Es sind schon ein paar Jahre seit der Aufnahme vergangen, aber für mich ist diese nach wie vor ein Genuss.....höchster Klasse.Bravo Angela und bravo Jonas, bravo Maestro Pappano (Y)
It was ten years ago I fell in love with Puccini's opera Turandot and ten years on I still find Puccini wrote the most beautiful operas ever in the world.
You guys can argue about who is better all day long. I am a huge fan of Mario Lanza, love Jonas Kaufmann and have adored Angela Gheorghiu for many years. Thanks so much for posting this, I will enjoy it over and over.
I love this, Saw it at the London Colesuim, Mingella production, truely magical, Puccini is a genius, may his operas live long, I may also add I saw ALOT of the west end musical songs (the writers and singers I think were strongly influenced)
In fact, Gheorghiu would be a great Butterfly on stage. Lighter or darker voices have been great Butterflies, and this is a flexible role if the soprano understands how it must be sung. For me the timbre of her voice is just exactly what Cio-Cio-San asks for: a blooming and lyric voice that is capable of darker and more intense colorings. As for Kaufmann, he's simply the steadiest, most versatile tenor of our days. If everything went really well, I'm sure this will be a great recording.
La voz sigue siendo bellisima, pucciniana, con una dicción y expresividad excelentes.Cuando recoge la voz y apiana, el resultado es dulce y magnífico.Brava Angela¡¡¡¡¡
Lanza actually performed this entire role twice at the New Orleans opera house, to good reviews. He also did the duet live in concert, in addition to 2 studio recordings. He also is my favorite Pinkerton in terms of recordings. He had a fantastic voice that should be appreciated. However I agree that it's futile to try and compare him to someone like Kaufmann on a full-fledged opera level. I like Kaufmann very much, he sounds great here.
I understand you and partially agree. Live performances are always more thrilling and admirable, because the artist is there singing his best with all the circumstances of the moment. Now, I haven't heard the recording, but from these excerpts I hear no distortion. Of course, this is studio, so we hear her voice from a near point, not from a seat afar. That's not fake. Her voice, in quality and characteristics (a strong top, a dusky and fragile bottom, etc.), sounds just the same.
You may be right. She's got a small voice, and that is no great drawback, just a voice characteristic. Besides, having the fear of overusing the voice in heavy roles doesn't mean she's lazy or sees Opera as a business, but exactly the opposite. Business singers would sing whatever they are called for, no matter if they'd be at it or not. And to record a role only in studio is something the greatest singers have done and doesn't diminish them at all. It only does to people who aren't fan of them.
That we will have to see when the recording is released. I personally think a digital studio rec. of MB is a great surprise and I can't imagine a better pair than Gheorghiu and Kaufmann for these roles. I confess I like her phrasing and colouring for means of expression very compelling and genuine. People talk so much about her voice being too light for this role, but they forget Rosina Storchio, the 1st Butterfly, was a lighter lyric soprano who excelled in roles like Rosina and Micaëla.
I might purchase this, but really I am holding out for first the release of South Pacific by these same people, might I can not afford to spend more on soundtracks.
I agree with every word you say about what soundtracks generally are like. But that's how she expressed it, and we all know the word soundtrack - not our opinion about it - means a music that is created to accompany a movie's scene, conveying the movements, the atmosphere, etc. Besides, what matters is that she expressed her opinion better in an interview, and I told it. If you don't want to believe, now that's your problem. Bye.
il mensile inglese Gramophone ha premiato, come miglior CD dellanno per la categoria Opera la Madama Butterfly di Puccini incisa da Orchestra e Coro dellAccademia di Santa Cecilia diretti da Antonio Pappano e pubblicata lo scorso mese di marzo dalla EMI Classics. Vi ricordo che il Classic FM Gramophone Award è uno dei principali riconoscimenti discografici, spesso paragonato allOscar per la musica classica.
why must everyone recall singers of the past, in lieu of being content that there are new singers and that the opera, albeit tenuously, carries on? Yes, I too have favorite singers from childhood, but am happy that there are new and exciting recordings being made, especially in light of the dire predictions of the end of recorded operas.
The recording was probably edited. In an interview she explains it much better: she says Puccini writes like a "soundtrack" because it's like every melody and note create the scenery and describe the movements that are made on stage in an exact way. It's so obvious you're one of those "anti-fans" that are going to interpret any word or comment in a negative way, but in this case I think I should give the complete information.
Actually, people who heard her live always say her voice is ideal to Puccini. I haven't, but I must give credit to the opinion of everybody who have heard her. She's got a small voice, but then also Toti dal Monte, and De los Angeles' wasn't much large either. Her timbre, IMO, is one of the most ideal to Puccini roles in the last few decades. Perhaps it's just a matter of impression: she/EMI may not be consciously "distorting" the Artistic truth, they may really think they're doing the best.
Usually soundtracks are generic and create/support the mood, hardly they could "create the scenery and describe the movements". However, Puccini's music does it. It is usualy called "theatre" or "dramaturgy".
All my respects to Mr. Kaufmann who has a promising voice but he has also a long path to traverse in order to be called Artist (BTW to explore the character is a must not plus). And this is the GOOD thing, the Challenge. Any premature glorification would turn in obstacle if he's not wise; and I'm sure he is. I wish him to leave a Legacy similar to Lanza's. My best regards to you.
Well, I don't think so but this is just my opinion. They must, I am sure they do; the problem is to convince also us that the reasons for recording MB are artisitc but not to knock together another product for the priceless Puccini collection of Ms. Gheorghiu and easy-to-sell staff for EMI.
@leonorafl While I would not compare Jonas Kaufmann with Mario Lanza, I would like to inform you that Lanza did perform a full length opera and it was as Pinkerton in Butterfly in April 1948. That though, was his only professional appearance in an opera theater.
What you call pretention I call criteria, your perception for negativity is mine for realistic view, so eat it yourself and have fun. This is the only level such recording can achieve, and don't forget your handkerchief. They even don't bother to go deeper (incl. conductor).
She's sung Traviata a hundred times and it's a very heavy role. She must sing a lot, and has done it marvelously for 15 years. The sound engineers obviously have their work in a studio recording, but the fact is this Butterfly, as far as I can hear it from these excerpts, sounds the same as the Gheorghiu on stage. The problem is: Gheorghiu is unwilling to sing that require too much effort on stage, so she avoids singing long/heavy roles. This is right, but she's so radical about it!
Angela acts as well as she sings, and I've read that the same is true of Jonas. I'd love to see them together. The only possibility would be in an HD Transmission. How about Manon Lescaut?!
Angela sounds to me like a CREAM lyric. Larger voices have sung this role and due the amount of singing for Soprano, she may not want to make this a career role. The recording may be a good medium, since many companys may not be able to afford both Jonas and Angela for the same production. It's not a BIG role for tenor but Jonas does have some great music. Angela looks like she could also be an excellent conductor!!
this is not what I have asked for. For me, a particular moment when she is singing, is just perfect!!! I feel spring blossoms growing and growing!!!! and purity!! and love!!! .. organically.... I would just want to purchase the video recording!!!
Being a non fun is neither a great drawback. I don't think she's lazy, please, do not misinterpret my words. I also did not say recording in studio diminishes the artist. What I'm saying is that recording without sound experience of "building" the character on stage, relying only on modern technologies to make one's voice bigger than it is in reality is a fake approach, some kind of distortion. A matter of business and marketing, not of Art.
Can not compare to Mario Lanza; he was a fluke generated by Hollywood to appeal to critics that claim Hollywood has no culture. Mario Lanza had a great voice, but did not have the stamina for a full blown opera because he gave his all just to sing one aria. Jonas is trained for the full role. His voice is a bit heavy, but very rich; I hope he can maintain that rich timbre and not burn out too soon. Hope he makes it to helden tenor.
I have not campared them. It's useless exercise. If someone makes the effort to lesten to, switching off the Hollywood element, sth "unexpected" emerges in Lanza's recordings/films. I would add that some of the best full-fledged tenors were stunned by his voice and interpretative skills - a well-known fact. To m97et02f: Hollywood is not supposed to create art by definition (every exception is welcome) while EMI is.
Es tu opinión muy respetable pero nada mas,aqui decide el publico.Y que yo sepa ella canta en los mejores teatros del mundo.Boheme,Rondine,Elixir,Faust,Simon Bocanegra,Traviata ,Tosca mal que te pese.
Habrá que escuchar la grabación completa una vez salga al mercado... en estudio todo se puede cantar, en el teatro no... con tal que no le de por grabar Norma y Turandot todo está bien
It seems to me Gheorghiu has turned a page in her singing. The nervous energy that was always so annoying I cannot find in her Butterfly as a matter of fact she sings quite beautiful. Maybe Kaufmann and Pappano inspired her!
ah este personaje de manrico se le pueden respetar todas las opiniones que tenga pero llegar la insulto es lo mas bajo en que puede caer,lo mejor que debemos hacer es no hacerle caso alguno y se cansara.
Wish you nice anticipation. I personaly expect nothing valuable of such effort. Gheorghiu cannot be MB for me (she's too self centered), Kaufman's voice is rich but he seems quite naive, nicely plane (my favorite Pinkerton is Lanza), a pupil (in particular placed against "sweeping" Ms. Geheorghiu) rather than passionate lover - interesting interchange of roles, this could be an achievement. So, another block buster is on its way... The scheme is tested, it always succeeds. Congratulations!
Mate,we the opera lovers,can sit and lament all day how there arent enough great singers today, especially dramatic tenors&sopranos, but our moaning wont get us better Cio-Cio San or any other role.You hire who you can,and thats what is here,ye I know that "the star factor" played a big role as well when it comes to cast, but thats the way it goes nowadays.I dont mind Gheorghiu as Cio-Cio San though.For me worse is when Pavarotti sang Manrico,Radames,Calaf-now thats a lyric beefing up the voice
Nobody uploaded the complete recording? Rats. 69 live performances and 28 commercial recordings and I am not inclined to buy another having heard bits of this. Pappano is a hack and his orchestra is second rate. The only reason to buy it is for Kaufmann.
Actually, like Jessye Norman said in an interview - the best way to prepare for a role is to record it, so you have a chance to hear yourself , try many ways to sing it and focus on every note...Angela Gheorghiu may be a diva, but she has the voice and musicality to back her reputation. So what if she is a bitch (not the it's a fact)...she sings beautifully.
I love soundtracks; there're plenty of examples of great music. The issue was, why is there need a "new" name to be given to phenomena that embody the idea and essence of musical dramaturgy. For me it's a strained sense of "originality" that diminishes the cultural value of the opera.
Now you made me laugh. Thank you for taking care of my health. I know perfectly who Lanza was/is and how he sang. The fact he performed only arias does not mean he hadn't done this in a unique manner. Please pay attention before saying nonsense such as "cross-over movie star". It sounds like ignorance.
They both sounded a wee bit shaky on the final note, especially Gheorgiu (who I've never been particularly fond of) but I wonder how many tenors with voices as heavy as Kaufmann's is would have attacked that high C like that. Bravo for effort!
Quite interesting, the place of an artist is on stage, no matter how much effort is required. But I can understand her. She doesn't want to fare brutta figura, the public may hear nothing when it comes to Piccolo Iddio, and to exhaust her voice, she need to feed herself for years to come. But this is again not Musical Theatre, but business, nothing bad but why this pose of sth more.
May be. we should consider that Pinkerton is a " BAD " person. The voice of Jonas is may too beautiful, but the dramatic accents are may be the right ones.
Puccini wrote Butterfly as a soundtrack?! She must be kidding. I can understand she feels herself living in a movie, a bad one, we can add, but to reduce Puccini's music to a soundtrack, it's really so shallow. What Musical Theatre can we speak about? It's all clear about the level of the opera today if the so called leading artists thinks and portrays like that.
i wonder how much sutdio magic regarding volume was put into this recording in order to seem that she wasn't being outsung by Kaufmann. Another not so smart role choice for her. It's gonna be as disastrous as her ROH Tosca when Terfel sang her to the ground.
I meant distortion of the artistic truth rather than sound quiality (I suppose max efforts have being put recording to be up to the mark ... technically), driven by pure ambition and ego. She wants to be sth that never shall be: a Pucciniana. And this is a fake approach in terms of replacement of criteria and categories in the Art. I hope singers of Gheorghiu type and the recording companies themselves (EMI, DG ?!!!) know what they are doing by creating "products" of no artistic value...
