Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin & Michael Abramovich, Dagmar Manzel - Menschenskind (2014) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Hollaender: Wenn ich mir was wünschen dürfte
02. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Das Currendemädchen
03. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelhölzern
04. Hollaender: The Ruins Of Berlin
05. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Drei Wünsche
06. Hollaender: Black Market
07. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Mädchen, warum weinest Du?
08. Hollaender: Falling In Love Again
09. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Wenn ick mal tot bin
10. Hollaender: Die Kleptomanin
11. Nelson: Das Nachtgespenst
12. Hollaender: Illusions
13. Hollaender: Die hysterisch Ziege
14. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Oh, Mond
15. Hollaender: Circe
16. Nelson: Peter Peter, komm zu mir zurück
17. Hollaender: Lieder eines armen Mädchens-Wiegenlied an eine Mutter
18. Hollaender: Ich weiß nicht, zu wem ich gehöre
19. Hollaender: Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss auf Liebe eingestellt (Zugabe)


Needless to say, German operetta fans already know her: the actress Dagmar Manzel dazzled audiences at Berlin's Deutsches Schauspielhaus years ago with a superb Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, a performance that was truly one of a kind, and quite beyond anything you're likely to see (or hear) in an opera house. It made Manzel an instant operetta sensation in critical circles. As a consequence, she was offered more and more operetta and musical theatre roles, La Périchole among them, then Miss Lovett in Sweeney Todd. When she sang Lilli Vanessi in Kiss Me, Kate, she became the unquestioned superstar of the Komische Oper Berlin, where she also dazzled audiences with Kurt Weill recitals and, of course, her portrayal of Madeleine de Faublas in Paul Abraham's jazzy Ball im Savoy.

Dagmar Manzel‘s debut album entitled MENSCHENsKIND, devoted to the music of Friedrich Holländer, son of the famed operetta composer Victor Holländer (Der Bey von Marokko, Die Prinzessin vom Nil) who also wrote even more famous revues (Auf ins Metropol!). Holländer Jr. made his name composing some of the most famous chansons in the German language, among them various Marlene Dietrich classics such as "Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuß auf Liebe eingestellt" ("Falling In Love Again") and the legendary "Black Market" about post-war Berlin. Holländer Jr. also wrote many chansons for cabaret stars like Blandine Ebinger who excelled in bringing out the grotesque quality in this repertoire.

On her new album, Dagmar Manzel offers 19 tracks that range from Dietrich-evergreens such as "Wenn ich mir was wünschen dürfte" and "The Ruins of Berlin" to cheeky Ebinger classics like "Die Kleptomanin". And: a Rudolf Nelson number called "Das Nachtgespenst".

Adopting a more "easy listening" style for her interpretation, Manzel is accompanied by the orchestra of the Komische Oper Berlin, and by Michael Abramovich at the piano. In contrast to her recent Werner Richard Heymann album, she offers less 'classical' singing (which others can do better anyway) but more of a "diseuse" approach. In short: it's a must have for all fans of Manzel and Weimar Republic cabaret repertoire. It's also an interesting modern alternative to recordings by Ute Lemper, another star performer who in the recent past successfully sang this repertoire – in a much more over the top way, incidentally, which is attractive as a comparison.

Dagmar Manzel, vocals
Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin
Michael Abramovich, piano
Gabriel Adorjan, solo-violin

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac]

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [Hi-Res]