Another Raff opera to be recorded

[Mark Thomas]

A fourth Raff opera, Dame Kobold, is due to be recorded in October, for release on a major label probably late next year. It's a comedy, based on Calderón's famous farce La Dama Duende and was his most successful foray into the medium, enjoying a respectable run when it was staged in Weimar in 1870. Of Raff's six operas, Benedetto Marcello has been available for a few years, Samson was released earlier this year and Die Eifersüchtigen comes out next next month, so the arrival of Dame Kobold on the shelves next year will leave only König Alfred and Die Parole to be recorded. Who'd ever have thought it?

[Alan Howe]

Quite so. Amazing.

I really want to hear König Alfred, though...

[Maury]

Looking forward to this. I am not usually a big listener to overtures but Raff's Dame Kobold overture (Jarvi) is quite delightful. Any word on the projected cast?

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, but not that I can share in any detail at present I'm afraid: the studio recording will feature a Czech orchestra and the principals are all well-regarded German soloists in the early years of their careers. The conductor is a familiar name who has made many recordings in recent years for the label. I'll be going to the sessions and I hope to be able to share more after that.

[Maury]

Thanks for the update. And I hope things turn out well.

[John Boyer]

Quite so. Amazing.

I really want to hear König Alfred, though...

On page 19 of the booklet for the new Naxos recording of Die Eifersüchtigen, there is a little promo for the Edition Nordstern series of Raff operas.   Of the four available (Die Eifersüchtigen, Bendetto Marcello, Dame Kobold, Samson) three have been recorded and the other is on the way. Listed in preparation are Die Parole, Dornröschen (a fairytale oratorio), and König Alfred.  Dare we hope as these become available recordings may follow? A few years ago the idea would have seemed implausible.  Now, anything seems possible. 

[Mark Thomas]

To the best of my knowledge, there are no definite plans to record any of those three works in the near future. That said, if we are lucky enough to see another recording of a major vocal work eventually, my money would be on Dornröschen (Sleeping Beauty). It was written around the same time as Samson and was lavishly praised by Liszt and other contemporaries for its innovation and beauty.

[Mark Thomas]

A quick report from the recording of Dame Kobold in Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad), which began this week and so far sounds very promising. The West Bohemian Symphony Orchestra are about 40 strong but make an excellent full sound in the Casino Hall's precise acoustic. First in the bag was the Overture, directed by conductor Dario Salvi, a familiar name to us, who clearly understands the pace Raff requires and is meticulous in observing the score's metronome marks..

That's also reflected in the full opera scenes recorded so far with the young cast, all of whom are making their commercial recording debuts, and making an impressive start of it. The romantic leads are Lara Rieken (Donna Angela, sop.) and Gustav Wenzel Most (Don Manuel, ten.), with Julia Surushkina (sop.) and Lukas Krimmel (bass bar.) as their servants Beatrice and Rodrigo and Matthias Lika (bar.) as Angela's over-protective brother, Don Juan. To my ears each of them sounds in fine voice and there's good differentiation between the voices. The choir has only a small part to play in Dame Kobold and their scenes will be recorded tomorrow.

On this showing, I'm confident that this recording will join that of Samson in being a first class showcase for Raff's operas. As a comedy, it's a very different work: light, lyrical and full of verve but, unlike Die Eifersüchtigen, with plenty of drama. It should be available on Naxos/Marco Polo sometime next year.

[Alan Howe]

Excellent news - thanks, Mark. How's Marienbad? Sounds rather lovely...

[Mark Thomas]

It is. Very German still, even 106 years since the fall of Austria-Hungary.

[Alan Howe]

I presume there's no German spoken there, though?

[John Boyer]

Smetana wouldn't have it any other way.  And he says it's "Mariánské Lázně".

[Alan Howe]

Quite so. As far as I know, the ethnic German population was expelled after WW2.

[Mark Thomas]

Indeed but, because the town is a spa, awash with German visitors taking the Kur, German is spoken everywhere and the Euro is universally accepted, even though Czechia retains its own currency. Fascinating, but not as fascinating as Raff's Dame Kobold, which is why I'm here after all!

[Alan Howe]

And we look forward to further reports on the recording in due course. Thanks in advance.