Siegfried Wagner: An Allem Ist Hutchen Schuld.

[Revilod]

Those of us who've got the Siegfried Wagner bug will be interested in a DVD of this opera, one of  the composer's  best, now out on Marco Polo. Here it is at MDT:

https://www.mdt.co.uk/wagner-an-allem-ist-hutchen-lionel-friend-marco-polo-dvd.html

The Marco Polo sound only recordings of other S.W. operas have been distinctly variable but this one must be worth investigating.

[Revilod]

This is a semi-staged performance with the orchestra at the back and the cast, in costume, acting at the front.  The chorus is to one side and takes no part in the action. Behind the orchestra there is a screen upon which are projected scenes from the opera.  The production spares expense but the opera is very well performed. The singers are, in general, excellent. The recording is also very good with the fine orchestra given plenty of presence.

This fairy-tale opera is one of Siegfried's best and was a success at its first performance in 1917. It's fast moving, enormously entertaining and the outline of the plot is easy to follow. Many of the melodies will be familiar from Siegfried's lovely Violin Concerto.

Btw, Amazon.co.uk says the disc is Region 1 but a close look at the box confirms that it is region free. I had no trouble playing it in the U.K.

This disc may just convert those who have hitherto resisted Siegfried's operas.

[Mark Thomas]

New to me, this really is a delightful work. Siegfried Wagner's melodic inspiration is at a consistently high level and his orchestration is particularly inventive and effective. The vocal lines, while not sparing the singers, sound grateful to sing and are very well delivered here. It comes across to me as the sort of fairy tale opera a young Richard Strauss might have written and, all in all, it must rank as one of Wagner's most successful and satisfying operas,

[der79sebas]

I also find the DVD highly enjoyable and like this opera (in contrast to many other Siegfried Wagner operas).

[Alan Howe]

Reviewed somewhat disparagingly here, mainly on account of poor singing:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/Classrev/2022/Sep/WagnerS-Schuld-8225378.htm

Note: this is the CD recording on Marco Polo.

[Revilod]

That's not the DVD recording, conducted by Lionel Friend, which prompted this thread  It's a new CD only recording which I haven't heard and, if that review is to be believed, it is decidedly inferior to the DVD version. That's very good although, of course, a fully staged version would have been preferable. Four ratings on Amazon...all five star.

[Alan Howe]

That's not the DVD recording, conducted by Lionel Friend, which prompted this thread

No, quite - and I have added a note to that effect. Of course, the thread title doesn't specify any particular recording.