Menotti: The Consul

Label: Newport Classic
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 2

UPC: 032466564529
EAN: 0032466564529
ASIN: B00004TKQF

Release Date: 1998-01-01

Related Categories:

All Works by Menotti

General Modern

General

| Classical | Styles | Music

General

| Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century

| Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English

| Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas

| Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Act One - Scene One "Tu reviendras"
Act One - Mother: "Shall we ever"
Act One - Magda: "Don't Move Yet"
Act One - Trio: "Now, O Lips"
Act One - Interlude
Act One - Scene Two "Next!"
Act One - Secretary:"Next!"
Act One - Magician: 'I Beg Your Pardon"
Act Two - Mother:"Oh, don't"
Act Two - Magda: 'John, John,"
Act Two - Magda: "Mother!"
Act Two - Scene One "Tu reviendras"
Act Two - Police: "What an indelicate"

Tracks:

Act Two - Asan: "Well, now"
Act Two - Mother: "I'm not crying"
Act Two - Scene Two. "What did you say?"
Act Two - Magician: "My charming"
Act Two - Magician: "You're not"
Act Two - Magda: "Any news?"
Act Two - Magda: "To this we've come"
Act Two - Magda: "Papers, papers!"
Act Two - Secretary: "You're being"
Act Three - Scene One "How often must I tell you"
Act Three - Secretary: "Oh, those faces"
Act Three - Scene Two "I never meant to do this"
Act Three - Magda: "Why do their words"

Similar Items:

Saint of Bleecker Street
Menotti - The Consul / Patricia Neway, Chester Ludgin
Grey Gardens - A New Musical (2006 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

Customer Reviews:

Finally!.......2005-04-12

This is an outstanding recording in absolutely every respect. It has the excitement of a live recording, although it was done in the studio. Certainly, this is because it was recorded in conjunction with a series of live performances by the same company and artists. Also, it is because the artists cast here are uniformly superb. It is impossible to imagine anyone other than the remarkable Beverly O'Regan Thiele in the role of Magda Sorel after hearing her searing performance here. Likewise, the overwhelming presence of Joyce Castle as the Mother is simply a force of nature. Also, there is some luxury casting here, especially in the choice of veteran Metropolitan Opera Bass-Baritone John Cheek in the role of the Police Agent. Also not to be slighted is the emerging young American baritone Michael Chioldi's appearance as John Sorel. The conducting is dynamic and exciting.

I can't say this for sure, but it seems to me this recording using the same orchestration, as written for the Broadway premiere production, rather than any later revisions or enlargements of the orchestra for the opera house. At any rate, it sounds lean and angular, exactly as Menotti obviously intended.

So, this recording is a knockout and immediately becomes the preferred version of Menotti's Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece.

Thank God someone finally got around to doing this score justice.

Consul a Hit.......2001-12-29

For years and years there was only one mouldering LP recording of the great Menotti work available, and although it features the "original" Broadway cast with Pat Neway and Marie Powers, the recording was compromised by many little cuts (perhaps to accomodate LP timings?) and, of course, poor fidelity.
Now, suddenly there are two, one from the Spoleto Festival with an English conductor and this excellent offering from Newport Classic with an all-American cast performing at white heat, with the gifted Joel Revzen conducting.
Mezzo Joyce Castle has graced many a contemporary American opera production in and out of New York over the years and she delivers the goods here as the weary Grandmother, as does Beverly Lee Reagan as Magda Sorel. Kudos to the uniformly excellent supporting cast and Revzen's insightful direction and Newport's good, clean sound. This is terrific stuff. The now-aged composer (is he 90?) must be delighted to have this attention finally accorded him. Menotti's an American treasure.

Music CD:

Music CD

Music CD

Music CD

Latinissimo ~ Xavier Cougat

Por El Amor ~ Grupo Bryndis

Mas Brillantes Que Nunca ~ Los Brillanticos

The Memory Tree

Boss of the Bass ~ Jamaaladeen Tacuma

Live in New Orleans ~ Maze With Frankie Beverly

Todo Esta Bien ~ Juan Gabriel

Benditas Mujeres ~ Desierto Norte

Box 3 CD ~ Los Autenticos Decadentes

Hits of John Denver, Vol. 1 ~ Karaoke