# Herbert Janssen as Wotan



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I have read on here that Janssen was a singer who took on roles too big for his voice when he sang Wotan because of a shortage at The Met of Wotans. I don't pretend to be knowledgeable about Wagnerian bass baritones but I got a vinyl pristine studio recording of scenes from Die Walkure with the great Helen Traubel. I really enjoy the two albums a lot and I find his singing very beautiful. Did he record better than he sounded in a theater or is my taste really that bad.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

Look what I found on ebay








HERBERT JANSSEN opera baritone signed photo Wotan 
Sale ends in: 20h 39m
Price: US $120.00


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

I don’t know Janssen at all, so wouldn’t pay $120 for his photo.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

MAS said:


> I don’t know Janssen at all, so wouldn’t pay $120 for his photo.


Janssen was an excellent lyric baritone, possibly the greatest Wolfram of them all. A very beautiful voice.


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## Op.123 (Mar 25, 2013)

Listening to the 1944 Walkure with George Szell and reading reviews from the Met Opera archive it seems that Janssen was an excellent Wotan. The voice isn’t as heavy as some, but the vocal production is so beautiful and the music making so sensitive that you find yourself not really caring. The reviews I have read seemed to be very positive although noting a lack of resonance in the lowest regions of the part. It’s quite possible singing these heavier roles wasn’t the wisest idea for him but he handled the part very well for a higher baritone than most who would sing it. I would, certainly in terms of sensitivity, rate him very highly.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Op.123 said:


> Listening to the 1944 Walkure with George Szell and reading reviews from the Met Opera archive it seems that Janssen was an excellent Wotan. The voice isn’t as heavy as some, but the vocal production is so beautiful and the music making so sensitive that you find yourself not really caring. The reviews I have read seemed to be very positive although noting a lack of resonance in the lowest regions of the part. It’s quite possible singing these heavier roles wasn’t the wisest idea for him but he handled the part very well for a higher baritone than most who would sing it. I would, certainly in terms of sensitivity, rate him very highly.


Thank you for taking the time to write this. I can see how it might not make as big of an impact in the house as you might like but he really "sings" the role and does so with incredible beauty. He sounds like a god you could love and not just fear. In my recording his voice is more than adequate in size to make the impact you desire. With the glorious Traubel, who was ON FIRE in my recording they are a winning team. The size and beauty of Traubel's voice is not to be believed in this. Around 40 minutes in it starts to get really thrilling:


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