transfiguration
At very long last, the final act of Tristan und Isolde.
Tristan – Spas Wenkoff, Isolde – Catarina Ligendza, Brangaene – Yvonne Minton, Marke – Karl Ridderbusch, Kurwenal – Donald McIntyre, Melot - Heribert Steinbach, Steuermann – Heinz Feldhoff, Hirte – Heinz Zednik. Carlos Kleiber; Bayreuther Festspiele, 30 July 1976.
Of all the live Kleiber Tristans, this is by some margin the best, I think. And as far as I can tell, it’s the only one not available on CD anywhere. (It did appear briefly on LP.)
For a few years, Wenkoff was really a top-quality Tristan.
Kleiber is so incredibly amazing here.
Lenny Bernstein once said “There is a God somewhere and two inches below there is Carlos Kleiber” (dont know if you the meaning, I was told this in Italian!)
Yes it’s a great recording, and some of the singers made few recordings. I love how Kleiber is unafraid to let things be vewy vewy qwiet. So unlike Bohm’s recordings.
P.S. Caro Cieca, how was the ramble?