With all this talk of "glorious, sumptuously-orchestrated music",there's this one! Not so off the well beaten track as Schreker and Zemlinsky I suppose,but there's allot of sumptuous orchestration and some big noisy,floor shaking climaxes to satisfy those of a less nervous disposition. Some may prefer an alternative recording. I like Solti in this kind of repertoire (albeit,not always!).
I've got the DG complete Strauss opera box (a birthday present to myself several years ago) and this recording is included. There are some questions over other recordings chosen for the set, but this Solti
Die Frau is very special indeed, and what a cast! If you can get hold of this box, it's worth it's weight in gold.
Richard Strauss was perhaps the towering peak in Austro-German opera of the period, but Schreker, Zemlinsky and Korngold should not remain in his shadow - each of them had so much wonderful theatrical instinct and produced so much splendid music that anybody who admires Strauss really should explore
their operas...
:)
