Search - Richard [Classical] Wagner, Michael Gielen, Berit Lindholm :: Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Abridged)

Great fire from Lindholm

Dag Kyndel | Hölö, Sweden | 11/17/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This set contains four records with two abridged live performances. This is one of the first pirated records to appear with the Swedish dramatic soprano Berit Lindholm. Let us hope that recordings from The Ring conducted by Sir Colin Davis at Covent Garden during the 70's, will appear soon! Meanwhile this Tristan from Amsterdam 1974 fills the gap with its truly amazing dramatic force. You can feel the amazement and tension among the public, crying out their "bravos" at the end of the first act. This is Lindholm's evening and a great one. Totally involved in her part she becomes Isolde and everything catch fire... No Wagnerian or other opera lover can be without these records. The first two CD:s concentrate on the part of Isolde (1974). The performance from 1979 (not with Lindholm, the Isolde here is Roberta Knie) concentrates on the tenor, Spas Wenkoff, who is very good (Lindholms Tristan was Pekka Nuotio, he is acceptable). Miss Knie is a reliable Isolde, but not quite in the Lindholm class. Conductors: Gielen is very good, Vonk acceptable. The 5 stars are for the 1974 recording. Four stars for the later version. The sound is good. At last some words from the small textbook, written by Paul Korenhof: "Wagner's score was fully released in the performance of the Swedish soprano Berit Lindholm. Her Isolde combined a surprising youthfulness with a slimline radiant voice that was far-removed from the monumental Wagner sopranos of the past, buth which nonetheless provided a performance of remarkable musicality. The rest of the cast was universally impressive....""