Dvorák - Rusalka / Fleming · Heppner · Zajick · Hawlata · Urbanová · Czech Phil · Sir Charles Mackerras

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Though Czech opera has often had questionable export value due to linguistic barriers, this first truly international recording of Dvorák's most viable opera--inspired by Wagner's love of mythology and Verdi's melodic drama--suggests that non-Czech artists can be more than just credible. As a water sprite who becomes human for love of a prince, Renée Fleming gives her best recorded performance so far with a dramatic heat and theatrical dimension (plus her customary vocal luster) that her Czech predecessors haven't always mustered. Ben Heppner is a robust-voiced prince, though this one- dimensional role doesn't inspire any special affinity from him. Dolora Zajick is a vivid, vocally commanding witch. The one substantial disappointment is Franz Hawiata as the leathery-voiced water goblin. Conductor Sir Charles Mackerras is less interested in creating surface excitement than in bringing out subtleties that help compensate for the composer's occasional lack of melodic precision, though the big moments are by no means slighted. --David Patrick Stearns

USA Today
Fleming brings a touching vulnerability to the role of the water sprite who longs to be human and, unlike in recent recordings, keeps her sumptuous sound from overwhelming the words.

Dvorák - Rusalka / Fleming · Heppner · Zajick · Hawlata · Urbanová · Czech Phil · Sir Charles Mackerras

Dvorák - Rusalka / Fleming · Heppner · Zajick · Hawlata · Urbanová · Czech Phil · Sir Charles Mackerras, Music, Antonín Dvorák, Charles Mackerras, Renée Fleming, Ben Heppner, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Kühn Mixed Choir, Franz Hawlata, Eva Urbanová, Zdena Kloubová Dolora Zajick, Ivan Kusnjer, Classical, Classical Music, Czech Romantic Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio, Opera/Operetta

Music Review:

  1. Dvorak: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 8
  2. Gabriel Faure: Piano Quartets No.1 & 2
  3. George Gershwin · The 100th Birthday Celebration / A. McDonald · Stokes Mitchell · Ohlsson · SFS · Tilson Thomas
  4. Giovanni Gabrieli: Music For San Rocco
  5. Go Down, Moses
  6. Grofe: Grand Canyon Suite for orchestra No1-5; Herbert: Concerto for cello in Em
  7. Handel - Messiah / Röschmann, Gritton, Fink , C. Daniels, N. Davies; McCreesh
  8. Handel - Rodrigo / Banditelli, Piau, Fedi, Müller, Invernizzi, Calvi, Il Complesso Barocco, Curtis [Import]
  9. Haydn, Hertel, Hummel, Stamitz: Trumpet Concertos
  10. Jane Eaglen - Four Last Songs, Wesendonck-Lieder, Seven Early Song / Runnicles

Music Review

music review

Music Review

Boil [Live]

Complete Electrola Recordings: November 1938

Eric Coates: London Calling

3000 Barrooms Later

Far Away [Import]

Honor: A Benefit for the Honor the Earth Campaign

Expansion [Import]

Gutter Phenomenon

Hopeless Case of a Kid in Denial [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Credo

Earthtones

Drew's Famous Margarita Mix Partying Music

Cuba Esencial: La Coleccion Cubana [Import]

Planet of Flowers

Jazz Music jazz-music-30