Great Strauss Scenes

Christine Brewer (Artist), Richard Strauss (Composer), Donald Runnicles (Conductor), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Donald Runnicles
• Composer: Richard Strauss
• Audio CD (July 27, 2010)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Telarc
• ASIN: B003JFCGF0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,000 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Quite possibly the most successful opera composer of the 20th century, Richard Strauss consistently wrote strong roles for his heroines. Not just the Marschallin in "Der Rosenkavalier," but many more - from Salome and Elektra to the Countess in "Capriccio." The outstanding singers of each generation have loved to take on these powerful roles, each of which portrays a woman taking control of her own destiny, while Strauss's orchestra swirls around her, supporting her vocal line, recalling what happened earlier, suggesting what is going on in her mind that even she may not be fully aware of. Here are a few selections of great scenes for soprano from the operas of Strauss, some widely known, others less so.

Christine Brewer, and the wonderfully rich bass baritone of Eric Owens [on Recognition Scene from Elektra, and the Imprisonment Scene from Die Frau ohne Schatten] under the direction of Donald Runnicles leading the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra bring out the intrigue of Strauss' heroines on Great Strauss Scenes.

GRAMMY®-Award-winning American soprano Christine Brewer's appearances in opera, concert, and recital are marked with her own unique timbre, at once warm and brilliant, combined with a vibrant personality and emotional honesty reminiscent of the great sopranos of the past. Her range, golden tone, bound¬less power, and control make her a favorite of the stage as well as a sought-after recording artist. Her other recordings on Telarc include Dvorák's Te Deum with Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony, Mozart's Requiem, Strauss' Four Last Songs for which the Sunday Times said "she brings a soaring opulence to this music, the tone sumptuous and rounded, the top notes gleaming and full, unequalled by any other soprano in this music today," both with Donald Runnicles and the Atlanta Symphony.

Acclaimed for his commanding stage presence and inventive artistry, American bass-baritone Eric Owens has carved a unique place in the contemporary opera world as both a champion of new music and a powerful interpreter of classic works. Mr. Owens has been recognized with multiple awards, including the 2003 Marian Anderson Award, a 1999 ARIA award, and first prizes in the Plácido Domingo Operalia Competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, and the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition.

Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles has been in partnership with Music Di¬rector Robert Spano in leading the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 2001. He is one of today's most consistently acclaimed conductors of both opera and symphonic repertoire. This is Runnicles' third Telarc disc with Brewer; of their Four Last Songs recording, Gramophone said Brewer "uses her large voice cunningly, always staying with the words...," and "Runnicles accompanies like a fine pianist, full of subtle nudges and holds." Other acclaimed Runnicles/Telarc recordings include Orff's Carmina Burana, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony¸ and Brittania.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Strauss's operatic genius revealed!, July 31, 2010

By 

Gerald D. West "G. West" (Cleveland, GA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Great Strauss Scenes (Audio CD)

Here is brilliant selection, direction, and artistry, transparently captured by the Telarc technicians! Maestro Runnicles, the music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Christine Brewer, the superb American soprano, and an augmented Atlanta Symphony Orchestra collaborate to reveal the operatic genius of Richard Strauss. (This team gave us a magnificent Strauss/Wagner album in 2006, Telarc 80661).

"Elektra" and "Salome" are Strauss's operatic masterpieces. These are staged tone poems in which singers and orchestra perform as equals. The drama is full-bloodied and Freudian: no meek seamstresses wasting away in Parisian garrets, no hysterical Italian ladies throwing themselves off parapets, no resolute Celtic princesses leaping into the sea. Instead, Strauss gives us a classical Greek lady selecting an axe for dispatching her treacherous parents, and a lovely young Judean princess making love to the severed head of the unfortunate prophet who spurned her advances.

The selections in the album will delight admirers of Strauss, and enlighten listeners willing to venture beyond the Teutonic silliness of "Der Rosenkavalier". The score is complex and fascinating. Follow the libretto to discover Strauss's unique melding of voice and orchestra to portray action, motivation, and anticipation!

The opening track is the recognition scene from "Elektra". For this, Ms Brewer and the orchestra are joined by the splendid bass-baritone, Eric Owens. Note the dissonant "Elektra Chord" motif from the orchestra.

A brief, sweet interlude from "Capriccio" (track 2) follows. Next, we are treated to the imprisonment scene from "The Woman Without a Shadow" (track 3) sung by Ms Brewer and Mr Owens.

The last two tracks are the highlights of "Salome". We are deprived of the pleasure of viewing Ms Brewer's rendition of the Dance of the Seven Veils (track 4) due to limitations of the medium, but we are compensated with the grandest finale (track 5) in German opera since the fall of Valhalla!

As always with Telarc-ASO discs, Nick Jones provides program notes worth the price of the album. He publishes the libretti (in German and English) in the CD booklet, and posts his commentary on a referenced web site.

This new album is a worthy addition to music collections. The music is beyond value, of course; still, Amazon has managed to overprice the disc. Get it now, but try to find a better price!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Beautiful Voice, October 4, 2010

By 

Jan Cambria "Jan" (Cambria, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Great Strauss Scenes (Audio CD)

This is a treat either if you love Richard Strauss or if you don't know his works well & would like a special introduction. Christine Brewer has a unique and beautiful voice, perfectly suited to these Strauss scenes. And she makes the roles hers. I saw her in Chicago Lyric Opera's 'Die Frau Ohne Schatten" and among 4 superb singers, she shone as the Dyer's Wife. And you will get a generous 10 minutes of "Frau" here, with the fine bass- baritone, Eric Owens as her husband, Barak. The disc opens with the powerful "Recognition" scene from 'Elektra' - again with Eric Owens, as her brother, Oreste, whom she does not at first recognize. She makes Elektra's mad pain quite specifically hers. She does not remind me of anyone else I have seen or heard in the role. I hope someone mounts a production of Elektra for her!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For sheer vocal gleam and emotional sincerity, Brewer is a standout, September 8, 2010

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Great Strauss Scenes (Audio CD)

I tend to pair Christine Brewer with Deborah Voigt, two acclaimed American sopranos gifted with a beautiful top range, considerable power, and an appealing stage presence. In an age of diminished voices, one can't choose between them so far as being suitable for Isolde, Elektra, or Fidelio -- opera houses would be thrilled to have either as a headliner. But I was surprised that Voigt is 50 and Brewer 54. The latter has risen with comparative slowness, achieving her reputation in Strauss and Wagner mostly in the past decade, while the more versatile Voigt, aided by the powerful support of James Levine at the Met, has been a star much longer, and her range extends to a range of Verdi heroines as well as Wagner and Strauss. Calling her voice glorious, the Times critic expressed frustration that Brewer has been reluctant to sing in opera houses, or even to take on full roles. She's best known for excerpt recordings like this one.

On this Cd Brewer's voice seems to be that of a younger singer but with the signs of musical maturity. Her Recognition Scene form Elektra is possibly the most tender and touching I've ever encountered, and she sings from inside the emotion with convincing sincerity. Is she more impressive than, say, Alessandra Marc or Deborah Polaski? They are less ingratiating singers to me, and the plushness of Brewer's tone, along with its delicacy in the top range, sets her apart. Eric Owns makes for a forceful Orest, if a rather stiff one, while Donald Runnicles, despite his long career in the opera pit, seems too routine. The Atlanta Sym. plays beautifully, and everything is caught in impeccable sound by Telarc, as we've come to expect.

The same virtues, particularly Brewer's outpouring of beguiling sound, hold true in her portrayal of the dyer's Wife in the imprisonment scene from Die Frau ohne Schatten. The finale scene form Salome is more of a chestnut than the preceding scenes, and Brewer is ardent and unflinching, although there isn't much poison or sexiness in her delivery. Yet one cannot think of a true rival to Brewer's star power at this moment except for Voigt. Next up is another dream role for her, Ariadne, but it will be in English on the Chandos label.