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Graun: Montezuma / Papadjiakou, Boulin, Hilsdorf

Graun / Papadjiakou / Boulin / Sieber / Gayer
Release Date: 06/26/2012 
Label:  Arthaus Musik   Catalog #: 101629  
Composer:  Carl Heinrich Graun
Performer:  Karl-Ernst Mercker,  Walton Grönroos,  Catherine Gayer,  Barbara Vogel,   ... 
Conductor:  Hans Hilsdorf
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Berlin Deutsche Oper Orchestra
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Mono 
In Stock: Usually ships in 24 hours.  

Notes and Editorial Reviews

Carl Heinrich Graun (1704–1759) wrote a total of 27 operas for the Berlin court and not least for Frederick II. In 1742 his Cleopatra e Cesare was performed at the opening of the “Haus Unter den Linden”, and in 1755 he wrote his most impressive work – Montezuma. The opera tells the tragic story of the last ruler of the Aztecs, who lost his power and ultimately his life to the Spanish conquistadores. The libretto, in French prose, was written by none other than the Emperor of Prussia himself – Frederick II – and translated into Italian verse by his court poet. The music, written by his kapellmeister Graun, is as virtuosic as it is expressive – highly rewarding for singers and attractive for audiences. Montezuma is an opera that points Read more forward to the future – to Gluck and even to Mozart. In 1982, Deutsche Oper Berlin came to Bayreuth to perform Herbert Wernicke‘s impressive production in the baroque surroundings of the Markgrafliche Opernhaus (opened in 1748).

Carl Heinrich Graun
MONTEZUMA

Montezuma – Alexandra Papadjiakou
Eupaforice – Sophie Boulin
Erissena – Gudrun Sieber
Tezeuco – Catherine Gayer
Pilpatoè – Barbara Vogel
Ferdinand Cortes – Walton Grönroos
Narvès – Karl-Ernst Mercker

Berlin Deutsche Opera Orchestra
(harpsichord: Kevin McCutcheon)
Hans Hilsdorf, conductor

Herbert Wernicke, stage director, set and costume designer

Recorded at the Markgräfliches Opernhaus Bayreuth, 1982

Picture format: NTSC 4:3
Sound format: PCM Mono
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian
Running time: 140 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)
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Works on This Recording

1. Montezuma by Carl Heinrich Graun
Performer:  Karl-Ernst Mercker (Tenor), Walton Grönroos (Baritone), Catherine Gayer (Soprano),
Barbara Vogel (Mezzo Soprano), Alexandra Papadjiakou (Mezzo Soprano), Sophie Boulin (Soprano),
Gudrun Sieber (Soprano)
Conductor:  Hans Hilsdorf
Orchestra/Ensemble:  Berlin Deutsche Oper Orchestra
Period: Baroque 
Written: 1755 
 Date of Recording: 1982 
Venue:  Markgräfliches Opernhaus, Bayreuth 

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