Richard Strauss – Der Rosenkavalier / Kiri Te Kanawa, Barbara Bonney, Georg Solti
This recording of Strauss’ Rosenkavalier is a nearly perfect combination of music, singers, staging, and conducting. It examines the whole spectrum of love from every perspective: youthful idealism, consenting adultery, and autumnal regrets. Richard Strauss’ music is exquisitely beautiful; and the emotional climate includes tenderness, sophistication, and sentimentality, all very ideal as a story set to music.
Kiri Te Kanawa earns most of the acclaim in what is probably her best role; she is definitive as the Marschallin: she shows us her sensitivity as an actress…she is also an exquisitely graceful and beautiful woman, making this aesthetically in every way a perfect performance.
Barbara Bonney is sweet as Sophie; her voice is ideal voice for this role, and she uses it with wonderful artistry.
Sir Georg Solti is one conductor whom I greatly admire, and he conducts with a sensitivity and lyricism that is ideal for this opera. I miss him now that he’s left us…
Bottom line: It is the totality of the performance as musical theatre that is completely captivating; this performance just “works” from beginning to end. All of the elements that make up a great operatic performance come together from beginning to end.
Here is Kiri Te Kanawa as the Marschallin singing “ich hab’ ihn nicht” from Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier”. A Royal Opera House, Covent Garden production from 1986; conducted by Sir Georg Solti
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Tags: Rosenkavalier, Solti, Te Kanawa, Bonney