Looking for Verdi

[Stokport]

There are tons of recordings out there and I just don't know which one to choose. Can anyone recommend a specific recording of an opera you like by Verdi or maybe by .... ? Which one doesn't really matter just as long as you think it's great and still available. :)

Thanks

Henrik

[Carlton-Browne]

My immediate response includes these 3

Don Carlo - conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini and starring Domingo, Caballe, Milnes et al. Still available on EMI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Don-Ca...5459672&sr=8-1

Un Ballo in Maschera - conducted by Votto and starring Callas, Di Stefano and Gobbi - one of the legendary 1950s Walter Legge recordings for EMI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Un-bal...5459788&sr=1-2

Otello - conducted by James Levine and starring Domingo, Scotto and Milnes. The earlier Domingo recording which I prefer but some do prefer the later Domingo recording.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Otello...5459898&sr=1-2

[rfrazier]

Other things being equal, I would get one of the English National Opera productions, as I like to have a version in English[1], although I'm happy to listen to the Italian. (I think I have Otello in English, and also Italian. I know that I have 4 versions of the Ring, and think the ENO's English version by Goodall is great.)

[1] I like to sing along, sometimes. I sing poorly in any language, but my trying to sing in Italian frightens animals and little children.

Best wishes,
Bob

[swanbourne]

My favourite Verdi piece doesn't have words - La Forza del Destino. When I was younger, we played it as a brass band test piece.

Eddie

[village]

Good Grief....an outbreak of culture :shock:

[seikopath]

Good Grief....an outbreak of culture :shock:

i am so glad someone is raising the tone. :D

[seikopath]

..... my trying to sing in Italian frightens animals and little children.

Best wishes,
Bob

sometimes a very handy skill to have bob

[simonrah]

There's a lovely Rigoletto featuring Pavarotti - I think it's on Deutsche Gramaphone. Hearing that made me fall in love with Verdi's music.

[craggie]

My immediate response includes these 3

Don Carlo - conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini and starring Domingo, Caballe, Milnes et al. Still available on EMI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Don-Ca...5459672&sr=8-1

Un Ballo in Maschera - conducted by Votto and starring Callas, Di Stefano and Gobbi - one of the legendary 1950s Walter Legge recordings for EMI
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Un-bal...5459788&sr=1-2

Otello - conducted by James Levine and starring Domingo, Scotto and Milnes. The earlier Domingo recording which I prefer but some do prefer the later Domingo recording.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Verdi-Otello...5459898&sr=1-2

+1 for Don Carlo, but for Otello I prefer the Jon Vickers/Tullio Serafin recording. Vickers isn't everyones cup of tea but for raw passion he's streets ahead. Also good are:
Rigoletto with Capucilli/Guilini/Vienna Phil.
Macbeth- Sherrill Milnes/Muti/New Phil.
Nabucco- Cappucilli/Sinopoli/Deutsche Opera.
and Falstaff- Bruson/Guilini/LA Phil.
But I don't know whether these are all still available :(

[Stokport]

Thanks a lot everyone. Plenty of recordings there for me to start on.

Cheers

Henrik