One of my favorite clips on Youtube. The only problem is that this is like peanuts. I can't just hear it once. I play it over and over and over. My soul mate said: Any wonder you're depressed all the time. Turn that off.
What a voice...i must admit i had a cd of james King in Tosca and it reminded me of Mario Del Monaco -i mean Mario was heaven sent but he COULD steamroll a tenor part.
Here James King is perfect and the production is just as i want to see it- very DALLAS- reminds me of J.R somehow.....all of a sudden a cliffhanger-did he or didn't he do it??
Wonderful....
Actually seen this opera many times but always with Torsten Kerl...would love to see it with someone else.
It's pretty obvious why this opera is not produced more often. The role of Paul is so very difficult. King is one of the very few who could sing it with ease. Plenty of Mariettas around, but I can't imagine any currently singing tenor surviving the role of Paul.
This opera deserves more productions, I can't for the life of me figure out why it is so seldom staged. And Korngold deserves more composing credit than he is normally given. He was once very popular.
How do people feel that this man (Korngold) doesn't even get a MENTION in your typical undergraduate music history course? It infuriates me. I understand and can appreciate the accomplishments of Schoenberg and his compatriots but I believe it is largely thanks to them Korngold is ignored in the study of music history!
Both the composer and sublime Maria Jeritza would be thrilled to see this peerless production! I fully agree with CULVEYHOUSE's comment (above.) A real, true production in line with the composer's wishes and intentions. Burn in hell those modern arrogant stage directors!
Burn in hell, indeed. I think true fans of opera want to see productions closer to the composer/libbretists intent and not the circus performances such as they are doing today (The Ring for one is so distorted that you have to close your eyes to enjoy the music).
Masculix is right. There is no gun, it changes the sense. In the original plot he decide to leave the house (and the wife), while this final is hopeless: the gun shows that the sentence "Harre mein in lichten Höhn, hier gibt es kein Auferstehn" means he want to die to join the wife again.
Great singer. The libretto gives hope for a new life and a new future. I have seen this opera twice on stage. Both ends visually with no hope. Here it ends with a gun(?) Wish Hope, and not Hopelessness, should be the conclusion.
James King was one of the great Wagnerian Heldentenors of the 20th century. I didn't know that he performed the role of Paul in Die Tote Stadt. Great voice and performance. The director's choice to end the opera with Paul about to commit suicide is a very different interpretation of the libretto, in which Paul finally moves past his grief and with "Ich will's versuchen" states that he wants to move on from the city of the dead.
James king was an amazing tenor and an even more amazing person. I count myself lucky to have known him. You would have never met a more down to earth tenor.
Overwhelming. One of the best performances of Die Tote Stadt ever. I only wish this (and Korngold's other operas for that matter) was performed more often, and in all major cities (not just Vienna).
Just compare this masculine, full voiced approach of King to the pinched, nasal, whiny Kollo on the complete recording! Why didn't RCA choose King in his prime? Many thanks for posting this!
@9546aw No, because I met him and played for him shortly before his passing and that was years after the RCA recoding was made. RCA could also have cast John Alexander, who had done the role at NY CIty Opera and also sang at the Metropolitan Opera.
@billyguns2 I have three versions of this opera including the one you mention and I certainly wouldn't describe Kollo's voice as "pinched, nasal, and whiny." He's not at his best but he has a lovely lyrical voice. Your comment is mean-spirited. Cheer up! I'm sure Kollo sings much better than you do.
One of my favorite clips on Youtube. The only problem is that this is like peanuts. I can't just hear it once. I play it over and over and over. My soul mate said: Any wonder you're depressed all the time. Turn that off.
Not a chance
junehilde 5 months ago
A masterpiece of interpretation. James King IS Paul.
One of the most moving scenes in opera.
klokheten 10 months ago
...allerdings in einer anderen Auffuehrung!
dearmalika 1 year ago
Die ganze Oper ist in yt zu geniessen! Einfach grossartig!
dearmalika 1 year ago
What a voice...i must admit i had a cd of james King in Tosca and it reminded me of Mario Del Monaco -i mean Mario was heaven sent but he COULD steamroll a tenor part.
Here James King is perfect and the production is just as i want to see it- very DALLAS- reminds me of J.R somehow.....all of a sudden a cliffhanger-did he or didn't he do it??
Wonderful....
Actually seen this opera many times but always with Torsten Kerl...would love to see it with someone else.
dassayev2010 1 year ago
It's pretty obvious why this opera is not produced more often. The role of Paul is so very difficult. King is one of the very few who could sing it with ease. Plenty of Mariettas around, but I can't imagine any currently singing tenor surviving the role of Paul.
ploplisphilin 1 year ago
@ploplisphilin ben heppner, and in a few year jonas kaufmann. ;)
Shostakovich87 1 year ago
@ploplisphilin ben heppner, and in a few year jonas kaufmann. ;)a dn bohta
Shostakovich87 1 year ago
Thank you very much for posting this finale to a gorgeous opera, which deserves to be produced much more often.
lilaspastia1 1 year ago
This opera deserves more productions, I can't for the life of me figure out why it is so seldom staged. And Korngold deserves more composing credit than he is normally given. He was once very popular.
cpanati 1 year ago 3
How do people feel that this man (Korngold) doesn't even get a MENTION in your typical undergraduate music history course? It infuriates me. I understand and can appreciate the accomplishments of Schoenberg and his compatriots but I believe it is largely thanks to them Korngold is ignored in the study of music history!
GeneralRenz 1 year ago 2
Both the composer and sublime Maria Jeritza would be thrilled to see this peerless production! I fully agree with CULVEYHOUSE's comment (above.) A real, true production in line with the composer's wishes and intentions. Burn in hell those modern arrogant stage directors!
GoldenAgeSunshine 1 year ago
Burn in hell, indeed. I think true fans of opera want to see productions closer to the composer/libbretists intent and not the circus performances such as they are doing today (The Ring for one is so distorted that you have to close your eyes to enjoy the music).
jgesselberty 1 year ago
Btw, moving final.
soylentgrun 2 years ago
Masculix is right. There is no gun, it changes the sense. In the original plot he decide to leave the house (and the wife), while this final is hopeless: the gun shows that the sentence "Harre mein in lichten Höhn, hier gibt es kein Auferstehn" means he want to die to join the wife again.
soylentgrun 2 years ago
Thank You so much Arsace86 for posting this.
What a shattering production,and James King is great.
Is it too much to hope that this production might come out on DVD?
swiftsboy 2 years ago
Great singer. The libretto gives hope for a new life and a new future. I have seen this opera twice on stage. Both ends visually with no hope. Here it ends with a gun(?) Wish Hope, and not Hopelessness, should be the conclusion.
Masculix 2 years ago
James King was one of the great Wagnerian Heldentenors of the 20th century. I didn't know that he performed the role of Paul in Die Tote Stadt. Great voice and performance. The director's choice to end the opera with Paul about to commit suicide is a very different interpretation of the libretto, in which Paul finally moves past his grief and with "Ich will's versuchen" states that he wants to move on from the city of the dead.
jglass54 2 years ago
Wunderschoen.
denseatoms 2 years ago
James king was an amazing tenor and an even more amazing person. I count myself lucky to have known him. You would have never met a more down to earth tenor.
Lovely person and so missed!
tenore23 3 years ago 2
Overwhelming. One of the best performances of Die Tote Stadt ever. I only wish this (and Korngold's other operas for that matter) was performed more often, and in all major cities (not just Vienna).
culveyhouse 3 years ago 2
Impossibly awesome! Thanks for posting this.
Drewminter 3 years ago
This is a tremendous performance by all concerned. Is this available on DVD?
sandymouthbay 3 years ago
TERRIFIC.
jadoremassenet 3 years ago
Wirklich beeindruckend!
nikodemus7777 3 years ago 4
I totally agree - this is a masterpiece sung in an amazing way by King! I need this DVD - any idea where I can get it?
jschultz4 3 years ago 3
Just compare this masculine, full voiced approach of King to the pinched, nasal, whiny Kollo on the complete recording! Why didn't RCA choose King in his prime? Many thanks for posting this!
billyguns2 3 years ago 9
@billyguns2 : I think King died prior to the RCA Recording
9546aw 1 year ago
@9546aw No, because I met him and played for him shortly before his passing and that was years after the RCA recoding was made. RCA could also have cast John Alexander, who had done the role at NY CIty Opera and also sang at the Metropolitan Opera.
billyguns 1 year ago
@billyguns2 You are absolutely true. The typical publicity and industrie story that destroid opera...
pafnuzzi 2 months ago
@billyguns2 I have three versions of this opera including the one you mention and I certainly wouldn't describe Kollo's voice as "pinched, nasal, and whiny." He's not at his best but he has a lovely lyrical voice. Your comment is mean-spirited. Cheer up! I'm sure Kollo sings much better than you do.
lewars1912 2 months ago