Zweiter Aufzug - Act Two: Nur stille, stille, stille, stille
The Magic Flute is, for many, the embodiment of musical perfection, as dazzlingly perfect as the esoteric pyramids and symmetries that populate the composer's paean to Masonic philosophy. As so often with Mozart, beneath t... more »he sublime lurk darker subtexts--here, themes of sexuality, slavery, and vengeance. Colin Davis conducts the incomparable Staatskapelle Dresden, with Peter Schreier's charming Tamina rescuing Margaret Price's lovely Pamina. --Joshua Cody« less
The Magic Flute is, for many, the embodiment of musical perfection, as dazzlingly perfect as the esoteric pyramids and symmetries that populate the composer's paean to Masonic philosophy. As so often with Mozart, beneath the sublime lurk darker subtexts--here, themes of sexuality, slavery, and vengeance. Colin Davis conducts the incomparable Staatskapelle Dresden, with Peter Schreier's charming Tamina rescuing Margaret Price's lovely Pamina. --Joshua Cody
"For anyone who is a Mozart fan, this version of "The Magic Flute" is an essential recording to own. From the very beginning, I was entranced by the beautiful music of this wonderful, fairy-tale like opera. Schreier as Tamino is my mind's epitome of a handsome and romantic prince. Margaret Price's Pamina is the woman Mozart surely would have chosen himself. Her portrayal as a lovelorn, beautiful, and confused young princess is one of the most wonderful I've heard in opera. Her voice is warm and lovely, and conveys every emotion perfectly; I've recently seen Bergman's version of the Magic Flute and felt as though I'd already watched the opera, so good is Price's interpretation on the cd. I would give it six stars if I could! It is definitely the best recording of The Magic Flute out there."
Excellent recording - excellent value
T. McFarland | Oregon | 07/21/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is the "music only" version of Davis' recording .... It is DDD format (i.e., recorded digitally, as well as processed and produced), and has tremendous presence and clarity. The cast is exactly the same as the complete version (Moll, Schreier, Price, Serra, etc.), excellent musicians who know how to sing in German. If you want to listen to this opera, instead of study it with libretto, get this version, cut through the spoken dialogue...."
Brilliant!!!!
Bruno L. Garzon | Chicago,IL | 06/04/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This version of Mozart's Die Zauberflote is excellent. A well-known cast of singers and a renowned orchestra and conductor make this recording one of the best I have ever seen. When I first started to dabble into this opera this was the 1st one I ever heard. Kurt Moll as Sarastro is good but he has sung it so many times it feels like he is sick of doing it but nonetheless he's excellent. Peter Schreier as Tamino is brilliant and full-toned as the best Tamino I have every seen. Margaret Price as Pamina is also very good. Luciana Serra as the Queen of the Night is the best I have ever seen. Her coloratura is sung effortlessly and she pulls the role off very well. The rest of the cast is good but are pretty much unknown (except: Marie McLaughlin as the 1st lady, Ann Murray as the 2nd lady and Robert Tear as Monostatos.) My 2 peeves of this recording is: no dialogue (which most recordings lately don't) and the rather slow tempos of Colin Davis. My verdict: buy this version over its overly expensive counterpart (the one w/ the dialogue and libretto) which can cost an upward of 80$ used."
Doesn't measure up to the competition
Philip S. Griffey | Bainbridge I. WA USA | 07/06/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Davis's conducting, in this 1984 recording, is well paced, moderately nuanced, with attractive phrasing and good balance in the ensembles. It has no notable flaws, but seems to lack much involvement in Act I. There is plenty of dialog, handled in a generally tasteful manner. The various women, armored men, boys, priests etc. are better than average. The principal singers blend well and tend to sound better in the ensembles than in the big arias.
Tamino has been recorded by a number of elegant singers (Wunderlich, Simoneau, Dermota, Haefliger, and Blochwitz). Peter Schreier does a good journeymanlike job, singing with a nice legato and nuanced phrasing; however he frequently shows strain and a slightly pinched tone in the upper range. As Papageno, Mikael Melbye (a Danish baritone who has not recorded much) has a light but pleasant baritone voice. His singing, while completely adequate, is not exceptional in any way
Luciana Serra (The Queen of the Night) has an unusual voice and sings unevenly. In her first aria, she handles the coloratura with considerable aplomb; but the slow introduction is rocky. She will be singing with style and finesse (in her rather wiry voice) one moment and suddenly will produce tones and pitches far from what Mozart wrote or (I suspect) what she intended. Her second aria is more consistent, but she still lacks the appeal of the great Queens of the Night (Dessay and Streich). Margaret Price (as Pamina) sings loudly and gracelessly in the duet "Bei Maennern. Her enunciation and legato in "Ach, ich fuhl's" are poor, and her voice lacks an attractive tone in the higher register. She generally sings well enough in the ensemble pieces
Kurt Moll (as Sarastro) uses his deep and sonorous voice to exceptional effect. He projects profound nobility, rectitude and integrity and easily garners the "best singer" prize in this recording. His Sarastro is excelled only by Rene Pape and Alexander Kipnis.
Unless you are a particular fan of one of these singers, there is really no reason to get this recording. If you want a fleet, historically informed Magic Flute in modern sound, look to Gardiner, Norrington (very fast) or Christie (not so fast). If you want a fine German Romantic rendition, look to Klemperer or Boehm (1955 or the 1964 with Wunderlich.). If you want a better "not too romantic, not too historically informed" but very fine recording, try Abbado's.
"
Must be a best buy
Sally | 07/19/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"very good value CD - a good recording at a very cheap price."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1
