0028948202805

Inge Borkh, Ljuba Welitsch: The Decca Recitals

Inge Borkh, Ljuba Welitsch

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Format: 2CD

Cat No: ELQ4820280

Release Date:  30 October 2015

Label:  Australian Eloquence

Packaging Type:  Fat Double (a 2.5cm thick jewel case, fits several CDs)

No of Units:  2

Barcode:  0028948202805

Genres:  Classical  Choral  

  • Description

    These recordings of the voices of Inge Borkh and Ljuba Welitsch are very fine examples of the art of the dramatic soprano from the 1950s and early 1960s. Borkh acquired a considerable reputation as Aida, Tosca, Turandot, and Medea in Cherubini's opera of the same name, as well as Leonora in Fidelio. On this anthology, bringing together her recital records for Decca, we are given two mixed recitals and one of three great operatic scenes (Beethoven, Strauss, Weber).

    Bulgarian-born Ljuba Welitsch liked to sing and play the violin as a child and studied Philosophy at Sofia University she began to train her voice at the Sofia Conservatory and then in Vienna at the Music Academy. It was in Vienna that her performance as the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos attracted the attention of Richard Strauss who suggested that she sing Salome. Her first Salome was in 1944 at a performance conducted by the composer himself to mark his 80th birthday. By the mid-1950s Welitsch had begun to switch to smaller roles and comic parts after having driven her voice mercilessly and undergoing a throat operation. Her only recital disc for Decca (and one of her very few studio recordings) was recorded in Vienna in 1950. By way of a 'bonus' we have Rudolf Sieczyski's nostalgic song 'Wien, Wien, nur du allein' from Vienna, City of my Dreams, composed in 1913 and performed here in a 1960 recording of Die Fledermaus as part of a 'gala' featuring a host of famous singers at Prince Orlofsky's ball. Welitsch had been coaxed out of retirement to take part in this bit of fun (which was not without precedent in Vienna) and her contribution is very moving.

  • Tracklisting

      Disc 1

      Side 1

      • 1. DVO?ÁK Rusalka: Song to the Moon
      • 2. GLUCK Alceste: Divinités du Styx
      • 3. MASCAGNI Cavalleria rusticana: Voi lo sapete
      • 4. VERDI Macbeth: La luce langue
      • 5. DEBUSSY L’Enfant prodigue: Air de Lia
      • 6. VERDI La forza del destino: Son giunta … Madre, pietosa vergine
      • 7. VERDI Un ballo in maschera: Ecco l’orrido campo … Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa
      • 8. VERDI Macbeth: Ambizioso spirto … Vieni t’affretta … Or tutti sorgete
      • 9. GIORDANO Andrea Chénier: La mamma morta
      • 10. CILEA Adriana Lecouvreur: Io son l’umile ancella

      Disc 2

      • 1. WEBER Oberon: Ozean! Du Ungeheuer!
      • 2. BEETHOVEN Ah perfido!, Op. 65
      • 3. STRAUSS Salome: Du wolltest mich nicht deinem Mund
      • 4. TCHAIKOVSKY The Queen of Spades: Ich mu? am Fenster lehnen
      • 5. TCHAIKOVSKY The Queen of Spades: Es geht auf Mitternacht
      • 6. VERDI Un ballo in maschera: Ma dall’arido stelo divulsa
      • 7. VERDI Un ballo in maschera: Morrò, ma prima in grazia
      • 8. LEHÁR Zigeunerliebe: Lied und Csárdas
      • 9. LEHÁR Die lustige Witwe: Vilja-Lied
      • 10. MILLÖCKER Die Dubarry: Ich schenk’ mein Herz’
      • 11. LEHÁR Der Zarewitsch: Einer wird kommen
      • 12. SIECZY?SKI Wien, Wien, nur du allein