What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[T. D.]

It has some of Bartok's best music; that Kertesz recording is among the best.

It [Duke Bluebeard's Castle] is an outstanding opera. It comes off well on stage and has a short running time, so video might be worth seeking out.

[Kalevala]

I'll check out my library. 

K

[André]

I am a big, big, big fan of Verdi operas. Huge fan.

Today I listened to a Met broadcast of La Traviata and it struck me that it's the only Verdi opera I've never been able to warm up to. Snowflakes and icicles.🥶 I'll probably die not liking either the characters or the music.

[Ganondorf]

I am a big, big, big fan of Verdi operas. Huge fan.

Today I listened to a Met broadcast of La Traviata and it struck me that it's the only Verdi opera I've never been able to warm up to. Snowflakes and icicles.🥶 I'll probably die not liking either the characters or the music.

You're not alone. Out of his "major" operas (and one's mileage may vary which is or isn't one) that is the one that most consistently leaves me cold.

[Tsaraslondon]

I am a big, big, big fan of Verdi operas. Huge fan.

Today I listened to a Met broadcast of La Traviata and it struck me that it's the only Verdi opera I've never been able to warm up to. Snowflakes and icicles.🥶 I'll probably die not liking either the characters or the music.

You're not alone. Out of his "major" operas (and one's mileage may vary which is or isn't one) that is the one that most consistently leaves me cold.

I didn't listen to the Met broadcast, but I have always found it the most affecting of all his operas, but then I first heard it sung by Callas. That was in the 1953 studio recording, but, since then I've heard live performances from La Scala, Milan in 1955 and Covent Garden, 1958 and I defy anyone not to be moved by her traversal of the role.



Callas's Covent Garden Traviata

[Iota]

Such fantastic music! And not in isolation but rising and falling with the story as naturally as a breathing chest. I was knocked out by listening to it this time, and though I don't have much to compare it with as I don't remember who I've heard in the past, it's been a long time, but this recording seems all that one could possibly want, singers, conductor and orchestra all superb, and seeming both excellent and utterly convincing in their roles. Stirred and extremely impressed.

I note the Kertesz, Ludwig one upthread, I may have a listen to that to see how it compares.

[Kalevala]

I didn't listen to the Met broadcast, but I have always found it the most affecting of all his operas, but then I first heard it sung by Callas. That was in the 1953 studio recording, but, since then I've heard live performances from La Scala, Milan in 1955 and Covent Garden, 1958 and I defy anyone not to be moved by her traversal of the role.



Callas's Covent Garden Traviata

I love her Violetta and used to listen to the opera fairly often, but think that I've become burnt out on it over the years.  This could be due in part to fundraisers for public radio stations and over playing of a certain opera album.   

K

[pjme]

Such fantastic music! And not in isolation but rising and falling with the story as naturally as a breathing chest. I was knocked out by listening to it this time, and though I don't have much to compare it with as I don't remember who I've heard in the past, it's been a long time, but this recording seems all that one could possibly want, singers, conductor and orchestra all superb, and seeming both excellent and utterly convincing in their roles. Stirred and extremely impressed.

I note the Kertesz, Ludwig one upthread, I may have a listen to that to see how it compares.

Such fantastic music! - indeed! I grew up with a german Blaubart : Fischer Dieskau and Hertha Töpper as Judith./ Fricsay.
It is early Bartok (1911, revised in 1912 and 1917) and the orchestra (including an organ) is almost Straussian in size.
It has real epic swipe  and also "fin de siècle" symbolist decadence - the myth/ fairy tale it is based on is suitably creepy: La barbe bleue (well known in Perraults Contes de ma mère l'oye - but the monstrous Gilles de Rais can -possibly be seen as an historical inspirattion)
There are quite a lot impressive versions (Boulez, Sawalisch, Solti., Haitink, Dorati..) - I like Obraztsova/Nesterenko/Ferencsik on Hungaroton. may be not the most handsom voices, but it is a very dark and sinister version . organist Gabor Lehotka gets a mention for his loud contribution. The opening of the 5th is spectacular....

[Iota]

Such fantastic music! - indeed! I grew up with a german Blaubart : Fischer Dieskau and Hertha Töpper as Judith./ Fricsay.
It is early Bartok (1911, revised in 1912 and 1917) and the orchestra (including an organ) is almost Straussian in size.
It has real epic swipe  and also "fin de siècle" symbolist decadence - the myth/ fairy tale it is based on is suitably creepy: La barbe bleue (well known in Perraults Contes de ma mère l'oye - but the monstrous Gilles de Rais can -possibly be seen as an historical inspirattion)
There are quite a lot impressive versions (Boulez, Sawalisch, Solti., Haitink, Dorati..) - I like Obraztsova/Nesterenko/Ferencsik on Hungaroton. may be not the most handsom voices, but it is a very dark and sinister version . organist Gabor Lehotka gets a mention for his loud contribution. The opening of the 5th is spectacular....

Yes indeed. I was really interested reading earlier on Wiki about the symbolism in the opera, particularly the following passage.

'The Hungarian conductor István Kertész believed that we should not relate this to the fairy tale on which it was based, but that Bluebeard was Bartók himself, and that it portrays his personal suffering and his reluctance to reveal the inner secrets of his soul, which are progressively invaded by Judith. In this way he can be seen as Everyman, although the composer himself was an intensely private man. Here the blood that pervades the story is the symbol of his suffering. The Prologue (often omitted) points to the story that is portrayed as occurring in the imagination of the audience. While Kertész felt Judith is a villain in this sense, Christa Ludwig, who had sung the role, disagreed, stating that she only voices all that she has heard about Bluebeard. She refers repeatedly to the rumours (hír), Jaj, igaz hír; suttogó hír (Ah, truthful whispered rumours). Ludwig also believed that Judith was telling the truth every time she says to him, Szeretlek! (I love you!)'

Thanks for the interesting recommendations, I think I may have heard the Boulez.

[Cato]

Such fantastic music! - indeed! I grew up with a german Blaubart : Fischer Dieskau and Hertha Töpper as Judith./ Fricsay.

It is early Bartok (1911, revised in 1912 and 1917) and the orchestra (including an organ) is almost Straussian in size.
It has real epic swipe  and also "fin de siècle" symbolist decadence - the myth/ fairy tale it is based on is suitably creepy: La barbe bleue (well known in Perraults Contes de ma mère l'oye - but the monstrous Gilles de Rais can -possibly be seen as an historical inspiration)

There are quite a lot impressive versions (Boulez, Sawalisch, Solti., Haitink, Dorati..) - I like Obraztsova/Nesterenko/Ferencsik on Hungaroton. may be not the most handsom voices, but it is a very dark and sinister version . organist Gabor Lehotka gets a mention for his loud contribution. The opening of the 5th is spectacular....

The Metropolitan Opera had a performance with Samuel Ramey and Jessye Norman back in the late 1980's as part of double bill with Schoenberg's Erwartung as the second opera, again with Jessye Norman, because Bluebeard's Castle was not emotionally draining enough! 


See:

https://ondemand.metopera.org/performance/detail/8b99be09-6683-5284-b25a-2175a77971ef

And an excerpt on YouTube:

The Metropolitan Opera used to offer the performances on DVD, but they are long gone.

[André]

I didn't listen to the Met broadcast, but I have always found it the most affecting of all his operas, but then I first heard it sung by Callas. That was in the 1953 studio recording, but, since then I've heard live performances from La Scala, Milan in 1955 and Covent Garden, 1958 and I defy anyone not to be moved by her traversal of the role.



Callas's Covent Garden Traviata

Callas IS moving in Violetta, there's no doubt about that. It's the whole work that I fail to enjoy. I find nothing to like in the characters. I just don't root for them (including Violetta). And that has nothing to do with who sings the title role - I've heard all of these Callas performances. And Sutherland, Scotto, Cotrubas, Lorengar... I'm nothing if not perseverant. For many years I thought there was something I didn't 'get'. Turned out this particular blind spot is very obstinate...

I get a lot more musical and dramatic thrills from Rigoletto and Il Trovatore - operas in which Callas gave some of her best portrayals, by the way.

[JBS]

Callas IS moving in Violetta, there's no doubt about that. It's the whole work that I fail to enjoy. I find nothing to like in the characters. I just don't root for them (including Violetta). And that has nothing to do with who sings the title role - I've heard all of these Callas performances. And Sutherland, Scotto, Cotrubas, Lorengar... I'm nothing if not perseverant. For many years I thought there was something I didn't 'get'. Turned out this particular blind spot is very obstinate...

I get a lot more musical and dramatic thrills from Rigoletto and Il Trovatore - operas in which Callas gave some of her best portrayals, by the way.

Interesting. Reverse your reactions to Traviata and Trovatore, and you'd be describing my attitude to those operas.  Trovatore has some great musical thrills, but the characters mean nothing to me beyond some vague sympathy for Acuzena and the Count.  But Violetta and Germont Pere fully engage me. (Alfredo is a bit of a cad.)

[Tsaraslondon]

Interesting. Reverse your reactions to Traviata and Trovatore, and you'd be describing my attitude to those operas.  Trovatore has some great musical thrills, but the characters mean nothing to me beyond some vague sympathy for Acuzena and the Count.  But Violetta and Germont Pere fully engage me. (Alfredo is a bit of a cad.)

I agree with you, and even Alfredo can be forgiven due to his extreme youth.

[Tsaraslondon]

Verdi: La Traviata
Callas, Valetti, Zanasi; Rescigno
Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, June 20 1958

I'm listening to this in Ars Vocalis's excellent transfer of the original BBC Radio 3 broadcast, complete with the original radio announcements given by Wallace Greenslade.

Though reportedly suffering from a cold, Callas gives her most profoundly moving performance of the role of Violetta. It was her penultimate series of performances. Later that year, she sang the role in Dallas in a new Zeffirelli production then never again.

Callas's Covent Garden Traviata

[Florestan]

Violetta and Germont Pere fully engage me. (Alfredo is a bit of a cad.)

Agreed. And he sings one of the most beautiful arias in the whole operatic repertoire, that masterpiece of paternal love and tenderness Di Provenza il mar il suol. It never fails to give me goosebumps.

[ritter]

First listen to Bohuslav Martinů's Ariane, to a libretto be Georges Neveux. Václav Neumann conducts the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and vocal soloists.



Any possible enjoyment is severely hampered by the atrocious French pronunciation of most of the soloists. But even putting that aside, I cannot make up my mind whether this is quaint in its archaistic simplicity, or simply bad in its silliness and vacuity. Martinů is a composer whose music seems based on a handful of compositional tricks which I seem to encounter over and over in every single work of his I know.

There are some nice lines in title rôle's closing aria, but not much more than that. Good that the whole opera is over in less that 45'.

[Der lächelnde Schatten]

First listen to Bohuslav Martinů's Ariane, to a libretto be Georges Neveux. Václav Neumann conducts the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and vocal soloists.



Any possible enjoyment is severely hampered by the atrocious French pronunciation of most of the soloists. But even putting that aside, I cannot make up my mind whether this is quaint in its archaistic simplicity, or simply bad in its silliness and vacuity. Martinů is a composer whose music seems based on a handful of compositional tricks which I seem to encounter over and over in every single work of his I know.

There are some nice lines in title rôle's closing aria, but not much more than that. Good that the whole opera is over in less that 45'.

I rather enjoy this opera, but I like The Greek Passion and Julietta even more. But, to be fair, I've somewhat cooled on Martinů's music over the years. I still love many of his works, but I seem to not listen to his music much nowadays. My attention seems to be turning in directions that I hadn't previously anticipated or would never have foreseen.