Albert Lortzing: Zar und Zimmermann (Tsar and Carpenter) – Heinz Wallberg / Münchner Rundfunkorchester (2CD)

UPC: 036244424241 

MPN: 42424 STEREO / 42424-1 

Brand Name: Pilz / Acanta (FonoTeam GmbH, Hamburg)

Overview

Zar und Zimmermann (Tsar and Carpenter), the beloved comic opera in three acts by Albert Lortzing (1801–1851), comes to life in this 1976 digital master recording under the baton of Heinz Wallberg. Performed by a stellar cast—including Hermann Prey, Lucia Popp, Karl Ridderbusch, Werner Krenn, and Adalbert Kraus—and accompanied by the Münchner Rundfunkorchester and the Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, this interpretation captures both the humor and humanity of Lortzing’s masterpiece.

Issued by Pilz / Acanta, this 2-CD set presents one of the most elegant and complete recordings of the opera, digitally mastered from the original broadcast tapes in collaboration with Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Radio).

Product Features

• Format: 2 Compact Discs (Stereo, Digitally Mastered)
• Recording Label: Pilz / Acanta
• Catalogue Number: 42424 Stereo
• Audio Quality: Digital Mastering (1976 Recording)
• Genre: Classical – Opera (German Comic Opera / Spieloper)
• Style: 19th-Century Romantic / Comic Opera
• Language: German
• Country of Manufacture: Germany
• Recording Year: 1976
• Production: FonoTeam GmbH, Hamburg, in collaboration with Bayerischer Rundfunk and Bavaria Atelier-Ges. m.b.H.

Cast and Performers

• Peter I. (Tsar of Russia): Hermann Prey (Baritone)
• Peter Iwanow: Adalbert Kraus (Tenor)
• Burgomaster van Bett: Karl Ridderbusch (Bass)
• Marie: Lucia Popp (Soprano)
• Witwe Browe: Gudrun Wewezow (Alto)
• Marquis de Chateauneuf: Werner Krenn (Tenor)
• Admiral Lefort: Alexander Malta (Bass)
• Lord Syndham: Helmut Berger-Tuna (Bass)

Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks – Chorus Master: Heinz Mende Münchner Rundfunkorchester – Conductor: Heinz Wallberg

Interesting Facts

• Lortzing’s Signature Masterpiece: Zar und Zimmermann remains Lortzing’s most enduring comic opera, first performed in 1837 in Leipzig. Its mixture of wit, satire, and lyricism typifies German Spieloper tradition.
• Star Cast of the 1970s: This recording features four of the greatest German-speaking opera voices of the 20th century—Prey, Popp, Ridderbusch, and Kraus—all in their prime.
• Authentic Bavarian Production: Recorded for Bayerischer Rundfunk, the performance balances vocal charm with refined orchestral color, captured with West German precision.
• Digital Mastering: Though recorded analog in 1976, it was later digitally remastered, providing bright sound and excellent vocal clarity.
• Comic Brilliance: The opera’s central theme—a case of mistaken identity between a Tsar and a shipyard worker—offers humor alongside political satire and touching human moments.

Publishers

Published by: Pilz Acanta (a division of FonoTeam GmbH, Hamburg) In collaboration with: Bayerischer Rundfunk & Bavaria Atelier-Ges. m.b.H. Printed and Made in: Germany / Imprimé en Allemagne

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