“For five decades Wolfgang Sawallisch (1923-2013) held a central position in the musical world. That centrality was reflected in a series of top orchestral and operatic posts and in his interpretations, free of self-regarding eccentricities. His modest but highly effective conducting technique also made him the ideal recording artist.“
Warner has boxed Sawallisch’s HMV/EMI opera recordings, including classic older versions, especially Capriccio (taped in London), and very recommendable more-recent releases, with stellar casts inhabiting some of the greatest stage-works (this recording of Meistersinger converted me to it), and some worth getting to know – one each by Schubert and Weber, and if you like Carmina Burana you’ll like the two Orff operas included here.
Titles, listening snippets, and singers, below. A great Christmas present for an opera-leaning friend or relative.
Warner Classics 5419794946 (31 CDs).
- Mozart: Die Zauberflöte
- Weber: Abu Hassan
- Schubert: Die Zwillingsbruder
- Wagner: Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, Götterdämmerung, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
- Richard Strauss: Capriccio, Intermezzo, Die Frau Ohne Schatten, Elektra
- Orff: Die Kluge, Der Mond
Hildegard Behrens (soprano)
Helen Donath (soprano)
Gabriele Fuchs (soprano)
Olivera Miljakovic (soprano)
Edda Moser (soprano)
Lucia Popp (soprano)
Anneliese Rothenberger (soprano)
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano)
Cheryl Studer (soprano)
Julia Varady (soprano)
Brigitte Fassbaender (mezzo-soprano)
Marjana Lipovsek (mezzo-soprano)
Christa Ludwig (mezzo-soprano)
Waltraud Meier (mezzo-soprano)
Hanna Schwarz (mezzo-soprano)
Rudolf Christ (tenor)
Adolf Dallapozza (tenor)
Nicolai Gedda (tenor)
Ben Heppner (tenor)
Rene Kollo (tenor)
Helmut Pampuch (tenor)
Peter Schreier (tenor)
Robert Schunk (tenor)
Robert Tear (tenor)
Deon van der Walt (tenor)
Walter Berry (baritone)
Marcel Cordes (baritone)
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone)
Eberhard Wachter (baritone)
Bernd Weikl (baritone)
Ekkehard Wlaschiha (baritone)
Robert Hale (bass-baritone)
Gottlob Frick (bass)
Hans Hotter (bass)
Kurt Moll (bass)
Matti Salminen (bass)
Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Orchester der Bayerischen Staatsoper Munchen
Philharmonia Orchestra
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks