Opera on 3: Die Meistersinger (Met)

[Prommer]

This is being played very beautifully so far - real clarity and point.

[Nick Armstrong]

This is being played very beautifully so far - real clarity and point.

Yes I happened upon the start of the Prelude - sounded excellent!

Then the chorus came in... I haven't looked: it's the Met, I assume?

[Prommer]

Yes, the Met.

A very very fine account of Act I orchestrally - just superb. And the arch (my dears), the arch was there!

[Flosshilde]

You're all so wonderful - we're on to the interval ego-stroking

[DracoM]

Well, for me, the orchestra is easily star of the show. Lovely attention to detail behnd some pretty dull, unsubtle barking / singing

[Nick Armstrong]

Yes, the Met.

... the arch (my dears), the arch was there!

I just can't take their chorus. Rather like the BBC Singers here, it seems to be at the opposite end of the spectrum from the kind of choral sound I enjoy.

[Nick Armstrong]

Well, for me, the orchestra is easily star of the show. Lovely attention to detail behnd some pretty dull, unsubtle barking / singing

I caught the beginning of the Quintet - distinctly iffy Eva, I thought. Karita Mattila she was not...

http://www.metopera.org/video/search/watch/die-meistersinger-von-nurnberg-selig-wie-die-sonne-quintet/3193161324001?term=bGV2aW5l

[Bryn]

I was a little surprised to hear Ian Skelly announce the availability to of tonight's Oo3 for the next 30 days, but falling to mention High Definition Sound. I now think I know why. It has just been made available, but only in Low Definition mono with a high frequency cut-off of 11kHz, i.e. 49kbps AAC-HE mono with a sampling rate of just 22.05kHz. Hmm.

[By 03:50 today (Sunday 14th) the HD Sound offering was made available in the UK. All is now well.]

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I just can't take their chorus. Rather like the BBC Singers here,

Was it really that bad?

[Prommer]

Levine is at his best (and back to his best) in this repertoire. I went out after Act I so will listen to the rest later today.

Why does this opera work so well at this time of year, when all the talk is of Midsummer?!

[gradus]

Whilst driving I heard the bass singing Das schöne Fest in Act 1 with great assurance and no strain at the top of the voice and thought it augured well for the performance - which I missed. This is such a fine piece of writing - amongst the loveliest for bass voice in all Wagner - but sometimes goes for nothing in performance. Just couldn't resist posting this performance by Franz Crass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0mX7iuHgMU

[ostuni]

I stuck the radio on while driving back from Salisbury last night. I hadn't looked at the schedules at all, so didn't know where the broadcast was coming from; after hearing some of the chorus contributions, I was convinced it had to be some third-tier European house - though was surprised that some of the solo stuff sounded rather better than I would have expected from such a source.

I didn't listen to much (not the best sort of music for sub-zero roads & frequent foggy patches), but stuck it on at the end to hear who it was. And I'm appalled that the Met can put out choral singing of this standard, especially the sopranos - wobbly, unfocused, and completely losing it in more than one place...

[Nick Armstrong]

And I'm appalled

Ditto, but sadly I wasn't surprised based on their "previous".

Whilst driving I heard the bass singing Das schöne Fest in Act 1 with great assurance and no strain at the top of the voice and thought it augured well for the performance - which I missed. This is such a fine piece of writing - amongst the loveliest for bass voice in all Wagner - but sometimes goes for nothing in performance. Just couldn't resist posting this performance by Franz Crass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0mX7iuHgMU

I love that section too, gradus - one of the most heartwarming passages in all music. (See, I do love some opera !!)

Crass seems a little hard-edged; the geniality of the chap who sings it for Jochum hits the spot for me (plus slightly more movement in the tempo): https://play.spotify.com/album/3hU0XFFZkuUE2sqp9udsBO

[Pianorak]

Just couldn't resist posting this performance by Franz Crass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0mX7iuHgMU

Thanks for posting, gradus. And here's a magnificent Wenn alle Toten aufersteh'n. http://hugoshirley.blogspot.co.uk/20...1928-2012.html

[gradus]

Cali, 'heartwarming', what a well-chosen word it puts my feelings about this piece so well that i can add nothing.
Pianorak, that Dutchman excerpt is simply sensational. Wow.