Greece Hotels Travel - Verdi - Falstaff / Terfel, Pieczonka, Hampson, Röschmann, Shtoda, Diadkova, Berlin Phil., Abbado
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List Price: $33.98
greece-hotels-travel.com Price: $33.98
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0028947119425
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
Number Of Discs: 2
Publisher: Deutsche Grammophon
Release Date: 2001-08-14
Studio: Deutsche Grammophon
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Editorial Reviews:
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A common failing of recent Falstaff recordings is the hole in the middle--the larger-than-life Sir John sung by baritones several sizes too small for the role, both vocally and dramatically. That problem doesn't exist here. Bryn Terfel's outsized singing personality perfectly matches Verdi's conception. Whether bellowing in rage, preening in praise of his fleshly abundance, or crooning sweet nothings to his intended conquests, Terfel dominates this performance as a Falstaff should. As his adversaries, Thomas Hampson's Ford is outstanding, well-sung and characterized, and Adrianne Pieczonka's Mistress Ford is quite good, too. Indeed, there's little to complain about with the rest of this well-assembled cast. If some older recordings of the opera boast more distinctive touches (e.g., the way Cloe Elmo's Mistress Quickly relishes her repeated "reverenzas" for Toscanini), few are as well-matched. Claudio Abbado gets the Berlin Philharmonic to play well in music it can't have done before. The engineering is adequate, if opaque, with orchestral details too often fading into the background. In sum, while Abbado's Falstaff doesn't match the classic Toscanini (RCA), Karajan (his first), or Solti, it's by far the best of the current crop and indispensable for Terfel's and Hampson's performances. --Dan Davis
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Bravo Messer Claudio!
Comment: If Bryn Terfel excellent performance of Sir John Falstaff weren`t enough reason... if Thomas Hampson, Daniil Shtoda, Dorothea Rôschmann, Adrianne Pieczonka, Larissa Diadkova or Stella Doufexis weren`t enough... there we have Claudio Abbado`s glorious conducting of BPO and a master reading of Verdi`s partiture.
Many reasons can be given to recommend this set, but believe me, Abbado`s conducting is a real diamond.
Customer Rating:
Summary: own this one for Terfel
Comment: This one doesn't compare to Giulini's landmark recording or Karajan's...Terfel is terrific and the rest of the cast simply cannot compete...Hampson bellows and bawls his way as usual...he is no match for the memory of Warren, Merrill or Nucci...save your $$$
Customer Rating:
Summary: A sore disappointmentm , but there is another Terfel version
Comment: I expected pre-fab greatness given the lead singer and conductor. But Terfel blusters and overacts, showing too much fussiness in his phrasing and not enough simple Italian brio. He has lots of color in his voice, more than anyone since Taddei and Gobbi, but there's also an alarming wobble at times to mar the pitch. Nobody else in the cast does anything special, and Abbado reverts to his unsmiling, proficient style in Verdi. For a set that clearly was supposed to be a classic, this is more or less a dud unless you simply accept what everyone here has to offer on its own terms.
Fortunately, as of Nov. 2007, the Metropolitan Opera has made a deal to provide online versions of many broadcasts, and one from April 6, 2002 features a Falstaff with Terfel in muh better form, with James Levine giving one of the funniest, most lively accounts of the score that I have ever heard. The rest of the cast is also satisfying, more comic and in better voice than DG's cast (few of the suporting singers on either set are stars). Only the sonics fall short of Abbado's set, although they are good enough. The online source is Real Rhapsody.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Perfect FALSTAFF Recording!
Comment: Verdi's FALSTAFF is an opera that continues to surprise us. Those who associate Verdi with opera's of twisted, nearly indecipherable plots, or tales of death and intrigue, of love gone wrong - all the material that serves as fodder for Verdi's sublimely beautiful, show-stopping arias - usually have a tough time with a Verdi comedy where there are almost no arias that allow for disruptive applause in the storyline. Yet FALSTAFF (based on the Shakespeare character) is probably one of the most fully integrated, finely written pieces of musical theater in the repertoire. Rich in characters, glorious orchestral and vocal writing, and some of the finest ensemble music ever written, FALSTAFF is a masterpiece.
To make the opera come to life requires a conductor who can mold the gigantic orchestral score from opening to finale, a supporting cast of exceptional singer/actors, and a baritone who can demand stage center at all times. Many of us felt the old Giulini recording was as fine as they come - until this recording. Here Claudio Abbado reigns in the Berlin Philharmonic to a note perfect, gorgeous and solid execution of the multifaceted score, romping with the comedy, and creating filigree magic of the forest setting in the final act.
Bryn Terfel simply inhabits the title role. His glorious voice is never anything but beautiful and rich and his comic timing and fully realized portrayal of Falstaff has no rivals. Of course, having the opportunity of seeing him in the current Los Angeles Opera production fleshes out the visuals of his center of the target interpretation! The others in this stunning cast are exemplary, especially Adrianne Pieczonka as Mistress Ford (this is a gifted soprano to watch carefully!) and Thomas Hampson as Ford, and that is mentioning only two. While Larissa Diadkova as Mistress Quickly may not erase everyone's indelible memory of Regina Resnik's interpretation, these are very negligible (and doubtless personal) asides.
The sound is spacious and rich and in every way this recording manages to capture the genius of this comedic magnum opus. It is a delight! Grady Harp, May 05
Customer Rating:
Summary: A recording that changed how I think about this opera
Comment: Despite liking most of Verdi's operas, I had never warmed to this one. In fact, one of the few concerts in my lifetime that I've walked out on (a slightly embarrassing admission), was a concert "Falstaff" years ago -- my friend and I looked at each other with a sort of "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" stare, and we fled.
So revisiting with older and wiser ears, I must say that, although this opera will probably not rise to my "top ten" list (but who knows?), this recording is one of the finest operatic productions I've ever heard. The outstanding cast, headed by Bryn Terfel in a role that seems made for him, is excellent in every way, including Thomas Hampson as Ford, Adrianne Pieczonka as Alice, and everyone else. The Berlin Philharmonic plays the score with both passion and precision, and it's all directed with great brilliance by Claudio Abbado, who seems to be having a personal renaissance in the last few years, after some terrifying health problems.
Conventional wisdom: no, this opera doesn't have "big tunes" as such. It's more declamatory, with small jewel-like moments of orchestral color in between the exquisite characterizations offered to the singers. If you're looking for say, Richard Strauss, then this won't be your cup of tea. If you want the rhythm and drive of Mozart, this probably won't suffice there, either. But if you're wanting a great story, with terrific acting that happens to be sung, it would be hard to find a better example.
The DG sound is excellent -- "velvety" is the word that comes to mind -- and suits the opera, the singers and Abbado's vision beautifully. Highly recommended, especially for those who may not have responded to this piece in the past.
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