Derek Bailey Music

Here we have yet another Asian Madama Butterfly, with Yasuko Hayashi in the title role and Hak-Nam Kim as Suzuki. Peter Dvorsky's Pinkerton is a little brash, but then he is no prince charming. Giorgio Zancanaro is superb as Sharpless, this man has one of the best baritone voices on the planet. This production from La Scala is of the traditional Kabuki theatre style of Japan. Who better to stage an opera set in Japan, than the Japanese. For those who are not familiar with Kabuki, the basic rules are thus: Any persons dressed in black are NOT actually there. Your minds eye is not meant to see them as they work the sets etc. In other words they are the visible- invisible mechanics of the production. Hard for us Westerners to comprehend, but that is what it is. I actually feel sorry for the child. With all the man or woman handling he has to put up with and to be sung at fondled and squeezed, I'm surprised he made it though the opera, but he behaved exceptionally well and deserves a mention.
The Kabuki style finale is about the most breath-taking I have ever witnessed. Entering in a pure white kimono and seating herself on a pure white mat with a supernumerary at each corner, in black (so they are not there) and using the fan to symbolize the sword to stab herself with. As she stabs herself, she slowly opens the fan revealing a blood-red fan giving the elusion of blood spreading across the white kimono and as this is happening the four supernumeraries are slowing pulling the corners of the white mat towards themselves slowly revealing a blood red matt underneath, symbolizing the flow of blood. A very effective and quite a dramatic way to conclude such a wonderful opera. I have had this version on Video for many years now and I am pleased it made it onto DVD. I hope you get as much enjoyment as I have from this production.

Yes, Cio-cio San is supposed to be a delicate Japanese teenage girl, but the music Puccini wrote for her to sing would be impossible for any teenage soprano to sing. This is heavy, loud singing that Puccini demands from the soprano. Only sopranos with mature, big voices can, and should, sing this role. So, stop carping about fat sopranos singing Cio-cio San. Most sopranos with mature, big voices have big bodies. Get over it!

If one can get over a need for superstars in this opera, here is the DVD to have. Directed by a Japanese director for La Scala, it is totally convincing. Butterfly and Susuki don't have to pretend that they are small Oriental women because they ARE small Oriental women. Hayashi, who sings the title role, does not have as much strength in her lower register as a western soprano but she embodies the role completely. Susuki is excellent in voice and appearance. Dvorsky's Pinkerton is one dimensional...but that's the kind of person who would marry a Butterfly and then forget about her. One cannot say enough good about Zancanaro's Sharpless. Here is a singer whose every line is beatifully shaped. His voice is effortlessly and evenly produced from top to bottom. Having no musical or techincal problems to deal with he is free to act with great sensitivity to the text. Though rarely in leading roles, his presence on a DVD is enough to make me consider owning it.

My only quibbles with this performance are 1) the distraction provided by the hooded "zombies" who enter to push the scenery around when it is required, 2) the English translation is not that faithful to the text of the libretto and 3) there are not nearly enough blossoms in the flower duet.

Aside from that...highly recommended.

I thought this performance was cold. I thought Butterfly's voice was weak in her entrance and in Un bel di, though strong during the love duet and adequate the rest of the time. I was stunned to find out at last (I never read librettos) what Butterfly and Pinkerton are saying to each other during the duet. She is rhapsodizing about flowers and oceans and stars, and he's pleading vehemently with her to shut up and come to bed! It's their wedding night. From the professional Amazon reviewer I learned that the staging was Japanese. I thought it was beautiful, perfectly and artfully done, but I also thought it was inappropriate for the deeply emotional music and story, it is after all an Italian opera. The artifice that impressed me the most was the symbolism of the suicide scene. That was fantastic. No blood or guts, of course. I thought overall it was a mediocre show, maybe subdued or low-key are the words I should use, maybe this is typically Japanese. I thought everyone did a good job, expecially Sharpless, who was very kind and warm and with that warm baritone. As for the plot, I want to mention that Butterfly got a little of her own back (though it cost her her life) by telling Pinkerton he'd have to come back in half an hour if he wanted his son. Just time enough for him to find her dead. The subtitles were in white letters frequently on white backgrounds, which made them hard to read. Also, as for the subtitles, why did they have "'neath" instead of "beneath"? Was it supposed to have been a literal translation or something? The music was lush and rich. The staging was cold (albeit clever) and spare. Sigh. It did not to me make a good combination. I wish I'd bought a conventional performance. I have Tebaldi and Callas on CD. Neither of them is 15 years old, but both have stronger voices. I would see this performance for INTEREST, not to be wrapped in Puccini's music or to get involved in the story, opera. Butterfly, I should add, which may qualify all I've said, is not my favorite opera anyway, by Puccini or anyone else.

It's easy to come to this opera with a lot of expectations and if you are looking for a conventional approach this somewhat low-keyed version may not appeal to you. But if you are in the mood for something different then this stylish and skillful production could be just your cup of tea. The show has been directed attentively in oriental style. The stylized movement and the dramaturgy, costumes and settings all reflect an eastern approach and give the opera a rare sense of authenticity. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom here and you might actually think you were in Japan for a few hours. All the power and glory of Puccini's masterpiece are here in abundance. There are no doubt more melodramatic versions but I found this one to be far easier to swallow dramatically than ... say, the filmed Karajan (Ponnelle)--- which struck me as false through and through. I thought Hayashi Yasuko's ability to convey a range of emotions in her aria Un Bel Di was very impressive. The sense of hope, despair, doubt she was able to convey at the same time was just heart-breaking. The ending, too, is quite effective as the stage turns bright red in a sea of blood. A very oriental effect-- and a mighty powerful way to end this striking production.

I am not really a fan of Strauss operas. They are too dark and ponderous for my taste. But I have treasured an old vinyl record of his "Dance of the Seven Veils' on one side, and 'Although Sprach Zarathustra' on the other. When I found this version of 'Salome' by Maria Ewing, I immediately ordered it, since she is fantastic in 'Il Barbiere di Siviglia'. She is excellent in 'Salome' also. Of course, I was astounded to see her nude ending of 'Dance of the seven veils'.

Oh my God! I just finished watching this. Maria Ewing is amazing. Her intense focus is wonderful. I saw a live performance of Salome a few years ago in the midwest and wished the Salome and the whole production had been more intense and a little crazy. The whole thing was just too tame. I came away wondering if Salome could be done convincingly. I wonder no longer. This is a stellar performance. It's true that Ewing doesn't always sing the notes but who cares! She gets across the meaning beautifully. Keneth Riegel is also a standout. Kudos to the whole cast. Highly recommended!!!

Plenty of veils, plenty of posturing, plenty of writhing, plenty of bouncing breasts, plenty of nudity, but little great singing and even less good acting.

Narraboth, the captain of the guards, wears what appears to be a full length green chenille bathrobe with long sleeves--lovesick and a pretty boy--but he just doesn't look the part of a captain. Perhaps ironically fitting, unlike most productions where Narraboth uses his sword to commit suicide, here our boy pulls out a small knife and pricks himself to death.

Maria Ewing always seems to be playing to the audience--she doesn't seem to participate in the drama.

The only subtitles are in English, and they cannot be turned off.

Perhaps this production should be retitled "Triumph of a Nasty Teenager." The only relief from the madness is when Herod finally orders his guards, "Let this woman be killed." And they don't even do a good job of that.

Please, there are at least two far better Salomes you should see first: Teresa Stratas and Catherine Malfitano. Save this Maria Ewing Salome until you've enjoyed two superlative productions.

All right. I asked for it. Despite my previous resolution not to buy another Kultur DVD ever again I bought this. I had the video, which like almost all Kultur products was, from the technical aspect, second rate. However, the performances of all the major singer/actors, particularly Maria Ewing and Michael Devlin are outstanding; as is the staging. In preparation for the new Salomes about to be released (Teresa Stratas and Karita Matilla) I wanted to have another viewing of this landmark production. My hope was that the DVD would be better than the video.

Silly me!! I foolishly thought that Kultur would have cleaned it up the way responsible companies do before releasing a video as a DVD. But no. Just as with their "Turandot", they start with a shoddy video and rerelease it as a shoddy DVD. The sound (stereo only) and vision are muddy. The subtitles are in English only and cannot be turned off. There are no liner notes and no extras.

So why, you may ask, am I giving it 5 stars? It is for the same reason I would give the Caballe "Norma" five stars despite its flawed recording. This is a unique excellent production. Would that any other company than Kultur had produced this DVD!!

As I wrote in my review of their "Turandot": I wish Kultur would go bankrupt and get out of the way.

Many of the reviews complain about Ewing's vocality, but this is exactly what makes the performance so blood-chilling perfect. Rather than just blasting out all the notes as you average battle-axe soprano would, Ewing uses the German "sing-speak" technique that became so briefly popular in the 20th century among composers of dissonance. Much of her banter is spoken in melody with dramatic inflection, although to the musical notes, and is amazingly effective in portraying a fixated, spoiled, and nasty teeny-bopper. She has perfected operatic creepiness as it was intended for this work.

This is a much-talked-about live recording, long thought lost, of a BBC broadcast in 1968 of an English-language production of Wagner's 'Die Meistersinger' from the Sadler's Wells Opera (now called the English National Opera). It was conducted by Reginald Goodall who was all but unknown then but who soon became known and much lauded for his conducting of Wagner's operas. It has an all-English cast, all but one of whom were singing their roles for the first time; the exception was Norman Bailey, who had sung Hans Sachs in Germany (in German, of course).

First, the bad news: Sound quality is not the best. There is some tape hiss, occasional poor balances, a good deal of stage noise (my goodness, you can really hear a lot of clumping around in the last act entrance of the apprentices!), and somewhat dodgy stereo separation. Early on Norman Bailey's voice is rather woolly, although it improves and his vocal acting is marvelous. Margaret Curphey's Eva can turn acidulous, but she is terrific in the last act Quintet. There are some cuts -- primarily a verse from David's first act catalog of tones and from Beckmesser's second act song. The orchestral playing is not always as suave as one might hope. And, of course, there will be those who will be put off by this quintessentially German opera being sung in English. And indeed the translation, by Frederick Jameson (with some changes by Norman Feasey and Gordon Kember) has a few thee's and thou's that make it sound a bit old-fashioned. Still it is an effective translation and it sings well.

Any negatives are outweighed by the good things in the recording. Bailey's Sachs is effective -- and he has the best diction of anyone in the cast; he is human, affecting, suitably humorous, gruff, tender or serious as needed. The David of Gregory Dempsey is one the best I've ever heard. Derek Hammond-Stroud plays Beckmesser as a bit of a caricature, but he sings the music rather than sketching it as many Beckmessers do. Alberto Remedios is one of the best Walthers on record. His tone is meltingly lyrical and he is actually able to sing softly when required, unlike some. He is ardent, heroic, and naïve in turn. His Prize Song is magical, aided significantly by Goodall's rapturously paced conducting. Noel Mangin's Pogner is excellent in his long aria. The rest of the mastersingers are at least adequate or, as in the case of David Bowman as Kothner, much better. Ann Robson is a younger-sounding Magdalene and she sings well. Stafford Dean, then quite young, is a marvelous Nightwatchman. The chorus is sterling from their very first notes at the end of the overture to the paean to Sachs that closes the opera.

The real hero of this performance is Goodall. This is a leisurely-paced 'Mastersingers' but there is never a lull or longueur. Rhythms are well-sprung and the quieter or more lyrical moments are breathtaking, as in the Act III prelude or the ecstatic last act Quintet. He can build up real excitement, too, as in the overture and the third act entrance of the apprentices and mastersingers, not to speak of the riot that ends Act II.

The boxed 4CD set is being offered for the price of 3CDs and it includes a complete libretto. This will probably not be anyone's only 'Meistersinger', but it certainly belongs on the shelves of those who love this opera and have other recordings of it.

Scott Morrison

This is completely worth it. Other reviews aptly pointed out everything good, and this *is* good--brilliant. Alberto Remedios is the best Siegfried I've ever heard, and Rita Hunter is a stunning and convincing Brunnhilde. If I could give this more than five stars, I would.

Here we have the third installment (or "Second Day") in the Ring Cycle. And this recording by Goodall and the English National Opera is . . . well, let me explain.

Thre are grandiose Siegfred recordings out there, like Karl Bohm with the Bayreuth Festival, Marek Janowski with the Staatskapelle Dresden, and Klemens Krauss with the Bayreuth Festival. This one isn't one of them. Not to say that it is a wreck. There are some nice touches here, but pros are a bit below the cons.

First off, I don't mind the slow tempi in Rhinegold and Valkyrie, but here it doesn't work for me. The Forging Scene is never good in a slow speed, and Act Three Prelude sounds way too dull (I can't imagine a thunderstorm that would sound like this). Also, Gregory Dempsey as Mime is terrible. He doesn't have the fear or the anger that the character is supposed to be described as. When the Wanderer's final question is heard, and he goes wild with fear, there is no fear in Dempsey's voice. And when he tries to give Siegfried the poisoned drink, there's no hidden personality. This Mime fails miserably.

And then we have the other singers, and they make this recording worth a listen. Norman Bailey is a believable Wanderer, and he ravishes the ears whenever he sings. Rita Hunter as Brunnhilde sounds absolutely gorgeous. She has the voice all right. And Alberto Remedios as Siegfried gives a fine performance here; I like it very much.

So there's the good and there's the bad when it comes to Goodall's "Siegfried." But it all becomes so much better when the Third Day comes.

The Box Set: Wagner: The Ring Cycle (Box Set)
-The Rhinegold (Part 1): Wagner: The Rhinegold
-The Valkyrie (Part 2): Wagner: The Valkyrie
-Twilight of the Gods (Part 4): The Twilight of the Gods (Goodall Ring Cycle/Chandos Opera in English)

Yes, we all know that Reginal Goodall's Wagner is VERY deliberate (read slow) at times. When I heard the late Rita Hunter singing in Sydney in the 80s, I asked her about working with Maestro Goodall, she said he was one of the most thorough and demanding conductor's you could wish to work with.

For me, this whole cycle is desert island material because the English translation is just superb. Fine singing and marvellous playing from the ENO orchestra.

As good as his die Walkure is, Goodall's Siegfried is even better. For me this is the most difficult opera of the entire Ring and Goodall pulls it off with honors indeed. Remedios is a wonder! Wish we had had him in the Met Ring Cycles of the past decade. Hunter again is a wonder with beauty and strength of tone. Once more I enjoy Bailey. I found That Alan Blyth in Gramophone 5/01 and I seem to appreciate him. It would seem that Goodall gives this opera all the wonderful performance it needs. Not an easy show to pull off. This recording absolutely belongs in any Wagnerian's collection. Had I been at this live performance, I definitely would not have fallen asleep and would have regretted its coming to its inevitable end. And the orchestra rises to the occasion splendidly. From Siegfried's climb to Brunhilde's rock until the end of the duet, the orchestral playing is rich, very moving bordering on the monumental just because it is live and thus more of a risk than a studio recording. Hunter is nothing short of stunning. The duet alone makes the recording a must have. Too bad artists are not fully appreciated until we no longer have them around to enjoy. Thank God this is on CD to be enjoyed at the listener's command.

I had to think more than twice before purchasing this recording, especially since it isnt at a budget price, but I dont regret having done so. Wagner's original German language opera sung in English might seem more like a novelty recording (or a horrifying experience to hardcore Wagner fans) than a serious approach to the music, but surprisingly it works (for the most part). For the listener who doesn't speak and understand German this is a great way to understand Wagner's opera, as the connection between text and drama is made clearer--though I sometimes wish the singers diction and pronunciation were a bit clearer--but hey, its still opera and a complete English only libretto is included (along with a scene by scene summary of the drama, a summary of the preceding two operas, and an essay and photos of this particular project). Overall the orchestra and conducting is up to par and the sound is clear, balanced, and spacious, the only annoying thing being the audience clapping after the end of each act--its a live 1975 recording. While this is no substitute for the original in German, think of it as a great resource ... to understanding Wagner's opera cycle for listeners without the time or inclination to learn German.

Call it transitional music, a time when, across the Atlantic, in London England, a select group of musicians were moving from free jazz to a music without any reference to established musical genres:free improvisation. The music comes from September of 1966 and March 1967. It's a curious and informative listen, full of intrigue and mystery. It's mindblowing, to say the least. All of the players became established musicians/improvisers in later decades. Kenny Wheeler, Paul Rutherford, Trevor Watts, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Barry Guy, and John Stevens would have made a tremendous grouping at any point in their careers. This is a chance to hear them play together when they were really pushing the limits of sound exploration and developing musical strategies that would carry them forward on their own paths. There are a few instances when Stevens resorts to playing a more conventional timekeeping role but that does nothing to diminish the impact of this musical document. Kenny Wheeler is outstanding in this free context and leaves many memorable moments. Trevor Watts is also very impressive. Evan Parker seems unsure and tentative, leaving Watts to handle most of the reed work. Rutherford already sounds like Rutherford, just a little less so. Barry Guy is already identifiable even though he doesn't display all of his formidable technique. John Stevens seems the catalyst here. He sounds like he's exploring and trying different things with his kit. New textures, embellishments, shadings, and eruptions are all heard to good effect. Many of these devices would be worked on and heard in later forms of the SME. His role was crucial in defining this new music and it's fascinating to hear his evolution within the SME compared to other freebop outings he propelled(New Cool&Loves Dream). Derek Bailey plays amplified guitar on only the March 1967 session and is already, at this time, a unique voice.

For the most part, the music doesn't sound dated, particularly if the listener didn't know who the players were. As it stands, the music is still worth hearing for its spirited and engaging group dynamics. As far as reissues go, the 78:39 minutes of well recorded music on this disc make this one to get.