Released September 2021 | Label: Naxos
Nominated for Best Premiere Recording at the International Classical Music Awards 2022
J. Strauss II: Waldmeister
Johann Strauss II, composer
Gustav Davis, librettist
Dario Salvi, conductor
Robert Davidson, Chrisoff Heffele (bass-baritone)
Dorothe Ingenfeld, Malwine Heffele (contralto)
Annika Egert, Freda (soprano)
Friedemann Büttner, Erasmus Friedrich Müller (tenor)
Noah Schaul, Tymoleon von Gerius/Sebastian (tenor)
Martina Bortolotti von Haderburg, Pauline Garlandt (soprano)
Andrea Chudak, Jeanne (soprano)
Daniel Schliewa, Botho von Wendt (tenor)
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus
Reviews
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La Rivista Music
★★★ " Salvi's concertation makes it a quite convincing team [...] the musical numbers of the operetta follow one another pleasantly, thanks above all to the homogeneity of the choir and the qualities of the Bulgarian orchestra with particularly persuasive and brilliant moments.” [original in Italian]
— Gianni Gori, October 2022
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Classical Music / BBC Music Magazine
★★★ “Musically Waldmeister is a skilfully written, often attractive piece, with impeccable orchestration and melodies from the impressive pot-pourri overture onwards that represent the composer near his best.”
— George Hall, October 2021
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Opera News
Critic’s Choice
“Led by Dario Salvi, the performance is stylish and vibrant, with an energetic chorus and strong soloists.”
— Joanne Sydney Lessner, February 2022
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Classical Music Daily
“Dario Salvi's attention to detail and animated conducting serves the composer's intentions to the hilt and does justice to his luscious music.”
— Gerald Fenech, September 2021
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Gramophone
“Dario Salvi conducts with lively rhythmic directness. The momentum never sags and the woodwind-playing, in particular, has a real sparkle in its eye.”
— Richard Bratby
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Pizzicato
“With this studio production Naxos presents the world premiere recording. This is astonishing, for the music is quite attractive and imaginative. This is already evident in the beautiful overture. In it Dario Salvi proves the quality he wants to give to this interpretation.”
— Remy Franck, September 2021 (Original in German)
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The Light Music Society
“Salvi, who again reconstructed and prepared the score and parts, handles the orchestra with his usual flair: never overly showy, but always in service to every nuance that Strauss’ score demands.”
— Daniel Adams, September 2021
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Gelderlander
“The atmosphere is supreme. Conductor Dario Salvi gives momentum to the piece and he knows how to inspire the young cast to beautiful performances.”
— Maarten-Jan Dongelmans, October 2021 (Original in Dutch)
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Khabar India 9
“It is indeed a commendable move to record this highly praised work. One will not tire of saying that the credit for this beautiful success goes to Maestro Salvi.”
(Original in Hindi)
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Online Merker
“Dario Salvi continues his laudable initiative of recording unknown Strauss operettas with the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra. The choir and orchestra act at a good level, serving the music with a twist and whistle.”
September 2021 (Original in German)
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Stretto
“Lively, catchy and impeccably orchestrated music.”
— Michel Dutrieue, October 2021 (Original in Dutch)
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Operetta Research Center
“And the great Artisan of the success of this Waldmeister is the “Meister”, precisely! Maestro Dario Salvi, whose attentive, refined, alternately restrained and fiery conducting marvellously serves the composer’s intentions and does justice to his beautiful music... The whole construction of Johann Strauss, who distils his musical findings instead of throwing them to the hungry listeners, is reconstructed step by step by Maestro Salvi, and with such precision and nuance that one would think he had been “briefed” by Johann Strauss himself!”
— Yonel Buldrini, August 2021
