Charles Gounod Giacomo Meyerbeer Gustave Charpentier - French Opera Arias Dig (8 tracks) +Album Reviews

CABALLE'S EXQUISITE FRENCH ARIAS FINALLY ON CD!

Operaman! | Chicago, IL United States | 08/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is vintage Caballe from the diva's extensive discography that has been MIA for years. Items from this wonderful album were reissued on various Polygram anthologies and collections, but everything is together for the very first time. These arias are performed with frankness and verve instead of gallic sensitivity (and I will not vouch for perfect French pronunciation either), but the overall singing is spectacularly beautiful! Her performance of the Faust scene recalls the diva's Met debut (and the performance is more spontaneous than on her rather uneven complete recording of the opera). This is her second recording of "Depuis le jour", and this time in better sound and without the flat notes that plagued the first recording. She negotiates the coloratura of the Huguenots and Juliette arias admirably, and her renditions of the Thais and Micaela's arias are among the best. A nice bonus is the Manon Lescaut duet with Domingo taken from the historic Bing Farewell Gala album (although the audio balance is problematic). Like Caballe's French album, the Bing Gala items have also been reissued piecemeal, and this collector would love a reissue of the complete Gala, including the unreleased items.

UPDATE: The DG website has announced the CD reissue of the Bing Gala in the coming months. It doesn't look like it will include any previously unissued items, but stay tuned."

A Masterpiece,with the original LP cover art !

Viva Caballe | 09/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a must have recording for any Caballe fan.The sound quality is incredible,and she sings these french arias like a goddess.This recording is from 1970 and as recently been reissued with the original cover art.I have been waiting for years for DG to reissue this remarkable record complete on cd.Caballe has the most beautiful voice in recorded history and if you buy this cd you will here the beauty for yourself.I really loved her rendition of depuis le jour,the most magical version ever recorded.This recording is full of Caballe's sublime pianissimos and golden age forte high notes.I can't recommend this cd high enough."

Some of Montsi's finest singing

Armindo | Greece | 02/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've no idea why DG waited so long to release this superb recital but thank God they did! It captures Caballe in golden voice in some of her less recorded French roles. She is quite daring here and not scared of high notes, difficult turns or trills. Some of her ideas are very exciting if not always entirely accurate but it is rare for a voice of such richness and beauty to achieve this agility so no complaints. My favourites are the magical Depuis le jour, and the first aria from Huguenots. Both benefiting from her endless legato, unmistakable pianissimo and phrasing. I doubt her French is idiomatic enough for native speakers but DG wouldn't be able to find authentic French voices of such beauty even if their life depended on it. As a filler, instead of the otherwise fine Manon Lescaut duet with Domingo, DG should have put the French Manon Caballe did with the wonderful French tenor Alain Vanzo in the late 60s. I wonder what else is lying in those DG vaults..."

Mon Dieu! C'est merveilleux!!!!

Bartolome Mesa Gil | Malaga, SPAIN | 02/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have just seen Montserrat Caballé, after more than 50 years on stage, in a painfull charity recital on my hometown, Málaga (Spain). How cruel time is. Fortunately we have records like this one to keep alive in our ears and souls the rare beauty, sure technique and great artistry that was Caballé's. We won't hear anything like it again. There are many others, but this one is as good a starting place as any to experience her magic. And beware, after it, you'll be spoiled forever."

Yum!

Good Stuff | 09/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nowadays buying a Caballe compilation set is a lot like playing poker: You get the cards you are dealt and try to make a hand out of them. This one is the exception to the rule. Except for the odd addition of the "Manon Lescaut" duet, which is from the Met's farewell concert of Rudolf Bing, This CD is exactly the same program as the original LP.

I remember when the LP was released there was a lot of carping about the generally slowish tempi and that the conductor, Reynald Giovaninetti, was being overly indulgent of Mme. Caballe. Giovaninetti was a long time collaborater of Mme. Caballe, and I think he knew exactly what he was doing here. It works for me perfectly, and the Philharmonia Orchestra is outstanding as a bonus.

Unless I am mistaken, this is Caballe's only recording for Deutsche Grammophon. They provided her with an excellent accoustic. It is also, I think, her only foray, at least on record, into french opera. Fortunately, she is in gorgeous voice throughout.

The stand out for me is her absolutely stunning performance of "Dupuis le jour" from "Louise". Her breath control and sense of line are beyond description. What a remarkable artist she was.

A side note: There are those who grumble that she really wasn't all that good "in the house", as it were. I simply disagree. I saw her several times in live performance, including a rather famous "Ernani" at the Met. In fact, she was, as we all know, a large woman. She understood this as well. Rather than making a fool of herself, she had the good sense to come out on stage, stake out her territory, and sing, sing, sing. I don't think anyone ever felt short changed at the end of a Caballe performance."

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