With
some justification one could say that
Ariadne auf Naxos is
Richard Strauss’s chamber opera. Not that the vocal parts
have chamber dimensions – on the contrary some of them are
among the most demanding he ever conceived – but compared
to its predecessor
Der Rosenkavalier it’s a short
work and the orchestra is far from the gigantic Strauss normally
employed: only 37 players and still they couldn’t be accommodated
at Max Reinhardt’s Kleines Theater but had to be moved to
the Hoftheater in Stuttgart, where it was premiered in 1912.
The initial idea was that Strauss write a short divertissement
to be performed at the end of Hofmannsthal’s adaptation of
Molière’s
Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, to which
Strauss also composed some incidental music. In the end
Ariadne occupied
ninety minutes and together with the play a full performance
would last over six hours.
The
length was one problem for further performances, the need
for both a company of actors as well as a company of highly
skilled opera singers, would make it too expensive. Consequently
Hofmannsthal suggested that Strauss should compose a prologue
to perform before the opera, that would explain why the opera
involves a serious classical story and a comedy. In
this new shape it was premiered at the Hofoper in Vienna
in 1916. His revision also involved some modification of
the opera proper. This is the version that is performed on
this recording.
It
may be of some interest to see who sang at the premieres.
In Stuttgart Strauss himself conducted and Ariadne was sung
by Maria Jeritza, Zerbinetta by Margarethe Siems, Bacchus
by Hermann Jadlowker; in Vienna Franz Schalk conducted, Jeritz
was again Ariadne (and Prima Donna), Selma Kurz was Zerbinetta
and the Composer was sung by Lotte Lehmann. All of them were
great names in their time and they are well remembered to
this very day.
The
line-up for the EMI recording under review is also star-studded
and so is the more recent (1988) Philips recording, which
has been my comparison.
|
EMI |
Philips |
Orchestra |
Staatskapelle Dresden |
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig |
Conductor |
Rudolf Kempe |
Kurt Masur |
Prima Donna/Ariadne |
Gundula Janowitz |
Jessye Norman |
Zerbinetta |
Sylvia Geszty |
Edita Gruberova |
Composer |
Teresa Zylis-Gara |
Julia Varady |
Tenor/Bacchus |
James King |
Paul Franz |
Major-Domo |
Erich-Alexander Wings |
Rudolf Asmus |
Music Master |
Theo Adam |
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau |
Dancing Master/Scaramuccio |
Peter Schreier |
Martin Finke |
Harlekin |
Hermann Prey |
Olaf Bär |
Both
casts are mouth-watering, aren’t they? Let me start with
some common features or parallels. Both sets were recorded
in GDR, as it then was, by VEB Deutsche Schallplatten and
licensed for distribution in the West. They employed the
two most prestigious orchestras in East Germany, both with
long Strauss traditions, especially Staatskapelle Dresden,
which premiered several of his works under his direction
and later Karl Böhm, renowned Strauss interpreter, worked
there.
Both
conductors are renowned Strauss experts. Kempe recorded the
complete orchestral works for EMI and Masur also has a long
Strauss discography. Their readings of
Ariadne auf Naxos are
not dissimilar and truly idiomatic and the playing of the
orchestras can’t be faulted. Few other orchestras are in
their class in German music. I have no complaints about the
recording of the EMI set but the Philips, digitally recorded
twenty years later has somewhat wider dynamics and more details,
so on technical grounds that set may have an advantage.
As
far as the singers are concerned there are no doubt differences,
but not necessarily differences in quality. Gundula Janowitz,
who also recorded a wonderful Countess in
Capriccio some
years later – and of course with Karajan one of the most
recommendable versions of
Vier letzte Lieder – is
a superb Ariadne, singing with creamy, steady tone and great
warmth. Jessye Norman’s is a grander, more majestic reading,
full of nuances and insight. Both are great but Norman’s
characteristic vibrato may not be to all tastes. Sylvia Geszty,
born in Budapest in 1934, may not be as famous as Edita Gruberova,
born in Bratislava in 1946, but she was one of the foremost
coloratura sopranos during the 1960s and -70s, a frequent
guest at the Salzburg and Munich festivals, and her bell-like
agile voice and sure technique made her an ideal Zerbinetta.
Gruberova may have a tendency to slide up to some notes,
otherwise there is very little to choose between them and
both manage to enunciate the text, which is a feat in itself.
Teresa Zylis-Gara is another of the important singers of
some decades back who has come somewhat out of view. She
is a glittering Composer, slightly anonymous initially but
deeply expressive later on. Julia Varady does not necessarily
sing better but she has more face. Like Zerbinetta the leading
tenor role Bacchus is a hell of a part. He needs to be a
dramatic-heroic singer but also a lyrical one. James King
has the required power and stamina but seems satisfied with
that, whereas Paul Franz is younger-sounding and has much
more ebb and flow in his singing. His is a more lyrical voice
but he also has heroic ring in reserve. His reading is definitely
the more interesting but it can’t be denied that King can
scale down as he does in
Wie? Kennst
du mich denn? And
So willst du mit mir gehen auf mein Schiff, where there is
warmth and sympathy that Franz can’t quite muster. Theo
Adam’s Music Master is characteristically keen with words
and expressive though the actual sounds he produces are not
ingratiating. But Fischer-Dieskau, rather late in his career,
hasn’t got much bloom left either and can be hectoring. Both
singers are naturally in their element. Two great Lieder
singers are entrusted the role of Harlekin: Hermann Prey
in mid-career is wonderfully expressive and charming; Olaf
Bär, rather early in his career, is more lyrical, more genial
and
Lieben, Hassen, Hoffen, Zagen has probably never
been so beautifully sung. There is luxury casting in some
of the minor roles, Peter Schreier as a fine Scaramuccio
for example on the EMI set, while Philips have the young
Eva Lind as Najade.
I
am hard pressed to choose between these two sets and personally
I wouldn’t want to part from either of them. A search on
amazon.com for the Masur set gave no hits, so it may be out
of circulation at the moment. When it returns, which I hope
it will, it will be a top contender but so is the Kempe set
and at its new price it is definitely a recommendable buy.
Göran
Forsling