Lehar: Göttergatte, operetka w 3 aktach

ORF Radio-Symphonieorchester Wien, Schönherr, Max

CPO 777 029-2

It was only once that Franz Lehár tried his musical hand at a mythological parody of the gods à la Offenbach – in Der Göttergatte of 1904, his third operetta after Der Rastelbinder and Wiener Frauen. As a critic wrote at the time, »Lehár is no Offenbach, certainly not. But he is a highly imaginative musician.« And Lehár demonstrates this fact precisely in this score, in which almost every number develops playfully from the situation, the orchestra shines iridescently in all its facets, and each figure is characterized musically. And, all joking aside, Lehár takes the figures seriously instead of submitting them to ridicule! Our historical recording from 1945 (a few weeks prior to the end of World War II!) is a genuine gem and could not be topped by any new recording – which is why I decided to release it even though this has meant a departure from cpo's customary acoustic and historical paths. The cast is simply dazzling: Vienna's then leading Mozart tenor Anton Dermota sings the role of Amphitryon, Franz Borsos is Jupiter, and Liesl Andergast is his wife Juno. Sosias is played by the Burgtheater actor Fred Liewehr, whom Lehár himself persuaded to take excursions into the song field. The result is the purest listening joy: the best Viennese theater and song tradition plus the then rather modern form of the radio operetta.

CD x 2

CPO

1/10/13

761203702923