Most fans of the music of Richard Wagner have heard of his early comic opera, Das Liebesverbot, but because it isn't one of the great music dramas enshrined in annual performances at Bayreuth, comparatively few have actually heard it. There have been occasional recordings of radio performances on budget labels and some imports that have come and gone, but because this work has been discounted as a lightweight opera of little value, a view shared by its composer later in life, it is seldom given a high-quality production. ...
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Most fans of the music of Richard Wagner have heard of his early comic opera, Das Liebesverbot, but because it isn't one of the great music dramas enshrined in annual performances at Bayreuth, comparatively few have actually heard it. There have been occasional recordings of radio performances on budget labels and some imports that have come and gone, but because this work has been discounted as a lightweight opera of little value, a view shared by its composer later in life, it is seldom given a high-quality production. That situation seems to have changed with this Oehms Classics recording by the Frankfurt Opera, under the direction of Sebastian Weigle, which was released in the Wagner bicentennial year. Composed of recitatives, arias, duets, and ensemble numbers, Das Liebesverbot resembles the traditional Italian operatic model, though musically it is quite close to the style of Carl Maria von Weber. It is treated here with a light touch that makes it quite appealing. In this live concert...
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