Richard Strauss - Lieder

Tracklisting:

Ich wollt ein Sträußlein binden Op. 68 No. 2
Waldseligkeit Op. 49 No. 1
Das Bächlein Op. 88 No. 1
Winterweihe Op. 48 No. 4
Morgen ! Op. 27 No. 4
Allerseelen Op. 10 No. 8
Cäcilie Op. 27 No. 2
Amor Op. 68 No.5
Säusle, liebe Myrthe Op. 68 No. 3
Freundliche Vision Op. 48 No. 1
Ständchen Op. 17 No. 2
Traum durch die Dämmerung Op. 29 No. 1
Wiegenlied Op. 41 No. 1
Meinem Kinde Op. 37 No. 3
Muttertändelei Op. 43 No. 2
Zueignung Op. 10 No. 1
Das Rosenband Op. 36 No. 1
Heimkehr Op. 15 No. 5
Als mir Dein Lied erklang Op. 68 No. 4
Des Dichters Abendgang Op. 47 No. 2
An die Nacht Op. 68 No. 1
Lied der Frauen Op. 68 No. 6

“This is a performance of transcendent art” proclaimed Opera News on hearing Diana Damrau’s interpretation of Strauss’ Zerbinetta on her last Virgin Classics album, ‘Coloraturas’. In this collection of Strauss songs, recorded in the composer’s hometown, she is joined by the Munich Philharmonic and Christian Thielemann, the leading German conductor of his generation.

Soprano Diana Damrau, described by The Sunday Times as “the most dazzling star to have emerged from Germany in recent years” was born in Bavaria. The region’s capital, Munich, was the birthplace of Richard Strauss, and in March 2009 a programme of the composer’s songs was presented at the city’s Gasteig Philharmonie, with Damrau accompanied by the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra under its Chief Conductor, Christian Thielemann.

“Strauss loved female voices,” says Damrau, “and he explores some extreme possibilities in these many-layered songs, each with its different point of view. Sensitivity to the words is vital to telling the story of each song, to capturing the rapid changes of mood and all the colours.”

Strauss’ operatic roles for lyric-coloratura soprano, notably Zerbinetta (Ariadne auf Naxos), Aithra (Die Aegyptische Helena) and Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier) have played an important role in Damrau’s career. As Opera News wrote when reviewing her last Virgin Classics album, ‘Coloraturas’: “Zerbinetta … is one of Damrau's calling cards, having served for her stupendous Met debut in 2005. ‘Grossmächtige Prinzessin’ provides every opportunity to dazzle the listener, with stratospheric high notes, staccatos, roulades and trills, as Zerbinetta cajoles, berates and mocks the gloomy Ariadne. Every note and word reveals Damrau's artistry, the result of constantly questioning and probing into the composer's intentions; while the soprano has a knack for concealing or highlighting technical difficulties at will, here just enough self-absorbed delight breaks to the surface that we are as captivated by Zerbinetta's own theatrical skills as by Damrau's vocal athleticism. Damrau/Zerbinetta even seems to be commanding the orchestra's responses to her whimsical, moody outbursts. This is a performance of transcendent art.”

On the new CD, favourites such as ‘Ständchen’, ‘Wiegenlied’, ‘Allerseelen’, ‘Cäcilie’ and ‘Zueignung’ feature alongside more rarely heard numbers, and six tracks recorded under studio conditions now complement the sixteen songs captured live. The concert reviews suggest the treat in store for lovers of the soprano voice, Strauss’ songs and his magnificent writing for orchestra:

“Divine soprano Damrau produced streams of effortless coloratura … whether being gentle or playful, ironic or intoxicated with love ...” Tageszeitung

“In ‘Amor’ the soprano enchanted with irony and cool ornamentation, while the lyrical simplicity of ‘Freundliche Vision’ was captivating.” Abendzeitung

“As a silvery, chirruping, cheeky ‘Amor’ she opened a series of 14 songs, many of which were not among the usual ‘greatest hits’ …Rather than intoxicating Straussian surges and flowing legato, what these required was the most delicate sketchwork and airy, delicate chamber music textures, conjured up by Christian Thielemann in an intensely committed fashion, with his orchestra proving its skills in producing an exquisite piano.” Münchner Merkur