Fritz Reiner
“Ljuba Welitsh and Fritz Reiner”: 1949 Mets. production of Richard Strauss’s “Salome”: remember?
How many have heard this “spine tingling” performance? Salome as you will recall, is in one act. I’ve read some place, that they received a standing 20 minute ovation when the curtain came down.
A friend of mine in San Francisco had a recording of it; and I was spellbound the first time I heard it. Indeed, an “iconic” rendeition; probably never equalled.
Have you heard of, or actually heard it?
Alberich
Thanks to both of you, for your responses; disappointed that there weren’t more though.
“Happy T.”: very informative, scholarly response: thanks for all of the data.
Alberich
It is undoubtedly considered a reference performance and recording. The sound of that “live” Salome under Reiner and with superstars as Welitsh and Hotter is very good. This opera is considered to be the masterpiece of German musical expresionism, and was composed in 1905.
Here we can enjoy one of Salomes “par excelence”, the Bulgarian Ljuba Welitsh (1913-1996). In fact, her debut as Salome, in 1944 in the city of Vienna was under the baton of the composer.
In 1949 she arrived at New York, where she enjoyed many triumphs, including this performance, with Hans Hotter, the better wagnerian bariton of the century offering an extraordinary Jochanaan
And the rest of the singers, tenor Set Svanhom as Herodes, the mezzo Elisabeth Höngen as Herodias and tenor Brian Sullivan as Narraboth, represented a brilliant cast for a magic opera night.
The great Fritz Reiner (1888-1963) was the conductor of that Salome in which both Welitsh and Hotter were at the peak of their voices and made this version an absolute must for those fans of Strauss music.
Fritz Reiner Conducts Beethoven (vaimusic.com)
