I Follow a Voice Within Me: A Portrait of the Singer Waltraud Meier (Das Lied von der Erde: Gustav Mahler) (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)Many documentaries concerning classical artists turn out to be a virtual bore, but this feature on Waltraud Meier will hold your attention from first to last. There are many excerpts of her performances throughout the film and you do wish that they were more extended than what was given, such is the artistic powers at her disposal. For the most part, it obviously shows her in a positive light which is to be expected, but there are also comments made about how difficult and demanding she can be, but these references are always couched with explanations. I do not doubt that working with her can be quite stressful and this was illustrated in rehersals for Tristan and Isolde, though you will also see here joke around with Siegfried Jeruselem concerning his age and whether he can still get up off a floor. You also get a glimpse of her in a recording studio as she sings Venus for Daniel Barenboim, and see how demanding and detailed the recording process is. Her personal and opinionated accounts of travel, Wagner, soprano styles, and other topics are interesting. She is not one to mince her words. I enjoyed the feature and will have no difficulties watching it again.
The concert portion of the disc is a performance of Gustav Mahler's Das Lied Von Der Erde with Semyon Bychkov conducting the WDR Symphony of Koln. With Meier, is the tenor Torsten Kerl. I first heard Torsten Kerl in a DVD performance of Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Die Todte Stadt and was amazed at his performance. His ringing bell like tenor is on good display here too as he makes the most of his three songs. Meier also gives a sympathetic performance and Seymon Bychkov shapes a deeply spiritual account, especially in the final movement "Der Abshied". However, I must point out that there is an egregious edit mishap in the 4th movement "Von der Schonheit" which mars an otherwise very good performance.
Recommended with the slightest of reservations.

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