Puccini: Manon Lescaut (In German)

Vadura, Kmentt, Wächter, Berry; Heger

Wien, 1954

$9.95

Description:

This German-language Manon Lescaut assembles an excellent cast of male singers but falls short in the casting of the title role. Hilde Vadura possesses a sweet enough voice, but it is ultimately too thin for Puccini’s lush score. At no point is she vocally insecure—she simply never quite hits the emotional or dramatic mark. The good news is that the men more than make up for it.

Waldemar Kmentt delivers an ardent performance as Des Grieux, never flinching at the daunting demands of the role and even interpolating an extra high note after his big scene in Act III. Eberhard Wächter as Lescaut is luxury casting, as is Walter Berry as Geronte. The sound is good, though there are some cuts, including a rather jarring one in Manon’s Act IV aria.

In Mono

OD 11435-2