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Lehar: Zigeunerliebe [Operetta] / NDR Radiophilharmonie
CPO

Lehar: Zigeunerliebe [Operetta] / NDR Radiophilharmonie

$36.99

Details

Composer
LEHAR
Artist
Various
Format
CD
Label
CPO
Released
Jun 21, 2005
Catalog #
999842-2
UPC
761203984220

About

REVIEW:

Although the "golden age" of operetta has come and gone, composer Franz Lehár isn't in any real danger of being neglected so long as The Merry Widow continues to tread the boards of the world's stages. But as his first major "hit," and as an operetta stylistically limited by the constraints of contemporary fashion and tradition, The Merry Widow does not provide a full measure of the extent of Lehár's mastery as a composer. Zigeunerliebe (Gypsy Love) is a far better candidate for that qualification, and its first complete recording, now available from CPO, is reason for operetta fans to celebrate. Premiered in 1910, this three-act operetta is closer to being an opera and draws into the musical texture an odd admixture of influences ranging from Wagner to Richard Strauss to pop-styled Hungarian Romani music. Although no one would give credit to Lehár the distinction of being an "experimental composer," he does nonetheless present an experimentally conceived blend of styles here, confirming his own otherwise bewildering comment that "I have always experimented, reached out to something new, often enough against the intentions of directors and publishers." That the middle act is set out in the form of a dream, and that Lehár matches the story to a musico-stylistic pastiche that progresses in the same manner as a dream, shows how far Lehár was willing to go with his experimental ideas.

The music is ravishing, challenging, and extraordinary in every way, and we can be thankful that CPO's recording of Zigeunerliebe is close to ideal. The male singers are the weakest element, but these men are coming from a different tradition of singing related to grand opera and are not comfortable with the less forceful and vibrant requirements of operetta. The women are much better, with Dagmar Schellenberger, in the secondary role of Ilona, being excellent in particular, but Johanna Stojkovic is well more than just adequate in the important lead part of Zarika. The NDR Radiophilharmonie under Frank Beermann is splendid in every bar of this music, and this is important as Lehár's orchestration is in this case particularly ambitious and colorful. True operetta fans will so love Zigeunerliebe that even the relatively minor shortcomings of this set will not matter a great deal. If you have an operetta fan in your family who "has everything," CPO's Zigeunerliebe should probably move to top of one's potential gift list.

-- AllMusic

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 Overture 07:07
    Track
    1
    Title
    Overture
    Duration
    07:07
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  3. 2 Act I: Introduction: Heissa, heissa! (Zorika) 08:44
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act I: Introduction: Heissa, heissa! (Zorika)
    Duration
    08:44
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  4. 3 Act I: Duet: Sa sprach noch niemals ein Mann zu mir (Zorika, Jozsi) 04:01
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act I: Duet: Sa sprach noch niemals ein Mann zu mir (Zorika, Jozsi)
    Duration
    04:01
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  5. 4 Act I: Song and Csardas: Se traska, liebe Gaste (Zorika, Ilona, Frau von Kerem, Jolan, Jonel, Jozsi, Dragotin, Moschu, Chorus) 15:14
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act I: Song and Csardas: Se traska, liebe Gaste (Zorika, Ilona, Frau von Kerem, Jolan, Jonel, Jozsi, Dragotin, Moschu, Chorus)
    Duration
    15:14
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  6. 5 Act I: Trio: Zuerst sucht man Gelegenheit (Ilona, Jolan, Kajetan) 03:52
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act I: Trio: Zuerst sucht man Gelegenheit (Ilona, Jolan, Kajetan)
    Duration
    03:52
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  7. 6 Act I: Finale: Da habt lhr nun den Mund voller Pracht 13:24
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act I: Finale: Da habt lhr nun den Mund voller Pracht
    Duration
    13:24
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  8. Disc 2
  9. 1 Act II: Scene and Song: Kutya lanczos (Zorika, Jozsi, Milhaly) 06:03
    Track
    1
    Title
    Act II: Scene and Song: Kutya lanczos (Zorika, Jozsi, Milhaly)
    Duration
    06:03
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  10. 2 Act II: Gipsy's March: Endlich, Jozsi (Zorika, Jozsi, Milhaly, Chorus) 02:24
    Track
    2
    Title
    Act II: Gipsy's March: Endlich, Jozsi (Zorika, Jozsi, Milhaly, Chorus)
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  11. 3 Act II: Song: War einst ein Madel (Zorika, Jozsi, Milhaly) 06:38
    Track
    3
    Title
    Act II: Song: War einst ein Madel (Zorika, Jozsi, Milhaly)
    Duration
    06:38
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  12. 4 Act II: Duet: Ich weiss ein Rezept, ja ganz famos (Ilona, Dragotin) 05:10
    Track
    4
    Title
    Act II: Duet: Ich weiss ein Rezept, ja ganz famos (Ilona, Dragotin)
    Duration
    05:10
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  13. 5 Act II: Duet: Liebes Mannchen folge mir (Jolan, Kajetan) 04:18
    Track
    5
    Title
    Act II: Duet: Liebes Mannchen folge mir (Jolan, Kajetan)
    Duration
    04:18
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  14. 6 Act II: Duet: Ha ha ha ha! Das fin ich kostlich! (Ilona, Jozsi) 02:38
    Track
    6
    Title
    Act II: Duet: Ha ha ha ha! Das fin ich kostlich! (Ilona, Jozsi)
    Duration
    02:38
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  15. 7 Act II: Duet: Lass dich bezaubern (Zorika, Jonel) 07:18
    Track
    7
    Title
    Act II: Duet: Lass dich bezaubern (Zorika, Jonel)
    Duration
    07:18
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  16. 8 Act II: Finale: Varwarts Madeln, ruhrt die Handel 14:33
    Track
    8
    Title
    Act II: Finale: Varwarts Madeln, ruhrt die Handel
    Duration
    14:33
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  17. 9 Act II: Intermezzo: Waltz 02:24
    Track
    9
    Title
    Act II: Intermezzo: Waltz
    Duration
    02:24
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  18. 10 Act III: Reminiszenz: Gib mir das Zweiglein (Jonel) 01:56
    Track
    10
    Title
    Act III: Reminiszenz: Gib mir das Zweiglein (Jonel)
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  19. 11 Act III: March Trio: Lieber Onkel hor mich nur an (Jolan, Kajetan, Dragotin) 02:34
    Track
    11
    Title
    Act III: March Trio: Lieber Onkel hor mich nur an (Jolan, Kajetan, Dragotin)
    Duration
    02:34
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  20. 12 Act III: Trio: Jozsi, diese Damen, die wussten gar gern (Ilona, Frau von Kerem, Jozsi, Lady's Chorus) 03:34
    Track
    12
    Title
    Act III: Trio: Jozsi, diese Damen, die wussten gar gern (Ilona, Frau von Kerem, Jozsi, Lady's Chorus)
    Duration
    03:34
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  21. 13 Act III: Song and Csardas: Hor' ich Zimbalklange (Ilona) 05:12
    Track
    13
    Title
    Act III: Song and Csardas: Hor' ich Zimbalklange (Ilona)
    Duration
    05:12
    Composer
    Franz Lehár
  22. 14 Act III: Schlussszene: Ich bin ein Ziguenerkind (Ilona, Jozsi, Chorus) 01:54
    Track
    14
    Title
    Act III: Schlussszene: Ich bin ein Ziguenerkind (Ilona, Jozsi, Chorus)
    Duration
    01:54
    Composer
    Franz Lehár