Dich, teure Halle!

Hubby is obsessed with this aria. It's pretty damn cool, although you must admit out of context the translation is a bit silly:

Dear hall, I greet thee once again,
joyfully I greet thee, beloved place!
In thee his songs awake
and waken me from gloomy dreams.
When he departed from thee,
how desolate thou didst appear to me!
Peace forsook me,
joy took leave of thee.
How strongly now my heart is leaping;
to me now thou dost appear exalted and sublime.
He who thus revives both me and thee,
tarries afar no more.
I greet thee!
I greet thee!
Thou precious hall,
receive my greeting!

Girl, wedding banquet hall, blah blah woof woof....

Dame Gwyneth Jones, live at Bayreuth, 1978:


Here is the amazing Deborah Voigt in concert, 1996, the Met:


Leonie Rysanek in concert, 1979, Vienna:

(As an aside, I once sang for a masterclass with the conductor, Horst Stein. He said my voice was on its way. He didn't say where.)

The incomparable Birgit Nilsson, from a 1964 telecast (unattributed TV network):

(Crazy about the dress!)

Kirsten Flagstad live, 1939.


Now for a surprise, Montserrat Caballe, 1970, BBC: