Affordable good recording recommendations

woodsyi · « **on:** 13 Aug 2009, 03:35 pm »

One of the knock on Opera is that it is generally perceived as an expensive leisure activity. A savvy shopper, however, can find great deals out their on recordings as well as tickets. We will talk about Matinees, midweek specials and standing room tickets later if there is a demand. At this time, let's keep this thread going with bargain finds of good Opera recordings.

I will start with this Hansel and Gretel. For $4.50 a CD, you get an all star cast: Von Stade, Cotrubas, Ludwig, young Te Kanawa and Welting. It's a recording that will bring smile to your face. It's not a gripping affair but it evokes nostalgia of being young -- not so much from the storyline (It is Grimm after all) but from the freshness of the voices. Being an eccentric connoisseur of female voices, I had a smile on the whole time.

P.S. Hansel is played by a mezzo. In this case, Frederica Von Stade. The cost cutting means there is no libretto included but you can download it here and sing along. If you want to know what they are singing about too,

then here is the synopsis.

no1maestro · « **Reply #1 on:** 13 Aug 2009, 11:54 pm »

A good recommendation and an enjoyable recording. It comes closest to my favorite part which is the Dream Pantomime sequence; my favorite recording of that sequence, strangely enough is the one recorded by the Boston Pops with Fiedler on their first Christmas lp. The Living Stereo sound on that particular disc and good old Arthur's take on it is just magical!

richidoo · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Aug 2009, 12:24 am »

Streaming opera is affordable, but not necessarily good sound quality. fwiw:

Metropolitan Opera Live Broadcasts. Saturday afternoons during the opera season.

WCPE Opera House. Every Thursday night 7pm - 10pm

Hear the classic operas in their entirety for free, see if you like it. The Opera House program is great for newbies because the story is narrated and explained before they play the music and during "intermission." The announcers are highly enthusiastic.

The Met features the best performers in the world.

Every type of stream is available from WCPE, but you might find a better stream of the Met from another syndicated station.

http://theclassicalstation.org/internet.shtml

woodsyi · « **Reply #3 on:** 14 Aug 2009, 01:32 pm »

Free streaming or free broadcasts are always nice. Sirius has an Opera channel too if you get it.

As for the Dream Pantomime by Pops, you can hear it here. It's not the most enticing website name but it has tons of music you can listen to.

goldlizsts · « **Reply #4 on:** 22 Sep 2009, 03:41 pm »

Quote from: woodsyi on 13 Aug 2009, 03:35 pm

One of the knock on Opera is that it is generally perceived as an expensive leisure activity. A savvy shopper, however, can find great deals out their on recordings as well as tickets. We will talk about Matinees, midweek specials and standing room tickets later if there is a demand. At this time, let's keep this thread going with bargain finds of good Opera recordings.

I will start with this Hansel and Gretel. For $4.50 a CD, you get an all star cast: Von Stade, Cotrubas, Ludwig, young Te Kanawa and Welting. It's a recording that will bring smile to your face. It's not a gripping affair but it evokes nostalgia of being young -- not so much from the storyline (It is Grimm after all) but from the freshness of the voices. Being an eccentric connoisseur of female voices, I had a smile on the whole time.

P.S. Hansel is played by a mezzo. In this case, Frederica Von Stade. The cost cutting means there is no libretto included but you can download it here and sing along. If you want to know what they are singing about too, then here is the synopsis.

Just saw this posting, so, better late than never kind of feeling. I was just at J&R yesterday, and saw a new HD DVD of the Humperdinck work. For those of us who are more comfortable with English, I think one sung in English is more desirable. I saw on the label that it's sung in English. I don't have more details, but it's a Met production I believe. With this one sung in English, it should be a very good intro to even younger audiences, not just older opera die-hards. I think it's on sale for $15.99. Don't know if libretto is in there. I think it also has English subtitles, so you'd really don't need it. The label says it's very highly praised (just advertisement!? may be.).

david12 · « **Reply #5 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 06:21 pm »

I agree about the Saturday Met broadcasts, we get them over here in the UK believe it or not. I could do without the inane chatter between acts, but otherwise, excellent. If you are looking for cheap recordings, Naxos are always a good bet and are usually excellent.
The best advice, get a vinyl set up and look for Vinyl boxed sets. Living in the UK, I get the pick of HMV and Decca recordings. I may be biased, but the best recordings are on these labels, as far as I am concerned. Usually they go for $8 to 12 on Ebay. I have collected about 90 complete operas that way, over the years. By and large, opera is'nt popular and they sell cheap. Not always of course, a rare set of Callas singing Lucia de lamamor recently went for $600.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 Jul 2010, 04:03 am »

Hi, David. It's been a long while since I was in the UK but when I was I picked up a copy of Bach's Tragicus Actus* on German Harmonia Mundi to which I listen with absolute pleasure to this day. I've read that a fine recording of this work is available on disc from French Harmonia Mundi. This is technically a cantata but nevermind that. It is way beautiful with beautiful singing.

Woodsyi knows that I am enamored with a recent purchase of Britten's Turn of The Screw on a Naxos CD. Not your typical romantic opera. Rather austere and spooky and in english. But the sonics, particularly the staging of the voices and piano, is I am there! Which I was for an evening. Inexpensive, too.

*Along with a copy of The Slits debut album which I loaned out to me regret.

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Jun 2013, 04:53 pm »

I Pagliacci- Teatro La Scala with Von Karajan conducting (DG). I don't how available it is so can't comment on it's cost. Recommend seeking it out. Mine is vinyl.