Smetana: the Bartered Bride. (Historical).

SMETANA: The Bartered Bride

[] Nordenova, Krasova, Pixova, Hordkovd; Toms, Otava, Pollert; Chorus and Orchestra of the National Opera of Prague, Ostrcil 1933. No texts. Naxos 8.110098-99

Smetana's The Bartered Bride (Prodana Nevesta) is a jewel of Czech opera literature. While it is an intensely national work, it was joyfully embraced -- like Dvorak's "New World" symphony -- by non-Bohemians decades ago. The history of recordings provides a remarkable illustration: The Bartered Bride was recorded complete (on fifteen 78rpm discs) in 1933, before the first integral recordings of Mozart's Don Giovanni, Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera and Wagner's Lohengrin. The CD incarnation of that historic set is now at hand and, as produced by Ward Marston for Naxos, its technical restoration is probably as good as the listener is likely to get.

1933 was a long time ago, and we have no right to expect anything approaching aural perfection. What we do get from this performance is authenticity in abundance. Conductor Otakar Ostrcil, who had been music director of Prague's National Theater since 1920, gets spirited, accurate playing from an orchestra that copes with his sometimes breakneck tempos. The well-known orchestral excerpts (polka, furiant, the dance of the comedians) are rousingly delivered; the singers, if not star caliber, are flavorful and invariably above mere competence. Soprano Ada Nordenova's engaging Marenka is in total command of her role, even ...