Rysanek, Ludwig, King, Berry: Die Frau ohne Schatten- Finale (1966, MET)

The tremendous finale from Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten. This Metropolitan Opera broadcast from December 17, 1966 is as good as it gets. To say that the MET assembled a dream cast is no overstatement. James King & Walter Berry are both wonderful as the Kaiser and the Dyer, and Leonie Rysanek, of course, is the greatest Kaiserin. The high tessitura is no problem for her (& somewhat protects her relatively hollow middle voice). Listen to how her high notes soar in this final quartet.

However, perhaps most impressive is Christa Ludwig as the Dyer's wife, who essentially transformed herself into a full-fledged dramatic soprano seemingly capable of doing absolutely anything!

Here is the full cast:

DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN

Empress.................Leonie Rysanek
Emperor.................James King
Dyer's Wife.............Christa Ludwig
Barak...................Walter Berry
Nurse...................Irene Dalis
Messenger...............William Dooley
Falcon..................Carlotta Ordassy
Hunchback...............Paul Franke
One-Eyed................Clifford Harvuot
One-Armed...............Lorenzo Alvary
Servant.................Loretta Di Franco
Servant.................Karan Armstrong
Servant.................Nancy Williams
Apparition..............Robert Nagy
Unborn..................Patricia Welting
Unborn..................Margaret Kalil
Unborn..................Marcia Baldwin
Unborn..................Joann Grillo
Unborn..................Shirley Love
Unborn..................Lilian Sukis
Watchman................Charles Anthony
Watchman................Robert Goodloe
Watchman................Russell Christopher
Voice...................Belén Amparan
Guardian................Mary Ellen Pracht

Conductor...............Karl Böhm

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Die
• Frau
• ohne
• Schatten
• Woman
• without
• Shadow
• Richard
• Strauss
• Act
• III
• Finale
• Final
• Quartet
• Karl
• Bohm
• Leonie
• Rysanek
• Christa
• Ludwig
• James
• King
• Walter
• Berry
• Metropolitan
• Opera
• MET
• 1966

[heldenbariton1960]

With all the broadcasts that Sony has been releasing lately, this would be a fabulous addition to that series....

[iskenderuna]

@profgv Just saw the Salzburg production in which Anne Schwanewilms was supposed to "play" Rysanek during the 1955 recording - Yes, that was what the production was about: it was set in Vienna's Sofiensäle, where the recording was made!! Schwanwilms didnt even come close to what Rysanek's Kaiserin was about and sounded like a soubrette too! It depressed me. I heard Rysanek sing the role about 10 times - live, and one can say for those who heard her she will ALWAYS own it.

[papoocanada]

I saw it all the Met too.........unforgettable



[amfortas1978]

Bohm can get you trenble by his tense music!

[petatap]

Phantastic performance - I forgot to mention ... Great, thanks for posting!!!

[petatap]

Why do you start with "Tristan", II Act? I always think I opened the wrong page ...

[tenorqueiroz]

Thank you for this wonderful post! This is indeed a "dream team" for this opera, one of my top 5 favorites! I've long been aware of this recording and am glad to hear the final scene, but I'd love to know how to get the whole opera!

[profgv]

Leonie Rysanek will own this role for ages to come....I'm happy to have been their at The Met for that unbelievable opening night.

[operaleonie]

i LOVEE her in this, delicious stuff!

[JeeRant]

Tremendous!