Die tote Stadt: New DVD with Jonas Kaufmann

[maestrob]

No, I haven't seen or heard this brand new release, but I'm betting that, conducted by Kirill Petrenko, this DVD/Blu-Ray, the premiere issue from the Bavarian State Opera on their own label will be stunning, at least musically. I have no idea yet of the production values, but just for the music, I plan on purchasing this.

My benchmark for Korngold's magnificent opera has long been its first and fairly recent RCA release on LP and then later on CD led by Erich Leinsdorf with Carol Neblett, Rene Kollo and Hermann Prey that dates from the 1970's.

Kaufmann reigns supreme in German repertoire for me, and I'm anticipating that this video will contain many outstanding moments. It's being promoted heavily and is easy to find online.

Here's the cast:


 New, Korngold: Die tote Stadt

Jonas Kaufmann (Paul), Marlis Petersen (Marietta), Andrej Filonczyk (Frank/Fritz), Jennifer Johnston (Brigitta), Mirjam Mesak (Juliette), Corinna Scheurle (Lucienne), Manuel Günther (Gaston/Victorin), Dean Power (Graf Albert), Bayerische Staatsoper, Kirill Petrenko, Simon Stone (director)

[barney]

It looks great, Brian. Petersen is the leading Lulu of the day; I think she's superb in that role. Kaufmann we all know. You don't mind the baritonal quality of his voice here? I don't know the opera apart from a couple of famous excerpts. Petrenko seems to be destined to be seen as one of the greats.

[maestrob]

It looks great, Brian. Petersen is the leading Lulu of the day; I think she's superb in that role. Kaufmann we all know. You don't mind the baritonal quality of his voice here? I don't know the opera apart from a couple of famous excerpts. Petrenko seems to be destined to be seen as one of the greats.

Where I really object to the darker quality of his middle voice is in French opera, i.e. Faust, Romeo et Juliette, Werther & Carmen, where I'm used to Villazon, Gedda, etc. Domingo sounds fine in Carmen & Romeo because he has that brighter middle as well. In German opera, I think he sounds fine. I do wish you could hear Rene Kollo (who also sang Tristan with Carlos Kleiber & Margaret Price on disc, btw.) in Leinsdorf's 1975 recording. It's ideal casting then, with both Kollo & Kaufmann, as Korngold really demands that kind of vocal heft in some spots.

Aside from Korngold's unique, lush orchestration, it features the most beautiful duet for soprano/tenor in all of XXth Century opera ("Gluck das mir verblieb...") which Korngold arranged into a soprano aria, as well as some of the most complex writing for voice in Fritz's Tanzlied, which opens the second CD, sung by Hermann Prey, who gets the flow of the music exactly right.

This version was even available on open reel tape for a while: the sound quality is just magnificent:



Here's the cover of the Leinsdorf in its present incarnation: never OOP, TMK. Perhaps you can catch it on Spotify down under:

[barney]

Thanks Brian. I have the Kollo/Kleiber Tristan, but haven't played it for years. You recommend it?

[maestrob]

Thanks Brian. I have the Kollo/Kleiber Tristan, but haven't played it for years. You recommend it?

Sure do! Both voices are lighter and therefore more lyrical and youthful. Kleiber is a very persuasive conductor. It's a very interesting conception, and it works for me. Very different from, say Furtwangler/Flagstadt, or Bohm/Nilsson/Vickers, but I enjoy it for its own sake.

[barney]

Goodo, on the list then.