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Richard WAGNER
Love Duets from "Siegfried" and "Tristan und Isolde"*

Deborah Voigt (Soprano)  Placido Domingo (Tenor)  *Violeta Urmana (Mezzo-soprano) Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Conducted by Antonio Pappano
EMI Classics CDC5 57004 2 [57.26]

Crotchet  Amazon UK 

The press release for this disc reveals what the liner notes do not: that the Tristan duet concludes with the first ever outing for a "concert ending" that Wagner himself arranged in 1862 for two favourite singers who, in the end, never sung it. It ensures that this chunk of Wagner doesn't bleed much because, in the opera, the duet is brought to a violent halt by the bursting on to the stage of the court accompanied by Brangane's scream. Here what Wagner replaces that with is music that will eventually resolve the same material in the Act III Liebestod at the end of the opera and, under these circumstances, very satisfying it sounds giving this disc an extra importance on top of the presence of its distinguished soloists.

As we have found before with Placido Domingo singing Wagner what you gain in power and lyricism you do have to sacrifice a little in his sense of the meaning of the words. But Deborah Voigt is an excellent partner and no doubt she will be heard again in these roles where her intelligence matched to fine musicianship will stand her in good stead. A word of praise also for Violeta Urmana who sings "Brangane's watch" with just the right amount of mystery out of a real sense of distance provided by the recording. In the Siegfried duet Domingo is more miscast, I think, unable quite to project the boorish youth that has just shattered The Wanderer's spear to get to the ring of fire. Again, however, Voigt is much more aware of the dramatic situation and awakens in fine voice.

Antonio Pappano is an interesting and welcome choice to conduct. He has recently been named Music Director designate at Covent Garden and this is his first recording with the orchestra since then and I think it's significant it should be Wagner rather than one of the Italians that we hear him in first. This disc promises well for there is a real air of security and familiarity from his orchestra's contribution and his support for his soloists. EMI provides them all with a rich recorded sound that has plenty of air around the instruments though at the start of the Siegfried duet the harps are too backward. Their sound at this point is one of the most memorable passages in the whole opera.

For those who like their Wagner short and for those who wish to hear Domingo especially in these two duets, this disc is a must.

Reviewer

Tony Duggan

Performances:

Recording:


Reviewer

Tony Duggan

Performances:

Recording:


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