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CD93415 Spendiarov’s Almast, the forgotten masterpiece
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CD93415 Spendiarov’s Almast, the forgotten masterpiece
FLAC, MP3 320/kbps & MP3 64/kbps. Radio broadcast.
If there was ever an undeservingly overlooked opera – this must be the one. Is it a truly forgotten masterpiece? Perhaps not. Yet it is probably better then much of the opera that had actually "made it." In the very least it deserves to be performed at least sometimes and it sure is way overdue for the better recording then the one I'm offering here.
Don't get me wrong, the performance itself is top rate. But the recording and the sound quality really desires better. However, it is apparently the only one out there and it hasn't been presented on this board yet. The person who recorded this radio broadcast admits to having inferior equipment and you'll probably agree.
Almast is an Armenian opera written to Russian libretto by Alexander Spendiarov (Spendiaryan) in 1923. Apparently initially the composer approached the author of the original Armenian text for the libretto but it somehow didn't work out so the original libretto was written in Russian. The opera is very obscure. I couldn't even find synopsis on the Internet. Almast is the only opera known to be written by Spendiarov and what a great opera it is! Beautiful arias, sparkling orchestral passages, hotly passionate duets – Almast has it all. There is little doubt that irrespective of inferior sound quality Almast is still one of my personal favorites. In my opinion it is also heavily influenced by Tchaikovsky and Borodin. At times it almost felt like I was listening to Prince Igor II (Prince Igor Strikes Back ).
This is the 1972 Radio Broadcast of Novosibirsk Opera House's production. The only thing I know about the cast is this:
Alexander Spendiarov – Almast. Novosibirsk State Opera, B. Gruzin – conductor. 1972 Radio Broadcast
Cast: Tatul – V. Urbanovich. The rest of the cast is not available. Obviously if anyone knows more, please don't hold back.
As for supplemental orchestral music: Alexander Spendiarov – Orchestral music: Yerevan etudes: 1. Enzeli 2. Gedzhas
Crimean sketches: 3. Dance 4. Elegy song 5. Drinking song 6. Khajtarma dance
Bolshoi orchestra, Alexei Belousov – conductor.
Symphonic fragments from the opera Almast: 1. March 2. Tatul's victorious return 3. Dance of Almast 4. "The Capture of Tmbkaberd" - Musical picture
Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Mikhail Maluntsian.
Two of the three links below include the opera and some of the Spendiarov's charming orchestral music that I slapped to the end of "CD2".
The FLAC and the first MP3 links folders has been created from the CD that was originally created from 64kbps MP3 (the third link – opera only!) so please be prepared for some really uneven sound quality. I always found it listenable but at times (CD1 - tracks 4 & 5) barely. As I was ripping it into FLAC the EAC was really struggling with synchronization. All is recorded from radio broadcast.
This link leads to a FLAC folder (I really don't know how much difference you going to get out of it though: Since Armenian National Opera's full name is Alexander Spendiarov Opera and Ballet National Theatre I suspect they must have staged Almast in the modern time. Other then that, Almast was performed in Moscow, Tbilisi, Tashkent, Novosibirsk and Odessa. It was re-staged in Yerevan also in 1939, 1969, 1971 and 1983. In 1951 The Russian Chamber Opera Theatre in Paris gave a performance of "Almast" in the Mutualite Hall. There must be someone out there with the master tape for at least one of those renditions.
I also have a request for someone "in the know". I'm not 100% sure but I have a feeling that Ms. Anna Netrebko is either aware of this board and checks it from time to time or there is someone that occasionally posts here who personally knows her and may even have her ear. If somehow this recording was to make it to her, who knows, she may develop a desire to revive this truly forgotten masterpiece for the modern production in the original Russian with herself in the title role. I really think it would be a hit. I also think that the title role of Almast is challenging enough, and would very well showcase Netrebko's voice, appearance, and acting abilities, in short would fit her in all respects. I know I'm bias in all aspects here but... :)
FLAC, MP3 320/kbps & MP3 64/kbps. Radio broadcast.
If there was ever an undeservingly overlooked opera – this must be the one. Is it a truly forgotten masterpiece? Perhaps not. Yet it is probably better then much of the opera that had actually "made it." In the very least it deserves to be performed at least sometimes and it sure is way overdue for the better recording then the one I'm offering here.
Don't get me wrong, the performance itself is top rate. But the recording and the sound quality really desires better. However, it is apparently the only one out there and it hasn't been presented on this board yet. The person who recorded this radio broadcast admits to having inferior equipment and you'll probably agree.
Almast is an Armenian opera written to Russian libretto by Alexander Spendiarov (Spendiaryan) in 1923. Apparently initially the composer approached the author of the original Armenian text for the libretto but it somehow didn't work out so the original libretto was written in Russian. The opera is very obscure. I couldn't even find synopsis on the Internet. Almast is the only opera known to be written by Spendiarov and what a great opera it is! Beautiful arias, sparkling orchestral passages, hotly passionate duets – Almast has it all. There is little doubt that irrespective of inferior sound quality Almast is still one of my personal favorites. In my opinion it is also heavily influenced by Tchaikovsky and Borodin. At times it almost felt like I was listening to Prince Igor II (Prince Igor Strikes Back ).
This is the 1972 Radio Broadcast of Novosibirsk Opera House's production. The only thing I know about the cast is this:
Alexander Spendiarov – Almast. Novosibirsk State Opera, B. Gruzin – conductor. 1972 Radio Broadcast
Cast: Tatul – V. Urbanovich. The rest of the cast is not available. Obviously if anyone knows more, please don't hold back.
As for supplemental orchestral music: Alexander Spendiarov – Orchestral music: Yerevan etudes: 1. Enzeli 2. Gedzhas
Crimean sketches: 3. Dance 4. Elegy song 5. Drinking song 6. Khajtarma dance
Bolshoi orchestra, Alexei Belousov – conductor.
Symphonic fragments from the opera Almast: 1. March 2. Tatul's victorious return 3. Dance of Almast 4. "The Capture of Tmbkaberd" - Musical picture
Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, Mikhail Maluntsian.
Two of the three links below include the opera and some of the Spendiarov's charming orchestral music that I slapped to the end of "CD2".
The FLAC and the first MP3 links folders has been created from the CD that was originally created from 64kbps MP3 (the third link – opera only!) so please be prepared for some really uneven sound quality. I always found it listenable but at times (CD1 - tracks 4 & 5) barely. As I was ripping it into FLAC the EAC was really struggling with synchronization. All is recorded from radio broadcast.
This link leads to a FLAC folder (I really don't know how much difference you going to get out of it though: Since Armenian National Opera's full name is Alexander Spendiarov Opera and Ballet National Theatre I suspect they must have staged Almast in the modern time. Other then that, Almast was performed in Moscow, Tbilisi, Tashkent, Novosibirsk and Odessa. It was re-staged in Yerevan also in 1939, 1969, 1971 and 1983. In 1951 The Russian Chamber Opera Theatre in Paris gave a performance of "Almast" in the Mutualite Hall. There must be someone out there with the master tape for at least one of those renditions.
I also have a request for someone "in the know". I'm not 100% sure but I have a feeling that Ms. Anna Netrebko is either aware of this board and checks it from time to time or there is someone that occasionally posts here who personally knows her and may even have her ear. If somehow this recording was to make it to her, who knows, she may develop a desire to revive this truly forgotten masterpiece for the modern production in the original Russian with herself in the title role. I really think it would be a hit. I also think that the title role of Almast is challenging enough, and would very well showcase Netrebko's voice, appearance, and acting abilities, in short would fit her in all respects. I know I'm bias in all aspects here but... :)
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We sell only opera recordings. The recordings are sent to you in paper sleeves with no tray card or inserts, just the raw discs with printed labels. These recordings are of nonprofessional quality that are in the public domain. The quality of these old opera recordings is not very good and they are meant for collectors and educational purposes only. Most of them are 30 or 40 years old, so they might be blurry, colors faded, and not sound very good, but they might not be available elsewhere. Please note that most of our recordings do not have tracks, they have 1 long track per disc.