Augh! I've skipped two weeks!! Someone draw me up an indulgence, please!
This week, I would like to discuss something that's really been irking me: Maria Callas. For those of you who don't know, once you enter the opera world, half of the ravings you'll hear are about Callas, Callas, Callas. Everybody loves her. They can't get enough of her. Well, I'm going to reiterate my honest opinion on Callas-- I find it painful to listen to her sing. This isn't just because I want to be rebellious and not like Callas just for the sake of being different. It's just that she ruined Amelia of "Un Ballo in Maschera" for me. I think the problem is that people seem to think that if a singer is good for one thing, he/she must be good for everything. Maria Callas had a terrific chest voice and a nice vibrato. Her Carmen was fabulous! But soprano roles like Norma and Amelia were not really good for her (at least, in my opinion). It literally sounds like every time she had to sing a high note, she went "Oh, crud" in her head, and the note is shrill and stressed and literally painful. As a singer, I often find myself shifting my vocal chords, etc. in anticipation of singing the notes I hear, and when I listen to Callas, I can feel the pain she must have had in her throat when she sang those notes. I cringe. My throat goes, "Don't do it! For sweet, Italian Vivaldi's sake, DON'T DO IT!!!" But she does it. It hurts. Why, Maria, why?? Why did you do it??
Which brings me to my review of this EMI Classics recording of Verdi's "Un Ballo in Macschera." Well, not really. That was a weird segue. But let's start on that anyway.
Now, about a year ago, an online friend introduced me to the world of Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Naturally, one of the first Youtube videos I found of him was his performance of "Alzatti...Eri tu" at the Cardiff Singer of the World Competition in 1989. It made me cry. I love Verdi, and after hearing that song, I knew I'd want to own the whole opera. So, I picked this one out for Christmas. At the time, it was one of the least expensive copies I could get, and even so, I think it was $20 or over. I hadn't heard any recordings of Maria Callas yet, but I figured, "Oh, everybody loves her. Let's give her a try!" And I did. But there are some funny things going on with this set.
From the "How well was this object made" standpoint: The CDs and booklet and slip cover came beautifully intact. However, the back of the CD case has the singer and time duration information for a similarly cast recording of Verdi's "Aida." This isn't very helpful, considering I neither own nor have heard "Aida," and the contents of the CD case are "Un Ballo in Maschera." Someone in manufacturing made a boo-boo...
But anyway, that was just a small detail I thought I'd let you know of-- other EMI sets from the Maria Callas series might have similar problems. But let's get on with the opera, shall we?
I think "Maschera" is an incredible opera. It has a great prelude, very unique and distinguishable individual tunes, and the overall quality of the music is memorable, dramatic, and superb. Antonino Votto did a great job conducting and the chorus and orchestra of Milan were splendid. Tito Gobbi, who I enjoy very much, Fedora Barbieri, and Eugenia Ratti were excellent casting choices. Gobbi gave a warm, empathetic performance as Renato, Barbieri was a deliciously dark and mysterious Ulrica, and Ratti was delightfully charming as Oscar. She makes me want to sing Oscar someday. However, I'm afraid I can't say as much for Maria Callas and Giuseppe di Stefano, our Amelia and Riccardo. Aforesaid, Callas's performance makes my ears and my throat hurt, and Stefano's rendition of Riccardo is just too cold. Because of these two, my opinions of the characters are skewed. I think of Amelia as an overly dramatic, screechy woman who isn't really an important character and has kind of boring arias. I think of Riccardo as a cold, heartless, selfish, and haughty little man who can't see how other people feel past his own desires. Riccardo, to me, is the epitome of the tenor-whelp. He started the whole durn mess because he didn't have enough common sense to leave Amelia be, seeing as she was trying to save her marriage and actually be a good person. Stupid Count. Thinks he should just have everything he wants. It makes me mad every time I hear him go, "Ah, l'ho segnato il sacrifizio mio!" It's like, "Oh, I'm in love with this woman who's married to my best friend and I emotionally tortured her until she confessed she loved me too. I got her in a boatload of trouble. But I'm gonna send her and her hubby back to England to make it all better. Oh, my sacrifice! Boo-hoo-hoo! I don't get to have the chick who's already taken!" What a blockhead. What a whelp! And the only times Stefano uses any kind of emotional expression in his voice are during the scene at Urlica's cave and for "Oh qual soave brivido." That's it! No wonder I dislike Riccardo.
So this is my overall opinion: I do not recommend this copy of "Un Ball in Maschera." Callas and Stefano are enough to ruin the main character for anyone new to the opera. However, if you are bent on trying Maria Callas's Amelia and want to hear the greatness of Gobbi, Barbieri, and Ratti, then go ahead. But-- and I can't put too fine a point on this-- familiarize yourself with a different version first!!!
Until next time,
Your friend and fellow opera-lover,
~R.M.
I mean, calling on the Devil? Selling him your soul?
Hiya! I've been having this craving to talk about Gonoud's "Faust" since the third week I accidentally never wrote. Oops. Well, there's a long, funny story that goes with my experience of "Faust."
Long, long ago, when I was not yet an opera fan, I was obsessed with "The Phantom of the Opera." I saw the 2004 movie and got hooked. Subsequently, I saw a live production, learned all the songs, read the book by Gaston Leroux, and saw the silent 1928 film starring Lon Chaney. I couldn't get enough of the Phantom. But, I was a bit confused by all the musical references in the book, and I was particularly curious about those regarding "Faust." Many years later, my mother and I were parousing the opera section of a used music store when I came across a copy of "Faust" starring Placido Domingo, Nicolai Ghiaurov, and Mirella Freni as Faust, Mephistophelés, and Marguerite, respectively.
I had already decided that I was Ghiaurov's biggest fan, so I got the CD set. I might well mention here that the case was sealed by several stickers which the employees of the store had applied. Five minutes later and much to my chagrin, I discovered that the CD set was missing the libretto. Stupid used music store, selling incomplete opera sets without letting the customers check them! But I wouldn't let my hopes up. I would listen to "Faust" and understand it if it meant it would take years. And it did take years. For a long time it sat on my desk, waiting to be heard. I listened to the overture and the opening numbers countless times and tried to find online French/English side-by-side libretti. All the ones I found were incomplete, so it waited longer. And longer. And longer. Eventually, I read a libretto that was an "English Version" and kept up based on which characters were singing at that particular moment. However, I only got as far as the end of the second act. But then, I had an epiphany! I realized, if I found a copy at a library and listened to it once, just once, while reading a proper libretto, I'd remember what was going on-- I have good memory-- and I would probably never need the libretto for it again (although it was disappointing not to be able to have one on hand). And that was exactly what I did.
At one of my very favorite libraries, I listened to this fabulous copy of "Faust":
It was incredible. It actually made me cry. And I finally understood what the references in "La Fantóme De L'Opéra" meant. Then I came home and listened to my copy.
No matter who is performing it where or when, Charles Gonoud's "Faust" is a great opera. It's dramatic, it's romantic, it's touching, it's French, it's beautiful. The overture is akin to Mozart's overture to "Don Giovanni"-- repeated dark, shadowy chords, setting the tone for the action of the opera, are the first notes the listener hears. It's riveting! Faust's vague, angry, and semi-repentant character keeps the audience guessing. The loyalty of Valentin, Siebel's sweetness, Marguerite's true repentance, and Mephistophelés's despicable heinousness are too true and too deep for us to doubt. I will confess though, I'm surprised at how much of "Faust" I can sleep through and still remember what's going on... Don't give me that look! I was tired! So now that you know the terribly long story of how I discovered "Faust," the claws come out... and the review begins.
Version 1: I'm going to be brutally honest. The more I listen to Mirella Freni, the less I like her. I don't have anything against her as a person or as a performer-- She's very professional. But she's not my style. And I think, like with Sutherland and Callas, she got really famous when her voice really was good for roles like Marguerite, and people didn't get over it. As far as her recordings, she didn't move on to roles that suited her maturing voice. But that's my humble opinion. Domingo and Ghiaurov are fabulous. I can never get over how versatile the former is and how just plain terrific the latter is. Thomas Allen as Valentin, Michéle Command as Siebel, Marc Vento as Wagner, and Jocelyne Taillon as Dame Marthe are all splendid, as is Georges Pretre's conducting. This copy also includes the ballet music of "Faust." It's a great recording. Just make sure you get a libretto.
Version 2: I love this version!!!! I can't say that enough. Richard Leech was brilliant as Faust, although I'll confess I thought he had a little trouble getting up to one particular high note, but I don't blame him and it didn't take away from the overall recording at all. José Van Dam was an astounding Mephistophelés, and I particularly want to note how well he sustained his voice in "Le Veau D'Or". It just gets me. His mastery of dramatic and vocal technique is incredible. Cheryl Studer was a Marguerite I could adore-- such a lofty, shimmering voice! Listening to her was a pleasure. Thomas Hampson (what's with all the Thomases as Valentin?) sang Valentin so well, I cried during his death scene. No joke. And I'm not normally a weeper, either. Martine Mahé was an adroable, charming Siebel, Marc Barrard was a delightful Wagner, and Nadine Denize was a very good Dame Marthe. Michel Plasson conducted beautifully. I'd also like to mention that this EMI Classics copy has an addendum which includes not only the ballet music, but also several duets, trios, and an extra aria that are extremely interesting to listen to-- I really enjoyed it.
All-in-all, from a learner's perspective, I'd say that the Leech-Van Dam-Studer version would be the best first "Faust," and when you're ready to try a new version, the Domingo-Ghiaurov-Freni recording is a good option.
Until next week, folks!
~R.M.
