Salome (1977 Karajan, Behrens / @1905 Strauss), Salzburg production, sound recording (opera)

Salome (1977) is a Salzburg production and sound recording of Salome (1905 Strauss / Lachmann), opera, conducted by Herbert von Karajan.

Abstract

Recording of a performance at the Salzburg Festival (26 July 1977). The production was reprised with the same cast in Vienna, Austria: Sophiensaal, 9-20 May 1978, and again at the Salzburg Festival (3-26 August 1978).

"Born to conduct Strauss, Karajan maximises Salome's lyric qualities while never suppressing its Expressionist power. No conductor more skilfully negotiates the opera's liquid changes of mood. The casting is pristine. The young Hildegard Behrens brings to bear a full, fresh, glowingly beautiful voice - her vocal problems lie in the future - and memorably details each stage of Salome's progression into madness. José van Dam invests the role of Jochanaan with ardour and poetry. And Karl Walter Böhm, a distinctive tenor who prospered briefly under Karajan's tutelage in the mid-'70s and then disappeared from view, fashions a fabulously decadent Herod, communicating both the melting charm of a golden-mouthed host (‘Salome, come drink wine with me’) and the savage rage of an impotent despot (‘She is a monster, your daughter’) ... It's no surprise that Herbert von Karajan's recording is powerfully sung and lushly played; what's more startling is mat it is so rich in irony and wit. He instinctively realises Strauss's conception of Salome as a pitch-black comedy."--Gramophone.

"This Salome marked the breakout run for Hildegard Behrens who would go on to become one of the greatest dramatic sopranos of her time. The production was recorded and commercially released. This recording was the broadcast of one of the performances and is a much better representation of Behrens' artistry than the rather stale accounting from the studio. In short, Behrens is near perfections as Salome. There was a pure girlish quality to her voice which seems almost entirely incongruous with the music of Richard Strauss, but, when coupled with her powerful top, creates the perfect storm for a definitive Salome. She is joined by a remarkable supporting cast including Agnes Baltsa as Herodias and José Van Dam as Jochanaan. Baltsa seems a little out of sorts in this role. Her voice was still too legit for these kind of roles and she lacks the "campy" quality that makes a great Herodias (perhaps Karajan wanted to convey a more youthful Herodias.) Van Dam may not be booming in this role, but he still delivers it with plenty of fire and brimstone and his attractive voice makes it seem all the more clear why Salome would become so infatuated with him. Walter Böhm is serviceable as Herod but not at the level of his colleagues. It is also worth noting that there are some fantastic singers in the supporting roles including Wieslaw Ochman, Gerd Nienstedt, Kurt Rydl, Michel Sénéchal and Erich Kunz. Karajan delivers all of the technicolor glamor of this score in the manner that only he was capable of. The sound is excellent."--Opera Depot

Cast

• Hildegard Behrens = Salome
• José van Dam = John the Baptist
• Karl-Walter Böhm = Herod Antipas
• Agnes Baltsa = Herodias

• Wiener Philharmoniker (Herbert von Karajan, conductor)

Editions

Released on Vinyl and CD.