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This Frau Ohne Schatten Needs to be Reissued

The Cultural Observer | 01/05/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There have been many fantastic Die Frau Ohne Schatten's in the past, and this is one of them. While Joseph Keilberth was not known as a Straussian commodity (people know him better for his well-thought Wagner), he brings here one of the most well-paced and narrative Fraus on record. He is not as exciting as Solti or as poetic as Sawallisch or as architectural as Karajan, but what he does best is to tell the story as it is laid out in the score. This was one of the highest points of his great Ring recording, and this is another plus in a Frau that is surrounded by a cast of singers who got under the skin of their characters very well. One could wish that the recorded sound brought more clarity and presence to the orchestra, but this was a fine night at the opera and we need not complain in the presence of such fine artists.



Ingrid Bjöner, a fine soprano with a voice tailored for the role of the Empress. It has a floating purity coupled with a power that is rare for the role...only Rysanek could muster the needed oomph to kick off this high tessitura part. She is also sincere and musicianly...another plus to her fine fine Empress. Jess Thomas sings the emperor with his refulgent tone and his knack for characterization. His voice is also in good shape and could summon the most honeyed and glorious sounds during what little he has to sing. Inge Borkh is the Färberin, perhaps the best on records. She is incredibly intense and understands the role from start to finish. We are able to sympathize with her development in character in the end. Borkh also has one of the best dramatic soprano voices...warm, accurate, rarely pitchy to sing the part, better than Nilsson and the equal of Christel Goltz and Christa Ludwig.



Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau sings the most humane and touching Barak on records. His ability to get under the text and use his acumen as a lieder singer to bring out the philosophical riches of the part has never been served better in any role. Martha Mödl is an intense if vocally compromized Amme. While she does not bring the security of Elisabeth Höngen or Grace Hoffman to the part, she arrests us with her individual way of bringing out the sinister qualities of the character. Just be warned that several notes that come out of her throat may not be in the score, or that you should probably avoid this while driving as some of her singing in Act 1 can be rather surprising. Hans Hotter sings the part of the spirit messenger, and other small roles are taken by singers like Brigitte Fassbaender.



Deutsche Grammophon seriously needs to reissue this invaluable recording."