[Tsaraslondon]

It's a little too long for a comedy. And with all my love to Strauss Der Rosenkavalier seems to me the least memorable. Maybe the case is that I've never seen it in the theater.

I'm not sure that length should preclude comedy. You may not think of it as such, but Wagner seemed pretty sure he was writing a comic opera when he wrote Die Meistersinger. Strauss too, when he wrote Der Rosenkavalier, which is actually my favourite Strauss opera, though it's not the comic bits I like best. I love most of the first act. Some of the shenanigans in the second act can drive me a bit potty, but the Presentation of the Silver Rose is sublime. Again the beginning of the third act can be a little tedious, but from the entrance of the Marschallin onwards its glorious. Maybe it helps that I first saw it in my early twenties in a wonderful production by Scottish Opera, with Helga Dernesch as the most beautiful Marschallin imaginable. I hadn't heard a note of the music before, but I was hooked and the trio in the last act had us all in tears. A most memorable night in the theatre.

 

[Woodduck]

The answer of course is Meistersingers… Sixtus Beckmesser is the kind of character that Mel Brooks and Woody Allen have been affecting and perfecting over the last 70 years…

Trashy Italian opera does not count...

How about nontrashy Italian opera?

Hmmm... Relative to Meistersinger, only one title comes to mind.

 

[Barbebleu]

I'm not sure that length should preclude comedy. You may not think of it as such, but Wagner seemed pretty sure he was writing a comic opera when he wrote Die Meistersinger. Strauss too, when he wrote Der Rosenkavalier, which is actually my favourite Strauss opera, though it's not the comic bits I like best. I love most of the first act. Some of the shenanigans in the second act can drive me a bit potty, but the Presentation of the Silver Rose is sublime. Again the beginning of the third act can be a little tedious, but from the entrance of the Marschallin onwards its glorious. Maybe it helps that I first saw it in my early twenties in a wonderful production by Scottish Opera, with Helga Dernesch as the most beautiful Marschallin imaginable. I hadn't heard a note of the music before, but I was hooked and the trio in the last act had us all in tears. A most memorable night in the theatre.

Saw that production as well Tsaras. Just glorious.

 

[Barbebleu]

I'm not sure that length should preclude comedy. You may not think of it as such, but Wagner seemed pretty sure he was writing a comic opera when he wrote Die Meistersinger. Strauss too, when he wrote Der Rosenkavalier, which is actually my favourite Strauss opera, though it's not the comic bits I like best. I love most of the first act. Some of the shenanigans in the second act can drive me a bit potty, but the Presentation of the Silver Rose is sublime. Again the beginning of the third act can be a little tedious, but from the entrance of the Marschallin onwards its glorious. Maybe it helps that I first saw it in my early twenties in a wonderful production by Scottish Opera, with Helga Dernesch as the most beautiful Marschallin imaginable. I hadn't heard a note of the music before, but I was hooked and the trio in the last act had us all in tears. A most memorable night in the theatre.

Did you see this production in Glasgow Tsaras? I did in1971 and Janet Baker sang one of her few Octavians. The glory days of Scottish Opera.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

Did you see this production in Glasgow Tsaras? I did in1971 and Janet Baker sang one of her few Octavians. The glory days of Scottish Opera.

I have a recording of that one on CD (released by Ponto). No, I saw it when Scottish Opera brought it to Newcastle-upon-Tyne the following year. The revival was sung in German and had Anne Howells as Octavian and Teresa Cahill as Sophie. I saw it on a Saturday night and loved it so much that I went back the following Monday for the next performance.

The previous year they brought Fidelio, again with Helga Dernesch and she was superb in that too.

 

[Barbebleu]

I have a recording of that one on CD (released by Ponto). No, I saw it when Scottish Opera brought it to Newcastle-upon-Tyne the following year. The revival was sung in German and had Anne Howells as Octavian and Teresa Cahill as Sophie. I saw it on a Saturday night and loved it so much that I went back the following Monday for the next performance.

The previous year they brought Fidelio, again with Helga Dernesch and she was superb in that too.

A lot of contemporary reviews criticised Helga for struggling with the tessitura. Perhaps I was overcome by the whole evening but I can’t say I heard that. Having said that, it was fifty one years ago so maybe I was less critical than I am now. I have a recording of that night to which I haven’t got round to listening. I should remedy that and hear what my more experienced ears hear now!

 

[Tsaraslondon]

A lot of contemporary reviews criticised Helga for struggling with the tessitura. Perhaps I was overcome by the whole evening but I can’t say I heard that. Having said that, it was fifty one years ago so maybe I was less critical than I am now. I have a recording of that night to which I haven’t got round to listening. I should remedy that and hear what my more experienced ears hear now!

The Karajan recording of Fidelio is my favourite version of the opera. I think it's her best recorded role, and I don't hear any sense of strain. Those who say they can, I think are being wise after the fact. She sounds radiant to me - just as she was in Der Rosenkavalier.

 

[Barbebleu]

The Karajan recording of Fidelio is my favourite version of the opera. I think it's her best recorded role, and I don't hear any sense of strain. Those who say they can, I think are being wise after the fact. She sounds radiant to me - just as she was in Der Rosenkavalier.

And I think she is wonderful in both the Karajan Ring and Tristan.

 

[Tsaraslondon]

And I think she is wonderful in both the Karajan Ring and Tristan.

Me too, though I seem to be in a minority on this site.

 

[Barbebleu]

Me too, though I seem to be in a minority on this site.

There would appear to be two of us at least!😂

 

[Itullian]

There would appear to be two of us at least!😂

Make that 3

 

[arpeggio]

Back in 2011 my wife and I attended the Sante Fe Opera. They staged a performance of the Last Savage, a little known rarely performed opera buffa by Menotti. It was fantastic and one of the funniest operas we had ever seen

 

[Enthusiast]

From the list I would go for Meistersinger or Falstaff. The trouble is that Meistersinger is really a very one-off work whereas Falstaff is a culmination of a long tradition. Of course, if Mozart had been there I would have needed several votes and if Albert Herring had been there it would have hurt not to vote for it.