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Len_Z

I was at the Carnegie Hall on the Feb. 7th, too, and must concur that it was a mesmerizing recital, among the very best that I have ever heard.

Thank you, Lenny, for posting the NYT article.

The other Len:)

Len_Z

Gelb continues to precipitate Met's downfall by depleting its endowment. This guy, if he's not stopped, will bury one of the best opera company in the world.

Len_Z

I would get Levit's as well when they become available on CD though I sometimes question his "lyricism," as pointed out in another post. Your question, though, as to what everyone's favorite is - I suspect you are asking about complete sets . There are more "selections" CDs of the SWW than complete...

Len_Z

That's exactly what I suspected and feared. I love SWW, and don't think it's the right repertoire for Levit who never stroke me as a lyric. Would purchase the CD though, just to make sure I wasn't wrong and Levit hasn't pulled a true miracle out of his hat. By the way, what is everybody's favorite r...

Len_Z

I've been following her for quite a while now and am happy to report that she is supposed to give a recital at the Carnegie Hall this Spring.

Len_Z

Whew, what a relief! Now we don't have to worry about the state of the Met finances anymore - its prosperity is assured for many years to come

Len_Z

With all due respect, gentlemen, Gelb has been driving the Met into the ground. DEI or not, the attendance under his watch has been plummeting (and that without taking into account many types of discounts this organization is now forced to offer) and the fact that the season has been cut severely. A...

Len_Z

I'm sorry to say there's nothing for me at the Met next season. Not virtually nothing, but literally. I am not a fan of contemporary opera and the staples don't have casts that attract me. I used to attend about 30 performances per season, but this number has been steadily declinig and the upcoming ...

Len_Z

Just for starters:

Giuseppe Sinopoli

Mikhail Pletnev

Gérard Souzay

Eugene Mravinsky

Happy Holidays and may all your wishes come true!

Len_Z

What a great performance. Thank you!

Len_Z

Yes, I'm still buying them, even though I now tend to preview everything I can on tidal.com Hence the diminishing number of new acquisitions.

And I'm still discovering great new artists that I didn't know before but am collecting now. One such latest example would be Alisa Weilerstein.

Len_Z

https://van-magazine.com/mag/peter-gelb ... thSwxTuIxE

Len_Z

I absolutely loved this album. Listened to it multiple times and Devieilhe is now one of my favorite today's singers.

Len_Z

Thanks, John! I've ordered it from jpc.de and just got informed that it had been shipped already.

Len_Z

Len_Z

I wonder if now, when Lupu's name is in the news, DECCA issues his remastered complete recordings. Anybody heard anything about such plans?

Len_Z

Thanks a lot, maestrob!

Len_Z

Where does one find the best price for this set? I'm in New York, USA, so shipping and taxes have to be taken into consideration. Amazon currently has it for $265 + free shipping + tax. I wonder if any other online outlet can beat it.

Thanks in advance.

Len_Z

Len_Z

Plus, Peter Gelb can barely stand Radvanovsky, Len I didn't know that-why does he not like her-she's been great in everything we've seen with her? Regards, Len That's one of the greatest mysteries of the Universe for me:) At one point he wanted to dismiss her completely and people had to sign petit...

Len_Z

Hasn't the Met all but stopped releasing any DVDs or BRs lately?

Plus, Peter Gelb can barely stand Radvanovsky, so anything with her wouldn't be his first choice for a home video disc release, anyway.

Len_Z

Funny thing is, after she made the statement that is not enough for Gelb her big concert in Novosibirsk got cancelled

Len_Z

Shani Diluca has recorded it for her "Proust album" and there's also a CD from Hyperion that pairs it with Massenet's Piano Concerto (I forget the name of the soloist) - the Romantic Pno Cto Series.

Len_Z

But he <Gelb> has noticed that audiences tend to lose interest more quickly in modern updates <...> The guy has been running the Met for well over a decade and he's just noticed the audience is not really that enthusiastic about updated productions. What a clown! That's what he has in common with R...

Len_Z

"Reunited with her dead father?" Apollo, the immortal God?

Oh, NYTimes how could you stoop so low and will there ever be the end of your demise?

"The other" Len

Len_Z

So, let me see if I got it straight. In the pre-pandemic times, the BSO sold 98% of its seats by presenting mostly conservative repertoire with first-class singers. Now they want to replace that concept by staging experimental, unknown operas. Hoping to achieve what exactly? Financial windfall or in...

Len_Z

Another huge blow to the New York cultural life. Couldn't be helped, I guess

Len_Z

How many opera organizations are left here, after Eve Queler, Vincent La Selva, New York City Opera and DiCapo (not to mention Amato Opera and Henry Street Settlement) have all closed up shop? Brian whatever is left just doesn't grab me-I'd sooner stay home and watch full production operas via stre...

Len_Z

No, I don't want more diverse conductors. I do, however, want more talented, interesting, fascinating conductors and I don't care what their skin color or gender may be.

Len_Z

I've just heard from Import CDs that the Rodzinski Sony set order has been canceled. I ordered that in October 2020. One wonders what the hold-up is with this release. Does anyone on CMG know where to get this set at a reasonable price these days? It's a must-have for me. I would say Import CDs is ...

Len_Z

I share your bewilderment and also wish Mr. Volodos recorded more, much more. I've just revisited his Brahms, Schubert, and Mompou a couple of weeks ago, and I think he's my favorite among all of the today's pianists. Him and Ms. Pires, probably.

The other Len:)

Len_Z

I use Presto quite a lot, even after their shipping charges have risen due to the COVID-19 restrictions. The secret, imho, is to watch out for the sales they regularly have on certain labels, which allow one to save several bucs per disc, thus making the CDs cheaper than on Amazon/US. Also, the pre-...

Len_Z

Is there a contents list available anywhere? I might be interested as I only have his mono sonatas and a few miscellaneous CDs. Some of what I would expect in this collection is his: Schubert sonatas Schumann Brahms (some of which I've already got) Chopin (surprisingly good) Liszt (another surprise...

Len_Z

I would definitely agree about the Russians, what with Pletnev, Sokolov, Volodos and the younger crop - for instance, Volodin, Lifschitz, Korzhukhin, etc. But the British? I must be missing some very important names. Hough? Grosvernor? Who else?

Len_Z

I like Alexandre Tharaud very much, have been collecting his recordings forever and have attended several recitals - solo as well as chamber, with Queyras, for example. In general, I feel the French have an abundance of extremely fine piano players nowadays, among them Adam Laloum, Bertrand Chamayou...

Len_Z

I've been saying all along that Gelb would bury the Met. The pandemic is just an excuse to do what he intended to all along: drastically cut the cost and turn our opera house into a cross between a Broadway theater and an experimental music venue a la BAM or Armory. I don't think the Met can survive.

Len_Z

Is this the end of the Met as we know it?

Len_Z

In New York 'Die Winterreise' is going to be performed live by Mattei, DiDonato, and Eric Owens. What, as a trio? Dividing the songs between them? I don't mind Winterreise sung by a woman, and have Christa Ludwig's account for example. But I don't like the idea of dividing the songs because I think...

Len_Z

This year, we seem to have an avalanche of 'Die Winterreise' recordings. On top of the above-mentioned Mattei, Ian Bostridge has just released a new version with Ades. There's also another tenor rendition by Breslik, a countertenor one by Xavier Sabata, a mezzo one by Britta Schwartz. In New York 'D...

Len_Z

I wonder if anybody has any info on what is going to be included in the upcoming Rudolf Firkusny RCA/Columbia box set. If they do not include old Capitol CDs (yes, I know that Capitol is EMI, but sometimes same recordings are released by different companies in different countries), is Warner (the ow...

Len_Z

Voluntary disclosure: I had a subscription to the second Ring cycle + tickets for separate performances of Rheingold and Die Walkure. After hearing the Rheingold I sold everything else. The level of conducting was that unbearable - I just didn't think that despite my reverence of Wagner (or exactly ...

Len_Z

Salonen will be conducting a new production of the Ring in Helsinki next season. I have never heard him perform anything by Wagner, but I think he's a fantastic musician and his take will be at the very least interesting. Another candidate that I would be very keen on hearing is Runnicles. And let's...

Len_Z

To get back to your question, Len Z, MHO is that Barbirolli was inconsistent as a conductor. While it's true that his Mahler VI is extraordinary (perhaps a bit slow in the opening movement, at least the tempo primo), his Otello is quite awful, and a live Mahler VII I've heard on BBC label is quite ...

Len_Z

I am absolutely perplexed why EMI/Warner has still not issued an Icon (or a comparable in scope) box set of John Barbirolli recordings. Does anybody know if it's in the works or, if not, the reason for this conspicuous absence. I just don't want to purchase all his records individually only to disco...

Len_Z

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tdk8VdkNL.jpg This is one of the finest discs of French music I have heard in my lifetime. Louis Langree is building a recorded legacy of consistently elegant and sensitive performances, including this one with Veronique Gens, one of the finest Fre...

Len_Z

I don't know about you, ladies and gents, but I'm taking my collection with me - every single book, CD, DVD, and Blu-ray. Nothing will be left behind:)

Len_Z

Monastyrska is a wonderful singer, imho, and her Aida is exceptional. Unfortunately, that's the only part the Met keeps on offering her and she's not interested in doing it anymore. Hence, no Monastyrska at the Met. As for Radvanovska, she cancelled the January Aidas because of a family emergency, o...

Len_Z

Radvanovsky should be back for the last three performances of the run in late Feb. - early March. Although they will be conducted by the worst podium desecrator in the world Placido Domingo, I still exchanged my ticket for Feb 28 because of Radvanovsky. This is our last chance to hear her in NYC for...

Len_Z

Richter has always been my favorite pianist. I had the honor of hearing him live on several occasions and, even though it was at the very late stage of his career, each and every one of them has affected me greatly. On top of everything that's already been mentioned here, I'd like to add his recordi...

Len_Z

Kaufmann has disappointed me so much and so often lately that I completely stopped going to his performance. For instance, I have skipped both his recent Carnegie Hall recital and La fanciulla, which would have unthinkable 7-8 years ago. On the other hand, I love Anita Rachvelishvili, bought her CD ...

Len_Z

Do you think it's the same material that was previously available on EMI box sets or is it something completely different?

Len_Z

P.S. I have tried 'Tidal' last night and must admit I'm completely blown away by the sound quality that is eons superior to 'Spotify'. I did compare same recordings on both services side by side. The only thing I can't figure out yet is if it's permissible to download and how to go off-line. The dep...

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