Waltraud Meier
One of the greatest highlights of my recent trip to the UK, indeed a very unexpected one too, was having to the privilege of hearing one of the greatest singing actresses of the past thirty or so years - Waltraud Meier, in recital at Wigmore Hall.
The program was Wagner's Wessendonck Lieder, Mahler's Kindertotenlieder, Five Ruckert Lieder and three songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn with accompanist Joseph Breinl. Let's just say I was spellbound for the entire recital.
Waltraud Meier has been a favourite performer of mine ever since I first heard her as Klytemnestra in the Barenboim recording of Elektra back in the 90's. Indeed she has made this one of her signature roles over the past decades and I have seen/heard her interpretation in at least three guises that I can think of.
Her Wagnerian recordings have achieved nearly legendary status as well, most strikingly her Venus, Isolde and Waltraute. All of which have been very well documented over the years and in various recordings and productions.
Meier is gradually winding down her stage performances, her final Isolde just recently took place in Munich so I was doubly privileged to witness this recital. The Wessendonck Lieder and Tristan und Isolde are practically siblings and the former contains much of the exquisite moments of the latter.
As a tribute to the remarkable Waltraud Meier I've chosen the fabulous Traume, the final song from the Wessendonck Lieder song cycle. It was one of the highlights of the evening at Wigmore Hall and experience I will treasure for a very long time.
You can read a revue of the evening here.
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