2h 20min | Comedy, Musical | TV Movie 25 December 1959 | b/w, fs
Director: Herbert List
Joseph Keilberth ... conductor
Cast:
Erika Köth ... Rosine
Fritz Wunderlich ... Graf Almaviva
Hermann Prey ... Figaro
Max Proebstl ... Bartolo (doctor)
Hans Hotter ... Basilio (music teacher, intriguer)
Ina Gerhein ... Marzelline
First performed 1816.
Prior performance viewed: Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia (1988), 7.
The star of this show for me is not Wunderlich (poster boy), but Koth. Her high notes are wonderful. I'd give 2nd place to Prey. FW has a great voice, and the role has the disadvantage of not being so farcical. Figaro knows this is mostly silliness, the Count does not.
The picture quality is mediocre, since this is TV in '59. Don't know if this was a kinescope or film, but the quality falls between the two.
To be honest, I didn't watch and follow the subtitles. I felt familiar enough with the opera just to listen and glance up occasionally.
Often I could hear the humor, even though it's in German, and I don't mean audience reaction. To me, that's a good thing. Farce should be broad and obvious.
Bayerischer Rundfunk(TV), distr. Deutsche Grammophon, cond. Keilberth; 8
