Strauss and librettist Hoffmannsthal planned a light opera on themes of marital relations and reconciliation. They imagined the rescued Helen of Troy traveling home with Menalaus, who now wants to kill her for her infidel... more »ity that led to the carnage of the Trojan War. Despite some comic writing early on, they failed to produce the requisite lightness, stuffing the libretto with clichéd symbolism including singing seashells, elves, magic potions, and more. But Strauss' score, if not wholly successful, does have some terrific moments, including Helen's spectacular big aria that opens Act Two. This again proves that even lesser Strauss operas shouldn't be missed. Deborah Voigt invests Helen with vocal radiance and power. She makes this recording a must-have. Her colleagues include mezzo Jill Grove's big-voiced Sea Shell and Celena Shafer's fine lyric soprano in the role of the enchantress Aithra, and tenor Carl Tanner who valiantly gets through the impossible part of Menaleus. All must contend with Leon Botstein's rough-and-ready conducting, but only Voigt effortlessly rides over the huge orchestral climaxes that sometimes bury the others. The fine orchestral playing gives Strauss' brilliant colors their full due. Telarc's engineering of this live concert performance is first class, helping to make this the preferred recorded version of the opera. --Dan Davis« less
Strauss and librettist Hoffmannsthal planned a light opera on themes of marital relations and reconciliation. They imagined the rescued Helen of Troy traveling home with Menalaus, who now wants to kill her for her infidelity that led to the carnage of the Trojan War. Despite some comic writing early on, they failed to produce the requisite lightness, stuffing the libretto with clichéd symbolism including singing seashells, elves, magic potions, and more. But Strauss' score, if not wholly successful, does have some terrific moments, including Helen's spectacular big aria that opens Act Two. This again proves that even lesser Strauss operas shouldn't be missed. Deborah Voigt invests Helen with vocal radiance and power. She makes this recording a must-have. Her colleagues include mezzo Jill Grove's big-voiced Sea Shell and Celena Shafer's fine lyric soprano in the role of the enchantress Aithra, and tenor Carl Tanner who valiantly gets through the impossible part of Menaleus. All must contend with Leon Botstein's rough-and-ready conducting, but only Voigt effortlessly rides over the huge orchestral climaxes that sometimes bury the others. The fine orchestral playing gives Strauss' brilliant colors their full due. Telarc's engineering of this live concert performance is first class, helping to make this the preferred recorded version of the opera. --Dan Davis
CD Reviews
Voigt Shines
Scott Jelsey | Houston, TX United States | 07/27/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Deborah Voigt has the perfect voice for Helena, as this wonderful new recording shows. She produces a flood of gorgeous, seemingly effortless golden tone, which the role absolutely needs. Voigt is definitely the Stauss soprano of the day. As Menelas, Carl Tanner more than holds his own (a vast improvement over Kastu on the Dorati recording), although it would have been heaven to have Heppner sing the role. An enjoyable performance, none the less. Celena Shafer, a new singer to me, is a real treat as Aithra. Her opening aria toward the beginning of the opera, being only one of many beautiful moments. Jill Grove, who sings regularly with Houston Grand Opera, is sensational as "the Omniscient Seashell" - making a reasonably believable character out of a giant clam! Leo Botstein conducts a sensuous performance of the score, drawing out the many instrumental colors of Strauss' lushly orchestrated opera. Although the 1970's Dorati recording is fine in many ways (I'm a big fan of Gwyneth Jones as well, although she does not possess a traditionally beautiful voice, like Voigt), the tenor, Matti Kastu really ruins that recording for me, so this new release is most welcome."
Helen Vindicated!
Charles Richards | Los Angeles, CA | 07/21/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
""The Egyptian Helen" is one of Strauss' least-known, and least- performed operas, and the first major flop of his maturity as a composer (there would be others). Conventional wisdom has always insisted that the work is problematic, lacking a coherant libretto and any strong degree of musical inspiration (Del Mar, in his three-volume biography of Strauss, conceded that much of the score is, what he calls, mere "note spinning"). Yet it remained one of Strauss' favorite works, and Hofmannsthal considered its libretto one of his finest. Until the present release, only one other studio recording has appeared on the market, and it is about time we took a fresh look at this work with a new performance.
And what a performance! Leon Botstein, who treated us with the first studio recording of Strauss' "Die Liebe die Danae" two years ago, proves himself with this recording to be a Strauss conductor of the highest order, with an amazing sensitivity to the nuances of Strauss' particular style. The first act is appropriately sheer and glimmering, with its fairies and elves, and the second act, which is more psychologically penetrating, is handled with a deft dramatic touch.
The cast includes only one big name: Deborah Voigt, and she is superb as Helen, one of Strauss' most technically daunting roles. On the whole, I much prefer her to Gwyneth Jones (on the 1979 Dorati recording); although Jones is a great artist, even by the late 70's her voice was beginning to show signs of a lack of control and a wobble that was going to get progressively worse in the coming years -- none of these defects can be found in the glorious singing of Voigt. She brings Helen to life, and her "Zweite Braut nacht!" (the one number from this opera to become popular in soprano recitals)is ravishing.
The supporting cast is up to the same level, I'm happy to say: Carl Tanner succeeds in the hard-to-bring-off role of Menelas, and Eric Cutler's Da-Ud perfectly naive. Although Celena Schafer sings Aithra with a lovely, clear, faultless soprano, this is one instance where I prefer the Dorati recording, where the role was sung by a young and girlish Barbara Hendricks.
Topping it off, the liner notes are scolarly and enlightening, with a detailed analysis of Hofmannsthal's libretto, which puts to rights many of the criticisms it has received over the years.
On the whole, Botstein and crew make an excellent case for this much-maligned of operas. Perhaps, one day, its delights will be better known to the general opera-going public."
Great Score,Fine Singers,Reticent Conductor
Guntram | PR,Brazil | 02/12/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I felt some unfair judgements concerning this recording,by reading controversial rewiews below.First of all,"Helena" is an unquestionable fine score,a kind of a "Die Frau" opera twin,in spite of the overfanciful plot and its historical and ficticious mix characters.Mostly,the music is intricate just like the libreto,heavly orchestrated and singers have a really hard job to do,especially the tenor(Menelaus).Of course,if one expect an immaculate singing of this part,this listener must go to a studio recording because Menelaus must sing a couple of hours with very little breaks.This live "Helena" has an youth,brave Carl Tunner singing the deceived husband and his performance is a very respectable one.He was strength enough to his seductive partner,Deborah Voigt.If you don't know what is a truly straussian soprano voice,just hear Voigt's radiant and flexible tones.About those singers,I think all of they increase energy and brightness to this recording.I like a lot Christopher Robertson(Altair),a baritone I never heard before.But,this cd-set brings out a serious problem;a conductor that doesn't have affinities with music he's performing.Prologue and Act One(the singers,as well)suffer due to reticent,cowardly Botstein's conducting and I remember that moment when Helena says to her suitor,Da-ud;"-Boy,take care around the fire,or you'll melt like wax!".In my opinion,in despite of all that gorgeous singing,fine digital sound,fire was fairly I miss here.However,this set is an indispensable one to Strauss' opera lovers."
Not as good as expected
Roger Higgins | 07/24/2003
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I awaited this release with much eagerness, for there are few available versions of this opera and those previous versions are all flawed in some way or other.Unfortunately, this recording is not as good as expected. The principal reason for such disappointment lies with Botstein's interpretation of the music, which sounds dull. He fails to bring out the splendour of Strauss's extraordinary rich score (as Dorati has done on the studio Decca set) and he also misses out on the sensuous quality of the score (which has been captured by Krips in the live RCA set from Vienna). Under the baton of Botstein, the music comes across as episodic and graceless. This is really a let down.Deborah Voigt sings the demanding part of Helena with a more beautiful and secure tone than her precedessors on records. However, while she performs with considerable musicianship and efficiency, she lacks the dramatic thrust for the some of the more strenuous passages and she sounds neither glamorous nor individual in her interpretation of the part. I enjoy her singing, but at the same time it doesn't leave too much of an impression in my mind. The other singers perform their job competently but without real distinction.I think the set is still worth getting, especially for lovers of Strauss's operas. Yet, there's still much room for further recordings for this one is still far from being the definitive version of the opera."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1