In 1970, Leonard Bernstein was invited by the Vienna State Opera to prepare a new ... more
production of Fidelio for the Beethoven bicentennial. He returned in 1978 to make this recording with an all-star cast featuring Gundula Janowitz in the title role. At the same time, Bernstein was finishing his integral recording of the Beethoven Symphonies with the State Opera's pit orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic. It's hardly surprising, then, that this account of Beethoven's only opera conveys such an extraordinary sense of occasion and exhibits a degree of musical cohesion that can only be described as "symphonic." Bernstein is, of course, the biggest star of all here, and he presides over a performance of remarkable strength and dramatic conviction, especially memorable for the emotional intensity of the climactic moments (in particular, Pizzaro's "Ha! Welch ein Augenblick!", the Act I finale, and the Act II quartet). One of the account's most striking features is its insertion of the Leonore Overture No. 3 before the final scene of Act II, honouring a tradition established by Gustav Mahler when he was director of the Vienna Court Opera at the beginning of the 20th century. In Bernstein's hands, this 15-minute interlude becomes an impassioned meditation on the themes of love, courage, and self-sacrifice that lie at the heart of the opera. --Ted Libbey
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There are several good recordings of Beethoven's only opera--most notably, perhaps, those ... more
of Otto Klemperer and Wilhelm Furtwangler, both intensely dedicated--in their different ways--to bringing out the music's nobility and idealism. I would not want to be without either one, but they do not exhaust possible approaches to this masterpiece. Mackerras offers an exciting alternative from the crackling first chords of the overture: high energy, dramatic tension and strong narrative flow in this story of a political prisoner, persecuted and condemned to death, whose wife disguises herself as a man to gain access to his dungeon. The singing and playing are first class, and vivid recording heightens the excitement. --Joe McLellan
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Birgitt Nilsson puts the "dramatic" into "dramatic soprano" in her portrayal of ... more
Leonore/Fidelio in this classic recording from 1964. She marshals all the forces of her rich, powerful voice to thrilling effect, beginning with her muted entrance in the Act 1 quartet, through a hair-raising rendition of "Abscheulicher!" (when she has overheard the plot to murder her husband), to the brilliant joy of her final duet. She is well matched by McCracken, who spares us nothing of Florestan's hysteria and madness in his great aria from Act 2. Pizarro is written pretty much as a cardboard villain, but Krause brings a booming enjoyment to the role which compensates for the two-dimensional quality of characterisation. Maazel's speeds are generally much quicker than on other recordings, giving the whole opera a thrilling urgency. The Vienna Philharmonic is on top form; the beginnings of "Mir ist so wunderbar", and the Prisoners' Chorus are models of string playing at its absolute best, and the horns in "Abscheulicher!" have to be heard to be believed. This recording gives us a collection of talents at the peak of their powers. --Warwick Thompson
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Postage & Packaging:Free! Availability:Temporarily out of stock. Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your credit card will not be charged until we ship the item....
Release Date: 2008-03-04, Audio CD, Golden Melodram
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Product Information for "Beethoven: Fidelio (highlights)" »
Product details
Title
Beethoven: Fidelio (highlights)
Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Main Performer
Helen Donath (Soprano); Helga Dernesch (Mezzo soprano); Horst Laubenthal (Tenor); Jon Vickers (Tenor); José Van Dam (Bass-baritone)
Orchestra / Ensemble(s)
Berlin Deutsche Oper Chorus; Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Date of Release
06/1989
Label / Distributor
Studio / EMI
Pieces in Set
1
Running Time
1 hour 59 minutes
Genre(s)
Stage works
Producer
Michel Goltz
SPAR Code
ADD
Catalogue Number
763077
Work 1
Work Title
Fidelio, Op. 72
Excerpt(s)
1. Overture 2. Oh, wär' ich schon; Mir ist so wunderbar; Hat man nicht auch Gold 3. Ha! Welch ein Augenblick 4. Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin? 5. Komm, Hoffnung 6. O, welche Lust! 7. ACT 2 - Gott! Welch Dunkel hier! 8. In des Lebens 9. Er sterbe! 10. O, namen, namenlose Freude! 11. Wer ein holdes Weib errungen.
Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
Genre
Stage works
Date Written
1814
Date Recorded
1970
Conductor
Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra / Ensemble
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Orchestra / Ensemble
Berlin Deutsche Oper Chorus
Main Performer
Helen Donath (Soprano), Helga Dernesch (Mezzo soprano), Horst Laubenthal (Tenor), Jon Vickers (Tenor), José Van Dam (Bass-baritone), Karl Ridderbusch (Bass), Siegfried Rudolf Frese (Bass), Werner Hollweg (Tenor), Zoltan Kélémen (Baritone)
Opera Part(s)
Helen Donath, Helga Dernesch, Horst Laubenthal, Jon Vickers, José Van Dam, Karl Ridderbusch, Siegfried Rudolf Frese, Werner Hollweg, Zoltan Kélémen
Location of Work Recording
Jesus Christus Kirche, Berlin-Dahlem
Ciao
Listed on Ciao since
04/04/2005
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