Salome (1947 Krauss, Cebotari / @1905 Strauss), London production, sound recording (opera)

Salome (1947) is a London production and sound recording of Salome (1905 Strauss / Lachmann), opera, conducted by Clemens Krauss.

Abstract

Recording of a performance given by the Vienna State Opera at Covent Garden London, England (30 September 1947).

"In 1947 the displaced Vienna State Opera travelled to Covent Garden for an illustrious guest run; Ljuba Welitsch sang Salome to typical acclaim but at the last performance her place was taken by a very different artist, the tragically short-lived soprano Maria Cebotari, who was also singing Donna Anna and the Countess Almaviva. There's a precious off-the-air recording from that night, with Clemens Krauss conducting. Cebotari uses her fine-spun voice to suggest aristocratic breeding gone to seed; the high notes ring out effortlessly. But she is venomous when necessary, raising goose bumps in a chillingly radiant finale. Opposite her is Julius Patzak, a great singing actor who had no better as Herod; his pitch is true, his tone full, his diction deliciously crisp. Elisabeth Höngen makes for a spooky Herodias, speaking-singing almost in Lotte Lenya style. Krauss whips up an opulent storm of sound. Alas, the recording is poor, with much background noise and occasional distortion of pitch."--Gramophone

Cast

• Maria Cebotari = Salome
• Marko Rothmüller =John the Baptist
• Julius Patzak = Herod Antipas
• Elisabeth Höngen = Herodias

Karl Friedrich (Narraboth) -- Dagmar Hermann (Page) -- Peter Klein, William Wernigk, Maximilian WIllimsky, Erwin Nowaro, Ljubomir Pantscheff (Jews) -- Ludwig Weber, Hans Schweiger (Nazarenes) -- Wilhelm Felden, Hans Braun (Soldiers) -- Alfred Muzzarelli (Cappadocian) -- Erich Majkut (Slave)

• Wiener Philharmoniker