Beethoven: Fidelio - Behrens, Vickers, Ward, McIntyre, Masterson, Davies, Lloyd; Goodall. London, 1976
$8.95
Description:
Reginald Goodall indulges his impulses to luxuriate in the expansive genius of Beethoven's only opera, which should come as no surprise to his admirers. What is surprising, however, is that despite the slower pacing, he manages to keep textures light and nimble while maintaining the direction of the melody. In lesser hands, this could have resulted in an inert performance. Hildegard Behrens sings the title role with commanding presence and astonishing vocal purity. Jon Vickers, though nearing the end of his career, still commands his gargantuan tenor voice with enough control to navigate one of the most difficult roles in the repertoire. David Ward is excellent as Rocco, as is Valerie Masterson's honey-voiced Marzelline, and Donald McIntyre's suave yet menacing Pizzaro. This recording replaces an earlier version and offers much better sound quality.
In Stereo
OD 11821-2
