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Having seen the new production at Bard, I can absolutely recommend it to any lover of Rubinstein or Russian opera in general. It hit all the marks: vocal, choral, acting, orchestral playing, and in particular the production. Not only was it staged well, it was staged superbly, with an authentic feel to the placement of the original Lermontov tale (the Caucasus.) In fact, the Act 2 ballet featured authentic, and wonderfully choreographed, Georgian folk dancers.

I agree partially with Christopher's statement about the tunes. It's not as full of them as most Russian operas, but several of them (especially from the ballet) are still in my head two days later. Best of all, this is one of the few operas (outside of Wagner) with a highly literate, nuanced libretto, complex characters (even the Demon has his sympathetic moments) with the result of a real dramatic impact. Combine that with a great production, and you have everything that an opera is supposed to be. My companion said it was by far the best opera she'd ever seen.

Any more suggestions? There are so many Opera Rara recordings....

Yes indeed, as there are so many Donizetti operas! For those of us who love his work there's immense gratitude that he was so prolific.

I'd recommend "Belisario," which I found more layered and dramatically forward-looking than many of the set-piece operas composed around its time. The title character is especially complex for the period, almost looking forward to late Verdi and the early verismo works. Also "L'assedio di Calais" (The Siege of Calais) which I saw in its Italian version at Glimmerglass opera this past summer -- a musically exciting story based on a true incident from the Hundred Year's War, with some splendid Mezzo / Soprano duos worthy of "Norma" or "Semiramide."

I believe I've heard almost all of the Opera Rara recordings referenced, and have no special favorite; all worth hearing, in my opinion. And all for much the same reasons (my overall explanation )  -- arias that, in their beauty and pacing, approach emotional truth, great orchestration, and, above all, the ability to build excitement, especially in the all-stops-out finales of Acts 1 or 2.

I agree about "Dom Sebastian" -- dark, powerful, definitely reaching into the same territory as Meyerbeer, and even (especially in subject matter) "Don Carlo."  When the Bard Music Festival programmed an evening of Grand Opera in concert a few years back an extended excerpt from "Dom Sebastian" was performed; it was my first hearing of the work, and made enough of an impression to look for the work in its entirety soon after.

I did regret missing the broadcast of "Milda" on Radio Dwojka back in May, and continued to check their all-Polish concert series (Fantazja polska) for an archived broadcast. I finally found one -- but from 2014.  "Milda" starts at @1 hour 22 min.

https://www.polskieradio.pl/9/3854/Artykul/1304085,Fantazja-polska-22-listopada-godz-0200

It's very much worth the listen if you like Moniuszko. Lyrical throughout, much like the composer's operas. I did find that, after an arresting prelude and first aria, attention did tend to wander in the pastoral-sounding mid section, but redeemed by a strong choral finale.

The semi-staged performance of "Ghosts" mentioned here left me -- can't escape the pun -- more than a bit cold. More a typical (secular) cantata than the quite operatic "Milda."  The frequently bizarre attempts at staging didn't help. However, I'm one of those willing to check out anything by this composer. I'd also recommend "Ostra Brama" as another worthy choral piece of his.

Thank you, Christopher, It looks fantastic.

>so professionally produced that I am pulling all my contacts in Russia to see if there's a complete recording.

Please keep us posted! Video or audio, either will do.

>From their point of view, Rimsky-Korsakov should be seen as a composer who "sells".

Indeed; in fact this year's Bard Music Festival (upstate NY) is devoted to the music of Korsakov and others in the circle of the "Mighty Five."  The final day of the festival has usually been devoted to a single, large-scale unsung work by the featured composer. This would have been a golden opportunity to perform "Sevilia," or perhaps even "Tsar Saltan" (which still awaits a modern-day studio recording) or for that matter "May Night" or "Maid of Pskov."  Instead, they're doing "The Tsar's Bride" which is anything but unsung these days. Truly a missed opportunity.

I, too had been looking forward to the broadcast since first hearing about it months ago. I missed the first 20 minutes, but am now catching up on that thanks to the archived recording:

https://www.br-klassik.de/themen/klassik-entdecken/muenchner-rundfunk-orchester-charles-gounod-le-tribut-de-zamora-100.html

Rare it may be, but it's a treat for those of us who can't get enough French grand opera. All you'd expect from mature Gounod:  marvelous orchestration, abundant melody, stirring ensembles and a sure sense of theater.

Yes, Rubinstein  has not been as well served on recordings as he should be. While his music keeps my interest, there are times it feels a chore to get through, and in some cases this is due to the playing / recording of the piece. His piano and chamber music are different stories: they've received some excellent recordings and, overall, don't outstay their welcome like some of the orchestral works tend to do.

His operas are certainly worth exploring. In August of 2018 the Bard Music Festival will feature a fully staged performance of "The Demon."  The Marco Polo recordings of ballet music from "Ferramors" and "Nero" make the prospecs of full recordings all the more tantalizing.

I just learned of Dmitri Hvorostovsky's passing, here's his live rendition of the "Epithalamium" from "Nero":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPPQpydoZTQ

I was able to attend two of the opera performances mentioned here: Dvorak's "Dimitrij" at Bard College and Donizetti's "Siege of Calais" at Glimmerglass Opera, both in NY state. The performers, conductors and overall productions made an excellent case for each work. Interestingly, both dealt with specific historical subjects, yet both were set in more-or-less modern dress. Though overall I prefer Dvorak's score, the updating worked considerably better for Donizetti, perhaps because his story is more direct, heartfelt and, in a way, more universal. Since the stories were about large political / social issues, the chorus played a significant role in each opera, and were superb on both counts.

Reviews of both were largely positive, and, almost predictably, included the sentiment "Why don't we hear this work more often?" Answer: because it takes a good deal of dedication and courage to mount unfamiliar works such as these, especially in a country where support for the arts is anything but a priority...

Into the mix, I'll add Amadis, composed in the late period but his last opera to reach the stage (posthumously.) There are similarities, both in story and the grand gestures, to Le Cid but it also has the subtleties and nuances we've discussed. A work that really grows on you, and a fitting summation to an extraordinary career.

>Unless I've misunderstood your point...

Perhaps; I was speaking of the response when "Lahore" was first performed, not it's reception since the advent of recordings.

I think we're saying the same thing; "Lahore" was indeed the "smash hit" that gave Massenet the foundation to build success upon success in subsequent operas. Unfortunately, it's anything but a success these days, though it deserves to be.

Yes, on topic - "Le Roi de Lahore" is the opera I return to again and again. It was one of the first to bring Massenet to public attention, and bits and pieces of that full compositional range we've discussed are found throughout the score. The ending, like "Therese," packs its own wallop. The Sutherland / Milnes recording is the definitive.

"La Vierge" is its equivalent among the oratorios; the Wedding at Cana episode is among the best of Massenet.

"Cigale" and "Carrilon" stand head and shoulders above the standard ballet scores of their time.  And I totally agree about his orchestral suites, which show his mastery of orchestration. "Scenes Alsacienne" and "Scenes Pittoresque" are particularly fine.

>Was the libretto originally Finnish? I thought that German was the original language...

I believe you're right; when I stated "the original Finnish" that was more a wish based on the subject matter. The Kalevala story is so innately Finnish that it sounds peculiar to hear it in another language, even if that is the language of the original libretto.

Rare-opera wise, I forgot to mention that Glimmerglass Opera (Cooperstown, NY) will perform Donizetti's "The Siege of Calais" this summer -- in Italian, I believe.

I was favorably impressed as well; I heard more "Rheingold" than "Dmitrij," though that would be first-draft Rheingold, to be sure.  There was that quality of Dvorak, however (Dmitrij in particular) in the chorus and vocal ensembles.

I found nothing particularly memorable or compelling in the first act, and the tenor (Lemmenkainen) didn't sound capable of tackling heroic feats if vocal strain was that pronounced so early on. Fortunately, his role in the story receded. Once into the "Sampo" scene I thought the work really picked up steam, sounding better and better. It helped that, apart from the tenor, the vocalists, particularly the soprano and mezzo, were in great voice, and the orchestra and overall production were superb (the usual live performance audience sounds were noticeably absent.)  Would that more unsungs -- especially premieres such as this -- received such treatment.

I do agree that it would sound even more impressive if sung in the original Finnish: this is their core epic, after all.

Add to all that the Bard Music Festival in mid August; this year the star is Chopin. Always plenty of Unsungs in the concert programs, though I haven't seen details yet. Sure to be some Moniuszko, for instance. And their opera production this year will be Dvorak's "Dimitrij."