Thursday 29 September 2011

3 times Placido Domingo


Plácido Francisco Domingo Ferrer (8 March 1907 – 22 November 1987),
Zarzuela singer, baritone
José Plácido Domingo Embil (21 January 1941), Operatic tenor and conductor etc.

José Plácido Domingo Ornelas (1965) Composer and singer.



For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Zarzuela: LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Berganza!!

La rosa del azafrán
by Jacinto Guerrero
libretto by Federico Romero and Guillermo Fernández Shaw.

Synopsis in English. Some song texts in Spanish and English

Libretto (Cantables) on PDF. About the Zarzuela in Spanish.
© 1957, Alhambra (Lp)
Teresa Berganza, Manuel Ausensi, Julita Bermejo, Gerardo Monreal y Gregorio Gil. Coro Cantores de Madrid, dir.: José Perera. Orquesta Sinfónica, dir.: Nicasio Tejada. ® BMG-Music (CD)

Teresa Berganza is Sagrario, Manuel Ausensi is Juan Pedro, Julita Bermejo is Catalina and Gerardo Monreal is Moniquito.
 



Cancion del Sembrador ("Cuando siembro voy cantando" sung by Juan Pedro) and "No me duele que se vaya" sung by Sagrario are the most famous pieces. And the CD is worth it even if it is just 50 minutes of music. I bought the CD from FNAC.

LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Preludio - Aunque soy de la mancha 4:06 Julita Bermejo, Manuel Ausensi 1 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Cuando siembro voy cantando 3:54 Manuel Ausensi 2 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Ama, lo que usted me pide - Manchega, flor y gala de la llanura 3:38 Manuel Ausensi, Teresa Berganza 3 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Como soy nena mía pastor de ovejas - Hoy es sábado y no quiero dormir en la quintería 3:25 Un pastor, Manuel Ausensi 4 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Dos por dos son cuatro 2:38 Chorus, Gerardo Monreal 5 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - De mondar mucha rosa - Me casé con un sastre 3:51 Chorus, Teresa Berganza, Julita Bermejo 6 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Si quieres que te lo diga 5:33 Chorus, Manuel Ausensi, Teresa Berganza, Custodia 7 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Pero ven acá 2:32 Gerardo Monreal, Julita Bermejo 8 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Y agora ¿qué vas a hacer? 4:34 Chorus, Caccacuca, Gerardo Monreal 9 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - No me duele que se vaya 3:35 Teresa Berganza 10 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Esta mañana mu tempranito 3:55 Chorus, Julita Bermejo 11 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Bisturí, bisturí 3:55 Manuel Ausensi, Teresa Berganza 12 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Tengo una angustia de muerte 4:11 Manuel Ausensi, Teresa Berganza 13 av 14
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - Final 0:30 Chorus 14 av 14

  For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Wednesday 28 September 2011

The Carmen duel - Baltsa vs Berganza

It used to be so easy. I just loved Agnes Baltsa as Carmen, but now I am starting to really listening to Teresa Berganza... I love her, I mean both...

Then it was Don José who was always Carreras for me. But with Teresa Berganza Plácido Domingo is just wonderful as Don José.


GEORGES BIZET

Carmen
Berganza · Domingo · Milnes
Cotrubas · Kenny · Nafé · Lloyd
Ambrosian Singers
George Watson's College
Boys' Chorus
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado
Int. Release 01 Feb. 2005
2 CDs / Download

GEORGES BIZET

Carmen
Baltsa · Carreras
Ricciarelli · van Dam
Choeurs de l'Opéra de Paris
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan
Int. Release 05 Sep. 1983
3 CDs / Download
It is Deutsche Grammophon against itself. Carmen with Baltsa, Carreras, Ricciarelli and van Dam, or Carmen with Berganza, Domingo, Contrubas and Milnes.

In the edition with Teresa Berganza and Plácido Domingo you got two singers in excellent form and the singers are doing their own dialogue which is a plus. Especially since the dialogue does tell so much about who this Carmen is.

Unfortunately Karajan never trusted Agnes Baltsa and José Carreras (etc.) to do their own dialogue so the dialogue Carmen is a vulgar woman but Baltsa's Carmen is nothing like that. The dialogue Don José has no backbone which Carreras' Don José certainly has.

My dream Carmen would be Baltsa, Carreras, Ricciarelli and Ruggero Raimondi. Or Berganza, Domingo, Ricciarelli and Ruggero Raimondi. Or Berganza, Carreras, Ricciarelli and Ruggero Raimondi. Or  Baltsa, Domingo, Ricciarelli and Ruggero Raimondi. (with the singers doing their own dialogue)




For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Sunday 18 September 2011

Zarzuela: Placido Domingo & Teresa Berganza


Is this not a beautiful cover and the music on this CD is just as fantastic.

LA DOLOROSA / LOS CLAVELES - L. A. Garcia-Navarro
LA DOLOROSA
Dolores - Teresa BERGANZA, Nicasia - Dolores CAVA, Rafael - Placido DOMINGO, Prior - Ramon CONTRERAS, Perico - Jose MANZANEDA, tenor (jota) - Jose RUIZ, Fray Lucas - Juan PONS
Coro di solistas líricos, Orquesta Sinfónica de Barcelona
Conducted by L. A. García-Navarro
(Alhambra WD 71588)
LOS CLAVELES
Rosa - Teresa Berganza, Fernando - Placido Domingo, Jacinta - Dolores Cava, Goro - José Manzaneda
Coro de solistas líricos, Orquestra Sinfónica de Barcelona
Conducted by L.A. García-Navarro
(BMG Alhambra WD 71588)

LA DOLOROSA - Preludio act 1 0:53 Conductor Garcia Navarro 1 av 13

LA DOLOROSA - La roca fría del Calvario (Relato de Rafael) 4:25 Plácido Domingo, R. Contreras, Juan Pons 2 av 13

LA DOLOROSA - Ya verás cuando me ponga (Acto I Duo Comico) 3:13 Dolores Cava, José Manzaneda 3 av 13

LA DOLOROSA - Duerme, mi tesoro - Camina, camina, llorosa (Acto I Ana y escena) 1:26 Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo 4 av 13

LA DOLOROSA - ¡Rafael! - Ten piedad, Señor, para la infeliz  (Acto II Duo de Dolores y Rafael) 5:34 Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo 5 av 13

LA DOLOROSA - Me da mucho que pensar  - La mujer que fue mi vida (Acto II Romanza del Prior. Jota y Confesion) 9:53 R. Contreras, Plácido Domingo, José Ruiz 6 av 13

LA DOLOROSA - Dejo tu sombra, santa mansión (Acto II Final - Rafael y Dolores) 3:37 Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza 7 av 13

LOS CLAVELES - Anímate, Irene, que el negocio es bueno 2:46 Dolores Cava, Teresa Berganza 8 av 13

LOS CLAVELES - Goro del alma, ven junto a mí (Duo Comico) 2:48 Dolores Cava, José Manzaneda 9 av 13

LOS CLAVELES - Tenga muy buenas tardes (Duo de Rosa y Fernando. Obreras y Empleados) 3:21 Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo 10 av 13

LOS CLAVELES - ¿Qué te importa que no venga? (Romanza de Rosa) 3:45 Teresa Berganza 11 av 13

LOS CLAVELES - ¡Mujeres! (Monologo de Fernando) 3:09 Plácido Domingo 12 av 13

LOS CLAVELES - ¿Por qué vuelve la cara la más hermosa de las mujeres? (Duo de Rosa y Fernando) 3:41 Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza 13 av 13


I began my search after this CD since I loved the zarzuela duet with Berganza and Domingo on one of my old LPs. I wonder if I bought this CD from Amazon.com.

Maybe I should also put CARMEN with Berganza and Domingo on my Ipod even if it is soon full.

I just wish to have more Zarzuela duets from Teresa Berganza and Plácido Domingo (together, please!!).

About LA DOLOROSA and LOS CLAVELES.


For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Zarzuela: La Chulapona


I loved LA CHULAPONA by Federico Moreno Torroba when I saw it in Edinburgh in 1989. Naturally I did not understand much since I don't speak Spanish. But the music was wonderful, I loved it so much.

I have been wanted the whole zarzuela on CD since I heard Teresa Berganza sing Como soy chulapona on LP. There is nothing quite like it, to hear Teresa Berganza sing zarzuela.

LP: Teresa Berganza singt Zarzuela (some of the best zarzuela arias by the best singer)


EL ULTIMO ROMANTICO - Lucimos hoy todas las mujeres 4:07 Teresa Berganza 1     Soutullo, Reveriano (1880 - 1932) y Vert, Juan (1890 - 1931)
LOS CLAVELES - Que te importa que no venga 3:42 Teresa Berganza 2 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 1994
EL ANILLO DE HIERRO - Pasion del alma mia 5:29 Teresa Berganza 3 Marqués, Miguel (1843 - 1918) 2011
CLAVELITOS - Clavelitos 1:45 Teresa Berganza 4 Valverde Sanjuán, Joaquin (1875 – 1918)
LAS HIJAS DE ZEBEDEO - Carceleras 4:39 Teresa Berganza 5 Chapí, Ruperto (1851 - 1909) 1988
LA CHULAPONA - Como soy Chulapona 2:58 Teresa Berganza, Pilar Lorengar 6 Moreno Torroba, Federico (1891 - 1982) 1994
LA DOLOROSA - Duerme, mi tesoro 1:26 Teresa Berganza 7 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 1987
LA ROSA DEL AZAFRAN - No me duele que se vaya 3:35 Teresa Berganza 8 Guerrero, Jacinto (1895 - 1951) 1957
EL ANILLO DE HIERRO - Lagrimas mias 3:33 Teresa Berganza 9 Marqués, Miguel (1843 - 1918) 2011
LA TEMPRANICA - Sierra de Granada 8:26 Teresa Berganza 10 Zarzuela Giménez, Gerónimo (1854 - 1923) 2011

But then I found a shop on the internet: fnac.es and then I could buy LA CHULAPONA with Teresa Berganza, Pilar Lorengar and Carlos Fagoaga as the protagonists.


Conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos. WD71977 Alhambra BMG.

Synopsis etc in Spanish about LA CHULAPONA.
Argumento y Cantables (the whole sung zarzuela in Spanish, PDF-file)

Synopsis in English.


La chulapona (Torroba)

Pilar Lorengar, Teresa Berganza, Carlos Fagoaga. Orfeón Donostiarra, Orquesta Sinfónica, c. Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
BMG Ariola España WD 71977
A terrific account of Torroba's nostalgic evocation of the great days of the Madrid zarzuela. Street songs, dances, barrel organs and romantic dúos make for a heady mix, delivered with aplomb by Frühbeck and his superb team, with Fagoaga as José María far from outfaced by the stellar casting of the two ladies in his life. The lack of any form of notes or plot summary beyond bare track listings is a drawback in the current reissue, and the considerable cuts - originally made to fit the score onto one LP - are frustrating; but to be honest they're no bar to enjoying what's there. (from Zarzuela.net)



For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Saturday 17 September 2011

La Zarzuela !!!!

If you love Zarzuela or want to know more you can go to www.zarzuela.net (English and Spanish) or to lazarzuela.webcindario.com (Spanish, use Google translate if you don't understand Spanish)

I can recommend buying Grandes Exitos de Zarzuela Vol. I which I bought on itunes as 24 Grandes Exitos de Zarzuela. Of course I also bought Volumes 2 on itunes. This is the list of tracks as far I have been able to verify it.

Grandes Exitos de Zarzuela Vol. I

LA REVOLTOSA - Preludio 5:01 Conductor Ataúlfo Argenta 1 av 12 Chapí, Ruperto (1851 - 1909) 2010
EL BARBERILLO DE LAVAPIES - Canción de la Paloma 2:52 Teresa Berganza 2 av 12 Asenjo Barbieri, Francisco (1823 - 1894) 2010
LA GRAN VIA - Tango De Menegilda 3:27 Nati Mistral 3 av 12
Chueca, Federico  (1845 - 1908). 2010
CHATEAU MARGAUX - Romanza De Angelita 2:57 Montserrat Caballé 4 av 12 Fernández Caballero, Manuel (1835 - 1906) 2010
LA VERBENA DI PALOMA - Una Morena y Una Rubia (Seguidillas) 3:30 Miguel Ligero 5 av 12 Bretón, Tomás (1850 - 1923) 2010
LA VERBENA DI PALOMA - Preludio 4:00 Conductor Ataúlfo Argenta 6 av 12 Bretón, Tomás (1850 - 1923) 2010
LA BODA DE LUIS ALONSO - Intermedio 5:30 Conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos 7 av 12 Giménez, Gerónimo (1854 - 1923) 2010
LA REVOLTOSA - Duo De Felipe Y Mari Pepa 6:05 Ana Maria Iriarte, Manuel Ausensi 8 av 12 Chapí, Ruperto (1851 - 1909) 2010
GIGANTES Y CABEZUDOS - Introduccion Y Disputa 3:21 Chorus 9 av 12 Fernández Caballero, Manuel (1835 - 1906) 2010
LA CORTE DE FARAÓN - Coro de Viudas (Cancion Babilonica) 2:55 Coros Cantores de Madrid 10 av 12 Lleó, Vicente 2010
EL BARBERO DE SEVILLA - Me llaman la Primarosa 4:59 Montserrat Caballé 11 av 12 Giménez, Gerónimo (1854 - 1923) 2010
EL BATEO - Preludio 3:19 Conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos 12 av 12 Chueca, Federico  (1845 - 1908). 2010
EL TAMBOR DE GRANADEROS - Preludio 5:17 Conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos 1 av 12 Pastor, Emilio Sanchez 2010
LA GENERALA - Cancion Del Arlequin 3:21 Pilar Lorengar 2 av 12 Vives, Amadeo (1871 - 1932) 2010
LA CANCIÓN DEL OLVIDO - Cancion De Leonello 3:38 Manuel Ausensi 3 av 12 Grandes Exitos de Zarzuela Vol. I Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 2010
DOÑA FRANCISQUITA - Por el humo se sabe donde está el fuego 4:42 Giacomo Aragall 4 av 12 Vives, Amadeo (1871 - 1932) 2010
EL HUÉSPED DEL SEVILLANO - Canto A La Espada 2:32 Plácido Domingo 5 av 12 Guerrero, Jacinto (1895 - 1951) 2010
LA LEYENDA DEL BESO -Acto 2 Intermedio 4:47 Conductor Benito Lauret 6 av 12 Soutullo, Reveriano (1880 - 1932) y Vert, Juan (1890 - 1931) 2010
LA MARCHENERA - Preludio 4:55 Conductor Federico Moreno Torróba 7 av 12 Moreno Torroba, Federico (1891 - 1982) 2010
LOS DE ARAGON - Cuantas veces solo 4:12 José Carreras 8 av 12 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 2010
LUISA FERNANDA - Mazurca De Las Sombrillas 4:48 Mª  Rosa del Campo 9 av 12 Moreno Torroba, Federico (1891 - 1982) 2010
LA DOLOROSA - Relato De Rafael 4:23 Plácido Domingo, Ramon Contreras, Juan Pons 10 av 12 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 2010
LA CHULAPONA - Chotis (¡Ay, Madrileña Chulapa!) 3:29 Chorus 11 av 12 Moreno Torroba, Federico (1891 - 1982) 2010
EL TRUST DE LOS TENORERIOS - Te quiero, morena 2:29 Alfredo Kraus 12 av 12
Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 2010

Grandes Exitos de Zarzuela Vol. II
EL BARBERILLO DE LAVAPIES - Preludio Instrumental 4:21 Conductor Ataúlfo Argenta 1 av 12 Asenjo Barbieri, Francisco (1823 - 1894) 1994
LA VERBENA DI PALOMA - ¿Donde Vas Con Mantón de Manila? 4:07 Manuel Ausensi, Inés Rivadeneira, Ana María Iriarte, Selica Pérez Carpio, Dolores Pérez, Miguel Ligero 2 av 12 Bretón, Tomás (1850 - 1923) 1994
MARINA - Brindis 5:51 Giacomo Aragall, Víctor de Narke 3 av 12 Carrión, Miguel Ramos 1994
LA GRAN VIA - Chotis De Eliseo 3:04 Victoria De Los Angeles 4 av 12 Chueca, Federico  (1845 - 1908). 1994
LA BRUJA - Jota 5:01 Alfredo Kraus 5 av 12 Chapí, Ruperto (1851 - 1909) 1994
LAS HIJAS DEL ZEBEDEO - Carceleras 4:59 Montserrat Caballé 6 av 12 Chapí, Ruperto (1851 - 1909) 1994
EL DÚO DE LA AFRICANA - Coro De La Murmuracion 2:21 Chorus 7 av 12 Fernández Caballero, Manuel (1835 - 1906) 1994
AGUA, AZUCARILLOS Y AGUARDIENTE - Pasacalle 2:25 Conductor Odón Alonso 8 av 12 Chueca, Federico  (1845 - 1908). 1994
LA ALEGRÍA DE LA HUERTA - Pasacalle 2:00 Conductor Ataúlfo Argenta 9 av 12 Chueca, Federico  (1845 - 1908). 1994
EL NIÑO JUDIO - De España vengo 6:38 Montserrat Caballé 10 av 12 Luna, Pablo (1879 - 1942) 1994
EL GATO MONTES - Pasodoble 2:51 M.Peinado, Banda De La Union Musical Liria & Federico Chueca 11 av 12 Penella, Manuel (1880 - 1939) 1994
LA TABERNERA DEL PUERTO - No puede ser 3:01 José Carreras 12 av 12 Sorozábal, Pablo (1897 - 1988) 1994
DOÑA FRANCISQUITA - Por el humo se sabe donde está el fuego 3:53 Alfredo Kraus 1 av 12 Vives, Amadeo (1871 - 1932) 1994
LA CALESERA - Pasacalle De Los Chisperos 3:11 Pilar Lorengar, Teresa Berganza 2 av 12 Alonso, Francisco (1887 - 1948) 1994
LOS GAVILANES - Mi aldea 7:31 Chorus, Antonio Blancas 3 av 12 Guerrero, Jacinto (1895 - 1951) 1994
EL CASERÍO - Preludio Del Segundo Acto 5:41 Conductor Ataúlfo Argenta 4 av 12 Guridi, Jesús (1886 - 1961) 1994
LA PARRANDA - Canto A Murcia 3:18 Manuel Ausensi 5 av 12 Alonso, Francisco (1887 - 1948) 1994
LOS CLAVELES - Romanza De Rosa 3:42 Teresa Berganza 6 av 12 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 1994
DON GIL DE ALCALÁ - Habanera 2:20 Lina Huarte, Teresa Berganza 7 av 12 Penella, Manuel (1880 - 1939) 1994
LUISA FERNANDA - De este apacible rincón de Madrid 3:10 Plácido Domingo 8 av 12 Moreno Torroba, Federico (1891 - 1982) 1994
LA CHULAPONA - Como Soy Chulapona 2:58 Teresa Berganza, Pilar Lorengar 9 av 12 Moreno Torroba, Federico (1891 - 1982) 1994
LA DOLOROSA - Duo 5:30 Teresa Berganza, Plácido Domingo 10 av 12 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 1994
LA ZAPATERITA - Cancion Del Espejo 2:50 María del Carmen González, Josefina Meneses 11 av 12 Alonso, Francisco (1887 - 1948) 1994
EL TRUST DE LOS TENORIOS - Jota 2:33 Plácido Domingo 12 av 12 Serrano, José (1873 - 1941) 1994



For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Sunday 11 September 2011

Today: Birthday of Ramon Vargas etc.

Ramón Vargas (born 11 September 1960) is an award-winning Mexican operatic tenor. Since his debut in the early '90s, he has developed to become one of the most acclaimed tenors of the 21st century. Known for his most expressive and agile lyric tenor voice, he is especially successful in the bel canto repertoire. (Wikipedia)

My photo of Ramon Vargas in Vienna 2009-02-09

I saw him as

Gustav III (UN BALLO IN MASCHERA) 2009-02-09

Nemorino (L'ELISIR D'AMORE) 1999-05-15

ROBERTO DEVEREUX 2001-05-12



Births



For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Saturday 10 September 2011

Lies, damned lies, and history

The Untainted History of...

Does it exist? Untainted, unbias history does it exist?
Can a human be unbiased? Can we go outside our experiences and then go into other people realities and see it clearly as it is? Without our experiences can we be humans, and truly alive?

I would be interesting in reading the Untainted History of Colonization and of the Discovery of America. So I have these two apps on my Ipad but I have not started to read it because I started to think about the Untainted History. Of course they don't have the headline Untainted but they are described as such. Are they untainted by science, by other people's views. Would those people who participated in the Colonization / Discovery of America be absolutely truthful and not try to make themselves and others like them look good, is that even possible? Unless one understand your taint, your bias, you would never work to counter them.

Is it possible to go around in our lives and see people and not imagine knowing something about them? We would have to work hard then to be ever present in our head to stop any ungrounded belief. Ex: A person do not smile to us. What happens? We imagine a history about that person and why the person doesn't smile to us. Usually something negative. We humans are simply better at making negative stories. Positive stories are much harder work.

I love Historical Novels. I hate Historical Novels. If the author has done a great job in getting the Historical background as right as it is humanely possible, then I LOVE it. I love History made easy to remember. But only if it contains truth. I hate it when I have loved a story and it has imprinted itself in my brains only to be  Lies, damned lies, and "history".

For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com

Sunday 4 September 2011

Lucia di Lammermoor, by Gaetano Donizetti

I have seen this opera 3 times live.

Lucia di Lammermoor 1989-09-05, 2000-06-22, 2002-06-10

First in Oslo (1989) with Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz as Lucia, and Knut Skram as Enrico. Then in 2000 in Vienna with Edita Gruberova as Lucia. In 2002 in Vienna with Stefania Bonfadelli. The veteran soprano Gruberova seemed to be younger as Lucia compared to the young soprano Stefania Bonfadelli. Stage magic!!

I am currently reading the original story by Sir Walter Scott. But the action in Bride of Lammermoor is so slow... It is slowly, finally getting some sense of maybe the story will go and get some action. We do not live in the age of infinite patience.

I have the DVD with Marcelo Alvarez as Edgardo and Stefania Bonfadelli as Lucia.

DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor

Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova 2003

Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova, Patrick Fournillier

Picture Format: 16:9 Anamorph
Sound Format: LPCM stereo, Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1
Running Time: 145 Mins
Region Code: PAL All
Booklet Languages: GB, F, D
Recording Date: June 2003
Cat no.: DV-OPLDIL 


On a later occasion will write more deeply about this opera and the novel if I ever get to end of it.

For reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com