Lehar: Paganini (1925) Accord 2 cd's
(complete, with abridged dialogue in French)
Robert Massard (ten) Paganini; Roméo Carles (bar) Pimpinelli; Colette Riedinger (sop) Anna-Elisa; Geori Boue (sop) Bella
Henri Merckel (violin)
Orchestre and choirs / Pierre Dervaux Accord 2 cd's
Rec. Universal (Decca) France Studios, Antony, France 1955 Mono
A good recording of this operetta,in mono sound. The best known number of which,in it's english version,might not go down so well with feminist's and the #Me Too movement,these days! Like most of these old French recording's of operetta made (mainly) in the 50's and 60's,the singing is of a very high standard and the dialogue is performed almost like a play,with judicious use of sound effects & ambience (chattering voices and/or music in the background) where required. Interestingly,it took until 1982 for a 'complete' recording to be released by a German recording label (emi-electrola). That one had Anneliese Rothenberger and Nicolai Gedda,and had the benefit of stereo,but I don't have it,because it's been deleted and Sellers ask ridiculous prices. In lieu of that I've had to make do with a very good 1952 recording conducted by Franz Marszalek (available on the Membran label,but now deleted) who was one of the best advocates of this genre of entertainment,and a vintage cast that includes Anny Schlemm and Peter Anders,who is rated very highly by fans of operetta in German speaking lands. And very good he is too! A few more years and he may have recorded some operetta in stereo,but he was tragically killed in a car accident in 1954 at the of 46! The only other recording I have is a 1960's selection of excerpts from the operetta with Rudolf Schock and Margit Schramm (A reissue of the original Eurodisc Lp). The photo of the Accord set on this page is of my own copy & I took the price sticker off specially. (With a little help from a Q stick & isopropyl alcohol! ::))
The mono Membran 2 cd set The stereo 2 cd electrola reissue I can't afford! Eurodisc highlight's (Original Lp artwork & bad wig/hair day! ::) ;D)
