Aida seems a
favourite opera on the Walhall label.
One has come
my way before, also in German, with
Schmidt-Isserstedt at the helm but there
exists also WLCD0057 (VSO/Karajan);
WLCD0031 (Fausto Cleva/Met) and WLCD007
(Clemens Kraus/Munich). Each, it would
seem, has something at least of interest.
Here in Frankfurt in 1952, the presence
of one Christa Ludwig certainly made
this reviewer leap to the CD player.
By the way, this performance has been
on CD on Myto but this is the first
incarnation to come my way. The recording
is, in the main, quite acceptable, although
it can be strained to its limits; the
end of Act 2 is a case in point.
The conductor on this
occasion is Kurt Schröder, whose
take on the Act 1 Prelude makes for
interesting listening – he makes it
sound like Wagner! This is Verdi trying
to be Lohengrin-like (Prelude
to that work’s Act 1), a concept that
makes for a strange experience. This
is especially so when Ramfis enters
and starts singing in German; it is
difficult not to expect ‘Sì,
corre voce’ from Ramfis instead of ‘Hört,
es geht die Stimme’. But once the linguistic
shift to German has been made, some
critical evaluations can be made. Schröder’s
conducting is generally workmanlike
and professional, although he can transcend
this at times to generate real excitement;
as he demonstrates in the first half
of Act 4. Dances, though, can suffer
from a distinctly painted-on Germanic
gait. You have been warned.
Max Lorenz has divided
critics over the years. The two camps
of ‘for’ and ‘against’ can broadly be
divided geographically – those inside
Germany’s borders and those without.
Lorenz was a Heldentenor, and that for
sure comes across in his ‘Celeste Aida’
(‘Holde Aida’, of course). He has reserves
to spare at the final hurdle. He could
have held the last note forever, possibly.
His rendition is hugely strong; some
would say shouted. Clearly he is to
dominate this recording, and so it turns
out despite the excellence of his Aida,
Annelies Kupper, who incidentally created
the title role in the ‘official’ premiere
of Richard Strauss’s Der Liebe de
Danae. His desolation clearly comes
through in Act 4 Scene 2 (‘La fatal
pietra’; ‘Es hat der Stein such über
mir’) where he, in conjunction with
Schröder, manifests a dramatic
crescendo that leads clearly to Aida’s
vocal entrance.
Annelies Kupper sang
Elsa von Brabant in a recently-reviewed
Lohengrin on Preiser - a set
that also shared Otto von Rohr. Her
pure yet robust voice, a rare phenomenon,
works supremely well as Aida. She is
convincing in her portrayal while leaving
one admiring her legato, and she can
demonstrate real strength also, as in
her ‘Qui Radames verrà’ (here
‘Hierher kommt Radames’, Act 3; CD2
track 4). Her enunciation is excellent,
her intervals pure. There is a purity
also of voice in its higher reaches
at ‘Fuggiam gli arbori inospiti’ (‘Entflieh’n
aus diesem Lande wir’) that makes for
delicious listening. Her strength can
be sampled at her highly strung, ‘Ritorna
vincitor’ (‘Als Sieger kehr’ er heim!’).
Kupper and Lorenz make a powerful team,
particularly in the closing stages of
the opera. The final track on this set
begins at the memorable ‘O terra addio’
(‘Leb’ wohl, o Erde’) – and memorable
it is, especially with Kupper’s radiant
high register in top form. Lorenz almost
matches her ... the occasional over-pushed
accent apart.
Margarete Klose is
huge-of-voice for this Amneris. Her
outbursts in Act 4 are magnificently
dramatic, but perhaps Act 2 shows her
at her greatest - despite some bumpy
orchestral contributions - her voice
complementing Kupper’s perfectly.
Amonasro sounds evil
in Rudolf Gonszar’s interpretation.
And Christa Ludwig? A strong but lovely
Priestess (Sacerdotessa), her melismas
wonderful. It is interesting to note
that this recording comes right at the
very end of Ludwig’s stay at Frankfurt;
she joined at the age of 18, debuting
there as Orlovsky. Only three years
later she was to begin her long association
with the Vienna State Opera.
Aage Poulsen’s King
has a great, rounded yet focused bass
voice; Ramfis similarly is large of
voice and presence (Otto von Rohr).
And for once even the Messenger (Hans
Bert Dick) is more than acceptable.
Like so many of these
Walhall sets, this is worth a hearing.
There is much to enjoy and in this case
the recording is perfectly acceptable
if nothing distinguished. Regular readers
will know the score when it comes to
documentation, though. No synopsis,
just a track-listing: German, with Italian
in parentheses.
Colin Clarke
Chorus and Orchestra of Hessian Radio/Kurt
Schröder. 
