With the support of the Peter Moores Foundation, Chandos initiated its Opera in English series in 1990 and has since produced dozens of opera recordings in English translation. With its Archive Edition, the label is able to release previously recorded performances. This live BBC recording of Mastersingers is taken from a 1968 production by Sadler's Wells, conducted by Reginald Goodall. The nineteenth century translation by Frederick Jameson, revised by Norman Feasey and Gordon Kember, is natural sounding and fits the text ...
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With the support of the Peter Moores Foundation, Chandos initiated its Opera in English series in 1990 and has since produced dozens of opera recordings in English translation. With its Archive Edition, the label is able to release previously recorded performances. This live BBC recording of Mastersingers is taken from a 1968 production by Sadler's Wells, conducted by Reginald Goodall. The nineteenth century translation by Frederick Jameson, revised by Norman Feasey and Gordon Kember, is natural sounding and fits the text well; there's undeniable value in hearing even a familiar work in one's native language.Goodall takes an unusually measured and sober approach to the Prelude. His tempo here is a harbinger of his approach to the opera; this version lasts a half hour longer than the average recorded performance, making it perhaps the longest version on disc. The leisurely pace takes some adjustment, but once expectations are realigned, the timing makes sense. Except for Norman Bailey as Hans Sachs, the...
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