Richard Wagner - Der Ring des Nibelungen - Bodanzky, Leinsdorf - Met, 1936-41 - 11CDsNew York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and chorus
Bodanzky, Artur, Conductor
Leinsdorf, Erich, Conductor
An amazing set of Wagner performances from the 1930's under the leadership of Artur Bodanzky and Erich Leinsdorf, New York's stalwart in the Wagnerian repertoire. The greatest Wagnerians of the 1930's, Kirsten Flagstad, Marjorie Lawrence, Lauritz Melchior, and Friedrich Schorr are heard in their amazing, powerful vocal primes. Flagstad and Paul Althouse (Richard Tucker's teacher) are a vibrant Siegmund and Sieglinde in Act I of Walkure, while Melchior, Lawrence, and Schorr reign supreme as Siegfried, Brunnhilde, and Wotan in the rest of the cycle. And, Melchior, Flagstad and Lawrence are tops as Siegmund, Sieglinde, and Brunnhilde in Acts II and III of Walkure.
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Das Rheingold - Bodanzky, Met 1937
2CDs - AAD
Wotan - Friedrich Schorr / Donner - Julius Huehn / Froh - Hans Clemens / Loge - Rene Maison / Fasolt - Norman Cordon / Fafner - Emmanuel List / Alberich - Eduard Habich / Mime - Karl Laufkötter / Fricka - Karin Branzell / Freia - Dorothee Manski / Erda - Doris Doe / Woglinde - Stella Andreva / Wellgunde - Irra Petina / Flosshilde - Doris Doe
Die Walküre - Leinsdorf, Met 1941
3CDs AAD - 03:05:45h
Siegmund - Lauritz Melchior / Brünnhilde - Helen Traubel / Hunding - Alexander Kipnis / Wotan - Friedrich Schorr / Sieglinde - Astrid Varnay / Fricka - Kerstin Thorborg / Helmwige - Maria van Delden / Gerhilde - Thelma Votipka / Ortlinde - Maxine Stellman / Waltraute - Doris Doe / Siegrune - Helen Olheim / Grimgerde - Mary van Kirk / Schwertleite - Anna Kaskas / Rossweisse - Lucielle Browning
This was a momentous afternoon in the history of opera in New York. The performance was eagerly awaited for the role debut of Helen Traubel as Brunnhilde. . Making his first New York appearance in his role that day was Alexander Kipnis as Hunding which caused much interest. As Sieglinde the audience was expecting to see Lotte Lehmann but she was ill, and only available substitute was a 23 year old soprano who had never before appeared on any stage; thus, Astrid Varnay made her world debut before a radio audience of millions. Wotan is sung by Friedrich Schorr. Although he was only 53 at the time of this performance, his voice had already lost much of its earlier glow. It had become hard and unwieldy, but with sufficient moments of glory to remind the listener of what it had been at its best, which was magnificent. But, his warmth and depth of characterization remained unequalled and powerful. Alexander Kipnis was still at his peak as Hunding, his rich bass resonating forcefully. Siegmund is Lauritz Melchior, who is in glorious form, endearing in the liberties he takes with his long-held cries of Walse in the first act. As Fricka, Kerstin Thorborg berates her Wotan as if well accustomed to it. It is a fine role if you are a great and imaginative mezzo, and Thorborg certainly was. Erich Leinsdorf is the brisk, superb conductor. This is a stunning performance which belongs in every collection.
Siegfried - Bodanzky, Met 1937
3CDs - AAD - 03:23:49h
Siegfried - Lauritz Melchior / Mime - Karl Laufkötter / Wotan - Friedrich Schorr / Alberich - Eduard Habich / Fafner - Emmanuel List / Erda - Kerstin Thorborg / Brünnhilde - Kirsten Flagstad / Vogel - Stella Andreva
Lauritz Melchior was the greatest Siegfried ever, and here he is in full cry in the only preserved complete performance of the role, which must be heard to be believed!! ... Richard Caniell writes of this performance, "There has never been a performance of 'Siegfried' such as this, what with Melchior's exultant and golden-voiced Siegfried; Laufkoetter's marvelously duplicitous, yet strangely touching Mime; Schorr's legendary Wotan, all wisdom, warmth and intelligence, sung with an expressiveness touched with grandeur; Flagstad's radiant Brunnhilde; Thorborg's troubled and prophetic Erda; and Habich's implacably vindictive Alberich. To have all the leading exponents of each role together in the same performance is truly the Golden Age of Wagner, glorious beyond imagination." "The Rough Guide To Opera" says that "Artur Bodanzky's breathtaking 1937...broadcast of 'Siegfried' with Melchior and Flagstad, has rarely been equalled as a performance....[t]he sense of occasion is truly electrifying. Melchoir is in absolutely outstanding voice, conveying all of Siegfried's heroic dimensions and emotional vicissitudes through vocal splendor alone. As well as Flagstad's radiant Brunnhilde, the sterling cast also includes Friedrich Schorr--the greatest of all Wagnerian baritones--as the Wanderer. His matchless sense of line and firm tone bring a true sense of majesty to the role. No less impressive are Kerstin Thorborg as Erda, Eduard Habich as Alberich and Emanuel List as Fafner. All told, this was as near ideal casting as it was possible to get at the time and constitutes a veritable feast of singing." As well, the recording includes the quaintly loveable narration of the inimitable Milton Cross.
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Götterdämmerung - Bodanzky, Met 1936
3CDs - AAD - 03:41:51h
Siegfried - Lauritz Melchior / Brünnhilde - Marjorie Lawrence / Gunther - Friedrich Schorr / Hagen - Ludwig Hofmann / Alberich - Eduard Habich / Gutrune - Dorothee Manski / Waltraute - Kathryn Meisle / Norn erste - Doris Doe / Norn zweite - Irra Petina / Norn dritte - Editha Fleischer / Woglinde - Editha Fleischer / Wellgunde - Irra Petina / Flosshilde - Doris Doe
Date of Recording: 11 January 1936
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