Beethoven: "FIDELIO" (MET, 2/23/71) Ludwig, Vickers, Dooley, Macurdy, Mathis, Goeke, Plishka-Böhm

A famous performance and a rare tape. Ludwig's only Met Fidelio. The evening's performance was supposed to be an Elektra with Nilsson, but she injured her ankle the previous Thursday and couldn't go on. Her cover for Elektra was Inge Borkh, but she'd gone on the night before as the Empress in Frau and was unavailable. So Rudolph Bing decided to switch Elektra to Fidelio and asked Ludwig to go on. She was already there performing in the new Werther production and agreed. She hadn't sung the role since 1968 though, and would be going on without any staging or music rehearsals. She went on cold, and the rest is history. I've never heard a quality version of this tape, so I've spent a great deal of time working on it. Huge improvement. Some of the lows are very low, and some of the highs are very loud, but has to be this way. Enjoy!!!
Metropolitan Opera
New York, N.Y
February 2nd, 1971
Ludwig Van Beethoven
FIDELIO
Leonore: Christa Ludwig
Florestan: Jon Vickers
Don Pizzaro: William Dooley
Rocco: John Macurdy
Marzelline: Edith Mathis
Jaquino: Leo Goeke
Don Fernando: Paul Plishka
First Prisoner: Paul Franke
Second Prisoner: Clifford Harvout
Captain: Harold Sternberg
Conductor: Karl Böhm
Orchestra and Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera
Overture 0:00
Act One 6:26
"Abscheulicher! wo eilst du hin?" 43:56
Act Two 1:09:03
NYTIMES:
...Tuesday night's performance went as smoothly as if Miss Ludwig had been singing “Fidelio” all season. She was obviously helped by the presence of Mr. Böhm as conductor, yet it was to her credit that she was completely secure in the role, musically and dramatically. The “Abscheulicher!” aria in the first act, the big hurdle for Leonore, was technically flawless and brilliant in sound. She did not give it the emotional impetus she probably would have under normal circumstances, but it was the only evidence of caution during the evening.
Otherwise, she sang beautifully. In the dungeon scene, she was most affecting as she recognized her husband, Florestan, and her tone was often melting in the music's expression of love and compassion. It will be a pity if she does not repeat her performance here in the future.....