Search - Massenet, Richard, Juyol :: Werther

My all time favorite commercial recording of Werther!

09/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am simply beside myself with joy!!! I've just found out that the early fifties Urania recording of Werther with Suzanne Juyol and Charles Richard is available on CD!PLEASE believe me: this is a Werther you all MUST hear.I NEVER expected or even hoped that this wonderful recording would ever be reissued on CD. I am so thrilled to discover that it has been. Urania was a very marginal label. Richard was virtually unknown in the US. Juyol was much in the same boat.However:This is, without a doubt, my all time favorite commercial recording of Werther. I grew up with a very worn LP edition of it. For more than thirty years, I've listened to that LP set over and over. I've just about played it down to the nubs.Richard (who sang for years at the Opera Comique) had a drop-dead gorgeous lyric tenor voice in the tradition of Tito Schipa and Georges Thill. But I prefer Richard over both of these tenors as Werther.Juyol is a bit matronly as Charlotte; but hers was a voice very rich in color and solid technique. She rips the roof off in the letter scene.And as for the death scene: I've never heard a recording as moving as this one is in that.I have oodles of Werther recordings. But this one has always been and probably ever will be the Werther of choice for me.Do yourselves a favor. Give this recording a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed."

Spectacular!

Impostazione | New York City Area | 02/24/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By now I am not surprised that this authentic gem has been overlooked. It just happens sometimes.



First of all, I must comment on the quality of Urania's remastering. They are building a superior reputation these days with splendid remastering on reissues. What they did to both of their Aidas -- with Toscanini and Perlea is very impressive and greatly improved on RCA's original sound. On this Werther, the sound is very clear and pleasant and much better than one would expect from a smaller label. This is a Urania original.



Richard sings a beautiful Werther very much in the Thill manner, but less precious, more virile. His opening scene brings in some lovely French diction. Though he failed to impress me on the dramatic aria, his invocation "O Nature" was extremely seductive. It seems Werther is written for a tenor with dramatic overtones for this orchestration is thick and demands weight and color that it seems to never get. I don't find this role very light at all.



Suzanne Juyol gives one the impression that it is impossible for her to make a vocal mistake; that she is in command of every pulse of vibration. What a technique -- that controls a magnificent instrument of phenomenal size. She has some very beautiful middle notes and in dramatic moments opens her voice to good effect. The enthusiastic previous reviewer called her matronly. Well, that word again...before I wrote this review I watched my "I love Lucy" episode where "The Society Matron's League" denied Lucy entrance. So now I know what a matron used to be. Humbly, I personally don't find Juyol quite so old fashioned. In fact, she is quite sexy, exudes a very feminine French girl charm. Not that I dislike the old girls -- I actually love them dearly.



This is a wonderful set and all the singers are good, but I had to mention Richard and Juyol. The latter is one of the best technicians I have ever encountered."