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la clemenza di tito–currently playing

at vivalavoce, click here (for window media player) or here (for vlc, winamp) to listen in

Fri Dec 03, 2010, at 5PM Pacific Time, 8PM Eastern Standard time, 1AM (nextday) UK time, 2AM Central Europe time

December 3
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: La Clemenza di Tito

Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) [Tito Vespasiano] | Julia Varady (soprano) [Vitellia] | Sylvia McNair [Servilia] | Anne Sofie von Otter (mezzo-soprano) [Sesto] | Catherine Robbin [Annio] | Cornelius Hauptmann (bass) [Publio] | The Monteverdi Choir | The English Baroque Soloists | John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)

Posted by:

thả diều

writing-challenged opera-addict

49 responses to “la clemenza di tito–currently playing”

  1. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    Definitely the Opera says:
    December 3, 2010 at 20:09

    Great moment No. 1: Vittelia (soprano Sylvia McNair I think) has a darker timbre than Sesto (mezzo ASvO).

    _________________________

    @ DtO: ja, i was confused for a moment, was that Vitellia or Sesto? 🙂

    Reply
  2. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    I know! It came out from the basso profondo!

    Reply
  3. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    this is so much faster than the Salzburg version with Frau K and Hannoncourt…, that duet b/t Sesto and Annio zoomed by me

    Reply
    1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
      Definitely the Opera

      The thing zooms even with a slower tempo! There’s a YouTube clip — illegal, of course — with von O as Sesto and Sarah Connolly as Annio, or the other way around. It feels like it lasts 12 seconds.

      Reply
  4. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    Oh, it’s not McNair, it’s Julia Varady (I’ll pretend I’m familiar with her work).

    (I love the voice of the late Anthony Rolfe Johnson. He passed earlier this year.)

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      clap clap clap, yes! i like . i’m still confused with the Annio and Servilia, can’t tell who is who yet…

      Reply
  5. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    Ok, it’s Annio-Servilia duettino that just finished.
    D’you want to bother with the libretto? Eccolo: http://www.impresario.ch/libretto/libmozcle_i.htm

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      got it right in front of me, english and italian :-), while trying to work…, now onto his niiiice aria… like like

      Reply
      1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        And she says, PARTO!

        Reply
  6. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    Paaaaaaaarto

    Reply
  7. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    What is this instrument, clarinet? IT IS BEAUTIFUL, how the voice and the solo instrument dance together.

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      wooh, shirt-sleeves rolled up, i ready to kill!

      Reply
  8. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    *wiping tears* I need to own this CD.

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      tears? i quite warm and ready to kill here, knife in hand 😀

      Reply
      1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        It came out more loving than ferocious. No knives, a love song really!

        Well, Vitellia just reached the highest note in the opera, described by my Grove Book of Operas as ‘cruelly high’. All I heard from the loo was screaming.

        I won’t be original when I say this, but the problem with sopranos is that, um, they tend to scream a lot.

        Reply
      2. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        Now, yes, this is different: Oh Dei, che smania è questa etc. is angry.

        Reply
  9. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    ok, i have to admit, i still can’t distinguish Sesto and Vittelia voices in this duet… (trying to listen w/o libretto…)

    Reply
  10. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    I’m scared sh*tless by Vitellia. I hear Ursula or some such Verdian alto creature whenever she sings.

    Reply
    1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
      Definitely the Opera

      Ulrica, not Ursula. My mind’s messed up.

      Reply
    2. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      wow, she’s really hitting the low notes at “io sento” and “mi fa”, truly darker than ASvO!!

      Reply
      1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        So true. Beginning to find the combination… kind of attractive.

        Reply
  11. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    back to the absolutely lovable Tito, who could do bad things to such king

    Reply
  12. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    now this sounds like love to me, what Publio is expressing…

    Reply
  13. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    hahaha I know. but it’s a simple aria that, grazie a Dio, ends quickly.
    here’s annio, but he’s struggling at moments. or maybe he’s supposed to sound like he’s struggling?

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      i’m afraid “he” gave me a slight headache, the headphones are getting to me may be…

      Reply
      1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        Are you at work, for real!? GO HOME!

        Reply
  14. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    Is there a format we can use for future chats that’ll be easier to read later on, that you can scroll down? I’ve seen that in some newspaper website — like its own chat box in the middle of the screen, and you scroll within it… I wonder how difficult it will be to get one on the bloggity blog.

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      ah, i’m now gettng quite involved with this trio, Publio is so protective…, let me read your comment again…

      Reply
      1. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        Non può di più penar was spectacular. All that bromance and male bonding…

        Reply
    2. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      well, perhaps you can read into it? :-). i’ve done skyping w/ friends, listeing with them, and now blogging. oh, must pay attention to this first… Deh…

      Reply
    3. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      ok, i was just now distracted by Tito again, he really has beautiful music to work with. about chat, perhaps we can try this about our next session

      Reply
  15. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    and who’s in favor of Sesto’s low note?? (me me)

    Reply
  16. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    Tanto affanno soffre un core,
    Né si more di dolor!
    But now there’s this long chunk without Sesto. Let’s see, maybe Annio will get better.

    Reply
  17. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    sadly there’s no replay button…

    Reply
  18. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    i am sooooo getting this CD.

    Meanwhile, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Varady Julia Varady is one of those ‘extended’ sopranos who started as mezzos! (Apparently Maria Callas was too)

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      vivalavoce will love the fact that they have such good influence on their audience

      Reply
  19. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    Oh my, and she is Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s fourth and (one expects) final wife!

    Reply
    1. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      well, she’s coming up….

      Reply
    2. thả diều Avatar
      thả diều

      crudeleeeee

      Reply
    3. Definitely the Opera Avatar
      Definitely the Opera

      Bottombless Ad intrecciar. Quite a sight. Forget alto: this woman is a baritone! 🙂

      Reply
      1. thả diều Avatar
        thả diều

        wow, i MUST find this on youtube!! amazing!!!!! where does it say she’s a soprano???

        Reply
      2. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        Check that Wiki page I linked. You’re more confused than I. 🙂

        Reply
      3. thả diều Avatar
        thả diều

        that wiki page is short of info for sure, but Orfeo, i believe that!

        Reply
      4. Definitely the Opera Avatar
        Definitely the Opera

        I wondered why it was short, I suppose she retired early? I’ll research her some more.

        Reply
  20. Definitely the Opera Avatar
    Definitely the Opera

    Well this was fun! We must do it again! And I am getting that CD, like, yesterday.

    Reply
  21. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    clap clap clap clap clap clap clap. wonderful recording!!

    Reply
  22. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    that was fun indeed. until next time!! i’ll look for her on youtube!!

    Reply
  23. Smorg Avatar
    Smorg

    Hey, that’s one of my favorite La clemenza di Tito recordings. :oD Love Julia Varady, of course (she’s Fischer-Dieskau’s wife. A wonderful singer and voice actress… and she was a delicious Vitellia!). And Rolfe Johnson is very hard to beat as Tito, too.

    Reply
  24. thả diều Avatar
    thả diều

    ja, a very nice recording! at very fast tempo too, i didn’t think you can finish the whole thing in 2 hr flat!
    here it is, i found “the” clip with Julia Varady’s veeeery low notes:

    Reply

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scientist by day, opera fan by nights and weekends.

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