Hallström: Den Bergtagna

Monica Sjoholm, Hillevi Martinpelto & Lars Billengren

Released on 07-01-1987 by Sterling Records
Main artists: Monica Sjoholm Hillevi Martinpelto Lars Billengren
Genre: Opera

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Language available : english

For what it's worth, Ivar Hallström's formidable five-act opera Den Bergtagna (The Bride of the Mountain King) has the distinction of being the grandest Swedish nineteenth century opera on a nationalistic theme. One does not choose the phrase "for what it's worth" lightly here; after achieving an impressive 85 performances between its premiere on May 20, 1874, and the year 1910, Den Bergtagna was socked away in the mothballs and not heard again for another 76 years. This Sterling recording is the first made of Den Bergtagna, and derives from one of the early revival performances by the Norrland Opera held in 1987. Some orchestral segments cut from the live show are appended in the form of studio-made recordings included at the end of the two-disc set. Musically at least, Den Bergtagna is in the possession of some unusual features; Hallström foregoes the overture and forges right into a scene for Ulf, the old servant and the chorus, only launching into the overture afterward. This is followed by yet another introduction, during which the opera proper finally begins. Hallström's music represents a sort of fusion of Grieg and Wagner, diametrically opposing influences that go together sort of like ice cream and salmon. This is exactly how it works in Den Bergtagna, but some individual elements stand out, particularly in choral passages. Lars Tibell and Hillevi Martinpelto, as the Mountain King and the character Ingeborg, respectively, have an awful lot of singing to do in this opera, and they hold up okay until near the end of the second act, when both singers show desperate signs of getting tired. After that, Den Bergtagna begins to fall on its sword. The appended ballet music and prelude give us a bit more of Hallström's music, but these are not very distinguished pieces; the best parts of the opera itself are more substantive. The above noted complaints are actually not what is "worst" about Den Bergtagna. That is the recording quality; cramped, buzzing with line noise and betraying the telltale signs of being taken from television audio. A glance at the tiniest print on the back cover reveals that this recording was a joint venture between Sterling, Norrland Opera, and Swedish Television. When are European record companies going to learn that TV audio is not an acceptable alternative for recording a large and expensive work for release on CDs? The sound from video just simply is not good enough, and they would have done better to just to issue a DVD of the opera rather than go through the trouble of compiling a two-disc set with a 72-page booklet containing the translation. With so many outstanding, and sonically satisfying, recordings in its catalog already, Sterling should have known better.
© TiVo

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Hallström: Den Bergtagna

Monica Sjoholm

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Den Bergtagna, Act 1 Introduction: "Och jungfrun hon skulle sig till ottesangen ga"

Alan Hacker