Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle, Sz. 48, Op. 11

“the Edinburgh Festival Chorus and the Wandsworth schoolboys deserve special commendation for their valour […] something of a virtuoso performance in its own right which Ustinov obviously enjoyed hugely […] technically the whole thing is a tour de force – and that includes particularly vivid orchestral sound; partly it is the sheer superlative panache of the orchestral playing under Kertesz” Gramophone Magazine (Háry János)

“this issue of Bartók's early opera must count as one of Decca's great operatic recordings, to be treasured by all who appreciate this marvellous score. Rival versions, past and present, are left at the post” Gramophone Magazine (Bartók)

“sets new standards … the Decca remastering reaches demonstration quality” Penguin Guide *** (Bartók)

“Polgár makes a compassionate Bluebeard, imbuing the part with an appropriate sense of resignation and regret... Komlósi sings [Judith] with admirable insight. Fischer conducts with meticulous care for detail, and has even managed to procure a keyboard xylophone - the rare instrument Bartok specifies for the torture-chamber scene...while there may have been more spectacular versions of this great work, none is more thoroughly idiomatic than Fischer's.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2011 *****

“As both singers are native Hungarians, the contour and timbre of the vocal lines have an organic unity even to an ear unschooled in Eastern European tongue.” Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2011

“Fischer is especially successful at drawing out the pained poignance of the score...The result is a performance dominated by sadness, one that draws out sympathy (for both characters) more than it horrifies us; and Fischer manages to keep the psychological intensity growing as we move from door to door.” International Record Review, September 2011

“Sonority wins over emotional display with Willard White’s Duke, but Elena Zhidkova makes partial amends as the anguished Judit.” The Times, 8th August 2009 ***

“…Gergiev and his superlative orchestral forces and vocal soloists, supported by magnificent sound quality, present the enigmatic piece with great power, leaving us, as adequate performances always do, feeling stunned and somewhat bewildered. Willard White's Bluebeard, exceptionally firm of tone, implacable but tormented without ever indulging his pain, is magnificent. He needs to be to counter the superb Elena Zhidkova...” BBC Music Magazine, October 2009 *****

“For the perfect introduction to Bartók's Bluebeard look no further. …the pivotal moment is the sombre burbling of the lake of tears… where Judith is transfixed by the water's unearthly hush and Bluebeard explains, "tears, my Judith, tears, tears…". Gergiev sustains a pretty slow tempo while clarinet and low strings embrace both protagonists with long, expressive lines. The opera's later episodes, such as the accelerating blood-rush as Judith susses the shocking truth (Gergiev and his players are on tremendous form here), Bluebeard pondering his past wives and the overwhelming moment when Judith at last joins them, all suggest similar levels of thoughtfulness, sense of theatre and sensitivity to mood.” Gramophone Magazine, October 2009

“Gergiev takes to the potent compound of searing psychology, soaring poetry...with characteristic gusto, at pains to stress the pulsing drama at the heart of the seemingly undramatic premise of the work...White’s Bluebeard is a biting, granite-edged performance of inscrutable and intimidating stature.” Michael Quinn, bbc.co.uk, 1st October 2009

“…the performance is greatly helped by fine playing from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, and Alsop's sweepingly dramatic view of the score. The vocal contributions, however, are less distinguished.” BBC Music Magazine, January 2008 ***

“Alsop and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra prove worthy interpreters of Bartók’s psyco-drama. Alsop bathes the score in an impressionist glow, dark and glistening. She gives her excellent soloists… ample room to define the drama, while tightening the screws where appropriate, making for a suitably chilling climax.” Financial Times

“…this Bluebeard is more than good enough to introduce a great and compelling work but if pressured to choose while ignoring of the price-tag I would opt for John Tomlinson's Bluebeard under Bernard Haitink.” Gramophone Magazine, February 2008

“This new version… is splendidly recorded, and Farnes coaxes some superb playing from the orchestra. Sally Burgess makes a fine Judith, bringing out the firmness of her love for Bluebeard, as well as her vulnerability. …Tomlinson… is as commanding as ever, and to listen to this performance as a whole is to marvel anew at the richness and inventiveness of Bartók's score.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2006 *****

“Burgess manages to make Judith the multi-dimensional character she deserves to be...John Tomlinson's Bluebeard broods magnificently, his voice and personality as overpowering as the atmosphere of his castle...let me introduce the third member of the cast: the Orchestra of Opera North conducted by Richard Farnes, who provide vivid colours and deep shadows” Andrew McGregor, bbc.co.uk, 8th August 2006

“This recording grew from performances by Opera North but the absence of a visual element hardly matters. Nor in this instance does the language issue either. Bluebeard is perfect food for the mind's theatre, the tale of a man alone (as John Tomlinson reminds us in the cryptic spoken prologue) and while under normal circumstances Hungarian would win over any translation, here vivid vocal acting and clarity of diction more than compensate. And there's Farnes's conducting, which even from as early as the introduction counters the pervading darkness with deftly pointed woodwind phrases and a light, expressive curve to the string lines.
Tomlinson's Bluebeard is godlike, cautioning and doleful, the voice hugely resonant. Sally Burgess sounds old enough to know better than to stray thoughtlessly from her father's home. When Judith first views the castle's interior she sounds suitably tremulous and awestruck, though when she blurts out the words 'tell me why the doors are bolted?' an air of petulance spells trouble: her command to 'open!' cues forceful thwacks on timps and bass drum. And so the drama unfolds, Burgess's Judith, shrewish and fatally curious, Tomlinson's Bluebeard, inwardly tortured but fired by Judith's dark beauty. The instruments of torture, the armaments, mountains of gold, tender flowers and spacious kingdom, all are graphically tone-painted, Farnes delivering with distinction every time – though when Burgess gasps at the kingdom newly revealed she keeps her high C fairly short. Tomlinson's most sensitive moment, as so often with him in this work, comes when he recalls his former wives, and Farnes's comes at the 'lake of tears', the perfect dovetailing of winds and strings, mournful but also extremely beautiful.
The later climactic moments are delivered with enormous power, the sum effect very moving.
For a thoroughly sympathetic, theatrically effective English-language Bluebeard's Castle, this new release is about as good as it's likely to get.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Moving and powerful, this English Bluebeard is as good as it gets. …while under normal circumstances I'd favour Hungarian above any translation, here vivid vocal acting and clarity of diction more than compensate. And there's Farnes's conducting, which even from as early as the introduction counters the pervading darkness with deftly pointed woodwind phrases and a light, expressive curve to the string lines. Tomlinson's Bluebeard is godlike, cautioning and doleful, the voice hugely resonant. Tomlinson's most sensitive moment, as so often with him in this work, comes when he recalls his former wives (track 19), and Farnes's comes at the 'lake of tears', the perfect dovetailing of winds and strings, mournful but also extremely beautiful.” Gramophone Magazine, July 2006