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Re: The recognition scene... (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
It is indeed, matie! Though I really hate it when folks laugh out loud in theater during that scene and don't stop before the Count starts his 'Contessa perdona' line. ;oP
Oy! I really must review a CD or DVD with La Battle in it one of these days. As batty as she is off the stage, she really was spectacular in her prime years.
Sorry Maestro Muti's tempi are too fast for you! He does that sometimes, doesn't he? ;o) And then there's Nikolaus Harnoncourt.... a favorite conductor of mine who missed spectacularly on the other side in the performance captured on the DVD from Salzburg last year. That 'Figaro' was soooo slllloooowwwwww it reminded me of what Kna did to the Ride of the Valkyries in his Bayreuth Ring recording (hearing that is like seeing Brunnhilde and Grane galloping in slow motion!).
If anything, I'd recommend the CD set with James Levine from the Met (with Furlanetto, Upshaw, Te Kanawa, von Otter, and Hampson). The only weak link is the Barbarina of Heidi Grant-Murphy... who manages to sound small even in studio recording!!
Thanks for stopping by, Margaret!
Cheers,
Smorgy :o)
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Jun 05 '07
4:30 pm PDT
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The recognition scene... (Reply to this comment)
by Penguinlady
...is one of the funniest in that, or any, opera.
My recording features Kathleen Battle :-) , for my money, the best Mozartean soprano of her time, under the baton of Ricardo Muti :-( , whose lickety-split tempi are so fast as to render the overture virtually unlistenable. I'm always exhausted by the time he's done. I really need to indulge in a new recording.
Margaret
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Jun 04 '07
3:24 pm PDT
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Re: Figaro (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Hiya Stephen,
Welcome back, traveling man! :o)
Yup, Mozart's opera tend to be longish indeed... especially if the music is played too lyrically. Sometimes it's almost like the musicians are afraid of interpreting him and just settle for playing the notes.
The Impressario!! That's hardly an opera at all! ;oP I think the lenght of Mozart's opera has a lot to do with being too action packed... well, except for something like Cosi fan tutte, I guess. And I must confess to not being over-fond of Abduction from the Seraglio (but then I'm a mezzo-phile, and there isn't a mezzo in sight in that one).
Thanks for stopping by! Hope things are goin' well up in Frisco, too.
Cheers,
Smorgy :o)
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May 07 '07
3:27 pm PDT
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Figaro (Reply to this comment)
by Stephen_Murray,  in Music
in particular is the Mozart that makes me sympathize with the "too many notes" charge. Except for "The Impressario," I find his operas too long. "The Magic Flute" isn't that long, but its premises are absurd or worse to me.
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May 06 '07
6:32 am PDT
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Re: LOL! (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Hey MZ,
Thanks, amiga. It's a funny play, really... and a clever one at that, too. Almost the perfect entertainment in my book... witty story that makes you think and wonderful music. If the opera house nearby is playing it, y'all should have a look. ;o)
Hope your week's goin' great!
Cheers,
Smorgy :o)
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May 03 '07
9:49 pm PDT
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LOL! (Reply to this comment)
by milena_zepeda
"With love in the air, everyone goes loony and loses the ability to see straight."
Too funny, Smorgy!
I loved your review, as always! It' MH in mybook! :)
I'd write more but I'm using my on-screen keyboard, thanks to my kiddos.
BRAVO!! :)
MZ
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May 03 '07
1:30 pm PDT
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Re: Aside from the wealth (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Ahoy His Kingly Sardine!!
"Now, is it the Smorg who's spoiled; the cat, or both?"
Er...both in different ways, Sire. I spoil him so he is now a nose-in-the-air fat cat who has opted for the more refined 'Mew' instead of the more gruff and macho 'Aewwwgrrrhh'. And he spoils me by giving me clawed massages and keeps the litter-box well scented. ;oP
Luckily, he seems to not mind opera singing much... as long as I'm not playing the Wagner one with Brunnhilde screeching high C's in a voice that causes the palm trees outside to start quaking. He loves the low-voiced basso, tho... Strange feline! He doesn't fall asleep when Jochanaan is singing but leaves the room when Salome appears on-stage... and loses her veil! :o)
I actually stole the name from the black cat who accompanies The Devil around Moscow in that Mikhail Bulgakov novel Master and Margarita. The English translations have him down as Behemoth, I think... It's also Russian and Hebrew for hippopotamus. The San Diegan Begemot isn't quite hippo-size ...yet.. but has similar smorgish attitude toward food (can't stand food.. must demolish it on the spot). ;o) I'm afraid I've been feeding him human food of late... ya' know, with all the contaminated cat food thingy going on. I swear he's more human than cat nowadays!
Thanks for stopping by, mate! Think I've found a good 'hit' on the Database from my fishing expeditions now. ;o) Cheerio!!
Smorgy :o)
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May 02 '07
7:37 pm PDT
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Aside from the wealth (Reply to this comment)
by rkingfish
of pithy and pertinent jewels of information I could add here, one statement of yours becomes paramount...
"Spoiled cats-loving Californian"
Now, is it the Smorg who's spoiled; the cat, or both?
Is Begemot front-and-center when the operas begin, or does he hide in a sound-proof box? If he does partake, does he prefer butter on his popcorn, or just plain butter?
Operatic minds need to know...!
ps: Is his (her?) name opera-related, by chance?
King "Oscar Sardines" Fish
Nutritionally complete - Operatically challenged
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May 02 '07
2:04 pm PDT
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Re: I only recently was reading (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Hiya Mike,
Oh, what a rowdy audience the Italians can be, ay? ;o) And to imagine that Rossini had actually did the proper thing and asked for Paisiello's blessing before setting music to the same libretto... And he still got ran down for it. Hogs and all... ;oP
Too bad Mozart didn't try his hand on Barber of Seville also. Would love to hear what he'd do with the young Rosina. :o)
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words, bro! You spoil me rotten!
Cheers,
Smorgy :o)
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May 02 '07
12:15 pm PDT
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I only recently was reading (Reply to this comment)
by henry_thoreau, in Music
about the short-lived brouhaha that initially plagued Rossini's "Barber" when longstanding supporters of Paisiello's version got so upset at "the young upstart." I have so much more to learn, and you've certainly filled in some of the gaps with this excellent piece! Thanks!
Your unique wit just stays sharper than Figaro's finest scissors, Smorgy!
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May 01 '07
9:09 pm PDT
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Hey T & Vasilis (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Vasilis: If I had a sip of wine for every new thing you taught me I'd be drunk by mid-piece :o)
And now You've made me blush... and I haven't even had a sip of alcohol yet today!! :o) Sas efharisto!
Vasilis: Well done smorg. Pity you ain't fat.
Thanks, mate! Well... I'm working on the fat part, though the added kilos aren't doing anything wonderful for my voice, tho. I'm refraining from humming in the shower nowadays... will see if the lack of Smorg-screeching would cause those obnoxious potted plants to revive somewhat. Honestly... those plants haven't even got ears!! ;oP
T: Hallooo! Nice to see you back in action!
Thanks, T. :o) I'm a slow slug, but still a moving one... so far. :oP Need to up my daily caffeine intake to move a bit faster.
T: Only when I read this wonderfully detailed and well-researched synopsis did I realise the impossibly complicated twists and turns of the tale!
Heh, and this thing is quite simplified from the original play! That Beaumarchaise really was something else, ay? :oP I'm very glad to hear I didn't bore you to death with this one since you've already seen the opera before.
Yup, the original Cherubino was the soprano Dorotea Bussani. And Beaumarchaise writes in his note that 'This part can only be played by a young and very pretty woman: we don't have very young men in our theatre who are sufficiently mature to appreciate the fine points of the part. Cherubin is extremely diffident in the presence of the Countess, tho otherwise he's a charming young buck. His character is driven by an undefined and restless desire, having entered his adolescence with no understanding of what is happening to him. He jumps headlong into everything. In fact, he is what every mother would wish her son to be even though he might make her suffer for it.'
T: Thanks, too, for the kind link to my post there. I've got another, more recent version from Paris waiting to be reviewed, and this piece will save me the trouble of having to repeat the plot summary again.
My pleasure, matie! Can't wait to read your thoughts on the Paris DVD. :o) I might have a go at reviewing the Salzburg M22 performance, too... but will probably have to write another synopsis for that thing... The darn innovative German Regie!!
Thanks for stopping by, bro & sis! Hope the week is going well your way, too.
Ciao,
Smorgy :o)
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May 01 '07
12:37 pm PDT
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Hey Mark & Regina (Reply to this comment)
by smorg
Regina: Now, wasn't this Figaro play the one rumored to have set the stage for the French Revolution?!
Hey, you know your stuff, matie. Yup, the play the opera is based on is thought to be a spark for the movement that would snowball into the French Rev later. :o)
This is a fun opera, and you're right, the music is quite popular (especially that gorgeous overture), that even the casual, non-classical music listener may know the melody, but not necessarily recognize the source!
Aye! A shame that is, really. I wish the movies and the commercials that use opera music would identify them. I think the Act IV finale of this thing is what you hear coming out of the prison stereo in that wonderful film The Shawshank Redemption (been a while since I saw it). The overture is a regular commercial background, and so is Figaro's Non piu andrai, I think.
Mark: I am going to see this at the Schubert Theater on May 8th. I get season tickets to the Boston Lyric Opera, and The Marriage of Figaro is the last opera for this season.
Way cool, bro! San Diego Opera is playing it as their last show for the season this month, too. I'm going to the premiere this Saturday. Really looking forward to it since I've never heard the piece live before.
Hope you'll have a ball there. Do I smell a performance review coming up? ;o) Vive Mozart!
Thanks for dropping by, mates!
Cheers,
Smorgy :o)
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May 01 '07
12:15 pm PDT
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Most... (Reply to this comment)
by lammet
informative (you thought I'd give you a MH, huh? Not so fast upstart) piece mister. If I had a sip of wine for every new thing you taught me I'd be drunk by mid-piece :o)
Well done smorg. Pity you ain't fat.
-Vasilis
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May 01 '07
7:49 am PDT
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^ (Reply to this comment)
by virtuelle2
Hallooo! Nice to see you back in action!
Only when I read this wonderfully detailed and well-researched synopsis did I realise the impossibly complicated twists and turns of the tale! Thank you for all the edifying bits of information you've so thoughtfully included here. Interesting trivia about Cherubino being played by a woman from the very start - never knew that, and thought it was just another original castrato role for the modern mezzo in pants!
Thanks, too, for the kind link to my post there. I've got another, more recent version from Paris waiting to be reviewed, and this piece will save me the trouble of having to repeat the plot summary again.
So, thank you again for this, smorgy! Hope all's well with you.
Take care,
~ T.
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May 01 '07
5:52 am PDT
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Hiya Smorg! (Reply to this comment)
by reginafug
Now, wasn't this Figaro play the one rumored to have set the stage for the French Revolution?!
This is a fun opera, and you're right, the music is quite popular (especially that gorgeous overture), that even the casual, non-classical music listener may know the melody, but not necessarily recognize the source!
As usual, this is a wonderful review! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!
Cheers,
Regina
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May 01 '07
5:13 am PDT
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I am going (Reply to this comment)
by shopaholic_man, in Music
to see this at the Schubert Theater on May 8th. I get season tickets to the Boston Lyric Opera, and The Marriage of Figaro is the last opera for this season.
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May 01 '07
4:07 am PDT
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