Alexander von Zemlinsky Sarema, die rose von Kaskasus.

ALEXANDER VON ZEMLINSKY SAREMA, DIE ROSE VOM KAUKASUS

CLARKE, LUKAS, KLEINHENN, SCHEEL, ZINOVENKO, HERBOSCH, CHORUS and Orchestra of the Trier Theatre, Istvan Denes, conductor. Koch Classics 3-6467-2 (2 CDs) ***

THE MUSIC OF THE VIENNESE-BORN COMPOSER ALEXANDER VON Zemlinsky--who for decades was best known as the teacher of Erich Korngold, Alma Mahler and Arnold Schoenberg--has been enjoying something of a renaissance over the past several years. Although both he and his music were largely forgotten at the time of his death in the United States in 1942 at the age of 71, performances and recordings of Zemlinsky's songs, chamber and orchestral music have become much more plentiful in recent years.

Today, we have splendid recordings of six of his operas (including his powerful one-act opus, Der Geburtstag der Infantin). To this list can now be added this world-premiere recording of his youthful opera, Sarema. Written between 1893 and 95 when the composer was still in his early 20s, it is based on a dramatic poem by Rudolf von Gottschall and deals with the tragic Circassian heroine, Sarema, who--like Bellini's Norma--is torn between her love for her native land and that for an enemy of her people, a callous, insensitive Russian officer called Dscherikoff. At the end of the opera, Sarema saves her lover's life and reveals that "I bear within me treason that can never be atoned for. I love the enemy of my people, yes, him, who never loved me, who never believed in my faithfulness." Then, in true operatic fashion, she stabs herself.

While much of the score is quite accomplished and musically compelling, it is not highly original. It does, however, flow quite naturally out of that grand tradition of German romanticism which culminated with Richard Wagner. There are, on the other hand, many beautiful moments throughout.

American soprano Karin Clarke clearly dominates the proceedings with her powerful, committed portrayal of the title role. As for the rest of the cast, vocal accomplishments are more modest. German tenor Norbert Kleinhenn, in particular, has a rough go of it in the role of Asslan. The rest of the international cast, while not being particularly stellar, is certainly more than adequate: with Hungarian baritone Laslo Lukas as a rough-hewn Dscherikoff, German baritone Andreas Scheel as Sarema's forgiving father and Ukrainian bass Yuri Zinovenko as the noble Prophet. The orchestra, under the direction of Istvan Denes, is dependable, but the chorus sounds a little undernourished. --Neil Crory