BaL 19.09.20 - Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin

[DoctorT]

Since it’s probably on BBC Sounds anyway, what’s the point?

[Darloboy]

And sadly they replace it with another Twofer to avoid showing how much better things used to be.

I wonder how they selected this particular episode. It's a shame they didn't go back a bit further, this is too recent in the memory.

Probably on the basis that these Russian composers - they’re all the same, y’know

[Nick Armstrong]

This is the third “failed” BaL since twofers became standard. Either they’ve been very unlucky, or they lack competence.

Or there’s a pandemic for which they can’t really be blamed...

[groovydavidii]

Was looking forward to this BaL, anyway, I have the Solti–ROH, Kubiak, Weikl and Rostropovitch–Bolshoi, Vichnievskaia, (Tatyana), Mazourok, Atlantov, (Melodia) French label–“Le Chant Du Monde,” prefer Rostropovitch version.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Or there’s a pandemic for which they can’t really be blamed...

A solo BaL could be recorded safely, assuming he/she isn’t actually ill.

[BBMmk2]

A solo BaL could be recorded safely, assuming he/she isn’t actually ill.

That’s happening elsewhere, ie Ian Skelley is recording from home.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

BaL 19.09.20 - Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin

09.30
Building a Library
Nicholas Baragwanath joins Andrew to discuss different recordings of Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky’s tale of emotional repression and hidden love, working towards the must-have performance.

Available recordings:

Anna Samuil, Ekaterina Gubanova, Joseph Kaiser, renée Morloc, Peter Mattei, Emma Sarkissián, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoper, Daniel Barenboim

Nuccia Focile, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Neil Shicoff, Sarah Walker, Olga Borodina, Irina Arkhipova, Alexander Anisimov, St Petersburg Chamber Choir & Orchestre de Paris, Semyon Bychkov

Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Atlantov, Yuri Mazurok & Yevgeny Nesterenko
Choir & Orch Bolshoi Theatre, Gennady Cherkasov

Alexander Veselinovich, Valeria Heybalova, Dushan Popovich, Melanie Bugarinovich, Biserka Tzveych, Drago Startz, Miro Changalovich, Stepan Andrashevich, Ilya Gligorievich, Mira Vershevich, Belgrade National Opera Orchestra, Belgrade National Opera Chorus
Oskar Danon

Yuti Mazurok, Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Atlantov, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Tatyana Tugarinova, Larisa Avdeyeva, Evgeny Nesterenko, Choir & Orchestra of the USSR Bolshoi Theatre, Mark Ermler

Emma Sarkisyan, Lydia Chernykh, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Raisa Kotova, Yuri Mazurok, Alexander Fedin, Alexander Vedernikov, Jannis Sprogis, Vladimir Silaev, Vladimir Matorin, Mikhail Vasilyev
USSR TV and Radio Large Chorus, USSR TV and Radio Large Symphony Chorus, USSR TV and Radio Large Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Fedoseyev *

Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ramon Vargas, Elena Zaremba, Sergej Aleksashkin, Svetlana Volkova, Larissa Shevchenko, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Metropolitan Opera, Valery Gergiev (DVD)

Mariusz Kwiecien, Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Oksana Volkova, Alexei Tanovitski, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet, Valery Gergiev (DVD)

Ekaterina Godovanets, Vladislav Sulimsky, Dmitry Voropaev, Irina Rubtsova, Irina Dolzhenko, Margarita Nekrasova, Andrey Telegin, Valentin Sukhodolets, State Symphony Orchestra of Russia & Yurlov State Academic Choir Cappella of Russia, Mark Gorenstein

Olga Savova, Krassimira Stoyanova, Elena Maximova, Nina Romanova, Bo Skovhus, Andrej Dunaev, Mikhail Petrenko, Peter Arink, Roger Smeets, Guy de Mey, Richard Prada, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons (DVD/Blu-ray)

Eugene Belov Galina Vishnevskaya, Sergei Lemeshev, Larissa Avdeyeva, Valentina Petrova, Eugenia Verbitskaya, Ivan Petrov, Andrei Sokolov, Igor Mikhailov, Bolshoi Theatre, Boris Khaikin

Leonie Rysanek, Anton Dermota, George London, Gottlob Frick, Polly Batic, Mira Kalin, Hilde Rossel-Majdan, Peter Klein, Ljubomir Pantscheff, Chor & Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Berislav Klobucar

George London, Valerie Bak, Anton Dermota, Gottlob Frick, Lilian Benningsen, Gremin, Franz Klarwein, Max Proebstl, Choir & Symphony Orchestra Bayerischen Rundfunks, Richard Kraus

Thomas Allen, Mirella Freni, Anne Sofie von Otter, Neil Shicoff, Rosemary Lang, Ruthild Engert, Paata Burchuladze,Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Staatskapelle Dresden, James Levine

Thomas Hampson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Neil Rosenshein, Patricia Bardon, John Connell, Nicolai Gedda, Chorus of Welsh National Opera, Sir Charles Mackerras

George London, Lucine Amara, Richard Tucker, Rosalind Elias, Giorgio Tozzi, Martha Lipton, Belén Amparám, Metropolitan Opera, Dmitri Mitropoulos

Maria Butenina, Glafira Zhukovskaya, Bronislava Zlatogorova, Konkordiya Antarova, Sergey Lemeshev, Panteleimon Nortsov, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Bolshoi Theatre Chorus, Vasili Nebolsin

Elena Kruglikova, Ivan Kozlovsky, Panteleimon Nortsov, Maxim Mikhailov, Elizaveta Antonova, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Alexander Orlov

Mirella Freni, Wolfgang Brendel, Peter Dvorsky, Rohangiz Yachmi, Gertrude Jahn, Margaritha Lilowa, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Seiji Ozawa

Rosanna Carteri, Giuseppe Taddei, Cesare Valletti, Eugenia Zareska, Amalia Pini, Britta Devinal, Raffaele Arié, Mario Carlin, Dmitri Lopatto, Orchestra di Milano della RAI, Nino Sanzogno

Sena Jurinac, Rudolf Schock, Gottlob Frick, Gisela Litz
NDR Orchestra, Wilhelm Schuchter

Teresa Kubiak, Bernd Weikl, Stuart Burrows, Julia Hamari, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Enid Hartle, Anna Reynolds, Michel Sénéchal, Richard Van Allan, William Mason, Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent..Garden, Sir Georg Solti *

Teresa Kubiak, Bernd Weikl, Stuart Burrows, Julia Hamari, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Enid Hartle, Anna Reynolds, Michel Sénéchal, Richard Van Allan, William Mason, Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent..Garden, Sir Georg Solti (DVD)

Yuri Mazurok, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Nicolai Gedda, Rossitsa Troeva-Mircheva, Nicolai Ghiuselev, Stefka Popangelova, Margarita Lilowa, Sofia National Opera Chorus Sofia Festival Orchestra, Emil Tchakarov

Krassimira Stoyanova, Simon Keenlyside, Elena Maximova, Pavol Breslik, Peter Rose, Diana Montague, Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Robin Ticciati (DVD/Blu-ray)

Staatsorchester Stuttgart & Stuttgarter Ballett, James Tuggle *

Mariusz Kwiecien, Tatiana Monogarova, Makvala Kasrashvili, Margarita Mamsirova, Emma Sarkisyan, Andrey Dunaev, Anatolij Kotscherga, Valery Gilmanov, Orchestra and Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre, Alexander Vedernikov (DVD)

Kristine Opolais, Lena Belkina, Artur Rucinski, Dmitri Korchak, Günther Groissböck, Margarita Nekrasova, Helene Schneiderman, Emilio Sanchez, Toni Navarrate, Aldo Heo, Simon Lim, Orquestra De La Comunitat Valenciana & Cor De La Generalitat Valenciana, Omer Meir Wellber (DVD/Blu-ray)


* = download only

[Barbirollians]

09.30
Building a Library
Nicholas Baragwanath joins Andrew to discuss different recordings of Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky’s tale of emotional repression and hidden love, working towards the must-have performance.

Available recordings:

Anna Samuil, Ekaterina Gubanova, Joseph Kaiser, renée Morloc, Peter Mattei, Emma Sarkissián, Wiener Philharmoniker, Wiener Staatsoper, Daniel Barenboim

Nuccia Focile, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Neil Shicoff, Sarah Walker, Olga Borodina, Irina Arkhipova, Alexander Anisimov, St Petersburg Chamber Choir & Orchestre de Paris, Semyon Bychkov

Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Atlantov, Yuri Mazurok & Yevgeny Nesterenko
Choir & Orch Bolshoi Theatre, Gennady Cherkasov

Alexander Veselinovich, Valeria Heybalova, Dushan Popovich, Melanie Bugarinovich, Biserka Tzveych, Drago Startz, Miro Changalovich, Stepan Andrashevich, Ilya Gligorievich, Mira Vershevich, Belgrade National Opera Orchestra, Belgrade National Opera Chorus
Oskar Danon

Yuti Mazurok, Tamara Milashkina, Vladimir Atlantov, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Tatyana Tugarinova, Larisa Avdeyeva, Evgeny Nesterenko, Choir & Orchestra of the USSR Bolshoi Theatre, Mark Ermler

Emma Sarkisyan, Lydia Chernykh, Tamara Sinyavskaya, Raisa Kotova, Yuri Mazurok, Alexander Fedin, Alexander Vedernikov, Jannis Sprogis, Vladimir Silaev, Vladimir Matorin, Mikhail Vasilyev
USSR TV and Radio Large Chorus, USSR TV and Radio Large Symphony Chorus, USSR TV and Radio Large Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Fedoseyev *

Renee Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Ramon Vargas, Elena Zaremba, Sergej Aleksashkin, Svetlana Volkova, Larissa Shevchenko, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt, Metropolitan Opera, Valery Gergiev (DVD)

Mariusz Kwiecien, Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, Oksana Volkova, Alexei Tanovitski, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet, Valery Gergiev (DVD)

Ekaterina Godovanets, Vladislav Sulimsky, Dmitry Voropaev, Irina Rubtsova, Irina Dolzhenko, Margarita Nekrasova, Andrey Telegin, Valentin Sukhodolets, State Symphony Orchestra of Russia & Yurlov State Academic Choir Cappella of Russia, Mark Gorenstein

Olga Savova, Krassimira Stoyanova, Elena Maximova, Nina Romanova, Bo Skovhus, Andrej Dunaev, Mikhail Petrenko, Peter Arink, Roger Smeets, Guy de Mey, Richard Prada, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Mariss Jansons (DVD/Blu-ray))

Eugene Belov Galina Vishnevskaya, Sergei Lemeshev, Larissa Avdeyeva, Valentina Petrova, Eugenia Verbitskaya, Ivan Petrov, Andrei Sokolov, Igor Mikhailov, Bolshoi Theatre, Boris Khaikin

Leonie Rysanek, Anton Dermota, George London, Gottlob Frick, Polly Batic, Mira Kalin, Hilde Rossel-Majdan, Peter Klein, Ljubomir Pantscheff, Chor & Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Berislav Klobucar

George London, Valerie Bak, Anton Dermota, Gottlob Frick, Lilian Benningsen, Gremin, Franz Klarwein, Max Proebstl, Choir & Symphony Orchestra Bayerischen Rundfunks, Richard Kraus

Thomas Allen, Mirella Freni, Anne Sofie von Otter, Neil Shicoff, Rosemary Lang, Ruthild Engert, Paata Burchuladze,Rundfunkchor Leipzig & Staatskapelle Dresden, James Levine

Thomas Hampson, Kiri Te Kanawa, Neil Rosenshein, Patricia Bardon, John Connell, Nicolai Gedda, Chorus of Welsh National Opera, Sir Charles Mackerras

George London, Lucine Amara, Richard Tucker, Rosalind Elias, Giorgio Tozzi, Martha Lipton, Belén Amparám, Metropolitan Opera, Dmitri Mitropoulos

Maria Butenina, Glafira Zhukovskaya, Bronislava Zlatogorova, Konkordiya Antarova, Sergey Lemeshev, Panteleimon Nortsov, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Bolshoi Theatre Chorus, Vasili Nebolsin

Elena Kruglikova, Ivan Kozlovsky, Panteleimon Nortsov, Maxim Mikhailov, Elizaveta Antonova, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra, Alexander Orlov

Mirella Freni, Wolfgang Brendel, Peter Dvorsky, Rohangiz Yachmi, Gertrude Jahn, Margaritha Lilowa, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper, Seiji Ozawa

Rosanna Carteri, Giuseppe Taddei, Cesare Valletti, Eugenia Zareska, Amalia Pini, Britta Devinal, Raffaele Arié, Mario Carlin, Dmitri Lopatto, Orchestra di Milano della RAI, Nino Sanzogno

Sena Jurinac, Rudolf Schock, Gottlob Frick, Gisela Litz
NDR Orchestra, Wilhelm Schuchter

Teresa Kubiak, Bernd Weikl, Stuart Burrows, Julia Hamari, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Enid Hartle, Anna Reynolds, Michel Sénéchal, Richard Van Allan, William Mason, Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent..Garden, Sir Georg Solti *

Teresa Kubiak, Bernd Weikl, Stuart Burrows, Julia Hamari, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Enid Hartle, Anna Reynolds, Michel Sénéchal, Richard Van Allan, William Mason, Orchestra of Royal Opera House Covent..Garden, Sir Georg Solti (DVD)

Yuri Mazurok, Anna Tomowa-Sintow, Nicolai Gedda, Rossitsa Troeva-Mircheva, Nicolai Ghiuselev, Stefka Popangelova, Margarita Lilowa, Sofia National Opera Chorus Sofia Festival Orchestra, Emil Tchakarov

Krassimira Stoyanova, Simon Keenlyside, Elena Maximova, Pavol Breslik, Peter Rose, Diana Montague, Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Robin Ticciati (DVD/Blu-ray)

Staatsorchester Stuttgart & Stuttgarter Ballett, James Tuggle *

Mariusz Kwiecien, Tatiana Monogarova, Makvala Kasrashvili, Margarita Mamsirova, Emma Sarkisyan, Andrey Dunaev, Anatolij Kotscherga, Valery Gilmanov, Orchestra and Chorus of the Bolshoi Theatre, Alexander Vedernikov (DVD)

Kristine Opolais, Lena Belkina, Artur Rucinski, Dmitri Korchak, Günther Groissböck, Margarita Nekrasova, Helene Schneiderman, Emilio Sanchez, Toni Navarrate, Aldo Heo, Simon Lim, Orquestra De La Comunitat Valenciana & Cor De La Generalitat Valenciana, Omer Meir Wellber (DVD/Blu-ray)


* = download only

How depressing - a twofer - I hope Mr Baragwanath is better prepared than his Mahler 4 BAL where he repeated himself at length.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It took me a while to appreciate this opera. I went to a thinly attended performance of Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades at Sadlers Wells in 1968 or '69, and was overwhelmed by it. Then in 1971, the Russian Department at Bangor University presented a film of Eugene Onegin, and music students were invited to attend. Maybe it was the production, but I was disappointed. It was only much later that I began to take more interest in the work. I bought the Danon recording on Decca Ace of Diamonds, and it seemed promising, but televised versions continued to be lacking. Then it occurred to me that perhaps I didn't like the wobbly Russian singers on so many recordings, with Tatiana sounding like my grandmother. What won me over was the Solti Royal Opera recording. I don't suppose this will be the one chosen, but I do recommend it. A word of caution though: the DVD version, with actors miming to the audio recording, is heavily cut, so the audio version is preferable.

[Barbirollians]

It took me a while to appreciate this opera. I went to a thinly attended performance of Tchaikovsky's Queen of Spades at Sadlers Wells in 1968 or '69, and was overwhelmed by it. Then in 1971, the Russian Department at Bangor University presented a film of Eugene Onegin, and music students were invited to attend. Maybe it was the production, but I was disappointed. It was only much later that I began to take more interest in the work. I bought the Danon recording on Decca Ace of Diamonds, and it seemed promising, but televised versions continued to be lacking. Then it occurred to me that perhaps I didn't like the wobbly Russian singers on so many recordings, with Tatiana sounding like my grandmother. What won me over was the Solti Royal Opera recording. I don't suppose this will be the one chosen, but I do recommend it. A word of caution though: the DVD version, with actors miming to the audio recording, is heavily cut, so the audio version is preferable.

Bychkov is terrific.

[Wolfram]

Bychkov is terrific.

They are both terrific; Bychkov and Solti. I prefer Bychkov's Hvorostovsky to Weikl for Solti, but the other way around when it comes to Tatyana. Burrows makes some beautiful noises as Lensky on the Decca, but Shicoff sounds the more impassioned of the two. I just prefer Bychkov's conducting over Solti's; he draws some lovely phrasing from his Paris orchestra and is quite moving at times. However they are both excellent versions.

I would have thought that given the current socially distancing requirements that it would have been far more straight forward for the BBC to have returned to the old single presenter format for BaL. The presenter records his script at home; the producer splices in the music clips; and ne'er the twain need meet. Or maybe they are going to attempt the Bal feature as a discussion done over the telephone. It was clumsy enough when they were both in the studio together.

All that said; it's still good to have it back!

[Cockney Sparrow]

They had telephone contributions for other segments before the summer break - and quite often the quality was poor or dreadful. Really, for BAL it should not be impossible to do much better for one feature on an important programme once a week. They should be able to post a reasonable quality microphone for instance, with guidance on best poisitioning, if the alternative is the reviewer using a mobile handset.

And yes, it will be good to have new BALs back. Particularly if the presenter can restrain his interventions.

[Goon525]

NB is in a rather cavernous acoustic, lacking higher frequencies, clearly a very different room (and/or mics) than AMcG, but I don’t think the technology is going to be a serious problem. I shan’t comment on the twofer format!

[Darloboy]

NB is in a rather cavernous acoustic, lacking higher frequencies, clearly a very different room (and/or mics) than AMcG, but I don’t think the technology is going to be a serious problem. I shan’t comment on the twofer format!

Yes, sounds like MB’s using a tin can and a piece of string.

[Ein Heldenleben]

They had telephone contributions for other segments before the summer break - and quite often the quality was poor or dreadful. Really, for BAL it should not be impossible to do much better for one feature on an important programme once a week. They should be able to post a reasonable quality microphone for instance, with guidance on best poisitioning, if the alternative is the reviewer using a mobile handset.

And yes, it will be good to have new BALs back. Particularly if the presenter can restrain his interventions.

Sounds to me like they have a reasonable quality mike in use today . The problem is the acoustic of Nick which sounds boxy - can’t work out whether that’s an electronic or physical problem . It’s pretty hard checking that yourself On headphones and “talking “ guests into a reasonable acoustic remotely is hard . I think Andrew M still presents from BH , I’ve heard a lot of radio presenters now have a pretty professional setup at home using Lucie live (an app based tablet system ) complete with clean feed of the remote studio output (essentially the music minus themselves ) and talkback from both producer (also at home ) and studio manager . I have the Solti - one of the first vinyl opera sets I bought.