Buena grabación de Epoca.

The edition of Tannhauser used in this performance doesn't really fully correspond to either the Dresden or Paris versions of this Wagner opus. Wieland Wagner never really decided on which version was best and, of course, he died before he could resolve it. Venus suffers the most in this version because much of her part is cut. Lindholm does a fine job with what's left of her music. It's not the most seductive of voices, but that suits this edition just fine. She gets off some great top notes, especially in the final scene of Act Three. Thomas lives up to his reputation as a thrilling Tannhauser. His top notes ring out with conviction and the voice has a glow to it that it would lose only a few years later. We are deprived of his handsome stage presence, but even so one senses that this Tannhauser was a sexy man. Silja sings beautifully; she stubs her toes musically speaking at the beginning of the prayer in the last act, momentarily losing her place with the orchestra. Prey sings well, but does better elsewhere in this role. The other singers are good too. Lilli Sauter sings the Shepherd's brief role with lovely tone. Klobuchar's conducting is more dutiful than anything else.The sound is good, but this is derived from a mediocre source tape. There is some distortion in loud vocal passages though it doesn't ruin the performance. Fans of Jess Thomas should get this to hear him in his relatively brief vocal prime.

First a curiosity: the act I begins with Tannauser's words: Im traum war mir forgetting several bars and sentences (Geliebter, sag wo weilt dein sinn? and so on) Lindholm is a very correct Venus ,perhaps a little bit cold and academic Silja is a young fresh bright Elisabeth Frank is a little bit tired Landgrave specially in low register Prey brings his splendid baritone voice but far less comfortable in Wagner's singing line than in Mozart's one Thomas is once more fantastic ! Klobucar is honest nothing more ( excepting the ensemble of the end of Act II which is very beautiful thanks to Thomas and Silja)

Jess Thomas when he still had a voice.