Johann STRAUSS II (1825-1899)
Die Fledermaus (1873-74)
Dame Joan Sutherland’s Farewell Gala
including special guest performances of opera excerpts within Act II
ARTHAUS MUSIK 109161 [2 DVDs: 197:00 + 27:00 (bonus arias)]
This is rather like being let loose in some over-stocked
sweet shop – its bonbons are all top drawer and almost beyond
reproach. The very full header above shows all that’s in store.
It all amounts to a valuable souvenir of a very memorable evening.
To the operetta. The fidelity and colour of the DVD recording, made
obviously in 1990, is not of the highest HD standard that we have come
to expect in recent years. The costumes and sets are pleasing if not
especially opulent. Dame Joan Sutherland’s husband, Richard Bonynge
provides bubbly music direction. Under his baton the Overture crackles
with vivacity and playful mischief. Nancy Gustafson is a street-wise
and impish Rosalinde determined to teach her erring husband a lesson.
Her heart-felt and stirring rendering of the Act II ‘Csárdás’
impresses strongly and she is conspiratorially cheeky in those amusing
Act I trios, first with her husband and then with her maid Adele. Sorrow
at the prospect of his leaving is countered by the prospect of ‘while
the mouse is away ...’ as Rosalinde’s faithless husband,
Count von Eisenstein, Louis Oley is raffish but also buffoonish and
sings colourfully. The celebrated German alto counter-tenor, Jochen
Kowalski, is a rather too OTT Prince Orlofsky — who throws the
party that is Act II — yet his drinking songs are full of hedonistic
joie de vivre. However, it is Judith Howarth as Adele who really
steals the show, a very cheeky maid. Her coquettish Act II aria, when
she turns up at Prince Orlofsky’s ball in her mistress’s
finery and haughtily disdains Eisenstein’s idea that she looks
like his maid, draws very enthusiastic applause from the audience. The
high point of Act II is when the three VIP guests come on stage (see
header). Superlatives are just redundant.
DVD 1, includes, in addition to Act I of Die Fledermaus, the
three operatic excerpts, by Verdi, Donizetti and Bellini. They show
Dame Joan Sutherland in three of her most legendary roles. These are
rare recordings from the Australian Opera where she had started her
career.
A worthy souvenir of a very memorable evening.
Dame Joan died in Switzerland in 2010, aged 83.
Ian Lace
Performance and recording details
Adele - Judith Howarth
Rosalinde - Nancy Gustafson
Prince Orlofsky - Jochen Kowalski
Alfredo - Bonaventura Bottone
Gabriel von Eisenstein - Louis Oley
Dr Blind - John Dobson
Dr Falke - Anthony Michaels-Moore
Colonel Frank - Eric Garrett
With special guests in Act II:
Dame Joan Sutherland*, Marilyn Horne+, Luciano Pavarotti#,
Federico’s Lament – ‘È la solita storia del pastore’
from L’Arlesiana (Cilea) #
‘Serbami ognor si fido’ from Semiramide (Rossini)
* +
‘Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix’ from Samson et Dalila
(Saint-Saëns) +
‘Parigi, o cara noi lasceremo’ from La Traviata
(Verdi) *#
‘Mid pleasures and palaces’ (‘Home, sweet home’)
by Henry Bishop *
The Royal Opera Chorus
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House/Richard Bonynge
rec. live, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 31 December 1990
Special bonus features of arias from Verdi’s Il trovatore
(‘D’amor sull’ali rosee’), Donizetti’s
Lucia di Lammermoor (The Mad Scene) and Bellini’s
Norma (‘Casta Dive’)
Opera Australia productions conducted by Richard Bonynge
PCM Stereo, Picture Format 4.3, Region Code 0, subtitles: German, French,
Japanese
