Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
CPO

Lehár: Das Land De Lächelns / Schirmer, Et Al

$36.99 Only 3 left

Details

Composer
LEHAR, FRANZ
Artist
Alfr, Alexander Kaimbacher, Piotr Beczala, Julia Bauer, Camilla Nylund
Format
CD
Label
CPO
Released
Sep 25, 2007
Catalog #
777303-2
UPC
761203730322

About

A brand new recording in excellent sound and a Sou-Chong to challenge even the great tenors on other sets … well worth consideration.

After Franz Lehár’s initial success with Die lustige Witwe in 1905 – an operetta that harked back to the jolly 19th century works of Johann Strauss II, Millöcker and Suppé – he gradually changed direction. For him there were to be new dramaturgical models including the “lyric operetta” where the focus is on the ‘inner world of the figures’ as Doris Sennefelder puts it in her perspective building notes to this issue. Paganini, Der Zarewitsch and Friederike are all in this mould and in Das Land des Lächelns a further aspect comes to the fore, the cultural clash between East and West. The Viennese Lisa falls in love with the Chinese Prince Sou-Chong but she can’t accept the demands of Chinese values. As in every operetta of the traditional kind act 2 ends in bitter conflict. So does Die lustige Witwe but there everything is sorted out in the third act as Hanna and Danilo dance away to eternal happiness – or so we believe. In Das Land des Lächelns the conflict is resolved insofar as Sou-Chong allows Lisa to leave China and return to Vienna. He displays some humanity after all but this does not really lead to increased understanding.

The Chinese or ‘Oriental’ setting was by no means unique to opera and operetta of the late 19th and the early 20th century. Massenet’s Le roi de Lahore and Delibes’ Lakmé are well-known examples. Mascagni’s Iris and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly are others and even Gilbert and Sullivan went Asian in The Mikado. Later Lehár and Puccini actually worked in parallel on Chinese projects, Puccini with Turandot and Lehár with Die gelbe Jacke which was premiered in 1923. It was later revised and presented in new guise in 1929 with Richard Tauber in the main lead. Then it was a tremendous success. This was Das Land des Lächelns.

There is no denying that Lehár was a tremendously skilful composer. The Chinese allusions in the score are no less striking than corresponding music in Turandot. The procession with chorus at the beginning of act 2 could just as well have been written by Puccini. It is followed by a highly attractive Chinese ballet suite. Towards the end of the act the wedding procession is colourful and powerful, also incorporating quotations from Sou-Chong’s first act song Von Apfelblüten einen Kranz.

This recording is the fourth of a Lehár operetta from CPO to have come my way the last couple of years and it is in the main very successful. Ulf Schirmer, who also conducted Schön ist die Welt (review), secures excellent playing from the Munich Radio Orchestra. His choices of tempo seem unerringly right. He is very close to Otto Ackermann in the historical 1953 recording now on Naxos (review) and that is my benchmark. The long overture, with quotations from the music that follows, very clearly prepares the listener for a largely serious, even tragic play and the ballet suite in act 2 is excellently played. The chorus is also splendid. For once in a recording with spoken dialogue between the musical numbers the balance is such that one need not turn up the volume every time to hear the dialogue properly. Recorded at three live performances the technicians have succeeded in finding the best of both worlds and there is hardly any evidence of an audience. There is quite a lot of dialogue but it is separately tracked and for repeated listening this leaves the choice open for those who want to hear only the music numbers.

There is a delightful but small-voiced second couple with Julia Bauer’s Mi, who sings a charming dancing song in act 2, and Alexander Kaimbacher’s Gustl, who is agreeably lyrical in the duet with Mi in the same act. Finnish soprano Camilla Nylund as Lisa is a bit uneven and her uppermost notes tend to be rather hard and strained. She can also be lyrically appealing, not least in duet, and in the dark-tinted and operatic finale to act 2 she delivers strong dramatic singing. Prince Sou-Chong is sung by Polish tenor Piotr Beczala and he is plainly superb with a good ring in the more outgoing music. Most of all though he impresses through delicious lyric singing with carefully judged nuances that cannot be taken for granted in operetta.

I have complained in the past about sloppy presentation from CPO but in this respect they have made amends. They give us both a detailed track-list and a fairly good synopsis in three languages. I still think that a full libretto would be useful – even for German speakers.

I am not fully au fait with all existing alternative versions. Ackermann’s recording, mentioned above, with Schwarzkopf, Gedda, Loose and Kunz is a classic and at Naxos price unbeatable. Gedda’s stereo remake with Anneliese Rothenberger as Lisa is a splendid alternative and EMI’s third offer, Boskovsky’s recording with Jerusalem and Helen Donath, also has much to commend it. Robert Stolz with Rudolf Schock and Margit Schramm will certainly give pleasure, though I haven’t heard it, but for a brand new recording in excellent sound and a Sou-Chong to challenge even the great tenors on the other sets, this is well worth consideration.

-- Göran Forsling, MusicWeb International

Tracklist 41 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Overture 08:37
    Track
    1
    Title
    Overture
    Duration
    08:37
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  3. 2 Act I: Introduktion und Entree (Lisa, Gustl, Chorus) 05:36
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Introduktion und Entree (Lisa, Gustl, Chorus)
    Duration
    05:36
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  4. 3 Act I: Dialogue (Gustl, Lisa, Lichtenfels, Diener) 01:05
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I: Dialogue (Gustl, Lisa, Lichtenfels, Diener)
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Alexander Kaimbacher, Alfred Berg, Theodor Weimer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  5. 4 Act I:Tschuen hen ziu (Lisa) 00:29
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I:Tschuen hen ziu (Lisa)
    Duration
    00:29
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  6. 5 Act I: Dialogue (Lisa, Gustl) 01:10
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act I: Dialogue (Lisa, Gustl)
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  7. 6 Act I: Duet: Freunderl' mach dir nix drauss (Lisa, Gustl) 02:17
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act I: Duet: Freunderl' mach dir nix drauss (Lisa, Gustl)
    Duration
    02:17
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  8. 7 Act I: Dialogue (Lisa) 00:07
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act I: Dialogue (Lisa)
    Duration
    00:07
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  9. 8 Act I: Immer nur lacheln (Sou-Chong) 04:54
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act I: Immer nur lacheln (Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    04:54
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  10. 9 Act I: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Lisa) 00:35
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act I: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Lisa)
    Duration
    00:35
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  11. 10 Act I: Duet: Bei einem Tee en deux (Lisa, Sou-Chong) 03:50
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act I: Duet: Bei einem Tee en deux (Lisa, Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    03:50
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  12. 11 Act I: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Lisa, Lichtenfels) 00:56
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act I: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Lisa, Lichtenfels)
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała, Alfred Berg
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  13. 12 Act I: Von Apfelbluten einem Kranz (Sou-Chong) 03:46
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act I: Von Apfelbluten einem Kranz (Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  14. 13 Act I: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Lisa, Diener, Lichtenfels) 00:49
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act I: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Lisa, Diener, Lichtenfels)
    Duration
    00:49
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała, Alfred Berg, Theodor Weimer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  15. 14 Act I: Finale (Lisa, Sou-Chong) 08:30
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act I: Finale (Lisa, Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    08:30
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  16. Disc 2
  17. 1 Act II: Prelude 01:09
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act II: Prelude
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  18. 2 Act II: Introduction and Verleihung der gelben Jacke: Dschinthien wuomen ju chon ma goa can (Chorus, Sou-Chong, Tschang) 07:55
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act II: Introduction and Verleihung der gelben Jacke: Dschinthien wuomen ju chon ma goa can (Chorus, Sou-Chong, Tschang)
    Duration
    07:55
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Piotr Beczała, Alfred Berg
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  19. 3 Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: Allegro non troppo 03:13
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: Allegro non troppo
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  20. 4 Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: Allegretto moderato 01:39
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: Allegretto moderato
    Duration
    01:39
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  21. 5 Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: tempo di Marcia 01:22
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: tempo di Marcia
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  22. 6 Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: Tempo di marcia vivace 02:42
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II: Chinesische Ballettsuite: Tempo di marcia vivace
    Duration
    02:42
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  23. 7 Act II: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Tschang, Diener) 01:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Sou-Chong, Tschang, Diener)
    Duration
    01:59
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Piotr Beczała, Alfred Berg, Theodor Weimer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  24. 8 Act II: Duet: Wer hat die Liebe uns ins Herz gesenkt (Lisa, Sou-Chong) 05:15
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act II: Duet: Wer hat die Liebe uns ins Herz gesenkt (Lisa, Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    05:15
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  25. 9 Act II: Dialogue (Mi) 00:19
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Mi)
    Duration
    00:19
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  26. 10 Act II: Im Salon zur blau'n Pagode (Mi) 02:54
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act II: Im Salon zur blau'n Pagode (Mi)
    Duration
    02:54
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  27. 11 Act II: Dialogue (Mi, Gustl) 01:08
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Mi, Gustl)
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  28. 12 Act II: Duet: Meine Liebe, deine Liebe (Mi, Gustl) 03:27
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act II: Duet: Meine Liebe, deine Liebe (Mi, Gustl)
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  29. 13 Act II: Dialogue (Mi, Gustl) 00:10
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Mi, Gustl)
    Duration
    00:10
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  30. 14 Act II: Dialogue (Tschang, Sou-Chong) 01:50
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Tschang, Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    01:50
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Piotr Beczała, Alfred Berg
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  31. 15 Act II: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (Sou-Chong) 03:23
    Track
    15
    Title
    Act II: Dein ist mein ganzes Herz (Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  32. 16 Act II: Dialogue (Mi, Gustl, Lisa, Tschang) 02:12
    Track
    16
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Mi, Gustl, Lisa, Tschang)
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Julia Bauer, Alexander Kaimbacher, Alfred Berg
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  33. 17 Act II: Wien, du men Wien (Lisa) 01:53
    Track
    17
    Title
    Act II: Wien, du men Wien (Lisa)
    Duration
    01:53
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  34. 18 Act II: Chinesisher Hochzeitszug 03:57
    Track
    18
    Title
    Act II: Chinesisher Hochzeitszug
    Duration
    03:57
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  35. 19 Act II: Dialogue (Lisa, Sou-Chong) 00:49
    Track
    19
    Title
    Act II: Dialogue (Lisa, Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    00:49
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  36. 20 Act II: Finale (Lisa, Sou-Chong) 08:57
    Track
    20
    Title
    Act II: Finale (Lisa, Sou-Chong)
    Duration
    08:57
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Piotr Beczała
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  37. 21 Act III: Lass eine Frau niemals allein (Lisa, Chorus) 02:34
    Track
    21
    Title
    Act III: Lass eine Frau niemals allein (Lisa, Chorus)
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  38. 22 Act III: Dialogue: Lisa! Lisa! … Gustl! Um Gotteswillen! (Gustl, Lisa, Mi) 01:19
    Track
    22
    Title
    Act III: Dialogue: Lisa! Lisa! … Gustl! Um Gotteswillen! (Gustl, Lisa, Mi)
    Duration
    01:19
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Julia Bauer, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  39. 23 Act III: Zig, zig, zig, zig, ih! ih! ih! (Mi, Gustl) 02:16
    Track
    23
    Title
    Act III: Zig, zig, zig, zig, ih! ih! ih! (Mi, Gustl)
    Duration
    02:16
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  40. 24 Act III: Dialogue (Lisa, Mi) 00:25
    Track
    24
    Title
    Act III: Dialogue (Lisa, Mi)
    Duration
    00:25
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Julia Bauer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  41. 25 Act III: Wie rasch verwelkte doch (Mi) 01:33
    Track
    25
    Title
    Act III: Wie rasch verwelkte doch (Mi)
    Duration
    01:33
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Julia Bauer
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  42. 26 Act III: Dialogue (Lisa, Sou-Chong, Gustl, Mi) 00:31
    Track
    26
    Title
    Act III: Dialogue (Lisa, Sou-Chong, Gustl, Mi)
    Duration
    00:31
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Julia Bauer, Piotr Beczała, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer
  43. 27 Act III: Finale (Lisa, Mi, Sou-Chong, Gustl) 05:56
    Track
    27
    Title
    Act III: Finale (Lisa, Mi, Sou-Chong, Gustl)
    Duration
    05:56
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
    Performer
    Camilla Nylund, Julia Bauer, Piotr Beczała, Alexander Kaimbacher
    Ensemble
    Münchner Rundfunkorchester
    Conductor
    Ulf Schirmer