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Notes
This version of the three act Leonore of 1805 was recorded during a concert performance in the Grand Hall of the Vienna Musikverein on 14 December 1970. Starring as Fidelio/Leonore and Florestan were Gwyneth Jones and James King, who were incomparable in these roles at the time. The rest of the cast also include outstanding singers of the age, above all Theo Adam as Pizarro, Gerd Nienstedt as Rocco, Rotraud Hansmann as Marzelline, Werner Hollweg as Jaquino and Eberhard Waechter as Don Fernando. At the beginning, there is the Leonore Overture No. 2, thrillingly performed by the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under the Baton of Carl Melles.
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Reviews
**** Excellent Album
Pierre Flinois – Classica magazine (France) – March 2022
“… the performance has real fire and impact. It is stylishly led by the Hungarian Carl Melles … The cast are absolutely top-drawer for the time and attack their novel challenges with relish, none more so that Gwyneth Jones …”
Mike Ashman – Gramophone magazine – August 2021
“… Minor blemishes don’t curb enjoyment of a generally exciting release of Beethoven’s first version of Fidelio…”
Mike Parr – MusicWeb-Interntional.com – 23 April 2021
“No other work caused Beethoven so many headaches as his opera Fidelio, of which Orfeo now presents the original version Leonore in a concert recording from 1970… the ORF-Orchestra from Vienna proves that in 1970 the technical playing quality of the orchestras was not as developed as it is today. Gladly the voices are all the better. Gwyneth Jones, remembered as one of the greatest Fidelio interpreters also shows her great acting and vocal talent in this performance. And a phenomenal stage presence! The American James King is a vocally outstanding and dramatically moving Florestan. Baritone Theo Adam sings an expressive Don Pizzarro, next to which Gerd Nienstedt’s Rocco falls a bit short. In the roles of Jaquino and Marzelline Werner Hollweg and Rotraud Hansmann are convincing. Carl Melles’ conducting is dramatic and exciting. It’s strange that this conductor never had his big breakthrough.” ****
Norbert Tischer – Pizzicato.com – 23 March 2021
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