of Adriano's melodic line, and Ford reaches remarkable heights (even above the top C) in the coloratura. Released to celebrate the bicentenary of Meyerbeer's birth, this recording is not to be missed. An awe-inspiring achievement!

5 comments about Mozart: Le Nozze Di Figaro.

1. Davis does a fine job with this recording, one of the best paced Figaros around (Solti and Giuilini are also very good). Freni is probably the best reason to buy this recording. Her Susanna is sung with a full lyric tone and excellent execution of the text. The second reason to buy this recording is the Contessa of Norman. It's certainly a part that one does not associate with her. In general, it's a success. I find her tone unusually oppulent for this role, but it works. If she seems overtly regal (a mannerism that I find true of most of her work), it's not a drawback in a role that is, after all, a countess. The gentleman are all good as well (and both fixtures in the also excellent Davis Don Giovanni with Arroyo, Te Kanawa and Freni as the women). An excellent first recording of this opera and a worthwhile addition to other interpretations of Nozze.



2. This is a good, not fantastic, rendition of Mozart's great opera Le Nozze di Figaro. Although there are no major problems, and the singing, especially from Mirella Freni, is quite beautiful, the recording lacks something of the great character someone such as Bohm brings to it. The orchestral sound, while clean cut and fairly refined, does not possess any robust qualities--it sounds thin and too neat. The wind solos, while well played, seem slightly insincere, and one sometimes feels a slight sense of the routine. All in all, however, if one wants a solid, only good Figaro, this recording is a fine selection.



3. If you're like me, and Le nozze di Figaro (the greatest opera yet written) is your favorite opera, there are plenty of great recordings out there. This here, is the first recording of the opera I purchased, and still remains among my favorites. This recording is first rate and quite beautiful. There's not much I can add to what others have said, but I will offer two corrections to what a previous reviewer said.

   1). Le nozze di Figaro was not the composer's first venture into opera buffa. He had composed other buffa's at a much younger age. Figaro is definitely his most masterful, but not his first. However, it really cannot be classified as an opera buffa because it's themes and character development extend far beyond those of typical buffa operas.

   2). This is a Classical opera, although it was the first one to offer up continuous finales (Act II & Act IV) that feature almost 20 minutes of music (depending on conducting speed), each, with no recitativo, it still followed classical conventions. The extended finales are just one of the reasons that Le nozze di Figaro was such an innovative opera.




4. A very well rounded recording with an exceptional amount of high moments and only a few lows. It has one of the best Act 2 finales I've ever heard, especially it's final portion (Marcellena's & co.'s arrival, etc.) which shows incredible clarity in orchestration and delightful passion on the part of the cast. Davis and his performers find an excellent balance between dramatic integrity, proportion of tempi and emotional output elevating this CD to a Mozartean Classic.



5. It is here, in the young composer's first venture into opera buufa, that he reveals all of the musical skill at his command. This is the first of three operas written with libretto by Lorenzo de Ponte (the others are Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutte). It is masterful, not Classical, nor Baroque, nor Romantic, nor Modern. It transcends time, and is an opera of love, hate, vengeance, and forgiveness. It is as a work of immortality that I recommend this work, and espicially this recording, light, dark, and beautiful, by Colin Davis and the Royal Opera House of London. Listen, and be transformed by immortal music.

5 comments about Enesco - Oedipe / van Dam · Hendricks · Lipovsek · Bacquier · Gedda · Courtis · Hauptmann · Quilico · Aler · Vanaud · Albert · Taillon · Foster.

1. How can it be that this great work is essentially unknown, even in the world of opera itself?
   
   An unqualified masterpiece that manages to incorporate the essence of the great George Enescu---not only his incredible musical craft and imagination---but the profoundly mystical language of the Rumanian culture, with its unique mix of mid-eastern, Roman and Byzantine influences; and, oh yes, the opera is very FRENCH too, since Enescu spent
   much of his career in Paris studying (with Faure), performing and teaching. Incidentally, he was also a great conductor, being a candidate for the NY Phil after Toscanini left AND one of the 20th-century's greatest violin virtuosos.
   
   So why isn't Oedipe honored as one of the 20th-century's greatetst operas? So many reasons, I suppose....all of them unjust, invalid, and regrettable. If the work has ANY chance of ever receiving the recognition it deserves, it will be thanks to this wonderful All-Star recording by Lawrence Foster---thank the Lord for his belief in Oedipe (not to mention his brilliant talent for bringing it to life on the podium!)
   
   Too many incredible things to mention---but here's a few:
   
   The opera is meticulously crafted using about 20 main motifs--many of which are heard in the dark, nightmarish Prelude. The overall PACING and structure of the score is FABULOUS---this is probably the area in which most Opera composers FAIL---yet Enescu's one and only stage work is practically flawless in this respect.
   
   Act 1 contains much music evocative of Grecian antiquity---a culture closely related to that of Rumania. So much of this colorful music seems to "glow" with a feeling of serenity and warmth that pervades the score. Great mid-eastern "dancing girl" music, a MUST for exotic operas (actually it's a Shepherd's Dance); Very appealing in its combo of Rumanian and French sound. Lovely, ecstatic choral passages. If only that darn' soothsayer Tiresias didn't have to spoil the fun.
   
   Act 2 Has more beauteous "antique" court music, as well as the suffocatingly menacing scene of the wandering Oedipus' murder of his father Laius (which takes place EXTREMELY quickly, unlike most operatic death scenes)during a thunderstorm (with the Shepherd's Rumanian "doina" inspired flute solos adding more tension to the scene). THis is followed by the hallucinatory encounter with the Sphinx --which Enescu said almost drove him to madness while composing it. (Catch the weird musical SAW in the percussion section when the Sphinx's death laugh dies away).
   
   More glorious choral work, as the citizens of Thebes rush to proclaim Oedipus their savior---capped off by the luxuriant, almost lurid music of Jocasta (complete with children's chorus), whose hand in marriage is the grand prize for the man who defeats the Sphinx (little does Oedipus realize that she is actually his own mother...)
   
   Act 3 is perhaps the best of all; Enescu's supreme control of the sequence of Oedipus' dialogues with Tiresias, Jocasta, Phorbas, and the Shepherd---during which the pieces of the horrible puzzle gradually come together---is simply one of the GREATEST examples of dramatic pacing and build-up in the entire repertoire (the climatic moment of realization is actually highlighted by a PISTOL SHOT in the orchestra!). The intensity of this entire scene (in this performance) is overwhelming.
   
   Act 4 --Sunset in the sacred grove, culminating in Oedipus' farewell to his daughter and his transfiguration in a sacred blaze of light...as you might expect---it's sublime stuff, probably the highpoint of the score.
   
   If you truly love GREAT music, you should acquire this first-rate recording and come to know Oedipe, and in doing so come to appreciate the vison and philosophy of the great composer which it represents.
   
   A revelation.
   
   LAwrence RApchak



2. I remember a few years ago when the EMI recording with a dazzling cast consisting of Jose van Dam, Gabriel Bacquier, Nicolai Gedda, Gino Quilico, John Aler, Brigitte Fassbaender, Marjana Liposvek & Barbara Hendricks - reading some rather unfavorable reviews of it. I purchased it anyway, and was knocked into tomorrow. What an incredible score this
   is! Such a powerful musical drama.
   
   
   The opening scene for the various choruses, the women of Thebes, the High Priest, the Theban warriors, and the shepherds, is wonderful. Alternating between exotic sounding harps & reeds, to an almost Debussyian/Ravel type of orchestral tonal pallete, and Enesco's handling of text is simply gorgeous, giving all of the characters beautiful (if brief) melodies on which to sing them. Much of the chorus work, like much of the entire opera itself is quiet, ethereal in nature with sudden bursts of enormous sound which just surround you and are all the more effective.
   
   Enesco's musical language throughout Oedipe is wildly chromatic, and modal. Parts of the opera sound ancient and even mysteriously "Greek" in nature, while others recall
   Schoenberg's Gurrelieder.
   
   Dramatically, I love this work as well, as Enesco's librettist Edmond Fleg, incorporates more of the legend of Oedipus into this story than we usually get, as well as altering much of it. (For instance, the entire final scene)
   
   The first act is serves as prologue, dealing, as it does, with the celebration of the birth of Oedipe, and ending with the horrible prediction of Tirisea, about the future king's fate.
   
   Also, the final Act, serves as epilogue, since Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipe blinds himself in Act III. Here, the blind, exiled Oedipe, wandering with the aid of his daughter, Antigone, reaches a grove of flowers which she describes to him and which he knows is the end of his journey - but not before a battle of wits with Creon. Following this, Oedipe leaves them all as he walks into the grove, and near a cave, dies and dissapears in a blaze of light as the Eumenides invisbly sing "Happy
   is he who is pure in soul; peace be unto him!"
   
   Oedipe's final "aria" is, in my opinion, the closest thing in the
   operatic literature to the baritone equivalent of one of those glorious Straussian scenes for soprano. Here, Enesco dishes out some of the most gorgeous music in a score that is absolutely filled with beauty. (If you listen closely, too, you'll hear that French "floating" string writing nearly identical to that used by Durufle in his Requiem some years later). Jose van Dam's singing of this scene is of such aching beauty that I get a genuine lump in my throat - til the tears start flowing
   from the sheer beauty of it.
   
   Will somebody do this opera? Til they do, this is the recording to own and experience.



3. Pablo Casals once described Enescu as "the greatest musical phenomenon since Mozart". After listening to Oedipe this does not sound like an overstatement at all. Oedipe is without any doubt one of the greatest masterpieces of the 20th century. Why is not more often performed remains a mystery to me...
   
   I will not spend more time in describing how wonderful this recording is - others have already done it very well. I just want to mention here some of my other favorites of Enescu's works: his Symphonies nos. 2 & 3, Vox Maris (Symphonic Poem) and his Suites nos. 1 & 3 for orchestra. No serious classical music collection would be complete without these. Finally, for those of you that want to find more about this great composer I want to mention a wonderful biography that I just got from England: "George Enescu - His Life and Music" by Noel Malcolm published by Toccata Press in UK. The genius of Enescu is slowly but surely being (re)discovered.



4. I never write reviews. Mostly because of my conviction that experiencing music is an intimate and solitary enterprise. And a highly subjective one.
   After Oedipe though, this philosophy MUST be suspended. It is, indeed, the most miraculous piece of work I've ever listened. It's been only four or five months since I listened to it for the first time. Ever since, I keep wondering what exactly are the obscure mechanisms that make it ignored by more or less everybody. I think NOTHING can justify this situation. A rather clumsy libretto apart, it is a flawless and fascinating masterpiece, and not even an obscure one. It would probably take a deaf person or a real snob to ignore its blatant musical beauty and originality.
   Such situation made me wonder what else I've been ignoring while restricting my interests to the rather established repertoire.
   I must ignore the ignominious review beneath, which praises van Dam, disgracing the music.
   The performance is wonderful, flawless, orchestra and singers. Van Dam gives here one of his best performances (if not really the greatest). Fassbaender and Lipovsek are in amazingly good vocal shape, rendering hipnotizing effects.
   In the meantime, I also acquired the 1964 recording (in Romanian, with Ohanesian), which made me praise the EMI effort even further. Foster version is much more intense and idiomatic (which is weird, i agree).

   Try it yourself, that's the only way you'll understand my fascination for this incredible masterpiece.




5. Episodic and untheatrical in that maddening- unsatisfying way of 20th century opera-- but try to focus on the vocal performances. van Dam is as eloquent and sings as beautifully as you expect. Listen for the hair-raising Sphynx scene-- Lipovsek is amazing in this small part- one of the scariest things you'll hear in an opera recording anywhere. In fact- just look at all the big names in the cast list-- somebody must have really called some favors in.

5 comments about R. Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier.

1. Of all the recordings of Rosenkavalier on the market, this is perhaps the truest to Strauss' intentions. Notwithstanding the fact that it has no cuts, the spirit of Strauss' mastery of Hoffmansthal-like dialogue is eminent in this recording. It also stars great singers like Maria Reining, Sena Jurinac, Hilde Gueden, Ludwig Weber, and Anton Dermota, singers who are true to the Viennese tradition and periodicity of this masterpiece. It must be said though, that the greatest contributions stems from the conductor and the orchestra. The Vienna Philharmonic is the only orchestra in the world I know that can play this piece with their eyes closed. Never mind the ravishing Berliners or the crystalline Dresdeners. Never mind the Concertgebouw or the Bavarian Radio Symphony. In the music of Strauss and Mozart, the Vienna Philharmonic has no rival, and how amazing they truly are in Der Rosenkavalier. With that said, Erich Kleiber leads a most authentic and spiritful account of the score. It has a lightness and a beauty that you can describe as an Imperial Torte, a Sachertorte, Kastanientorte, or a Mozartkügel with lots of Schlagober (Viennese for whipped cream) on the side. It's elegant. It's light, comedic, yet understated. It also has pathos and energy. If you're looking for the Viennese echt sound in a recording of the opera, this is the recording you should set your sights on.
   
   The cast is magnificent too. Maria Reining may be an older Marschallin, but listen to how she phrases the lines of her character. This is truly the mark of an aristocratic woman. Her Act I monologue is sung with pathos without the artificiality that mars Schwarzkopf's performance. Her Marschallin is sung with a reactive, conversational precision that makes the character all the more palpable. I think she successfully brings out the nobility and wisdom in a woman who most sopranos would interpret as more proud than human. Sena Jurinac sings the title role, and what a great change of pace it is to hear a soprano in a role that was written for this role. Jurinac phrases Octavian's lines with his two lovers word for word and with feeling. I would say that she betters Christa Ludwig in this role due to the natural lift of her voice. It is boyish, but not immature. A very handsome portrayal of Count Rofrano. Sophie is taken by the cute-sounding Hilde Gueden. I think her ravishing voice makes this role one of the best I've heard with Helen Donath, Annaliese Rothenberger, and Lucia Popp. A work of a true artist indeed. Ludwig Weber sings Ochs accurately and with humor, avoiding all the buffoonery that makes this character a laughing stock rather than a despicable baron. Anton Dermota is luxuriously cast as the Italian tenor. I will always prefer Pavarotti, but his tenor is good as it is.
   
   To sum up, this is a great recording of a perennial Strauss favorite. I still love the Solti cast for the great pacing and the spirited and well-assembled cast, but this is a great reference recording for anyone who wants to learn more about Strauss' most beautiful masterpiece.



2. This was the first Rosenkavalier I ever heard, some forty years ago, and I must have gone to the library ten times to listen through earphones to it. But on reacquaintance I must say that the mono sound is more than a bit edgy and shallow. When reviewers say that Maria Reining is past her prime, I think it should be clarified; her voice is mature but still beautiful--she's a Marschallin well into her forties. Of course, if you love something, you love it as a whole. On the whole I still love Kleiber's conducting, which is so clear and unsentimental (insofar as that's possible amidst so much strawberries and cream), and even more I love the touching reminder of old vienna before the horrors of WW II descended and destroyed a golden illusion.



3. After the heavy and extroverted music of Salome and Elektra, Richard Strauss, whom I consider one of the five greatest Opera composers ever, turned to a more delicate and viennese kind of music. From all the masterpieces with such characteristics he composed, Der Rosenkavalier is definitely the most perfect example of Strauss' talent. It has a wonderful, involving music, altogether with some incredibly tangible characters and profound drama. It alternates harmoniously moments of humor based on the Viennese Operettas and moments of pure reflection and depth. But, above all, this music is all about vividness, sincerity. The singers must not only sing beautifully. They also need to live the characters they're performing.
   Here we have a Golden Age recording of Der Rosenkavalier, and it offers everything this opera requires to charm the listener. Certainly Maria Reining isn't in her best prime anymore, and in fact her voice doesn't sound as velvety as Schwarzkopf's or as youthful as Della Casa's. On the other hand, it's impossible to resist to the creamy and sincere quality of her mature voice, to the controlled and beautiful use of portamento and to the noblety and refinement of her interpretation. Maria Reining, who had had a successful career since the early 30's, takes us back to the elegant tradition of singing from the times Strauss was still composing some of his most famous operas.
   Sena Jurinac sings an elegant and lively Oktavian. While her voice isn't as masculine as one would have from heavier mezzos, it's velvety and versatile and her characterization of the young gentleman is one of the most credible ever recorded. Hilde Gueden, who's maybe the greatest Straussian lyric coloratura soprano, is a flirtatious and charming Sophie. Her interpretations are always lively and involved in a dream-like Viennese atmosphere. Besides, her voice is ideal to this role. Its creamy and rich sound, girlishness and perfect technique are simply irresistible. In overall, each one of those legendary sopranos managed to understand the real meaning of those deep characters. The result is that, as we listen to this recording, it seems as we get to know real people's feelings in real situations (and that's exciting!). Other great performances are Ludwig Weber's caricatural Baron Ochs, Anton Dermota's flawlessly sung Italian Tenor and Alfred Poell's adequately aristocratic Faninal.
   So why should you buy this recording? Surely there are other versions which are more hyped, but, among all the other famous recordings, the only one that can rivalize with this one is Schwarzkopf's classic recording conducted by Karajan (EMI). However, even that recording couldn't inspire the vivid emotion and pure excitement the way this legendary version did. Renée Fleming sings one of the most stunning Marschallins ever, but unfortunately she didn't record any complete studio recording. The sound is quite good even by current standards (and it was recorded in 1954!) and the whole atmosphere is amazing. Don't lose the chance of listening to truly legendary Straussian singing!



4. This is one of the greatest operatic recordings ever made. It captures a wonderful Vienniese spirit missing from all other recordings. Maria Reining as the Marschallin is past her best (to make up for it get the Lehmann excerpts) but still knowng and charming. The rest of the cast is unbeatable; Sena Jurinac, Hilde Gueden in their young primes and Ludwig Weber is a black voiced aristocratic Ochs. Smaller roles are filled with regulars from the Vienna State Opera. Erich Kleiber's conducting is exactly right; the right amounts of sentiment and spirit. The mono sound is warm and full. If you ever thought Rosenkavalier could be boring, buy this set. The time flies by and you'll feel great afterwards.



5. If you want to listen to an "authentic" Viennese Rosenkavalier, this is the one. Erich Kleiber sets the model of how this piece should be conducted and the Vienna Philharmonic transparent sound is everything this music calls for. The recording is mono, but natural and very clear. The cast couldn't be more natural in this repertoire. Although Maria Reining is accused of being past her best days (in her best days, she was unbeatable!), she is still the most aristocratic Marschallin. She avoids sentimentality and goes for a witty, sophisticated and nonchalant performance. Her creamy soprano is still the instrument Strauss himself was so fond of. Sena Jurinac's Octavian is a classical impersonation. Her voice is silvery as the rose she is going to deliver to Sophie, but still retains an inimitable warmth. Everything she does exhales musicianship and she proves here why she was a favourite at the Vienna State Opera. Ludwig Weber's dark bass fulfills everything Strauss asked him to do in a natural Viennese accent. Only Hilde Güden is a bit heavy handed about her Sophie, but she doesn't spoil the fun and there is still Anton Dermota's Italian Tenor!