Salzburg 2006: Visually, this M22 production may seem a bit bizarre, but with these wonderful singers—Magdalena Kozena, Ekaterina Siurinas, Anja Harteros, and Ramón Vargas—and Sir Roger Norrington on the podium, there is musical magic. The whole production is wonderful. (Text and translation are below.)
IDAMANTE Andrò rammingo, e solo Morte cercando altrove Fin che la incontrerò. ILIA M'avrai compagna al duolo, Dove sarai, e dove Tu inoia, io morirò. IDAMANTE Ah no! IDOMENEO Nettun spietato! Chi per pietà m'uccide? ELETTRA da sé Quando vendetta avrò? IDAMANTE, ILIA a Idomeneo Serena il ciglio irato. IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE, ILIA Ah il cor mi si divide! TUTTI Soffrir più non si può. Peggio è di morte Sì gran dolore: Più fiera sorte, Pena maggiore Nissun provò. | IDAMANTE I will go on my wanderings alone, seeking death elsewhere until I find it. ILIA You will have me as a companion in your grief wherever you go, and where you die I too will die. IDAMANTE Ah, no! IDOMENEO Pitiless Neptune! Who, in mercy, will take my life? ELECTRA aside When shall I be revenged? IDAMANTE, ILIA to Idomeneo Calm your angry brow! IDOMENEO, IDAMANTE, ILIA Ah, my heart is breaking. ALL To suffer more is impossible. Such great grief is worse than death. No one ever suffered a harsher fate or greater punishment. |
I didn't like this one the first time I saw it - but repeated viewing really brought me around. Though I do wish a teensy bit that they'd also recorded the performance in 2000 with DR and VK as Ilia and Idamante! However, Siurina and Kozena are not to be missed either. And anyone who does not come away from this greatly appreciating the awesomeness of Anja Harteros has probably suffered a serious auditory injury of some kind.
ReplyDeleteWow, I'd love to see/hear that 2000 performance! One cool thing about the M22 performances is hearing people like Harteros here, and Annette Dasche in Il Re Pastore (boring opera) and Christine Karg in Apollo and whoever...hearing where they came from. Harteros is amazing as Elettra, especially in and AFTER her final aria.
DeleteHey, Il re pastore isn't boring! Have you heard the Finta this or that couple of operas?
DeleteI think this quartet is a bit odd but I love the "no one can feel worse that I do now" cliche.
I love that you comment on older posts of mine, cause then I go back and reread and relisten and end up hearing/reading other cool stuff.
DeleteI will try to give Il re another try. I watched (kind of) the M22 production, and I have at least one audio of the opera. Maybe I will listen to it this afternoon....maybe.
oh, yes, randomness is good. To be fair I haven't heard Il re pastore in a while and couldn't quote from it on the spot but according to my "Wolfie challenge" it was one of the better early efforts.
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