Search - Franz Lehar, Ulf Schirmer, Munich Radio Orchestra :: Lehár: Schön is die Welt

Another sweeping Lehar gem!

Brett Farrell | Cape May, NJ USA | 06/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This story is of two pre-destined lovers alone up on a mountain top. The princess is set to marry a prince she doesn't know and doesn't want to know and the young prince feels likewise. They travel incognito to Switzerland where they unknowingly meet and end up trapped by an avalanche atop the mountain and of course they fall in love. When they finally make it down the princess tells her aunt that she can't go through with the prearranged marriage to the prince because she is in love with another man when lo and behold it turns out the man she is in love with is the prince. SURPRISE! Never a tired plot here.

With such a cliché operetta plot it's a good thing the music is by Franz Lehar or else I would be bored. It's no wonder Lehar has always had a soft spot for this work because it is very, very good. The music is exceptionally romantic and charming and strung heavily with waltzes and sweeping tunes. There's also a very catchy tango thrown into the fold. All in all it's just another marvelous Lehar masterpiece that's sadly lain dormant for far too long.

Everybody does a great job. The singers sing with great passion and beauty. Their voices bring your hair to stand on end and set a very romantic scene. The orchestra does a marvelous job and as to be expected of CPO the sound quality is wonderful. The entire work is on one disc and there is no recorded dialogue. The included book is just a synopsis and a very detailed history of the work.

I very heartily recommend this piece to all music lovers.

"

Lehar, Lehar where art thou today????

Neal Schultz | Orange County, CA | 12/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is music that simply brims and overfills with having a wonderful time. To cut to the quick: all lovers of Viennese operetta in that long gone fin-de-siecle genre must add this to their collection.

The singers - powerful, committed, clear and emotive

The orchestra - perfectly balanced and well-performed (hey it's the CPO label....)

The label - this IS CPO....the new BIS label of today....



--I am currently on a Lehar rediscovery binge in large part because of my new found loyalty to the CPO label.



Bottom line...buy this.....it WILL make you smile and happy you did."