![Richard Wagner: Gotterdammerung [New York -- January 11, 1936: Marjorie Lawrence, Lauritz Melchior, Friedrich Schorr, Eduard Habich, Ludwig Hofmann, Dorothee Manski, Kathryn Meisle, Doris Doe, Irra Petina, Editha Fleischer; Artur Bodanzky] Remastered by Ward Marston in 2002.](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31DbhskOApL.jpg)
On Naxos 811022830; 3 CD's; On this historic "Gotterdammerung," Marjorie Lawrence, heard here in her vocal prime, brings a freshness of voice to Brunnhilde, and an excitement and conviction that this passionate warrior-maid was a loved and loving woman. Her timbre is clear and lustrous, penetrating the orchestral surges and complying with the energetic tempi that the conductor, Artur Bodanzky, preferred. It was with this performance that she astounded the audience by riding a real horse onto the funeral pyre as directed by Wagner. The other members of the cast are similarly inspired; The glorious Lauritz Melchior is in magnificent voice and is as tireless as ever; he brings his unique heroic timbre to the role of Siegfried, in his only surviving complete recording of Gotterdammerung. The incomparable Friedrich Schorr is a sonorous Gunther, caught here well before his vocal decline; the German bass Ludwig Hofmann is a dark-voiced Hagen; Eduard Habich contributes a suitably unpleasant Alberich. This recording is one of the great documents of Wagnerian performance for it preserves the interpretations of (at least) three of the finest singers of their day (Lawrence, Melchior, and Schorr) in some of their most impressive roles. Bodanzky's conducting is sweepingly brisk and dynamic. The sound has been excellently remastered by Ward Marston.
J**R
Magnificient
I've the privilege to have this wonderful production from Naxos Great Opera Performances series.This Götterdammerung recorded on 11 January 1936 in MET belongs to the most beautiful performances of this opera I've ever heard.Though it is a very old performance - due to Ward Marston's excellent work - the sound is more than acceptable. The true hero of this production is the conductor, Artur Bodanzky - famous for his cuts - who leads a very exciting, concentrated and monumental performance and creates an authentic Wagnerian athmosphere. Though singing sounds always better than orchestra in old records, here the orchestral playing is also enjoyable. The Rhine Journey and the Funeral Music are really high points of this production.Bodanzky has an all-star cast including the best Wagner singers of this age. Because the best Brünnhilde I've ever heard, Astrid Varnay made her debut in MET only five years later (fortunately we can enjoy her unique Brünnhilde from different Bayreuth performances conducted by Krauss, Keilberth and Knappertsbusch) my first choice for this role would be Kirsten Flagstad (we can hear her glorious Brünnhilde from La Scala under the direction of Furtwangler) but the Australian soprano, Marjorie Lawrence - who sang this role paralel with Flagstad - makes also an excellent job. Her Brünnhilde is full of passion and emotion and she has also the power for this role from the beginning till the end. The beauty of his voice and the expressiveness of his performance made Lauritz Melchior the greatest Heldentenor for ever (he has only one rival in this role, the great German Heldentenor, Max Lorenz). Though he is in his vocal prime his interpretation seems me more lirical than heroic but in the death scene he is breath-taking and shocking.Friedrich Schorr with his rich and noble voice creates a more considerable Gunther as usual. Ludwig Hoffmann is simply the best Hagen I've ever heard (only an other dark-voiced German bass, Gottlob Frick can match him in this role). He is terrific and ghastly. Eduard Habich (Alberich), Dorothee Manski (Gutrune) and Kathryn Meisle (Waltraute) make also very good jobs.Of course it is a hard five star production. Highly recommended but mainly for collectors.
R**Y
Great Wagnerian singing
The Editorial review is correct in saying how wonderful these performances are, despite the live recording and all the usual problems with older recordings.The recording is also historic because it records the first time Lawrence, a rider since childhood, rode Grane into the flaming "pyre" at the climax of the opera. The audience's applause can be heard clearly.Melchior is marvellous as always and Lawrence is astounding with her passionate voice burning on the top notes with force and shining brightly. When singing at forte she seems to be able to hit a top note and immediately increase the power.Like the other great Australian Wagnerian, Florence Austral, Marjorie Lawrence's career was changed drastically by a disabling illness only five years after she had become established as a leading dramatic soprano at the Metropoliatn Opera, a short glorious five years which coincided with Kirsten Flagstad's career at the Metropolitan.The conductor takes the climactic moments at breakneck pace. Unfortunately the Immolation is so fast, Lawrence's beautiful phrasing is rushed.It is no longer possible to hear singers of this calibre in Wagner, and so the recording has an added poignancy.
