Massenet: Amadis

Massenet: Amadis
Label: Forlane
Category: Music



Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Media: Audio CD


UPC: 723722267925
EAN: 0723722267925
ASIN: B0000038BB


Release Date: 1995-01-25

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Listmania:

  1. The Massenet List (every opera on CD)
  2. Massenet's operas...

Tracks:

  1. Act I: Prologue - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Patrick Fournillier
  2. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: Hail King Raimbert! - Chor Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Andrea Giorgi
  3. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: My Lords: The Town Makes Merry In Your Honour - Antoine Garcin
  4. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: King Raimbert! Galaor Is A Stranger To Defeat - Didier Henry
  5. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: Orlande, Bring Me The Beautiful Book With The Fine Pictures - Daniele Streiff
  6. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: The Lists Are Open! - Antoine Garcin
  7. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: Gaul! Gaul - Helene Perraguin
  8. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: The Tournament - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Patrick Fournillier
  9. Act II: King Raimbert's Castle: Conclusion - Antoine Garcin/Daniele Streiff/Helene Perraguin/Didier Henry/Chor Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris..

Tracks:

  1. Act III: The Heath: O Madonna In Heaven, Hear The Laments Of A Suffering Wretch - Helene Perraguin
  2. Act III: The Heath: Never! Never, Say You! - Nadyne Chabrier
  3. Act III: The Heath: O Floraine! If My Heart Were Cut Open - Helene Perraguin
  4. Act III: The Heath: Dance Of The Fairy-Maidens - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Patrick Fournillier
  5. Act III: The Heath: The Divine Smile, The Only Smile In The World - Helene Perraguin
  6. Act III: The Heath: Oh Yes! I Do Hear...A Distant Voice... - Daniele Streiff
  7. Act III: The Heath: Thou Shalt Not Leave/Let Me Free - Nadyne Chabrier/Helene Perraguin
  8. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: The Earth Is White, The Sky Is Blue! - Chor Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Andrea Giorgi
  9. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: The Sing Their Carols - Daniele Streiff
  10. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: Come Smile For Us, Mournful Maiden! - Chor Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Andrea Giorgi
  11. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: The King And The Valiant Knights Enter In Procession - Didier Henry/Chor Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Andrea Giorgi
  12. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: Gaul! Gaul! - Helene Perraguin
  13. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: The Duel - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Patrick Fournillier
  14. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: The Death Of Galaor - Orch Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Patrick Fournillier
  15. Act IV: In King Raimbert's Castle: May God Receive In His Arms The Proud Knight Of The Rose - Chor Du Theatre Nat De L'Opr De Paris/Andrea Giorgi

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A beautiful, poetic, understated opera.......1999-07-23

'Amadis' was not premiered until 1922, by which time Massenet had been dead ten years and his world swept away, so it made little impression until exhumed in 1988, in a production from St.Etienne (the composer's birthplace) from which this recording derives. Massenet in fact worked on it from the 1880's on and off, finally finishing it just before his death in 1912. It is short, pared down, and rather strange. Act 1 is a prologue, a fully-fledged tone-poem overlaid by the spoken narration of a hunter. This is the strongest music in the piece, fabulously atmospheric, conjuring up the dank forests of Brittany unerringly and culminating in a memorable and hypnotic lullaby, as fairy godmothers guard the two sleeping brothers (Amadis and Galaor)who will fight for the same lady (Floriane), which we see in Acts 2-4. Not all the music is on this same inspired level, but there is an austerity and unity to this score that is quite surprising if you remember that this is the composer of 'Manon' and the superheated hysterics of 'Werther'. This recording benefits from the obviously affectionate and idiomatic conducting of Patrick Fournillier and the orchestral playing is good - the orchestration in this piece is very arresting, wonderfully resonant woodwind chording and much eloquent solo writing for all sections. The singing ranges from the good to the not so good. Amadis (a trouser role) is efficiently done by Helene Perraguin, as is Galaor (Didier Henry), but Floriane is a slightly shrill unfocussed soprano and Le Roi Raimbert (her dad) wobbly. This shouldn't deter you from investigating a neglected, almost lost piece that has a uniquely enigmatic atmosphere. One could fantasize about hearing Anne Sophie von Otter and Thomas Hampson in this music, but I can't imagine this will get re-recorded in a hurry!

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