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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Einleitung: Das Mahl Ist Gerichtet | |||
| 2. Sause Hin, Sturm! Flieg Hin Wie Der Blitz! | |||
| 3. Wo Bin Ich? | |||
| 4. Bei Jener Nacht, Der Keuschen Einzig Einen | |||
| 5. Ein Becher War SuBer Als Dieser | |||
| 6. Ihr Grunen Augen | |||
| 7. Ohne Zaudern | |||
| 8. Wer Bist Du? | |||
| 9. Ai! | |||
| 10. O Engel, Fur Elfen | |||
See all 11 tracks on this disc
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| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Zweite Braut Nacht! | |||
| 2. Wo Ist Das Haus? | |||
| 3. Aus Flirrender Stille | |||
| 4. Eilig Zusammen Geraffte Gaben | |||
| 5. Denn Es Ist Recht, DaB Wir Kampfen | |||
| 6. Ich Werde Neben Dir Reiten! | |||
| 7. So Schon Bedient | |||
| 8. Aithra! Liebe Herrliche! | |||
| 9. Habet Acht! | |||
| 10. Hute Dich Furst | |||
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See all 18 tracks on this disc
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
If you are any kind of a Strauss opera fan you must give this a try. Egyptian Helen is a much sneered-at piece, quite unjustly - it had a chain of misfortunes at the time of its premiere and Strauss himself caught abuse for his decisions to continue performing in Germany in the late 1930's ... and come the 1950's and 1960's, interest had moved well away from the last blooms of late romanticism.
But I love it. There is no shortage of surging high-voltage lyricism in all the soprano lines, and the fine cast here has Deborah Voigt, Celena Shafer and Jill Grove all in glorious full voice. At the times when Strauss writes for them in combination you really wonder how this opera gets the press it does.
There are some minor caveats. The superb Act I duet with Menelas (ending Helfet mir jetzt/Weichet hinweg) suffers from mike imbalance - you don't hear enough of Carl Tanner's excellent voice here - and for me Botstein (who is often excellent) pushes the amazing Aithra/Menelas "Bereite dich" scene too fast to extract the last ounce from this stirring music. These leave me very glad I still have the fabulous recording that Dorati made in the late 1970's with Barbara Hendricks, Willard White and particularly Gwynneth Jones at a very rare best.
But if you want a modern, live recording this is outstanding. Get it, put it on and let yourself revel in the gorgeous range of voice colours and the exotic and sinuous tunes created by the last great romantic composer.
But I love it. There is no shortage of surging high-voltage lyricism in all the soprano lines, and the fine cast here has Deborah Voigt, Celena Shafer and Jill Grove all in glorious full voice. At the times when Strauss writes for them in combination you really wonder how this opera gets the press it does.
There are some minor caveats. The superb Act I duet with Menelas (ending Helfet mir jetzt/Weichet hinweg) suffers from mike imbalance - you don't hear enough of Carl Tanner's excellent voice here - and for me Botstein (who is often excellent) pushes the amazing Aithra/Menelas "Bereite dich" scene too fast to extract the last ounce from this stirring music. These leave me very glad I still have the fabulous recording that Dorati made in the late 1970's with Barbara Hendricks, Willard White and particularly Gwynneth Jones at a very rare best.
But if you want a modern, live recording this is outstanding. Get it, put it on and let yourself revel in the gorgeous range of voice colours and the exotic and sinuous tunes created by the last great romantic composer.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
17 reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Voigt Shines
27 July 2003
Deborah Voigt has the perfect voice for Helena, as this wonderful new recording shows. She produces a flood of gorgeous, seemingly effortless golden tone, which the role absolutely needs. Voigt is definitely the Stauss soprano of the day. As Menelas, Carl Tanner more than holds his own (a vast improvement over Kastu on the Dorati recording), although it would have been heaven to have Heppner sing the role. An enjoyable performance, none the less. Celena Shafer, a new singer to me, is a real treat as Aithra. Her opening aria toward the beginning of the opera, being only one of many beautiful moments. Jill Grove, who sings regularly with Houston Grand Opera, is sensational as "the Omniscient Seashell" - making a reasonably believable character out of a giant clam! Leo Botstein conducts a sensuous performance of the score, drawing out the many instrumental colors of Strauss' lushly orchestrated opera. Although the 1970's Dorati recording is fine in many ways (I'm a big fan of Gwyneth Jones as well, although she does not possess a traditionally beautiful voice, like Voigt), the tenor, Matti Kastu really ruins that recording for me, so this new release is most welcome.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Helen Vindicated!
22 July 2003
"The Egyptian Helen" is one of Strauss' least-known, and least- performed operas, and the first major flop of his maturity as a composer (there would be others). Conventional wisdom has always insisted that the work is problematic, lacking a coherant libretto and any strong degree of musical inspiration (Del Mar, in his three-volume biography of Strauss, conceded that much of the score is, what he calls, mere "note spinning"). Yet it remained one of Strauss' favorite works, and Hofmannsthal considered its libretto one of his finest. Until the present release, only one other studio recording has appeared on the market, and it is about time we took a fresh look at this work with a new performance.
And what a performance! Leon Botstein, who treated us with the first studio recording of Strauss' "Die Liebe die Danae" two years ago, proves himself with this recording to be a Strauss conductor of the highest order, with an amazing sensitivity to the nuances of Strauss' particular style. The first act is appropriately sheer and glimmering, with its fairies and elves, and the second act, which is more psychologically penetrating, is handled with a deft dramatic touch.
The cast includes only one big name: Deborah Voigt, and she is superb as Helen, one of Strauss' most technically daunting roles. On the whole, I much prefer her to Gwyneth Jones (on the 1979 Dorati recording); although Jones is a great artist, even by the late 70's her voice was beginning to show signs of a lack of control and a wobble that was going to get progressively worse in the coming years -- none of these defects can be found in the glorious singing of Voigt. She brings Helen to life, and her "Zweite Braut nacht!" (the one number from this opera to become popular in soprano recitals)is ravishing.
The supporting cast is up to the same level, I'm happy to say: Carl Tanner succeeds in the hard-to-bring-off role of Menelas, and Eric Cutler's Da-Ud perfectly naive. Although Celena Schafer sings Aithra with a lovely, clear, faultless soprano, this is one instance where I prefer the Dorati recording, where the role was sung by a young and girlish Barbara Hendricks.
Topping it off, the liner notes are scolarly and enlightening, with a detailed analysis of Hofmannsthal's libretto, which puts to rights many of the criticisms it has received over the years.
On the whole, Botstein and crew make an excellent case for this much-maligned of operas. Perhaps, one day, its delights will be better known to the general opera-going public.
And what a performance! Leon Botstein, who treated us with the first studio recording of Strauss' "Die Liebe die Danae" two years ago, proves himself with this recording to be a Strauss conductor of the highest order, with an amazing sensitivity to the nuances of Strauss' particular style. The first act is appropriately sheer and glimmering, with its fairies and elves, and the second act, which is more psychologically penetrating, is handled with a deft dramatic touch.
The cast includes only one big name: Deborah Voigt, and she is superb as Helen, one of Strauss' most technically daunting roles. On the whole, I much prefer her to Gwyneth Jones (on the 1979 Dorati recording); although Jones is a great artist, even by the late 70's her voice was beginning to show signs of a lack of control and a wobble that was going to get progressively worse in the coming years -- none of these defects can be found in the glorious singing of Voigt. She brings Helen to life, and her "Zweite Braut nacht!" (the one number from this opera to become popular in soprano recitals)is ravishing.
The supporting cast is up to the same level, I'm happy to say: Carl Tanner succeeds in the hard-to-bring-off role of Menelas, and Eric Cutler's Da-Ud perfectly naive. Although Celena Schafer sings Aithra with a lovely, clear, faultless soprano, this is one instance where I prefer the Dorati recording, where the role was sung by a young and girlish Barbara Hendricks.
Topping it off, the liner notes are scolarly and enlightening, with a detailed analysis of Hofmannsthal's libretto, which puts to rights many of the criticisms it has received over the years.
On the whole, Botstein and crew make an excellent case for this much-maligned of operas. Perhaps, one day, its delights will be better known to the general opera-going public.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Great Score,Fine Singers,Reticent Conductor
12 Feb 2005
I felt some unfair judgements concerning this recording,by reading controversial rewiews below.First of all,"Helena" is an unquestionable fine score,a kind of a "Die Frau" opera twin,in spite of the overfanciful plot and its historical and ficticious mix characters.Mostly,the music is intricate just like the libreto,heavly orchestrated and singers have a really hard job to do,especially the tenor(Menelaus).Of course,if one expect an immaculate singing of this part,this listener must go to a studio recording because Menelaus must sing a couple of hours with very little breaks.This live "Helena" has an youth,brave Carl Tunner singing the deceived husband and his performance is a very respectable one.He was strength enough to his seductive partner,Deborah Voigt.If you don't know what is a truly straussian soprano voice,just hear Voigt's radiant and flexible tones.About those singers,I think all of they increase energy and brightness to this recording.I like a lot Christopher Robertson(Altair),a baritone I never heard before.But,this cd-set brings out a serious problem;a conductor that doesn't have affinities with music he's performing.Prologue and Act One(the singers,as well)suffer due to reticent,cowardly Botstein's conducting and I remember that moment when Helena says to her suitor,Da-ud;"-Boy,take care around the fire,or you'll melt like wax!".In my opinion,in despite of all that gorgeous singing,fine digital sound,fire was fairly I miss here.However,this set is an indispensable one to Strauss' opera lovers.
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