Thread: Looking for recommendations for a La Sonnambula CD

Originally Posted by Barbebleu

My recommendation for Sonnambula would be not to listen to it but that's probably not the question you are really asking here! Never saw the point of Bellini unless it is the cocktail! if forced to listen to it at gunpoint I would opt for the one with Joan Sutherland. It's her repertoire and she excels at the canary fancying stuff.

Well Callas is about as far from a canary-fancier's singer as you are likely to get, even though her coloratura technique was second to none, but then you need more than a canary to reveal the emotional depth at the heart of these operas. La Sonnambula was actually written for, and created by, the same singer for whom Bellini wrote Norma.

As a Wagner lover, you no doubt know Wagner thought very highly of Bellini, and of Norma in particular.

Bellini’s music and particularly his vocal melody, has of late excited so much attention, and kindled so much enthusiasm, even in Germany, the land of the learned…Melody is in short the language in which a man should impart his musical thoughts to others, and if this be not as independently constructed and conserved as every other cultivated language should be, how shall he make himself understood?” Wagner tenderly called Bellini the “gentle Sicilian,” and suggested that his flowing melodies had the unique italiante capacity for “bel canto” expressiveness.

We must not be ashamed to shed a tear and express emotion. It is not a crime to believe in this music. People think that I detest the entire Italian school, in particular Bellini. This is not true – a thousand times no! Bellini is my first preference, because there is strength in his vocal writing, and his music lends itself so perfectly to the original text .... Of all Bellini’s operas, Norma is the one which unites the richest flow of melody with the deepest glow of truth .... I admire Norma’s melodic inspiration, which joins the most intimate passion to the most profound reality; a great score that talks straight to the heart – a work of genius.

Originally Posted by The Conte

Right Greg, get the manacles, give him the finale to Norma until he changes his mind! (One of the Callas studio recordings, of course.)

N.

Who else? Though personally I'd go for the 1955 live La Scala version.

Originally Posted by Pugg

If it wasn't so sad, I would laugh out loud.

Strange how someone always complains about double standards on this forum and also about so called " haters" is in fact not one hair better the the rest off the bully's .

Live must be very could on such a moral high ground

To whom is this comment directed Pugg?

Originally Posted by Barbebleu

To whom is this comment directed Pugg?

I think it may be directed at me, though I'm not at all sure what precipitated it.

Originally Posted by GregMitchell

Well Callas is about as far from a canary-fancier's singer as you are likely to get, even though her coloratura technique was second to none, but then you need more than a canary to reveal the emotional depth at the heart of these operas. La Sonnambula was actually written for, and created by, the same singer for whom Bellini wrote Norma.

As a Wagner lover, you no doubt know Wagner thought very highly of Bellini, and of Norma in particular.

Bellini’s music and particularly his vocal melody, has of late excited so much attention, and kindled so much enthusiasm, even in Germany, the land of the learned…Melody is in short the language in which a man should impart his musical thoughts to others, and if this be not as independently constructed and conserved as every other cultivated language should be, how shall he make himself understood?” Wagner tenderly called Bellini the “gentle Sicilian,” and suggested that his flowing melodies had the unique italiante capacity for “bel canto” expressiveness.

We must not be ashamed to shed a tear and express emotion. It is not a crime to believe in this music. People think that I detest the entire Italian school, in particular Bellini. This is not true – a thousand times no! Bellini is my first preference, because there is strength in his vocal writing, and his music lends itself so perfectly to the original text .... Of all Bellini’s operas, Norma is the one which unites the richest flow of melody with the deepest glow of truth .... I admire Norma’s melodic inspiration, which joins the most intimate passion to the most profound reality; a great score that talks straight to the heart – a work of genius.

But we all know that Wagner was mad!! Ah well. Next you'll be telling me that I should listen to Donizzetti too!

Just for the record I hope I haven't offended anyone here with my comments, nor have I taken offence. I think the poking of a little gentle fun is acceptable but I find more and more that people are very quick to take offence on a lot of the threads. That's the problem with forums. You can't see the expression on someone's face to realise that they are, as we say in Scotland, "takin' a len' o' ye." If I was to take the huff everytime someone said something I didn't agree with or I said something that others disagreed with, my wife and I would very rarely speak. That was a joke for those with a sensayuma by-pass (little James Bond reference there). Life is short, let's make it enjoyable.

Originally Posted by Barbebleu

But we all know that Wagner was mad!! Ah well. Next you'll be telling me that I should listen to Donizzetti too!

Just for the record I hope I haven't offended anyone here with my comments, nor have I taken offence. I think the poking of a little gentle fun is acceptable but I find more and more that people are very quick to take offence on a lot of the threads. That's the problem with forums. You can't see the expression on someone's face to realise that they are, as we say in Scotland, "takin' a len' o' ye." If I was to take the huff everytime someone said something I didn't agree with or I said something that others disagreed with, my wife and I would very rarely speak. That was a joke for those with a sensayuma by-pass (little James Bond reference there). Life is short, let's make it enjoyable.

No offence taken - by me anyway

Though I think, once Conte and I have manacled you to that chair, we shouldn't stop at Norma. I think a few days of continuous Donizetti, Rossini and Bellini will do the trick. It might of course just turn you into one of their "mad" heroines, but I'm willing to take the risk.

Originally Posted by Pugg

He / She who fits the shoe.

So if your little diatribe was directed at me, could I ask just what or whom I'm being accused of "hating" and "bullying"?

Originally Posted by GregMitchell

No offence taken - by me anyway

Though I think, once Conte and I have manacled you to that chair, we shouldn't stop at Norma. I think a few days of continuous Donizetti, Rossini and Bellini will do the trick. It might of course just turn you into one of their "mad" heroines, but I'm willing to take the risk.

I have to admit that I do love the mad scene from Lucia and there are odd arias and overtures by all three of the aforementioned composers I do listen to but I'm not keen on the full operas.

Originally Posted by GregMitchell

I think it may be directed at me, though I'm not at all sure what precipitated it.

I am completely perplexed, Greg - I've read and re-read what you posted on this thread recently and just don't see how the shoe fits your foot

Originally Posted by Barbebleu

Next you'll be telling me that I should listen to Donizzetti too!

I don't say you should .... but I would recommend it.

You might even enjoy it .... (and for a long time, I was one of those who would have denied all possibility of this happening)

Originally Posted by Barbebleu

I have to admit that I do love the mad scene from Lucia and there are odd arias and overtures by all three of the aforementioned composers I do listen to but I'm not keen on the full operas.

Aha! The manacles, the red-hot poker and memories of Edward II seem to have worked