3 British Knights, Yet 3 More ‘Zauberflotes’

MOZART: “Die Zauberflote.” Tiana Lemnitz, Erna Berger, Helge Roswaenge, Gerhard Husch, Wilhelm Strienz, others; Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham. Nimbus NI 7827/8.

MOZART: “Die Zauberflote.” Barbara Hendricks, June Anderson, Jerry Hadley, Thomas Allen, Robert Lloyd, others; Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Sir Charles Mackerras. Telarc CD 80302.

MOZART: “Die Zauberflote.” Ruth Ziesak, Sumi Jo, Uwe Heilmann, Michael Kraus, Kurt Moll, others; Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Georg Solti. London 433 210-2.

Three British knights preside over yet three more “Zauberflote” releases, following the Mozart year.

The 1937 Beecham version is the hands-down winner, even in antiquated sound that is a bit more strident than the original CD release on EMI. The tempos seem so right, so infused with warmth and humanity, and the singers were all at their peaks. Especially poignant is the aristocratic phrasing of Lemnitz, Berger and Husch. A booklet essay by Dominic Fyfe gives fascinating details of the difficulty in casting a “racially pure” group of singers in Nazi Germany.

If the most modern sound is a sine qua non, however, Mackerras’ version is a good choice. His gentle approach to the score is much like Beecham’s, but his cast has two major deficiencies, the sometimes crudely phrased Tamino of Hadley and a surprisingly glassy, almost abrasive Queen of the Night from Anderson. The vocal glory of the set is the melting Pamina of Hendricks, but both Allen’s suavity and Lloyd’s vocal dignity are more than acceptable.

Solti’s slashing, almost ferocious, attack on the score is scarcely the epitome of proper Mozartean manners. He does have the best Sarastro, however, in Moll and those granitic low notes. Kraus’ youthful bloom as Papageno (seen last year in San Francisco) shows promise, as does Heilmann as Tamino.