Menotti: The Consul

Gian Carlo Menotti (Performer, Composer), Herbert Eckhoff (Performer), Louis Otey (Performer), Richard Hickox (Conductor), Victoria Livengood (Performer), Spoleto Festival Orchestra (Orchestra), Giovanni Manci (Performer), Robin Blitch Wiper (Performer), Susan Bullock (Performer), John Horton Murray (Performer), Richard Hickox (Artist), Susan Bullock (Artist), Louis Otey (Artist), Jacalyn Kreitzer (Artist), Charles Austin (Artist), Victoria Livengood (Artist), Herbert Eckhoff (Artist), Giovanna Manci (Artist), Robin Blitch Wiper (Artist), Malin Fritz (Artist), John Horton Murray (Artist), Graeme Broadbent (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Gian Carlo Menotti, Herbert Eckhoff, Louis Otey, Victoria Livengood, Giovanni Manci, et al.
• Orchestra: Spoleto Festival Orchestra
• Conductor: Richard Hickox
• Composer: Gian Carlo Menotti
• Audio CD (March 23, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Chandos
• ASIN: B00000I9A6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #176,906 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A FINE AMERICAN OPERA, January 12, 2002

By 

MOVIE MAVEN (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Menotti: The Consul (Audio CD)

One of the finest American operas ever written, Gian Carlo Menotti's THE CONSUL is particularly pertinent today composed as it was around a story of a woman fighting unknown forces who want to destroy her for unknown reasons. The protagonist, Magda Sorel, tries logic, patience, brave denounciations, abject begging but in the end nothing works because her enemies simply do not think and reason as she does.

Magda's character is very much in the mold of Leonore in Beethoven's "Fidelio" ready to risk everything in order to save her innocent husband. The Beethoven ends happily with a government official, Don Fernando, coming to Leonore's rescue; there is no happy ending for Magda because she is fighting the government and its officials. She commits suicide rather than face another day of torment.

This Chandos set of 2 CD's has superb sound, especially for a live performance. All of Menotti's operas must be acted as well as sung and this cast is uniformly first rate, especially Susan Bullock as 'Magda' and Victoria Livengood as the mysterious governmental 'Secretary.' Richard Hickox is the conductor of the superb Spoleto Festival Orchestra. The Spoleto Festival is, of course, the brainchild of Menotti, himself. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great recording!!, June 12, 2001

By 

"skinnyb" (Nacogdoches, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Menotti: The Consul (Audio CD)

I admit I was glad beyond belief to actually find a recording of this rarely performed/recorded opera. It is an excellent buy for a live recording, and the singers (most, if not all of them are unknown to me) exceed my expectations in terms of their interpretation and quality of performance. Susan Bullock, although not quite the dramatic voice I was hoping for, does a great job in potraying Magda. She is accompanied by a musically effective cast, and is rightly applauded by the audience in the most appropriate moments. If you're looking for one of the best American operas ever recorded, this is it!!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Performance, April 23, 2006

By 

Opera Diva - See all my reviews

This review is from: Menotti: The Consul (Audio CD)

This is a very moving score, and masterfully performed by all. Magda's nightmare is chilling, yet even more so is the opera's final scene. The message, which touches on humanity, or rather, inhumanity, is powerful and well delivered. The music and the drama haunts the listener for days.

My one concern about this recording is in regards to the soprano who sings the role of the Foreign Woman. Yes, she sings beautifully, but her timing is wrong, and so are several of the notes in her aria. To the average listener, this would pose little concern, as her errors are hardly noticable without a score sitting in front of you. However, if you are performing this role, as I myself have done, it is a bit of a drawback, and can take a lot of unnecessary hard work to correct problems resulting from this.

This aside, you cannot find a better recording of this opera, and it is highly recommended to any lover of opera.