Albert Lortzing: Don Juan und Faust, Ali Pascha von Janina, Szenen aus Mozarts Leben Cappella der Nordwestdeutschen Musikakademie Detmold, Kölner Rundfunkorchester Jan Stulen (maestro) Gert Westpinal — (recitation), Friederike Vomhof (soprano), Yvi Jänicke (alto), Karl Fäth (bass), Axel Mendrok (tenor), Karl-Heinz Brandt (tenor), Monika Krause (mezzo-soprano), Petra Hasse (soprano), Klaus Häger (baritone) et al. MDG 609 1059-2 [2 CDs: 74.08 + 58.06] — recorded 1989–91, Cologne
Albert Lortzing’s early theatrical oeuvre remains a curiosity — caught somewhere between youthful apprenticeship and the assured craftsmanship that would make him a staple of the German stage. This MDG double-CD set unearths three works from that formative era: the incidental music to Don Juan und Faust (1829), the singspiel Ali Pascha von Janina (1823/1828), and Szenen aus Mozarts Leben (1833).
Each acts as a kind of laboratory where Lortzing is testing his theatrical and musical chops before leaping fully into the operatic limelight with Zar und Zimmermann and beyond. The collection, under Jan Stulen’s measured yet responsive baton, glistens with a certain freshness despite the occasionally rough-hewn material. There is no escaping that these are works steeped in a hybrid of the familiar — a pastiche of Mozart’s grace here, a nod to Weber’s dramatic flair there.
Lortzing, born and bred in the theatre, was more than a composer: an actor, singer, and craftsman of theatrical nuance. This breadth of experience informs these recordings — the interplay between recitation and music often feels less like an overlay and more like an organic conversation, a direct appeal to the listener’s dramatic imagination. The Don Juan und Faust incidental music is perhaps the most intriguing.
The subtle intake of breath before the pianist’s attack.
Here Lortzing’s homage to Mozart and Spohr is transparent — entire numbers are borrowed or cleverly retexted, with Mozart’s minuet repurposed as ball music and Spohr’s polonaise brought forward with a certain pride. The overture is an intelligent mosaic of these influences, though with moments that verge on the derivative. Still, it’s the orchestral colours — a crisp clarinet here, a silvery violin figuration there — that provide a sensory delight, painting the stage’s shifting moods in subtle hues rather than broad strokes.
Vocally, the performances fluctuate in effectiveness. Axel Mendrok’s tenor, warm and fluid in the aria from Ali Pascha, stands out; for its expressive phrasing and sensitivity to the score’s blend of lyricism and spirited bravura. Monika Krause’s mezzo-soprano brings a supple richness to the role of Arianna, her lines buoyed by a charming orchestral duet that captures a rare intimacy amid the work’s otherwise robust textures.
The choir, however, is thin, often struggling to fill the sonic space, especially noticeable in Szenen aus Mozarts Leben, where fuller sonority would have lent more weight to the stirring "finale"s. Ali Pascha von Janina reveals Lortzing’s early attempts to master operatic structure. The overture, thickly scored and dense, occasionally muddles thematic clarity in its eagerness to impress.
Yet within the opera, one finds striking moments of melodic invention and a — boldness in dramatic pacing unusual for a young composer still learning his craft. The March (CD1, track 5) carries a Rossinian exuberance that’s counterbalanced by vocal lines demonstrating a — sturdier, more Germanic robustness — a dialectic that might be said to prefigure Lortzing’s mature style. On the other hand, Szenen aus Mozarts Leben acts as a fascinating monument to Mozart’s enduring legacy and the cultural myths surrounding his relationship with Salieri.
Here Lortzing veers toward a more scholarly, reverent approach, crafting the singspiel almost entirely from Mozart’s own music. The choice to weave together excerpts from quartets, sonatas, and even the Requiem is ambitious — at times dazzling, at others jarring, especially where cuts and combinations strain the listener’s familiarity with the originals. Yet it is precisely this learned bricolage that makes the work compelling: a musical palimpsest that both venerates and reframes Mozart for the stage.
Klaus Häger’s portrayal of Salieri is measured and authoritative, capturing the baritone’s inherent complexity without succumbing to caricature. Petra Hasse’s “lullaby” (CD2, track 8) — a refined jewel — floats with genuine tenderness, her tone pure yet warmly shaded, a moment of reprieve amid the dramatic tensions. The album quality — while a product of late 80s technology, remains serviceable — orchestral textures are generally clear, if occasionally a touch dry.
The balance between spoken word and music is well handled, preserving the integrity of the dialogue while ensuring the orchestral narrative is never overshadowed. In sum, this release is a vital document for anyone interested in the developmental arc of Lortzing, a composer whose broader reputation rests on comic operas but whose early experiments reveal a restless, searching musical spirit. It is a reminder that the road to mastery is rarely straight or smooth — — that behind every celebrated work lie shadows of imitation, adaptation, and the gradual forging of voice.
For listeners prepared to embrace these idiosyncrasies, this set offers both insight and enjoyment. — Ultimately, Don Juan und Faust, Ali Pascha von Janina, and Szenen aus Mozarts Leben are not works to rival Weber — or Mozart’s finest, but they are compelling signposts on Lortzing’s journey — a young composer wrestling with tradition and personal expression. The performances are committed, the scholarship meticulous, and the music, when it soars, does so with honest conviction.
An essential addition for Lortzing enthusiasts and scholars of early 19th-century German theatre music alike.
