GAETANO DONIZETTI(1797 – 1849)Anna BolenaLyrische Tragödie in zwei Akten.Text von Felice Romani nach dem Drama “Henri VIII” von Marie-Joseph de Chénier und der Tragödie “Anna Bolena” von Alessandro Ercole Conte Pepoli.Deutsche Textfassung von Hans Hartleb.HEINRICH VIII. - KARL RIDDERBUSCHANNA BOLENA - TERESA ŻYLIS-GARAJOHANNA SEYMOUR - VERA LITTLELORD ROCHEFORT - WOLFGANG ANHEISSERLORD RICHARD PERCY ▪ GENE FERGUSONMARK SMETON : BARBARA SCHERLERSIR HERVEY - WERNER HOLLWEGKÖLNER RUNDFUNKCHOREinstudierung - Herbert SchernusKÖLNER RUNDFUNK-SINFONIE-ORCHESTERALBERTO EREDEWestdeutscher Rundfunk Köln : 16. Dezember 1967

This recording of Anna Bolena sung in German - with a few cuts here and there - is much more than a curiosity. The main attraction is Teresa Zylis-Gara as Anna: the slightly mournful quality to her voice lends itself beautifully to this of all roles. The sample is representative of her wonderful singing throughout. Karl Ridderbusch, swapping Hans Sachs for Henry VIII, is suitably commanding, and Barbara Schorler as Smeaton is a treat.If anything, the German translation heightens the drama, with lots of ‘wir sind verloren!’, ‘ah vergibt mir!’ and appeals to ‘Gerechtigkeit!’. Perhaps it works because it evokes Schiller (on whose Maria Stuart Donizetti based my favourite of his Tudor trilogy), especially when sung so clearly as here for West German radio.

First time I bought a recording of Teresa Zylis-Gara or of Anna Bolena

Zylis Gara is lovely, dramatic and beautiful technician in the title role. The ending is to die for. Ridderbusch is great as her husband. It is perhaps quite a suprise, that he could be that good in Donizetti. Little, Anheisser, Sherler and Hollweg are competent in their roles. Erede conducting is wonderful. It take's an Italian to do it properly, he, he. Only Ferguson has problems with high notes and coloratura in the demanding, but unthankful role of Lord Percy. German language is for me quite a treat since I am used to listen operas in "wrong" languages.

Despite the wrong language, solid old fashioned performance.