Customer Reviews

Andromaque / Tragedie Lyrique

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Let's get a few things out of the way, shall we? Gretry was not Mozart, nor did he pretend to be. Every contemporary of the Salzburg genius is a candidate for immediate comparison it seems. Mozart is Mozart, nothing more need be said. Gretry's sole foray into opera seria (tragedie lyrique) is one of great and immediate appeal. Those familiar with his light, comic works know that Gretry was a composer of great talent, charm and Gallic vivacity. Of all the ones I've heard, there isn't one that doesn't utterly bewitch. With Andromaque, he doesn't seem content to just entertain as much as invigorate his audiences. From the powerful overture to the final chorus, this opera makes certain that attention never wanes and he does so not with bombast but rather with an extraordinary number of musical novelties that pricks the ear as well as the senses. I found myself smiling at Gretry's clever orchestration; an inexhaustible bag of tricks. It's an unusually short opera by late 18th century standards, running a little over 1-1/2 hour; however, I loved it so that I could have wished for an opera the length of Idomeneo or Giovanni. There are no seco recitatives like those found in the vast majority of operas of the time, the arias, duets and ensembles are rather brief and the chorus plays a very prominent role, (choral fans will delight) so things move along at an exhilarating clip. I listened to the entire work twice in one night and was about to attempt a third when I realized it was time to go to bed. Herve Niquet directs with his customary flair and vitality and makes Andromaque seem almost relevant. To boot he assembled a first rate cast of singers and the band Le Concert Spirituel hardly disappoints. Lovers of Gluck will savor this beguiling recording. Too bad Gretry limited himself to only one tragedy...LOL.