Operette: Wien, Berlin, Paris

by Diana Damrau, Munich Radio Orchestra, Ernst Theis

Overview

The "Wien, Berlin, Paris" subtitle of this release by soprano Diana Damrau suggests that even operetta fans will find some unfamiliar items here; casual listeners know some Viennese operetta, but the varieties from Berlin and Paris are a good deal less common. Damrau offers just a few favorites, such as Hör ich Cymbalklänge from Franz Léhar's Zigeunerliebe, and composers like Richard Heuberger and Henri Christiné will be new for many. This being so, translations of the texts in the booklet would have been more useful than a lengthy and not particularly enlightening interview-format commentary. Damrau, however, is an expressive singer who, by and large, is having fun with the material, and the music is listenable even for those who don't speak German and/or French. She seems a bit looser, naturally enough, in the German pieces, but she scores with Francis Lopez's Andalousie, a sangria-drinking song for a change. Damrau's duet partners are major attractions; tenor Jonas Kaufmann joins her on a trio of numbers (sample "Ein kleiner Flirt" from Das Lied der Liebe, originally by Johann Strauss II). Note also the presence of up-and-comer Emily Sierra (an Operalia winner) in an aria from Strauss II's Das Spitzentuch der Königin. Another worthy partner is the Münchner Rundfunkorchester under the baton of Ernst Theis, which delivers charming instrumental solos that would have drawn audiences back in the day. This album made classical best-seller lists in late 2023, and it will find its way onto many operetta shelves. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	06/07/2024
Label:	Erato
UPC:	5054197827983
Rank:	226376

Tracks

1. Der Favorit~Du solst der Kaiser meiner Seele sein
2. Frau Luna~Schlösser, die im Monde liegen
3. Eva~Wär es auch nichts als ein Traum vom Glück
4. Das Lied der Liebe~Ein kleiner Flirt
5. Die Faschingsfee~Liebe, ich sehn' mich nach dir
6. Im weißen Rößl~Mein Lebeslied muss ein Walzer sein
7. Die Dubarry~Ich schenk' mein Herz nur dem allein
8. Der Opernball~Im Chambre séparée
9. Andalousie~Ça fait tourner le tête
10. Friederike~Warum hast dumich wachgeküsst?
11. Das Spitzentuch der Königin~Wo die wilde Rose erblüht
12. Monsieur Beaucaire~Rossignol, tout comme autrefois
13. Paganini~Liebe, du Himmel auf Erden
14. Zigeunerliebe~Hör ich Cymbalklänge
15. Ball im Savoy~In meinen weißen Armen
16. Phi-Phi~Bien Chapeautée
17. L' Amour masqué~J'ai deux amants
18. Manon~Ich bin eine Frau, die weiß, was sie will

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Diana Damrau   Primary Artist,Soprano (Vocal)
Ernst Theis   Primary Artist,Conductor
Munich Radio Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Emily Sierra   Mezzo-Soprano (Vocal)
Jonas Kaufmann   Tenor (Vocal)
Elke Kottmair   Soprano (Vocal)

Technical Credits

Franz Lehar   Composer
Erich Wolfgang Korngold   Composer
Johann Strauss II   Composer,Original Material
Robert Stolz   Composer
Paul Lincke   Composer
Theo Mackeben   Composer
Albert Willemetz   Librettist
Peter Urban   Engineer
Carl Milloecker   Original Material
Richard Genee   Librettist
Christoph Stickel   Mastering Engineer
Ludwig Herzer   Librettist
Francis Lopez   Composer
Jakob Haendel   Engineer
Oscar Straus   Composer
Fritz Loehner-Beda   Librettist
Emmerich Kalman   Composer
Alfred Gruenwald   Librettist
Paul Abraham   Composer
Daniel Fesquet   Liner Note Translation
Richard Heuberger   Composer
Alfred Maria Willner   Librettist
Ernst Theis   Liner Notes
Diana Damrau   Liner Notes
Wilhelm Sterk   Librettist
Robert Sargant   Liner Note Translation
Bela Jenbach   Librettist
Florian Lang   Photography,Executive Producer
Henri Christine   Composer
Fabien Sollar   Librettist
Alain Lanceron   Executive Producer
Raymond Vincy   Librettist
Andre Messager   Composer
Ivan Caryll   Original Lyrics
Victor Leon   Librettist
Sacha Guitry   Librettist
Christiane Voitz   Engineer
Ignaz Michael Welleminsky   Librettist
Paul Knepler   Librettist
Robert Gilbert   Librettist
Winfried Messmer   Engineer
Fritz Gruenbaum   Librettist
Veronika Weber   Executive Producer
Heinrich von Waldberg   Librettist
Rudolf Oesterreicher   Librettist
Ephraim Hahn   Recording Producer
Elke Kottmair   Liner Notes
Michael Scheiber   Engineer
Simon Fowler   Photography
Heinrich Bolten-Baeckers   Librettist
Hans Martin Cremer   Librettist
Robert Bodanzky   Librettist
Ulrich Pluta   Executive Producer
Andre Rivoire   Libretto Adaptor
Pierre Veber   Libretto Adaptor
Louis Verneuil   Original Lyrics
Heinrich Bohrmann   Librettist