Description

THE 1952 BAYREUTH MEISTERSINGER WITH “KNA” Wagner: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg. The 1952 Bayreuth Festival production conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch, with Otto Edelman as Sachs, Hans Hopf as Stolzing, Lisa Della Casa as Eva, Heinrich Pflanzl as Beckmesser, and Kurt Böehme as Pogner. Special bonus: The Siegfried Idyll with the WDR (Köeln) Radio Orchestra conducted by Hans Knappertsbusch, from a 7 May, 1953 broadcast performance.

Timings: CD 1: 73:12; CD 2: 79:02; CD 3: 72:33; CD 4: 70:29. [AAD]

The late Harold Rosenthal, OBE, wrote in Opera in his review of this production: “The orchestra under Hans Knappertsbusch played beautifully for the most part…The orchestral tone was lustrous, the string playing being especially fine. There was much to admire, and the orchestral accompaniment to the Sachs-Eva duet in Act II and the Wahn Monologue were moments to treasure…Edelmann was the Sachs. A warm, human kindly Sachs for whom David’s affection seemed as natural as did the welcome given him by the Nurembergers in the last act…He never forced his tone which retained its beautiful quality until the end of the evening. Gerhard Unger was a wholly delightful David; he sang well and displayed a far more pleasing voice than most German spieltenors possess…” UPC #0-17685-10142-7. Special! 4 CDs priced as 3.