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Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel - Hoff

Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel - Hoff

MDG Scene  909 1837-6 (2 discs)

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Opera


Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel

Hansel: Sayaka Shigeshima
Gretel: Elisabeth Wimmer
Peter, Besenbinder: Uwe Schenker-Primus
Gertrud, sein Weib: Rebecca Teem
Die Knusperhexe: Alexander Günther
Sandmännchen: Caterina Maier
Taumännchen: Hyunjin Park

schola cantorum weimar
Damen des Opernchores des Deutschen Nationaltheaters Weimar
Staatskapelle Weimar
Martin Hoff, Dirigent


Success Story
A gigantic success story – Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairy-tale opera Hänsel und Gretel has been delighting young and old alike for exactly 120 years! To celebrate this special anniversary, the opera now for the first time is being released on a brand-new double SACD featuring an especially authentic production. Since the Weimar Theater was the site of the work’s acclaimed premiere, and it has enjoyed an unbroken performance tradition there, the conductor Martin Hoff and his highly motivated team were able to draw on the historical performance material.

Omnipresent Influence
The opera’s success rests on the composer’s highly effective elaboration of the folk material, from the fairy-tale plot to the familiar folk-song melodies. Humperdinck would not have been Humperdinck, however, if he had not closely studied his Wagner. And this paid off: from the expressive harmonies to the through-composed action, his great model is omnipresent. Humperdinck nevertheless allows himself quite a bit of fun with his idol, and it is with more than waggish humor that he blissfully indulges in alliteration: “Griesgram, Griesgram, gräulicher Wicht, griesiges, grämiges Galgengesicht.”

Spellbinding Jubilation
The orchestra lavishly endowed with percussion instruments is brilliant not only during the Witch’s ride; it also lends the soloists, finely balanced in all the parts, precisely the sound color they need between the evening prayer and the gingerbread waltz in all the emotional shadings. And when at the end the chorus of the enchanted children shouts in loud jubilation, then the listeners themselves are spellbound by the Schola Cantorum Weimar under
Cordula Fischer.

Remarkable Roles
And then there is the most remarkable assignment of the vocal parts: they are executed by women’s voices, with the exception of the Father; and, yes, the Witch is none other than a tenor – a star role for Alexander Günther, whose comedian’s stage presence disrupts the reign of horror, rendering the work suitable for family audiences. Just listen to the threatening magic spells or to the gourmand lip-smacking in anticipation of the festive meal featuring fresh-baked Hänsel.

Wondrous World
The performance tradition has continued in Weimar ever since the celebrated premiere in 1893 with Richard Strauss as the conductor. The original orchestral parts of the premiere are still extant and carefully guarded. The German National Theater and the Weimar State Orchestra thus may rightly claim a special authenticity. And MDG’s patented 2+2+2 surround sound enables listeners to delve into the fantasy world of a magical, fragrant fairy-tale forest in which not only children’s ears begin to glow.

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Review by John Broggio - May 31, 2014

A generally charming reading of a delightful opera.

First, something that may not be immediately obvious is that the company performing this is a direct descendent of the world première that they gave under the baton of no lesser conductor than Richard Strauss (by chance, as the notes recount in considerable depth). As a perennial favourite, it is possible that these players are using markings from (if not the actual same) parts that Strauss used. What will be obvious to most people outside of the Thuringa region of Germany, is that these singers are not ones that participate in the operatic merry-go-round; it is testament to the company that these singers fit the bill remarkably well and make for a delightfully "lived in" feel to the interpretation.

The Hansel of Shigeshima & Gretel of Wimmer have an appealing, youthful radiance to their voices for much of the time. The same cannot be said of their mother (Teem) & father (Schenker-Primus) but it would be unusual if it could! A little harshness aside, this is not inappropriate when considering the actions they are plotting, there is nothing noteworthy to reproach either. Maier is generally successful as the Sandman but there are a few notes where her tone suffers under relatively little pressure; in timbre it could be argued that she is too similar to Shigeshima & Wimmer for it is not immediately obvious that a change of character(s) is now singing in the famous duet. Similar credit goes to Maier (Sandman), Park (Dew fairy) & of course, Günther (the witch) who is obviously relishing the role.

No small amount of credit must go to the orchestra & the conductor Martin Hoff: all rubato is entirely natural and every detail is heard in a cohesive interpretation without obvious mannerisms. It may be the case that the Hexenritt is delivered in a less dramatic way than some big name conductors choose but this is primarily a musical pantomime, not a searing introspection of the human soul. Instead, Hoff's mantra seems to be to let the narrative unfold as though regaling a tale that he has told many times but still enjoys.

Although the recording was made in and around a production, there is no attempt to graft onto the proceedings anything that might be termed stage craft. One part of the opera in particular is tremendously well captured by MDG: the "echo" shortly before the Sandman appears; the sense of distance at this point is marvellous.

In short, this is a wonderful set where one is captivated by the glorious melodies and it evokes many a childhood memory (and no little amount of older ones). One hopes that MDG manage to find other equally fine productions of similar operas (not least some that Strauss wrote rather than conducted!)

Copyright © 2014 John Broggio and HRAudio.net

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