Rita Streich - Rita Streich Walzer Arien (17 tracks) +Album Reviews

One of the C20th Most Endearing Singers.

John Austin | Kangaroo Ground, Australia | 02/01/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rita Streich (1920-1987) enriched the annals of recorded music more than any other coloratura soprano of the C20th. Fluent in many languages, and well-coached by several eminent singers, she had a voice with a recognisable "colour". Naturally vivacious and charming herself, she could range successfully into deeper emotional expressiveness. As she explained in an interview, "the difficulty every coloratura encounters is to be expressive with a voice of restricted size and colour". Listen to the Dvorak aria here (Track 7) to see how well she overcame this difficulty. In this well-filled CD, produced by a son of Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, are found recordings originally issued on three LPs in the 1950s. There are some bravura coloratura items featuring a very secure trill, some rarities, and favourites new and old. The sound quality is first-rate. Texts are not included in the liner notes, instead there is a biographical appreciation printed in German, French, English and Italian. As a footnote, I shall reveal that this delightful artist's fluency in English lapsed slightly on one occasion when she was giving a radio interview in Australia. While discussing the many components of opera production, and intending to say something about the stage lighting, she said, "Of course, very special effects can be obtained in opera houses by lightning"."

NOT SINGING BUT A SILVER HEAVEN GLITTERING WITH STARS

Donald A. Newlove | Greenwich Village | 07/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have no single vocal record more prized than this. The other reviewers above all speak more knowledgably of her technique than I can. I can say only that this record puts me adrift in the heavenly beyond. Rita isn't just artful, she's a gift of God driven into your breast. She brightens one's whole sense of existence. Her yearning youth and richness blend the blue of spring with the heart of an agonizingly green June day. Just lovely, lovely, lovely. After you hear Rita Streich: Walzer & Arien, you'll want to get her double album with the reverse title: Rita Streich: Arien & Walzer, which is just as heavenly but slightly more mature and grandly brilliant. You may think Callas singing "Casta Diva" the height of vocal art. You are in for a wonderful surprise."

A selection of glimmering pleasure

devin_lin | Taiwan | 12/19/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a best choice for one who'd like to discover the art of the soprano of secured technique and adorable style. This album selects pieces recorded from three previous LDs; The DG recording is basically good, although half of them are mono recordings, but vividity can be perceived wonderfully throughout the CD. The title of the album is "Walzer und Arien," and these Walzer are exactly what suit Streich's splendid coloratura and her bright Germanic legacy. Some other songs/arias are also adorable, for instance, "Song to the moon" from "Rusalka" and "The last rose of summer" from "Martha." Streich also sings some French pieces: within this realm, although her Germanic descendent of moderacy is revealed from time to time, she sings these parts impeccably. To reach a conclusion, this is an album to the legend of the 50s."

A Must-own Album for Lovers of Coloratura Singing

Abel | Hong Kong | 07/30/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This a compilation of three LPs by the late Austrian coloratura Rita Streich.

What is it like to sing like a bird? Listen to this CD for the answer.

The songs demonstrate the jaw-dropping coloratura technique owned by Rita Streich. In addition to a beautiful light timbre, impeccable trills, there is the crystal clear diction so sadly lacking in other top-notch coloraturas after her: she never sang `nonsense', no matter what style, no matter how great the demand for pyro-technique, the diction was always clear. The language ability of Streich is quite phenomenal. In this disc, she sang in German, Italian, Czech, French, Russian, and even English, though admittedly the English is a bit of a stretch for her.

I don't think Streich owned a big voice, but her very pearly and silvery tone served the songs to perfection. Unlike some modern coloratura who often sings beyond her range and displaying lack of covering that often ends up in damages to the vocal chords, Streich had a much sounder technique and deployed her breath to almost perfection in the break-neck high passages.

Of all the beautiful songs, I like the Russian "Nightingale" and the French "Les Filles de Cadiz" the most. The former is a hauntingly beautiful Russian folksong not often performed in the West (the other only version I've heard is sung by Chinese coloratura Dilber in Beijing). Her Les Filles de Cadiz, I must admit, topped numerous big names' - Sutherland, de Los Angeles, just to name two very top ones. To think that Streich excelled only in Austro-German repertoire would be a gross understatement.

After reviewing this CD, I can only say with deep regret that this level of artistry has already left us without replacement."

Delightful recital!

Armindo | Greece | 08/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"

Rita Streich shines in this recital! Each piece is performed with remarkable accuracy and beauty of tone. She is particularly effective in communicating the Viennese spirit of the Walzer. There aren't sopranos today who sound this good in the German repertoire. Sadly, a lost tradition. Her Italian accent is not perfect but it's not distracting and besides there aren't many Italian arias here. She nevertheless sings them beautifully. Pity that not all tracks were recorded in stereo sound. Overall, a superb memento of Streich's rare artistry.

"

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