Opera

A collection of 59 posts

Opera

Live Opera Review: Glass' Akhnaten at English National Opera

ENO remains a national treasure ... this Akhnaten is absolutely unmissable

Monteverdi

A Tale of Two (More) Ritornos: Monteverdi's Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria

Gardiner’s Ulisse is forthright and on its own terms convincing, and Dantone has his moments, but Fuget’s Versailles performance remains the clear leader

Opera

Monteverdi's “Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria” from Les Epopées triumphs

Taking its name from ancient poetic sagas, the group Les Epopées (literally, “The Epics”) is a group that celebrates the daring in performance be it in the massive variety of delivery in recitative (Fuget writes a whole essay on this subject in the booklet) or the ornamentation of the score.

Opera

Hans Pfitzner in Christmassy mood: Das Christ-Elflein

Pfitzner's writing is as warm as Lebkuchen, and just as satisfyingly delicious ...also, INCLUDES BONUS!

Opera

Lisette Oropesa: French Bel Canto Arias by Rossini and Donizetti

A simply wonderful disc. The spectrum of emotions is vast, teh programming inspired

Puccini

Puccini's La bohème directed by Stefan Herheim

Herheim’s work is massively stimulating, possibly verging on genius, although traditionalists beware!

Opera Featured

Marina Viotti and Christophe Rousset's stunning tribute to Pauline Viardot

A superb disc, and a true showcase for Marina Viotti. One of the most brilliant, thought-provoking opera recital discs out there

Wagner

Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer from Bayreuth

Dark, oppressive, strangely compelling

Opera

A new production of Verdi's Aida at the Royal Opera House

There is a lot to celebrate here, vocally and instrumentally. The production itself will have to percolate ...

Opera

Mozart's Flûte enchantée: Hervé Niquet and a French flute

Unless you count Hoffmeister’s Magic Flute (which one shouldn’t, obviously) this is Classical Explorer’s second post on Mozart's masterwork, his opera Die Zauberflöte: previously, we had a look at David McVicar’s production at Covent Garden. A recent performance of Zauberflöte under Christophe Rousset at the Gstaad

Live Performance

Sir Bryn Terfel and Verdi's Falstaff in Lerici: the triumph of youth

This was a fascinating display of talent ... and there is no doubting Bryn Terfel is the Falstaff of today

19th Century

Weber Der Freischütz from Freiburg

This is the most significant of modern performances of Freischütz

Verdi

La traviata: Lisette Oropesa triumphs

This is Oropesa's Traviata, a truly fine document of her excellence in this opera

Opera

Concert review: Andrea Chénier from Chelsea Opera Group

One fervently hopes that COG’s sterling work will bring the operatic power of Chénier back into our consciousness

Beethoven

Beethoven's “Fidelio” at the Barbican

Laurence Equilbey left us in no doubt as to the power of this piece

18th century

La Captive du Sérail: Turqueries Galantes à l'Opéra Comique

This disc is a showcase for Florie Valiquette, but also a. reminder of the richness of this repertoire

Donizetti

Donizetti's Three Queens: Sondra Radvanovsky triumphs

The "Three Queens" in relation to the operas of Donizetti refers to three operas: Anna Bolena (ill-fated wife of King Henry VIII of England), Maria Stuarda and Roberto Devereux (Queen Elizabeth I). There is a fourth queen, incidentally, but the opera is seen as "second-drawer" Donizetti (which sounds like an

Opera

Zemlinsky's Der König Kandaules

A veritable feast of Zemlinsky!

Verdi

Rigoletto from Florence, with Camarena & Salsi

One of Verdi's greatest works, Rigoletto can and should leave an undelbile mark on the listener

Mozart

Mo3art arias, Lady Gaga-ish, from soprano Elsa Dreisig

Released today, this is double celebration of three triplicities: three "Da Ponte" operas (Cosí fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro andDon Giovanni) and three "opera serie" (Idomeneo, Lucio Silla and La clemenza di Tito). If you're wondering about the "Lady Gaga" reference in the title, watch this short introductory video:

Beethoven

Fidelio from Covent Garden

Beethoven's only opera, as we have seen previously [https://www.classicalexplorer.com/when-is-a-fidelio-not-a-fidelio/], exists in a number of versions. What we have here is, broadly, the Fidelio everyone knows and loves (some of the dialogue might be unfamiliar though. to those who grew up, like myself, with the famous Klemperer

Hindemith

Hindemith's opera Mathis der Maler, complete from Vienna

Whether you go for sound-only, or the visual experience, this is simply unmissable

Opera

Es war einmal ... the fairytale magic of Zemlinsky

"Es war einmal" is the perfect place to start one's explorations of Zemlinsky's operas

Mozart

A Magic Flute returns to Covent Garden ...

Terrific filming of a great production with a fine cast

Vocal

Repost: I Am Hera: The delights of soprano Hera Hyesang Park

This singer, more than most, achieves a level of purity of utterance that is to be cherished