While I am an avid classical music and Jazz afficionado, I have a love of opera but my knowledge is less than other classical forms. I am more knowledgeable about concertos and pieces relating to violin, cello, and piano. I do have a great admiration for some of the operas that I am familiar with, and that being said, my favorites do not seem to get the accolades of many others as what I look for in operas is musicality, melody, and performance skills based on my own judgement. In live opera, the extravagance of the sets and costumes as well as the opulence of the opera house itself is unforgetful and a joy in itself.
Most opera versions that are currently thought of as the 'best' are older versions dating to the LP era but are now sold in Cd format. Perhaps this is a tribute to the performers who have recently faded from the scene or are now at the end of their long careers. The recent crop of new stars have yet to earn their accolades and are seldom yet performers in full operas.
My favorite opera is Bellini's Norma. The musicality of the entire program is stunningly beautiful and the demands of the singing role of Norma are the utmost in the entire opera repertoire. I remember an article in either High Fidelity Magazine or Stereo Review which was in praise of Jesse Norman in a new recording of varid arias and the article mentioned that Ms. Norman was preparing herself for the singing of Norma. The article must be about twnety years old, and Jesse Norman has yet to have a recording of Norma. The role is so demanding that most singers do not wish to jeopordize their careers on just one role.
I have almost all the versions of this opera originally on LP and with CD versions, but there is a recent version originally on CD and it is on EMI Classics, 7243 5 55471 2 5, and featuring Jane Eaglen as Norma with Ricardo Muti as conductor, and recorded live in the 1994 Ravenna Festival. I never heard of Ms. Eaglen until this recording, and her performance is truly outstanding. In my opinion, she surpasses the earlier performances of Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. In the later Callas versions, Ms. Callas has more fault than virtue in her voice, but her virtue can allow you to forget her faults, but the Eaglen version still is supreme to me.
My next beloved opera again for its melody, musicality and peformance is Verdi's La Traviata with Montserrat Caballe, Carlo Bergonzi, and Sherrill Milnes on RCA 6180-2-RCA. Ms. Caballe fulfills her role in this opera magnificently, but I do not accord her the same praise in her singing of Norma.
I truly recommend the above, and I would also like to hear from you as well as other Audiogoners on their report after listening to these versions of Norma and Traviata. As for me, all else in opera is a notch below those two operas with those sublime versions.
Happy listening.
