Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos
Deborah Voigt (soprano) - the Prima Donna / Ariadne
Anne Sofie von Otter
(mezzo-soprano) - the Composer
Natalie Dessay (soprano) - Zerbinetta
Ben
Heppner (tenor) - the Tenor / Bacchus
Albert Dohmen (bass-baritone) - the
Music Master
Romuald Pekny (speaking part) - the Major-Domo
Michel Howard
(tenor) - the Dancing Master
Stephen Genz (baritone) - Harlequin
Christoph
Genz (tenor) - Birghella
Ian Thompson (tenor) - Scaramuccio
Sami Luttinen
(bass) - Truffaldino
Christine Hossfeld (soprano) - Naiad
Angela Liebold
(mezzo-soprano) - Dryad
Eva Kirchner (soprano) - Echo
Staatskapelle Dresden
Giuseppe Sinopoli (conductor)
Deutsche Grammophon
When conductor (not to mention composer, Egyptologist and physician)
Giuseppe Sinopoli died in 2001, he left for us a parting gift: the clearest,
most coherent Ariadne auf Naxos available on record. This is a difficult
piece to navigate, with many musical affectations: the overblown, artsy rhetoric
of the Composer, the zany antics of Zerbinetta and her troupe, and the "opera
within an opera" world of Ariadne and Bacchus. For Ariadne to make real
sense, these sound worlds must be distinct from one another, but still
integrated in a consistent whole — and the ability to do this was
Sinopoli's genius. From the spry orchestral introduction to the taut ensemble
numbers to Ariadne's lush aria, Sinopoli always has his forces under control,
drawing generously from a broad range of color and emotion. But even more
remarkable is the sheer clarity of orchestral sound. Strauss did get a bit
excessive with his scoring from time to time, but under this maestro everything
is audible, balanced, almost pristine. Yet there's no lack of passion: this is
not a "cold" reading such as, say, Pierre Boulez might offer, but simply one
free of excess. Sinopoli makes each note matter.
Opera fans may get dizzy just reading the cast list: this really is a dream
team. As the composer, Anne Sofie von Otter is at her icy best, cold and
tormented as the role demands. It is hard to imagine a more perfect Zerbinetta
than Natalie Dessay, who plays the role as appropriately coquettish and ditzy,
with easy high notes and a beautiful rounded tone. Ben Heppner keeps Bacchus
from sounding like a barking clown (as is often the case); he avoids slipping
into blunt self-mockery, and the voice (the subject of so much concern in 2002)
sparkles. But this recording belongs to Deborah Voigt, whose Ariadne is golden,
innocent, and reminds one of the great singers of bygone days. She can stretch a
phrase without damaging it, and though she is a star in every sense, her
performance calls all attention to the music rather than to her own considerable
talents. Even the recording quality is high, capturing the clarity and force of
the Staatskapelle Dresden and these spectacular singers.
This title is available for
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