Customer Reviews

Verdi - La Traviata / Stratas · Wunderlich · Prey · Patane

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First, and this does not relate to quality of recording or performance, this set is very expensive in comparison with other fine sets such as the Tucker, Moffo, Merrill impressively remastered reissue on RCA.

However, Wunderlich is here undoubtedly a very good Alfredo, and his beautiful voice seems to benefit from the use of Italian. This may be confirmed by comparing the relevant extracts from La Traviata that he sang in German and recorded for DGG, with Hilde Gueden as his Violetta.

Stratas some years later recorded another and much improved performance of Violetta. This Munich live recording finds her in relatively poor voice, and not at her best dramatically - her stagey laughter is embarrassing to hear.

Herman Prey, usually an enjoyable singer, is here far from his considerable best. The Di Provenza aria is sung in a sobbing style that is unconvincing dramatically and lacking in legato. Contrast his version with Gobbi's or Merrill's and the absence, respectively, of dramatic conviction and smoothness of sound are immediately apparent.

The high price asked for this set, compared to others which overall have much more to offer listeners at more reasonable prices, could only be justified by the presence and excellence of Wunderlich. He is very well worth hearing indeed.

and the sound is really very good. I'm a huge Wunderlich fan and had I not known he was singing Alfredo I do not believe I would have recognized him - it's a WOW! I love Prey and Stratas, as well, my only real disappointment is Stratas' sloppy fiorditure in Sempre libera.... That said, let's remember that this is a live performance (which I always crave) and perhaps she'd not been feeling well... or something. At any rate, I rather much echo the sentiments of the other two listeners.

I think the other reviewers have covered most of the bases -- this Traviata finds Wunderlich actually singing in Italian (most German opera houses were slow to convert to original-language productions, the tradition being to sing everything in German) and it fills out the handful of complete Wunderlich opera recordings outside Mozart. Thanks to the good sound and all-round good cast, there's a lot to like here.

But calling it "the best" is going overboard. Glorious as he is vocally, Wunderlich's Italian is by-the-numbers; his isn't an idomatic Alfredo. Prey is even more lost stylistically, not to mention that he sounds as young as his "son"; there's a good deal of hamminess as well. Straas is the only lead singer who sounds to the manner born, but her portrayal is a bit generic and not as emotionally intense as she would later become in this role. Patane, admittedly skillful in keeping things together, is far from inspired in the pit.

I've tried to be objective, since this is an expensive La Traviata, even at Amazon Marketplace. Overall, I return to it mainly to bask in the luxury of Wunderlich's voice and Stratas's touching Violetta.

This little-known live recording was a rather groundbreaking find for me. Being a tremendous Fritz Wunderlich fan, I am always on the watch for recordings featuring the famous tenor, but have always been saddened by the limited number of recordings of him singing in any language other than German. Because this performance took place in Munich and has a mostly German-speaking cast, I assumed that the work would be done in German, which is usually how Fritz performed Italian opera. But I was shocked to discover that it is actually in Italian--I just had to buy it. Well, Fritz takes to the Italian language quite well. He really is an incredible Alfredo in this recording, and if for no other reason, you should buy it because of how rarely he sang in Italian (or at least how rarely he was recorded doing so). In all of my searchings, this is the only thing in Italian other than a single excerpt of "Ombra mai fu" that I have been able to come across. The tempos are superb, Stratas (Her first attempt at Violetta) is a little overworked on the first disc, but on the second, she is quite good. I am not a fan of Hermann Prey (Germont) and find him too light and shallow to be a convincing father to Alfredo. But Fritz really outshines the rest with his exquisite breath control, superb lyrical line, and obvious emotional connection. This is a must for any Fritz fan, and a fine recording of the opera as well.

This is a rare treasure that everyone who loves opera ought to own. Who would have thought this recording existed ? Teresa Stratas is the greatest interpretor of Violetta as far as taking the role dramatically and with convincing powers of acting. Her singing voice is beautiful, expressive, lyrical, sweet, dramatic, tender, romantic, noble. She is the perfect soprano ever to grace the stage as Violetta in La Traviata, one of the most well known, most staged operas. Most people own and enjoy the successful recording of Maria Callas singing the role in the 50's. Teresa Stratas was so much like Callas vocally and even in looks but because at this time in the 50's she was unknown and not famous it was very hard for people to compare. Stratas has the Callas style of voice- dramatic, powerful, emotional, and her acting is just as dramatic and convincing. She is however superior to Callas in many ways. Her singing voice is much more pleasant to hear. She would gain fame later in the 1982 Franco Zefferelli movie of La Traviat which was filmed in Paris starring Placido Domingo as Alfredo. That movie finds her voice in a mature, more experienced voice but lacks the beauty and expression she has in this recording. Here, her voice is so young, so perfect. She is even better here than in the movie, though she did a good job in the movie considering she was a much older woman by then. Tenor Fritz Wunderlich is Alfredo in thsi recording and true to his fame, he is absolutely brilliant. Birgitte Fassbaender, a mezzo soprano who would later become a soprano, takes on the role of Violetta's friend Flora. Hermann Prey is Germont. This recording is wonderful. The beauty and the drama is combined to make a truly satisfying opera.

Wunderbar is for Fritz Wunderlich only. I can't really join my fellow reviewers in their praise of this recording. A Traviata recording these days has to offer something out of the ordinary. And this one does so, in one of the far to rare complete performances we have of Fritz Wunderlich. He finds new emphasis to well known phrases that makes you see them afresh. The voice itself suitably ardent with a hint of heroism. Very manly, indeed. For that alone some might want to sample this recording. I would guess that todays superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann has had a listen or two to this before making his debut in the role - there are something very similar to much of the phrasing and interpretation. Kaufmann's otherwise gorgeous voice is, by the way - far too large for this part, Wunderlich's is not. But the felicities goes only that far.

Violetta, Theresa Stratas in this recording, then? Well. She sounds young, for sure - too often neclected a fact of importance to the role. And her portrayal, not considering the singing qualities, is a good one. The first act begins well with the two duets, and the first part with `E strano.. Ah forse lui' begins nicely with Stratas perfectly capturing the `air' of Violettas kind of predicament. But when it comes to Violetta's following great solo, Ms Stratas gets herself in a real predicament - the legato crackens, and the coloratura is faulty, to be nice. In the end some of the coloratura sounds rather more like she's imitating a dog to a child, than singing... And unfortunately this continues for the rest of the opera, as soon as she's put under strain. Perhaps a fellow reviewer was right that she might have had a cold, but in a recording that kind of excuse can't really be made.

Herman Prey, the father Germont, sounds, as usually, very good - a perfectly healthy voice. What I don't appreciate in this recording is that he sounds exactly the same as in the recordings I have of him in Mozart operas - and no matter how good that is - it's not the kind of singing you expect or want in a fathers portrayal in Verdi. So, sounds are nice, but the part is oversung and understated in poignancy, with easy points also made in a mozartian way. He sounds more like a worried friend than a serious father.

The ensembles is typical of a live performance, not always perfectly timed, but good for being live. Some of the minor roles are sung with far too little of the smoothness and legato as `Traviata' requires, the exception a young Brigitte Fassbaender in the role of Annina. The sound is OK considering it's age, but not always making the voices as beautiful as it might, due to the bright sound picture.

Giuseppe Patane does a workaday job, not always finding the subtler nuances in the score, but supporting his lead singers nicely.

So, this is worth having only if you're a fan of Wunderlich - and everyone should be, in my opinion. But there are plentiful of more charishable Violettas and Germont fathers out there. Callas & Scotto, both have been partnered by the unforgettable Alfredo Kraus, with far superior Germonts as well - Angela Gheorghiu for Solti is also very fine, though not as well partnered as the former. For tonal beauty I would also recommend Sutherland's first recording with Bergonzi and Merrill.