Wagner, Siegfried - Sonnenflammen

SIEGFRIED WAGNER (1869-1930): Sonnenflammen, Op. 8. The latest new Siegfried opera, completed in 1912 but not premiered until the last month of the war in 1918, is set in Byzantium, a court of dissipation, cowardice, hypocrisy and other less than attractive traits, whose soiled characters the composer manages to portray in all kinds of shades of gray, surprising us with all kinds of character nuance which we don't tend to expect in stage works set in the dim past. As always, the music is melodic and often comfortably lyrical, playing against the grain, so to speak, given the apocalyptic ending which approaches. Symbolism, double meanings, allusions (often musical) to his earlier operas - there's a lot here to appreciate beyond the notes and Peter Pachl continues to be a good, concise guide in his excellent notes. 2 CDs. German-English libretto. Roman Trekel (baritone), Michaela Schneider (soprano), Richard Brunner (tenor), Jürgen Trekel (bass), Chorus and Orchestra of the Halle Opera House; Roger Epple. CPO 777 097 (Germany)


Track list

Disc: 1

1. Act 1. Prelude
2. Act 1. Scene 1. Ha! Schaut! Wie sie sich schlagen
3. Act 1. Scene 2. Hör' auf ihn!
4. Act 1. Scene 3. Verdammtes Rosen-Öl!
5. Act 1. Scene 4. Vater! Was hör' ich! Wär es wahr?
6. Act 1. Scene 5. Sieh'! Iris!
7. Act 1. Scene 6. Hört! Sind sie schon da? Die Kreuzritter?
8. Act 1. Scene 7. Was die wieder hier zu schnüffeln haben
9. Act 1. Scene 8. Du bist im Wege! / Scene 9
10. Act 2. Scene 1. O send' einen Gruß mir über das Meer


Disc: 2

1. Act 2. Scene 2. Schutz bei Euch!
2. Act 2. Scene 3. Iris! Steh mir Rede!
3. Act 2. Scene 4. Böse! Was entflohst du?
4. Act 2. Scene 5. Drei Fragen beantworte mir
5. Act 2. Scene 6. Aber Irrlichtchen, schnell!
6. Act 3. Scene 1. Also! Das "Schmeichel-Stündchen"!
7. Act 3. Scene 2. Geht!
8. Act 3. Scene 3. Welt-Untergang!
9. Act 3. Scene 4. Heimat, entrückte!
10. Act 3. Scene 5. Gallischer König