I was there, and the recording fits my somewhat dim memories of Della Casa a little past her prime, an impressive Grist as long as you don't require all the trills, Troyanos a bit shrill (like most mezzo Komponisten) etc. The date should be 1 November and the orchestra that of the Bavarian State Opera. As you can see from https://arkivet.operan.se/repertoar/ the guests performed three operas: Ariadne, Il turco in Italia, and Das Spiel von Liebe und Tod (Cikker). The former two were given twice. Meanwhile our Royal Opera was in Munich performing Aniara and Makropoulos, twice each, plus the chamber opera Drömmen om Thérèse by Werle. The Bavarian productions were all directed by Günther Rennert, the Intendant, himself, and the two main ones from Stockholm by his counterpart Göran Gentele. There were similar exchanges in those years with Hamburg and Berlin. There must have been money in those days!

Although little information is given, this appears to be a Scandinavian *Gastspiel* by the Bavarian State Opera, lock, stock and Raimund Grumbach. Every role down to the smallest is filled by Munich regulars. The sound is good, marred only by some digital clicking in the last track of Disc One.This performance is cherishable for the performances of Tatiana Troyanos (Composer) and Reri Grist (Zerbinetta), each of whom fully inhabits their character, with Grist giving a sparking account of her 12-minute aria. While Lisa della Casa (Ariadne) could be a chilly artist that works in favor of the aloof Ariadne and she even seems to work up some fervor in the climactic love duet. Alas, she is partnered with the clumsy Ernst Kozub, hardly the "new god" to whom Zerbinetta alludes. Heinrich Hollreiser leads a shipshape account of Strauss' chamber opera.

This is a lovely performance of Ariadne auf Naxos, compromised somewhat by mediocre sound. It must be from a radio broadcast because the voices are clearly heard over the orchestra, but there is some distortion on high and loud passages and some wavering (especially in the opening five minutes). It is pitched correctly though (certainly all the singers sound like themselves).Della Casa sings a marvelous Prima Donna/Ariadne. One would never guess that she was 50: the voice is perfectly steady, the top shining, the chest voice all of a piece. Furthermore she displays none of the intonation troubles that occasionally plagued her. Grist is Charm defined and sings a terrific "Grossmachtige Prinzessin!" Troyanos shows yet again why she was so special. The voice has its own unique color and she is, as always, a passionate Composer. Another reviewer here was very hard on Kozub. We'll have to agree to disagree. I think he sounds splendid, without the raspiness he displayed in another performance of Ariadne also available from Opera Depot.This claims to be from Stockholm, but perhaps it was the Bavarian State Opera on tour as the entire supporting cast (not completely listed) is made up of Munich regulars. They're all first-rate with one of the best Nymph trios I've ever. Hollreiser leads a spirited performance that does the composer

Continued from below. Hollreiser leads a spirited performance that does the composer justice.

There is good reason not to mention Ernst Kozub. He is the kind of tenor that gives tenors a bad name. I had alas too many occasions to hear him at the Hamburg opera in the late 1960s. He was the most wooden singer I have ever seen on stage, with just one gesture (bringing his fist to his heavy chest and then extending the arm outward), which would have been OK if the physical ungainliness had belied a musical sensitivity worth hearing, but no... he had a big voice but that was about all. I remember wincing every time I saw his name on the program (I went to the opera often two or three times a week) and had to endure him yet another time. And if you think I exaggerate, a book on the making of the Ring recounts the disastrous recording sessions with Kozub who could not get it together, especially as they also involved Hans Hotter who experience and superb musicianship made Kozub look even worse. I really can't see a Kozub revival in the 21st century!

ausgezeichnet

eine Aufnahme mit den damaligen Top-Sängern.

This recording is very special due to the participation of Ernst Kozub (Not even mentioned above!!), who died much too early in 1972. He was probably the only real Heldentenor around in the 60s and 70s apart from Hans Hopf and a worthy successor to August Seider and Ludwig Suthaus.