Album

Whatever you think you know about Karl Böhm, you don't know anything about Karl Böhm until you've heard this Fidelio. No matter how impressive his earlier recordings of Beethoven's only opera were—and the live one from Vienna during the war was stunning—this 1969 performance from Dresden is staggering. Sure, the singing is terrific. With the expressive James King as Florestan, the massive Martti Talvela as Don Fernando, the malevolent Theo Adam as Don Pizarro, and especially the glorious and gorgeous Gwyneth Jones as Leonore, all the leads are superlative, and with the hilarious Franz Crass as Rocco, the sweet Edith Mathis as Marzelline, and particularly the sensitive Peter Schreier as Jaquino, all the lesser roles are superbly characterized. And, sure, with the strong, subtle, and colorful Staatskapelle Dresden in the pit and Leipziger Rundfunkchor and the Chor der Staatoper Dresden on-stage with the soloists in the tremendous Act II Finale, the orchestra and chorus are magnificent. But the hero of this Fidelio is Böhm, who knows the composer and the work so thoroughly that he can allow the work's elevated emotionalism and passionate idealism pour through the music into the hearts and souls of the listeners. Indeed, not only is this Böhm's most compelling Fidelio, it surely ranks with the exalted Furtwängler and the invincible Klemperer as one of the most compelling ever recorded. DG's stereo sound is overwhelmingly vivid and almost unbearably present.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Fidelio, Op.72 (opera)...Act 1 Work 1:10:02 Edith Mathis Soprano, Karl Böhm Conductor, Gwyneth Jones Soprano, Eberhard Buchner Voice, Gerhart Wustner Chorus/Choir Director, Gunther Leib Voice, Theo Adam Voice, Peter Schreier Voice, Martti Talvela Voice, Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra, Dresden State Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, James King Tenor, Franz Crass Voice
1	Overture	6:16			$0.99
2	1a.Marzelline and Jouquino's Duet: Jetzt, Schätzchen, jetzt sind wir allein	4:55			$0.99
3	1b.Dialogue, Marzeline: Armer Jaquino, ich war ihm sonst recht gut	0:13			$0.49
4	2a.Marzelinne's Aria: O wär ich schon mit dir vereint	4:10			$0.99
5	2b.Dialogue, Rocco: Guten Tag, Marzelline. Ist Fidelio noch nicht zurückgekommen?	1:01			$0.49
6	3.Quartet: Mir ist so wunderbar	4:52			$0.99
7	3a.Dialogue, Rocco: Höre, Fidelio!	0:24			$0.49
8	4a.Rocco's Aria: Hat man nicht auch Gold beineben	2:38			$0.99
9	4b.Dialogue, Leonore: Ihr könnt das leicht sagen, Meister Rocco	1:28			$0.49
10	5a.Trio: Gut, Söhnchen, gut	6:49			$0.99
11	6a.Marsch	2:04			$0.99
12	6b.Dialogue, Pizzaro: Drei Mann Schildwachen auf den Wall	0:58			$0.49
13	7a.Piazarro's Aria with Chorus: Ha! Welch ein Augenblick!	2:58			$0.99
14	7b.Dialogue, Pizarro: Hauptmann! Besteigen Sie mit einem Trompeter sogleich den Turm	0:31			$0.49
15	8.Pizarro and Rocco's Duet: Jetzt, Alter, jetzt hat es Eile!	5:10			$0.99
16	9a.Recitative: Abscheulicher! Wo eilst du hin?; No.9b.Leonore's Aria: Komm, Hoffnung, laß den letzten Stern	7:15			$1.49
17	9c.Dialogue, Jaquino: Marzelline! Nein, ich will nicht	0:52			$0.49
18	10a.Finale, Prisoners' Chorus: O welche Lust, In freier Luft	6:34			$0.99
19	10b.Leonore and Rocco: Nun sprecht, wie ging's?	7:21			$1.49
20	10e.Finale: Leb wohl, du warmes Sonnenlicht	3:33			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Fidelio, Op.72 (opera)...Act 2 Work 31:13 Edith Mathis Soprano, Karl Böhm Conductor, Gwyneth Jones Soprano, Eberhard Buchner Voice, Gerhart Wustner Chorus/Choir Director, Gunther Leib Voice, Theo Adam Voice, Peter Schreier Voice, Martti Talvela Voice, Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra, Dresden State Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, James King Tenor, Franz Crass Voice
1	11a.Introduction; No.11b.Recitative: Florestan: Gott, welch' Dunkel hier; No.11c.Florestan's Aria: In des Lebens Frühlingstagen	9:48			$1.49
2	12a.Melodrama: Wie kalt ist es; No.12b.Duet, Rocco and Leonore: Nur hurtig fort, nur frisch gegraben	5:35			$0.99
3	12c.Dialogue, Leonore: Er erwacht!	1:32			$0.49
4	13a.Trio: Euch werde Lohn in besser'n Welten	6:14			$0.99
5	13b.Dialogue, Rocco: Alles ist bereit	0:21			$0.49
6	14a.Quartet: Er sterbe! Doch er soll erst wissen	4:30			$0.99
7	14d.Dialogue, Florestan: Meine Leonore, was hast du meinetwegen erduldet!"	0:14			$0.49
8	15.Duet, Leonore and Florestan: O namenlose Freude!	2:59			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Leonore Overture No.3 in C, Op.72b Work Edith Mathis Soprano, Karl Böhm Conductor, Gwyneth Jones Soprano, Eberhard Buchner Voice, Gerhart Wustner Chorus/Choir Director, Gunther Leib Voice, Theo Adam Voice, Peter Schreier Voice, Martti Talvela Voice, Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra, Dresden State Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, James King Tenor, Franz Crass Voice
9	Leonore Overture No.3 in C, Op.72b	13:33			$2.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Fidelio, Op.72 (opera)...Act 2 Work Edith Mathis Soprano, Karl Böhm Conductor, Gwyneth Jones Soprano, Eberhard Buchner Voice, Gerhart Wustner Chorus/Choir Director, Gunther Leib Voice, Theo Adam Voice, Peter Schreier Voice, Martti Talvela Voice, Dresden Staatskapelle Orchestra, Dresden State Opera Chorus Chorus/Choir, James King Tenor, Franz Crass Voice
10	16a.Finale: Heil sei dem Tag	14:10			$2.49