Stuff Arising From Conversation
Just now one of my correspondents here and I were exchanging messages about the human voice, Prima Donnas, and whatnot. The name Elisabeth Schwarzkopf came up, and I mentioned how her Marschallin in Richard Strauss’ Der Rosenkavalier blew my mind the first time I saw the film of Paul Czinner’s 1960 production.
So here is that film. The conductor is Herbert von Karajan, who in those days had not yet been overwhelmed by the notion that he was God’s representative on earth, and therefore still used his genius to serve music, rather than (as arguably happened later) have music provide the soundtrack to his own greatness.
Marschallin - Elisabeth Schwarzkopf Octavian - Sena Jurinac Baron Ochs von Lerchenau - Otto Edelmann Sophie - Anneliese Rothenberger Herr von Faninal - Erich Kunz Valzacchi - Reanato Ercolani Italian Singer - Giuseppe Zampieri
Chor der Wiener Staatsoper Wiener Philharmoniker Herbert von Karajan 1960
