Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Nuotio, Barlow, Howard, Bailey, McCue; Gibson. Glasgow, 1973

$12.95



Listen to a Sample:

 

Pros:

  • This performance of Tristan und Isolde marks a remarkable achievement for the Scottish Opera.
  • Alexander Gibson maintained a home base throughout his career in his native Scotland save for the occasional excursion to Covent Garden. However, his musical gifts were far from provincial as demonstrated by this deeply-felt performance of Tristan und Isolde.
  • Klara Barlow brings a degree of youth and glamor to the role of Isolde. At times she struggles a bit with the upper range, but nonetheless delivers an extactic Liebestod at the end of the evening.
  • If you don't know Finnish Heldentenor Pekka Nuotio you are in for a real treat. Although never reaching the height of operatic stardom, Nuotio enjoyed a very active career singing on most of the world's great opera stages (he sang Tannhäuser at the last performance of a complete opera at the Old Met.) His voice has a very pleasing lyric quality that is all to rare in Wagner, and he is able to maintain that lyricism in the face of Wagner's daunting orchestration.
  • Ann Howard as Brangäne and Norman Bailey as Kurwenal help to elevate the evening to nothing short of world-class.

Cons:

  • None to mention.

In Mono

OD 11697-3