Franz Schreker: Die Gezeichneten - Lothar Zagrosek, Berlin Radio Chorus, DSO Berlin

Franz Schreker: Die Gezeichneten

Kaja Borris,  Heinz Kruse,  László Polgár,  Endrik Wottrich  

Lothar Zagrosek 

Berlin Radio Chorus,  Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin 

What Zagrosek's gloriously recorded version demonstrates is the range of atmospheric beauty in the score . Zagrosek draws dedicated playing and singing from the massive ensemble, and the beautifully balanced sound is of demonstration quality .

The Penguin Guide

Zagrosek s reading is superb, his cast almost without flaw. I have not heard Connell give a better performance: she has all Carlotta s glamour, together with a purity of tone and a subtle response to words and phrasing that come close to giving her a soul. The precision and detail of the subsidiary characters are praiseworthy throughout; even very small roles have been cast from strength. The recording is remarkably fine, spacious and sumptuous, with not a single detail out of focus 

Gramophone

Franz Schreker's Operas were and still are fantastic and incredibly original works. In the Weimar Republic years (1920's) they

were very highly acclaimed Operas with many productions and performances, placing in popularity just second to those of Richard

Strauss. Sadly, Schreker's brilliant career as a composer was truncated when nazis took the power, taking him to a deep

depression and furthermore to an early death in 1934.

In "Die Gezeichneten", Schreker's 4th Opera, the composer reveals a musical and dramatic gift that rivals the combined genius of

Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal in their great collaboration. It is a boldly conceived, even outrageous drama whose plot is hard to summarize without making it sound sillier than it is. The drama is wrought with enormous elegance and artistry, features that are

widely emphasized under Zagrosek's baton and his DSO Berlin forces.

This lavish, luxurious music may be excessive for some listeners, but taken on its own terms, "Die Gezeichneten" is a masterpiece.

The Zagrosek's release is a breathtaking performance, with a rich recorded sound and an close to ideal cast of singers. Elizabeth

Connell is especially fine as Carlotta. Alviano, sung by Heinz Kruse, a heldentenor, is a bit more workmanlike, though his intensity

is certainly appropriate to the work.

In summary, a really great score, with this release as a reference recording for the complete version.