Sleeve Notes: Scheherazade, by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) is a sea haunted work that has never failed to exercise its magic from the time it was composed, in 1888, to to-day. It is an extraordinarily strong and beautiful composition portraying with … Continued
Sleeve Notes: CHARLES GOUNOD was born in Paris in 1818 and entered the Paris Conservatoire in 1836. Faust, his greatest success, was first produced at the Theatre Lyrique in Paris on March 19, 1859. The ballet music, which comes at … Continued
Sleeve Notes: The story of “La Traviata” is based on the younger Dumas’ famous play ” La Dame aux Camelias,” which had its premiere in Paris in 1852. Verdi saw the play in the French capital that same year and … Continued
Sleeve Notes: After a flourishing age of great spectacles, French opera went through a period of transition. The tradition had reached its limits and was groping for a new style around 1880. Meyerbeer had died in 1864, several months before … Continued
Waltz From “Der Rosenkavalier”, Etude In E Major Op. 10 No. 3, Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, Intermezzo From “Cavalleria Rusticana”, Waltz From “Faust”, Theme From “The Moldau”, Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op. 3 No. 2, Interlude From “Notre Dame”, … Continued
Franz Lehár Die Lusyige Witwe, Jacques Offenbach Orphée Aux Enfers, Franz Von Suppé Die Schone Glathee, Johann Strauss Die Fledermaus, Oscar Nedbal Die Keusche BarbaraPRAGUE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Conductor: Vaclai Smatáček Label: Supraphon 50622Cover © Josef Kalousek 1969 1960s Covers
Sleeve Notes: The action of Madama Butterfly lakes place in the early 1900s, at Nagasaki, Japan. After a brief orchestral introduction, the curtain rises on the exterior of Pinkerton’s house, set against the background of the hay. the harbour, and … Continued
Sleeve notes: A large cross-section with dialogue In two parts Script and direction: Kurt Feltz – Musical direction: Carl Michalski with Erika Köth, Rita Bartos, Margarete Bence, Luis Tom .. Reinhold Bartel, Kurt Böhme, Willy Schneider, Ernst Schütz. The Singgemeinschaft … Continued
Sleeve Notes: George Edwardes, the celebrated theatrical impressario who produced musical comedies at Daly’s and the Gaiety theatres (both, alas, no more), was faced with a dilemma in the early summer of 1907 when he wanted a new production for … Continued
Sleeve Notes: Few works in the entire literature of orchestral music can match Scheherazade for brilliance, appeal or vividness of instrumental coloring. But then, few composers have possessed the wizardry to orchestrate music as did Rimsky-Korsakov. And until now, it … Continued