Search - Wagner, Cluytens, Byreuth Festival Orchestra :: Lohengrin

Amazing performance in surprisingly good sound

Irene Adler | Seattle, WA | 04/28/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Having heard about Leonie Rysanek's famous Elsa, I decided to get this recording. Luckily, there was a used copy up for sale here. This is a live recording made at Bayreuth in 1958. The sound quality is very good. Though there's no chance of mistaking it for a modern studio recording, it is still very clear and rich. There is a little bit of tape hiss, and sporadic electonic "pops." In no way do these background noises interfere with the performance. There is also very little stage noise or audience noise. You do hear the applause at the end of each act, but that's pretty much it.



Now for the performance:

I fell in love with Rysanek's voice for her Salome, and she most definitely does not disappoint here. Her voice is rich, smooth, and expressively dramatic. You just can't help but love her!

The Lohengrin here, Sandor Konya, meets Rysanek's beauty and intensity note-for-note. The orchestra is beautifully led by Cluytens. From the evocative opening bars of the prelude, you know you're in store for hours of beautiful music.



This album also includes some extras of Rysanek: Senta's ballade from Die Fliegender Hollander of 1959 Bayreuth and a couple scenes from Die Walkure with the Siegmund of Jon Vickers. Again, both extras in fine sound.



The included booklet has some brief notes on this opera and the performance. The libretto is included, but only in German. There are also a couple glamour shots of Rysanek, Varnay, Cluytens, and Waechter. I'm not sure if it was just a quirk with my copy or what, but the booklet was stapled with the pages in the wrong order (which was easily fixed).



Overall, I think this is a great recording and a great release. I'm not familiar enough with Lohengrin to say if this is the definitive version, but it certainly feels essential, not only because it is such a wonderful performance at Bayreuth, but also because it's the only documentation of Rysanek in this opera. If you're a fan of Wagner, seek out this recording!"