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Fidelio
Ingrid Bjoner in many ways was the perfect Leonore. Her voice had just the right balance of Wagnerian steel and Mozartian purity so that the climaxes have all the impact without sounding pushed. The result is a Leonore who sounds equal parts Brünnhilde and Donna Anna and will surely please both those who prefer a dramatic voice like Nilsson or Flagstad in this role, and those who see Beethoven's only opera more through a classical lens. Jon Vickers's Florestan is pretty far from classical in sensibility, but certainly not lacking in drama and although he may paint in broader strokes than Bjoner, he still manages the dizzying demands of his opening aria with vocal security and finesse. Franz Crass brings nobility to the role of Rocco, which is refreshing given how often this character can come across as bumbling. Ferdinand Leitner's approach is broad without becoming too heavy or ponderous and treats the audience to a stirring rendition of Leonore No. 3 between the scenes in Act II. The performance is in great stereo sound.
Track List
Act I
1. Ouvertüre
2. Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein
3. O wär ich schon mit dir vereint
4. Mir ist so wunderbar
5. Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben
6. Gut, Söhnchen, gut, hab immer Mut
7. Marsch
8. Ha, welch ein Augenblick!
9. Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!
10. Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?
11. O welche Lust
12. Nun sprecht, wie ging's?
13. Leb' wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht
2. Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein
3. O wär ich schon mit dir vereint
4. Mir ist so wunderbar
5. Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben
6. Gut, Söhnchen, gut, hab immer Mut
7. Marsch
8. Ha, welch ein Augenblick!
9. Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!
10. Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?
11. O welche Lust
12. Nun sprecht, wie ging's?
13. Leb' wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht
Act II
14. Gott! Welch Dunkel hier!
15. Wie kalt ist es in diesem unterirdischen Gewölbe!
16. Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben
17. Euch werde Lohn in bessern Welten
18. Er sterbe! - Doch er soll erst wissen
19. O namenlose Freude!
20. Leonore Overture No. 3
21. Heil sei dem Tag, Heil sei der Stunde
22. Wer ein holdes Weib errungen
15. Wie kalt ist es in diesem unterirdischen Gewölbe!
16. Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben
17. Euch werde Lohn in bessern Welten
18. Er sterbe! - Doch er soll erst wissen
19. O namenlose Freude!
20. Leonore Overture No. 3
21. Heil sei dem Tag, Heil sei der Stunde
22. Wer ein holdes Weib errungen
Customer Reviews
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4.6
Based on 5 reviews
✓ Verified Buyer
United Kingdom
Still to be beaten
Excellent performance all round and Vickers must be the best Floretan of the modern era and Leitner one of the most under rated conductor of opera in that period. The sound could have been a little better but was not a distraction in any way.
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✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Wonderful Performance of Fidelio!
One of the reasons that opera nuts love broadcast and in-house recordings is that they preserve for us interpretations that the studio people did not. Bjoner was well-known in Europe and certainly didn't lack for work, but her recording career was minimal. Her Leonore here is excellent: the high notes spot on and fearless, the runs in her big aria capably handled. She is also first-rate in the dialogue (cut to the minimum in this performance). Holm is known more for her operetta records, but she is effortlessly charming here and gets a big hand for her aria. As Mr. Shulman points out in his review, Neidlinger is a formidable Pizarro. Vickers sounds a touch raspy in his aria, but amply conveys Florestan's determination and grit. In fact, the entire cast is great.Also great is Leitner's superior leadership. He compels the drama forward, urging his singers on to greater heights. His orchestra is up to Beethoven's challenge and wins a long ovation after the interpolated Leonore #3. The sound is excellent in true stereo.This is one of the best sets I've purchased from Opera Depot. Highly recommended!
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✓ Top Reviewer
United States
The great overlooked personality in the cast is....
Other reviewers praise Vickers and Bjoner, but don't overlook the great Gustav Neidlinger as the villain Don Pizarro. Neidlinger was the undisputed master of these "howling-and-spitting" creepy-bad-guy roles. He owned the roles of Alberich and Klingsor for almost two decades. He was the first singer of his generation to sing these parts with line and legato, rather than as a series of disconnected grunts and barkings. His stage personality is kind of like the TV actor Telly Savalas, (who played Kojak): grim and menacing, a bully, but also perversely appealing. His voice is huge and dark and he sings with unmatched sulfur and his delivery is always spontaneous, like he's thinking the lines for the first time.
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✓ Verified Buyer
Germany
✓ Verified Buyer
Italy
