ktw@whuxi.UUCP (WOLMAN) (12/13/84)
With reference to live performances, there are too few of them committed to disk or tape, particularly with respect to opera, which almost demands such recording. At least a few years ago, many live performances could be had only on "pirate" labels or at least from companies using abysmal equipment. Nevertheless, the electricity of a fine live operatic performance tends to compensate for the sound quality. I am thinking of the 1953 La Scala production of Cherubini's "Medea" starring Callas and conducted by Bernstein and the 1951 Toscanini recording of Verdi's "Falstaff" with Giuseppe Valdengo. Many operatic artists do not record well, at least in studio settings; they almost demand the ambiance of the theater for their full impact to be felt. Callas is the obvious example; but so is Leonie Rysanek and, to a lesser extent, Jon Vickers. While Vickers has made some wonderful recordings, his live performances are often overwhelming: I would love to find a tape of a Pagliacci in which I saw him perform in January 1965 with Teresa Stratas. Ken Wolman Bell Communications Research Livingston whuxi!ktw
greg@olivej.UUCP (Greg Paley) (12/17/84)
The point about many operatic singers being heard to a disadvantage on recordings is well taken. The article favored recordings of live performances, but I would maintain that even these reproduce only a ghost of the real thing. There are still some things that just can't be canned or frozen to be microwaved at user convenience. Vickers and Rysanek were particularly good examples to use. Not only do recordings fail to capture the overall experience these performers offer, both of whose impressive large-scale gestures and stances don't take well to the miniturization of TV, but both have voices that defeat the current state of the art of recording techniques. In the case of Rysanek, microphones pick up and exaggerate the unfocused and unsteady sound of the middle voice without being able to capture the tremendous soaring quality of her upper register. With Vickers it's not so bad, since the voice often still sounds beautiful on records. However, since other singers are able to whisper right into a mike to emulate "pianissimo", one misses the fact that when he sings softly it's a sound that still has a point and intensity that carry to the back rows of the largest theaters. From live performances I've seen of Vickers, there's been only one problem for me. This is that, in each role I've seen him do (Tristan, Siegmund, Peter Grimes, Otello), he's completely spoiled me with regard to being able to enjoy anyone else in the role. This hasn't been the case always with Rysanek (it has, though, with her Chrysothemis, Ortrud, Salome, and Empress) but I have to say that I've never been bored when she's on stage. - Greg Paley