Wagner: Parsifal – Act 2 Scene 3, Tristan und Isolde – Act 1 Prelude and Liebestod, Die Walküre – Act 1 Scene 3
Simon O’Neill (tenor), Michelle DeYoung (mezzo-soprano)
Case Scaglione / Orchestre National d’Ile-de-France (NoMad Music)(scroll down for English review)
指揮過港樂數次的斯卡利安，現在執掌這隊巴黎大區國立管弦樂團，是巴黎較次級的樂團。這張華格納專輯並非序曲選、也非精華選段，而是兩大折子：《帕西法爾》第二幕第三場（約40分鐘）以及《女武神》第一幕第三場（約30分鐘），另外《崔斯坦》第一幕前奏曲，以及有人唱的《愛之死》。
樂隊及指揮屬次級，但歌手是頂級，香港觀眾應該都熟悉、參與過港樂《指環》的奧尼爾及迪揚。《帕西法爾》那段是魔女孔德麗向帕西法爾揭露他身世之謎，再向他誘惑的經過。較少聽全劇的朋友可能一時不習慣，但去到第四軌打後就會開始精彩。
奧尼爾在全碟都是預料之中，迪揚在舞台上唱了孔德麗接近二十年。這碟其餘部分我較有興趣，因為迪揚多年來都是以女中音定位，很少會唱華格納歌劇的主角，《崔斯坦》她唱妹仔Brangäne，《女武神》她唱Fricka，但在這個折子音樂會她能夠唱這兩劇的主角，伊索德及齊格蓮。《女武神》這一折頗多著名詠嘆調，而迪揚的齊格蓮，我看唱全劇已是合格有餘。《愛之死》她也應付到所需要的力量及高音，至於全劇就很難說。
《崔斯坦》第一幕前奏曲是斯卡利安表現的機會，比我想像中好，尤其是輕柔部份很有濃情，接近高潮的數分鐘的鋪排甚佳，緊湊而不會太壓逼，爆發後仍有相當逼力。
Case Scaglione is now the Music Director of this Parisian orchestra. This Wagner album is neither an overture selection nor a Wagnerian greatest hits kind of thing. Instead it consists of two big scenes from Parsifal and Die Walküre. Between them is Tristan’s Act 1 Prelude and Liebestod which was a vocal rendition here with DeYoung.
The conductor and orchestra may be relatively unknown but the singers are of top rank. In that Parsifal scene the enchantress Kundry tells Parsifal of his identity, then proceeds to seduce him. Those who aren’t into seeing or hearing a Wagner opera in full may need some patience, things would be more exciting from track 4 onwards.
O’Neill was his old self and DeYoung has been singing Kundry on stage for nearly two decades. I’m more interested in the Tristan and Walküre sections because DeYoung got to sing Isolde and Sieglinde in them. On stage she usually takes the roles of Brangäne and Fricka. This Walküre scene is an audience favourite with quite a number of memorable arias. I’m happy to report that DeYoung has the capability to tackle the role in full. Her Liebestod had enough power and the top notes were secure, but that wasn’t proof enough that she could sing Isolde in full.
Scaglione had a chance to shine in the Tristan prelude and it exceeded my expectations. He was especially passionate in the quiet passages and the build up to the climax was tight but not rushed. What’s more, Scaglione was able to sustain the tension after the climax.