Benjamin Britten / "Death in Venice", Op.88 - Philip Langridge, Alan Opie, Michael Chance, City of London Sinfonia & Richard Hickox - CANDOS (2-disc set) - 1973/2005
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)"Death in Venice", Op. 88An opera in two acts
Libretto by Myfanwy Piper based on the short story by Thomas MannCOMPACT DISC ONE (1h 15' 43'')
Act IScene 1. Munich01-Aschenbach: 'My mind beats on'
(He is suddenly aware of the Traveller. . .) -
02-Aschenbach: 'Who's that?'
03-Aschenbach: 'I have always kept a close watch over my development'
Scene 2. On the boat to Venice04-Youths: 'Hey there, hey there, you!'
05-Overture. Venice
Scene 3. The journey to the Lido06-Aschenbach: 'Ah Serenissima!'
07-Aschenbach: 'Mysterious gondola'
Scene 4. The first evening at the hotel08-Hotel Manager: 'We are delighted to greet the Signore'
09-Aschenbach: 'So I am led to Venice once again'
10-Hotel Guests: 'The Lido is so charming, is it not?'
11-Aschenbach: 'How does such beauty come about?'
Scene 5. On the beachAschenbach and Hotel Guests stroll about -12-Aschenbach: 'The wind is from the West'
(A group of children play at beach games. . .) -13-Strawberry Seller: 'Le bele fragole'
14-Aschenbach: 'Ah, how peaceful to contemplate the sea'
(children's games with Tadzio as ringleader) -15-Chorus: 'Adziù, Adziù!'
16-Aschenbach: 'As one who strives to create beauty'
Scene 6. The foiled departureAschenbach crosses to Venice in a gondola -17-Gondolier: 'Aou'! Stagando, aou'!'
18-Hotel Manager: 'Naturally Signore, I understand'
19-Hotel Porter: 'There you are, Signore, just in time'
20-Aschenbach: 'I am become like one of my early heroes'
21-Hotel Manager: 'A thousand apologies to the Signore'
Scene 7. The Games of Apollo22-Chorus of Hotel Guests: 'Beneath a dazzling sky the sea. . .'
23-Chorus: 'No boy, but Phoebus of the golden hair'
24-Chorus: 'See where Hyacinthus plays'
25-Chorus: 'Phaedrus learned what beauty is'
COMPACT DISC TWO (1h 15' 46'')
01-Chorus: 'First, the race!'
02-Chorus: 'Try your skill'
03-Chorus: 'Young discobolus'
04-Chorus: 'Up and over'
05-Chorus: 'Measure to fight'
06-Aschenbach: 'The boy, Tadzio, shall inspire me'
Act II07-[Orchestral introduction]
08-Aschenbach: 'So, it has come to this'
Scene 8. The Hotel Barber's shop09-Hotel Barber: 'Guardate, Signore'
Scene 9. The pursuitAschenbach is crossing to Venice -10-Aschenbach: 'Do I detect a scent?'
(Aschenbach begins to follow the family) -11-Aschenbach: 'And now I cannot let them out of sight'
12-Chorus: 'Kyrie eleison'
13-Aschenbach: 'Gustav von Aschenbach, what is this path you have taken?'
Scene 10. The Strolling Players14-Hotel Porter: 'This way for the players, Signori!'
(The Leader of the Players comes forward. . .) -15-Leader of the Players: 'La mia nonna always used to tell me'
16-Leader of the Players: 'Fiorir rose in mezo al giasso'
17-A Young English Clerk: 'One moment, if you please'
Scene 11. The travel bureauScene 12. The Lady of the PearlsAschenbach walks up and down agitatedly -18-Aschenbach: 'So it is true, true, more fearful than I thought'
19-Aschenbach: 'So - I didn't speak!'
Scene 13. The dream20-Voice of Dionysus: 'Receive the stranger god'
Scene 14. The empty beachAschenbach slowly moves to his chair on the beach. . . -
21-Aschenbach: 'Do what you will with me!'
Scene 15. The Hotel Barber's shop22-Hotel Barber: 'Yes! a very wise decision, if I may say so'
Scene 16. The last visit to VeniceAschenbach, with his new appearance, is seen getting gaily into a gondola -23-Aschenbach: 'Hurrah for the Piazza'
24-Aschenbach: 'Does beauty lead to wisdom, Phaedrus?'
Scene 17. The departure25-Hotel Manager: 'The wind still blows from the land'
(The Hotel Manager watches Aschenbach go out to the deserted beach. . .) -26-Aschenbach: 'Ah, no!'
Philip Langridge
Tenor - Gustav von Aschenbach
Alan Opie
baritone - The Traveller, The Elderly Fop, The Old Gondolier, The Hotel Manager, The Hotel Barber, The Leader of the Players, The Voice of Dionysus
Michael Chance
counter-tenor - The Voice of Apollo
BBC Singers
City of London Sinfonia & Richard Hickox
Total Time: 2h 31' 26''CHANDOS