An afternoon of wonderful melodies will be showcased on this week’s Sunday Opera (1/6 3:00 p.m) when host Michael Kownacky brings you two works by Franz Lehar. We’ll begin with “Das Land des Lachlens” (“The Land of Smiles”), a romantic operetta which features the very popular song “Das ist mein ganzes herz” (“You Are My Heart’s Delight”).
Our cast features Piotr Beczala as Prince Sou-Chong and Camilla Nylund as his love, Lisa. Also in the cast are Julia Bauer as Mi ad Alexander Kaimbacher as Gustl. Ulf Schirmer conducts the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Munich Radio Orchestra. Following “Land of Smiles” will be another Lehar work, “Paganini” with Robert Massard and Colette Riedinger leading the cast conducted by Pierre Derveaux. The afternoon will also include two orchestral pieces by Lehar, “A Vision: My Youth” and “Danube Legend” as well as revisiting “The Land of Smiles” with the original Sou-Chong, Richard Tauber, singing the song he made famous, “You Are My Heart’s Delight.”
