Wagner: Tristan und Isolde - Nuotio, Barlow, Howard, Bailey, McCue; Gibson. Glasgow, 1973

$12.95

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This performance of Tristan und Isolde marks a remarkable achievement for the Scottish Opera.
Alexander Gibson maintained a home base throughout his career in his native Scotland save for the occasional excursion to Covent Garden. However, his musical gifts were far from provincial as demonstrated by this deeply-felt performance of Tristan und Isolde.
Klara Barlow brings a degree of youth and glamor to the role of Isolde. At times she struggles a bit with the upper range, but nonetheless delivers an extactic Liebestod at the end of the evening.
If you don't know Finnish Heldentenor Pekka Nuotio you are in for a real treat. Although never reaching the height of operatic stardom, Nuotio enjoyed a very active career singing on most of the world's great opera stages (he sang Tannhäuser at the last performance of a complete opera at the Old Met.) His voice has a very pleasing lyric quality that is all to rare in Wagner, and he is able to maintain that lyricism in the face of Wagner's daunting orchestration.
Ann Howard as Brangäne and Norman Bailey as Kurwenal help to elevate the evening to nothing short of world-class.