[Dixielandjazz] Opera recordings, Abbey Road etc

[Beth Villanyi]

Anton,

I couldn't agree more. If you take Steve's thinking further, then any studio 
recording that has been mixed at all is a "fake" and only live performances 
of any music should be considered "real".

I sent the original article to several of my colleagues and all were 
saddened by the prospect of losing the studio recordings. One commented that 
he preferred studio opera recordings because the audience distractions are 
removed and the beautiful music comes through in all its glory. Another 
mentioned how much he likes opera on film for the same reasons. Domingo's 
"Tosca" with Sherrill Milnes is one of my favorites - a classic.

Everyone has their own tastes.

Happy New Year everyone,
Beth

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Anton Crouch" <anton.crouch at optusnet.com.au>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 11:03 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Opera recordings, Abbey Road etc


> Hello all
>
> I know that Steve B is a good "stirrer" but I have the awful feeling that
> he is serious in his comments on opera recordings. He wrote:
>
> "IMO doing an Operatic performance in a studio, for a CD over several 
> days,
> that you cannot do live on stage as it was written to be performed in a
> couple of hours is pure bullshit. It is a fake."
>
> What complete and utter nonsense!
>
> Is John Culshaw's production of Wagner's Ring a fake because he achieves
> sonic effects on record that Wagner wanted but could not get at Bayreuth?
>
> Is there a single opera enthusiast in the world who would say that Maria
> Callas should not have recorded Carmen because she never sang it on stage?
>
> Who would be without Boris Christoff's 1952 recording of Boris Godunov, in
> which he sings the roles of both Boris and Pimen? (a performance
> impossibilty, since the characters appear together in one scene).
>
> I could go on. I wonder how Steve feels about Sidney Bechet's 1941 "one 
> man
> band" sides. Definitely fakes  :-)
>
>,, snip...
>
> All the best
> Anton
>
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