Goldmark Die Königin von Saba

[Dave]

That CPO album of "The Queen of Sheba" was nominated by Gramophone Magazine I think in 2016 or 2017.

[Alan Howe]

And it's a very fine set indeed - perhaps not sung with the abandon of the soloists on the wonderful Hungaroton set, but fully acceptable and often far more than that. The tenor is world-class.

It's currently available at half-price from jpc:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/karl-goldmark-die-koenigin-von-saba/hnum/8455682

Do try it if you don't know it!

[semloh]

What's the name of the tenor, Alan?

[Alan Howe]

Hi Colin: Nuttaporn Thammathi (from Thailand).

[semloh]

Ah, thanks Alan. I couldn't figure out who's who from the sleeves. I don't know much about opera, but goodness this really illustrates how international it has become. It sounds improbable, but I wonder if there's much interest in opera in Thailand.

[Alan Howe]

I can't be sure, but my guess is that there is a growing interest in opera and in singing in the far east. Some of the world's best tenors are names we hardly know in the west - and Mr Thammathi is a magnificent example of the current crop of young artists who are now storming the world's singing competitions.

Try these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnTNzc9Hudc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3dwkZahQTw

[eschiss1]

Or a growing awareness here of an already existing interest

[ewk]

Today, Youtube has prompted me to a 7-year old video of Tenor Ben Bliss, to my amateur ears an absolutely wonderful rendition of the famous aria "Magische Töne" from this opera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie697C-zj0g

Would be interested in what those with greater knowledge about singing say about this, but to my ears it's purely "Magische Töne" (magical sounds) – these high notes!

Best wishes, ewk

[Alan Howe]

He's American. And he sings very beautifully - yes. However, it's one thing to sing in this manner accompanied by piano and quite another to deliver the aria on the operatic stage. I have no idea whether he actually has the voice for what is quite a strenuous role. So, three cheers for a lovely rendition, but a question mark over his ability to take on the part of Assad as a whole.

The tenors who have actually recorded the role, Siegfried Jerusalem and Nuttaporn Thammathi, have much larger voices - e.g:
Jerusalem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p70JT-O6KZA 
Thammathi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3dwkZahQTw
(both at a much more realistic tempo, too!)

Nevertheless, I shall be watching out for Mr Bliss (great name!)