Can someone recommend a decent recording of Cavalleria Rusticana?
Matt Philmon
Thanks,
Matt
Skip
You can buy this recording at www.amazon.com
Mascagani: Cavalleria Rusticana
~ by Pietro Mascagni, Gino Bechi, Beniamino Gigli, Lina Bruna Rasa (Audio
CD)
List Price: $10.97
Our Price: $10.49
You Save: $0.48 (4%)
"Matt Philmon" <mphi...@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:EeFO7.65261$8n4.3...@e3500-atl1.usenetserver.com...
Oisk17
(on RCA)
Regards,
Paul
Leonard Tillman
>Regards,
>Paul
That, along with the Tebaldi, Bjoerling, Bastianini (on London); and
the de los Angeles, Corelli, Sereni set (on EMI) are my three favorite
recordings of Cavalleria Rusticana.
LT
Nash7676
also great. The Recording conducted by Mascagni is very interesting, and it's
available from Naxos--cheap.
Firstconditional
Everybody is in great voice and the conducting is pretty good.
tlste...@tpgi.com.au
Philmon" <mphi...@pobox.com> wrote:
The von Karajan on DGG is very good, as is the Levine on RCA. I'm not sure
if it's available on CD, but Muti's recording on EMI (involving Caballe,
Carreras and Managuerra) is excellent. Carreras could *really* sing back
then!
--
Cheers!
Terry
(remove the numbers if replying direct)
Sergio Henrique M. da Silva
"Matt Philmon" <mphi...@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:EeFO7.65261$8n4.3...@e3500-atl1.usenetserver.com...
Dr. A. N. Cona
> That, along with the Tebaldi, Bjoerling, Bastianini (on London); and
> the de los Angeles, Corelli, Sereni set (on EMI) are my three favorite
> recordings of Cavalleria Rusticana.>
Witness this dolorous example of the new comity
OmbraRecds
>
>Thanks,
>
>Matt
"Sicilian of the Sicilians" was the title given to the author of Cavalleria,
Giovanni Verga. It was this hot blooded, violent, verismo masterpiece that
Mascagni drew from for his very Sicilian masterpiece. Beautiful voices with
angelic sounds have no place in this opera, unless they are willing to push the
envelope. Di Stefano IS Turiddu. Even at the very end of his career, his
concert performances of the duet from this opera were violent and full of rage
and guilt. Santuzza is every bit his equal in this volcanic vocal score.
Callas, of course, was never afraid to jump into the fray. The EMI recording
with Maestro Serafin at the helm of the La Scala forces is an excellent choice
for a "decent" recording of Cavalleria. I also would recommend the Scotto and
Suliotis recordings.
Patrick Byrne
GRNDPADAVE
>Date: 12/03/2001 8:45 AM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: <9ug38g$1nv$1...@slb2.atl.mindspring.net>
The point of this witless observation eludes me.
Someone requested a recommendation for a "decent" CAV and a generous
contributor offered his favorites as candidates.
What is "dolorous" about that?
==G/P Dave
PS -- My favorite is the Callas/DiStefano -- one of the finest recordings of
any opera, imho.
Valfer
Cavalleria is for raw emotion, and those two hand it out in spades.
Domingo and Scotto make a good second, IMO, but somehow Domingo seems to
hold too much in reserve during the duet.
Bjoerling's plangent sound seems odd to me all through the opera, but then
makes the final scene something out of this world. Of his recordings, I
like the one with Tebaldi better.
Try to find a recording with Enrico di Giuseppe on the part. I saw him at
the Met some 25 years ago, and his performance was truly memorable. It was
a wild Cav/Pag with Dunn, McNeill (Alfio and Tonio), and Vickers as Canio in
"Pagliacci." The contrast of a bright, reckless Turiddu in the first opera
and a dark, brooding Canio in the second made this a winning combination.
Valfer
"Matt Philmon" <mphi...@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:EeFO7.65261$8n4.3...@e3500-atl1.usenetserver.com...
Matthew B. Tepper
news:20011203021520...@mb-fp.aol.com:
> I like the Milanov, Bjoerling, Merrill recording best of those I have
> heard. (on RCA)
That's my top recommendation too (mostly for Bjoerling), but I also like
the live Mascagni one in Holland, which I have on Bongiovanni. It doesn't
have Gigli as in the composer's EMI recording, but what the heck, it's
exciting.
--
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
Top 3 worst UK exports: Mad-cow; Foot-and-mouth; Charlotte Church
Ancona21
no one recommend a "decent" live performance?
Ancona
Barbara Gross
recommend the Corelli - de los Angeles studio recording, not only for the
Turiddu/Santuzza duets, but also for the barn-burning-explosive
Alfio/Santuzza
duet with Mario Sereni. De los Angeles tosses in a dead-on interpolated high
C
at the end of the duet! Brava Victoria!!!
-Bibi
>===== Original Message From "Valfer" <val...@msn.com> =====
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Leonard Tillman
> los Angeles studio recording, not only for the
> Turiddu/Santuzza duets, but also for the
> barn-burning-explosive Alfio/Santuzza
>duet with Mario Sereni. De los Angeles tosses
> in a dead-on interpolated high C
>at the end of the duet! Brava Victoria!!!
>-Bibi
-- A CD player made of asbestos would be a good investment - the
*heat* of that performance nearly melted mine!!
LT
Leonard Tillman
quality (to be expected), is the Corelli, Simionato, and Guelfi CD, --
which may have been issued on more than one label.
LT
Barbara Gross
-BB
>===== Original Message From tapef...@webtv.net (Leonard Tillman) =====
------------------------------------------------------------
Ancona21
LT >>
Yes. I have this one and was hoping someone would mention it.
Ancona
David Melnick
Yes. I grew up on Milanov/Bjoerling, but I recently heard DiStefano/Callas (thanks
to AE's recommendation of Pippo's Pagliacci), and it became the essential one.
I saw them in S.F. on that '74 farewell tour, and the Cavalleria duet was the only
piece in which they really caught fire.
The Tebaldi-Bjoerling never quite did it for me.
I remember the Mascagni-conducted one on 78s. I thought at the time that it was too
slow! But I've got it now, amid a stack of other stuff I've borrowed, and look
forward to hearing it.
My first live Santuzza was Simionato, and someday I'll find her recording. (I was
just listening to the Olivero Adriana and realizing that Simionato was the real
star of that recording. <<armor's on!>> :-) )
David
Matthew B. Tepper
news:20011203130724...@mb-fc.aol.com:
> If I am not mistaken, all of the recommendations so far are studio
> sets. Can no one recommend a "decent" live performance?
Cough -- the Mascagni one I mentioned is not the studio one, but the live
from Holland on 7 November 1938, with Bruna Lisa Rasa (a cast member in
common with the EMI), Antonio Melandri, Maria Meloni, Afri Poli, and Rina
Gallo Toscani. Bongiovanni BG 1050-2, one very well-filled CD (which also
means it's faster than the studio job). Melandri ain't no Gigli, but he
ain't half bad.
Skip
chopped liver either......... Lina is wonderful.................
"Matthew B. Tepper" <oy兀earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:3gSO7.16474$Ao6.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Barbara Gross
is...
-BB
>===== Original Message From "Skip" <!sk...@nospam.com.nyc.rr.com> =====
>I have that one also Matthew, I agree Melandri ain't no Gigli, but he isn't
>chopped liver either......... Lina is wonderful.................
>"Matthew B. Tepper" <oyþ@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>news:3gSO7.16474$Ao6.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
>> anco...@aol.com (Ancona21) wrote in
>> news:20011203130724...@mb-fc.aol.com:
>>
>> > If I am not mistaken, all of the recommendations so far are studio
>> > sets. Can no one recommend a "decent" live performance?
>>
>> Cough -- the Mascagni one I mentioned is not the studio one, but the live
>> from Holland on 7 November 1938, with Bruna Lisa Rasa (a cast member in
>> common with the EMI), Antonio Melandri, Maria Meloni, Afri Poli, and Rina
>> Gallo Toscani. Bongiovanni BG 1050-2, one very well-filled CD (which also
>> means it's faster than the studio job). Melandri ain't no Gigli, but he
>> ain't half bad.
>>
>> --
>> 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
>> Top 3 worst UK exports: Mad-cow; Foot-and-mouth; Charlotte Church
>
------------------------------------------------------------
Skip
"Barbara Gross" <Barbar...@MailAndNews.com> wrote in message
news:3C11...@MailAndNews.com...
Right on, Skip. Lina kicks booty as Santuzza! What a treat this recording
is...
-BB
>===== Original Message From "Skip" <!sk...@nospam.com.nyc.rr.com> =====
>I have that one also Matthew, I agree Melandri ain't no Gigli, but he isn't
>chopped liver either......... Lina is wonderful.................
>"Matthew B. Tepper" <oy兀earthlink.net> wrote in message
REG
and Simionato from her first year at the MET - it's just excerpts, but she
is without peer that night...I dare say that even Bruna Rasa doesn't quite
do what GS could do
"Ancona21" <anco...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20011203130724...@mb-fc.aol.com...
Mike Richter
>
> Can someone recommend a decent recording of Cavalleria Rusticana?
Adultery, extramarital sex, death in a duel - what do you consider
decency?
<G>
Seriously, almost everyone here can (and many will) recommend their
favorites. There are many excellent recordings - get the one that has
the properties you like.
Karen Mercedes
> Can someone recommend a decent recording of Cavalleria Rusticana?
The 1940 La Scala performance with Gigli, Bruna Rasa, Becchi, and
Simionato, and conducted by Mascagni himself - on NAXOS Historical,
remastered by the brilliant Ward Marston.
Karen Mercedes
http://www.radix.net/~dalila/index.html
***************************************
Verdi and Wagner delighted the crowds
With their highly original sound.
The pianos they played are still working,
But they're both six feet underground.
- Michael Palin
Nancy
> In article <EeFO7.65261$8n4.3...@e3500-atl1.usenetserver.com>, "Matt
> Philmon" <mphi...@pobox.com> wrote:
>
> > Can someone recommend a decent recording of Cavalleria Rusticana?
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Matt
>
> The von Karajan on DGG is very good, as is the Levine on RCA. I'm not sure
> if it's available on CD, but Muti's recording on EMI (involving Caballe,
> Carreras and Managuerra) is excellent. Carreras could *really* sing back
> then!
Anyone who heard Carreras at Carnegie Hall on Oct. 11 knows that he
can STILL "really" sing.
Barbara Gross
>===== Original Message From Richard Harding <richard...@somenet.ukr>
=====
>Scotto, Domingo, Elvira, Isola Jones, Ambrosian Op. Ch., Nat. Ph.
>Orch., Levine. RCA
>
>Any opinions on the above recording?
>
>Richard
Eckingair
Simionato as Mama Lucia? I've heard that Maestro Mascagni's tempi are slow
compared to other conductors.
>From: "Skip" !sk...@nospam.com.nyc.rr.com
>Newsgroups: rec.music.opera
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GRNDPADAVE
>Date: 12/04/2001 12:18 PM Central Standard Time
>Message-id: <en4q0u8u1caloatiu...@4ax.com>
>
>Scotto, Domingo, Elvira, Isola Jones, Ambrosian Op. Ch., Nat. Ph.
>Orch., Levine. RCA
>
>Any opinions on the above recording?
>
>Richard
>
Normally I enjoy all these artists, but this recording seems to be flown on
auto-pilot.
Even Levine is sluggish. I much prefer the recordings led by Erede, Serafin,
von Karajan or Cellini. DiStefano is my favorite Turiddu -- providing both
fiery and suave singing. Domingo is a bit too uninvolved as the Sicilian
Romeo.
Callas is my favorite Santuzza by a considerable margin. Her voice was in
great shapr when she made her studio recording.
==G/P Dave
Leonard Tillman
> Ambrosian Op. Ch., Nat. Ph. Orch., Levine.
> RCA
>Any opinions on the above recording?
>Richard
A fine recording. Pablo Elvira was one of the most dynamic of
Alfios, although I don't recall him doing that role often.
( BTW - this recording was, IIRC, the first Cavalleria to be issued on
*one* LP.)
LT
REG
"Eckingair" <ecki...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20011204142639...@mb-mm.aol.com...
Oisk17
is played by "Carol Smith, contralto." "Is that a mistake?" she asked. "When
she sings with Milanov her voice doesn't seem any deeper than Milanov's. Why
is this a contralto role?" The small role does contain a few low notes, but
to be honest, having heard and seen Cav many times, I never considered Lola a
contralto role, although it apparently is one. Listening again, to Smith and
Milanov, I can hear exactly what my puzzled student means.
Comments would be greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Paul (barely competent opera instructor...)
Leonard Tillman
with all the stereo and digital sets since, but, IMVHO, no collection
would be complete without it:
It's conducted by the composer; It has *Gigli's* legendary Turiddu;
and the Alfio, is one of the all-time greatest baritones, Gino Bechi.
LT
David Melnick
Leonard Tillman wrote:
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but there is some film of Gigli in
Cavalleria that is priceless. It was played to fill out a two-hour
slot on PBS in San Francisco after Domingo's Cavalleria was
telecast. I didn't have a video recorder at the time.
It's probably from a movie. If I remember, it consists of the Mamma, quel
vino e generoso plus Alfio's challenge, and possibly to the end of the opera
(although I don't remember that part).
He is magnificent, and it utterly refutes the theory that acting
in opera is better today than it was before World War II.
David
David Melnick
Alfio's challenge & the Mamma . . . .
David
dtritter
appropriate for lola. it was more a question of the fact that carol
smith was a damned fine singer.
dft
=======
TheDivo
daniel f. tritter
clip of gigli doing the brindisi and addio alla madre to the end is a vitaphone
early talkie, part of a series. it was done with a single fixed camera and for
the sound of gigli is wonderful ... for the "staging," it is genuinely party
time. does anybody know if there are other such entries in the vitaphone shorts
collection done about this time (c. 1927)?
dft
=============
Mitchell Kaufman
> I'm sure I've mentioned this before, but there is some film of Gigli in
> Cavalleria that is priceless. It was played to fill out a two-hour
> slot on PBS in San Francisco after Domingo's Cavalleria was
> telecast. I didn't have a video recorder at the time.
>
> It's probably from a movie. If I remember, it consists of the Mamma, quel
> vino e generoso plus Alfio's challenge, and possibly to the end of the opera
> (although I don't remember that part).
> He is magnificent, and it utterly refutes the theory that acting
> in opera is better today than it was before World War II.
It's one of the Vitaphone shorts.
One of the greatest of these has Martinelli singing "Torna a Surriento"
while rowing a gondola (available on that "Great Voices of the Century"
video, or whatever it's called).
An interesting point about these films is that the sound was recorded on
disc "live" as the cameras rolled. No lip-synching on these.
MK
Valfer
two weeks earlier covering for an indisposed McNeil (or was it Milnes?).
God rest his soul, he was one of the most elegant baritones of his
generation both in singing and in stage demeanor, not the rough-edged
character Alfio demands. Pablo favored the bel canto roles, and his Figaro
was peerless.
Valfer
"Leonard Tillman" <tapef...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:18737-3C...@storefull-216.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
Leonard Tillman
> opposed to mezzo, is appropriate for lola. it
> was more a question of the fact that carol
> smith was a damned fine singer.
>dft
------------------------------------
And hers was yet another voice I'd like to have heard more of.
As for a soprano having a deeper sound than a lower voiced
singer.....I've noticed that somehow, a true *dramatic* soprano -
especially a Milanov - could give that impression, though theoretically,
it shouldn't be so ( -- To me, so did Leontyne Price, and sometimes
Nilsson). It may be that the opulence and vocal "roundness" of such
sopranos just has that effect.
It's similar with some dramatic/heroic tenors in scenes with those
who are technically baritones in range, but with perhaps lighter vocal
color.
Mario del Monaco seemed to have that effect with some of his
baritone colleagues (though not the most notable ones).
----------------------------
Oisk17 wrote:
>One of my students noted that the role of Lola
> on the Bjoerling - Milanov Cav is played by
> "Carol Smith, contralto." "Is that a mistake?"
> she asked. "When she sings with Milanov her
> voice doesn't seem any deeper than
> Milanov's. Why is this a contralto role?" The
> small role does contain a few low notes, but
> to be honest, having heard and seen Cav
> many times, I never considered Lola a
> contralto role, although it apparently is one.
> Listening again, to Smith and Milanov, I can
> hear exactly what my puzzled student means.
>Comments would be greatly appreciated.
>Regards,
>Paul (barely competent opera instructor...)
-----------------------
I'm sure you do yourself an injustice, Paul. :-)
LT
Leonard Tillman
> role. He made his actual debut two weeks
> earlier covering for an indisposed McNeil (or
> was it Milnes?).
I *think* it was Milnes, - I'm not sure, either.
>God rest his soul, he was one
> of the most elegant baritones of his
> generation both in singing and in stage
> demeanor, not the rough-edged character
> Alfio demands.
But dymamic nonetheless.
For the coarser type of Alfio, - I'd think of G.G. Guelfi, or
Bastianini.
> Pablo favored the bel canto
> roles, and his Figaro was peerless.
I also remember a model performance of "Ernani"'s Carlo V, in '85, and
the best-acted Marcello I've seen in person (of the Boheme's I've been
to, his only rival in that role - and that's for the vocalism - was
Cossa).
>Valfer
LT
David Melnick
"daniel f. tritter" wrote:
> a vitaphone
> early talkie,
> ... for the "staging," it is genuinely party
> time.
Aww! I loved it, not as camp but as a specimen of how wonderful operatic acting
could be once upon a time.
Gigli himself had a physical counterpart to every phrase, and
his baby face was perfect for a "weak" Turiddu.
The choristers looked more like the Sicilians I saw on my first
visit there in 1959 than any I've seen on stage since. Even
the stark Ponnelle production (all widows, all the time) was
far too stylized, though the sets were true to life.
Coming right after the Domingo performance, it showed up
Domingo as just another opera singer (and in the '70s I yielded
to no one as a fan of Domingo's acting).
David
MarkZ1000
recommend one where you would honestly give it 10 for sound and 10 for
performance lemme know!
Mark Zimmerman * Chicago
To reply remove "nospam"
Leonard Tillman
> it. If any of you can recommend one where
> you would honestly give it 10 for sound and
> 10 for performance lemme know!
>Mark Zimmerman * Chicago
Closest I can make it is to mention the Corelli, de los Angeles, Sereni,
set - 8.5 for sound, and 11.5(!) for performance (kind of evens things
up), and my same appraisals of the Bjoerling, Tebaldi, Bastianini
performance.
(And I've enjoyed even *recalling* them!)
LT
Leonard Tillman
>a vitaphone
>early talkie,
> ... for the "staging," it is genuinely party time.
--------------------------
Dave Melnick wrote:
>Aww! I loved it, not as camp but as a
> specimen of how wonderful operatic acting
> could be once upon a time.
>Gigli himself had a physical counterpart to
> every phrase, and his baby face was perfect
> for a "weak" Turiddu.
I've got to tell you, Dave, I loved it too.
(I think it's been shown again on PBS as a filler a couple of years ago,
and more recently on Classic Arts Showcase.) But Gigli standing almost
back to back with the baritone, with their arms folded, seemed about as
ferocious as two rmo-ers meeting in person, and arguing the merits of a
singer.....(OTOH, that wouldn't be so peaceful either, huh?)
LT
David Melnick
> I've got to tell you, Dave, I loved it too.
> (I think it's been shown again on PBS as a filler a couple of years ago,
> and more recently on Classic Arts Showcase.) But Gigli standing almost
> back to back with the baritone, with their arms folded, seemed about as
> ferocious as two rmo-ers meeting in person, and arguing the merits of a
> singer.....(OTOH, that wouldn't be so peaceful either, huh?)
>
> LT
I haven't seen it since the '80s, and a friend with whom I
talked about it the very next day thought it was hilarious.
But I was in the mood for some old-time religion after that
verrry serious and trendy post-'60s Domingo Cavalleria.
So I grabbed onto it like a bone and still haven't let it go.
By the way, has there been a "best Gigli" thread?
I just bought the Gigli/Caniglia Tosca, and that third act is
immense!
I think I've narrowed down my search for the O Paradiso I was seeking. I'm
pretty
sure it's the 1928 version. Someday I'll get the Romophone
collection and relive that one. (I gave away my RCA Italiana LP
years ago.)
But there's so much -- all those songs, too. I've mentioned
his early electric Musica proibita. I haven't heard everybody's
version, but of those I've heard, he's unmatched (umm, IMO).
Well, thanks for the excuse to ramble, and the bandwidth.
David
Leonard Tillman
>But there's so much -- all those songs, too.
> I've mentioned his early electric Musica
> proibita. I haven't heard everybody's version,
> but of those I've heard, he's unmatched
> (umm, IMO).
That very beautiful song, I was introduced to, over forty years ago, by
Mario Lanza's old album of "Caruso Favorites"; a little while
afterwards, I heard Caruso's version....the first ten notes struck me as
partly similar to those of "O Promise Me"....
>Well, thanks for the excuse to ramble, and the
> bandwidth.
>David
-- Ah, But the rambling we do here is all part of the fun! :-)
LT