Inga Nielsen Gosta Winbergh Michael Halasz - Beethoven Fidelio Halasz (30 tracks) +Album Reviews

Splendid recording; Splendid Value

John Cragg | Delta(greater Vancouver), B.C Canada | 07/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Naxos operas seem to come in two varieties: good at the price and just plain good. This is one of the latter. Fidelio is certainly a unique opera, but that doesn't mean that it has to be treated monumentally as so many recordings do. Michael Halasz treats the work on a human level, well supported both by the orchestra and chorus and by the principals. Gosta Winbergh's light tenor turns out to be very suitable for Florestan and Inga Nielsen makes for a very convincing Leonore. I found that the others all did a good job. The recording is excellent and the diction clear. What more could you want? -- well the libretto is only in German, but there is an extensive synopsis in English which is keyed to the various tracks. This version may well be my favorite Fidelio, and the price cannot be beaten!"

Beethoven's Fidelio on Naxos

Robin Friedman | Washington, D.C. United States | 12/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beethoven had an extraordinarily difficult time in the composition of Fidelio, opus 72, his only opera. He first worked on Fidelio during 1803-1804. The opera received its first performance in Vienna in 1805 but closed after only three performances. Beethoven was urged to shorten the opera, and reluctantly he agreed. The revised version was produced in 1806 but closed after only one performance. Finally, Beethoven revisited Fidelio in 1814 and spent months of heavy effort in revising it yet again. The revised version was performed in 1814. This time it succeeded, and the work has been part of the opera repertory ever since. When he revised Fidelio in 1814, Beethoven remarked: " I could compose something new far more quickly than patch up the old... I have to think out the entire work again." Anyone who has done substantial writing or editing can understand Beethoven's difficulties.For all its difficulties, even in the final version, Fidelio is inspired music and one of the essential works of Beethoven's maturity. Beethoven worked heroically to compose his opera, and Fidelio is heroic in its themes. It tells the story of a young woman named Leonore who disguises herself as a man with the name of Fidelio and risks her life to rescue her husband, Florestan, from a dungeon where he has been held two years as a political prisoner. The work opens with a background of human suffering and ends in triumph as Leonore succeeds in entering the prison and rescuing Florestan, at the last moment, from murder by Pizarro, the governor. The work is celebrates human freedom and the treasures of winning a loving wife, both themes dear to Beethoven. It also celebrates the wise ruler who appears in the person of Don Fernando in the final scene of the opera to set matters aright. As the work progresses, it becomes less and less a characterization of specific people, Leonore and Florestan, and more an idealization of human freedom and of matrimonial love.Fidelio is full of music both heroic and lyrical. Beethoven's lyricism, and his writing for the human voice difficult as it is, are often underestimated. Beethoven wrote four overtures for his opera. His final attempt, the "Fidelio" overture, was written for the 1814 performance and masterfully sets the stage for what follows. There is a beautiful "canonic" quartet early in the opera (no. 3) and a moving chorus for the prisoners at the end of the first act when Leonore prevails upon the prison guard to allow them into the courtyard for air (no 10) Each of the major characters in the opera has a solo aria, and there is a collection of duets, trios, and two quartets. Florestan has a long, moving aria at the beginning of the second act (no. 11) lamenting his fate and recalling happier days with Leonore. There are rousing choruses of triumph in the final scene after Leonore has rescued Florestan. There are many recordings of Fidelio featuring famous conductors and soloists, but I found this Naxos CD first-rate. The opera is performed by a small chamber orchestra, the Nicolaus Esterhazy Sinfonia, conducted by Michael Halasz. (The Esterhazy Sinfonia has also recorded very well the nine Beethoven symphonies on Naxos, but I found this Fidelio more impressive than the symphonies.) Soprano Inga Nielsen sings Leonore and performs with clarity and nobility. The role does not present an easy vocal line and Ms. Nielsen signs believably. Tenor Gosta Winbergh sings Florestan. His voice is rather light, but he brings passion and force to his great aria at the beginning of act 2. The scene in the dungeon where Leonore reveals her identity and comes to her husband's aid against Pizarro is dramatically effective. Alan Titus, baritone, as the villanous Pizaro brings the character to life in his aria in the first act (no.7)For listeners new to opera or to Beethoven, this is an ideal place to start. The Naxos version sells for a budget price which should add to the incentive to explore this music. I also think there is something to be gained by coming to the music through a fine performance by relatively unknown artists. It helps the listener, particularly the new listener, focus on the score and on the singing and not worry a great deal about comparing this version with others. I think that the first priority in listening to a work of music should be -- the music. This CD may encourage new listeners to get to know Fidelio and then, if they are so inclined, to explore other versions and other music.The CD includes a full libretto in the original German but no English translation. There is a full synopsis of each number, sufficient to allow an appreciation of the action and the arias. Altogether,this is an excellent performance of a great and inspirational work of Beethoven's maturity."

An outstanding performance in every way

Laykok | Singapore, Singapore Singapore | 05/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fidelio was the first opera I listened to as a teenager and I've loved it so much that I have since collected some six different recordings (Klemperer, Karajan, Bernstein, Fricsay, Bohm, Maazel. This latest newcomer is a welcome addition. The sound is extremely clear and detailed with excellent spatial separation of voices and instruments. The protagonists are relative lightweights compared to the likes of Christa Ludwig and Jon Vickers but they have the advantage of clearer diction and clarity. The balance between soloists, chorus and orchestra is exemplary and the finale of Act 2 is gripping and hot-blooded stuff. At bargain price this opera set is an outstanding purchase. Buy it!"

Superb

Robin Friedman | 08/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was hesistant to buy this Fidelio set at first. Naxos is a budget brand so I thought that the quality would not be so good. But then I read the rave reviews about this set. And so I thought, why not buy it since the price is great - 2 CDs for the price of one mid-priced CD? I was stunned to hear the results. This is no second class Fidelio. This Fidelio stands with the great Fidelio recordings of the past. No, it doesn't replace the classic Klemperer set with Christa Ludwig and Jon Vickers. But at times, I think that Halasz tempi are more appropriate than Klemperer's. And although Inga Nielson is a lesser known soprano and has a smaller voice than Hildegard Behrens or Gundula Janowitz, I think she is more successful than either one of them. She doesn't 'overforce' her voice like Janowitz (who sounds strained at the climaxes in the Bernstein set). She is not as careless as Behrens (in Solti's set) in negotiating the fearsome passages in Leonore's lines. Unlike Klemperer, whose Fidelio is a large scaled and monumental reading with highly dramatic voices like Jon Vickers and Christa Ludwig, this reading is a lighter reading with lighter voices. Yet it works!! This is a thrilling Fidelio. I would rank it above the Bernstein set with Deutsche, or Maazel (with Birgit Nilsson) with Decca. In my opinion, the conducting here is better than Bernstein's or Haitink's (with Jessye Norman). The advantage that Haitink has over this set is his Leonore (Jessye Norman). Halasz' conducting is more exciting than Haitink (who sounds staid at times) or Bernstein's (who sometimes go too slow and sometimes go too fast). Jessye Norman's thrillingly rich and ravishing voice outshines Inga Nielsen. I am a great admirer of Birgit Nilsson's prodigious vocalism but somehow, when she made Fidelio with Maazel, she was rather careless with the lines. Yes, her voice is more thrilling than Inga Nielsen's but Maazel doesn't quite hold the opera together as well as Halasz. (As a side comment, if you realy want to hear Birgit Nilsson in the role of Leonore, you should get the 1956 Cologne version conducted by Erich Kleiber just a few weeks before he died. It is available under Koch Schwann in wondrous super clear sound. I don't know about the sound quality in other labels. That recording was made before Nilsson became world famous. And it seems then that she phrases and characterizes her Leonore better. Or perhaps it was Kleiber's inspiration.) Kurt Moll is a wondrous Rocco, few better. His deep resonating bass has few peers. Gosta Winbergh is a winsome Florestan. He sings his lines without strain at the top unlike the Goldberg in Haitink or Peter Hoffman in Solti's set. Yes, the classic Klemperer is unsurpassed. Yes, this is a reading with lighter voices. But - IT WORKS! IT WORKS! IT WORKS! There are better Leonores than Inga Nielsen from a purely vocal viewpoint. But Inga Nielsen's smaller voice FITS in with this exciting reading. And I think the biggest star is Halasz who manages to hold everything together in a most exciting and thrilling way despite not having the advantage of "brand-name" and starry casts, and despite having to work with a tight budget. Thank you Naxos, for showing that there are still good conductors and good singers in this world who can carry the weight of Beethoven's magnificent opera. The only disadvantage is that there is no English libretto (an oversight on Naxos's part) but Beethoven's music is magnificent enough to listen to without understanding the words so I wouldn't worry about that. This is not my first choice Fidelio (the Klemperer set is). But if you want just one Fidelio, this set works, and at an incredible price too - and great recorded sound!! Let me say this - that even if this set were at full-price, I would still not hesistate to recommend it as the only Fidelio set in your operatic library. This is full-price top brand quality Fidelio at a super budget price. Such bargains are not all that common - there are plenty of substandard recordings from top labels selling at full-price - so I would advise you to grab it when you come across it."

English translation of the libretto IS available...

Greensleeves | Lawrence, KS United States | 05/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...as part of the Black Dog Opera Library edition of "Fidelio", which is available at Amazon under "Books" (search for "Black Dog Opera Library"). It came out in spring of 2002, along with a very good edition of "Flying Dutchman", also from Naxos.

The best feature of The Black Dog Opera Library series is that it is essentially a book of the libretto, both in the original language and in English, with some introductory material. The CDs (only 2-CD operas have been done so far) are on the inside covers of the book, which is hardcover.

So, those who want the Naxos "Fidelio" with an English translation of the libretto can find it! And for about the same price as this item!"

Search - Inga Nielsen, Gosta Winbergh, Michael Halasz :: Beethoven: Fidelio / Halasz

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