Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser

"The new Teldec set must be one of the most opulent recordings made of any opera. The truly remarkable range, perspective and balance of the sound is most appropriate for a work conceived on the grandest scale, yet it retains its focus in the more intimate scenes. The achievement of Barenboim's Berlin chorus, so important in this opera, and orchestra could hardly be bettered. The results are, if nothing else, an audio treat, surpassing the DG version's rather hit-and-miss engineering and the now slightly dated feel of the Decca. Indeed it's Konwitschny's 40-year-old set, also made in Berlin, that comes closest to the Teldec in terms of sonic breadth. This aspect of the new version offers a richhued background on to which a distinguished cast presents an, in many ways, exemplary foreground. Domingo recorded it for DG but shied away from it on stage. The title-role, as many tenors admit, is a real killer. Seiffert is probably its most telling exponent today, and proves the point in a performance that combines vocal assurance and emotional involvement to create a vivid portrait of the hero torn between sacred and profane love. Seiffert's actual tone hasn't the warmth or refulgence of Domingo's, but by virtue of his superior and native enunciation of the text and the detail of his portrait, I just prefer Seiffert. Kollo (Decca) is much in Seiffert's vein but vocally less pleasing on the ear. The objects of Tannhtiuser's attention, respectively erotic and pure, are impressively portrayed by Waltraud Meier and Jane Eaglen. Meier took the part 17 years ago for Haitink, but there she was singing it in the attenuated Dresden version. Barenboim, in a way seemingly sanctioned by Wagner, opts for Paris in Act 1, scene 2, Dresden elsewhere. Meier makes the most of the bigger opportunities and brings her customary tense expression to bear on Venus's utterance while not quite effacing Christa Ludwig's voluptuous reading for Sold. Eaglen launches herself into the Hall of Song with a rather squally `Dich teure Halle'; thereafter she sings with much of the inner feeling and prayerful dignity predicated by Wagner for his Elisabeth. Studer for Sinopoli has a more even delivery and, through long stage experience of the part, more emotional consistency. By far the best interpreter is Elisabeth Griimmer for Konwitschny: her radiant delivery and poignant diction are in a class of their own. Hermann is a gift of a role for most German basses and Rene Pape takes his chances with his accustomed feeling for notes and text, more interesting than Sotin (Decca), more idiomatic than Salminen (DG). There are excellent contributions in the smaller parts, especially from Gunnar Gudbjornsson as Walther von der Vogelweide, who sings as sweetly as the character's reputation demands. Thomas Hampson delivers Wolfram's solos, the most lyrical and beautiful music in the score, with the expected blend of mellifluous tone and verbal acuity...". -- Alan Blyth, Gramophone [5/2002] Works on This Recording 1. Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner ■ Performer: Alfred Reiter (Bass), René Pape (Bass), Waltraud Meier (Mezzo Soprano), Peter Seiffert (Tenor), Jane Eaglen (Soprano), Thomas Hampson (Baritone), Gunnar Gudbjornsson (Tenor), Stephan Rügamer (Tenor), Hanno Müller-Brachmann (Bass), Dorothea Röschmann (Soprano) ■ Conductor: Daniel Barenboim ■ Orchestra / Ensemble: Berlin Staatskapelle Orchestra, Berlin State Opera Chorus ■ Period: Romantic ■ Written: 1845/1861; Germany ■ Date of Recording: 2001 ■ Venue: NLG, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 194 Minutes 40 Secs. ■ Language: German ■ Notes: This performace is based on the Dresden version but Act 1, Scene 2 is based on the Paris version. Landgraf Hermann René Pape Tannhäuser Peter Seiffert Wolfram Thomas Hampson Walther Gunnar Gudbjörnsson Biterolf Hanno Müller-Brachmann Heinrich Stephan Rügamer Reinmar Alfred Reiter Elisabeth Jane Eaglen Venus Waltraud Meier Ein junger Hirt Dorothea Röschmann