This reissue
on the Naxos super-bargain label of this classic operetta
recording is most welcome.
Franz Lehár
was generally considered the most significant operetta composer
of the first half of the 20th century. His early
work, Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow)
(1905) was a huge international success and tended to overshadow
all the many Lehár operettas that succeeded it. Das
Land des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles)
was one of his last operettas and a more mature work with
a not-so-happy ending. It pointed the way to his late masterpiece,
Giuditta (1934) that was almost operatic in its treatment.
The central
role of Prince Sou-Chong, sung on this recording, by the
wonderful Nicolai Gedda, was originally sung by that great
Lehár tenor Richard Tauber. Quoting from Richard Traubner’s
acclaimed book, Operetta: “…The part of Sou-Chong
fitted Tauber to a T, especially after a debilitating bout
with a severe form of arthritis had partially disfigured
his face and left him with a slight limp – the Chinese makeup
and long robes hid all this…[the celebrated] ’Dein ist mein
ganzes Herz (‘Yours Is My Heart Alone’) was sung by Tauber
in every possible way during the encores – in German, in
French, in English, sotto voce, and so forth. The
song took him and the operetta around the world.”
This classic
1953 LP recording was the first complete set of the operetta
and was originally released as Columbia 33CX 1114 and 1115.
The cast was headed by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, wife of the
recording producer and impresario, Walter Legge. Schwarzkopf
plays Lisa, daughter of Count Gustav von Pottenstein who
falls in love with Prince Sou-Chong and follows him when
he is recalled to his homeland from the Chinese Embassy
in Vienna. She sparkles in her solo numbers such as the
delightful Act 1 waltz song ‘Flirten, bisschen flirten’
and in her friendship duet, ‘Es ist nicht das erste Mal’
with her admirer Count Gustl (the charming Erich Kunz).
But it is her duets with Nicolai Gedda that persist in the
memory, duets like the charming ‘Bei einem Tee’ and (Act
I) , the bitter but poignant ‘Ich bin dein Herr’ (Act II)
and the heart-break of the concluding Act III duets as the
lovers are forced to part. Gedda, is of course, wonderful,
his voice caressing the lyrics, his timbre and vocal line
so exquisite, so expressive. Listen to his heartfelt singing,
so love-stricken in ‘Immer nur lächeln und immer vergnügt’,
and dreamy and gentle as he explains Chinese courtship in
‘Von Apfelblüten einen Kranz ; ah’ (Act I); and, of course,
so ardently romantic in the Act II show-stopper ‘Dein ist
mein ganzes Herz!’
Additionally
there is the pleasure of the youthful sounding lyric soprano,
Emmy Loose as Sou-Chong’s sister Mi, so fresh and delightful
in her rendition of her Act II ‘Im Salon zur blau’n Pagode’
and her persuasive love duet with her Count Gustl, ‘Meine
Liebe, deine liebe.’
Legge’s first
choice to conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra in this recording
was Karajan but he declined so Legge turned to Otto Ackermann
who proved to be an ideal Lehár interpreter fully realising
the composer’s subtleties of harmony and orchestration and
contrasts between the Viennese setting of Act I and the
oriental location of Acts II and III. Just listen, for instance,
to the depth of feeling he draws from the orchestra in the
sadness of the closing pages of the operetta.
CD2 is completed
by excerpts from Lehár operetta recordings from the late
1920s, 1930s and early 1940s, performed by legendary singers.
These include the distinguished artist and fine lieder singer,
Lotte Lehmann, singing ‘Wär es auch nichts als ein Augenblick’
from Eva and Richard Tauber’s rendition of ‘Hab’
ein blaues Himmelbett’ from Frasquita. There are
also substantial excerpts from Lehár’s Paganini and
from an earlier recording of Das Land
des Lächelns both of which starred Elisabeth Schwarkopf,
but with tenor Rupert Glawitsch. There are also excerpts
from Der Zarewitsch, Die Lustige Witwe, Schön ist die
Welt, and Giuditta.
A classic recording
of a favourite Lehár operetta with superb performances.
At Naxos’s super budget price don’t hesitate.
Ian Lace
Lisa ... Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
(soprano)
