Commented
Discography of Hänsel und Gretel
by RML
re:opera
~Hänsl
und Gretel (Humperdinck)
1 - Anneliese Rothenberger
(Gretel), Irmgard Seefried (Hänsel), Grace Hoffmann (The Mother),
Elisabeth Höngen (The Witch), Walter Berry (The Father), Wiener
Sängerknaben, Wiener Philharmoniker, André Cluytens
2 - Edita Gruberová
(Gretel), Ann Murray (Hänsel), Gwyneth Jones (The Mother), Christa
Ludwig (The Witch), Franz Grundheber (The Father), Kinder- und Damenchor
der Dresdner Staatsoper, Staatskapelle Dresden, Colin Davis
3 - Helen Donath (Gretel),
Anna Moffo (Hänsel), Charlotte Berthold (The Mother), Christa Ludwig
(The Witch), Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (The Father), Tölzer Knabenchor,
Bayerischer Rundfunk Symphonie Orchester, Kurt Eichhorn
4 - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf
(Gretel), Elisabeth Grümmer (Hänsel), Maria von Ilosvay (The
Mother), Else Schürhof (The Witch), Josef Metternich (The Father),
Choirs of Leighton High School for Girls and Bancroft's School, Philharmonia
Orchestra, Herbert von Karajan
5 - Ruth Ziesak (Gretel),
Jennifer Larmore (Hänsel), Hildegard Behrens (The Mother), Hanna
Schwarz (The Witch), Bernd Weikl (The Father), Tölzer Knabenchor,
Bayerischer Rundfunk Symphonie Orchester, Donald Runnicles
6
- Lucia Popp (Gretel), Brigitte Fassbaender (Hänsel), Júlia
Hamari (The Mother), Anny Schlemm (The Witch), Walter Berry (The Father),
Wiener Sängerknaben, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg Solti
7
- Edita Gruberová (Gretel), Brigitte Fassbaender (Hänsel),
Helga Dernesch (The Mother), Sena Jurinac (The Witch), Hermann Prey
(The Father), Wiener Sängerknaber, Wiener Philharmoniker, Georg
Solti
8
- Renate Hoff (Gretel), Ingeborg Springer (Hänsel), Gisela Schröter
(The Mother), Peter Schreier (The Witch), Theo Adam (The Father), Dresdner
Kreuzchor, Staatskapelle Dresden, Otmar Suitner
9
- Barbara Bonney (Gretel), Anne Sofie von Otter (Hänsel), Hanna
Schwarz (The Mother), Marjana Lipovsek (The Witch), Andreas Schmidt
(The Father), Tölzer Knabenchor, Bayerischer Rundfunk Symphonie
Orchester, Jeffrey Tate
10
- Malin Hartelius (Gretel), Liliana Nikiteanu (Hänsel), Gabriele
Lechner (The Mother), Volker Vogel (The Witch), Alfred Muff (The Father),
Opernhaus Zürichs Orchester und Kinderchor, Franz Welser-Möst
Humperdinck’s masterpiece, Hänsel und Gretel, has both the
reputation of being an opera for children and a Wagnerian sound-alike.
Both are exaggerated opinion. It is true that Humperdinck composed this
as an operatic fairy tale and that it has charmed children all over
the world, but the score is serious enough, one of the richest in every
musical sense in the repertoire. It is known that Humperdinck once composed
some bars to make for a longer change of scene in Bayreuth and this
has been used as an evidence of the composer’s quality as an imitator
of Wagner. Yes, he was under the influence of Wagner, in the same way
Bruckner and Richard Strauss were - but Humperdinck has his own voice
with its intense melodism, dance rhythms and colourful use of the orchestra
(which is more "Straussian" than Wagnerian, in my opinion).
As a matter of fact, Richard Strauss conducted the first performance
and said this was an "original and new work". Wagner’s
son, Siegfried, said this was the "most significant German opera
since Parsifal".
Anyway, the piece couldn’t be more charming than it is - and the
success with great singers and conductors is only an evidence of it.
Also, the plot, with its fairy-tale surroundings involving some quite
"psychological" background, has awakened some interest - sometimes,
it is only the relative "crudeness" of German fairy tale tradition
that calls attention (although, the mother of the original story was,
as a matter of fact, an evil stepmother that gets rid of the kids on
purpose). The cast involves six roles for soprano and one for baritone,
although mezzos appear now and then as Hänsel, the Mother and the
Witch, generally to add character. The main challenge is to balance
the characterization with musical values. Some sopranos end on sounding
silly trying to be childlike and some Witches are unsufferable with
exaggerated grotesque performances.
Cluytens’ recording on EMI, the first in stereo, is quite a disappointing
entry in this discography, especially because it looked so promising.
The recorded sound is edgy and doesn’t allow complete clarity -
also because the distinguished conductor was in bureaucratic mood. The
Vienna Philharmonic is not of great help in this context. Anneliese
Rothenberger is a most congenial soprano, but the wrong kind of voice
for Gretel - it is basically too womanly. On the other hand, Irmgard
Seefried seems like the obvious choice for a soprano Hänsel. Her
clear and firm tone and fortright manners serve the role really well
- and she and Rothenberger interact with amazing spontaneity. Grace
Hoffman is impressive as the Mother, and Walter Berry is a strong Father
too. Liselotte Maikl sing both tiny roles in a charming way, but Elisabeth
Höngen’s Witch lacks charisma and the voice was a bit greyish
by then.
Although completely clear articulation is not Colin Davis’ forte,
this Hänsel und Gretel is probably his best operatic recording
and one of the really best in the discography. He is particularly able
to catch the right mood of each scene - the beginning and the end are
light and animated, the forest scenes are aptly slower and darker -
only the Witch "aria" could be less well-behaved. Moreover,
Davis counts with this most fabulous of orchestras, the Staatskapelle
Dresden, in glowing shape, with exquisite woodwind playing throughout
- all of this spaciously and warmly recorded by Philips. It counts with
a strongest cast too. Even if the voice was purer for Solti, Edita Gruberová
has no rivals as Gretel: her voice is light and delicate when necessary
and she floats high pianissimi to make most sopranos envious. Also,
her usual intelligence and sensitivity are conveyed to produce a child-like
interpretation without caricature. Although Ann Murray’s voice
tends to get unfocused in the top notes, she shares with Gruberová
the ability to produce pianissimo singing (loveliest Evening Prayer)
and to find the optimal level of characterization. They interact strongly
and the voices are contrasted and match beautifully too. Gwyneth Jones
is in powerful voice and, although the tone is sometimes lacking firmness,
it is within the levels of acceptability and makes the Mother a more
dominating character and we understand why the children are scared when
she looses her temper. Christa Ludwig’s second recorded Witch is
a complete contrast to the first performance - which was subtler and
more sophisticated. Here she is more extrovert and a little bit more
bizarre - and the extra weight of the voice and its maturer shape are
all in accordance with it. Franz Grundheber is also a most spontaneous
Father. The casting of the small roles is glamourous: with a loveliest
Sandmann from Barbara Bonney and a charming Taumännchen from Christiane
Oelze.
Eichhorn’s recording had everything to be the top recommendation
in the discography. Everything is perfect with the exception of one
member of the cast - but it is defeated by the recorded sound. When
the orchestra is alone it joins the apparently opposite qualities of
being analytic and spacious at the same time. But voices are so closely
recorded and in such a different acoustics (in Helen Donath’s case
it sounds as if she was recorded in an empty hall) that there is little
possibility of naturality. It has been a turn-off for me. Otherwise,
the rest is admirable. Kurt Eichhorn’s conducting is simply the
clearest and more theatrical in the discography, showing every litle
detail in this richest score in its perfect dramatic sense. And the
Munich Radio Orchestra is in strong shape, with lush string sound. Helen
Donath sounds born to sing the role of Gretel, with a voice that sounds
girly by nature - she does not have to make it, it is already there.
Post-wreck Anna Moffo is the weak link of the cast - she is not bad,
but her then vibrant "mezzo" lacked the richness of resources
of her colleagues. Charlotte Berthold is a bit indifferent as the Mother,
but Christa Ludwig offers here the best Witch in the discography. Her
voice was at its most impressive and she doe not miss a bar to create
a character that is, at the same time, utterly funny and utterly scary.
A classical performance. Then there is Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s
wonderful Father - he was in great voice and offers a performance that
is intelligent without being exaggerated. Lucia Popp is a Taumännchen
full of energy and Arleen Augér is a light and relaxed Sandmann.
Karajan offers a theatrical and personal account of Humperdinck's masterpiece.
No other conductor rivals his thorough and imaginative use of orchestral
colouring and sense of atmosphere. More than that, one can feel that
the conductor has in mind that this is an opera for children only through
his expert use of the effects in the score. Also, the Philharmonia Orchestra
is up to the task and EMI's mono sound is clear enough. Naturally, voices
are favoured, but not so much as to spoil structural clarity. Nevertheless,
Karajan's whimsical playing with tempo and dynamics does make some scenes
- especially those in which some lyricism is involved - pointless due
to dragging tempi and unarticulated phrasing. This is also quite harmful
in scenes where things should be animated, such as in the Witch's "aria",
which is made to sound dull here. Those who insist on spontaneous interpretation
should avoid this recording as well, since naturalness is not this cast's
main quality. The most serious "offender" is, of course, Elisabeth
Schwarzkopf as Gretel. Probably because her voice has nothing girly
about it, she compensates that with massive use of cute effects. I have
to confess that this has disturbed me less than what I would have imagined,
since she is in good voice and, even if most of what she does is amazingly
artifficial, it is still funny sometimes. With her warm and creamy soprano,
Elisabeth Grümmer is an endearing Hänsel - and she is far
more economic about her child-like effects than Schwarzkopf. Maria von
Ilosvay's rich mezzo is an asset as the Mother and Josef Metternich's
Wotan-like Father is still impressive. Else Schürhof's Witch is
creative enough. Before the hocus pocus, she sings in a worn tone. When
she reveals herself as the witch, she sings out in a richer mezzo soprano
voice and the effect is quite telling. That said, it is still a less
than impressive performance, because she has poor discipline. On the
interpretative side, she goes for the usual clichés and even
adds some extra "evil" laughs. Anny Felbermayer is below standard
as the two fairies.
Donald Runnicles' recording is a strong entry in the discography. To
start with, Teldec's wonderfully spacious recorded sound is an asset,
especially when the Bavarian Radio is in such great shape, providing
heavenly crystalline sounds throughout. Runnicles concentrates on providing
exquisite sonorities and clear textures. This is probably the most recommended
performance for those who are interested in structure - motivic connection
is more easily noticed here than in any other recording. However, this
symphonic approach is not necessarily the most theatrical one. Now and
then one feels that forward movement is lacking - even when tempi are
actually fast. As a result, there is a sameness in atmosphere, which
makes the children's playing not really playfull or the forest scene
less mysterious than it should be. Maybe more incisive phrasing would
be useful to give some character to Runnicles' soft-edged view of this
score. The children's roles are sung without any affectation. Ruth Ziesak
is a fresh sounding Gretel, while Jennifer Larmore is a discrete and
dark-toned Hänsel. On the other hand, Hildegard Behrens and Bernd
Weikl are everything but fresh-toned. That said, they are characterful
and forceful as the parents. Hanna Schwarz is an efficient Witch, relying
on the usual clichés to build her character. Both Rosemary Joshua
and Christine Schäfer are delightful as the fairies.
August Everding’s film is my favourite opera film - it is so beautiful
and so funny and so well cast. It brings laughter and tears all the
way. More than that: Solti is in light mood and brings a good-humoured
and energetic performance from the Vienna Philharmonic in its most blessed
shape. The cast could not be nicer. Edita Gruberová is the reference
for her role and looks really cute as Gretel. The whole cast’s
level of acting is so high that singling out Gruberová seems
mean - but I have to confess she (and maybe Prey) are the responsible
for the funniest scenes. Brigitte Fassbaender is one of the darkest
voiced Hänsels in the discography, but sings in a light, spontaneous
mood and blends well with Gruberová. She looks aptly boyish too.
Helga Dernesch is the best Mother in the discography - she is in splendid
voice. Sena Jurinac’s Witch cannot be described as a veteran’s
performance - her voice is in such good shape and she herself brings
so much energy and wit to the Witch that she ends on being irresistible.
Hermann Prey’s Father is also a marvellous impersonation. He is
in great voice and is congeniality itself.
Solti’s previous recording lacks the charm of the video performance.
It is rather heavy and lacking atmosphere. Decca’s recorded sound
does not help a lot - with its overbig acoustics. The cast is also quite
disappointing. Lucia Popp sings with her customary good taste, musicianship
and engagement, but her voice sounds a bit "adult" for Gretel.
Fassbaender is as good as she would be in the video and partners Popp
beautifully too. Júlia Hamari's voice is a bit on the light side
for her role, but the edge helps her to portray a stressed mother. Anny
Schlemm’s cast is a bit more serious - her voice is totally worn
and she seems to find this positive for her role. It is a bit of a freakshow.
For one listening, it can have its effect, but it becomes more and more
annoying with repetition. Walter Berry is again an excellent Father,
though. As in the video, Norma Burrowes is a pleasant Sandmann. On the
other hand, Gruberová sings her Taumännchen too grandly.
Otmar Suitner and the Dresdeners offer a truly exciting orchestral
tour de force in the Telefunken recording, which is naturalness itself.
One could point out that the voices are somewhat too closely recorded,
but the engineering has succeeded in wrapping them in rich and transparent
orchestral sound. Although clarity is outstanding, Suitner's flowing
and amazingly accurate phrasing and energetic tempi stand out: this
is definitely the most animated recording in the discography. Unfortunately,
casting is not up to the stratospherically high level of orchestra and
conductor. Renate Hoff's soprano sounds proper to the role at first
sight, but a fluttery vocal production becomes closer and closer to
instability and, in the end, this is the only aspect of her performance
one can think of. On the other hand, Ingerborg Springer is a clear-toned
and down-to-earth Hänsel, undisputedly the best soloist in this
performance. Gisela Schröter is an uncreative but reliable Mother,
while the only thing between Theo Adam and success is a manner too grand
for the role. The idea of casting the role of the Witch with a tenor
verges on being self-defeated. The tessitura is actually low for a tenor
and, although Peter Schreier sings very well in fact, he simply cannot
compete with a Christa Ludwig or a Marjana Lipovsek, because the results
are simply unexciting.
Jeffrey Tate’s performance is a good example of overrating. It
appeared as a definitive recording, but repeated listening has showed
that media had lot to do with it. To start with, EMI recorded sound
lacks definition and Tate doesn’t ensure that articulation is a
strongest point. As a result of it, much of the Bavarian Radio orchestra’s
lovely playing ends on sounding blurred. On the positive side, it has
plenty of atmosphere, particularly in the rightly celebrated forest
scene, which sounds quite mysterious here. Barbara Bonney’s cool
vocalism and pure tone suit Gretel - I would write "to perfection",
but I feel she is not having so much fun as Gruberová, for example,
did. On the other hand, I have never warmed to Anne Sofie von Otter’s
Hänsel. I think that the voice, although light, is a bit ripe for
the role, and her characterization tends to be exaggerated. She is best
when singing lyrical passages, where her floating mezza voce makes wonders.
I have not also found anything much in Hanna Schwarz’s Mother -
it is a bit edgy and unlovely. Nevertheless, Marjana Lipovsek’s
Witch is a complete success. She has a most attractive voice and tons
of insight. Her Witch is not trying to be funny for one moment - and
is particularly effective because of that. She savours every word of
her text and is the main feature of this recording. Andreas Schmidt
is a light artless Father, but the small roles are poorly cast. Barbara
Hendricks has nothing special to offer as Sandmann since her low register
is unfocused and Eva Lind is at her shrillest as the Taumännchen.
Welser-Möst's performance is not as energetic and brilliant as
Suitner's or Eichhorn's, but rather concentrates on clear and beautiful
orchestral sounds. He gives the score time to breathe and his soloists
plenty of operating space. With the help of images, the result is certainly
theatrical, since the cast is generally competent in their acting skills
and the production is ingenuous and charming in an artless way. Malin
Hartelius' golden-toned Gretel and Liliana Nikiteanu's velvety-voiced
Hänsel are refreshingly unaffected and pleasing all the way. Gabriele
Lechner's Gertrud is too much the Fricka wannabe, while Alfred Muff
is too throaty and scoop-y for comfort. Volker Vogel is funny and unexaggerated
(considering what kind of role this is), but he still has the problems
with lower tessitura every tenor is bound to endure in this part. Martina
Jankova is a complete charmer as the Sandmann and, although a different
singer is said to take the part of the Dew Fairy, it seems that Jankova
is also singing that part (I sincerely hope so - otherwise, Jankova
would have to live with the fact that someone looks and sings just like
her).
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