Stlukesguild

It's in the mid-20s outside... snowing and blowing... and I'm sitting in my cozy little library...



the tree is decorated to the hilt and all lit up... the candles are burning... and I'm sipping hot chocolate with whipped cream and nibbling on a few chocolate truffles dusted with coffee. And the music?... some sweet Viennese confections: decadent operetta arias, waltzes, and lieder. Perhaps its just that I've been so seduced by Anna Netrebko's recent disc (and who couldn't be seduced by Anna Netrebko) or perhaps its just childhood memories of The Sound of Music over the holidays... or the annual New Years' Day Concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic playing Strauss waltzes. Whatever the case may be I'm currently in a big Viennese mood.

Beside the Netrebko, I've been listening to the classic Elizabeth Schwarzkopf recording of operetta arias from the late 1950s:



and the operetta and folk song recordings of Rita Streich:





Elizabeth Schwarzkopf was one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century and was a rather fascinating figure. An beautiful icy blond... in the manner of Grace Kelly...





she was reputedly the favorite singer of Adolph Hitler... as well as of the great German conductor, Herbert von Karajan. Indeed, her cold perfectionism and silvery voice was perfectly suited to Karajan's own similar aesthetic temperament. She was also a favorite of Walter Legge... one of the greatest impresarios and opera producers (famous for numerous classic recordings from the 50s and 60s done for EMI)... so much so he later married her. Where Maria Callas almost certainly cut her career short by attempting to tackle roles that were beyond her range well after she capable, Schwarzkopf had the good sense to move to a repertoire more suited to her voice as she grew older: resulting in numerous marvelous recordings of lieder (by Schubert, Brahms, Wolf, Mahler, Strauss, and others) as well as classic recordings of lighter Viennese operettas. Her recordings of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier (in the role of the Marschallin, Princess von Werdenberg) and Johann Strauss II's Die Fledermaus (in the role of Rosalinde)... both with Karajan conducting... remain the standards by which all others are measured. Her disc of operetta arias contains a slew of luscious bon-bons that are equally a joy to listen to. The tunes include compositions by Strauss and Lehar... but many of the works are by composers all but forgotten today, including Richard Heuberger, Carl Zeller, and Rudolf Sieczynesky. Among the real gems is Lehar's "Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiß":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAI12axZL5k

Johann Strauss II's "Nun's Chorus & Laura's Song":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VCsj7QYzyA

"In chambre separee" from Der Opernball by Richard Heuberger-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBj5AMiXEi4

Rita Streich was born in Germany and had her operatic debut during the WWII. Following the war she became a much sought-after singer for light coloratura-and-soubrette soprano roles. Her exquisitely light and delicate voice earned her the reputation as the "Viennese Nightengale" following her move to Vienna. Streich recorded several delicious recitals of operetta arias and folk songs. Among a few favorites I would count Johann Strauss II's "Frühlingsstimmen":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkFWL1rhx6k

Camille Saint-Saëns' "Le Rossignol et la rose":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfyxG...eature=related

the Yiddish Folksong, "Schlof Sche Mein Vogele"-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze9hO...eature=related

and Friedrich von Flotow's "Last Rose of Summer" from his opera Martha. The tune should certainly be well-enough known with lyrics from the old Irish poet, Thomas Moore:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTHMZ...eature=related