Act 1: DOWNLOAD
Act 2: DOWNLOAD
Act 3: DOWNLOAD
31/08/2009
25) Daniel Aubert Fra Diavolo
Fra Diavolo - Nicolai Gedda
Lord Cockburn - Rémi Corazza
Lady Pamela - Jane Berbié
Lorenzo - Thierry Dran
Mathéo - Jules Bastin
Zerline - Mady Mesplé
Giacomo - Michel Trempont
Beppo - Michel Hamel
Francesco - Michel Marimpouy
Soldier - Régis Ducrocq
Ensemble Choral Jean Leforge
Orchestra Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo
Marc Soustrot, conductor
SYNOPSIS:
--------
The original of the story of "Fra Diavolo“is to he found in Lesueur’s opera, “La Caverne,” afterwards arranged as a spectacular piece and produced in Paris in 1808 by Cuvellier and Franconi, and again in Vienna in 1822 as a spectacle-pantomime, under the title of "The Robber of the Abruzzi.“In Scribe’s adaptation the bandit, Fra Diavolo, encounters an English nobleman and his pretty and susceptible wife, Lord and Lady Allcash, at the inn of Terracina, kept by Matteo, whose daughter Zerlina is loved by Lorenzo, a young soldier, on the eve of starting to capture Fra Diavolo when the action of the opera begins.
In the first scene the English couple enter in great alarm, having narrowly escaped the robbery of all their valuables by Fra Diavolo’s band. The bandit himself, who has followed them on their journey in the disguise of a marquis, and has been particularly attentive to the lady, enters the inn
as Lord Allcash has been reproving his ‘wife for her familiarity with a stranger. A quarrel ensues in a duet of a very humorous character (“I don’t. object”). Upon the entrance of Fra Diavolo, a quintet (“Oh, Rapture unbounded!”) occurs, which is one of the most effective and admirably harmonized ensembles Auber has ever written. Fra Diavolo learns the trick by which they saved the most of their valuables, and, enraged at the failure of his band, lays his own plan to secure them. In an interview with Zerlina, she, mistaking him for the Marquis, tells him the story of Fra Diavolo in a romanza (“On yonder Rock reclining”), which is so fresh, vigorous, and full of color, that it has become a favorite the world over. To further his schemes, Fra Diavolo makes love to Lady Allcash and sings a graceful barcarole to her (“The Gondolier, fond Passion’s Slave”), accompanying himself on the mandolin. Lord Allcash interrupts the song, and the trio, “Bravi, Bravi,” occurs, which leads up to the finale of the act. Fra Diavolo eludes the carbineers, who have returned, and they resume their search for him, leaving him unmolested to perfect his plans for the robbery.
The second act introduces Zerlina in her chamber about to retire. She first lights Lord and Lady Allcash to their room, a running conversation occurring between them in a trio (“Let us, I pray, good wife, to rest”), ‘which is one of the best numbers in the work. Before Zerlina returns to her chamber, Fra Diavolo and his companions, Beppo and Giacomo, conceal themselves in a closet, and, somewhat in violation of dramatic consistency, Fra Diavolo sings the beautiful serenade, “Young Agnes,” which had been agreed upon as a signal to his comrades that the coast was clear. Zerlina enters and after a pretty cavatina (“ ‘T is To-morrow”) and a prayer, charming for its simplicity (“Oh, Holy Virgin”), retires to rest. The robbers, in attempting to cross her room, partially arouse her. One of them rushes to the bed to stab her, but falls back awestricken as she murmurs her prayer and sinks to rest again. The trio which marks this scene, sung pianissimo, is quaint and simple and yet very dramatic. The noise of the carbineers returning outside interrupts the plan of the robbers. They conceal themselves in the closet again. Zerlina rises and dresses herself. Lord and Lady Allcash rush in en déshabillé to find out the cause of the uproar. Lorenzo enters to greet Zerlina, when a sudden noise in the closet disturbs the company. Fra Diavolo, knowing he will be detected, boldly steps out into the room and declares that he is there to keep an appointment with Zerlina. Lorenzo challenges him, and he promises to give him satisfaction in the morning, and coolly effects his escape. One of his comrades, however, is captured, and to secure his own liberty agrees to betray his chief.
The third act introduces Fra Diavolo once more among his native mountains, and there is the real breath and vigor of the mountain air in his opening song (“Proudly and wide my Standard flies”), and rollicking freedom in the rondeau which follows it (“Then since Life glides so fast away”). He exults in his liberty, and gleefully looks forward to a meeting with Lord and Lady Allcash, which he anticipates will redound to his personal profit. His exultation is interrupted by the entrance of the villagers arrayed in festival attire in honor of the approaching wedding ceremonies, singing a bright pastoral chorus (“Oh, Holy Virgin! bright and fair”). The finale of the act is occupied with the development of the scheme between Lorenzo, Beppo, and Giacomo, to ensnare Fra Diavolo and compass his death; and with the final tragedy, in which Fra Diavolo meets his doom at the hands of the carbineers, but not before he has declared Zerlina’s innocence. This finale is strong and very dramatic, and yet at the same time simple, natural, and unstudied. The opera itself has always been a favorite, not alone for its naturalness and quiet grace, but for the bright and even boisterous humor, which is displayed by the typical English tourist, who was for the first time introduced in opera by Scribe. The text is full of spirit and gayety, and these qualities are admirably reflected in the sparkling music of Auber. How well it was adapted for musical treatment is shown by the fact that “Fra Diavolo” made Auber’s reputation at the Opera Comique.
DOWNLOAD
30/08/2009
24) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Don Giovanni - live performance
Don Giovanni - Antonio Campo
Leporello - Marcello Cortis
Donna Anna - Teresa Stich-Randall
Don Ottavio - Nicolai Gedda
Donna Elvira - Suzanne Danco
Masetto - André Vesseries
Zerlina - Anna Moffo
Commendatore - Raffaele Arié
Orchestra of Société des Concerts Lamoureux
Conductor Hans Rosbaud
Registration from live performance, Festival of Aix-en-Provence, 1956
CD 1: DOWNLOAD
cd 2: DOWNLOAD
CD 3: DOWNLOAD
29/08/2009
21) Igor Stravinski Persephone
Nicolai Gedda, Tenor
Claude Nollier, narrator
The Choir of Paris University conducted by Jean Gitton.
Orchestra of the Paris Conservatory, Andre Cluytens, conductor.
Recorded in Paris - December 1955.
DOWNLOAD
20) Giacomo Puccini La boheme
28/08/2009
19) Georges Bizet Les pêcheurs de perles
Leila, priestess - Janine Micheau
Nadir, fisherman - Nicolai Gedda
Zurga, leader of the fishermen - Ernest Blanc
Nourabad, high priest - Jaques Mars
Chorus and Orchestra of the Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique
Pierre Dervaux, conductor
Recording from October 1960 (Paris)
SYNOPSIS:
--------
In Ceylon Zurga is chosen leader of the fishermen and resumes his friendship with the young Nadir, who has been wandering in the forest, recalling their love for a girl they had once seen in Candy.
A veiled woman arrives, to pray for the pearl-fishers, accompanied by the priest Nourabad. She is recognised by Nadir as Leyla, the girl he had once seen, but not by Zurga. Leyla and Nourabad enter the Hindu temple, leaving Nadir, now alone, to admit his love for Leyla, whom he has followed. As she sings her temple prayer, she hears his voice and her song turns to a song of love. Nadir and Leyla meet at night in the temple where she is watching, but their discovery leads to popular anger and threats of death. Zurga intervenes to help Nadir and Leyla escape, but
when Nourabad reveals the identity of Leyla, Zurga changes to anger, and condemns the couple to death once more. Leyla pleads with Zurga for his friend Nadir's life, but in vain. It is, however, Zurga who saves them, as they are about to be killed, diverting the attention of the people by setting fire to their camp, thus allowing
them to escape.
Fashionably exotic in its story, Les pêcheurs de perles (The Pearl-Fishers) reflects various musical influences, including those of Verdi, Meyerbeer and, inevitably, Gounod. The best known music from the opera is found in the duet for Zurga and Nadir, when they recall their friendship and the girl they had once seen,
Au fond du temple saint (Within the sacred temple). Nadir's soliloquy, overheard by Leyla, Je crois entendre encore (I think I hear again), has a firm place in tenor repertoire, while sopranos may find their own sustenance in Leyla's moving cavatina, Comme autrefois dans la nuit sombre (As once in the dark forest), as she awaits her nocturnal meeting with Nadir.
DOWNLOAD
18) Recital in Moscow with Ljudmila Mogilevskaja (piano)
1. I remember a wonderful moment
2. Islet
3. In the middle of the noisy ball
4. At my window
5. Spruce and palm
6. Doubt
7. Why
8. Lilac
9. Where are you, little star
10. Do not sing, fair maiden
11. A dream
12. He-goat
13. What, beautiful maiden
14. Ah, you deary
Recital in Moscow in March 1980
DOWNLOAD
17) Swedish Duets with Rolf Leanderson and Jan Eyron (piano)
1. Aftonfrid
2. Sjung!
3. Under ronn och syren
4. Nattetid vid stranden
5. Om hosten
6. Varbacken
7. Bachi barn
8. Duellanterna
9. Ur Gluntarne
10. En manskensnatt pa Slottsbacken
11. Uppsala ar bast!
12. Vid brasan pa magisterns kammare
13. Magisterns misslyckade serenad
14. Examens-sexa pa Eklundshof
Recorded in 1983
DOWNLOAD
16) Recital in Leningrad with Erik Werba (piano)
1. E. Grieg, My verse to spring
2. E. Grieg, A dream
3. E. Grieg, Springtide
4. N. Rimski-Korsakov, Fresh and fragrant is your wreath
5. N. Rimski-Korsakov, It was in early spring
6. N. Rimski-Korsakov, This is not the wind from the heights
7. S. Rahmaninov, A festive spring day
8. S. Rahmaninov, The skylark song is more and more ringing
9. O. Peterson-Berger, The maiden under the linden tree
10. O. Peterson-Berger, The month of May
11. S. Rahmaninov, Spring waters
12. S. Rahmaninov, I am alone again
13. K. Sidorovič, Monotonously rings the bell (I. Makarov)
DOWNLOAD
15) Recital in Salzburg with Erik Werba (piano)
1. Atalanta, HWV 35: Di ad Irene, tiranna by George Frideric Handel
2. Die Liebe hat gelogen, D 751/Op. 23 no 1 by Franz Schubert
3. Der Schiffer, D 536 by Franz Schubert
4. Nacht und Träume, D 827 by Franz Schubert
5. Rastlose Liebe, D 138/Op 51 by Franz Schubert
6. Lieder (4), Op. 27: no 3, Heimliche Aufforderung by Richard Strauss
7. Lieder (8), Op. 10: no 3, Die Nacht by Richard Strauss
8. Lieder (5), Op. 15: no 5, Heimkehr by Richard Strauss
9. Lieder (5), Op. 32: no 3, Liebeshymnus by Richard Strauss
10. L'invitation au voyage by Henri Duparc
11. Le manoir de Rosemonde by Henri Duparc
12. Phidylé by Henri Duparc
13. Chanson triste by Henri Duparc
14. Airs (4) chantés: no 3, Air grave by Francis Poulenc
15. Airs (4) chantés: no 2, Air champetre by Francis Poulenc
16. The Moon and the Mist by Nikolay Myaskovsky
17. Nina's Song by Aram Khachaturian
18. Songs (15), Op. 26: no 6, Christ is risen by Sergei Rachmaninov
19. Vespers, Op. 37: no 3, Blessed is the man by Sergei Rachmaninov
20. Dubrovsky, Op. 58: Romance by Eduard Nápravník
21. Werther: Pourquoi me réveiller? by Jules Massenet
22. Russian Song by Artur Malawski
23. Aleko: Young Gypsy's Song by Sergei Rachmaninov
Grosser Saal Mozarteum, Salzburg, 17. 8. 1961
DOWNLOAD
27/08/2009
14) Giuseppe Verdi I vespri siciliani - live performance
Monforte - Sherrill Milnes
Bethune - Robert Goodloe
Vaudemont - Edmond Karlsrud
Tebaldo - Nico Castel
Roberto - Andrij Dobriansky
Elena - Montserrat Caballé
Ninetta - Cynthia Munzer
Procida - Justino Diaz
Arrigo - Nicolai Gedda
Danieli - Douglas Ahlstedt
Manfredo - Paul Franke
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House
Conductor James Levine
March 9 1974
CD 1: DOWNLOAD
CD 2: DOWNLOAD
13) Vincenzo Bellini La sonnambula - live performance
12) Gaetano Donizetti L'elisir d'amore
Adina - Mirella Freni
Nemorino - Nicolai Gedda
Belcore - Mario Sereni
Il Dottor Dulcamara - Renato Capecchi
Giannetta - Angela Arena
Orchestra and Chorus of the Opera House, Rome
Chorus Master: Gianni Lazzari
Conductor: Franceso Molinari Pradelli
CD 1: DOWNLOAD
CD 2: DOWNLOAD
11) Charles Gounod Faust - live performance
Faust - Nicolai Gedda
Méphistopheles - Nicolai Ghiaurov
Valentin - René Massard
Marguerite - Heather Harper
Siébel - Africa de Retes
Wagner - Jorge Algorta
Marthe - Luisa Bartoletti
Dates of performance: 30 April- 02 May- 05 May- 08 May- 11 May 1971
Orchestra Estable del Teatro Colón,
Conductor Gianandrea Gavazzeni
CD 1: DOWNLOAD
CD 2: DOWNLOAD
10) Evening bells and other Russian songs
01. The peddler
02. If I only could express it in sounds
03. Grey foggy morning
04. Farewell you new village
05. Snow has covered you, Russia
06. Caucasian melody - Pray, friend
07. The snow tempest down the street
08. Weeping willow
09. Troika
10. Monotonously rings the little bell
11. Evening bells
Choir of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Dir. Nicholas P. Afonsky
Balalaika Orchestra
Dir. Lonya Kolbouss
October 1963. New York
DOWNLOAD
9) Gedda sings famous Russian arias
01 Glinka, Ivan Susanin, Brothers in Arms
02 Čajkovski Eugen Onegin, Kuda, Kuda
03 Čajkovski, Pikovaja Dama (Queen of spades), Forgive me, you devine beeing
04 Čajkovski,Pikovaja Dama (Queen of spades). Life is but a play
05 Rimski-Korsakov, Sadko, O you dark, shadowy wood
06 Musorgski, Boris Godunov, The cunning Jesuit
07 Musorgski, The Fair of Sarotchin, My heart, my poor heart
08 Rimski-Korsakov, Maiskaja noč (May night),The sun is low, the evening is approaching
09 Rimski-Korsakov, Maiskaja noč (May night), How calm, how marvellous the night
10 Rahmaninov, Aleko, Over the flat grounds
Belgrad Philharmonic
Conductor Gika Zdravkovitch
Recorded in 1969
DOWNLOAD
7) Emmerich Kalman Gräfin Mariza
Grafin Mariza - Anneliese Rothenberger
Fürst Moritz Dragomir Populescu - Kurt Böhme
Baron Kolomon Zsupán - Willi Brokmeier
Graf Tassilo Endrödy-Wittemberg - Nicolai Gedda
Lisa - Olivera Miljaković
Manja - Edda Moser
Karl Stephan Liebenberg - Horst Sachleben
Chorus of the Bayerischen Staatsoper München
Symphonie Orchestra Graunke
Conductor Willy Mattes
Recorded from January 4 - 15 1971, München (Bürgerbräu)
DOWNLOAD
23/08/2009
5) Giacomo Meyerbeer Le Prophète
MEYERBEER Le Prophète
Henry Lewis, conductor; Marilyn Horne (Fidès); Nicolai Gedda (Jean de Leyde); Margherita Rinaldi (Berthe); Robert El Hage (Zacharie); Fritz Peter (Jonas); Boris Carmeli (Mathisen); Alfredo Giacomotti (Oberthal); RAI Torino Orchestra and Chorus
MYTO MCD 903.18 (3 CDs: 229:02)
When Radio Turin presented Le Prophète in 1970, it was the first time this Meyerbeer opera had been heard in Italy in 60 years. The precedent had been set in 1962 with La Scala's revival of Les Huguenots in 1962 and the Florence staging of Robert le diable in 1968, completing a Meyerbeer minirenaissance of sorts. (I reviewed that Florence revival for Fanfare's previous issue.) As for this Le Prophète (the only one of the three operas to be sung in the original French), it formerly appeared on LPs on the EJS label; this release is its first CD incarnation.
Hector Berlioz attended the opera's premiere in 1849 and gave this summation in one of his letters: "The score contains some very fine things side by side with feeble and detestable ones. But the splendor of the show will make everything pass muster." That seems like a fair appraisal, though "detestable" sounds rather strong for the opera's numerous admittedly less inspired pages. There is plenty of bombast and banality in Le Prophète 's music, and Scribe's libretto provides an abundance of improbable contrivances. But there is also evidence of Meyerbeer's novel and frequently ingenious touches of orchestration, and even more of his indisputable mastery of vocal writing. That latter element is far better served in the MYTO set than it was in CBS's complete recording of the opera, also featuring Marilyn Horne and the late Henry Lewis, which followed six years later.
The crucial difference between the two sets is Nicolai Gedda in the title role of Jean de Leyde, an historical personage whose story is considerably embroidered here by Scribe's fanciful imagination. Gedda displays an astonishing mastery of voix mixte effects (a mixture of head and chest resonances in the high register) that was beyond the reach of CBS's earnest, capable, but miscast James McCracken. The role of Jean has its heroic moments (the aria "O roi des cieux," for one), but it also calls for a whole array of high pianissimo shadings that emerge from Gedda's throat with remarkable grace and refinement. The crucial role of Fides (created by the legendary Pauline Viardot-Garcia) finds the 1970 Marilyn Horne in her element. She ranges high and low with equal bravura and emotional commitment, and her opulent tones are under firmer control than they are in the CBS set. Margherita Rinaldi, in the taxing role of Berthe, is absent from the opera's central episodes, but brings a virtuoso flair to her opening Cavatina and to her dramatic reappearance in act IV. The three Anabaptist conspirators — Meyerbeerian villains of despicable character, yet not without a measure of opéra comique irony — are quite good, particularly basso Robert El Hage.
Henry Lewis conducts with authority and precision, bringing vitality to the opera's rather effective ballet sequence (mandatory in the "grand operas" of the period). The chorus, too, contributes significantly. Within its somewhat restricted dynamic range, the recorded sound is quite enjoyable. For an added bonus, Gedda delivers three extended scenes from Boieldieu's La Dame blanche (1825) in a "live" concert performance from Hilversum, Holland, in 1965. Here he offers yet another object lesson in golden-age bravura singing. The pluses and minuses of Meyerbeer's operatic art remain a subject for discussion, but lovers of extraordinary singing should not overlook this release.
CD 1: DOWNLOAD
CD 2: DOWNLOAD
CD 3: DOWNLOAD
4) Giuseppe Verdi Rigoletto
17/08/2009
3) Jacques Offebach Les contes d'Hoffmann
Hoffmann - Nicolai Gedda
Olimpia - Gianna D'Angelo
Giulietta - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
Antonia - Victoria de los Angeles
La mere d'Antonia - Christiane Gayraud
Stella/La Muse - Renée Faure
Nicklausse - Jean-Christophe Benoit
Coppelius/Miracle - George London
Dapertutto - Ernest Blanc
Lindorf - Nicolai Ghiuselev
Spalanzani - Michel Sénéchal
Schlemil/Luther - Jean-Pierre Laffage
Crespel - Robert Geay
Nathaniel - André Mallabrera
Hermann - Jacques Pruvost
Andres/Cochenille/Frantz/Pitichinaccio - Jacques Loreau
Deuxieme voix (Barcarolle) - Jeannine Collard
Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire
Conductor André Cluytens, 1965
CD 1 DOWNLOAD
CD 2 DOWNLOAD
15/08/2009
2) Friedrich Von Flottow Martha
http://rapidshare.com/files/237164534/Flotow-_Martha_CD2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/237175001/Flotow-_Martha_CD1_von_2.rar
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)