I have a list of approximately 20 opera scenes & arias that are amongst my favourites in the operatic repertoire. For my audience purpose, I have taken this list from YouTube, so not all my favourite recordings are in the list, but it is an extraordinary list with extraordinary singers and musicians and I hope you can take as much enjoyment from this group as I have in compiling them. I am dividing my list into groups of approximately six over the next few weeks to give you between 30 and 45 minutes of musical relaxation. Enjoy!
Tristan und Isolde - The Liebestod Act 3
The Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde perhaps provides the most dramatic loving glorious ending to any opera and this was particularly difficult to choose from Flagstad and Furtwangler to Waltraud Meier. Eva-Maria Westbroek, Margaret Price and Martha Modl. All outstanding but my final two thoughts were between the secure glory of Birgit Nilsson and the more dramatic and current Nina Stemme. In the end I pick the latter as the artistry and emotional presence leaves nothing behind. It is at its finest.
So many tenors have sung this great aria from Nicolai Gedda, Neil Shicoff, Piotr Beczala, Fritz Wunderlich and of course currently Jonas Kaufmann, but it is the 1969 recording by the young Placido Domingo that really gets to me emotionally. The expression and powerful presentation are hard to ignore and though his voice is quite sunny the performance clearly brings out his complete musicianship. Perhaps not as smooth as Bjorling, but an incredibly sympathetic version of this aria under Edward Downes’s baton.
Manon Lescaut - Tenor’s Aria Donna vidi mai
Again a hard choice, with Gregory Kunde, Jonas Kaufmann, Roberto Alagna and Franco Corelli leading a group of great singers who have taken this role, but perhaps the most vital singing has come from Beniamino Gigli in his 1951 performance from Rio. He overwhelms with his voice, as he caresses the music with incredible musicality and emotion. Unique. Watch out for the unwritten top B at the end.
Rosenkavalier - Act 3 Final Trio
So many great female artists have sung the final trio with Schwarzkopf, Te Kanawa, Battle, Fleming, Graham, Lott, Ludwig, Damrau, Popp, Fassbander, Scotto, Graham and Kirchschlager – the list is endless and in the main outstanding. However, this was one of Kleiber’s favourite operas as Conductor and I therefore choose his 1994 rather slow but precise recording with the Marschallin of Felicity Lott, the Octavian of the imperious Anne Sophie von Otter and the Sophie of Barbara Bonney.
Madam Butterfly - Act 1 Love Duet
Perhaps one of the most emotional love duets written by Puccini sung by so many greats including Gheorghiu and Alagna, Di Stefano and los Angeles, Carreras and Scotto, Jaho and Puente, Callas & Gedda. The list goes on, but my pick is the duet I grew up with being the 1959 recording from Rome with the imperious tenor Jussi Bjorling and the Butterfly of the great soprano Victoria de los Angeles.
Fanciulla del West - Tenor Aria Chella mi creda
Some incredible recordings including Domingo, Kaufmann, Cura, del Monaco, Giacomini, Pavarotti and the list goes on. But it is Franco Correlli’s 1966 recording from the Met that produces a sound of sustained emotion, easy flowing top notes and a powerful easy passion that is perfect for this role.
This playlist can also be found on the new Friends of Israel Opera YouTube channel for everyone to enjoy. I would like to invite you all to submit your own favourites to me at david@operaspy.com. We will compile these into playlists as well, allowing us to continue sharing our love of opera with one another.
David Buchler
