The World Is Beautiful: Viennese Operetta Arias

Jerry Hadley (Artist, Performer), Ralph Benatzky (Composer), Emmerich Kalman (Composer), Erich Wolfgang Korngold (Composer), Franz Lehar (Composer), Carl Millocker (Composer), Robert Stolz (Composer), Johann II Strauss (Composer), Carl Zeller (Composer), Richard Bonynge (Conductor), Munich Radio Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Jerry Hadley
• Orchestra: Munich Radio Orchestra
• Conductor: Richard Bonynge
• Composer: Ralph Benatzky, Emmerich Kalman, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Lehar, Carl Millocker, et al.
• Audio CD (December 29, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rca Red Seal
• ASIN: B00008LLHB
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #340,204 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Gräfin Mariza (Countess Maritza), operetta: Grüß' mir mein Wien

2. Liebeskommando, operetta: Ich möcht' einmal wieder verliebt sein

3. Meine Schwester und Ich, operetta: Mein Mädel ist nur eine Verkäuferein

4. Der Vogelhändler, operetta: Wie mein Ahnl zwanzig Jahr

5. Eine Nacht in Venedig (A Night in Venice), operetta (RV 510): Komm in die Gondel

6. Das Lied der Liebe, operetta: Du bist mein Traum

7. Gasparone, operetta: Dunkelrote Rosen

8. Die Herzogin von Chicago, operetta: Das Wiener Lied

9. Frasquita, operetta in 3 acts (revised as opera): Hab' ein blaues Himmelbett

10. Zigeunerliebe (Gypsy Love), operetta in 3 acts: Und nenn' Deine Liebe ich mein einziges Glück

11. Die Kathrin, opera, Op. 28: Wanderlied

12. Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow), operetta: Komm' in den kleinen Pavillon

13. Die Zirkusprinzessin, operetta: Zwei Märchenaugen

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hadley & Bonynge have created a beautiful recording, July 18, 2007

By 

TypoQueen (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The World Is Beautiful: Viennese Operetta Arias (Audio CD)

I wish I had reviewed this sooner, since I have owned it for quite some time. Jerry Hadley was blessed with a rich lyric tenor, expressiveness which came from the heart, and more musicality in his little finger than most of us will have in a lifetime. His German has always been impeccable, and he has a gift for conveying all the 'schlag' (meant 100% as a compliment) that a Viennese operetta aria can hold... and then some.

Some folks may think that Jerry Hadley is too expressive, but that's an oxymoron in the world of singing. Expressiveness and emotion are the reasons the music and lyrics were written in the first place.

He was in his element in these beautiful arias. As a fan, I will sorely miss hearing his voice in any future live or newly-recorded performances, since the world lost him today, July 18, 2007. May he rest in peace.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nice Collection of Viennese Operetta Music, January 2, 2004

By 

Timothy Kearney (Haverhill, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World Is Beautiful: Viennese Operetta Arias (Audio CD)

Jerry Hadley has a nice voice, but it's not always used to his advantage. It is sweet sounding, but not especially powerful, and since there seems to be a dearth of tenors, especially younger tenors, he is sometimes cast in roles that are not the best match for his voice or talents. He is also a victim of the "crossover" rage of the late 1980's, early 1990's, where many classical musicians took their chances with a more popular repertoire, with somewhat mixed success. This collection should please both classical fans and people who like Hadley's pop standard-musical recordings.

This recording has many of the standards of German operetta as well as some lesser known pieces by composers such as Kalman, Lehar, Straus, and Korngold. His voice has a sweet sound to it and he sounds comfortable with this repertoire. Some of the pieces sound transposed down a bit particularly "Komm Zigany" from GRAFFIN MARITZA, but this does not detract from the quality of the music. Richard Bonynge conducts the orchestra that accompanies Hadley, and needless to say, the orchestra has a lush, fluid sound to it.

It should be noted that this is not Hadley's first venture into this repertoire. It should also be kept in mind that it is challenging, even daring, for any tenor to release a recording of operetta selections, especially when one considers that greats such as Richard Tauber, Nicolai Gedda, Mario Lanza, and more recently Placido Domingo have recorded some of these same pieces. Hadley does an admirable job and this recording is certainly satisfying to lovers of this enjoyable style of music.

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Idiomatic Operetta Singing, October 18, 2011

By 

David S. Baumgartner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The World Is Beautiful: Viennese Operetta Arias (Audio CD)

Jerry Hadley certainly had one of the loveliest and sweetest tenor voices of his time but, unfortunately, encountered vocal problems later on. This CD, however, shows him at his lyrical best displaying thorough understanding of how to deliver these Viennese beauties and this CD is clearly one of the finest compilations ever of famous excerpts from this genre. I must note, contrary to what another review has speculated that Jerry may have transposed some of these songs down, they are all sung in the original keys. "Komm, Zigany!" was written in the key of D, the key Jerry sings it in - It was and is relatively low for a true tenor and I never understood why Kalman chose that key instead of one higher.