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Tannhäuser
This performance of Tannhäuser sports an impressive, if somewhat inconsistent cast. In the title role, Jess Thomas sounds a little shopworn although there are the occasional traces of the lyricism that made him such an effective Parsifal in the 60s. Hildegard Hillebrecht brings bright-eyed innocence to the role of Elisabeth while mustering enough dramatic heft to make for an exciting outburst amidst the quarreling contestants in Act II. The standout for me is the lush Venus of Ludmila Dvorakova whose voice seems equally comfortable in any extreme of her vocal range. A young Wolfgang Brendel delivers the finest singing of the evening in his Act III aria. It is odd that Franz Mazura would assume a bass role given that he would still be singing baritone parts for many years to come. If he lacks the profundo quality of a real bass, he brings a fatherly warmth to the role of Landgraf.
Track List
Act I
1. Ouvertüre
2. Bacchanale
3. Geliebter, sag, wo weilt dein Sinn?
4. Dir töne Lob!
5. Stets soll nur dir, nur dir mein Lied ertönen
6. Frau Holda kam aus dem Berg hervor
7. Allmächt'ger, dir sei Preis!
8. Wer ist der dort in brunstgem Gebete?
9. Als du in kühnem Sange uns bestritten
10. Zu ihr! Zu ihr! Oh, führet mich zu ihr!
2. Bacchanale
3. Geliebter, sag, wo weilt dein Sinn?
4. Dir töne Lob!
5. Stets soll nur dir, nur dir mein Lied ertönen
6. Frau Holda kam aus dem Berg hervor
7. Allmächt'ger, dir sei Preis!
8. Wer ist der dort in brunstgem Gebete?
9. Als du in kühnem Sange uns bestritten
10. Zu ihr! Zu ihr! Oh, führet mich zu ihr!
Act II
11. Dich, teure Halle
12. Dort ist sie: nahe dich ihr ungestört!
13. Den Gott der Liebe sollst du preisen!
14. Freudig begrüssen wir die edle Halle
15. Gar viel und schön ward hier in dieser Halle
16. Blick ich umher
17. Auch ich darf mich so glücklich nennen
18. Dir, Göttin der Liebe, soll mein Lied ertönen!
19. Der Unglücksel'ge, den gefangen
20. Ein furchtbares Verbrechen ward begangen
12. Dort ist sie: nahe dich ihr ungestört!
13. Den Gott der Liebe sollst du preisen!
14. Freudig begrüssen wir die edle Halle
15. Gar viel und schön ward hier in dieser Halle
16. Blick ich umher
17. Auch ich darf mich so glücklich nennen
18. Dir, Göttin der Liebe, soll mein Lied ertönen!
19. Der Unglücksel'ge, den gefangen
20. Ein furchtbares Verbrechen ward begangen
Act III
21. Vorspiel
22. Wohl wusst' ich hier sie im Gebet zu finden
23. Allmächt'ge Jungfrau, hör mein Flehen!
24. Wie Todesahnung Dämmrung… O du, mein holder Abendstern
25. Ich hörte Harfenschlag - wie klang er traurig!
26. Hör an, Wolfram, hör an!
27. Willkommen, ungetreuer Mann!
22. Wohl wusst' ich hier sie im Gebet zu finden
23. Allmächt'ge Jungfrau, hör mein Flehen!
24. Wie Todesahnung Dämmrung… O du, mein holder Abendstern
25. Ich hörte Harfenschlag - wie klang er traurig!
26. Hör an, Wolfram, hör an!
27. Willkommen, ungetreuer Mann!
Customer Reviews
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3.8
Based on 4 reviews
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Average Performance on Very Good Sound
This recording documents a fairly routine evening at the Bavarian State Opera. It's not a bad performance, just mediocre with some excellent moments.Thomas' voice was beginning to sound worn by 1976 although he certainly knows what he's supposed to do in this role. He is quite powerful in the Third Act and his high notes still ring out. Brendel sings a very beautiful Wolfram with an especially shimmering Abendstern aria. Mazura handles the Landgraf with dignity. It's not really his role though.I always feel guilty about not liking Hillebrecht more. She was a very competent, dependable singer. She sings the two arias well, she has a good high B - and one remembers almost nothing about her. Dvorakova's singing sounds labored by this time, nor is her Venus very interesting. She gets all the notes, but who cares? Klobucar leads his forces well (he uses the Dresden version of the score).The sound is excellent broadcast mono with no glitches. That would be an even better thing if the performance itself was more memorable.
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Germany
Kurt Hofmann Dr
Reminder of my time as a student with 3 favorites of the 60 at the end of their carreer.
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Slovenia
Martin Ramor
Well, I wasn't impressed. I liked Brendel and Mazura in roles of Wolfram and Landgraf. Chor and orchestra of Bayerische Staatsoper were good under able hand of Berislav Klobučar. Dvorakova was ok, but nothing special for me. Hillebrecht was doing her best, but there were to many moments in her singing, when she sounded tired and strained (Dich teure Halle, Allmächt'ge Jungfrau). Normally I like Jess Thomas, but for me this 1976 München Tannhäuser was not one of his great achievments. He strained his voice to the limits (you can hear that in Dir toene Lob), he does a bit better job in Rom-Erzählung, but I wasn't convinced by his performance.
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France
