Search - Alfredo Kraus, Michel Plasson, Choeur et Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse :: Gounod: Roméo et Juliette

Excellent Romeo & Juliette

Chris | Falls Church, VA United States | 09/06/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Romeo & Juliette is the first of the two digital EMI recordings of the opera conducted by Plasson. The second one features Alagna and Gheorghiu which is also very good. In my opinion this 1984 recording is the better one between the two. This Romeo & Juliette featured Alfredo Kraus whose stylish reading is hard to beat and his high notes were still very secure.Catherine Malfitano's Juliette was young and fresh, is much more preferable to Gheorghiu's too mature sound Juliette."

The Believable Romeo et Juliette

RAWoFFtheWaLL | Williamsport, PA USA | 05/27/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This particular recording of Charles Gounod's Romeo et Julette, finds the principal cast members sounding much more the age of Shakespeare's young lovers than any of the other major recordings of this opera including Corelli and Freni, Domingo and Swenson, and even Alagna and Gheorghiu. The genuine sound also benefits from exemplary French diction and style lacking in the Corelli/Freni recording, in particular. Catherine Malfitano has a sweet, youthful sounding ring to her soprano that blends well with Alfredo Kraus' lighter tenor in the many duets they share. One may be disappointed that Kraus for some reason chose not to diminuendo the last high B flat of his "Ah! Leve-Toi, Soliel." Kraus had beautiful pianissimo top notes and if Franco Corelli, a truly dramatic, attack the top notes tenor could do it, Kraus most cecertainly should have too! The singing of Jose van Dam and Ann Murray on this recording are also noteworthy, and as always Michel Plasson leads his Toulouse forces with his signature attention to detail. Overall, perhaps the most enjoyable recording of this opera available. If you enjoy Romeo et Juliette I strongly recomend the brand new DVD available from Deutsche Grammaphon starring Rolando Villazon at the Salzburg Festival. Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu are also much more convincing in their DVD's of this opera."