Lortzing - Zar und Zimmermann / Prey · Schreier · Frick · Gedda · Köth - Heger [Import]

Albert Lortzing (Artist), Staatskapelle Dresden, Chor des Leipziger Rundfunks Robert Heger (Artist), Peter Schreier, Gottlob Frick, Nicolai Gedda, Erika Köth Hermann Prey (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Angel
• ASIN: B000005GSL
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #462,264 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Ouverture / Overture / Ouverture Orchester

2. (2-14) Erster Aufzug. Actone. Premier Acte

3. 1-12) Zweiter Aufzug. Act Two. Deuxieme Acte

4. (13-16) Dritter Aufzug. Act Three. Troisieme Acte

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lortzing & Heger -- A Great Team, September 16, 2008

By 

John Jobeless (Corte Madera, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lortzing - Zar und Zimmermann / Prey · Schreier · Frick · Gedda · Köth - Heger (Audio CD)

Albert Lortzing (1801-1851) was a prolific composer of very tuneful German comic operas, of which "Zar und Zimmermann" is his generally acknowledged masterpiece. Lortzing also wrote the libretto, based on literary sources, for this and his other operas mentioned below. The German genre, known as 'spieloper', grew out of the 'singspiel' tradition of which Mozart's "Abduction from the Seraglio" is the best known example. Though a cousin to the Italian 'opera buffa' and the French 'opera comique' and the Spanish 'zarzuela', the German equivalent never traveled outside the German-speaking world with the success its cousins enjoyed outside their home countries. But such works are still popular at home.

Robert Heger was the leading proponent of 19th Century German light opera, among other things (he also excelled in Wagner), in the middle third of the 20th Century. Besides this gorgeous performance of the story of Tsar Peter the Great's early (1697-98) tour of Western Europe, Heger also left stellar recordings of Lortzing's "Undine" and "Der Wildschutz" with great singers the likes of Prey, Schreier, Frick, Gedda, Rothenberger and Wunderlich. Heger also conducted superior recorded performances of other 19th Century German gems such as Weber's "Der Freischutz", Nicolai's "Merry Wives of Windsor" and Flotow's "Martha".

All of these recordings are excellent performances of very entertaining works unknown to most people, even many opera lovers. Investigate and enjoy!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Rewarding music, well performed, April 7, 2009

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Lortzing - Zar und Zimmermann / Prey · Schreier · Frick · Gedda · Köth - Heger (Audio CD)

EMI has given us a quite impressive and valuable range of good and fairly cheap reissues of typically romantic German operas under Robert Heger. Lortzing's Zar und Zimmermann is one of those operas that are still rather famous for its impact in its day, but which is rarely performed, at least outside of Germany. While it might not, in the end, be a great work, it is consistently tuneful and enjoyable, representing the German national romantic, singspiel tradition following Weber (and further back, Mozart) at its best.

Robert Heger leads a fine and excellently cast performance, especially impressive when it comes to the male roles (thus we have a Hermann Prey on top form, a good Gedda and a Gottlob Frick who, although rather late in his career - the recording is from 1966 - is still in good shape). The female roles are, perhaps, less distinguished, but still overall good. The orchestral contribution might perhaps lack some finesse, but the playing is spirited and lively. Overall, this is a very good performance of a very enjoyable opera, which deserves a firm recommendation.