Back2Back Opera
In our back2back opera session which starts round noon we have some very interesting and wonderful treats...
Verdi
La Traviata
With: Pilar Lorengar, Giacomo Aragall, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau Dir: Lorin Maazel.
Talk about something whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
This recording is something of an odd paradox. It has tended to be
rather overlooked by distributors, somewhat dismissed by critics - and
adored by music lovers. The recording was made while this cast was in
the midst of of a run of performances in Berlin - and it shows. Though a
studio set, an immediacy and frisson of live performance crackles
throughout. Lorengar's fluttery vibrato is not to all tastes, DFD is
not, in the eyes of many, a Verdi singer. But somehow, Lord, this all
just works, and works beautifully. The baritone's timbre reeks of
patrician elegance, which, as contrasted with Lorengar's earthy timbre,
makes the class conflict of the second act achingly true. Her Violetta
is heartfelt and heartbreaking and Aragall's dark, manly timbre makes
for a deeply satisfying Alfredo. The comprimari are delightful. The
conducting is propulsive, alive, and dramatically resonant throughout.
One can point to all sorts of deficits (with validity) to each vocal and
instrumental contribution, however although individual elements are not
each in of themselves the best out there the end result here is, oddly,
what is possibly the most enjoyable overall of the many recordings of
the opera. Certainly one can point to a number of other classic sets,
with more idiomatic casts. One can adore Callas, Scotto, Sills,
Cotrubas, Zeani (and I do, all of them) or the superior leadership
offered by the Serafins, Mutis, Karajans and Kleibers of the world; but
if I had to grab one Traviata as I ran from a burning building, it just
might be this one. An excellent set and one of my top favorite opera
recordings.
Donizetti
Anna Bolena
With: Elena Suliotis, Marilyn Horne, Nicolai Ghiaurov Dir: Silvio Varviso.
I think of Suliotis as of somebody else than "the new Callas" of the
years 1965-1971, as she was sort of hailed at that time. Yes, she did
sing several famous Callas roles and yes, she shared a good deal of
Callas' artistic temperament, but I think that she deserves an
independent appraisal, in which her voice and singing should be
evaluated for their intrinsic qualities - good and bad. Suliotis was an
unusually exciting, energetic and involved singer with a lovely and
generally smoothly produced dramatic soprano timbre, most fabulous
contralto-like low notes, a certain degree of vocal agility, an often
brilliant knife-like attack on high notes, and a most luminous and
exquisite pianissimo singing in which notes, superbly linked together
and produced with absolute purity, sounded like an aural equivalent of a
delicate string of finest pearls exuding a life of their own. Her
dynamic shading was no less impressive, and the often noble and touching
character she was able to bring to music, the fiery artistic
temperament and vivid involvement with text should never be discounted.
On
the other hand, she did lack a proper bel canto technique (inability to
trill, uneasy and studied passagework, lack of polish or even precision
in melismas, etc.) or a solid vocal training, for that matter. At
times, one can clearly hear that notes are not certainly placed or
ideally focused, she lacks good breath control and thus tend to "chop"
certain long phrases, the tone can sound hollow and glassy, without
proper support (especially in the middle register), the top is
occasionally wiry and edgy, some of the high notes are unabashedly
scooped... and so on. However, in my personal view, these flaws are
generally balanced by the many rare qualities Suliotis generously
displayed in her all too brief prime. Few singers have had that
particular type of sound matched with an unusual artistic temperament -
the soprano was a rara avis indeed - so, in retrospect, one should
perhaps be more tolerant of the shortcomings.
It is such a pity
that she burnt out so quickly. But I guess this was the price to pay,
and I am almost convinced that, for her at least, there really was no
other way.
Puccini
La Fanciulla Del West
With: Birgit Nilsso, Joao Gibin, Andrea .Mongelli. Dir. Lovro Von Matacic.
In terms of recording and vocal quality, this 1959 Fanciulla is
exemplary.The role of Minnie suited Nilsson. This role is very difficult
and loaded with high notes. These high notes are child play for
Nilsson.For power and vocal gleam Nilsson has no peers. Joao Gibin as
Dick Johnson sings with accuracy,style and passion. Sparks between
Nilsson and Gibin are great. Andrea Mongelli in the role of Jack Rance
is strong. Mongelli has a beautifull voice and is an exellent singing
actor. Lovro von Matacic account of the orchestral score is excellent
and "Bravo " to the Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scalla. I
will be clinging and playing this recording often. EMI is to be
congratulated and commended for finally reisuing this superb recording.
Berg
Wozzek
With: Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Evelyn Lear, Karl Böhm.
This great, classic studio recording of Berg's first opera. I love
the Mahlerian score, especially as presented in such a sympathetic
recording. The warmth of both Bohm's conducting and Fischer-Deiskau's
wonderful voice, and the chemistry of the two principles still comes
through forty years later. True, Fischer-Deiskau is perhaps too sane and
vocally balanced for his part,but his performance is still one of the
greatest because of the genius of his vocal coloring. Though both Abbado
and Barenboim present more of the complex inner voices of the score
more successfully in their live recordings, this studio version still
holds its own due to the great performers and because the studio mix
balances the voices with the orchestra perfectly, allowing us to hear
all the vocal parts even in the loudest moments. See Werner Herzog's
film of WOYZEK for an interesting presentation of the original play by
Georg Buchner.
Night Music
Apart from the complete works for piano of Mompou and Enescu
we have a spcial opera treat.
Wagner
Lohengrin
Live from Berlin 1942
With: Fraz Völker, Maria Müller, Margarete Klose, Ludwig Hofmann Dir: Robert Hege.
Enjoy...
