BaL 15.11.14 - Rossini: William Tell

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Richard Osborne compares recordings of Rossini's final opera - William Tell - and makes a recommendation.

Available recordings:

Ambrosian Opera Chorus, National PO, Riccardo Chailly
RPO, Lamberto Gardelli
Leipzig Radio, Herbert Kegel
Vienna State Opera, Fabio Luisi
Orchestra & Chorus of Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Firenze, Riccardo Muti
La Scala Milan, Riccardo Muti (DVD)
Orchestra e coro dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Antonio Pappano
Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli, Fernando Previtali
Orchestra e Coro di RAI Milano, Mario Rossi
RAI Orchestra, Nino Sanzogno

[verismissimo]

I've had the Milnes/Pavarotti/Freni/Ghiaurov/Chailly recording for years on LP - and never really listened to it. Will put this right in the coming week.

[visualnickmos]

This is an opera I don't know, never heard any of it - apart from the ubiquitous obvious.

Will I be convinced?

[jean]

The WNO are performing it at a venue more or less near you as we speak - you'll catch it if you're quick!

[Nick Armstrong]

(List to follow - just as soon as I return from holiday.)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I feel a bit guilty running off to Bonnie Nessieland, leaving Petrushka to Cali, and then coming back to write the shortest list ever.

[visualnickmos]

I feel a bit guilty running off to Bonnie Nessieland, leaving Petrushka to Cali, and then coming back to write the shortest list ever.

Even you (!) deserve a holiday from time to time! Hope you had a lovely time.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Even you (!) deserve a holiday from time to time! Hope you had a lovely time.

Thank you. We rented this magnificent little building on the Ardverikie Estate, familiar to viewers of Monarch of the Glen.



You could almost imagine William Tell himself ...

[visualnickmos]

Thank you. We rented this magnificent little building on the Ardverikie Estate, familiar to viewers of Monarch of the Glen.

You could almost imagine William Tell himself ...

For the second time in less than half an hour, I say "WOW" on these boards! If I could transport it down to the beautiful coastal town of Sète, and place it on Mont St-Clair, with a panoramic sea view, I would.... It does look idyllic.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For the second time in less than half an hour, I say "WOW" on these boards! If I could transport it down to the beautiful coastal town of Sète, and place it on Mont St-Clair, with a panoramic sea view, I would.... It does look idyllic.

The view from here is comparable:

[aeolium]

I think the Chailly version mentioned above is available on CD and possibly a recording by Muti with La Scala (I have a DVD of this and I think it was also issued on CD). There might also be a historic recording (1965) with Rossi conducting and Taddei in the title role (heavily cut compared with later recordings). I think the reviewer will have to be fairly generous re availability if he is going to have enough recordings to compare.

[Beef Oven!]

[verismissimo]

Competition for Spike Jones from the Portsmouth Sinfonia:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDZZEfrRbdw

[visualnickmos]

Third time "WOW"

That is a VIEW! and the colour palette is wonderful - I want to use it as inspiration for a painting.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Third time "WOW"

That is a VIEW! and the colour palette is wonderful - I want to use it as inspiration for a painting.

I like this one better: