What Opera Are You Listening to Now?

[Lisztianwagner]

First listen to:

Richard Strauss
Ariadne auf Naxos

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Rita Streich, Irmgard Seefried, Rudolf Schock, Hermann Prey
Herbert von Karajan & Philharmonia Orchestra

[nico1616]

First listen to:

Richard Strauss
Ariadne auf Naxos

Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Rita Streich, Irmgard Seefried, Rudolf Schock, Hermann Prey
Herbert von Karajan & Philharmonia Orchestra

I am not a big fan of Strauss but this recording is the real thing. What a cast! What a conductor! Love it.

[Lisztianwagner]

I am not a big fan of Strauss but this recording is the real thing. What a cast! What a conductor! Love it.

I'm a big fan of Strauss instead, but I confess it is the first time I've listened to Ariadne auf Naxos; really a splendid opera. I agree Karajan's recording is superb, he could unfold the expressiveness and the beauty of that music like no one else for me. The singers are all excellent too.

[André]

Otello is so big in the world of opera that it's impossible to discuss it out of context - the history of the work, performance history, singers, conductors, etc.

There are plenty of anecdotes surrounding Verdi's composing of the work, Boïto's libretto, the original cast, the orchestra, etc. Like Tamagno's apparent inability to sing any pitch correctly (Verdi's remark), Victor Maurel being Verdi's dream Iago (he'd cast him even if he could only speak), Toscanini being a cellist in the orchestra at the creation, etc.

One anecdote I wasn't aware of is that both Barbirolli's father and grandfather were also in the orchestra, playing in the violin section at the premiere. Barbirolli Sr played the work a number of times and relayed his knowledge and admiration of the score to his son. Papa Barbirolli often regaled the household with Verdi and Otello anecdotes. That certainly makes Sir John's familiarity with and genuine affection for the score more understandable. Because this is Barbirolli's Otello, first and foremost.

The cast has always sharply divided critical opinion - but that is just noise. What comes out from listening to that magnificent recording is the immensity of Verdi's score. The orchestral execution, beautifully captured by the EMI engineers make us  hear the score as it is rarely heard. Also, the conductor's tempi are vigorous yet spacious, which helps immeasurably in allowing the singers time to enunciate and project character into their lines. The choruses are particularly fine.

McCracken has taken flak in some circles for his singing. Beefy, melodramatic they say. Nonsense. He is recorded at a slightly greater distance, probably because of the size of his voice. The resulting sound IMO never makes him sound beefy. His big dramatic outbursts in the last two acts are terrifying. I still prefer Vickers, but he's a great Otello. FiDi as Iago is definitely an acquired taste. The voice is so instantly recognizable that it screams Fischer-Dieskau, not Iago. Gobbi and Bacquier are more satisfying. Gwyneth Jones is the ideal Desdemona. Not a hint of wobble to be heard, the voice is at its creamiest best. Her death scene is, well, to die for. Only Margaret Price equals her performance but even then Jones makes a more convincing innocent victim. Freni, Tebaldi and Rysanek are excellent too in a more conventional grand opera tradition.