Search - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sir Charles Mackerras, Barbara Hendricks :: Mozart: Die Zauberflöte / Hendricks, J. Anderson, Steinsky, Hadley, Lloyd, Allen, Hornik, Mackerras

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte / Hendricks, J. Anderson, Steinsky, Hadley, Lloyd, Allen, Hornik, Mackerras
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sir Charles Mackerras, Barbara Hendricks
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte / Hendricks, J. Anderson, Steinsky, Hadley, Lloyd, Allen, Hornik, Mackerras
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (22) - Disc #1
  •  Track Listings (28) - Disc #2

The cast is well-chosen in this set for both musical and dramatic skills and for its ability to work smoothly together. It can be warmly recommended, particularly to those who prefer modern to period instruments (as on the...  more »

     
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The cast is well-chosen in this set for both musical and dramatic skills and for its ability to work smoothly together. It can be warmly recommended, particularly to those who prefer modern to period instruments (as on the Oiseau-Lyre recording) and a small, light-textured orchestra and chorus rather than Georg Solti's larger forces. Charles Mackerras conducts with a fine sense of musical styles and dramatic effects and he supports the voices expertly. All of the singers are good; particularly fine work is done by Barbara Hendricks as Pamina, June Anderson in the Queen of the Night's stratospheric high notes, and Thomas Allen, who accounts for most of the comedy in the role of Papageno. --Joe McLellan

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CD Reviews

Top Shelf Recording
R. Gerard | Pennsylvania USA | 12/28/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hearing this recording of Die Zauberflote is very much like hearing the singspiel for the first time.



The biggest plus in this recording is that Mackerras does not try to out-do himself. The interpretation is one that is familiar to all of us, and while it seems that Mackerras doesn't really have anything new to say about this piece, he certainly avoids extremes which is a good thing. For instance, there are no messy and rushed tempos here in the light of other period-instrument rendition of Die Zauberflote. Nor are there any superfluous lines or oversized orchestras. His interpretation seems to fit Mozart's music very well.



The spoken dialogue in this Schickaneder singspiel appears here in it's original form.



The cast if wisely chosen. I was blown-away with June Anderson's Queen of the Night. Her execution of the high notes are precise and even. After all, she was the same soprano who sang the Queen of the Night in the movie, "Amadeus."



This piece was written to be a charmer and Mackerras's release must really suit Mozart's intentions."
I have no idea why some hardcore opera critics dislike this
Chris Gage | Raleigh, NC USA | 04/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have seen references to "casting deficiencies" for this recording, but without any specifics. I have heard this recording compared unfavourably to that of B?hm. The B?hm is a typical product of its age, technically flawless, meticulously put together, with Wunderlich and Fischer-Dieskau, no less. The trouble is, they and the other singers sound bored and mechanical, anxious to get it over with, possibly because B?hm's pace is way too slow for Mozart, especially for Die Zauberfl?te.



By contrast, this recording is fun, and clearly the musicians and singers really seem to want us to enjoy ourselves. Hadley, Hendricks, Allen and the rest sound as if they have a smile on their faces as they are singing.



The highlight of this recording for me is the Drei Damen, especially Petra Maria Schnitzer, whose silky soubrette voice is so perfectly made for Mozart, soaring over the sublime highs of the soprano trios in the first act and Wie, Wie, Wie at the beginning of Act 2.



The only thing I complain about is the recording level. I have to turn up the volume way higher than for anything else in my collection."
GREAT! I loved the Queen of the Night!
melodies1 | 06/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This opera by Mozart is truly amazing; it magnifies his talent as a composer! I especially loved the Queen of the Night, played by June Anderson. Her voice fit the character beautifully! She was able to do all the very difficult songs with so much ease!"