Great Recordings Of The Century - Humperdinck: Hansel Und Gretel / Karajan, Schwarzkopf, Grummer, Metternich, et al

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Humperdinck’s supremely ingratiating opera has an astoundingly starry recorded history. Its singable, easily learned roles have become sort of a drop-in-for-divas occasion (as in the recording by Christa Ludwig and Frederica von Stade, for example), often with extremely big names singing minor roles. This pre-stereo recording starring Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Elisabeth Grümmer in the titles roles with the youngish Herbert von Karajan would seem to be a forerunner to that, though, in fact, those starry names prove to be window dressing. All the secondary roles are sung by names not familiar to us now, but give us something the starrier casts don’t: thoughtful characterizations rather than somewhat-indulgent star turns. Else Schurhoff not only sings the Witch pretty much as written but without mugging–and still manages to be funny. Anny Felbermayer’s Sandman is an imaginative piece of vocal characterization that suggests what such an otherworldly creature might actually sound like. Karajan and the Philharmonia Orchestra supply all the orchestral color one could hope for in a mono recording, but without turning it into a showpiece. –David Patrick Stearns