Béla Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle - Jessye Norman / László Polgár / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez

Béla Bartók (Composer), Pierre Boulez (Conductor), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Orchestra), Jessye Norman (Performer), László Polgár (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Jessye Norman, László Polgár
• Orchestra: Chicago Symphony Orchestra
• Conductor: Pierre Boulez
• Composer: Béla Bartók
• Audio CD (July 14, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000009CMO
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #257,907 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #10 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Languages > Hungarian
  • #57 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Divas > Norman, Jessye

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great singers have walked this path before you, September 28, 2005

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Béla Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle - Jessye Norman / László Polgár / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez (Audio CD)

Boulez conducts a cool reading without a trace of Hungarian passion or gothic melodrama, both of which are prominent in any really fine performance. His soloists are vocally suited to their parts, but Norman applies her usual generic grand aloofness and plush vocalism to a role that calls for vulnerability and awe changing to horror, while Polgar simply isn't a major artist in any way.

Bluebeard's Castle has attracted magnificent interpretations over the years, and the fact that great singers like Fischer-Dieskau, Walter Berry, Christa Ludwig, Samuel Ramey, and Anne Sophie von Otter have given their all makes this version, despite its good qualities, pretty unnecessary.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Ingredients are here but........, May 30, 2002

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Grady Harp (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Béla Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle - Jessye Norman / László Polgár / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez (Audio CD)

All of the elements needed to recreate Bela Bartok's only opera "Bluebeard's Castle" are on this recording - the magician Pierre Boulez, the mighty Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the lustrous Jessye Norman, and the authentic Hungarian Bass Laszlo Polgar. Boulez does draw out superlative playing from the CSO, Norman spins her silvery mezzo effortlessly, and Polgar treats us to the perfectly enunciated Hungarian text. But something remains very cool in this sinister tale of the depths of the human psyche and the dark side of love. Individually all performers are superb, but it is the passion of ensemble that is missing. True, we may hear more detail in Bartok's lushly romantic score, but Norman especially leaves us uninvolved in her bland exploration of the mystery of Judith and her Bluebeard.
A good alternative version, but not the definitive one.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Revelation, December 28, 1999

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Gapare Pacchierrotti (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Béla Bartók: Bluebeard's Castle - Jessye Norman / László Polgár / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Pierre Boulez (Audio CD)

From my experience, this is the first recording of worth in the opera's original language. I have recordings of it in English and German. I have seen a performance from the Met with Norman in it, which was wonderful. However, this was quite a different experience. As is often the case when music is sung in its original language the subtles are very different.

I was at once amazed and thrilled with the result. Norman was exceptional, as seems to be her regular way of doing things, and Polgar a very mysterious Bluebeard. It was the orchestra that disappointed ( now mind you, it was still extremely good! ) because it seemed too studied and less emotional than it should have been.

I must admit I came to this opera only recently, with the Metropolitan Production, and even then had to be brought there by force. I am not a lover of strange sounds and bad harmonies. So much of what was written during this same time period is, for me, a trial to the ear and the endurance. However, I was stunned by the performance ( played with another modern opera, which I was stunned by and actually enjoyed! ), and was really impressed with the work.

I can only recommend that if this type of music is new to you, buy it with great singers with truly great voices of wondrous quality. This recording will not disappoint, and in fact may actually do for you what Norman did for me -- open your ears, eyes, and mind to new and wonderful works.