|
Antheil
|
 |
« Reply #45 on: 18:39:19, 29-10-2008 » |
|
My Dido and Aeneas arrived yesterday, I did take it to bed but fell asleep, have now got it on. Now what did Don Basilio say about it?
Oh yes "Get Purcell's Dido and Aeneas quick. Less than an hour long, a text of risible doggerel, written for a girl's school, but encompassing passion, comedy, tenderness and bitterness on an epic scale. Haste haste to town is the funniest operatic pieces about the English weather prior to The Pirates of Penzance."
I should say I did not know which recording to order so I plumped for C. Hogwood & AAM although I am not too fond of Emma Kirkby at times but this is quite fun.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
|
|
|
|
Don Basilio
|
|
« Reply #46 on: 16:34:09, 01-11-2008 » |
|
Silly of me about Bach, when ENO and Glyndebourne have both done Bach Passions on the opera stage, but I just think of them as church services.
However there is a baroque oratorio which can slip in to the opera category, and that is Handel's Semele.
The words were written by William Congreve for an opera by John Eccles.
Handel set it as an oratorio (chorus, no set or costumes, English words) but even so, when produced someone commented " 'Tis no oratorio but a bawdy opera."
Gems include the coloratura gavotte when Semele is taken up to heaven by Jupiter to be his kept woman, Endless pleasure, endless love.
Semele's achingly lovely and sensuous slow aria waking up and not wanting to get up O sleep, why dost thou leave me.
Juno's magnificent fury in Hence, hence Iris hence away.
The God of Sleep's parody of Semele waking up, when he sings Leave me loathsome light, with basoon obligatto to represent the snoring.
And Jupiter's wonderful Where'er you walk.
And Semele's Myself I shall adore, if I persist in gazing. Sure mortal ne'er before was ever half so pleasing is definitely camp.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
|
|
|
|
Antheil
|
|
« Reply #47 on: 19:04:04, 04-11-2008 » |
|
I fear I have chosen a dodgy Amazon marketplace vendor.  Me Rameau ain't arrived despite ordering it on the 25th October. I do like the Dido and Aeneas, playing it now, awfully funny in places. Which recording of Handel's Semele do you have Don Basilio? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
|
|
|
|
Don Basilio
|
|
« Reply #48 on: 19:12:17, 04-11-2008 » |
|
Which recording of Handel's Semele do you have Don Basilio?
As American as apple pie. Kathleen Battle Semele, Marilyn Horne Juno, John Aler Jupiter and Samuel Ramey Somnus. Conductor John Nelson. They work hard on the British accents, but there are some slight slips, which I think is rather nice. Kathleen Battle in particular has a throaty, sex kittenish sound at times, which together with the not quite RP accent is quite attractive. There is a more recent one with Rosemary Joshua as Semele, in a British |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
|
|
|
|
richard barrett
|
|
« Reply #49 on: 19:25:36, 04-11-2008 » |
|
I fear I have chosen a dodgy Amazon marketplace vendor. Me Rameau ain't arrived despite ordering it on the 25th October. I don't think that's dodgy - things often take a while to arrive from these vendors. It's only been ten days! Remember when mail order companies would invariably ask customers to "allow 28 days for delivery"? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Il Grande Inquisitor
|
|
« Reply #50 on: 23:55:46, 04-11-2008 » |
|
Talking of baroque opera, I have just returned from the Barbican where Les Arts Florissants performed three acts from Rameau's Les Indes Galantes - an absolute joy from first to last! Christie is an engaging conductor to watch - I love the sound he gets from his band - and the choir was superb.
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: 00:05:25, 05-11-2008 by Il Grande Inquisitor »
|
Logged
|
Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency
|
|
|
|
George Garnett
|
|
« Reply #51 on: 00:26:05, 05-11-2008 » |
|
Continuing to talk of baroque opera, I have also just returned from the Barbican, as it happens from the seat immediately in front of The Grand Inquisitor's, where Les Arts Florissants performed ... oh, IGI's just said what I was about to say. "An absolute joy from first to last" happily sums up my feelings too.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
richard barrett
|
|
« Reply #52 on: 00:34:59, 05-11-2008 » |
|
Continuing to talk of baroque opera, I have also just returned from the Barbican, as it happens from the seat immediately in front of The Grand Inquisitor's, where Les Arts Florissants performed ... oh, IGI's just said what I was about to say. "An absolute joy from first to last" happily sums up my feelings too.
If it was anything like as good as their CD and DVD recordings I dare say I would say the same had I been there. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Robert Dahm
|
|
« Reply #53 on: 02:27:04, 05-11-2008 » |
|
I love that piece so much...[/jealous glare]
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Don Basilio
|
|
« Reply #54 on: 07:03:01, 05-11-2008 » |
|
I have eyed the CD boxed set of Christie's Les Indes for some time, but it is never less than £49. I take it I should accept no substitute.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
|
|
|
|
George Garnett
|
|
« Reply #55 on: 09:24:48, 05-11-2008 » |
|
I have eyed the CD boxed set of Christie's Les Indes for some time, but it is never less than £49. I take it I should accept no substitute.
Possibly the DVD of Christie's Les Indes Galantes, Don B, currently at a much lower price. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
JeanHartrick
Posts: 41
|
|
« Reply #56 on: 14:01:50, 05-11-2008 » |
|
However there is a baroque oratorio which can slip in to the opera category, and that is Handel's Semele.
It's not the only one! WNO have done a marvellous staging of Jephtha, and Samson was done at the Buxton Festival this year. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Don Basilio
|
|
« Reply #57 on: 14:41:56, 05-11-2008 » |
|
O I know that, Jean, (although not those specific productions.)
I mentioned Semele because
A I love it
and B its libretto was intended for an opera, and there is the anecdote of it being called "a bawdy opera" at the time.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
|
|
|
|
Antheil
|
|
« Reply #58 on: 16:16:51, 05-11-2008 » |
|
I have succumbed to temptation and bought myself an early Christmas present. The cd of Semele that Don Basilio recommends. £17.50 which is good price.
Can't wait for it to arrive, I am beginning to love Baroque I think. Must have a look at Jean's recommendations (again totally unknown to me)
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
|
|
|
|
Don Basilio
|
|
« Reply #59 on: 21:19:56, 05-11-2008 » |
|
And I have booked a seat for the last night of Handel's Partenope at the English National Opera next week.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh: a time to mourn, and a time to dance
|
|
|
|
