Reri Grist
Production of Mozart's opera about the Spanish nobleman who seeks to rescue his beloved Konstanze from the hands of the Pasha. Karl Bohm conducts the Chorus and Orchestra of the Bayerischen Staatsoper with the right balance of serious purpose and light lilting lyricism. This production, staged by August Everding with set and costume design by Max Bignens, was filmed from a live television production relayed on the First Programme (Channel 1) of German television on 25 April 1980,
On available record, the great Austrian conductor Karl Boehm had three Enthurung recordings: the 1945 mono with Dermota/Schwarzkopf; the 1974 with Schreier/Auger/Grist, and this his last opera conducting in 1980. So you see, this was Karl Boehm's last opera conducting, and the emotional side of the whole thing WAS evident. Boehm came out at the end of curtain calls all by himself, saluting the orchestra members. It was a very moving event by istelf. Back to the performance. A special event is a special event. There is no need, absolutely no need, to prick the legend and excruciate imperfections, which there WERE, given the high tension of the event. The singers here, with the exception of Reri Grist, are all in their prime. As Konstanze, Gruberova is very capable vocally, but she did not give a perfect performance. Her duet with Belmonte at the last Act is one-sided and there was no chemistry between her and Araiza at all.
This production from Covent Garden is set in Stockholm, and not Boston. With Reri Grist (Oscar), Placido Domingo (Gustavus), Katia Ricciarelli (Amelia), Piero Cappucili (Renato), Patricia Payne (? - the booklet or DVD fails to credit the singer) (Ulrica) and Claudio Abbado in the pit: all at their peak, you just simply cannot go wrong when purchasing this DVD. This performance made me realise why I had fallen in love with opera: beautiful (today one should be thankful) and convincing sets and costumes, and fiery conducting and singing from all the above soloists which leaves you breathless. Domingo as the King (not the Governor of Boston) is simply ravishing! He is so convincing and dashing as Gustavus - I think very few tenors nowadays can even attempt such a convincing vocal and dramatic performance.
The wonderful Strauss-Zweig comic opera silent woman. This is the classic performance from Munich in 1971 with Kurt Moll, Reri Grist, Barry McDaniel and Kurt Grobe. The English subtitles allow those of us without German to enjoy the wonderful libretto by Zweig.
