Robert SCHUMANN 1810–1856

Das Paradies und die Peri Op.50

Julia Faulkner, Florence Quivar

Orchestra Staatskapelle Dresden / Giuseppe Sinopoli

Oratorio in three parts

Text by Emil Flechsig and the composer after Thomas Moore’s

‘Lalla Rookh’

Overture, Scherzo and Finale Op.22

Julia Faulkner tenor Die Peri, Soprano II

Heidi Grant Murphy alto Die Jungfrau/Maiden, Soprano I

Florence Quivar mezzo-soprano Der Engel/Angel, Mezzosoprano,

Alto II

Elisabeth Wilke mezzo-soprano Alto I

Keith Lewis tenor

Robert Swensen tenor Der Jüngling/Young Man, Tenor

Robert Hale bass-baritone Gazna, Der Mann/Man, Baritone, Bass

Staatsopernchor Dresden chorus master Hans-Dieter Pflüger

In celebration of the Schumann-year 2010

Robert Schumann wrote his oratorio Das Paradies und die Peri on Persian fairy tales, a rather unusual subject in a period when oratorios were mainly based on biblical history.

As always in Schumann’s case his way of treating the form is highly original and imaginative. Rather than keeping in the tradition of separate sections of recitative, aria and choruses, he blended the form in a

continuous stream of action, in which motives related to persons or situations were the main dramatic features. In this he paved the way for Richard Wagner’s musical dramas.

Wonderful soloists: Julia Faulkner, Florence Quivar and others, and the oldest (and some say best…) orchestra of Germany, Staatskapelle Dresden, conducted by the late Giuseppe Sinopoli.

Complete text of the oratorio included in the booklet.

Brilliant Classics 94065