BaL 18.05.13 - Wagner's Tannhauser

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

9.30am Building a Library
John Deathridge with a recommendation from recordings of Wagner's opera, Tannhauser



Available audio versions:-


Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Daniel Barenboim
Orchestra & Chorus Teatro di San Carlo, Karl Bohm
Staatskapelle Dresden, Fritz Busch
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Andre Cluytens
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Karl Elmendorff
German Opera Berlin Opera & Chorus, Otto Gerdes
Konig, Popp, Meier, Weikl, Moll, Bernard Haitink
Bayerisches Staatsoper, Robert Heger
Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin, Marek Janowski (SACD)
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Joseph Keilberth
Metropolitan Opera, Rudolf Kempe
Chor und Orchester der Staatsoper Berlin, Franz Konwitschny
Metropolitan Opera, Erich Leinsdorf (1939) – download
Metropolitan Opera, Erich Leinsdorf (1941)
Leipzig Radio, Gernhard Pfluger
Orchestra e Coro di Teatro Comunale di Firenze, Artur Rodzinsky
Orchestra Sinfonica e Coro di Roma della RAI, Artur Rodzinsky
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Sawallisch
Chor und Symphonie-Orchester des Hessischen Rundfunks, Kurt Schroder
Royal Opera, Sinopoli
Metropolitan Opera. Georg Solti
Vienna State Opera, VPO, Georg Solti
Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper Berlin, Otmar Suitner
San Francisco Opera. Otmar Suitner
Metropolitan Opera, George Szell


Video versions:

Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis (DVD)
Philharmonia Chor Wien & Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Phillippe Jordan (DVD/Blu-ray)
Royal Danish Opera, Friedmann Layer (DVD)
Metropolitan Opera, James Levine (DVD)
Bayerisches Staatsorchester, Zubin Mehta (DVD)
Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli (DVD)
Orquestra Simfonica & Cho del Gran Teatre del Liceu, Sebastian Weigle (DVD/Blu-ray)

[Madame Suggia]

Looking forward to this.

I have the Barenboim recording on cd, and Sinopoli in DVD.

I treasure the Sinopoli DVD

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Solti may not be everyone's choice as a Wagner conductor, but he really excels in the Decca VPO recording with a superb cast - Rene Kollo, Christa Ludwig, Hans Sotin, Helga Dernesch. Even Norman Bailey is there, perhaps warming up for the future Meistersinger recording.

It's the Paris version, which seems to me to flow better than the more popular Dresden score.

[Black Swan]

I too will be looking forward to this, I do not have a recording of this work. I will be looking for a recommendation on recording and possibly DVD/Blue-Ray.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's the Paris version, which seems to me to flow better than the more popular Dresden score.

- guess what?!

The Paris version, with its (for me) overlong, out-of-character Venusberg Music, is less successful than the (for me) better-paced Dresden original.

[Flosshilde]

I assume that the latest Düsseldorf opera house production won't make it to video*

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/may/09/wagner-opera-pulled-walkouts

* oops - showing me age there - I mean Blu-ray (although I'm not sure what that is)

[Flosshilde]

- guess what?!

The Paris version, with its (for me) overlong, out-of-character Venusberg Music, is less successful than the (for me) better-paced Dresden original.

I'm afraid I can't get enough of the Venusberg music

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I'm afraid I can't get enough of the Venusberg music

In the concert hall, I agree - but not as a start to the Opera.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

- guess what?!

The Paris version, with its (for me) overlong, out-of-character Venusberg Music, is less successful than the (for me) better-paced Dresden original.

Perhaps the Venusberg music does go on a bit, but Venus's part is more "petulant" in the Dresden version, which is (for me) a low point.

[BBMmk2]

One of my favourite Wagner operas! I am hoping to be in for this! (but there is always iplayer!)

[verismissimo]

For me this was the last of the main Wagner operas to really connect with. And I still think it somewhat bonkers.

I saw a well-played/sung but strange production (what's new) at the Monnaie in Brussels a few years ago.

I have Solti and Sawallisch (live at Bayreuth in 1962). The latter gets played more often.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

For me this was the last of the main Wagner operas to really connect with. And I still think it somewhat bonkers.

The morality is certainly suspect.

[Karafan]

I hope the 1962 Sawallisch set with Anja Silja, Bumbry and Waechter fares well. Great live sound too from Bayreuth.

K.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It would be great to have a programme on Radio 3 comparing the Paris and Dresden versions. The Dover score contains both.

[BBMmk2]

The Dover score has both? That be worth buying, EA! Hmmm....

I love this opera, so be quite a listen today on BaL.