Listen to how Herr
Kaufmann shapes the word Taube (dove). The other words sound good too. Enjoy
this as we wait for the DVD to be released. I haven’t heard anything, but since
they are showing it in cinemas around the U.S., I feel like that’s a good sign.
(In fact I am going to see it in a downtown movie theater tomorrow—it starts at 11 AM, and I
don’t get up early on Saturday for just anybody!)
In fernem Land
Someone else posted the complete performance again on YT. Watch it
right away, before someone official notices it and makes them take it down.
(But it will still be better in the theater or on DVD/BluRay!)
Lohengrin at La Scala
(the whole schnitzel...for now.)
NO mention of Kaufmann's Munich performance which I thought immpossible to trump, vocally and dramatically. I first hear In ferman land as an excerpt from the CD. Subsequently YouTube featured the live performance. I found the live performance far more moving--innig--isn't that the term used by Germans? Some found the production off putting but I had no difficulty. Schuster was a superb Ortrud and Harteros is blessed with a gorgeous voice. Of course when the Scala version is released I will snap it up, but I can't imagine Dasch is better than Harteros; her reviews from Bayreuth were mixed. I have her Figaro Countess; the notes are there but Hartelius trumps her easily. I certainly don't need another Lohengrin: the Hoffman Bayreuth is easitly the most dispensible and it is considered superior to the Met taping; The Baden Baden version with Vogt is worth it for Meier and Vogt but Lenhof's Konzept is perverse and Kringleborn like Armstrong is another case of sending a lyric out to do the job of a spinto "manque". I wonder how Schwarzkopf sounded when she sang the role under von Karajan in his Scala days. To the best of my knowledge she never sang it again. Also an Elizabeth in Tannhauser.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts. I haven't tried a head to head comparison of JK's various performances of the aria. Sounds like a good blog post. I was impressed with Annette Dasch in Bayreuth although she is certainly not a "traditional" Wagner soprano! I also need to check out the entire Munich performances. I've only heard/seen the clips I've shared here from YT.
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