Jerry Hadley "the Word is Beautiful.".(Sound Recording Review)

* Viennese operetta arias by Benatzky Kalman, Korngold, Lehar, Millocker, Stoltz, J. Strauss, Zelter. Munich Radio Orchestra, Bonynge. No texts or translations. RCA 68542-2

This collection of Viennese operetta arias would be worth having if only for the irresistible jazz-lied, "Mein Madel ist nur eine Verkauferin," from Robert Benatzky's Meine Schwester und Ich. It's quite unlike anything else in Jerry Hadley's syrupy program of tenor favorites that are better-known in German-speaking countries than they are here. A big problem, however, is the lack of texts, translations or even the barest synopses of what these fifteen pieces are about. For American listeners, this creates a sequence of pleasant but meaningless melodies. Even with some knowledge of German and familiarity with the operetta repertory, it took considerable effort to learn the gist or context of the less familiar items.

The issue is compounded by the monochromatic nature of the performances. Hadley, who has recorded several complete Lehar scores in English with Richard Bonynge, brings an easy-going approach to these original-language renditions, in very clear German diction, marked by pure vowels and crisp consonants. Hadley's lyric tenor can be quite beautiful when not pushed--which means, for the most part, in his middle range. High notes are too often pinched or bleated at full volume, faked in a falsetto or head-voice when soft singing is required.

Although the liner notes for this release--recorded in 1995 but not issued until this ...