Description

There is nothing like a live performance. A studio session can involve take after take until a recording is “perfect,” yet may miss that indefinable magic that occurs only on stage. Opera enthusiasts can recall performances that were remarkable with vivid detail. They remember the cast, the date, who they were with, the set, the costumes and yet, without a recording, cannot share this experience. And the converse can hold true: listening to a recording of a remarkable live performance can transport the listener to a seat in a theater and make him believe he was in attendance. Few of us today were lucky enough to have a seat in the Colón on 22 September 1936 to hear Fritz Busch conduct René Maison (Parsifal), Marjorie Lawrence (Kundry), Alexander Kipnis (Gurnemanz) and Martial Singher (Amfortas), yet with this 3-CD set, you can.