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Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow) - Richard Strauss

Information about the opera Die Frau ohne Schatten by Richard Strauss, and the best recordings available on CD or DVD, or for download.

Synopsis

The opera tells how the Empress sacrifices herself and her husband's life rather then allow the humble Barak and his nagging wife to be forced apart, by her selling her shadow, representing her fertility.

Recommended recordings on CD

Solti/Varady/Domingo (Decca 436 243-2)

436 243-2

A recording of the complete score with an excellent cast, and superb playing by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Vienna Boys Choir, Vienna State Opera Chorus, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Georg Solti, 1989-91.

Cast: Julia Varady (The Empress), Plácido Domingo (The Emperor), Hildegard Behrens (Dyer's Wife), José van Dam (Barak the Dyer), Reinhild Runkel (The Nurse), Albert Dohmen (The Spirit-Messenger).

Decca 436 243-2


Recommended recordings on DVD

Thielemann/Schwanewilms/Gould (Opus Arte OA 1072 D)

OA 1072 D

Christof Loy's production reconstructs the studio sessions in the Sofiensaal in Vienna for the first recording of Die Frau ohne Schatten by Karl Böhm in 1955. Whether or not you like the meta-production approach, the singing is superb and the recorded sound first rate.

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Chorus Konzertvereinigung, conducted by Christian Thielemann, 2011.

Cast: Anne Schwanewilms (The Empress), Stephen Gould (The Emperor), Evelyn Herlitzius (Dyer's Wife), Wolfgang Koch (Barak the Dyer), Michaela Schuster (The Nurse), Thomas Johannes Mayer (The Spirit-Messenger).

Opus Arte OA 1072 D

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Sawallisch/DeVol/Seiffert (Arthaus Musik 107 245)

107 245
107 245

This is a rerelease of Die Frau ohne Schatten (c. Sawallisch).

Conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, 1992.

Cast: Luana DeVol (The Empress), Peter Seiffert (The Emperor), Janis Martin (Dyer's Wife), Alan Titus (Barak the Dyer), Marjana Lipovsek (The Nurse).

Arthaus Musik 107 245


Sawallisch/DeVol/Seiffert (TDK DVWW-OPFROS)

DVWW-OPFROS

Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper, Bayerisches Staatsorchester, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, 1992.

Cast: Luana DeVol (The Empress), Peter Seiffert (The Emperor), Janis Martin (Dyer's Wife), Alan Titus (Barak the Dyer), Marjana Lipovsek (The Nurse), Jan-Hendrik Rootering (The Spirit-Messenger).

TDK DVWW-OPFROS


Solti/Studer/Moser (Decca 0714259)

0714259

An excellent atmospheric production from the 1992 Salzburg festival, with generally excellent performances and good sound.

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Philharmonic Chorus, conducted by Sir Georg Solti, 1992.

Cast: Cheryl Studer (The Empress), Thomas Moser (The Emperor), Eva Marton (Dyer's Wife), Robert Hale (Barak the Dyer), Marjana Lipovsek (The Nurse).

Decca 0714259