What are some good opera CDs to listen to?

Question

I am fairly new to opera but I've heard some and I've liked Vissi d'Arte by Giacomo Puccini and the song from Turandot which the girl sings before she commits suicide in the place of the guy (who I think might be a prince) who was supposed to be killed. I've heard some other ones too but I unfortunately don't remember the names. So what are some operas that you would suggest? Thanks.

Answer 1

I could be here all day answering this one! If you just want arias/ bits of opera, then try getting your hands on some compilation CDs of singers like:

- Pilar Lorengar on Decca (soprano)

- Kiri Te Kanawa (maybe the Italian opera arias one on EMI?)

- opera duet recordings maybe - the Angela Gheorghiu/Roberto Alagna one has some great pieces on it

- anything with Leontyne Price, Placido Domingo, Thomas Allen, Simon Keenlyside, Anna Netrebko, Juan Diego Florez, Luciano Pavarotti............there are a lot of great singers you should listen to, both past and present.



And another great way to get into opera is to watch some DVDs/videos - you can always 'fast forward' the bits you don't like so much! I learnt so much about opera from watching a lot of the old Royal Opera House productions on video during my teens when I first got into opera. And some of the films: 'Otello', 'Don Giovanni', 'Madama Butterfly', 'Tosca' + 'La Traviata' (to name but a few) really had an impression on me.





If you want full operas recordings, check out the rest of Puccini, I'm sure you'd love 'La Boheme' + 'Manon Lescaut'. In a similar vein to Puccini are operas such as 'Andrea Chenier' by Giordano (you'll recognise the soprano aria 'La Mamma Morta', used in the film 'Philadelphia'); also try Verdi's 'Otello' or 'Rigoletto'; and how about 'Eugene Onegin' by Tchaikovsky - great 'tunes' in this one. Then maybe move on to my favourite: Richard Strauss - especially 'Der Rosenkavalier' and 'Salome'....I could go on! But I won't......



Opera is my greatest obsession, so sorry for such a long answer! If you keep on listening and watching opera, it may just get under your skin too! Have fun

Answer 2

I have had the same obsession as Helen C . for many years, I now am listening to the older recordings. The Puccini and Verdi recordings with Ponselle, Muzio, Gigli, Martinelli seem better to me. Opera"s Golden Age was, to me the best.

Some sugestions: Rigoletto with Gobbi, never done better. , Otello with Martinelli , unequaled. The Toscanini recording of Boheme. he got it exactly right , and he hums while conducting. The Callas Lucia is breathtaking.There is an Aida with Pinza , but I can't find the recording anywhere.

Answer 3

I am surprised no one mentioned Mozart's operas. I own four and love each one of them. I obtained my first early on in my classical music collecting days and did not regret it.



I checked out Tristan und Isolde from the library and did not get very far with it.



Mozart's operas are light (except Don Giovanni) and full of catchy tunes and easy to come to like.



The Escape from the Segralio, The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, and The Magic Flute are all winners.

Answer 4

Ariadne auf Naxos by Strauss!

Les indes galantes by Rameau!

Die frau ohne Schatten by Strauss!

I do not know why, but I am beginning to hate Puccini.



Barber of Seville! You are going to know a lot of the arias!

Anything by Bellini!



Heavier stuff to look up later on:



Wagner

Capriccio by Strauss (you need to develope a taste for him in advance)

Answer 5

Madam Butterfly is good.

"Candide" is semi-opera (depending on which version you get) and I LOVE that one.