Heinrich Marschner’s Once-Famous Hans Heiling Gets a Fine New Recording

Heinrich Marschner’s Once-Famous Hans Heiling Gets a Fine New Recording

Heinrich Marschner (1795-1861) was one of many nineteenth-century composers in the German-speaking lands who tried to create a tradition of serious German opera, distinct from tradition of Singspiel (mostly light comic operas with acres of spoken dialogue). Others included Spohr, Weber (Euryanthe), Franz Lachner, and Max Bruch. Wagner, of course, sealed the deal, from Flying Dutchman onward. Four Marschner operas have received a fair number of p…