This, only the second commercial recording of Korngold’s most famous work for the theatre, is perhaps the most enterprising and largest of the centenary issues yet to have appeared – but in many respects it is also the most disappointing. Die-hard Korngoldians will already have treasured copies of Erich Leinsdorf’s sumptuous 1975 RCA world premiere recording of Die tote Stadt with Rene Kollo and Carol Neblett in the lead roles, so any contender arriving on the scene faces a hard task from the start.
For this recording the ever enterprising Naxos have acquired a Swedish Broadcasting Corporation recording of a production given at the Royal Swedish Opera House, Stockholm, between August and September last year. The soloists, mostly new to these ears, give committed and acceptable performances, especially Thomas Sunnegardh whose tormented Paul is particularly commendable, and on the whole the Stockholm Royal Opera Orchestra project Korngold’s lavish and colourful orchestration well. But now to the niggles. For those familiar with the RCA recording, a glance at the overall timing of the Naxos set (125 next to RCA’s 137 minutes) suggests that Segerstam is the faster of the two, but this version actually has numerous small, and sometimes not so small, cuts – primarily in Acts 1 and 2. These are cuts that were made for the Swedish Opera House production, and so were beyond Naxos’s control, but when the rival recording is so strong these are a significant factor in choosing between different readings. However, even with the omission Segerstam is slow, and for my taste this greatly hinders the flow and pacing of the opening act. Other negative points include some particularly intrusive stage noise towards the end of the opera and, at the other extreme, occasional moments when voices are not as well projected and clear as they could be.
I hate to be so negative about this issue, but when I returned to Leinsdorf’s superb recording immediately after listening to this newcomer, the opera at once moved on to an altogether higher plane due to the luxuriously vivid recording and exceptionally fine performances. However, I am sure that there will be many who, unfamiliar with the opera, and noting Naxos’s super-bargain price-tag, will take the plunge and discover this remarkable piece, and that has to be for the good; but for a little extra outlay the RCA recording really is the one to go for.'