BaL 19.10.19 - Verdi: La Traviata

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

09.30
Building a Library: Mahan Esfahani listens to and compares recordings of Verdi's opera La Traviata.
The tale of the consumptive courtesan rescued from a life of reckless and meaningless pleasure by an idealistic and ardent lover is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire. Written by Verdi in the white heat of his middle period when he was creating one masterpiece after another and forging an ever closer relationship between music, text and drama, La Traviata has attracted some of the best sopranos who ever went into a recording studio.

Available recordings:-

Orchestra & Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera House, Kurt Adler
New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Giuseppe Antonicelli
Orchestra & Chorus Opera Royal de Wallonie, Paolo Arrivabeni (DVD)
NHK Symphony Orchestra, Nino Berchi (DVD)
National Philharmonic Choir & Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Ljubka Biagioni
London Opera Chorus , National Philharmonic Orchestra, Richard Bonynge
Genoa Carlo Felice Theater Orchestra, Genoa Carlo Felice Theater Chorus, Daniele Callegari *
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, John Alldis Choir, Aldo Ceccato
Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli, Aldo Ceccato *
L’Opéra National de Paris, Francesco Ivan Ciampa (DVD)
Orchestra & Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera, Fausto Cleva
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Madrid, Jesús López Cobos
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real, Madrid, Jesús López Cobos (DVD)
London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Glyndebourne Chorus, Mark Elder (DVD/Blu-ray)
Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Metropolitan Opera, Alberto Erede
Oper Graz, Tecwyn Evans (DVD/Blu-ray)
Palacio de Bellas Artes Chorus, Palacio de Bellas Artes Orchestra, Oliviero de Fabritis
Orchester der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Philharmonia Orchestra, Wilhelm Schüchter, Wilhelm Schuechter, Alceo Galliera
Orquestra Sinfónica do Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisboa, Coro Sinfónica do Teatro Nacional de São Carlos, Lisboa, Franco Ghione
Teatro alla Scala, Carlo Maria Giulini
London Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, Vittorio Gui *
Balthasar-Neumann-Ensemble & Balthasar-Neumann-Chor, Pablo Heras-Casado (DVD Blu-ray)
Teatro alla Scala, Herbert von Karajan *
Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Bavarian State Opera Chorus, Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper München, Carlos Kleiber
Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet of the Arena di Verona, Julian Kovatchev (DVD/Blu-ray)
Wiener Staatsoper, Josef Krips
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, James Levine
Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, James Levine (DVD)
Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Chor der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Lorin Maazel *
English National Opera Orchestra, English National Opera Chorus, Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and Royal Opera Chorus, Antonella Manacorda (DVD/Blu-ray)
Bavarian State Orchestra, Bavarian State Opera Chorus, Zubin Mehta (SACD)
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Zubin Mehta *
RAI National Symphony Orchestra, Zubin Mehta (DVD/Blu-ray)
Solisti Cantori, RAI National Symphony Orchestra, Zubin Mehta *
Aristide Baracchi Milan, La Scala Orchestra and Chorus, Lorenzo Molajoli
Hessian Radio Orchestra, Francesco Molinari-Pradelli
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro dell`Opera di Roma, Pierre Monteux
Palacio de las Bellas Artes, Umberto Mugnai
Orchestra of La Scala Milan, Riccardo Muti
Philharmonia Orchestra, Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Riccardo Muti
Orchestra del Teatro Regio di Parma & Coro del Teatro Municipale di Piacenza, John Neschling
Chorus and Symphony of the USSR State, Alexander Orlov
Orchestra & Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera, Ettore Panizza
Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano (DVD/Blu-ray)
Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper, Giuseppe Patané
Orchestra and Chorus of the Rome Opera House, Giuseppe Patane (DVD)
Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Fujiwara Opera Chorus, Roberto Paternostro
RCA Italiana Opera Chorus, Georges Prêtre
Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Fernando Previtali
Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Sir John Pritchard
Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Nicola Rescigno
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, Slovak Philharmonic Chorus, Alexander Rahbari
Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, Carlo Rizzi *
London Symphony Orchestra, Carlo Rizzi *
Orchestra e Coro dell'Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Carlo Rizzi (DVD)
Wiener Philharmoniker, Carlo Rizzi
Wiener Philharmoniker, Carlo Rizzi (DVD/Blu-ray)
Filene Centra Orchestra & Chorus, Julius Rudel (DVD)
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Carlo Sabajno
Budapeste Philharmonic Orchestra, Rico Saccani
Orchestre de Paris, Yutaka Sado (DVD)
Royal Opera House, Nello Santi
RAI Chorus and Orchestra Turin, Gabriele Santini
Orchestra e Coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Thomas Schippers
Orchestra and Chorus of La Scala, Milan, Tullio Serafin
Naples Opera Orchestra, Tullio Serafin
Teatro dell'Opera, Roma, Coro del Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Tullio Serafin
London Symphony Orchestra, Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Louis Langrée, Jean-François Sivadier (DVD)
Bayerischen Rundfunks Orchestra, Georg Solti
Orchestra & Chorus of Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Georg Solti
Orchestra & Chorus of Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Georg Solti (DVD)
Teatro alla Scala, Sir Georg Solti *
Teatro Regio di Parma, Yuri Temirkanov *
Teatro Regio di Parma, Yuri Temirkanov (DVD/Blu-ray)
NBC Symphony Orchestra, Arturo Toscanini
Orchestra of La Scala, Milan, Chorus of La Scala, Nino Verchi
Latvian National Opera Orchestra, Alexander Vilumanis
Coro e Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Antonino Votto
Chorus and Orchestra of the Zurich Opera House, Franz Welser-Möst (DVD)

* = download only

[Cockney Sparrow]

Is Verdi Opera known to be one of the reviewer's strengths and interests?

[Richard Tarleton]

Is Verdi Opera known to be one of the reviewer's strengths and interests?

Indeed - Roger Parker (e.g.) not available?

I dimly remember my one and only version, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Bavarian State Opera Chorus, Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper München, Carlos Kleiber (with Cotrubas, Domingo, Milne) winning on a previous outing. A long time ago - can't remember the reviewer, might even have been in Michael Oliver's day.

I might even catch a bit of it, as we'll be in the car

[Master Jacques]

Is Verdi Opera known to be one of the reviewer's strengths and interests?

Not unless there's a version we don't know about, for harpsichord! Doubtless AMcG will steer his celebrity guest through the field.

Masterson and Mackerras for me, every time. I see it's listed, and in the catalogue (now on Chandos), but bet it won't be discussed. But it is by far the most thoughtful, intelligent and moving studio version known to me (of about 20 or so):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Traviata-English-Giuseppe/dp/B00000JINA

[DracoM]

<< Doubtless AMcG will steer his celebrity guest through the field.>>


A harpsichord virtuoso reviews La Traviata? Hmm. Marriage made in....................

[Richard Tarleton]

A harpsichord virtuoso reviews La Traviata? Hmm. Marriage made in....................

I daresay if the price of being the expert on BAL is having to bandy words with AMcG, the field of potential contributors will have shrunk.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Esfahani has presented two previous (solo) BaLs, both on works by Cesar Franck (the Symphony - in September 2017 - and the Violin Sonata in October last year) - and he presented The Sunday Feature on Dvorak's New World Symphony in July last year. None of these works featuring Harpsichord, nor having any obvious connection with his more familiar role as a Harpsichord player - he seems to be carving a parallel career as a commentator on 19th Century Music.

[DracoM]

Wish him well! It's a very big ask - big work, huge cast list of recordings, and then there's,...... the God on Olympus to cope with.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Oh for the days of Rodney Milnes ...... "this work calls for the boot lipped Russian altos of the ........" sticks in my memory.

[Darloboy]

Indeed - Roger Parker (e.g.) not available?

I dimly remember my one and only version, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Bavarian State Opera Chorus, Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper München, Carlos Kleiber (with Cotrubas, Domingo, Milne) winning on a previous outing. A long time ago - can't remember the reviewer, might even have been in Michael Oliver's day.

I might even catch a bit of it, as we'll be in the car

It was Roger Parker’s first choice back in 2007 with Giulini’s 1955 live Milan version as historic choice. And back in 1998 Michael Oliver chose Muti. I have a feeling it’ll be Rizzi this time because BaL always seems to choose Netrebko these days.

[Master Jacques]

I daresay if the price of being the expert on BAL is having to bandy words with AMcG, the field of potential contributors will have shrunk.

And I daresay you are quite right, Richard: the fee simply isn't worth the candle, now you're limited to a handful of versions and all that gossiping.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Esfahani has presented two previous (solo) BaLs, both on works by Cesar Franck (the Symphony - in September 2017 - and the Violin Sonata in October last year) - and he presented The Sunday Feature on Dvorak's New World Symphony in July last year. None of these works featuring Harpsichord, nor having any obvious connection with his more familiar role as a Harpsichord player - he seems to be carving a parallel career as a commentator on 19th Century Music.

Quite. We shouldn’t pigeon-hole people on the grounds that they are known for one particular skill.

[BBMmk2]

This will be a very interesting listen, with a reviewer who I didn’t know was a Verdian.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

... a Verdian.

A greenhorn?

[Pulcinella]

I find that I have a 1992 release of a 1970 Met performance, with Pavarotti and Sutherland, conducted by Bonynge:

https://www.discogs.com/Giuseppe-Verdi-Luciano-Pavarotti-Joan-Sutherland-Sherrill-Milnes-Raymond-GibbsMetropolitan-Opera-Hou/release/11239082

Must have picked it up on holiday in Italy, I think.