Opera on 3: 12.01.13 - Verdi's Il Trovatore

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Verdi's Il Trovatore, live from The Met, Radio 3 Saturday 12th January, 2013

Rather a bloodthirsty Background to this opera, but some great music.

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

Verdi's Il Trovatore, live from The Met, Radio 3 Saturday 12th January, 2013

Rather a bloodthirsty Background to this opera, but some great music.

With Angela Meade (Elena in Tuesday's broadcast of I Vespri Siciliani) stepping in at short notice for Patricia Racette as Leonora. I just caught her cabaletta on returning home from work and she sounds in very good form!

[Flosshilde]

Certainly giving the Anvil chorus a fair bit of welly tonight

I think Trov requires rather more suspension of belief than most operas - it out-gothics most gothic novels. But yes - some thrilling music.

[Richard Tarleton]

I'm not enjoying the tenor. Caruso's adage, invariably quoted with Trovatore, about it needing the 4 greatest singers in the world, is not far wide of the mark.

It's curious in that most of the things that move the plot forwards take place offstage, before the opera even starts or between acts. Much of what takes place onstage is narration. One of my absolute Verdi favourites. I fondly remember the 1970s ENO production - seen twice with Rita Hunter but rubbish tenors!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It's curious in that most of the things that move the plot forwards take place offstage, before the opera even starts or between acts. Much of what takes place onstage is narration.

Perhaps considering just what has taken place, it is better that we don't see it on stage.

[Richard Tarleton]

BTW, just heard the interval chat with the great Roger Parker explaining that D'amor sull' ali rosee was not part of Cammarano's libretto but an addition by Verdi after C's death - didn't know that.

[Richard Tarleton]

Now it's over - was it just me, or was Manrico singing consistently flat? That and the unlovely timbre of his voice reminded me of my recordings of Mario del Monaco - the necessary penalty of some Renata Tebaldi recordings.

The Met crowd certainly clap like dervishes, regardless of merit....

[Lateralthinking1]

I enjoyed it all - can't speak for the technical merits but it seemed full of vitality and I thought Angela Meade was excellent.

[Rolmill]

Now it's over - was it just me, or was Manrico singing consistently flat? That and the unlovely timbre of his voice reminded me of my recordings of Mario del Monaco - the necessary penalty of some Renata Tebaldi recordings.

The Met crowd certainly clap like dervishes, regardless of merit....

No, it wasn't just you - I thought his intonation was poor throughout. But then, I thought Stephanie Blythe (who was excellent the only time I saw her in the role) was also off colour. I missed the opening and didn't listen to the final credits, so hadn't realised that the soprano was a replacement - I felt she was committed and dramatic, but was put off by her excessive (IMO) vibrato. For me, the baritone was comfortably the most impressive of the four leads and was the only reason I kept listening.

Agree about the audience - clapping seemed quite indicriminate. I always dread Di Quella Pira when I see the opera - most tenors just spend the entire aria getting ready for the final high note (I've even seen one taking gulps of water from a glass proferred by a chorus member in the middle of the aria!), which is rarely impressive but generates audience hysteria notwithstanding.

Oh well, I obviously wasn't in the right mood this evening....

[kernelbogey]

Missed it last night....

I see that it turns out to be available on iPlayer for seven days, according to the R3 website. There appears to be inconsistency in whether Met broadcasts are available on BBC iPlayer. Perhaps in some cases it is principals' contracts with the Met that dictates when and where post-hoc streaming is permitted.

Anyway I shall have a listen at some point this week.

[kernelbogey]

I'm reminded of a friend's story of going to Moscow with her husband. Passing the opera house they could make out that the evening performance was by G Verdi, but, not reading cyrillic, couldn't work out whether it was Il Trovatore or La Traviata. They went anyway and enjoyed the performance of whichever it was.

[Resurrection Man]

No, it wasn't just you - I thought his intonation was poor throughout.

Another Met "Hit'n'Miss" for me as I found it very bland. Even the Anvil Chorus sounded turgid and ponderous. When they do a good opera it can be superb...such as Les Troyens the other week....but so often their opera's are well below par for this listener.

Agree about the audience - clapping seemed quite indicriminate. .....

This IS coming from the Met and the Big Apple. Indiscriminate clapping is compulsory. Or maybe they employ professionals ?