Australian Eloquence continues to mine the archives for precious things buried over the years and here is a veritable treasure trove for opera lovers, and Wagner fans in particular, including four albums that should be in any serious vocal collection.
Canadian bass-baritone George London’s vocal paralysis at the age of 46 was a tragic loss to opera. He is represented here by excerpts from Rheingold and Parsifal as well as a recital with Knappertsbusch and the Vienna Phil from 1958 when he was at the height of his powers. The voice is dark and glorious, coping with expansive tempi that would have floored a lesser mortal.
Astrid Varnay was the Brünnhilde of choice for many in the 1950s but she also did a mean Isolde. A generous double CD comes from DG studio sessions and includes golden swathes of Die Walküre, Siegfried (the entire final scene) and Götterdämmerung as well as nearly an hour of Tristan, all with Windgassen in his prime. The singing is effortless yet impassioned and there’s a fine
Wesendonck Lieder as bonus.
Two tenors, an oldie and a newie, make the set. Jess Thomas’s Siegfried for Karajan has had a rough ride in the past. The lyrical excerpts here give the lie to that, while a studio recording of arias show an artist in his prime, one of the best Lohengrins, Parsifals and Walthers that you are likely to hear. Finally we have a 2005 album from Canadian Ben Heppner. His ringing heldentenor produces probably the finest post 1970 recital until this year’s offering from Jonas Kaufmann.
A classic double CD of monumental orchestral excerpts from Hans Knappertstbusch completes a Wagnerite’s dream.
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