Spontini's Operas
DavidDGable
>I recently bought "La Vestale" because I had previously picked up a copy
>of "Agnese di Hohenstaufen" on "Opera d'Or" for $10, and thought that
>opera was of such high quality that Spontini's other output must have
>something going for it as well. Rumor is that Abbado will record the
>latter opera in its German language original version next year. Let's
>hope the project is not axed!
Yes, it's amazing that music of so high a quality as Spontini's should have
sunk so far into oblivion. It's much easier for an opera to sink wihout a trace
than instrumental music, because when the dramaturgy begins to seem old
fashioned, operas instantly become more risky to produce. (Give a concert of
difficult contemporary chmber music and you'll only lose a few hundred dollars.
Put on Aida and you have to have a very substantial subsidy.) Spontini was
a high minded musician, conductor of the first Paris performances of Don
Giovanni, and greatly admired by Berlioz and Wagner. E.T.A. Hoffman prepared
the German version of Olympie for Spontini. Together with Mehul and Cherubini,
Spontini was one of the most impressive masters of the post-Gluck tradition in
France and an obvious influence on Berlioz's Les Troyens. He was also an
influence on Rossini after Rossini went to Naples and started writing serious
operas.
I know that Muti is slated to perform Agnes von Hohenstaufen at La Scala this
coming season, and there is speculation that he will record it live for Sony.
It seems likely that Muti's performances will be in Italian, though, as on the
Opera d'Oro set, which Muti also conducts. (Muti performed the world premiere
performances and recording of the new critical edition of Rossini's Guillaume
Tell at La Scala in Italian rather than French against the express wishes of
the editors of the Rossini edition.) It would be terrific if Abbado recorded
it, too, and in German, but let's hope Abbado's recording also stems from live
performances. Otherwise it may be as dull as dirt.
There is also a terrific live Agnese di Hohenstaufen with Gui conducting from
the 50's. Whether you can still find it on CD I don't know. There is also a
new recording of Spontini's Fernando Cortez with one Jean-Paul Penin conducting
the Orchestra and Chorus of the National Slovak Philharmonic: Accord 206612.
There are also two live performances of Cortez on CD, one from the early 50's
with Tebaldi, one with Von Matacic conducting (extremely well, I might add).
And there are recordings on Orfeo of both Olympie and La Vestale, although I
don't know if they're still in print. Spontini's four most important operas,
then (Vestale, Fernando Cortez, Olympie, and Agnes), are out there in some form
or another.
-david gable
Ward Hardman
: Quoth Ward Hardman:
[snip]
: > Rumor is that Abbado will record the
: >latter opera in its German language original version next year. Let's
: >hope the project is not axed!
[snip]
: I know that Muti is slated to perform Agnes von Hohenstaufen at La Scala this
: coming season, and there is speculation that he will record it live for Sony.
: It seems likely that Muti's performances will be in Italian, though, as on the
: Opera d'Oro set, which Muti also conducts. (Muti performed the world premiere
: performances and recording of the new critical edition of Rossini's Guillaume
: Tell at La Scala in Italian rather than French against the express wishes of
: the editors of the Rossini edition.) It would be terrific if Abbado recorded
: it, too, and in German, but let's hope Abbado's recording also stems from live
: performances. Otherwise it may be as dull as dirt.
Oops! How silly of me to confuse the two Italian maestri, Abbado and Muti!
It certainly would be nice to get simultaneous recordings of such neglected
repertoire, and such duplication/serendipity sometimes seems to happen, but
don't count on Abbado being the one.
--Ward Hardman
Matthew B. Tepper
>
> Spontini was a high minded musician, conductor of the first Paris
> performances of Don Giovanni, and greatly admired by Berlioz and
> Wagner.
In Berlioz' case, at first, yes. Spontini the man seems to have been
something of a twit, however, and while Berlioz maintained his high
opinion of the operas, after he got to know him he would try to run the
other way when he saw him walking down the street toward him. (And any
day now I'll receive my copy of vol. 2 of Cairns' Berlioz biography!)
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page --- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
"Compassionate Conservatism?" * "Tight Slacks?" * "Jumbo Shrimp?"
DavidDGable
I don't think Berlioz's admiration and respect for Spontini's music ever
faltered. Not only is there the long biography of Spontini in Evenings in the
Orchestra, but there's the Hoffman-esque tale of the man who commits suicide
after hearing La Vestale.
"Twit" doesn't quite do Spontini justice. He was paranoid and thin skinned.
Berlioz did continue to care for and worry about him until his death, and he
aided Spontini's widow financially.
Wagner and Berlioz both admired Spontini's professionalism. He would only
perform operas by the likes of Gluck, Mozart, Weber, etc. when he had his final
position in Germany, he demanded extensive rehearsal time, the highest
standards in stage direction, etc. In this regard Spontini was one of the
inspirations for Bayreuth.
-david gable
pamil...@my-deja.com
> I know that Muti is slated to perform Agnes von Hohenstaufen at La Scala this
> coming season, and there is speculation that he will record it live for Sony.
Dear David.I Adore Spontini's operas...you don't know how much...
> It seems likely that Muti's performances will be in Italian, though, as on the
I apologize for my bad english...I would like to write more about Spontini in
your Ng,but it's very hard for me to do it. Agnes Von Hohenstaufen will be
performed (we hope) in 2004 under Muti's direction...not in 2001 ,sadly to
say so...It will be in his original language:german.The opera will be in his
complete critical edition and the music will be 5 hours long! (Muti's
performance with rai orchestra is JUSt 2:30 hours long).Let's hope we really
will hear this wonderful ,awesome opera.
It would be terrific if Abbado recorded
> it, too,
I agree.
and in German, but let's hope Abbado's recording also stems from live
> performances. Otherwise it may be as dull as dirt.
>
> There is also a terrific live Agnese di Hohenstaufen with Gui conducting from
> the 50's.
I agree too.
Whether you can still find it on CD I don't know. There is also a
> new recording of Spontini's Fernando Cortez with one Jean-Paul Penin conducting
> the Orchestra and Chorus of the National Slovak Philharmonic: Accord 206612.
terrific too.Terrible.
> There are also two live performances of Cortez on CD, one from the early 50's
> with Tebaldi,
terrific too!just think that about 50% of music is cut,the other 50% is often
changed and the ouverture is that of Olympie!
one with Von Matacic conducting (extremely well, I might add).
This edition is Wonderful ..i adore it... Von Matacic is really
great..great...But all the cast is wonderful...it's hard to think a better
Amazily than that of Angeles Gulin
> And there are recordings on Orfeo of both Olympie
terrible...the singers sung with no emotion and more than 1 hour of music is
cut,including the wonderful triumphal march,as well as the explosive aria
"implacable Tyrans"
and La Vestale,
Aaaaaargh!the most terrible in ALL spontini's opera edition.
Dear Spontinian...you don't imagine how glad I'm to see that there are also
other "spontinians" in the world:) You can write to my
e-mail:pamil...@yahoo.it if you want
Best regards
Paolo
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
ElShaddai Edwards
I just received both volumes via Amazon UK - total time from on-line order
to delivery was about a week. If you're trying to get it through U.S.
sources, don't bother.
ElShaddai Edwards
Matthew B. Tepper <o...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:38865CC3...@earthlink.net...
<snip>
Matthew B. Tepper
>
> Matthew,
>
> I just received both volumes via Amazon UK - total time from on-line order
> to delivery was about a week. If you're trying to get it through U.S.
> sources, don't bother.
Mmmm, once I've received volume 2 I'll tell you my adventures in
obtaining it.
--
Matthew B. Tepper: WWW, science fiction, classical music, ducks!
My personal home page -- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/index.html
My main music page --- http://home.earthlink.net/~oy/berlioz.html
To write to me, do for my address what Androcles did for the lion