3 immortal pieces from the opera DIE TOTE STADT (The dead city) by Korngold – with the best interpretations from YouTube (Hits, Best of)

This opera is one of the great operatic works of the 20th century. Korngold once again evokes the intoxication of late Romanticism, narcotic in its lushness and melancholy.

“Glück, das mir verblieb” – Korngold great song

This piece is Korngold’s most famous piece ever. It is a nostalgic solo piece (which turns into a duet) in the middle of a psychodrama. It has the function of making the relationship of Paul and Marietta emotional for the listener, to form a maximum contrast to the drama that follows, which goes to Paul’s murder of Marietta.

Happiness that remained for me, Return to me, my faithful love.
Evening sinks in the hague. You are light and day to me.
My heart beats in fear. Hope swings skyward.

When sorrow approaches, return to me, my faithful love.
Incline your pale face, dying does not separate us.
If once you must go from me, Believe there is a resurrection.

The character of this piece is song-like or even operetta-like. Already at the beginning the orchestra glitters, with glockenspiel, celesta and harp a typical late romantic coloring. The bells of the celesta conjure a romantic, almost childlike naive mood:

We first hear the duet in the original scoring for soprano and tenor in the recording with Jonas Kaufmann and Julia Leiter. Kaufmann made his debut in 2019 in the role of Paul.

Glück, das mir verblieb – Kaufmann / Leiter

Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen (My longing, my wishing)

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Pierrot sings a wistful song with slow, waltz-like accompaniment. It is one of those grain gold songs their with lush colors and lavish melodies. This song is complemented in with a beautiful Summ chorus that inevitably makes us think of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen – Hampson

The ecstatic conclusion of the act

This passage is one of the highlights of the opera. Marietta recognizes Paul’s mental anguish. She must sound dramatic and seductive in this scene to make Paul’s agony of conscience and erotic desire believable. The second act closes with a Tristan-like ecstasy.

Paul thou sufferest? (Marietta, Paul) – King / Armstrong.