Bartok: Duke Bluebeard's Castle

[Mahlerei]

Petrushka

Yes, I saw that ENO production as well. A memorable pairing, I thought, but typically eccentric staging.

[jayne lee wilson]

A lesser known live version, spectacularly recorded:

James Levine/Munich Phiharmonic/John Tomlinson/Kremena Dilcheva

Particularly splendid orchestral contribution in the fine Gasteig Munchen acoustic, its volume 5 of James Levine: Documents of the Munich Years on oehms. The 5th door is almost too much! Huge and shattering in its impact; the setting ideally concert-hall in relation of singers to orchestra, orchestra slightly dominant. Very fresh and immediate sound overall, (a)live and present.

Prices current on Amazon... less attractive - but definitely worth it!
No texts though - you'll need another one for that.

[aeolium]

I thought the recent Philharmonia concert I saw at Birmingham (and later broadcast from London) with Salonen conducting, Tomlinson as Bluebeard and Michelle DeYoung as Judith was quite superb music-making. I wonder whether there will be a recording from this (or perhaps DVD as there was visual accompaniment).

[Petrushka]

I really do like the LSO/Dorati recording and at £4.99 on Amazon you can't go wrong - except there are no texts!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bartok-Bluebeards-Castle-fragments-Wozzeck/dp/B002JH8IQK/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1322771464&sr=1-7

[Ferretfancy]

aeolium,

The London performance of Bluebeard's castle was done with a set constructed around the orchestra platform on which the lighting effects were projected. It was a superb performance, as you say, but there were no microphones visible and no video cameras as far as I could see from the vantage point of an upper box. I suppose this doesn't preclude a later studio performance but it seems unlikely. This was one of the best evenings at the Royal Festival Hall that I have enjoyed for a long time.

[johnb]

Ff,

Are you talking about the Salonen/Philharmonia RFH performance that Radio 3 broadcast live on 03/11/11 (and therefore must have had microphones) or another concert?

[Ferretfancy]

Ff,

Are you talking about the Salonen/Philharmonia RFH performance that Radio 3 broadcast live on 03/11/11 (and therefore must have had microphones) or another concert?

john b

Oh dear! I must have had a senior moment last night, the mics must have been there as you say, so perhaps a CD of this fine performance will appear.
Sorry about the misinformation!
Bws.
Ferret

[LeMartinPecheur]

Anyone else read the Gramophone's 'BaL' on Duke B this month? I was rather chuffed that my treasured Troyanos, Nimsgern/BBCSO/ Boulez (see #8) came out top of the heap, but then got a bit worried that their reviewer didn't show much sign of understanding the work as a contemporary psychological parable, which surely is the point if you pay attention to the spoken introduction.

[Dave2002]

On reading the review on International Record review of the new SACD version conducted by Ivan Fischer, I toddled over to the Amazon website to check out prices etc.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bartok-Bluebeards-Bluebeard-Laszl%C3%B3-Polg%C3%A1r/dp/B004YNRHB4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1322660056&sr=1-1

There I also discovered this performance apparently emanating from a Proms 2004 concert.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bartok-Worldwide-2004-Proms-Season/dp/B0007YMS2C/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1322659750&sr=1-5

Does anyone know this performance and if so, what are your views please?

I was there. Close enough to the first violins to be able to read their music. The organ sound, when it came in, was stupendous.

How good the recording is? That's another matter.

[Dave2002]

Petrushka

Yes, I saw that ENO production as well. A memorable pairing, I thought, but typically eccentric staging.

ENO also did it many years ago, coupled with Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex IIRC.

PS: apologies to Petrushka, who beat me to this by a fair length - msg 12. I thought it might have been even earlier than 1991 though. Perhpas it ran for a few seasons.

[Dave2002]

It can be had in a box of Boulez's CBS / Sony Bartók recordings http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-lis...&condition=new

There's a UK dispatch market place copy for £13.32 (inc. p and p). (or dodax online costs a little more but is in my experience reliable. Don't know the other seller).

Currently on offer here -

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Sony/88697556112

[VodkaDilc]

ENO also did it many years ago, coupled with Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex IIRC.

PS: apologies to Petrushka, who beat me to this by a fair length - msg 12. I thought it might have been even earlier than 1991 though. Perhpas it ran for a few seasons.

I've only just found this thread. I saw that double bill at the Coliseum, but I could not believe it was as recently as 1991. So I found the programme and discovered it was in 1972. I'm not sure if the same productions were still going in 1991; according to the programme, the Bartok production dated from 1972, but the Stravinsky was from 1960. Mackerras was conducting and the Bartok soloists were Don Garrard and Ava June. I remember being more impressed by the Stravinsky than the Bartok; the Speaker in Oedipus Rex was Conrad Phillips - wasn't he William Tell in the television series of the 1960s?

[Biffo]

ENO did a Bartok Triple Bill for the centenary (1981); Bluebeard plus the two ballets. Is the 1991 performance the same production recoupled with the Stravinsky?

[Barbirollians]

I have only just got to listen to the Ludwig/Berry/Kertesz version . It is a work I did not know but bought it after Ludwig’s death last April . It’s marvellous her singing in particular seems to get to the absolute heart of the character , it’s extraordinarily intense but also incredibly beautiful . Cannot imagine wanting another record though I see Gramophone raved about the new Malkki.

[Bryn]

I have only just got to listen to the Ludwig/Berry/Kertesz version . It is a work I did not know but bought it after Ludwig’s death last April . It’s marvellous her singing in particular seems to get to the absolute heart of the character , it’s extraordinarily intense but also incredibly beautiful . Cannot imagine wanting another record though I see Gramophone raved about the new Malkki.

Though somewhat earlier in life than in your case, the Ludwig/Berry/Kertesz was also my introduction to the full work, too. I have accumulated many, many other recordings of the work and attended several performances, both concert and operatic, in the interim. None have yet diminished my highest regard for this recording.