I just listened to the "World of Opera" broadcast of Macbeth from the Vienna State Opera Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Alain Altinoglu. It's one of my favorite Verdi operas and I was wondering, are there any commercial recordings, CD or DVD, of the complete opera available which include the Act 3 ballet music in its proper location, not as an added supplement? If there are, please let me know their label and catalog number.
On another subject, I just received an announcement from Opera Rara on their future recording plans in 2016 through 2018. The following works were listed:
BELLINI - Adelson e Salvini (May 2016 Recording);
ROSSINI - Semiramide (August 2016 Uncut Recording);
GOUNOD - Le Médecin Malgré Lui (February 2017 Recording);
OFFENBACH - La Princesse de Trébizonde (December 2017 Recording);
DONIZETTI - L'ange de Nisida (July 2018 Recording);
LEONCAVALLO - Gli Zingari (No Recording Date Given);
DONIZETTI - Il Paria (No Recording Date Given);
MASSENET - Don César de Bazan (No Recording Date Given);
OFFENBACH - Maître Péronilla (No Recording Date Given);
PUCCINI - Le Villi (No Recording Date Given)
Plus a host of other long lost gems. No titles or composers were mentioned.
Good to see that OR are extending their range to the verismo repertoire.
And to Massenet, too.
And more Offenbach. Hurrah!
From Collrec:
Quoteare there any commercial recordings, CD or DVD, of the complete opera (Macbeth) available which include the Act 3 ballet music in its proper location, not as an added supplement? If there are, please let me know their label and catalog number.
I have a complete set of 3 CDs with "Ballo" in act three on DGG 431 412-2 dating from 1976.
Macbeth is Piero Cappuccilli, Lady Macbeth is Shirley Verrett, Banco is Nicolai Ghiaurov and Macduff is Placido Domingo. Coro e orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, conducted by Claudio Abbado. Total timing 153 minutes.
Right, BerlinExpat - and this is a splendid recording indeed :)
The bargain re-issue is on 2 CDs (449 732-2)
Very good news that "Don Cesar de Bazin" is at least on the radar for a recording. And if "Bacchus" gets on someone's list we will have [at least one way or another] recordings of all the extant, generally accepted, completed Massenet operas [well, there is the early one-acter "La Grande Tante" as well]. I still wonder what happened to the proposed Leon Botstein concert/recording of "Ariane" that was announced and then just vanished into thin air a couple of years ago ?
The Gardelli DECCA recording of Verdi's "Macbeth" has also the ballet music, and in its right place. A very good recording too - and I am daring enough to admit that I like Fischer-Dieskau in this role, as in all other Verdi roles he has immortalized.
I can't agree about Fischer-Dieskau in Verdi. He's intelligent, as always, but the voice is all wrong for this repertoire. When we have a choice between Milnes (for Muti) and Cappuccilli (for Abbado), I can't see the point in going for F-D. But then, voices excite very subjective responses, don't they?
Hi Alan :-)
Could almost bet that yours would be the first reaction... Anyhow, Verdi wanted some "special sounding" voices (and less belcanto-like ones) for some particular parts of his operas, like Macbeth and Othello. That's why, for example, James McCracken's and Ramon Vinay's interpretations are so exciting (and Fischer-Dieskau's Jago). Both Mrs and Mr. Macbeth were conceived for such kind of singers too, that's why I like this recording. The same goes, incidentally, for the part of Puccini's Scarpia: that's why Tito Gobbi and Fischer-Dieskau are also excellently cast. But you are right, it's a subjective matter too.
Gobbi's Scarpia is nonpareil: an extraordinary identification of singer and role. What F-D and Gobbi had in common, of course, was the ability truly to act with the voice - such that, once heard, you can't hear anyone else. Take, for example, the Nile Scene in Aida with Callas and Gobbi: if you've heard them, they spoil you for any other recording.
Now Vinay is a great Otello, but McCracken's voice has insufficient 'centre' for repeated listening. I'll take Vickers over him any day. Or Domingo. Or Martinelli.
Anyway, I trust that Opera Rara will engage some good singers, otherwise I won't be buying their forthcoming titles...