Weber: Silvana

Schirmer, Ulf, soliści

CPO 777727

It was in Frankfurt am Main on 16 September 1810 that Carl Maria von Weber’s opera Silvana was first performed. Eleven years would pass before Weber again presented a full-length opera – Der Freischütz. While the latter work became a box-office hit, Silvana is practically forgotten today, even though it enjoyed a very respectable performance history. cpo is now releasing the first recording of the original version of Weber’s heroic opera Silvana. The present recording now for the first time relies on the materials for the critical scholarly edition of the work forming part of the Carl Maria von Weber complete edition and the performance materials prepared for it. The complete edition presents the original version, including the dialogues, but at the same time contains many changes made by Weber for the work’s premiere in Frankfurt am Main in 1810. Nobody knew better than the composer himself that he had not been entirely successful in shaping a convincing stylistic blending of impassioned romanticism and simple folk quality, novel ideas and conventional set pieces, and poetic vision and formal dramaturgy in his first version of this opera. It was for this reason that he reworked, tightened, and repeatedly revised his Silvana. The positive final result is yours to hear on this release.

CD

24.02.2015

761203772728