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The Empress is now guilt-ridden at the attempt to make off with the shadow and deprive Barak of his children. Barak and Wife open Act 3 in subterranean chambers, lost to themselves and each other. The Empress is urged to drink from a golden fountain and thus gain the Wife's shadow. She refuses, and does so again when confronted with the Emperor turned utterly to stone but for his eyes. That breaks the spell: the Empress trails a splendid shadow and the Emperor, restored to vigorous life, rises to greet her. Barak and the Wife have found each other, and the air fills with the voices of Unborn Children [watch and listen -- DVD2 chapter 30, 107:07-109:01]. It is evident that Sawallisch loves the work. What can humanly be done for it, he unstintingly does, inspiring his cast and orchestra to a comparable devotion.

Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting 'Die Frau ohne Schatten' in Nagoya. DVD screenshot © 1992 Bayerische Staatsoper
Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting 'Die Frau ohne Schatten' in Nagoya. DVD screenshot © 1992 Bayerische Staatsoper

 

Copyright © 24 June 2007 Robert Anderson, London UK

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Richard Strauss: Die Frau ohne Schatten

DVWW-OPFROS 1xDVD5,1xDVD9 NTSC 4:3 All regions DD 5.1/DTS 5.1/LPCM Stereo NEW RELEASE 183' 1992 Bayerische Staatsoper; 2007 TDK Marketing Europe GmbH

Peter Seiffert, Der Kaiser; Luana DeVol, Die Kaiserin; Marjana Lipovsek, Die Amme; Jan-Hendrik Rootering, Der Geisterbote; Annegeer Stumphius, Ein Hüter der Schwelle des Tempels; Herbert Lippert, Stimme eines Jünglings; Caroline Maria Petrig, Stimme des Falken; Anne Salvan, Eine Stimme von oben; Alan Titus, Barak; Janis Martin, Barak's wife; Chor der Bayerischen Staatsoper; Udo Mehrpohl, chorus master; Bayerisches Staatsorchester; Wolfgang Sawallisch, conductor; Ennosuke Ichikawa, director; Setsu Asakura, sets; Tomio Mohri, costumes; Sumio Yoshii, lighting; Takashi Kanai, technical realisation; Kanshino Fujima, choreography

Richard Strauss (1864-1949): Die Frau ohne Schatten (Opera in three acts, libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal). Recorded live at the Aichi Prefectural Art Theater, Nagoya, Japan, 8 and 11 November 1992

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