Comments on: Faust in HD

By: Operafilly

Operafilly — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:28:30 +0000

Ramey was impressive physically as he had no body fat. Really wirey. But for me no nude could ever compare to Corelli fully clothed. My visual turn ons are usually equine……

By: Ellen

Ellen — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:53:33 +0000

Operafilly,

“Very impressive ……… the singing I mean.” You should have seen Pape in a body suit in a 2005 production of Faust at the Met. Now that was impressive! A lot of the female audience members whipped out their opera glasses pretty quickly! LOL

By: Ellen

Ellen — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:39:46 +0000

Anne, I really hadn’t followed any buzz about Nezet-Seguin and his sexuality. I could care less. The first time I heard him conduct live was at the Met a year ago (Don Carlo). At the second intermission I was sitting in the Patron Lounge and was commenting how beautifully he conducted and that he seemed so tuned into Poplavskaya that he almost breathed with her. Someone made the comment that they were an “item.” Well, if he is gay I guess not, so maybe he’s just a fabulously talented conductor. They do seem to appear together a fair amount. Incidentally that performance (Dec 15) also had Yonghoon Lee in the title role. Wow! It was just a fabulous performance.

By: Operafilly

Operafilly — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:22:41 +0000

Ellen, The last Faust I saw with Treigle was the fledgling San Diego Opera a year before Domingo went to the Met. They were experimenting with opera in English. Very provincial audiences. They boo the villian as if at a silent movie. I recently saw Scarpia & a very good Paolo booed.

I saw Ramey in Mephistofeles before I had even heard of him. Slender & muscular, almost nude. I guess the music kept him warm. Very impressive. ……… the singing I mean.

The super hot Treigle Mephistofeles is on cd NYCO Mar 29, 1970 Treigle/Nagy/Cruz-Romo/Rudel. Cruz-Romo is wonderful too (I adore her).

By: Anne

Anne — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 07:40:10 +0000

Quote: and a superstar conductor (I’ve heard rumors that he and Poplavskaya are an item)
Do you mean Nézet-Séguin? Is he secretly straight? I’m so confused.

By: Neil Kurtzman

Neil Kurtzman — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:40:47 +0000

Boito wrote two operas - Mefistofele and the unfinished Nerone. Sam Ramey has done the former with great success. Nerone is rarely done, but has been recorded. Of course, he is most known for his librettos for Verdi's Otello and Falstaff. He was a man of great erudition and the distinction between him and Verdi is that between talent and genius.

By: Ellen

Ellen — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:19:39 +0000

Opera filly, what opera house was that where you saw Treigle and Domingo? I have over 300 operas in my data base but nothing by Boito. I don’t believe it is done too often, but maybe they just can’t get a good Mefistofele!

By: Operafilly

Operafilly — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:34:42 +0000

**Boito’s Mefistofele was perhaps his most celebrated role**
I have the old audio with Cruz-Romo…….Incredible…….

By: Neil Kurtzman

Neil Kurtzman — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:55:05 +0000

Norman TreigIe (1927 – 1975) was a great bass who was sang at the New York City Opera, but for some strange reason never at the Met. Boito’s Mefistofele was perhaps his most celebrated role. His acting was riveting comparable only to that of Chaliapin and Christoff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzbifB0gIUU&feature=related

By: Ellen

Ellen — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 02:37:57 +0000

I missed the first act of HD performance, but I did think Kaufmann pushed his voice a tad in first act both on opening night and then again when I saw it live on 12/6. He settled down however, and I thought the rest was just fine. I didn’t hear any pushing from Poplavskaya, or Pape. The combination of 3 superstar voices and a superstar conductor (I’ve heard rumors that he and Poplavskaya are an item) did it for me. I don’t know Treigle at all; where did you see him?