Richard Wagner;
Tannhauser
(Paris version)
Hans Beirer (
Tannhauser
); Gre Brouwenstijn (
Elisabeth
); Eberhard Waechter (
Wolfram
); Christa Ludwig (
Venus
); Gottlob Frick (
Hermann
); Waldemar Kmentt (
Walther
); Ludwig Welter (
Biterolf
); Kurt Equiluz (
Heinrich
); Tugomir Franc (
Reinmar
); Gundula Janowitz (
Shepherd
); Vienna State Opera Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan
(live performance, Vienna, 1/8/63) [DGG 457 682, mono, 3 CDs, available through
the Musical Heritage Society]
Karajan never got around to recording
Tannhauser
in the studio so this release is an indispensable addition to his musical
legacy. Despite some minor reservations about Beirer and Brouwenstijn, I found
much to enjoy in this souvenir of a live performance which took place at the
Vienna Staatsoper on January 8th, 1963.
Although criticized by some for convention and darkness, Karajan’s
production was praised for dramatic truth and orchestral beauty. Indeed,
Karajan again demonstrates his uncanny ability to illuminate and redefine a
score. Karajan eschews Wagnerian bombast and lightens the orchestral textures
by using two orchestras, one on stage and one in the pit. The full spectrum of
Wagner’s orchestral palette is revealed, surprising the listener with
newly discovered sonic delights. Yet Karajan’s tempi are problematic. On
the plus side, the
Venusberg Bacchanal
is quite electrifying in its frenzied eroticism. But at times Karajan’s
almost unbearably slow tempi undermine his dramatic concept. In the finale of
Act Two, for example, the tempo is so laggard and the musical pulse is so weak
that the closing ensemble fails to make any dramatic impact.
Some critics reported that Beirer was indisposed on the evening this
performance was broadcast by the Austrian Radio. This may well account for his
dry uncertainty in the First Act. However, I hasten to add that Beirer is an
eloquent protagonist and he rises to the occasion in the
Rome Narrative
. Beirer should be congratulated for his stamina in an arduous part which is
equally as demanding as the title role in Wagner’s
Tristan and Isolde
.
Brouwenstijn seems to be having a bit of an off-night herself. “
Dich teure halle
” is essayed with confidence but the voice is a trifle stiff, the top
notes not as brilliant as one would like. Still and all, Brouwenstijn is an
intelligent artist and she imbues her role with an earnest regalness,
discerningly rendering the full meaning of Wagner’s text.
Karajan couldn’t have asked for a more nobler Hermann than the
granite-voiced Frick or a finer Wolfram than Eberhard Waechter. Expressively
sung with a ravishing legato and tinged with a warm pathos, Waechter’s
“
O du mein holder Abendstern
” is one of gems of this performance. Christa Ludwig is a perfect Venus.
With her lush mezzo, Ludwig wonderfully delineates the Goddess of Love’s
transformation from beguiling seductress to outraged tigress. The smaller
roles are well cast with the pristine-voiced Janowitz and the lustrous tenor of
Kmentt making a notable impression. The Vienna State Opera Chorus under the
direction of Wilhem Pitz is superb.
A German-only libretto is included in the booklet which is illustrated with
photos from the original production. The synopsis and two articles on
Karajan’s production are in English. The mono sound from the Austrian
Radio is top-notch.
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