{"id":5017,"date":"2019-03-12T17:11:31","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T17:11:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.larkreviews.co.uk\/?p=5017"},"modified":"2019-03-12T17:12:39","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T17:12:39","slug":"dvdscds-march-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/?p=5017","title":{"rendered":"DVDs\/CDs March 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
Puccini: Tosca<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
UNITEL 748308<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

Just occasionally a new production rings all the right bells even though it is unconventional. This modern dress approach by Michael Sturminger starts in an underground car-park with a shoot-out \u2013 it is Angelotti escaping. However unexpected this might be, the characterisation is spot on and in Ludovic Tezier we have one of the most convincing Scarpias I have ever encountered. The denouement is equally startling but I won\u2019t give the game away. Anja Jarteros is a convincing opera singer as Tosca and her solid Cavaradossi, Aleksandrs Antonenko, provides heroic top notes where needed. Chorus are more involved than usual and using the boys as the firing-squad is brutal but absolutely in keeping with the fascist character of the whole presentation. Christian Thielemann\u2019s handling of the score is masterly. Well worth seeing, even if you think you know everything there is to know about Tosca. <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Chabrier: L\u2019Etoile<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Dutch National Opera, Patrick Fournillier<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 2.110595<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

I wanted to like this, for the music is entertaining throughout, but it really is a little too fantastical for the every day. Thankfully it is very well sung and the orchestra is spritely throughout, though for once an audio recording might have done just as well.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fairytale Operas<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Hansel & Gretel: The Cunning Little Vixen; The Adventures of Pinocchio<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
OPUS ARTE OA 1270 BD<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

The Hansel & Gretel<\/em> comes from the Royal Opera under Colin Davis and dates from 2008; The<\/em> Cunning Little Vixen<\/em> is the Glyndebourne production of 2012 conducted by Vladimir Jurowski \u00a0and \u00a0Jonathan Dove\u2019s The<\/em> Adventures of Pinocchio<\/em> is from Opera North under David Parry in 2008. The linkage may be somewhat dubious but the strength of the individual productions makes this a very satisfactory line up. The Vixen <\/em>is probably the most familiar of the three, though the Hansel & Gretel<\/em> was famous at the time for the performance of Anja Silja as the Witch. Having first seen her in Bayreuth in 1965 her performance here is amazing and quite compelling. The rarity if the Jonathan Dove which is certainly not out of place and will hopefully be seen by far more enthusiasts because of the coupling. With box sets being such a normal part of life today it should succeed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dvorak: Symphony No 9<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR, Roger Norrington<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
SWR 19515CD<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

This is a live recording made in Stuttgart in 2008 and has Roger Norrington\u2019s seal firmly stamped on in in terms of its tempi and balance. Highly enjoyable if at times idiosyncratic.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bach Cantatas<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Amici Voices<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
HYPERION CDA 68275<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

We have become used to Bach with smaller vocal forces, which the Amici Voices provide here to splendid effect. The three cantatas include Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit<\/em> which gives an interesting insight into Bach\u2019s approach to death. Where so many of the cantatas are full of remorse and confession, this funeral cantata is remarkably cheerful as it looks forward to eternal life. The other two cantatas are Komm, Jesu, komm<\/em> and Himmelskonig, sei willkommen <\/em>together with an arrangement of O Gott, du frommer Gott. <\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sousa: Music for Wind Band \u2013 18<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
Trinity Laban Wind Orchestra, Keith Brion<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
NAXOS 8.559812<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

I love this series and wonder how much longer it will go on for. \u00a0Yet again there is a great deal to enjoy here and the Trinity Laban Wind Orchestra give us exhilarating performances. Much of the music seems tongue-in-cheek, particularly The Stag Party<\/em> which in the nineteenth century was a student night out and nothing to do with weddings. The Merry-Merry Chorus <\/em>is recorded, surprisingly, for the first time \u2013 but we can only look forward to the next instalment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Boieldieu: Piano concerto; six overtures<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, Howard Griffiths<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n
CPO 555 244-2<\/strong><\/span><\/h6>\n

I first encountered Boieldieu as a statue in the Place Boieldieu in Rouen but at the time knew nothing of his music. Even today, with so many recordings available, he is not often encountered. All the more welcome then this recording of so many of his overtures, some of which occasionally see the light of day at the start of a concert but are otherwise ignored. The Piano Concerto is pleasing but does not have the musical life or immediacy which the overtures require.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tippett: Symphonies 3, 4 & B flat<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Rachel Nicholls, Martyn Brabbins<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n
HYPERION CDA 68231\/2<\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

Not an easy listen but a compelling one. Tippett has unfortunately dropped out of favour since his death which is hardly justified by the quality of his large output. If you need a way into this new cd then the Symphony in B flat will certainly help. An early work, it is closer to the lyricism of his earlier operas that the later symphonies and so provides a link into the more demanding later works. Martyn Brabbins handles the scores with skill and authority.<\/p>\n

More CD reviews to follow for March 2019<\/strong><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Puccini: Tosca Staatskapelle Dresden, Christian Thielemann UNITEL 748308 Just occasionally a new production rings all the right bells even though it is unconventional. This modern dress approach by Michael Sturminger starts in an underground car-park with a shoot-out \u2013 it … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5017"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5017"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5017\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5019,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5017\/revisions\/5019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}