WAGNER: DIE WALKURE - Frankfurt Opera, Sebastian Weigle

Description: The recording quality is similarly high, but what becomes obvious is the confidence of Sebastian Weigle’s conducting. The chamber-music quality that Quint referred to is clearly audible in the first act, as is the presence of the playing and recorded sound. The latter is evident at the very opening, with its tremendous depth to the burnished strings conveying elemental power. Both Frank van Aken and Eva-Maria Westbroek are stong-voiced from the off, both clearly Wagnerian voices. The chamber music comes into play with the solo cello contributions (an almost “crying” cello in this case).Frank van Aken’s Siegmund is remarkably sweet-toned, yet also evinces power; the long-held cries of “Wälse” seem like a throwback to an earlier era, and are all the more refreshing for it. His delivery is gripping, in that he really narrates a tale. Westbroek has recorded two Sieglindes already, including a Berlin Philharmonic one live from Aix and reviewed in Fanfare 32:4. Interestingly, I believe this Siegmund and Sieglinde really are husband and wife in real life. She is tremendous, always focused and positively radiant in the act’s later stages. Ain Anger as Hunding has a good, if not jet-black, voice for Hunding, and here is where a problem lies. “Heilig ist mein Haus” is not fully believable; he simply is not commanding enough (ironically, though, Weigle elicits appropriate darkness from the orchestra while he sings).As far as pacing is concerned, Weigle does not linger (neither does he rush). His approach is quite natural. The build to the final pages is strong and sure. The brakes really go on for Siegmund’s final statement (a long-held note there, too), though, before Weigle is able to reinstate the fiery drama. The act I bravos are well deserved.Neither does Weigle linger at the opening to act II, which is impulsive in the extreme. The problem here comes with the Fricka (Martina Dike), who is slow to warm up and who exhibits a tremendous vocal wobble. As for the Wotan, Terje Stensvold is good, but nowhere near Hotter class. Time and time again one revels in the orchestral detail and beauty of sound, yet there is also a strong dramatic thrust from Weigle that propels the drama ever onward.If Susan Bullock’s Brünnhilde is rather shrill, she cannot spoil the huge dramatic climax toward the end of the central act. Weigle drives the end of the act home magnificently.Fanfare Magazine

Price: 39.95 AUD

Location: Northam, Western Australia

End Time: 2024-03-04T03:48:30.000Z

Shipping Cost: 13.62 AUD