Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Silvana (1810) [142.34]
Lea Marlen Woitack (speaker) – Silvana; Michaela Kaune (soprano) – Mechtilde; Ines Krapp (soprano) – Clärchen; Ferdinand von Bothmer (tenor) – Rudolph; Jörg Schörner (tenor) – Albert; Detlef Roth (baritone) – Adelhart; Andreas Burkhart (baritone) – Fust; Simon Pauly (baritone) – Krips; Tareq Nazmi (bass) – Kurt; Marko Cilic (speaker) – Herald, Ulrich
Bavarian Radio Choir; Munich Radio Orchestra/Ulf Schirmer
rec. Prinzregententheater, Munich, 17-18 April 2010
CPO 777 727-2 [73.19 + 69.15]
It was inevitable that, as opera in the German language evolved
from the traditional eighteenth century Singspiel with its spoken dialogue,
that attempts should be made to incorporate the spoken word into the body
of the music. We see this as early as Mozart, whose Entführung aus dem Serail
and Zauberflöte fall solidly into the Singspiel tradition but who experimented
with melodrama in other works. Beethoven too incorporated such techniques
into both Fidelio and his incidental music to Goethe’s Egmont. However,
it was Weber who made the most prominent use of the spoken word in combination
with the orchestra. Indeed his Euryanthe is the only opera of his maturity
which avoids the juxtaposition altogether.
Silvana, an early work, employs melodrama extensively throughout its length,
and as such it has effectively relegated itself to the very fringes of the
repertory. That is not altogether surprising, as the integration of spoken
dialogue with music is extremely difficult to realise effectively in performance.
The text needs to be cued in closely with the music, which is comparatively
straightforward when it is restricted to short interjections as in Fidelio
and Der Freischütz; but the more extensive the dialogue becomes, the more
problematic it becomes to make sure that the spoken cues match the orchestral
commentary upon it. A close match is needed; it is in effect an anticipation
of the techniques used in modern films, where the difficulties are usually
obviated by having the music composed after the dialogue has been recorded.
All of which may help to explain the rarity of appearances of Silvana on stage
or on record, since the music itself is straight out of Weber’s top
drawer and does not deserve to be neglected. Indeed, there appears to have
been only one previous recording, issued on Marco Polo (8.223844-45) in 1997,
which does not feature in current listings on Archiv but might deserve resuscitation
on Naxos in due course. This recording derived from performances at the Hagen
Opera, a company that showed commendable resource in rescuing forgotten works
from oblivion at the time. Its performance may best be described as efficient
and dutiful rather than inspired and recording is sometimes congested in texture.
In both these respects the current issue scores considerably, and since it
is now the only readily available version in the catalogues it is an essential
acquisition for those interested in Weber’s earlier career and the development
of German opera in the nineteenth century.
In particular the Munich Radio Orchestra is a cut above their Hagen counterparts
on the earlier set. The Munich players too have an enviable reputation for
their commitment to rare scores, and the string tone in particular is smoother
and less edgy. Ulf Schirmer too shows a commitment to the dramatic passages,
such as the storm at the beginning of Act Three (CD2, track 14) which anticipates
in many ways the composer of Der Freischütz. After a brisk and forthright
delivery of the relatively familiar overture, the First Act opens with a Huntsmen’s
Chorus which (like its confrère in Der Freischütz) features some thrilling
writing for horns and is delivered in forthright manner by the Bavarian Radio
Choir.
To take the principal singers in the order in which we hear them: Simon Pauly
makes a good impression in the essentially buffo role of Krips, but Ferdinand
von Bothmer is considerably stressed by the heroic role of Rudolph, which
cruelly requires trumpeting declamation in conjunction with coloratura elaboration.
He is less taxed by his later aria with cello obbligato but there remains
a sense of some strain. These two singers have the lion’s share of the
music in the First Act, and it is not until the Second Act that the female
voices enter - again anticipating the distribution of parts in Freischütz.
Michaela Kaune has a delicate voice suitable for her rather insipid character,
but sometimes hits high notes with a force that surprises. She is heard first
in duet with her father, taken by Detlef Roth with a baritone that sounds
positively tenorial in places. Again Weber asks for some flights of coloratura,
which both manage with conscientiousness rather than panache. The only other
major role, that of Mechtilde’s lover Albert, is restricted to participation
in concerted passages, but we hear enough of Jörg Schöner to perhaps hazard
a wish that he and Ferdinand von Bothmer might have exchanged parts.
Indeed it is in the concerted passages rather than the solo arias that the
incipient maturity of Weber as a composer is most clearly demonstrated. The
finale to Act Two is combines four of the soloists with chorus in a passage
that has the dramatic drive of early Verdi, with a fiery orchestral accompaniment
in which Schirmer conjures up a positive furore of conflicting emotions. The
storm which begins Act Three not only looks forward to Der Freischütz, but
even Wagner in Der fliegende Holländer with its surging bass lines in the
orchestra. It is a rather brief depiction, however; one wishes that Weber
had allowed it to expand it further. After this the score becomes rather more
conventional, with only an aria (whose coloratura Roth negotiates with good
style) and a more extended trio before the final chorus of reconciliation,
and the entanglements of the plot are entirely resolved in spoken dialogue.
Weber thought highly enough of the score to have subjected it to considerable
revision following its first performance in 1810, as well as extracting a
set of variations on a theme from the opera (heard in CD1, track 18) for clarinet
and piano. The amendments were incorporated into Berlin performances in
1812 and further revision followed. These alterations are adopted here in
what we are informed is based on a new “critical scholarly edition”
not available to the performers in Hagen. We are also given the full text
and translation of the sung numbers, but curiously the passages of spoken
dialogue (extensive in places) are not included, which will leave all but
German speakers at a considerable disadvantage when following the twists and
turns of the plot. Confusion is further compounded by the existence of a narrator
who links certain numbers, but the identity of whom – let alone what
is being said – is concealed in anonymity. In her booklet note Alexandra
Maria Delitz misleadingly claims that Silvana herself is a mute role —
anticipating in that regard such later works as Adam’s La muette de
Portici and Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mlada — whereas she does fully participate
in the spoken dialogue even though she never sings. In fact we hear her voice
(I think) in a spoken interjection as early as the opening Hunting Chorus,
a passage which is omitted from the text provided in the booklet. I say “I
think” because we hear a distinctly female voice, but the vocal score
available on the valuable IMSLP site (oddly enough in a French translation)
does not provide any dialogue at this point although Silvana is present on
stage. At the same time the score is not helpful in disentangling the mystery,
since the dialogue between numbers is omitted entirely; there is no date of
publication given, although the typeface looks very nineteenth century. It
also cuts sections of the score which this recording gives in full, as well
as making other major alterations.
Although this recording appears to be taken from dramatic performances –
at all events, we sometimes hear footsteps during the dialogue as the singers
move about the stage of the Prinzregententheater - there is no evidence of
any audience apart from a ripple of laughter during the final section of dialogue,
and the general sound suggests that it was taped under studio conditions.
Despite my reservations about the presentation of the opera in the booklet
— surprising in releases from this company, usually punctilious in such
matters — the recording is a worthy addition to catalogue and is much
to be welcomed.
Paul Corfield Godfrey
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