On Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 11:49:06 PM UTC-8, alex wrote:

I've recently been on a Frau ohne Schatten kick. It started when I
decided to pop the Solti in my computer as background to work I had to
do.
The first thought was how sumptuously this is orchestrated and the
second thought was about how beautiful Behrens could sound (I suppose
this really stood out as the last time I heard/saw this work was the
Solti DvD with Marton as the Farberin).
I also dug out my copy of the Karajan dress rehearsal recording and
popped over to the library to sample parts of the 1955 Bohm recording
on Decca. Also did some reading--the chapter in Lotte Lehmann's Five
Operas by Richard Strauss and the non-tabular bits of an analysis book
by Sherrill Hahn Pantle.
All of the Empresses I've heard on recordings are very good in their
own ways, though they each have drawbacks. Rysanek, as recorded, has
a terribly opaque tone quality that suggests lack of focus from the
sound. There are also moments where I long for surer legato
negotiations of certain lines. Despite this, it's an agile reading,
short on regalness but long on hysteria which renders the
Nurse/Empress recognition scene rather short of some of its poignance,
but means the nightmare scene has some terrific Rysanek screams.
Studer gives a good performance--but the launches and pushes into the extremes of the registers can be jolting, but the basic tone quality
is quite beautiful and apt for the Empress, whom Hofmannsthal and
Strauss seemed to have gone great lengths to portray as a being of
light, crystalline solidity, and purity. The entrance music is rather slipshod, but it's really quite difficult music, so she's forgiven.
Varady isn't as appropriate tonally for the Empress as Studer is, but
she more than makes up for it in a very involved and dramatically apt reading. I'm always appreciative of her relishing of the consonants
and words. But, and this is true of Janowitz as well (though i think
Janowitz is better), the big dramatic arc isn't as compelling as the
little dramatic moments, and so the going gets a bit tough in Act III
when it comes to the Empress to carry quite a bit of this act that is
pretty static in terms of conflict and not as inspired musically (who
here likes the final quartet? because could you explain the appeal to
me please because i can't quite seem to get it).
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that on record, the Empress I
return to and hear in my mind is that of Janowitz. The tone quality
of the voice is the most apt of the women I've heard--crystalline in
focus and even in strength throughout the range this role encompasses.
In a way, it lies like Traviata: the entrance music is pretty florid
and quite high. By the end of the opera, there is quite a lot of
music that must be sung richly in the middle and low registers. At
this point in her youth (she was 27 i think?) the top was ringing and
if not exactly free very dependable and more accurate than Rysanek's.
While the last edge of hysteria is not available to her, the
characterization spans a larger transformation overall--her Act III
singing is a revelation. During the confrontation scene with the
Nurse, the moment she realizes her own strength and what she must do
carries the other Empresses before her. However, the drawbacks to
this set, though, are pretty substantial. Karajan leaves the
realization of it rather limp, certainly not anything like Bohm's
fiery involved reading--not to mention the score is heavily
re-organized according to the notes. The men are also rather
forgettable (Thomas does get better as the opera goes along) though
the Farberin and the Nurse are both excellently sung. Also a side
note: this set probably has the best Keeper of the Temple in Lucia
Popp and Wunderlich is the Youth's voice!
Bohm is the best conducted of these recordings and in this opera, it
makes a huge difference in my experience. Solti, though not
particularly obtrusive, isn't particularly enlightening, either. It's
good that his Farberin is one of the most haunting (and he has a
splendid nurse too!). While every one of them has managed to do
something special with her childless speech in the first act (and
similar moments) Behrens is pretty phenomenal here.
anyhow, to wrap this up a bit short, is that should this opera be your
cup of tea, there are definitely recordings out there full of merits.
don't discount janowitz in this role--she is amazingly effective.
Based on this recording, I wish she had pursued this more while she
still had the considerable vocal goods for it--her reading only lacks
a more dramatic conductor to give her a little nudge here and there,
she's generally fantastic, and time to grow into the role.

-alex

When you think of this opera, does the 1927 film METROPOLIS come to mind?:

https://culturevulture.net/film/metropolis/

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