Richard Wagner - Tristan und Isolde - Mödl, Vinay, Hotter, Weber - Karajan 19523CDs - ADD
Orfeo 2004
Performer: Hermann Uhde, Ira Malaniuk, Gerhard Stolze, Werner Faulhaber, Gerhard Unger, Ramon Vinay, Hans Hotter, Martha Mödl, Ludwig Weber
Conductor: Herbert von Karajan
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bayreuth Festival Orchestra, Bayreuth Festival Chorus
Date of Recording: 07/23/1952
Venue: Live Festival Hall, Bayreuth, Germany
Mödl sang here the Isolde of her life, giving all out and expressing the myriad emotions her character goes through, from the rage and frustrations of Act 1 to her final release that closes the work. She could be a problemmatic singer, but on this evening she was in particularly good form. Vinay was THE Tristan of his generation, a strong baritonal voice who, in spite of Karajan's reputed impatience with him, produced a characterisation that in subtlety and range of emotions equalled Mödl's, not to mention his sheer vocal power and reserves that last comfortably until his very last bars in Act 3. To have Hans Hotter as Kurwenal and Ludwig Weber as Marke is a luxury that perhaps only Bayreuth could get away with fifty-six years ago. --Amazon customer
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