Richard Wagner - Die Feen (The Fairies) - Moll, Esther Gray, J. Alexander, J. Anderson, Studer - Sawallisch, complete recording 1983Orfeo C062833F (1984/1994)
This recording is for the Wagnerian who must have everything including the master's least known opera Die Feen (the Fairies), a work so obscure that it did not see the footlights until five years after the composer's death. Ordinarily when dealing with Wagnerian juvenilia, one finds obscure artists in less than ideal recordings (pirated editions, as often as not). Orfeo performs meritorious service for the Wagnerian faithful here by providing a genuine first string cast for this work in a live performance from the 1983 Munich Opera Festival. The Weberian flavor of the score is admirably realized by the Bavarian Broadcasting Symphony under Swallisch. For those interested in the early musical style of the future genius of Bayreuth, this is likely to remain the best recording of any of these early efforts. --Christian C. Rix, Amazon
"Die Feen", WWV 32
Performed by Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch
Kurt Moll (Der Feenkönig - Baß)
Linda Esther Gray (Ada, eine Fee - Sopran)
Kari Lövaas (Farzana, eine Fee - Sopran)
Krisztina Laki (Zemina, eine Fee - Sopran)
John Alexander (Arindal, König von Tramond - Tenor)
June Anderson (Lora, Arindals Schwester - Sopran)
Roland Hermann (Morald, Loras Geliebter und Arindals Freund - Bariton)
Jan-Hendrik Rootering (Gernot, Arindals Jäger - Baß)
Cheryl Studer (Drolla, Loras Zofe - Sopran)
Norbert Orth (Gunther, Höfling Arindals in Tramond - Tenor)
Karl Helm (Harald, Arindals Feldherr - Baß)
Friedrich Lenz (Ein Bote - Tenor)
Roland Bracht (Die Stimme des Zauberers Groma - Baß)
