Description:

This transcendent performance of Ariadne auf Naxos is a testament to the extraordinary depth of talent at the Hamburg State Opera during the 1960s. Arlene Saunders, who made Hamburg her artistic home, may have eschewed international stardom for stability, but her performance here is anything but provincial. She sings with a radiant blend of strength and sweetness, navigating Strauss’s soaring vocal lines with astonishing ease and expressive poise.

Ernst Kozub offers one of the most lyrical portrayals of Bacchus—refreshingly free of the forced bluster that often dominates this role. A young Tatiana Troyanos brings warmth, sincerity, and vocal ardor to the role of the Composer, capturing the character’s passionate idealism with a richly shaded tone. Sylvia Geszty takes a more lyric approach to Zerbinetta than is typical, but she still handles the high-flying coloratura and florid runs with agility and control, offering a vocal richness not often heard in the part.

There are also notable cameos from Franz Grundheber as the Lackey and Hans Sotin as the Wig Master—both early in their careers and already showing the polish that would define their long association with Hamburg.

In Mono

OD 11375-2