Anne Howells, Barbara Bonney-Presentation of the Rose

[asx5252]

This is just some of the best music ever written. And so wonderfully performed. I will have the honor of singing for Ms. Bonney this summer. Can't wait!

[thegorgeousopera]

so wonderful!!!!



[RobinB60]

The Presentation of the Rose is one of the magical moments of opera, and this performance of it is so wonderful I won't even attempt to describe it. That moment when the eyes of Octavian and Sophie meet properly for the first time takes my breath away and brings tears to my eyes.

[jraybay]

I dont go around saying I love opera but I've always had such a respect for the men and women who do this kind of art. I get nervous doing some plays in front of my school I couldnt imagine doing a large play like this and haviing to remember lyrics and act lol . This is so regal too, this is really special here, brilliant.

[alexoprano]

My God...I can´t get over this performance. Barbara Bonney is absolutly perfect...This is a piece of art. Everything...

[Wosinski]

This is one of the most spectacular recordings of anything I've ever heard. Sublime. Magical. The beauty of this performance brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it.

[iskenderuna]

Its as if Bonney, Howells, Solti and the whole orchestra were breathing together. They must have just all been on the same wavelength. What is also so beautiful is the tranquility they exude. Just watch their eyes, thats real close up acting. They never look as though they are watching the conductor and yet every phrase is spot on together. I am going to listen again!! Thanks!

[JeeRant]

Love, love, love!

[PinkPixie155]

So beautiful... absolutely love it :)

[mariandelochs]

I've forgotten how beautifully Barbara Bonney does the soubrettish part of Sophie - and I've seen this on DVD countless times already! Anne Howells makes up for a shaky vocal by her wonderfully convincing stage presence and acting. A near-perfect DR, indeed!

[Bahia82]

Wow I love bonney interpretation, just like I love kathleen battles as well, these two just can't go wrong in this role

[wedidntknow]

This goes to show that we are all human... lets talk about her commitment to the character and how one sharp note does not take away from the performance one bit.

[catface1965]

Yep Riee 1976 Bonney went sharp but taken along with the body of wonderful interpretations, I think she can be forgiven.

There have bee a few times in my life that I have ridden sharp on a high note when it was not supported low enough and I did not know it until I heard the recording. I think it is because acoustically these sounds fly away from a singer so fast.

[andrea585ny]

Check Howells out in the clips of Ponnelle's film of "La Clemenza di Tito"

Great Annio!

[rlee1976]

This is wonderful in every aspect, but I have a question - can anyone else hear that Bonney went BLATANTLY sharp on that B-flat on "ist wie ein gruss vom HIMmel"? OMG - straight up to a B-natural during the last 2 beats of that note... I guess she overshot as she leaned into that one, maybe she couldn't hear that she was on pitch and adjusted it?

[paulwien65]

hi i dont think its sharp the micro its to near...

she get in the end more in the resonance

in the audience its sounds wonderfull dont forget she sang for the audiance and not for the micro...

On the other side its her debut in london at the beginning of her career she comes directly froma middelclass house in germany...a little nervous too ??

[rlee1976]

She's from Montclair, New Jersey - if she is sharp, it's ok - rather sharp than flat! She's a true artist. Saw her 2 times and have met her in person.  She studied with my first teacher, Norma Newton!

[suzanneetmoi]

I own a copy of this production and it is truly perfection! No disagreement that Barbara Bonney is the quintisential Sophie and I adore Anne Howells! Such a magnificent Octavian! And to think that she stepped in at the last minute to sing for this recording as the other singer's contract prohibited her from doing it. Don't miss Dame Kiri's tear in Act 1 when she realizes that she didn't kiss her "dear boy" good-bye. It's music like this that makes you glad you're alive!

[franklindavid]

I add her to the list of great opera singers.

[beeswaxer]

This is the part I really love wow

[coryisawake]

Howells is such a convincing Octavian-brava!

[unknownsoprano]

I love this production of der Rosenkavalier. The singers are truly top notch, the costume and every thing else in this production is in every little detail perfect. Barbara Bonney is the best Sophie I've ever heard and she and Howells sound amazing together. I hope I'll someday get the chance to sing the role of Sophie...

[Lizdevlin9]

I love Howells' acting as Octavian. She may not have the vocal "big guns" of more famous singers (she sounds thin and nervous at the beginning but soon warms up) but she makes a very dashing and ardent young nobleman.

[beeswaxer]

This is the first Opera I ever saw with Bonney and I fell totally in love with her part. To bad they never put the begining when Octavain is in the room with the Duchess or the part with the old fart that want's to marry the girl now that was really cool.

[Jaydoggy531]

I've got the DVD of this, she's not nervous, it appears that the stage director interpreted this that Octavian would initially be more awkward, which she's acting. In the rest of the DVD when she needs to be confident etc she does quite well. The thin sounding unfortunately comes from the fact that the recording was in 1985 when it wasn't quite top notch yet.

[primadivo]

i like Bonney as Sophie but not Howells as Octavian

Anne Sophie Von Otter is still one of if not my fav Octavians that i have heard

[DaVinciChianti]

Waht Opera is this?

[tanjuk65]

The best Sophie in the last 20 years...

with Popp And Rotheberger the best in the last 50 years

[iluvyazoo]

Oh Wow, I have ALWAYS loved Barbara Bonney, I wish she would put out more Albums!

I need to buy this...

Lol it is great to see Anne Hallows in male character ^^

[MarieLuo88]

Bonney's voice is so nice! It's bright but warm too. gives me the inspiration to train harder haha!

[Jaydoggy531]

I think the brightness helps to emphasize her femininity in this scene, especially singing with another woman who's a trouser role. If their voices were too similar it wouldn't do well to distinguish their characters.

[SimSutcliff]

Strauss et Massenet... deux compositeurs qui ont su faire chanter les femmes.

[silverstrand2882]

One fact about this 1985 ROH production not too many people are aware of: Octavian was sung by Agnes Baltsa, but she was contractually prevented from filming the video made of the performance. Anne Howells replaced Baltsa at very short notice to sing two of the five performances (including the 14 Feb performance when the video was filmed), and she did a great job, considering the lack of rehearsal!

[Johnny1206]

I love the voices, the music and Richard Strauss is my second favorite composer after Wagner!

[kndigital]

It is difficult to imagine a more perfect Sophie than Barbara Bonney, voice, looks, acting. Much better than her peformance with Kleiber 10 years later. (meiner meinung nach)

[TheAleph74]

Yes, there's a better Sophie: Kathleen Battle.

[zauberkreis]

HAHAHAHA, i thought a better Sophie would be Lucia Popp, but Kathleen Battle... well, she is not too bad.

[TheAleph74]

It was not me who called Battle the best Sophie in all the history of Der Rosenkavalier. The critics did after she did her debut as Sophie at the Met.

[YingYingChang]

Once I knew and love only Kathleen Battle. Then, my teacher introduced me Bonney's voice, that is really a sweet voice. Now I love them both.Their voices might have some similarities.

[TheAleph74]

I agree. Their voices have similarities. I also love Barbara's voice. So beautiful and round!

[TheAleph74]

I agree. Their voices have similarities. I also love Barbara's voice. So beautiful and round!

[TheAleph74]

I agree. Their voices have similarities. I also love Barbara's voice. So beautiful and round!

[forallyouknow]

I must disagree. I have Battle's Sophie on disc (with Te Kanawa) and she was pretty terrible. Perhaps it's just as a Sophie that she sucks--her Zerbinetta, for example, is brilliant.

[TheAleph74]

You are mistaking Battle with Barbara Hendricks. Kathleen never sang Der Rosenkavalier with Te Kanawa, neither on stage or on a recording. Hendricks did in the early 90's.

[forallyouknow]

OH OH OH! Mea culpa! I'm terribly sorry. You're right.

[wcbtina]

Could you tell me who the conductor is for this performance? THANKS!

[silverstrand2882]

Conductor is Sir Georg Solti. Date of performance is 14 Feb 1985 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Thank you for watching