The other being the 1992 Vienna production with Marton, Studer, Lipovsek and Terfel. I loved that one too, with some things there that I do prefer there to here such as the crisper sound quality and the fact that it's uncut. However, there are other assets here that I do prefer, such as the conducting and the singing of the Dyer's wife and the Emperor.
I for one loved the hybrid of Kabuki and Western costumes and sets, and also the contrasts between light and dark for the lighting. They for one look splendid and colourful, and have the feel of a Hoffsmanthal fairy-tale. The staging is always moving and riveting, for instance the final scene between the Emperor and the Empress on the bridge is just unforgettable, beautifully done in every regard. The stage effects are diverting, such as with the falcon. The video directing is exemplary, here you do see more of the stage and the full emotional impact of the singers, and you don't have to worry about an incongruous detail you find in a close-up.
Musically, it is really outstanding, even with the cuts like in the Act 3 finale. The orchestral playing is incredibly expressive right from the jagged orchestration for the Nurse to the ethereal quality of the Empress's, and the chorus is large yet well-balanced. While I liked how enigmatic Georg Solti was for Vienna, I much prefer the more clear and nuanced reading that Wolfgang Sawallisch(conducting a score he knows at the back of his hand and clearly loves) gives. The sound here is fine, if perhaps a little warmer and crisper on the Vienna DVD.
As for the singing, there is not much to fault actually. I'd go as far to say the overall standard is better than Solti's still quite excellent line-up. Especially in the roles of the Dyer's Wife and the Emperor. Eva Marton was riveting for Solti, but the performance came at a time where the wobble in her voice was at her most obtrusive. I find Janis Martin's much more ideal vocally, the role is treacherous but her singing is altogether more controlled and subtle, and dramatically while the character is shrewish Martin gives the character her necessary redeeming qualities.
Peter Seiffert's Emperor is also an improvement, perhaps the best in the role since Rene Kollo on record. I found the Emperor for Solti rather taxed in the role, but here(and even in recent years where his voice is understandably not as fresh) I never found that to be the case with Seiffert's regal tenor voice. Seiffert also succeeds in giving the role ardour and dignity, quite a feat considering how Strauss never was kind to his tenors.
Luana DeVol is wonderful as the Empress. The high tessitura is difficult, but DeVol, like Cheryl Studer but perhaps with more security in the pitch, nonetheless gives the vocal line an ethereal fragility and dramatically she gives a moving performance. Compare her performance here and 10 plus years in Stuttgart's Gotterdammerung, and you can hear a huge difference in vocal production with her here in fresher and less shrill voice.
Marjana Lipovsek was perhaps marginally better for Solti, mainly because she has more to sing in that performance(some of her music here is cut). However, she is still superb as the Nurse, the role was considered un-singable in Strauss' day and with the jagged and unforgiving nature of her music it is not hard to hear why. Lipovsek never does give the sense, or so to me, that she was taxed vocally and exudes an appropriately sadistic presence.
Alan Titus' Barak is relaxed(more the role rather than the performance, his melodies are very soft-sounding) but gives the role a great deal of sonority which sounds absolutely beautiful. Overall, of the two available versions while not completely perfect I found this to be the better of the two. 9/10 Bethany Cox
I for one loved the hybrid of Kabuki and Western costumes and sets, and also the contrasts between light and dark for the lighting. They for one look splendid and colourful, and have the feel of a Hoffsmanthal fairy-tale. The staging is always moving and riveting, for instance the final scene between the Emperor and the Empress on the bridge is just unforgettable, beautifully done in every regard. The stage effects are diverting, such as with the falcon. The video directing is exemplary, here you do see more of the stage and the full emotional impact of the singers, and you don't have to worry about an incongruous detail you find in a close-up.
Musically, it is really outstanding, even with the cuts like in the Act 3 finale. The orchestral playing is incredibly expressive right from the jagged orchestration for the Nurse to the ethereal quality of the Empress's, and the chorus is large yet well-balanced. While I liked how enigmatic Georg Solti was for Vienna, I much prefer the more clear and nuanced reading that Wolfgang Sawallisch(conducting a score he knows at the back of his hand and clearly loves) gives. The sound here is fine, if perhaps a little warmer and crisper on the Vienna DVD.
As for the singing, there is not much to fault actually. I'd go as far to say the overall standard is better than Solti's still quite excellent line-up. Especially in the roles of the Dyer's Wife and the Emperor. Eva Marton was riveting for Solti, but the performance came at a time where the wobble in her voice was at her most obtrusive. I find Janis Martin's much more ideal vocally, the role is treacherous but her singing is altogether more controlled and subtle, and dramatically while the character is shrewish Martin gives the character her necessary redeeming qualities.
Peter Seiffert's Emperor is also an improvement, perhaps the best in the role since Rene Kollo on record. I found the Emperor for Solti rather taxed in the role, but here(and even in recent years where his voice is understandably not as fresh) I never found that to be the case with Seiffert's regal tenor voice. Seiffert also succeeds in giving the role ardour and dignity, quite a feat considering how Strauss never was kind to his tenors.
Luana DeVol is wonderful as the Empress. The high tessitura is difficult, but DeVol, like Cheryl Studer but perhaps with more security in the pitch, nonetheless gives the vocal line an ethereal fragility and dramatically she gives a moving performance. Compare her performance here and 10 plus years in Stuttgart's Gotterdammerung, and you can hear a huge difference in vocal production with her here in fresher and less shrill voice.
Marjana Lipovsek was perhaps marginally better for Solti, mainly because she has more to sing in that performance(some of her music here is cut). However, she is still superb as the Nurse, the role was considered un-singable in Strauss' day and with the jagged and unforgiving nature of her music it is not hard to hear why. Lipovsek never does give the sense, or so to me, that she was taxed vocally and exudes an appropriately sadistic presence.
Alan Titus' Barak is relaxed(more the role rather than the performance, his melodies are very soft-sounding) but gives the role a great deal of sonority which sounds absolutely beautiful. Overall, of the two available versions while not completely perfect I found this to be the better of the two. 9/10 Bethany Cox
