Dvorak operas

[Kevin]

My apologies for replying to such an old thread but I'm curious if you've got around to discovering more operas by Dvorak Alan? If you don't mind what are your thoughts of them if you have.

[Alan Howe]

I can't say I have. It's ages since I listened to one by him. Apologies.

[Kevin]

No problem. I'd recommend, if you haven't heard them already, the Jacobin and the Devil and Kate for future listening for you. Both are comedies and are of high inspiration especially Jacobin which is his greatest comedy and most performed opera after Rusalka in his homeland.

[Alan Howe]

I am currently listening to Act 3 of The Jacobin - and it rather confirms my general impression that Dvořák's best music isn't to be found in his operas (with the exception of Rusalka). It's beautifully written for the orchestra, of course, but it just seems to me that it just 'jogs along' rather than really grabbing the listener. And then a beautiful tune arrives (typical of this great composer, of course)...

Perhaps it's me - or maybe I just need to try harder...

[Kevin]

Yes, Act 3 of Jacobin is the weakest act of that work, it concerns the father and son reconciliation. The best music is to be found in Act 1 and 2. It shows superb control dramatically and musically IMO - worthy of Smetana, in fact experts have suggested it could rival the Bartered bride.

I've found the Gerd Albrecht Orfeo series of his operas the most convincing.

[Alan Howe]

Yes, Albrecht is a very gifted opera conductor, I agree.

Interestingly, I have recently come to enjoy The Bartered Bride through Kempe's classic recording, which is in German! Something to do with a cast including Lorengar, Wunderlich and Frick, I think. And so we come back to the question of casting: on the whole I simply want better singing in many of the Dvorak opera recordings. Too many squally sopranos, bleating tenors and fuzzy baritones, I fear. But I suppose there's not much of a pool of Czech-speaking singers to choose from. If only all the singing in Albrecht's Jacobin were as good as Michal Lehotsky's Jiří, for example.

[Kevin]

Quite right, the Kempe recording is my favourite as well, I always had doubts before...

I'm not too fussy about singing to be honest, as long as the whole carries the work off convincingly I'm happy. I'm strange in that way.

[Alan Howe]

It's often the quality of the singing that puts me off - so I'm rather the opposite. I've always believed that opera should be properly sung, i.e. by artists with firm, well-produced voices. After all, we wouldn't accept recordings of, say, violin concertos involving soloists playing scrawny violins.

If only we had had modern recording technology earlier in the century - I believe we would have had a whole slew of better sung performances - and not only in Czech opera!

[eschiss1]

The Spectre's Bride's more of an oratorio, since you mention it, but no reason not to include those works here too. I like Albrecht's recording, haven't heard or heard of Kempe's.
Kert (Kate and the Devil) which I've heard on YouTube in a fun amateur translated (Dutch, not a language I know) performance sounds rather good too.

[Alan Howe]

haven't heard or heard of Kempe's

Apologies, Eric, that was a reference to his famous recording of the Smetana.

[scottevan]

"Vanda" gets my recommendation, largely for its melodic power and large-scale scenes that brim with dramatic tension. One reason, perhaps, for its unsung status is the historical setting: a Czech opera on a Polish subject. I can imagine challenges translating the story beyond the eastern European sphere.

Once again, the definitive version is that conducted by Gerd Albrecht; as far as I know it's the only complete version available.

I heartily agree with the statement that if you're drawn to Dvorak, you'll have a lot to discover, and enjoy, with Smetana. Given a random piece of music, I admit there are times when I might have a hard time deciding whether Smetana or Dvorak was the actual composer. especially in the comic operas. But that truly doesn't matter given music as infectious and pleasing as this.

"The Brandenburgers in Bohemia" is my favorite of Smetana's, largely for the similar qualities I find in "Vanda." And it gets just about as much attention, which is almost nil.

[Kevin]

I heartily agree with the statement that if you're drawn to Dvorak, you'll have a lot to discover, and enjoy, with Smetana. Given a random piece of music, I admit there are times when I might have a hard time deciding whether Smetana or Dvorak was the actual composer. especially in the comic operas. But that truly doesn't matter given music as infectious and pleasing as this.

Excellently said.

I will say that the general agreement about Dvorak operas is that Dmitrji is considered to be his finest opera after Rusalka by scholars/ experts. I didn't want to mention it because it belongs to the now so called ''out moded'' form of grand opera which is frowned upon just about everywhere nowadays. Which is a shame because I love Meyerbeer! Again Albrecht comes to the rescue with a just about complete recording on Supraphon which is long out of print sadly.

EDIT: I see youtube has the complete album to listen to. Now nobodies got an excuse not to listen to a great work!

[eschiss1]

Ok, but could Smetana operas/other dramatic choral works get a separate thread rather than seeming to be brought up in one out of every three posts in this one

[Alan Howe]

Be our guest, Eric! See new thread: http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,7355.0.html

[Jim]

I have been trying to get hold of a full score (miniature/study/PDF etc.) of The Spectre's Bride, but it appears to be impossible in the UK. I'd be grateful for any leads.