Mackerras/Janacek

Posted by: Tam on 22 September 2005

Anyone who's a fan of either will probably already have some or all of Mackerras's benchmark Janacek opera cycle recorded with the VPO around 25 years ago. I've been waiting for them to stick them in a budget box for ages, and decca just have (just after I decide they're not going to and buy the operas individually):

http://www.deccaclassics.com/newsandnewreleases/august2005/4756872.html

One warning though, these decca budget boxes, while cheap, do not usually contain librettos. While that's not such an issue for the Britten sets, I think it might be with the Janacek.

regards,

Tam

Posted on: 25 September 2005 by David Sutton

Hi Tam,

I have the From the House of the Dead recording on vinyl & CD. An absolute classic recording. I also have the Cunning Little Vixen on vinyl, but somehow do not seem to play that very much. Maybe I will try some of the lower cost CD versions. Its good news!!

David

Posted on: 25 September 2005 by Tam

Also worth listening to is Sir Charles's recent Osud with Welsh National Opera, a single disc on Chandos's opera in english series. I listened to it yesterday and found it stunning.

regards,

Tam

Posted on: 25 September 2005 by Todd A

Mackerras' Decca Janacek is superb (I'm missing only The Makropoulos Case) and should be heard by anyone interested in these great operas. That written, I prefer Mackerras' 1997 Kat'a Kabanova on Supraphon, Vaclav Neumann's The Cunning Little Vixen, and Frantisek Vilek's Jenufa to the Decca recordings. I say go for all of the above!