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More magnum would you say, John, than perhaps "Die Tote Stadt"? I've always had a recording of it but never made time to listen to it. I'm very glad you've posted this opportunity to make up for lost time. Thanks!
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Posted: |
Apr 2, 2020 - 2:35 PM
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By: |
Rozsaphile
(Member)
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From the Bard program notes (which you can access at their site). Emphasis added:
There’s no doubt that Korngold’s Heliane, seen here in its U.S. premiere, may be praised as the
outstanding instance of his most gorgeous music. Its ravishing orchestral sonorities are characteristic of him, with massive sounds distinguished by a liberal-yet-nuanced employment of percussion and an array of keyboard instruments, all helping to create the unique Korngold sound. For the longest time there was little opportunity to hear all this sensuous opulence, but now that recent concerts and staged performances in Europe, as well as recordings and videos, have made his music available again, many are wont to follow Korngold’s lead in declaring this his greatest work. Excitement about the opera’s rediscovery, both in Europe and for this
American premiere, is palpable, although the glare of today’s floodlights conceals its less than-stellar reception history. For the truth is that Heliane missed out on the wild success enjoyed by its predecessor Die tote Stadt, despite eclipsing it in musical intensity and erotic tension (almost always a selling point). While Heliane pleased operagoers and critics on its first outings in Hamburg and Vienna, it crashed critically in Berlin, and cancellations of one-third of future performances planned for other cities sealed its fate.
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THANKS!
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