Search - Gounod, Vezzani, Journet :: Faust

Pure Unadulterated French Opera

Dr. Fartmeister | Vancouver BC | 11/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These days, it is very rare to find a recording of French romantic opera sang correctly. Here is a relic from days gone by, in which the singers actually use their voices as musical instruments, rather than vehicles for personal gain. All the singers on this disc have long since passed, and many of them have been almost completely forgotten. However, Faust has never been recorded in a purer form. From the opening aria to the final resolving chord, the performers never waver from their task, and Cesar Vezzani's C during the famous aria "Quel trouble inconnu me penetre" is like nothing you are likely to hear on opera stages these days. The somewhat scratchy 1920's recorded sound does not detract at all from the sheer dramatic intensity of this performance.
It is a pity that this CD is so hard to come by, it truly is a treasure."