The last recording
I'm eagerly awaiting delivery of the new Tristan und Isolde with Domingo, Stemme and Pappano. The reports are in general positive and the clip on the Gramophone cover CD whetted my appetite. It's due to be released today, so hopefully Amazon will oblige by sending it to my mailbox post-haste.
Now the EMI PR department has been working full-steam to let us know that this will be the last major studio recorded opera (which I actually doubt). I actually think major label, studio recorded opera ceased to be relevant a while ago. Decca, whose tradition included great recordings by Tebaldi, Simionato, Siepi, Bastianini, Hotter, Nilsson, Della Casa, Gueden, Corena, Kleiber, and Solti plunged into irrelevance by not recognizing that the Three Tenors was a fluke. It was like a great joke, fun and funny the first time, but increasingly tired upon retelling. The company then thought by exploiting these crossover and pseudo-classic wonders, they might recapture that kind of ROI, but in fact the world tired quickly of Boheme, Trovatore, Tosca etc. with a tenor with little career experience or potential. As pleasant as Bocelli's instrument might be (and I confess to enjoying the occasional pop tune by him), he does not have the kind of musical experience or natural instrument that speaks world-class. EMI too, fell into this trap by deciding that the Love Couple should record everything, suitable or not.
The people running the major labels fail to recognize, as their predecessor like Culshaw and Legge had, that classical recordings, especially opera, are a long-term investment at best. They cannot expect the quick return of a Three Tenors. Their distinguished back catalogues, many of which have had a shelf-life of over 30 years, continue provide income. This should have been their aim and not the one-hit wonders, which like most pop records, are banished to the cut-out bins after a few months.
So it is left to the smaller, more adventurous labels to provide quality recordings and repertoire. The big recording news of this year is not the end of studio-recorded opera, but rather the dangerous situation that Hyperion found itself in after its ill-advised legal battle with Professor Sawkins. If Hyperion fails because of it, that would truly be sad!
Now the EMI PR department has been working full-steam to let us know that this will be the last major studio recorded opera (which I actually doubt). I actually think major label, studio recorded opera ceased to be relevant a while ago. Decca, whose tradition included great recordings by Tebaldi, Simionato, Siepi, Bastianini, Hotter, Nilsson, Della Casa, Gueden, Corena, Kleiber, and Solti plunged into irrelevance by not recognizing that the Three Tenors was a fluke. It was like a great joke, fun and funny the first time, but increasingly tired upon retelling. The company then thought by exploiting these crossover and pseudo-classic wonders, they might recapture that kind of ROI, but in fact the world tired quickly of Boheme, Trovatore, Tosca etc. with a tenor with little career experience or potential. As pleasant as Bocelli's instrument might be (and I confess to enjoying the occasional pop tune by him), he does not have the kind of musical experience or natural instrument that speaks world-class. EMI too, fell into this trap by deciding that the Love Couple should record everything, suitable or not.
The people running the major labels fail to recognize, as their predecessor like Culshaw and Legge had, that classical recordings, especially opera, are a long-term investment at best. They cannot expect the quick return of a Three Tenors. Their distinguished back catalogues, many of which have had a shelf-life of over 30 years, continue provide income. This should have been their aim and not the one-hit wonders, which like most pop records, are banished to the cut-out bins after a few months.
So it is left to the smaller, more adventurous labels to provide quality recordings and repertoire. The big recording news of this year is not the end of studio-recorded opera, but rather the dangerous situation that Hyperion found itself in after its ill-advised legal battle with Professor Sawkins. If Hyperion fails because of it, that would truly be sad!
posted by Rich Russell at
8:56 AM
4 Comments:
When/how do you think they'll do a recording of the new opera Doctor Atomic? Could they do a radio simulcast? Could they do a webcast? Could they record from or along with such a simulcast or webcast? Could they would they with a mouse? Could they would they in a house (opera house, get it ha ha)
Okay, got a little carried away there, but seriously - how/when could we hear a recording of something like that?
Well Dead Man Walking was recorded and Adams has a large following (and no doubt power) within in the industry. However, the chances of it being recorded probably went down when Lorraine Hunt Lieberson cancelled (although I'm excited since Kristine Jepson who's replaced her is a friend and colleague from college). San Francisco used to have broadcasts, but no more I'm afraid, so I don't hold up too much hope for a recording soon. But I have no doubt one will happen some day.
The Domingo recording of Tristan is okay, not good, not bad but just okay. Of course any success in this recording Domingo has is owed entirely to the sound and recording engineers, not to Domingo. Tristan is a role he should not have recorded and cannot really sing. Live recordings are much better, they may not be perfect, but they show the magic of each artist in their true form and they cannot be captured in studio recordings.
I don't think the recording is perfect and in general do prefer live recordings, but I have to disagree with you about Domingo's performance. It is not perfect but at its best it reaches great heights. I wished he could have done it on stage before recording it (and believe he could have), which would have given him experience and depth in the part (like his fabulous at Siegmund at the Met last spring).
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