From Hollywood 1947-1948

In this premiere recording, Ren Jacobs leads a cast of outstanding singers and musicians in a grand production of Georg Philipp Telemann's 'Orpheus.' The manuscripts of this operatic drama were only recently rediscovered and because of some missing material, the version presented here cleverly interpolates other music by Telemann (and his contemporaries) to complete the story.
'Orpheus' is a successful synthesis of national operatic forms from Italy, France and Germany. Telemann uses the native strengths of each genre to accentuate the action: Italian for arioso outbursts of vengeance, French for the airs and dances, and German the choice for most of the narrative. The libretto alters the usual story; instead of Fate delivering Eurydice to Hades, we have a jealous rival who dispatches her (a poisonous snake).
Jacobs conducts from the keyboard with verve, and the instrumental parts are brilliantly articulated. Dorothea R schmann, as the evil (yet tragic) widowed Queen of Thrace, shows her star power in the lead role. With 100 pages of notes in three languages, this a first-class production in every sense.
REVIEWS:
Fanfare (5-6/98, pp.217-18) - "...The leading roles are effectively cast and well sung....This is a memorable opera; a strong libretto, and Telemann at his musical best. Don't miss it--most highly recommended."
BBC Music (3/98, p.69) - Performance: 5 (out of 5), Sound: 5 (out of 5) -
"...Roman Trekel's marvelous Orpheus achieves just the right balance between slightly arrogant nobility, winning charm, and tragedy; and Eurydice is radiantly sung by Ruch Ziesak....[Ren Jacobs] has created a reading of great flair with soloists, chorus and instrumentalists - the fine Akademie f r Alte Musik, Berlin..."