Michael Volle, Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin & Georg Fritzsch - Wagner Arias (2017)

The roles featured on this CD are, in more ways than one, truly great ones; the vocal and interpretational demands on the artist are of an equally high calibre. The fact, as J. M. Fischer writes in the booklet text, that the term 'heroic baritone' has established itself in connection with these roles is recognition of the highly technical challenges – and simultaneously an understatement. The parallels with Wagnerʼs 'heroic tenor roles' can be seen in the truly supreme vocal challenges, and yet the bass-baritone protagonistʼs role in each of these works also demands even greater control of the dramatic character and, therefore, a more complex musical approach. The enduring fascination of these demanding roles can also be sought in their 'tragic awareness'.

Michael Volle is the epitome of a singer who has almost untypically by todayʼs standard continuously grown into these roles, bringing out each one's individual characteristics. Hailing from a much wider repertoire, he now performs those great Wagner roles on the most renowned international stages – most recently as Sachs at the New York Met as well as in the highly acclaimed Herheim production in Salzburg or the new version in Bayreuth. Following on from parts like Wolfram, Amfortas and Sachs, the artist is now able to tackle Wotan, Wanderer and – perhaps the most challenging Wagnerian baritone role of all – the Dutchman from the composerʼs early period.

Michael Volle receives ample support from Georg Fritzsch, a GMD with many years of opera to his credit, and conducting the highly flexible Radio Symphony Orchestra of Berlin, whose Wagner credentials are documented on a recent CD of all his operas.

TRACKLIST

01. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96: Verachtet mir die Meister nicht
02. Der fliegende Holländer, WWV 63: Die Frist ist um
03. Tannhäuser, WWV 70: Als du in kühnem Sange uns bestrittest
04. Tannhäuser, WWV 70: Blick ich umher in diesem edlen Kreise
05. Parsifal, WWV 111: Ja! Wehe! Wehe! Weh'über mich!
06. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96: Was duftet doch der Flieder
07. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, WWV 96: Euch macht ihr's leicht
08. Siegfried, WWV 86C: Dir Unweisen ruf' ich ins Ohr
09. Das Rheingold, WWV 86A: Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge
10. Die Walküre, WWV 86B: Leb wohl, du kühnes, herrliches Kind!