Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magnificent, May 1, 2000
This review is from: Beethoven - Fidelio / Janowitz, Popp, Kollo, Sotin, Fischer-Dieskau, Jungwirth, Dallapozza, Wiener Phil., Bernstein (Audio CD)
What a wonderful recording. Bernstein does a magnificent job conducting this stellar cast. The sound is top notch, and the singing sounds very well balanced. Lucia Popp and Gundula Janowitz SHINE. The characterization of the male principals may not be menacing or tortured, but Hans Sotin and Rene Kollo sing beautifully. Each and every one of the singers seems to place their notes perfectly and they sound like exclamation marks of the orchestra. I know this doesn't sound fantastic, but it ALL, under Bernstein's command, comes together so tightly with pacing and structure, that I feel swept into a heroic universe, like I am hearing Beethoven at his greatest! I do have one disparaging comment, perhaps aesthetically incorrect, but I can't stand hearing dialog in opera recordings! It completely halts the momentum of the music. In this recording there is only a few minutes of dialog, separately tracked, which I program out. Humor me and try it, and see if you feel that Fidelio improves without the dialog (sincere apologies to purists and to Beethoven). There is included a very good booklet with an insightful interview with Bernstein.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great music!, June 16, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Beethoven - Fidelio / Janowitz, Popp, Kollo, Sotin, Fischer-Dieskau, Jungwirth, Dallapozza, Wiener Phil., Bernstein (Audio CD)
Beethoven was not the opera composer par excellance, but he was the greatest composer ever, and that's enough for anybody not to ignore his contribute to opera. Fidelio is a strange opera; it lies between Classic opera (Mozart) and German romantic drama (Wagner). Somebody said it's an Italian opera buffa in German. Leonard Bernstein is the only director who could match all these different styles, and record the "right" Fidelio.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thrilling, October 5, 2011
This review is from: Beethoven - Fidelio / Janowitz, Popp, Kollo, Sotin, Fischer-Dieskau, Jungwirth, Dallapozza, Wiener Phil., Bernstein (Audio CD)
Whatever else one says about this recording no one has ever had a better orchestra at his hand for Fidelio. But Bernstein also has a stellar cast and an imaginative, deeply considered approach to the work - yes, it is designed for maximal effect, as other reviewers have pointed out, but that does not need to compromise the depth and cumulative power of the work, and in Bernstein's hand I don't think it does. Add to that DG's atmospheric, clear and full-bodied recording (though the voices are sometimes a little claustrophobic) - one of the better DG efforts from the period - and you have one of the absolute top sets in the catalogue. His approach is almost surprisingly intimate (at least if compared to Klemperer, which is the classic), but there is plenty of drama to be sure, lots of fireworks (and even an added explosion or two, if this were an action movie). There are also a couple of idiosyncratic effects thrown in, especially increases and decreases in tempo, but most of them work very well (the (second) finale is very quick but quite exhilarating and powerful). Overall the performance is beautifully paced, the rhythms are sharp and the colors variegated. But in addition the wonders created by the orchestra (and not to forget the riveting choral contributions) Bernstein also provides the best possible support for his singers, and they generally exploit the opportunities. Lucia Popp is vibrant yet sweet-toned and excels at creating nuances of mood and feelings for Marzelline. Janowitz's voice is of richer and perhaps more inherently colorful, less exuberant and more introvert (as befits her role), but wonderfully expressive. There may be more dramatic interpretations in the catalogue, and Janowitz may not supersede all the competition, but I found her take on the role extremely compelling. Rene Kollo's Florestan is superb in the quieter parts, but I am less sure about the scenes that require more power where the voice starts to wobble. I hasten to add that he is overall pretty good, but will at the same time admit that there have been a stronger performances of the role, and he must unfortunately be deemed one of the main drawbacks of the set as a whole. Hans Sotin is a thoroughly impressive Pizarro, on the other hand, strikingly characterized and strong-voiced with a huge expressive range and equally convincing when imposingly authoritative as when he is gleefully cruel. Manfred Jungwirth is a deeply impressive and sympathetic Rocco, though he is perhaps a little too likeable, and Adolf Dallapozza is sharp and full of character. The smaller roles are excellent as well (Fischer-Dieskau's splendid Don Ferrando in particular). As a filler we get the third Leonore Overture - in fact, it is given as an epilogue rather than a coupling, which creates a very strange effect; Bernstein does not shy away from emphasizing the darkness and gloom of the overture, and it sits admittedly rather poorly with the rejoicing finale. Overall, however, and despite a few relatively minor caveats, this is an excellent set containing much excellent singing, some slightly questionable but admittedly effective tempo choices, wonderful orchestral and magnificent choral performances. Maybe this isn't the one and only Fidelio to have, but it is surely a glorious experience that can be recommended with plenty of enthusiasm.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
