Verdi: Macbeth (In German) - Mödl, Metternich, Hermann; Keilberth. Berlin, 1950
$9.95
Description:
This thunderous Berlin performance of Macbeth, sung in an effective German translation, boasts a superb cast and an unmistakable dramatic urgency. Martha Mödl is a hair-raising Lady Macbeth—vocally fearless despite the punishing tessitura. Though the strain occasionally shows in the upper register, her pitch and vocal core remain impressively intact, and her dramatic commitment never falters. The translation, which hews more closely to Shakespeare than Piave’s original libretto, adds further weight to her interpretation.
Josef Metternich surprises with a commanding Macbeth, his big, handsome baritone fully engaged with the role’s psychological complexity. Strong support comes from Theo Hermann and Alfred Hülgert, and the chorus and orchestra perform at a consistently high level. The Act III chorus “Patria oppressa” is especially moving—sung with such emotional conviction that one senses it resonated deeply with a divided city.
There are some cut-outs, most notably in the opening of Act III.
In Mono
OD 11324-2
