Strauss - Die ägyptische Helena / G. Jones, J. Thomas, Gruberova, Glossop, Schreier, Wiener Staatsoper, Krips
This double-CD set is part of a series of remastered historical recordings called "Wiener Staatsoper Live." Richard Strauss's inexplicably neglectedEgyptian Helenhad not been seen at the Staatsoper for 36 years by the time this production was mounted to great acclaim in 1969. The director assembled a dream team--Gwyneth Jones in glorious, full-throated powerhouse mode, Jess Thomas giving new meaning to the wordheroicas the heroic tenor, a young light-voiced Edita Gruberova in fine form in the supporting role of Hermione, and Peter Schreier as silvery and shining as ever. This is an archive recording, so there are authentic coughs and squeaks, and an unevenness of depth to the proceedings--but on the plus side, there's also a fantastic sense of the atmosphere and tension of a real-life performance. For those who don't know the work, listening to this recording will be a revelation: more concise thanDer Rosenkavalier, it is its equal in richness of melody and orchestration. In a word: sumptuous.--Warwick Thompson