Nayler&Co Boekhandel & Modern Antiquariaat*Ramsj-on-Line

Il a existe et il existe toujours de belles voix, des voix pleines, riches, sensuelles ou animales, des voix legeres ou virtuoses, des voix expressives, des voix transparantes -et il y a des voix, tres peu, tres rares, qui sont en elles-memes des signatures, des voix immediatement reconnaisables, des voix qui interpellent et qu'on n'oublie pas. La voix de Callas, quoi qu'elle chantat, etait de cette tempre. Celle de Roberto Alagna aussi.

Gustav Albert Lortzing, 1801-1851, was a German composer, actor and singer and considered to be the main representative of the German Spieloper. His story of his famous Zar und Zimmermann, 1837, is based on Tsar Peter I The Great of Russia, who travelled to Germany, Holland and England, disguised as a carpenter in order to gain first-hand technical knowledge he believed neccessary for his country's economic progress, such as shipbuilding.

Every generation of musicians produces a small number of what might be called connoisseurs' singers -vocalists who are admired for the quality, restraint and good taste of their singing rather than the number of performances they give. One of the best examples of recent times was Kraus, whose voice was not as large, sweet or perhaps even as thrilling as those of the more famous Three Tenors, but who possessed a vocal technique equal if not superior to any of theirs.

Renowned Canadian baritone Allan Monk performs some of the world’s best-loved arias, including “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville, “Rivolgete a Lui lo Squardo” from Così Fan Tutte.

On the island of Naxos, where Ariadne is abandoned by Theseus. She has only one remaining goal, to die. The three nymphs, who watch over her, describe her perpetual weeping. When the nymphs announce the arrival of the youthful god Bacchus, Ariadne mistakes him for Hermes, the harbinger of death. Lisa Della Casa is Ariadne, tenor Rudolf Schock is Bacchus.

In this 1965 remastered recording of Bela Bartok's early and only opera, Christa Ludwig performs Judith and her husband Walter Berry is Bluebeard.
The spoken prologue is not recorded here. Contains a libretto.

Bartok's only opera is an intense drama, involving only 2 characters and underpinned by a rich orchestral score. Bluebeard's young bride persuades him to open 7 doors in his castle to let the light in. Behind each she finds increasingly disturbing sights, until the final door opens to reveal the castle's secret and her fate. This performance was recorded live in 2009 at the Barbican, london.

Manner des Rundfunkchors Berlin; Gewandhausorchester; Kurt Masur

Fidelio, Op. 72, is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Ferdinand von Sonnleithner a.o. from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Leonore, ou L'amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora by Ferdinando Paer. The opera tells how Leonore, disguised as prison guard Fidelio, rescues her husband.

Here are Kirsten Flagstad, Rene Maison and Bruno Walter in supreme form in Beethoven´s wonderful opera Fidelio celebrating faith, fidelity. and humanity. The are superbly joined by Julius Huehn, Herbert Janssen and Alexander Kipnis. Marita Farrell and Karl Laufkoetter are a fine second pair of young lovers. This 1941 performance is one not to be missed.

Throughout the 19th century La sonnambula was regarded as a prime example of the pastoral genre. This recording catches Joan Sutherland in the role of Amina before she had taken on the challenge of Norma, when her voice was at its freshest. CD 2 includes Amina's two big scenes as well as her duet with Elvino from a 1961 performance in Venice. Renata Scotto sings Amina.