Strauss - Rosenkavalier - Lehmann, Schumann, Olszewska, Mayr - Heger 1933HMV 1960
Lotte Lehmann, soprano: Die Feldmarschallin Fürstin Werdenberg
Richard Mayr, bass: der Baron Ochs von Lerchenau
Maria Olszewska, mezzo-soprano: Octavian, a young nobleman
Victor Madin, baritone: Herr von Faninal, a rich, newly-enobled contractor
Elisabeth Schumann, soprano: Sophie, Faninal's daughter
Änne Michalsky, soprano: Marianne Leitmetzerin, her duenna
Hermann Gallos, tenor: Valzacchi, an Italian intriguer
Bella Paalen, contralto: Annina, his accomplice
Vienna State Opera Chorus; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
conducted by Robert Heger
Recorded in Vienna, September 1933
Published in December 1933 on 78s records (DB 2060-2072)
Transfer to LP in Paris, October, 1959 by HMV
We find here the greatest Strauss singers of that time. Lotte Lehmann had been Sophie and Octavian before singing one of the most acclaimed Marschallins throughout the world, Richard Mayr was Ochs at the Vienna Première, but Elisabeth Schumann is the queen [imho] of this recording as Sophie. This abridged version presents about half the opera; the scene of the Levée of Die Marschallin is completely omitted here (and of course the Italian tenor aria). Same for Act II reduced to one half. Other cuts concern the score itself (some parts of the chorus for example). But the best moments are kept.
