THE OSCHOLARS

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AN OSCAR WILDE MUSIC DISCOGRAPHY :

A FLORENTINE TRAGEDY & THE BIRTHDAY OF THE INFANTA

Compiled with commentary by Tine Englebert

page created March 2008

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With the one-act operas based on Oscar Wilde’s Eine florentinische Tragödie and Der Zwerg, the Austrian composer Alexander von Zemlinsky (1871-1942) created two works in Prague which finally established his reputation as one of the most well versed and versatile opera composers of his time. They remain until today his most frequently played stage works.

WORK	CONDUCTOR
A Florentine Tragedy	Albrecht
A Florentine Tragedy	Jordan
A Florentine Tragedy	Conlon
A Florentine Tragedy	Chailly
The Birthday of the Infanta	Conlon
The Birthday of the Infanta	Albrecht

Eine florentinische Tragödie (1915-1916, first performance Stuttgart, 30th January 1917), based on Wilde’s A Florentine Tragedy, is a chamber work with great psychological intensity. The opera unfolds a single situation, the triangle as often found in Zemlinsky’s operas, of a woman caught between two rival men. This constellation inevitably leads to a catastrophe, depicted by Zemlinsky with music which in its erotic Some fine recordings are available:richness of sound is reminiscent of Salome by Strauss.

Eine florentinische Tragödie

Doris Soffel (Bianca), Mezzosoprano

Kenneth Riegel (Guido), Tenor

Guilermo Sarabia (Simone), Bass

Radio Symphonie Orchester

Gerd Albrecht, Conductor

Recording: 1983

Schwann Musica Mundi VMS 1626 (2 LPs) (1984)
Schwann/Impetus VMS 1626 (2 LPs) 1984 (UK)
Schwann/Impetus CD 11626 (1986) (UK)
Koch Schwann 314 013 H1 (1988) (USA)
(73'32")314 012

Une Tragédie florentine opus 16

Live recording Radio France 13/09/2003

Naïve V4987

Iris Vermillion (Bianca), mezzo-soprano

Viktor Lutsiuk (Guido), ténor

Albert Dohmen (Simone), baryton

Maîtrise de Radio France

Choeur de Radio France

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France

Armin Jordan, conductor

Eine florentinische Tragödie

EMI Classics 556 472-2 (1997)

Deborah Voigt (Bianca), Soprano

David Kuebler (Guido Bardi), Tenor

Donnie Ray Albert (Simone), Baritone

Gürzenich-Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker

James Conlon, Conductor

Eine florentinische Tragödie & Alma Mahler: Lieder

Iris Vermillion (Bianca), Mezzo-Soprano

Heinz Kruse (Guido Bardi), Tenor

Albert Dohmen (Simone), Baritone

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Riccardo Chailly, conductor

Decca 455112-2 (1997)

The Birthday of the Infanta / Die Geburtstag der Infantin / Der Zwerg

In Der Zwerg (1919-21, first performance Cologne, 28 May 1922) based on Wilde’s novella The Birthday of the Infanta the expressionist parlando of the “tragedy” gives way to a more cantabile style and Zemlinsky also again goes back to more traditional forms. Nevertheless, Der Zwerg is ultimately the more modern opera, as heterogynous stylistic layers are cut in an almost film-like technique and transposed over each other. Thus Zemlinsky succeeds in achieving such shattering effects contrasting the cold, calculating world of the princess and the touching fate of the dwarf, who is driven step by step into fatal self-recognition.

Der Zwerg

Tragic tale for music in one act, free after Oscar Wilde's The Birthday of the Infanta by Georg C. Klaren

EMI Classics 5 66247 2 (1996) - 2 CDs

Soile Isokoski (Donna Klara), soprano

David Kuebler (Der Zwerg), tenor

Iride Martinez (Ghite), soprano

Andrew Collis (Don Estoban), bass

Juanita Lascarro (Erste Zofe), soprano

Machiko Obata (Zweite Zofe), soprano

Anne Schwanewilms (Dritte Zofe), soprano

Natalie Karl (Erste Gespielin)

Martina Rüping (Zweite Gespielin)

Frankfurter Kantorei

Gürzenich-Orchester Kölner Philharmoniker

James Conlon, conductor

Die Geburtstag der Infantin

Libretto von G. C. Klaren frei nach Oskar Wilde; neue Textfassung: Adolf Dresen

Inge Nielsen (Donna Clara) (Soprano), Béatrice Haldas (Ghita) (Soprano), Kenneth Riegel (Der Zwerg) (Tenor), Dieter Weller (Don Estoban) (Bass).

Cheryl Studer / Olive Fredricks / Marianne Hirsti (Ladies-in-Waiting)

Frauenstimmen des RIAS-Kammerchores

Radio-Symphonie-Orchester Berlin

Gerd Albrecht, Conductor

Recording: 1983

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