Il est dommage que l'ouverture de Leonore 3 ait été coupée, car Ansermet enchaînait le dernier roulement de timbales de Leonore 3 directement avec le choeur "Heil ! Heil !". Il coupait ainsi les 33 premières mesures purement orchestrales du Finale et l'effet était saisissant ! En outre, la retransmission radiophonique de cette représentation du Grand Théâtre de Genève constitua un des tout premiers essais de stéréophonie de la Radio Suisse Romande. Chacune des deux voies était diffusée sur une longueur d'ondes différente et il fallait écouter la retransmission sur deux postes de radio en même temps pour bénéficier de l'effet stéréophonique !!! La bande originale stéréophonique avec Leonore 3 devrait figurer dans les archives de la Radio Suisse Romande et il serait intéressant de restituer ce moment historique dans son intégralité et en stéréo !!!

Though I bought this CD after enjoying Inge Borkh's fantastic Salome production (available also by OperaDepot) it was also very interesting because of the conductor. We know Ernest Ansermet as a brilliant concert conductor especially as the unrivalled interpreter of the impressionist music and now we got the possibility to discover him as the leader of an opera performance (I knew only his Pelléas and Melisande interperetations till now). Now we can here him as the head of his Suisse Romande Orchestra and though his reading is not so exciting like Bruno Walter's or Furtwaengler's interpretations it is a beautiful performace. Especially the lyrical scenes like the Quartett or the Prisoners chorus are memorable. Ansermet has a very strong cast all of the artists are excellent. Borkh proves that she is not only a Strauss hero, her Leonore can match with the greatest interpreters of this role. Beirer is a first class Florestan, a true Heldentenor with passion. Neidlinger is the villain and Greindl gives us a beautiful portret of a layman. Unfortunately his aria is omitted from this performance. Tappy's voice sounds very fresh as Jacquino and Elisabeth Schwarzenberg is also acceptable (sometimes very good) like Marzelline.Because the Overture Leonore No. 3 is also missing from this evening we get a thrilling performance of this work from 1958 under the baton of Sir Thomas Beecham. Do we not need more? Highly recommended.

Das Ding geht auf meinem Rechner nicht auf.

The source for this performance was a set of LPs. One can hear some ticks that aren't too annoying and may make certain listeners nostalgic for the old days of records. The sound is very good broadcast sound for the period. Another reviewer wonders whether or not the entire performance is here. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it is. Rocco's Gold aria is omitted, but that was a common cut in those days. Ansermet edits together the end of "O namenlose Freude" and the chorus "Heil sei der Tag ", cutting the orchestral introduction to the last scene. I listened to it several times, thinking at first that some music haf been lost in transmission, but there doesn't sound as if there has been a cut in the tape. Ansermet's tempos throughout the performance are a little on the slow side, but he holds everything together well. The Prisoners' chorus is exceptionally beautiful.The singers are all great. Borkh is a passionate Leonore. Beirer is better vocally here than in other performances, the voice steadier and more solid. Greindl and Neidlinger are great. Tappy actually makes something of Jacquino and Schwarzenberg sings well as Marzelline though the part sounds high for her (she leaves out the optional C at the end of the trio and elsewhere sings cautiously on top; maybe she was indisposed).Andy has included Beecham's passionate Leonore #3 as a bonus. One can interpolate it into the main performance or enjoy it as an encore.A very worthwhile performance!

While in terms of sound one can't stray very far from Karajan/Vickers/EMI or the Maazel/Decca recordings, to my ears this vintage but nonetheless clear mono Swiss performance is highly satisfying due to the live immediacy and honed in experience of the singers. These are glorious voices that earned their keep in all the major opera houses from Vienna to Hamburg and beyond - all specialists in the type of roles here. But this is no blase performance - predictably Greindl is a bit too laid back I thought but knowing the part thoroughly he realises it has a long "run in" - Neidlinger is the iconic "baddie" while Inge Borkh's voice was created for this role. Hans beirer is a neglected tenor but here gives full measure and is better than James King (even!) for Bohm - the Bohm DVD featuring Greindl and Neidlinger. I disagree about Schwartzenberg - it's a thankless minor role and I thought she did well in it along with Tappy. Though neither are as pefectly fitted as Laubenthal and Donath for Karajan who's EMI cast is superlative. It was fitted on to 2 LPs in the original Melodram vinyl release and was slightly abridged to do so. Perhaps this CD edition offerd the FULL performance? Here goes!