BaL 9.10.21 - Lehar: The Merry Widow

[mikealdren]

Mine arrived this afternoon so I haven't listened to it all but, from sampling, it is rather slow as Nigel's review made clear. I didn't find the recording too much of a problem although the dialogue is rather loud.

[makropulos]

The Karajan arrived this morning, and it's a wonderful experience. HvK really gets inside this music. Truly Viennese in spirit, even though it's with the Berliners.

I'm so glad you're enjoying it. I hope I gave the same impression when I was talking about it –there is much to relish. But for various reasons (particularly the rather-too-spacious speeds) I couldn't put it in my final choices. But I do love a good deal of it (most particularly Elizabeth Harwood and the ravishing orchestral playing).

[Darloboy]

Perhaps surprisingly given its popularity, as far as I can tell this operetta has only been covered once before by BaL. In January 1992, Rodney Milnes picked Ackermann's 1953 mono recording as top recommendation with von Matacic's 1963 stereo recording as runner-up. So a double win for Schwarzkopf, Gedda and the Philharmonia. Sadler's Wells Opera Chorus and Orchestra conducted by William Reid was English language choice.

Just listened to the Rodney Milnes programme on YouTube and there's a slight correction to this. The Matacic was his first choice for a "complete" version (even though it isn't quite complete); the Ackermann was first choice for a highlights CD (even though it's almost the same length as the Matacic); and the Reid was first choice for highlights in English. So the Matacic was first choice in both 1992 and 2021.