Lehár Die lustige Witwe
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Franz Lehár
Genre:
Opera
Label: EMI
Magazine Review Date: 9/1994
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 74
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 555141-2
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
(Die) Lustige Witwe, '(The) Merry Widow' |
Franz Lehár, Composer
Elzbieta Szmytka, Valencienne, Soprano Felicity Lott, Hanna Glawari, Soprano Franz Lehár, Composer Franz Welser-Möst, Conductor Glyndebourne Festival Chorus John Aler, Camille de Rosillon, Tenor Kurt Azesberger, Cascada, Baritone London Philharmonic Orchestra Robert Poulton, Mirko Zeta, Baritone Rudolf Schasching, Raoul de St Brioche, Baritone Thomas Hampson, Danilo, Tenor |
Composer or Director: Franz Lehár
Genre:
Opera
Label: EMI
Magazine Review Date: 9/1994
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 102
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 555152-2
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
(Die) Lustige Witwe, '(The) Merry Widow' |
Franz Lehár, Composer
Dirk Bogarde, Njegus, Speaker Elzbieta Szmytka, Valencienne, Soprano Felicity Lott, Hanna Glawari, Soprano Franz Lehár, Composer Franz Welser-Möst, Conductor Glyndebourne Festival Chorus John Aler, Camille de Rosillon, Tenor Kurt Azesberger, Cascada, Baritone London Philharmonic Orchestra Robert Poulton, Mirko Zeta, Baritone Rudolf Schasching, Raoul de St Brioche, Baritone Thomas Hampson, Danilo, Tenor |
Author: Andrew Lamb
Felicity Lott sings the Widow with rich lyricism, trilling and soaring gloriously above her male admirers in her entrance number. If Elzbieta Szmytka is not quite the pure-voiced soprano Valencienne one might hope for, John Aler is an ideal choice for encompassing Camille de Rosillon's challenging top notes. Above all, Thomas Hampson sails gloriously through a role that was written for a tenor buffo but sits beautifully upon his flexible baritone. His really is as commanding an interpretation of a testing role as any on disc, and his contribution to the Act 3 love duet is exquisite. But what really holds this performance together, and ultimately demonstrates the virtues of at least having a native Austrian at the heart of things, is the conducting of Franz Welser-Most. Whether in the more boisterous party music or in carressing the LPO's muted strings in the
So far I have referred to the musical values. What was understandably done to link the musical numbers and introduce the work to an English audience was to provide a humorous English narration. Written by Tom Stoppard, this is immaculately delivered in off-hand fashion by Sir Dirk Bogarde: ''Remember the fan! The fan in The Merry Widow plays much the same part as the handkerchief in Othello.'' The inclusion of Sir Dirk's narration may well be sufficient justification for a purchase of this set by his admirers, as also by those who want a souvenir of the Royal Festival Hall occasion. However, I can't imagine it going down too well on the Continent. The good news is that the music is also available without narration on a single disc. One way or another, that should make this every bit as much a Merry Widow for the 1990s as Walter Legge's outstanding productions were for the 1950s and 1960s.'
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