HMMMM
This is thread to write about Elisir's you've heard and share your impressions. I've checked most of famous recordings of it and I'm wondering if I've missed any notable rendition. I shall share my thoughts on those I've heard so far in case anyone would consider extending his Elisir collection.
I has these:
In this recording you have Domingo at his best. Domingo is class of it's own but he made so many recordings that among them there are many disappointing ones. This one surely doesn't belong to them. It's one of those recordings where every single note from a singer is beautiful solely because of his splendid voice, even if it's only recitativo. I'd say it's the best Nemorino I've heard. Cotrubas soft voice lacks dramatic strenght but who would expect it from Adina? She is magnificent here, especially when he sings the act II barcarolle so coquettishly. Belcore is very good too, Dulcamara - well, he's okay. Orchestra sounds perfect, the way they play introduction from act II (before cantiamo) they give this fragment all justice - all other recordings make it sound flat but here the whole character of this characteristic part comes out.
Carreras sings great but he is the only bright star here. I can't say I liked Ricciarelli's Adina, nor the orchestra which sounds flat all the way and doesn't expose all those great rhythms and factures well. There is also Nucci. He, why does he appear on most of these CDs? Because he's the best Belcore to find? CERTAINLY.
Btw, there is some unreleased (apparently) recording with Carreras and other singers from Vienna:
And it seems great. Too bad it's impossible to get.
Pavarotti and Battle make very good pair of main character and especially Pavarotti made me rediscover some fragments. He sings the ending of Dulcamara/Nemorino duet in act I unlike others, he finds a way to cooperate with the other guy and sings softer. Another + for orchestra but none for Dulcamara. And there is Nucci, too, perhaps in his best Belcore incarnation among CDs.
I've written about Pavarotti before. Sutherland doesn't really convice me as Adina but there is one aspect in which this version is superior to previous Pavarotti CD - Dulcamara. I liked this one much better, though overally I'll take the first of Pavarotti CDs over this.
Now the famous DVD. Would you guess? Villazon is great tenor. For today's standards he is exceptional. He has strong, solid voice of unique brand and doesn't sing like anemic. Compared to someone like Alagna he is indeed great singer. I don't think I have to say anything about Netrebko. But I do have to say something about D'Arcangelo. He is the best Dulcamara of all I've heard. Most of them spoil the barcarole and many other parts with silly staccato phrasing and are overacting to achieve bad comic effect. He doesn't do neither yet he is the most convicing, both musically and as a character. And there is the visual aspect. Netrebko and Villazon know each other so well that their performance is so natural and sincere that I could hardly imagine better. Nucci also turns out to be not only great Belcore singer but the actor too. Just look at his gallantery while singing "come Paride vezzoso" - he instantly became my hero. I almost regret that he eventually loose with Nemorino. Also, of all DVDs with Netrebko, this one is perhaps where she looks most remarkably beautiful. Staging. It's good though apparently very old (look to the youtube link at Carreras part).
This is thread to write about Elisir's you've heard and share your impressions. I've checked most of famous recordings of it and I'm wondering if I've missed any notable rendition. I shall share my thoughts on those I've heard so far in case anyone would consider extending his Elisir collection.
I has these:
In this recording you have Domingo at his best. Domingo is class of it's own but he made so many recordings that among them there are many disappointing ones. This one surely doesn't belong to them. It's one of those recordings where every single note from a singer is beautiful solely because of his splendid voice, even if it's only recitativo. I'd say it's the best Nemorino I've heard. Cotrubas soft voice lacks dramatic strenght but who would expect it from Adina? She is magnificent here, especially when he sings the act II barcarolle so coquettishly. Belcore is very good too, Dulcamara - well, he's okay. Orchestra sounds perfect, the way they play introduction from act II (before cantiamo) they give this fragment all justice - all other recordings make it sound flat but here the whole character of this characteristic part comes out.
Carreras sings great but he is the only bright star here. I can't say I liked Ricciarelli's Adina, nor the orchestra which sounds flat all the way and doesn't expose all those great rhythms and factures well. There is also Nucci. He, why does he appear on most of these CDs? Because he's the best Belcore to find? CERTAINLY.
Btw, there is some unreleased (apparently) recording with Carreras and other singers from Vienna:
And it seems great. Too bad it's impossible to get.
Pavarotti and Battle make very good pair of main character and especially Pavarotti made me rediscover some fragments. He sings the ending of Dulcamara/Nemorino duet in act I unlike others, he finds a way to cooperate with the other guy and sings softer. Another + for orchestra but none for Dulcamara. And there is Nucci, too, perhaps in his best Belcore incarnation among CDs.
I've written about Pavarotti before. Sutherland doesn't really convice me as Adina but there is one aspect in which this version is superior to previous Pavarotti CD - Dulcamara. I liked this one much better, though overally I'll take the first of Pavarotti CDs over this.
Now the famous DVD. Would you guess? Villazon is great tenor. For today's standards he is exceptional. He has strong, solid voice of unique brand and doesn't sing like anemic. Compared to someone like Alagna he is indeed great singer. I don't think I have to say anything about Netrebko. But I do have to say something about D'Arcangelo. He is the best Dulcamara of all I've heard. Most of them spoil the barcarole and many other parts with silly staccato phrasing and are overacting to achieve bad comic effect. He doesn't do neither yet he is the most convicing, both musically and as a character. And there is the visual aspect. Netrebko and Villazon know each other so well that their performance is so natural and sincere that I could hardly imagine better. Nucci also turns out to be not only great Belcore singer but the actor too. Just look at his gallantery while singing "come Paride vezzoso" - he instantly became my hero. I almost regret that he eventually loose with Nemorino. Also, of all DVDs with Netrebko, this one is perhaps where she looks most remarkably beautiful. Staging. It's good though apparently very old (look to the youtube link at Carreras part).