Natalie Dessay!

“Amor”: Opera scenes & Lieder

This is one fine, amazing, and satisfying CD!!

The singing is a real thrill! Brought goose-bumps to my neck!

And when you explore the video at the end of this Post, you’ll see how the performing artists were equally thrilled at what they had accomplished in their recording session.

We hear:

Richard Strauss:

Noch glaub’ich dem einem ganz mich gehörend (from Ariadne auf Naxos)
Kindskopf! Merkt auf, wir spielen mit in dem Stück (from Ariadne auf Naxos)
Sein wir wieder gut (from Ariadne auf Naxos)
Ich wollt ein Sträusslein binden, Op. 68 No. 2
Säusle, Liebe Myrte, Op. 68 No. 3
Als mir dein Lied erklang, Op. 68 No. 4
Amor, Op. 68 No. 5
Ich danke, Fraulein (from Arabella)
Mir ist die Ehre widerfahren (from Der Rosenkavalier)
Marie Theres’! … Hab mir’s gelobt (from Der Rosenkavalier)
Ist ein Traum, kann nicht wirklich sein (from Der Rosenkavalier)

Natalie Dessay, Felicity Lott, Angelika Kirchschlager, Sophie Koch & Thomas Allen, and accompanied by the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, conducted by Antonio Pappano

Strauss, says Natalie Dessay, is the key to her career, and this recital of Lieder, arias and scenes features two contrasting characters her repertoire: Sophie from “Der Rosenkavalier”, and Zerbinetta, from “Ariadne auf Naxos”.

Tracks 1-3: Selections from “Ariadne auf Naxos”

Tracks 4-7: ‘Brentano Lieder’), Op. 68

Track 8: from “Arabella”

Tracks 9-11: Extracts from “Der Rosenkavalier”

This is a wonderful CD; Ms. Dessay puts on a great show in each aria, and you can visualize her on stage, she is so absorbing and vivid. The other singers are great, as well, especially Angelika Kirchschlage, and the sound is just perfect.

For me, another great pleasure is to hear the marvelous orchestration of Richard Strauss. When I am not distracted with staging and costumes, I can focus easier on the wonderful sounds that Strauss created in the orchestral accompaniment.

This is music that is absolutely sublime.

And the highlight of this CD are the selections from “Der Rosenkavalier”: The Presentation of the Silver Rose and final trio and duet. Ms. Dessay sounds beautiful in the Presentation, and she sings with the most loving legato and tone at the opera’s end.

Here are some amazing audio/visual highlights from this CD (don’t miss this!!):

If you’d like to purchase this fie CD at Amazon, please click the image below:

Tags: Richard Strauss, Natalie Dessay, Rosenkavalier, Ariadne, Kirschlager Felicity Lott