Wagner: Die Walküre - Varnay, Hotter, Rysanek, Vickers, Gorr, Greindl; Knappertbusch. Bayreuth, 1958
$18.95
Description:
In 1958, Astrid Varnay was only 40, yet by then she had been singing Brünnhilde for nearly two decades. That experience radiates from every phrase in this performance. She meets the part’s monumental challenges with a confidence that suggests not only vocal mastery, but complete emotional and intellectual immersion. Leonie Rysanek, just into her thirties, brings searing passion and soaring vocalism to the role of Sieglinde—a role she had made her own since her early triumph at Bayreuth under Karajan. She finds a compelling partner in Jon Vickers, whose heroic tenor matches her intensity and nuance beautifully. Rita Gorr makes a vivid impression as Fricka, proving how much power can reside in a brief appearance. The only disappointment is Hans Hotter, whose Wotan, so commanding the night before, shows signs of vocal fatigue here.
In Mono
OD 12041-4
