Haydn - La Vera Costanza – Dorati

 

 

La vera costanza ("True Constancy"), Hob. 28/8, is an operatic dramma giocoso by Joseph Haydn. The Italian libretto was a shortened version of the one by Francesco Puttini set by Pasquale Anfossi for the opera of the same name given in Rome in 1776. The story explores the troubles of a sentimental heroine abandoned by a mad lover.

The work was written for the Eszterházy  court and first performed on 25 April 1779. It was revived there in April 1785 when Haydn apparently had to re-create much of the opera from memory, the original having been largely lost. It was given in Bratislava, Budapest, Vienna and Brno between 1786 and 1792 under the title Der flatterhafte Liebhaber. In Paris in 1791, it was performed as Laurette.

The opera was recorded in May 1976 by Philips in association with the Radio Suisse Romande and European Broadcasting Union.

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Haydn - Orfeo ed Euridice - Sutherland, Gedda, Bonynge

Devotees of Dame Joan Sutherland will probably want to give this CD set 5 stars because her performance is awesome. But I must be a responsible reporter and tell you that the quality of the sound is below the expectations of most listeners today.

Nicolai Gedda is a surprisingly game Orfeo, really getting into the role and singing his heart out. The other singers are more than sufficient and professional. Bonynge conducts a rather ragged Scottish Opera Orchestra and Chorus. One other note on Sutherland: Her lower notes are very large and "produced" (for lack of a better term), so she is easily heard throughout her entire vocal range. She never pushed like that in studio recordings of the era.

And if you don't know any Haydn operas yet, it's way past time for you to do so! He wrote many, and they're all delightfully tuneful and meltingly harmonious. You won't be disappointed.

For off-the-deep-end opera buffs and Sutherland afficionados...

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Haydn - Le pescatrici - Geczy, Lithuanian Opera

 

 

"This is the only recording I know of Le pescatrici. Although Hungaroton doesn’t say so on the outside of the package, this is a reissue of a recording once available on the Drive label. A note at the bottom of page 23 reads, “Recorded in 1993 at the Lithuanian Haydn-Schubert Festival.” The apparently all-Lithuanian singers are thorough professionals with pleasing voices, although the tenors push hard. There is very little ornamentation here, and no one is comfortable with the limited coloratura. Nevertheless, the sopranos and contralto are excellent, especially Tumuliauskaité; Lesbina’s “Che vi par?” takes her beyond high C, where she continues to produce full, lustrous tone. The orchestra is a large, modern one; it does sound a bit old fashioned these days, but it is consistently tuned, and everyone plays well, from the sweet strings to the solid horns and trumpets. The performance does not have a particularly Haydn aura, but it has a strong ensemble feel, so credit conductor Géczy. The recorded sound is satisfactory; solo voices are bright and clear, chorus and orchestra less so. While I would welcome a fine period-practice recording of Le pescatrici, this eminently musical one rates a strong recommendation." -- James H. North

CD INFO

 

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