[Comfy]

Quote:

Recommend me some opera

Opera Mini.

http://www.opera.com/products/mobile/operamini/

A truly amazing little web browser for your mobile phone.

 

[TMHBAT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottder Well I meatn myself as the newb, taken this thread offtrack (of course Christmas has come and gone too)

Oh, I see. For Wagner, anyway, you might try Der Fliegender Holländer. It is the earlliest of the ten canonical Wagner music dramas, and it still employs many of the conventions of opera (it's also half the length of the later works). I have no particular recording of that work to recommend, though.

Otherwise, try this sensational (Amazon "Essential Recording," even!) recording of Handel's Ariodante:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000060AK
Marc Minkowski began taking the Handel world by storm some years back, and this is arguably the highlight of his contributions. Act II alone is worth the price.

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

Nobody's heard Bajazet yet? Must I post a big pic of the cover to get y'all's attention?

 

[PSmith08]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMHBAT Oh, I see. For Wagner, anyway, you might try [Der fliegende Holländer]. It is the earlliest of the ten canonical Wagner music dramas, and it still employs many of the conventions of opera (it's also half the length of the later works). I have no particular recording of that work to recommend, though.

There are four recordings for this one that merit serious consideration:

The standard is Otto Klemperer's set on EMI. It has a lot of good points, and lacks most of flaws of other recordings. It is also one of Klemperer's few outings in a complete Wagner opera. He is still Klemperer, so don't expect some grand changes in concept. However, he cut his teeth at the Kroll in Berlin, so opera was nothing new to him.

Then, there is Georg Solti's set on Decca. The cast isn't as good, but the chorus is thrilling - especially the big scene in Act III. The recording is also a bit strange, for a lot of reasons.

James Levine has a recording on Sony Classical. It probably has the best modern cast, but Levine plays this opera like he would play Parsifal. The moments that should sizzle don't.

Then there is the Sinopoli set on DG, which a lot of people seem to like. However, if you want a controversial Holländer and can find Böhm's Bayreuth set, that might be a better bet.

 

[vcoheda]

Get the best arias from almost every major opera for $20.00.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=glance&n=5174

And for another $4.00, throw in 70+ minutes of famous duets.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=glance&n=5174

 

[TMHBAT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda Get the best arias from almost every major opera for $20.00. And for another $4.00, throw in 70+ minutes of famous duets.

Ugh. . . gack!

 

[Masolino]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGhostWhoWalks Nobody's heard Bajazet yet? Must I post a big pic of the cover to get y'all's attention?

I just got this today - wonderful singing, playing, recording, and of course music. Vivaldi composed own florid music for all the good guys and quoted equally florid music by Neapolitan composers for all the baddies. Comes with a DVD showcasing all characters, and so fun not just to listen to but to watch, too.

 

[Ffodor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears Without a doubt the best opera recording released this year is from René Jacobs: Le Nozze di Figaro which is available in stereo or sacd/hybrid. It is absolutely wonderful. Jacobs also has an earlier Mozart recording of Cosi fan Tutti, but alas that is only in stereo. Both recordings are super.

Thanks to this endorsement from Bunnyears, I bought Jacobs' Nozze. Absolutely superb! Well, ok, the only other version I have is conducted by Barenboim... which confirms my opinion of that man as a conductor...

I guess I will have to check Jacobs' Cosi fan tutte now, although I have Solti's version (Berganza and Lorengar!).

Thank you again, Bunnyears, that's a few times already I follow your advice, with excellent results!

(Edited: for those who read the post before it was edited, Kertesz conducted Berganza, Popp and Fassbaende in La Clemenza di Tito, not Cosi fan tutte. I recommend heartiiy, notably because of Berganza as Sesto).

 

[calaf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ffodor Thanks to this endorsement from Bunnyears, I bought Jacobs' Nozze. Absolutely superb! Well, ok, the only other version I have is conducted by Barenboim... which confirms my opinion of that man as a conductor...

I think it is more of a question of horses for courses: I haven't heard Baremboim Figaro but I have heard his Ring and there is nothing wrong with it, on the contrary. As for Jacobs' Cosi, it is very much in the same style and of the same quality of his Figaro. I am sure you will like it better than Solti/Berganza (which is not bad at all, especially considering it is conducted by Solti

).
Quote:

Thank you again, Bunnyears, that's a few times already I follow your advice, with excellent results!

I concur, we should suggest to the mods to change her moniker to Musicophilus Supremus

 

[Peter Hyatt]

We’ve signed up for another year of Met on Demand.

it’s amazing.

 

[FullBright1]

 

[Peter Hyatt]

Recommendation request : Best recording for L Elisir that is both a great performance and great recording quality?

 

[vcoheda]

Recommendation request : Best recording for L Elisir that is both a great performance and great recording quality?

i have many recordings of donizetti's l'elisir d'amore. the reference is the bonynge with sutherland and pavarotti on decca. it can be found in hi-res format (24-96). two other recordings of good quality are the ferro with bonney and winbergh on dg and the wallberg with popp and dvorsky on rca. if you prefer domingo or carreras, they also put out studio recordings on cbs and philips. lots of choices.

 

[gerelmx1986]

The vivaldi Naive edition has some nice titles, Catone in Uttica, Il teuzzone, Il Giustino, etc

 

[Peter Hyatt]

Thanks for responding.

perhaps it’s the DAC highlighting recording faults, but the Sutherland & Pavarotti recording over-modulates in a few spots—

lovely performance though.

I wish I could purchase the Anna Nebtreko or Pretty Yende recordings from the Met. They’re stunning.