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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Puccini: Suor Angelica
Puccini’s 'Suor Angelica' used to be seen as one of the composer’s ‘problem children’. As the central work of 'Il Trittico', it is sandwiched between two dramatically more effective pieces: a tale of life in a convent and of the suicide of a mother robbed of her child, it simply could not hold its own against its sister works at their world première in New York. Various cuts sanctioned by Puccini testify to his concessions to the conventions of the opera business. Uncut, 'Suor Angelica' lasts just about an hour, and one often hears it in the concert hall today. With its restrained melancholy and mystical ambience, a concert performance does not diminish the impact of the title heroine and her moving fate. On the contrary, when Kristine Opolais sings Angelica – one of our most exciting young Puccini sopranos (fêted at Covent Garden in Madama Butterfly and in this role) – even a concert hall audience is moved to tears, as we can read in the reviews of her concert performances with the WDR Symphony Orchestra Köln conducted by her husband, Andris Nelsons. Kristine Opolais’s uniquely shaded timbre, her clear sense of line and her subtle characterisation make Angelica a woman of flesh and blood. Andris Nelsons, too, explores the full breadth of Puccini’s musical language in this one-acter, from its formulaic sacred elements to its uninhibited outbursts of emotion. This becomes especially clear when Opolais’s character meets her adversary, the Princess [Lioba Braun] whose dramatic mezzo offers an extreme authoritarian portrait. Angelica’s sisters in the convent offer several of the best women’s voices from the WDR Radio Chorus welcome solo opportunities. This superb cast includes the luxurious voices of the dark-toned mezzosoprano Nadezhda Serdyuk as the stern Sister Monitor and of Mojca Erdmann’s clear, graceful soprano as Sister Genovieffa, who brings the greatest sympathy for the plight of Angelica. “Nelsons draws sensitive responses from the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus but resists the temptation to “go soft” on the story, so that the performance unfolds with inexorable dramatic sweep. Even better, Opolais uses her considerable vocal powers to draw a psychological portrait of formidable insight.” Financial Times, 25th August 2012 **** “Kristine Opolais (Mrs Andris Nelsons) may not have the vocal opulence of Renata Tebaldi or Mirella Freni, or the intensity of Renata Scotto, but her beautifully sung account of this heart-rending role demonstrates that her sensational Royal Opera debut as Butterfly was no fluke...Nelsons and the WDRSO relish Puccini’s orchestration.” Sunday Times, 2nd September 2012 “Opolais's bright, intensely focused soprano, together with her husband Andris Nelsons's equally crisp handling of the orchestral writing, gives the score a much sharper definition than usual. Not everything in her singing is idiomatically Italianate, but there is nothing remotely mawkish or sugary sweet about the performance...Lioba Braun's haughty, formidable Principessa is the perfect foil to Opolais” The Guardian, 20th September 2012 **** “Nelsons evokes atmosphere with energy and clean-cut textures. All told, the effect is slightly cool, but many will prefer it to overheated Italianate performances, especially with such a credibly young and affecting heroine.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2012 ***** “a winning combination. Opolais possesses a freshness, richness and sense of urgency in her soprano that matches well with the fragility and strength of Puccini’s nun … [a] beautifully-managed recording” Opera, December 2012 “[Kristine Opolais has] a fine lyric spinto, silvery tone, perfect for Puccini...Mojca Erdmann is a delightful Suor Genonieffa, her crystal-clear soubrette just right for this well-meaning chatterbox...[Braun's] mezzo has suitable coldness and depth...Puccini's orchestration is revelled in.” International Record Review, December 2012 “[Opolais's] bright soprano, with its surface sparkle, vividly portrays the intense feelings of Sister Angelica...Lioba Braun has the right dark forceful mezzo for the Princess... Nelsons paces the opera fluidly and the orchestral balance is close, making Puccini's colours come over strongly.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2013 “Excellence of singing in a warm blooded performance, recorded immaculately … a wholehearted success” MusicWeb International, March 2013  BBC Music Magazine
Opera Choice - November 2012 |
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| |  | Recorded live at the Royal Opera House, September 2011
Il Tabarro Lucio Gallo (Michele), Aleksandrs Antonenko (Luigi), Eva-Maria Westbroek (Giorgetta), Alan Oke (Tinca), Jeremy White (Talpa), Irina Mishura (La Frugola), Ji-Min Park (Venditore), Anna Devin, Robert Anthony Gardiner (Due Amanti) Suor Angelica Ermonela Jaho (Suor Angelica), Anna Larsson (La Zia Principessa), Eryl Royle (Suor Osmina), Anna Devin (Suor Genovieffa), Kathy Batho (Novice), Elizabeth Key (Suor Dolcina), Elizabeth Woollett (Nursing Sister), Gillian Webster, Kathleen Wilder (Due Cercatrici), Irina Mishura (La Badessa), Elizabeth Sikora (Maestra delle Novizie), Elena Zilio (La Suora Zelatrice) Gianni Schicchi Lucio Gallo (Gianni Schicchi), Ekaterina Siurina (Lauretta), Francesco Demuro (Rinuccio), Elena Zilio (Zita), Rebecca Evans (Nella), Marie McLaughlin (La Ciesca), Jeremy White (Betto di Signa), Gwynne Howell (Simone), Robert Poulton (Marco), Alan Oke (Gherardo), Filippo Turkheimer (Gherardino), Henry Waddington (Maestro Spinelloccio), Enrico Fissore (Ser Amantio di Nicolai), Daniel Grice (Pinellio), John Molloy (Guccio) Royal Opera Chorus & Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano (conductor) & Richard Jones (director) This is The Royal Opera’s first complete presentation of Puccini’s Il trittico since 1965. Leading director Richard Jones staged his witty, darkly comic realization of Gianni Schicchi for The Royal Opera in 2007, and here he completes the trio. 3 DVDs for the price of 1 Leading director Richard Jones staged his witty, darkly comic realization of Gianni Schicchi for The Royal Opera in 2007. The production was revived in 2012 and here he completes the trio with two new productions of Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica. Antonio Pappano conducts an acclaimed cast including Eva-Maria Westbroek, Ermonela Jaho, Lucio Gallo, Elena Zilio and rising star Francesco Demuro. These three one-act works were broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and went to cinemas world-wide in February 2012. Running time: 180 minutes Subtitles: EN/FR/DE/ES Sound format: 2.0LPCM + 5.1(5.0) DTS “a triumph...three wonderfully directed and expertly acted productions. Add in Pappano's impeccable conducting and his valuable introductions to the pieces, and you have a nigh-on ideal Trittico.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2012 ***** “In the theatre, Suor Angelica packed a stronger punch [than Il Tabarro]. Here, on DVD, it is little short of devastating...Jaho's youthful vulnerability is deeply moving...Gianni Schicchi is a wicked 1960s delight...Outstandingly filmed, this set marks a high point for live opera on DVD...I have no hesitation in making this new Trittico the top recommendation.” Gramophone Magazine, October 2012 “Pappano draws consistently fine playing from the orchestra...Gallo is in very good from as Michele...Westbroek gives her all in Giorgetta's contrasting scenes...Jaho dominates [Suor Angelica], of course, and in a role which she had never sung before...Gallo exhibits his facility for comic roles [in Schicchi]...One will have to look far to find a better trio of performances than these” International Record Review, September 2012 BBC Music Magazine DVD & Blu-ray Choice - September 2012 |
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| |  | Puccini: Suor Angelicarecorded 1958
“The Regis transfer is warm and the voices are clear.” Penguin Guide, 2010 edition **/*** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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Il Tabarro Sylvia Sass (Giorgetta), Nicola Marinucci (Luigi), Piero Cappuccilli (Michele), Sergio Bertocchi (Il Tinca), Aldo Bramante (Il Talpa), Eleonora Jankovic (La Frugola), Ernesto Gavazzi (Venditore di canzonette), Anna Baldasserini, Bruno Brando (Due amanti) Suor Angelica Rosalind Plowright (Suor Angelica), Dunja Vejzovic (La Zia Principessa), Maria Grazia Allegri (La Badessa), Jole Arno (Zelatrice), Nella Verri (La Maestra delle novizie), Giovanna Santelli (Suor Genovieffa), Maria Dalla Spezia (Suor Osmina), Mildela d'Amico (Suor Dolcina) Gianni Schicchi Juan Pons (Gianni Schicchi), Cecilia Gasdia (Lauretta), Eleonora Jankovic (Zita), Yuri Marusin (Rinuccio), Alessandra Cesareo (Gherardo), Franco Boscolo (Betto di Signa), Mario Luperi (Simone), Giorgio Tadeo (Marco), Nella Verri (Ciesca), Claudio Giombi (Spinelloccio) Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Gianandrea Gavazzeni “This Warner DVD offers idiomatic performances from La Scala of Puccini's trilogy. The productions are broadly traditional, with an ultra-realistic set for the grand guignol of Iltabarro and rather more stylised settings for SuorAngelica and Gianni Schicchi.
Casting is strong in Il tabarro, with Piero Cappuccilli in his prime as Michele, the cuckolded bargemaster. His appeal to Giorgetta, his estranged wife, is so passionate and tender that his climactic solo has your total sympathy. Sylvia Sass as Giorgetta tends to overact; the steely edge in her voice helps keep your sympathies with Michele. As Luigi, Nicola Martinucci is powerful and unstrained. Outstanding among the others is Eleonora Jankovic as La Frugola, firm of voice and characterful without overacting.
The staging of the murder and Michele's revealing of the body under his cloak, always tricky to bring off, is neatly managed.
The stylised set for Suor Angelica is unobjectionable.
What dominates, as it should, is Rosalind Plowright's moving performance of the title role.
Next to her, Dunja Vejzovic is disappointing, not so much vocally as in appearance and personality; she seems too young and lightweight; hardly the unforgiving Princess. The nuns are nicely touched in, and the chorus is impressive. Brian Large's direction sidesteps the final and sentimental vision of Angelica's dead child.
Gianni Schicchi is placed in an enormous apartment with a panoramic view over Florence. The claustrophobia that can add point to the comic story is entirely absent, but the set is undistracting.
Eleonora Jankovic again stands out among the incidental characters as the old woman, Zita, and Yuri Marusin as Rinuccio copes well with his big aria. Lauretta, his lover, is strongly cast, with Cecilia Gasdia luxuriantly drawing out 'O mio babbino caro' in finely shaded phrases, to the delight of the Scala audience. Juan Pons is a firm and commanding Schicchi, taking centrestage from his first entry.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Puccini: Suor Angelicasung in German
Sena Jurinac (Sr. Angelica), Hilde Rossel-Majdan (Princess), Friedl Rieger (Sr. Genoveva), Margarete Sjosted (Abbess), Ilona Steingruber (Monitress), Barbara With (Mistress of the Novices), Elisabeth Fez (Sr. Osmina), Elisabeth Pontes (Sr. Dolcina) Wiener Symphoniker, Wienersangerknaben, Wilhelm Loibner Recorded in Vienna on 23rd December 1951 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Puccini: Il Trittico
Puccini: | Il tabarro Juan Pons (Michele), Miroslav Dvorsky (Luigi), Paoletta Marrocu (Giorgetta), Anna Maria Chiuri (La Frugola), Carlo Bosi (Il Tinca), Luigi Roni (Il Talpa), Andrea Caré (Venditore) Suor Angelica Barbara Frittoli (Angelica), Mariana Lipovšek (La Zia Principessa) Gianni Schicchi Leo Nucci (Gianni Schicchi), Nino Machaidze (Lauretta), Cinzia De Mola (Zita), Vittorio Grigolo (Rinuccio), Francesca Sassu (Nella), Tiziana Tramonti (La Ciesca), Luca Casalin (Gherardo), Elia Fabbian (Betto di Signa), Mario Luperi (Simone), Vincenzo Taormina (Marco) |
Subtitles in Italian, English, French, Spanish. Recorded live at La Scala, March 2008 | | | Usually despatched in 8 - 10 working days. |
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| |  | Puccini: Suor AngelicaRecorded in June, 1957 in the Teatro dell’Opera, Rome
Victoria de los Angeles’s performance as Sister Angelica demands superlatives: “it is in every way perfect, beautifully sung, infinitely touching, and free from the slightest suggestion of theatricality”, wrote The Gramophone when this recording was originally released in 1958. Indeed, the review praised the entire production: “It is evident that Tullio Serafin loves this opera: he draws very beautiful playing from the orchestra, secures just the right tempi, and at once establishes the right mood in every scene. The recording allows us to hear all the details of the wonderful orchestral part”. This is by all measures a classic. “With the Spanish soprano as its heroine, Fedora Barbieri's grandly malevolent Princess and fine executants in the smaller roles, Puccini's score is wonderfully presented in this 1957 reissue, marred only by limited sound.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2009 **** | | | (also available to download from $8.75) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
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“… this is a performance, warm without sentimentality or self-indulgence, which combined with vivid recording and effective stage-production … makes this the most involving version yet of a work which seems to grow in strength with the years.” Gramophone December 1979 (Suor Angelica) | | | Usually despatched in 8 - 10 working days. |
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| |  | Montemezzi: L'Amore dei Tre Reand Puccini: Suor Angelica
Montemezzi: | L'Amore dei Tre Re Recorded 1950 Sesto Bruscantini (Archibaldo), Renato Capecchi (Manfredo), Clara Petrella (Fiora), Aldo Bertocci (Flaminio/A Youth), Amedeo Berdini (Aviso) Orchestra and Chorus of Radio Italiana, Milan, Arturo Basile | Puccini: | Suor Angelica Recorded 1951 Rosanna Carteri (Suor Angelica), Miti Truccato Pace (La Zia Principessa), Marta Solaro (La Badessa), Amelita Minniti (La Zelatrice), Lia Ceri (La Maestra delle novizie), Wanda Strappo (Suor Genovieffa), Gilda Capozzi (Suor Osmina), Carla Pozzi (Suor Dolcina), Lita Donati (La Sorella Infermiera) Orchestra and Chorus of Radio Italiana, Milan, Fernando Previtali |
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Il Tabarro: Carlo Guelfi (Michele), Maria Guleghina (Giorgetta), Neil Shicoff (Luigi), Ricardo Cassinelli (Il Tinca), Enrico Fissore (Il Talpa), Elena Zilio (La Frugola), Barry Banks (Venditore di canzonette), Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu (Due Amanti) Suor Angelica: Cristina Gallardo-Domás (Angelica), Bernadette Manca Di Nissa (La Zia Principessa), Felicity Palmer (La Badessa), Elena Zilio (La Zelatrice), Sara Fulgoni (La Maestra delle novizie), Dorothea Röschmann (Suor Genovieffa), Judith Rees (Suor Osmina), Rachele Stanisci (Suor Dolcina), Francesca Pedaci (La Sorella Infermiera), Anne Maria Panzarella (La Cercatrice 1/La Conversa 1), Susan Mackenzie-Park (La Cercatrice 2), Rosalind Waters (Una novizia), Deborah Miles-Johnson (La conversa 2) Gianni Schicchi: José van Dam (Schicchi), Angela Gheorghiu (Lauretta), Felicity Palmer (Zita), Roberto Alagna (Rinuccio), Paolo Barbacini (Gherardo), Patrizia Ciofi (Nella), James Savage-Hanford (Gherardino), Carlos Chausson (Betto di Signa), Luigi Roni (Simone), Roberto Scaltriti (Marco), Elena Zilio (La Ciesca), Enrico Fissore (Spinelloccio), Simon Preece (Pinellino), Noel Mann (Guccio) Philharmonia Orchestra (Suor Angelica), London Symphony Orchestra (Il Tabarro & Gianni Schicchi), Antonio Pappano “No previous recordings of the three one-Acters in Puccini's triptych bring quite such warmth or beauty or so powerful a drawing of the contrasts between each...Pacing each opera masterfully, Pappano heightens emotions fearlessly to produce at key moments the authentic gulp-in-the-throat...The casting in the middle opera is a near flawless as could be” Penguin Guide, 2011 edition | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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BBC Music Magazine Awards 2013
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