Tristan und Isolde
Navona, 2020
8/10
The Janáček Philharmonic Ostrava fleshes out a detailed version of this Richard Wagner three-act opera, where plenty of dialogue enters the intricate climate.
“Tristan und Isolde, WWV 90: Vorspiel (Live)” opens the listen with soft, elegant instrumentation that unfolds across 9 + minutes of sublime strings before “WWV 90, Act I Scene 1: Westwärts schweift der Blick” follows with Juyeon Song’s (Isolde) deep, expressive voice guiding the booming versus bare instrumentation.
Further along, “WWV 90, Act I Scene 5: Tristan!” carries an intimate mood that showcases Roy Cornelius Smith (Tristan) and Tamaro Gallo’s (Brangäne) powerful voices via the dynamic delivery, while “WWV 90, Act II Scene 2: So stürben wir” allows John Paul Huckle King’s (Marke) pipes to shine amid the stirring and meticulous string interaction.
Residing closer to the end, “WWV 90, Act II Scene 3: Verräter! Ha!” quickly builds into an animated presence thanks to Brian Davis (Kurwenal) well timed singing and the agile philharmonic, and “WWV 90, Act III Scene 3: Mild und leise wie er lächelt” exits with Alexander Kaimbacher’s (Melot) distinct tenor adding another avenue to the memorable opera.
The project is steered by the conducting of Gemrany’s Robert Reimer, and it stays true to Wagner’s innovative vision and results in a timeless representation.
Travels well with: Lee Hinkle- Modern American Percussion Concerti; Jeff Sigfried/Sean Friar- Shades