Strauss

Die Frau ohne Schatten

Eipperle, Windgassen, Kinasiewicz, Fischer, von Rohr; Leitner
Stuttgart, 1954

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Die Frau ohne Schatten

If you can forgive the sonic failings of this recording, you will find a compelling and unique performance of Die Frau ohne Schatten. The most well-known singer in the cast is Wolfgang Windgassen, and although he would go on to dominate the world of Wagner, he sang very little Strauss. He manages the high tessitura of the Emperor with impressive skill, maintaining the core of his lyrical instrument without pushing. Trude Eipperle as the Empress is ravishing, the beauty of her shimmering soprano matched only by its power. Res Fischer seems to enjoy the Amme's conniving without descending into pure camp. As mentioned above, the sound is not the best, particularly in Act III. The beginning of Act III is missing before the Färberin's big scene, and the last few minutes of the opera are also lost. I have included the final quartet from a performance featuring Ingrid Bjoner, Sebastian Feiersinger, Gladys Kuchta, and Mino Yahia.

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4.0 Based on 2 reviews
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David R.✓ Top Reviewer

United States

Overall rating

Excellent Performance, Different Edition of the Score!

This performance of Frau ohne Schatten uses a different edition than most of us are used to hearing. Act One is relatively familiar, but Act Two conflates the two Barak/Färberin scenes into one, cutting the appearance of the handsome youth altogether. We go from the Emperor's big scene to the Empress Awakening scene and then back down to earth for the aforementioned Barak/Färberin scenes. Act Three is similarly different although everything finally comes together in the last fifteen minutes. There are many textual changes as well. At the end of the second act the Spirit Messenger suddenly appears sharing the final two lines with the Nurse.The singers are excellent. Eipperle is a lovely, more lyrical Empress than we normally hear. She easily soars to the role's high D and D-flat. Windgassen sings the Emperor with beautiful tone. Polish soprano Maria Kinasiewicz sings with a steady, attractive soprano and Wilhelm Schirp is first-rate as Barak. Res Fischer is a more sympathetic, less demonic Nurse. By the way, that's unmistakably Gustav Neidlinger as the Spirit Messenger, not Otto von Right as listed. Leitner must've made a specialty of this opera; he is on three of Opera Depot's recordings of it.The sound is good though bits and pieces are missing from the master tape. The final quartet cuts out just before the final top C(!) so Andy supplies the final six minutes from the 1965 Buenos Aires performance (also available complete from Opera Depot).
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Ralph H.✓ Verified Buyer

United States

Overall rating

Not a review

This is not a review, but I taped this performance over the radio while in Wiesbaden. I have since donated my tape/cassette collection to my Alma Mater (Univ of Md Music Library). If you have any interest in replacing the missing sections of your master copy, pls. let me know and I can put you in touch with my contact at Maryland and have then dig out my original tape for you.
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