Since subscribing to two new streaming services, I've seen and heard some particularly fine productions of French music for the stage, both from ROH Stream and Glyndebourne Encore. Many of these performancess were in fact Anglo-French co-productions, involving (e.g.) France Televisions and the omnipresent Francois Roussillon et Associ'es. The latest of these that I've seen is a very, very powerful performance of Rameau's 'Hyppolite et Aricie' with Emmanuelle de Negri, conducted by America's greatest - certainly most influential - native-born conductor, William Christie, de l'Academie Francaise.. There is something extraordinary about Rameau's operas, which personally I find much more exotic than those of Lully a generation before. Then there's been Bizet's Carmen and also Nemrac, also by Bizet, a kind of anti-Carmen, directed by Barrie Kotzky, not to mention Massenet's Cendrillon with Joyce DiDonato. I have already mentioned Poulenc's 'La Voix Humaine' with Veronique Gens plus telephone, directed by the genius Laurent Pelly and impressively conducted by Robin "Little Tich" Ticciati; even better is the other part of the double bill, 'Les Mamelles de Tiresias', inspired by a French government announcement post WWI for a higher French birth rate in order to make up for the horrendous losses on the Western Front - perhaps this opera should tour Italy, Germany and Japan, which are turning into retirement homes where the sound of children is rarely heard? On the ballet side, a wonderful 'Sylvia' from Darcy Bussell and the Royal Ballet -what a wonderful score that is - and also from Delibes, 'Coppelia', with a less ridiculous libretto but much less interesting music IMHO.
We do all tend to have a very Germano-Austrian view of classical music ...

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 13:34:47 UTC+11, Andrew Clarke wrote:
> Since subscribing to two new streaming services, I've seen and heard some particularly fine productions of French music for the stage, both from ROH Stream and Glyndebourne Encore. Many of these performancess were in fact Anglo-French co-productions, involving (e.g.) France Televisions and the omnipresent Francois Roussillon et Associ'es. The latest of these that I've seen is a very, very powerful performance of Rameau's 'Hyppolite et Aricie' with Emmanuelle de Negri, conducted by America's greatest - certainly most influential - native-born conductor, William Christie, de l'Academie Francaise. There is something extraordinary about Rameau's operas, which personally I find much more exotic than those of Lully a generation before. Then there's been Bizet's Carmen and also Nemrac, also by Bizet, a kind of anti-Carmen, directed by Barrie Kotzky, not to mention Massenet's Cendrillon with Joyce DiDonato. I have already mentioned Poulenc's 'La Voix Humaine' with Veronique Gens plus telephone, directed by the genius Laurent Pelly and impressively conducted by Robin "Little Tich" Ticciati; even better is the other part of the double bill, 'Les Mamelles de Tiresias', inspired by a French government announcement post WWI for a higher French birth rate in order to make up for the horrendous losses on the Western Front - perhaps this opera should tour Italy, Germany and Japan, which are turning into retirement homes where the sound of children is rarely heard? On the ballet side, a wonderful 'Sylvia' from Darcy Bussell and the Royal Ballet -what a wonderful score that is - and also from Delibes, 'Coppelia', with a less ridiculous libretto but much less interesting music IMHO.
> We do all tend to have a very Germano-Austrian view of classical music ....
>
> Andrew Clarke
> Canberra

Not for those who listen much much more to Russo-Czech-Baltic music.

Ray Hall, Taree

On Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:34:47 PM UTC-7, Andrew Clarke wrote:
>
> We do all tend to have a very Germano-
> Austrian view of classical music ...

Not exactly "ALL". Speak for yourself.

dk

On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 3:54:46 PM UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> On Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:34:47 PM UTC-7, Andrew Clarke wrote:
> >
> > We do all tend to have a very Germano-
> > Austrian view of classical music ...
> Not exactly "ALL". Speak for yourself.
>
> dk

I have been speaking for myself on the subject of French music and HIP performances of same for some time now, although it's fair to say that I always go back to the Big Hamburger. How long is it since anyone here discussed Rameau's operas? Or Lully's Grands Motets? Or Charpentier's Litanies pour la Vierge, which must be one of the most exquisite pieces of music ever written?

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 3:54:46 PM UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> On Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:34:47 PM UTC-7, Andrew Clarke wrote:
> >
> > We do all tend to have a very Germano-
> > Austrian view of classical music ...
> Not exactly "ALL". Speak for yourself.
>
> dk
I do remember your joining in a discussion of Lea Desandre's footwear, and I am sure that you will be most interested to know that when singing the Monteverdi Vespers she wears flatties. I have cinematographic evidence for this astonishing discovery.

Andrew Clarke
Canberra

On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 17:42:05 UTC+11, Andrew Clarke wrote:
> On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 3:54:46 PM UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> > On Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:34:47 PM UTC-7, Andrew Clarke wrote:
> > >
> > > We do all tend to have a very Germano-
> > > Austrian view of classical music ...
> > Not exactly "ALL". Speak for yourself.
> >
> > dk
> I have been speaking for myself on the subject of French music and HIP performances of same for some time now, although it's fair to say that I always go back to the Big Hamburger. How long is it since anyone here discussed Rameau's operas? Or Lully's Grands Motets? Or Charpentier's Litanies pour la Vierge, which must be one of the most exquisite pieces of music ever written?
>
> Andrew Clarke
> Canberra

No denying the quality of the above music, but it doesn't exactly displace what I mostly have a yen to listen to. Maybe I am mostly now more receptive to, with the need for, more visceral and weightier music. But I have shelves devoted to Boismortier, Couperin, Charpentier, Vieuxtemps (violin concerti), Lully, Rameau (harpsichord). All good music but I struggle to work up the enthusiasm to listen to this type of music now. But things change so on the shelves they remain.

Ray Hall, Taree

On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 12:51:12 AM UTC-7, raymond....@gmail.com wrote:
>
> All good music but I struggle to work up the
> enthusiasm to listen to this type of music now.

Do you need or would like a catnip donation? ;-)

dk

On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 20:09:38 UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 12:51:12 AM UTC-7, raymond....gmail.com wrote:
> >
> > All good music but I struggle to work up the
> > enthusiasm to listen to this type of music now.
> Do you need or would like a catnip donation? ;-)
>
> dk

Maybe a dognap ;

Ray Hall, Taree

On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 2:18:12 AM UTC-7, raymond....@gmail.com wrote:
> On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 20:09:38 UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> > On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 12:51:12 AM UTC-7, raymond....gmail.com wrote:
> > >
> > > All good music but I struggle to work up the
> > > enthusiasm to listen to this type of music now.
>
> > Do you need or would like a catnip donation? ;-)
>
> Maybe a dognap
>

Could this help?

https://youtu.be/PblqFOr4k7s

dk

On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 21:03:34 UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 2:18:12 AM UTC-7, raymond....gmail.com wrote:
> > On Friday, 24 March 2023 at 20:09:38 UTC+11, Dan Koren wrote:
> > > On Friday, March 24, 2023 at 12:51:12 AM UTC-7, raymond....gmail.com wrote:
> > > >
> > > > All good music but I struggle to work up the
> > > > enthusiasm to listen to this type of music now.
> >
> > > Do you need or would like a catnip donation? ;-)
> >
> > Maybe a dognap
> >
>
> Could this help?
>
> https://youtu.be/PblqFOr4k7s
>
> dk

Best natural sounds nature has given us. Beats a lot of music too.

Ray Hall, Taree