A Momentary Taste of Being

An opportunity to help support a young student going abroad for training. The song and the voice quality are truly wonderful.  Take a listen and if you are in a place to do so, please help this young lady.  I'm looking forward to hearing more of her voice in the future.

Times Flow Stemmed reports to us on a new Philip Glass Opera based on Kafka's "In the Penal Colony. " Unlike the original reviewer, I see nothing disjunct about Glass and Kafka--although I would say that Alban Berg would likely have been a better choice.  Alas, he is not available.

An opera that certainly has the Gaga phenomenon at its heart.

All the great Operas in 10 minutes Not nearly as amusing as Anna Russell's magnificent exposition of the Ring Cycle--but still worth a few minutes' indulgence.

Again via UD--a list of the top ten arias as voted by radio 3 listeners. The surprise winner (not to UD, but certainly to much of the rest of the opera-listening world), to my great surprise and joy, is Henry Purcell's "When I am Laid in Earth,"  the final aria of Queen Dido from Dido and Aeneas .  But the remainder of the list contains a number of surprises as well--Russalka, an opera by Korngold and Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice.  I know I'm mundane, but I do like both "Nessun Dorma" and "Der Holle Rache" (which did make the list)  as well as the entire Alban Berg canon. And below you can choose your "When I am Laid in Earth,"  clip one featuring the incomparable Janet Baker, clip two Jessye Norman, Janet Baker Jessye Norman And now for something completely different--The Swingle Singers And with that, it is not difficult to see why those in the know might have chosen such a magnificent aria. Somewhat more difficult t...

For a version with subtitles (It isn't as well performed as the last two.) And here's a "rock" version of the same in which the Soprano opts for some odd stylings on the second run (is it a cadenza?).  What is interesting about this performance is that the soprano opts to make the end of the upper range flute stylings legato rather than staccato.  While a legitimate choice for introducing variations, it seems something of a cheat because it seems so much easier vocally. But then, I don't sing in that range, so it is possible that both choices present somewhat different challenges. Heard enough about Mozart yet?  Sorry--just one of my odd enthusiasms.

I post this because whenever I recommend to anyone the Queen of Night, I always recommend it in the Lucia Popp rendition.  It's a matter of personal taste, but what I love about this is that it is somewhat slower than the other versions and as a result, it would seem to me somewhat more difficult to perform and sustain--those high notes in which the Queen's voice becomes the Magic Flute itself are rounded, full, and deep while remaining light and airy. I have read some rather severe criticism of this ritardando; and while it may or may not reflect Mozart's intent, it is certainly within the options for staging.  It creates a real vocal showpiece from what is already a magnificent example of same. It really is an amazing example of a virtuoso composition sung by a virtuoso voice.  All of which should not be taken to mean that I do not truly appreciate the version posted earlier by Diana Damrau, it's just nice to see what a difference tempo can make. I think we can take...

A friend directed me to this and I so loved the costumes and staging I felt that I had to share it.  I know, not literture--but uber-literature that everyone should be able to enjoy.  You may want to go to the original on You-tube because the column constraints here may squish the video.