What a really great idea for a series, & a great recording to launch it. I recall reading that when Mahler was the director of the opera in Budapest, all operas they performed were translated into Hungarian. When a guest vocalist would appear, however, the guest would sing in their own native language. La Traviata was staged with an Italian guest soprano singing Violetta in Italian, while everyone else was singing in Hungarian. We've gotten very uptight about things.
I am told that when John Crosby of Santa Fe Opera wanted in the 1950s to give the American premiere of one of Strauss late operas, he rather bashfully asked the Strauss estate if it was ok to do the performances in English. The response from Strauss' son was that they had not only permission, but Richard Strauss' endorsement: "It was always my father's intention that his operas be performed in the language of the house."
An interesting episode... Strauss collaborated in detail with the French writer Romain Rolland to create the French version of Salome. A book of Strauss's and Rolland's correspondence during this project has been published, showing just how much care they put into the translation, with Strauss often taking the time to explain certain musical effects and how they related to the text. Given the care they put into it, it's a shame not to hear it more often!
@@davidwyatt850Though surtitles or Met titles have largely solved that if not always ideally. But I remember hearing Jenufa in Seattle in English capturing maybe 10% of the words and the rest incomprehensible. When I heard Ariadne auf Naxos at the ENO, the Prologue was crystal clear but one we got into the opera itself, comprehension vanished.
@@bbailey7818 I was listening to Beecham's "Messiah" this afternoon & reminding myself that singers, even the ladies, CAN sing well and also be understood. What I think of as the Joan Sutherland school of beautiful tone & technique at the expense of pronouncing actual words(!) has a lot to answer for...
Poulenc said he wanted Dialogues always to be given in the language of the audience. Strauss was reported to be appalled when the Met gave the American premiere of Rosenkavalier in German. Hansel works great in English, Pelleas, which I've heard in English, not so much. I don't understand hardly a word of Czech. But EMI made a great recording of Bartered Bride in German with Wunderlich, Lorengar and Frick with Kempe conducting. A real classic. But there really is something missing that you get hearing it in a Czech performance, even with a lesser cast. (When Mahler gave the American premiere at the Met it was in German. But it's a fact that at that time, NYC had more native and first generation German speakers than did Berlin!)
Aida in Russian at the Bolshoi Opera in the summer of 1977! Not a good production, but heck, the Russian was excellent! Tourists abounded, but I recall two items beyond the champagne offered during the interval: (1) Member of our study tour wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt sitting in nice seats on the floor and; (2) A lady snacking on a whole cucumber nearby my fellow tourist. You have really got me into Mackerras so I will need to get into these operas accordingly!
Is "Hansel & Gretel" underestimated in the US? Here in Germany it isn't. Before Christmas it is regularly staged by at least five opera houses all over Germany. It's very appreciated. Although I like this English version very much, I think that Karajan's 1953 recording is still the best.
Can’t wait for the Onegin in English! The Telarc Mozart operas (in original language) are a solid series,Cosi, Zauberflote and Don Giovanni are excellent but the Marriage of Figaro has singing a couple notches lower than those.
How many times have I heard the "the composer's original intent" argument from someone denigrating opera in translation? My stock reply is: "sure, if the composer's original intent was that no one in the audience should be able to understand the singers."
I know I’m in the few but I don’t understand them anyway and tbh I don’t care at all. I never bother looking up texts and translations for these works and for sacred music. I just like how they sound
Yes. It was the production that Gustav and Alma Mahler attended (and hated). But it wasn't in 1932. It was in 1910 or thereabouts. It was produced by the Manhattan Opera Company--if I said the Met then I misspoke.
Sorry Dave, but no one will convince me that singing Italian opera in German or English isn't a crime (I don't mind though if it's the other way around).
I don't care what language it's in. I don't care what instruments they are playing. If Mackerras is at the helm, it's gonna be great. I don't appreciate his Schubert 9 because it's "HIP". It's Mackerras. 'Nuff said.
If Wagner, of all people, was fine with his works being performed in other languages, then we should be as well. It's musical snobbery at it's worst to insist that everything be kept in it's original language.
It's worth noting that a lot of these Mackerras sets are in Chandos' winter sale - 40% off in some cases.
What a really great idea for a series, & a great recording to launch it.
I recall reading that when Mahler was the director of the opera in Budapest, all operas they performed were translated into Hungarian. When a guest vocalist would appear, however, the guest would sing in their own native language. La Traviata was staged with an Italian guest soprano singing Violetta in Italian, while everyone else was singing in Hungarian. We've gotten very uptight about things.
I am told that when John Crosby of Santa Fe Opera wanted in the 1950s to give the American premiere of one of Strauss late operas, he rather bashfully asked the Strauss estate if it was ok to do the performances in English. The response from Strauss' son was that they had not only permission, but Richard Strauss' endorsement: "It was always my father's intention that his operas be performed in the language of the house."
An interesting episode... Strauss collaborated in detail with the French writer Romain Rolland to create the French version of Salome. A book of Strauss's and Rolland's correspondence during this project has been published, showing just how much care they put into the translation, with Strauss often taking the time to explain certain musical effects and how they related to the text. Given the care they put into it, it's a shame not to hear it more often!
If only opera directors & opera houses generally would take this approach more. 'Authenticity' should not mean putting audience incomprehension first.
@@davidwyatt850Though surtitles or Met titles have largely solved that if not always ideally. But I remember hearing Jenufa in Seattle in English capturing maybe 10% of the words and the rest incomprehensible. When I heard Ariadne auf Naxos at the ENO, the Prologue was crystal clear but one we got into the opera itself, comprehension vanished.
@@bbailey7818 I was listening to Beecham's "Messiah" this afternoon & reminding myself that singers, even the ladies, CAN sing well and also be understood. What I think of as the Joan Sutherland school of beautiful tone & technique at the expense of pronouncing actual words(!) has a lot to answer for...
Hope you do Osud soon!
Poulenc said he wanted Dialogues always to be given in the language of the audience. Strauss was reported to be appalled when the Met gave the American premiere of Rosenkavalier in German.
Hansel works great in English, Pelleas, which I've heard in English, not so much.
I don't understand hardly a word of Czech. But EMI made a great recording of Bartered Bride in German with Wunderlich, Lorengar and Frick with Kempe conducting. A real classic. But there really is something missing that you get hearing it in a Czech performance, even with a lesser cast. (When Mahler gave the American premiere at the Met it was in German. But it's a fact that at that time, NYC had more native and first generation German speakers than did Berlin!)
Aida in Russian at the Bolshoi Opera in the summer of 1977! Not a good production, but heck, the Russian was excellent! Tourists abounded, but I recall two items beyond the champagne offered during the interval: (1) Member of our study tour wearing a Mickey Mouse t-shirt sitting in nice seats on the floor and; (2) A lady snacking on a whole cucumber nearby my fellow tourist. You have really got me into Mackerras so I will need to get into these operas accordingly!
His Gilbert and Sullivan is superb
Agreed 100% but why oh why didn't he record Iolanthe!
Mackerras box of 'Classic Mozart Operas' - no texts, but amazingly cheap- is still available. Worth reviewing....?
Is "Hansel & Gretel" underestimated in the US? Here in Germany it isn't. Before Christmas it is regularly staged by at least five opera houses all over Germany. It's very appreciated.
Although I like this English version very much, I think that Karajan's 1953 recording is still the best.
Can’t wait for the Onegin in English!
The Telarc Mozart operas (in original language) are a solid series,Cosi, Zauberflote and Don Giovanni are excellent but the Marriage of Figaro has singing a couple notches lower than those.
I know you hold Mackerras in highest esteem, but I've never heard you mention his remarkable Petrouchka on Vanguard. Any thoughts?
Remarkable.
How many times have I heard the "the composer's original intent" argument from someone denigrating opera in translation? My stock reply is: "sure, if the composer's original intent was that no one in the audience should be able to understand the singers."
I know I’m in the few but I don’t understand them anyway and tbh I don’t care at all. I never bother looking up texts and translations for these works and for sacred music. I just like how they sound
Whoa. Elektra at the Met in 1932 in Italian???? When all of the Wagner and other Strauss sung in German at that time??? Are you sure????
Yes. It was the production that Gustav and Alma Mahler attended (and hated). But it wasn't in 1932. It was in 1910 or thereabouts. It was produced by the Manhattan Opera Company--if I said the Met then I misspoke.
@@DavesClassicalGuideoh ok. That explains it
Sorry Dave, but no one will convince me that singing Italian opera in German or English isn't a crime (I don't mind though if it's the other way around).
Oh, but a great singer like Heinrich Schlusnus can sing Verdi in German and make it sound as if German is the original language.
That's OK. It's your loss.
I don't care what language it's in. I don't care what instruments they are playing. If Mackerras is at the helm, it's gonna be great.
I don't appreciate his Schubert 9 because it's "HIP". It's Mackerras. 'Nuff said.
If Wagner, of all people, was fine with his works being performed in other languages, then we should be as well. It's musical snobbery at it's worst to insist that everything be kept in it's original language.
why did you do your English accent when immitating a pompous music critic?
That wasn't an English accent. Just ask any English person.