Customer Reviews

BERLIOZ:LES TROYENS (COMPLETE OPERA)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This live 2000 performance is both a thrilling experience & one of the bargains of all time - & it comes with full French/English libretto plus David Cairns's authoritative essay. But... in Sir Colin Davis's landmark 1969 (studio) version, there were 3 French-speaking soloists (in supporting roles) & - aside from 1 Swede & 1 Canadian - the rest were British, which gave some linguistic consistency to the performance. Here a lone Frenchwoman (in a minor role) is surrounded by a United Nations of artists: Canada, the U.S., Germany, Bulgaria, Turkey, Britain, Armenia, Sweden, Denmark & China... No language coach could be expected to bring verbal cohesion to such a group, nor to fix basic deficiencies in language training; the French on these discs ranges from well-schooled to mediocre.
That aside, this performance deserves all the praise it's received. Davis's fine interpretation hasn't changed in basic conception; where things are different, it's for the better, especially in the tender care he now brings to the more lyrical passages. Plus there's the added excitement of a live performance. Orchestra & chorus are excellent, & so is almost all of the solo singing. Petra Lang is a vivid Cassandra, using her dark mezzo to great effect. Ben Heppner sings Aeneas really beautifully with no strain whatsoever, in itself a tremendous accomplishment; not by temperament a "live wire," he nonetheless rises to the dramatic challenges of the last act to great effect. Michelle DeYoung's Dido is more a very promising role debut that a fully finished portrayal (she was "moved up" from Cassandra on short notice). This gifted singer, blessed with a beautiful voice & strong theatrical instincts, does much lovely singing, but the part isn't fully "in" her voice yet. Her French vowels, too, are surprisingly unreliable, & she tends to fuss the musical line in the cause of "expressiveness." (Listen to Marisa Ferrer on Sir Thomas Beecham's electrifying 1947 broadcast Troyens [Malibran-Music CDRG 162] to hear what a difference correct, clear vowels & an unshakable legato can make).
Highly recommended - & thank you, LSO, for making these wonderful performances available at reasonable cost. (But if you love, or fall in love with Les Troyens, please hear the Beecham version for that extra dimension of linguistic authenticity.)

This recording is based on performances by the LSO at the end of last year, which generated a great deal of excitement at the time. Eye witness accounts tell of white-hot performances to tell the grandchildren about, and their release on CD is very good news. This is Sir Colin Davis' second recording of this piece and whilst I haven't heard the first, it's hard to imagine him producing better. The recording is coherent across its sprawling whole (the two "parts", not remotely equal) in spite of having been recorded at different times.

Yes, the playing of the LSO is the star of the recordings. All the textures - from the big set pieces to the intimate moments, by way of the spooky "ghost" music and the plentiful dances - are perfectly brough to life, the tempi ideal. Perhaps the zenith comes in Act 4, where the dances are followed by the languorous love music, which provides an overwhelming palate of sound. The chorus sounds a bit thin and lacklustre for my liking, and indeed for me are the set's main drawback.

And the singers? The principal roles are notoriously difficult and Davis has a mix of the well known and the less well known among his cast. Spanning both parts, Heppner's Enee is thrilling and he makes light of the killer tessitura. There is no lack of spirit and fire, though perhaps more sensuous singing in Act 4 would be useful - although this is already an astonishing performance. Lang's Cassandre is fabulous, fiery, crazed and ultimately triumphant. Technically she is wonderful, solid from bottom to top without betraying her mezzo status. The other main mezzo, Michelle de Young, is aptly queenly as Dido, producing creamy sound with occasional pitch difficulties. She is at her best in the outbursts in Act 5 where her anger could strip paint. Sara Mingardo, as her sister Anna, sings gloriously thorughout - what a wonderful Dido she would be. Among the rest of the cast, Mattei's Chorebe is smooth, Tarver's Iopas beautifully and tastefully sung, and Spence's Hylas eager and lyrical.

All in all, a great triumph. The sound quality is good, the amount of extraneous "live" sound is minimal, and the accompanying literature adequate. At an unbvelievably low price, this recording is recommendable to just about anyone who cares about Berlioz, Opera, or epic music theatre.

This recording really deserves more than 5 stars but, as 5 is the limit then I guess I'll have to stick with it. I agree with what the other '5 star reviewers' have said. This is a quite superb account of Berlioz's stunning masterpiece. I love every single note of it, especially when played as it is here, with such passion, fervour, commitment, and beauty. Davis's conducting is extraordinary. The 4 hours whip past in no time at all, completely involving the listener, but never rushing on at the expense of the more lyrical moments, for example the beautiful 20 minute ending of Act IV. The sound quality is the best I have of any recorded opera: bright and clear yet also warm; an amazing achievement for a live performance (there is almost zero audience noise). I've had this recording for 12 months now, and it's certainly in my top three recordings of all time. Included is a libretto too. My one highlight (if I had to choose only one) would be Petra Lang's Cassandra. She gives a scene-stealing performance of remarkable intensity, and her long duet with Chorebus in Act One is probably my favourite part of the score. Berlioz was an absolute genius, and this recording does that genius full justice...

The orchestra DOES sound fantastic, it is clean, precise, yet musical and bouyant. Perhaps the orchestra IS the star on this recording; even if this were the whole story to this recording (and it is not) it would deserve five stars.

I appreciated the brilliance of the orchestra on this recording all the more, after we saw the Metropolitan Opera production on Valentine's Day. It was a great performance at the Met, please do not mistake me; but, while the Met pit orchestra did a fine job, they are no match for the agility of the LSO here -- probably because Colin Davis is a much more precise conductor than Levine.

Much of my praise is an echo of things others have remarked on. Peter Mattei & Petra Lang sing a great duet in Act I: Lang is a fine Cassandra. Michel DeYoung sings the role well, but her voice is a little too Wagnerian for Berlioz -- she is a shade too loud in the ensembles (and the soprano doesn't need to be loud, to be heard with the other, lower voices) and her vibrato is often too unsubtle. This complaint notwithstanding, the close of Act IV on this recording is magnificent.

Kenneth Tarver's "O Blonde Ceres" is lovely; Polenzani did him one or two better the night we were at the Met, but that does not take this fine performance away from Tarver.

'Les Grecs ont disparu' !!
Have you ever heard a singer opening her performance like Petra Lang does it in this recording ? And this superbe quality maintains during the 4 hours of this magnificent opera.
When I bought this album, I didn't knew Les Troyens at all, and I was afraid of the length of the mammout work, but what a revelation !
An unbelievable work (one of the best opera-scores in history, I think) but what an impressive recording this set also makes !
I always considered Colin Davis being kind of a dull grey conductor, but this image must be adapted with this recording. And as said all the soloists perform top-rate. There are simply no weak links.
I had the opportunity to see the opera last year in Amsterdam, also with Petra Lang as Cassandra and Edo De Waart conducting. And seeing Lang performing live, it made the same impression as on disc. She is really becoming the best mezzo since Waltraud Meier.
This 'Les Troyens'-recording can be considered as one of the best opera-recordings ever. Just buy and listen with your eyes closed!



Sven De Boeck (Flanders, Belgium)

This largely praiseworthy production has been let down by certain stylistic aspects of performance--those where linguistic and musical matters impinge upon one another. Whilst Davis's mastery of Berlioz's strictly musical style is and has long been remarkable, it seems not to have extended to the choice of singers (in truth, he might have had little say in the casting). None of the singers of the leading parts is a native speaker of French. What is more important, few sing French even adequately. Petra Lang, alone among the principals, does an excellent job; she is by far the most gripping performer in a decidedly uneven cast and is measurably superior to her opposite number (the fiery but edgy Berit Lindholm) in the earlier Davis set. Michelle DeYoung undercharacterizes her role and has an undistinguished voice; she is no match for Josephine Veasey, who, alert and involved, is at times almost as good as Baker or Crespin. The able but insufficiently imaginative Heppner cannot compare with the astonishing Jon Vickers, who is not even in best voice and is barely half as gripping as he was in the theater--nor for that matter with the best Énée of them all, Georges Thill (cf. Les Introuvables du Chant Français, where excerpts from the role can be found, along with many other treasures from the long-past glory days of French singing). Attention is repeatedly drawn to Vickers's odd vowels, yet it always sounds as if he is singing French, albeit eccentrically, and he is alive to every facet of character and every word's implication. His musical and dramatic instincts are a marvel to behold.

From its frequent thinness of tone, one might reasonably suppose that the LSO Chorus is largely made up of twenty-somethings; their French pronunciation, while no more than adequate, is, however, no worse than what one typically hears at the Metropolitan Opera or Covent Garden. The chorus of the Royal Opera House on the earlier set sounds far better rehearsed and sings with appropriate weight and fully supported tone when those qualities are required. The LSO itself is extremely fine--splendid in fact--but in truth so is the orchestra of the Royal Opera House. A choice between them will perforce be grounded less in fact than in sentiment. The same is true for Davis's interpretation. The newer reading is different--generally a bit swifter and lighter--but it is clearly the product of the same re-creative sensibility that shaped the earlier reading.

The actual sound of this recording is superior to its predecessor's, but only a sonic voluptuary would consider the edge sufficient for a verdict in its favor. In sum, while this performance must have been exciting on the night itself, it is not something for the many nights and days ahead. Buy both Davis recordings, if you will; my bet is that this newer one will probably collect dust a good deal faster.

Colin Davis is recognized as one of the finest, if not THE finest, conductor of Berlioz living today. His first recording of the complete LES TROYENS made history. Recorded in 1969 with a super cast that included Jon Vickers and Josephine Veasy, it was the benchmark for any new recordings.

Now over 30 years later, this recording of Berlioz' culminating achievement on the LSO Live label goes it one better: the opera, on four discs, is a long one and can seem tedious and repetative in the wrong hands. Davis is once again the conductor and, if anything, his interpretation has deepened. The cast in this December, 2000 live concert performance is headed by the heldentenor of our time, Ben Heppner. His strength and romantic sound are perfect for the hero, 'Aeneas.' I am not familiar with any of the other singers, including the sopranos Michelle DeYoung and Petra Lang who play 'Dido' and 'Cassandra' respectively, but every one in this huge cast is first rate.

The sound is perfect and the London Symphony and its chorus do this remarkable, rarely performed, very difficult work justice.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Berlioz' monumental opera, "Les Troyens" opens with the false gift of the Trojan horse from the Greeks to the Trojans which results in the fall of Troy. But Berlioz' opera, in contrast to the Trojan horse, is a true and lasting gift. We are fortunate that it is available to be heard and enjoyed. Little known and little performed for many years, the opera came into its own only in the mid-20th Century. Sir Colin Davis has probably done more than any other conductor to champion "Les Troyens" and Berlioz' other large-scale masterworks. He has recorded the work twice, first in the late 1960s and again in 2000 in a live performance with the London Symphony Orcehstra. It is this second version, which won two Grammy awards and sells at a lesser price than the first version, that I am reviewing here. Opinions vary regarding the respective merits of the two recordings. Whichever you choose, this is grand, dramatic and essential music, and you must hear it. I would like to give a little background on the work.

"Les Troyens" is a long, complex and massive work which Berlioz (1803 -- 1869) completed in 1858. (The opera covers 4 CDs and runs four hours.) Berlioz wrote both the liberetto and the music for his opera, with the goal of integrating the drama of the story with the music. In the way he approached opera, Berlioz followed the path of his musical hero, Gluck, the great 18th Century operatic reformer. At the age of 18, Berlioz was inspired to become a composer with he heard a performance of Gluck's "Iphigienie in Tauris". Berlioz is responsible for rearrangements of several Gluck operas, including "Orpheus". While working on "Les Troyens" Berlioz wrote that "if Gluck were to return to earth and hear it, he would say of me 'this is my son'". In its five-act format, in the expansive, passionate character of the music, in the marches, dances, and pantomines, and its grand, classical theme, and in the connection of liberetto, Berlioz' opera shows him indeed as a "son" and great successor of Gluck.

Berlioz' liberetto for "Les Troyens" reflects his great love of Virgil's Aeneid. The first two acts of the opera tell the story of the fall of Troy, through the Trojan Horse, the death of the prophet Cassandra, and the escape of Aeneas. The final three acts of the opera tell the story of Dido and Aeneas, as Aeneas and his men land in the growning city of Carthage. Aeneas's men help the Trojans fend off an invasion, but, more importantly, Aeneas and the Trojan queen Dido fall in love. The gods demand that Aeneas leave Dido and Carthage and proceed to Italy to found Rome. Heartbroken and furious, Dido curses Aeneas, builds a huge pyre, and kills herself.

"Les Troyens" requires a large cast to perform, and the music is of endless scope and variety. Aeneas is the only character that is prominent in both parts. In both sections of the opera, passionate roles are given to the women leads. In the first two acts, Cassandra prophecies fruitlessly, sings of her unconsummated love for Chorebe, her fiance, and commits suicide with many Trojan women rather than be slaves to the Greeks. The second part of the opera belongs to Dido, as she sings passionately of her love for Aeneas and with terrible and everlasting fury upon her betrayal. Berlioz obviously loved his character. Aeneas is a virtuoso role, with many long taxing and high vocal passages.

There is music of martial glory, tragedy, love, peace, anger, and even humor throughout "Les Troyens." The ghosts of Hector and Cassandra appear and play important roles in the development of the story. I found the performance of the cast in this recording, with tenor Ben Heppner as Aeneas, mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung as Dido, and mezzo-soprano Petra Lang as Cassandre outstanding. I thought DeYoung's Dido was particualy impressive.

"Les Troyens" is great music indeed. The opera is the culmination of Berlioz' work as a composer and a tribute to Gluck, If you love music, you should get to know "Les Troyens". This recording is an excellent way to do so.

Robin Friedman

I read all the rave reviews, and bought this with eager anticipation. I was disappointed. Yes, Davis is FASTER here. But people confuse FASTER with better. This is smooth and polished but lacks the drama in his first landmark set in 1969. The other complaint I have is that LSO Live has been raising their prices since this set was released. At first it was twenty plus dollars, now it's thirty plus. The old set used to cost sixty over dollars but can now be bought for about the same price. I would just pay a few dollars more for the old set which is far better than this sleek, smooth, polished but undramatic set.

The golden age of huge voices is indeed over, and Ben Hppner, though I like him, cannot match Jon Vicker's Enee.

Colin Davis has, famously, recorded Les Troyens before, in 1969. The cast for that recording was even stronger than the cast assembled for him on this 2000 live recording, but the power, flare and magnificence of the present release is unsurpassed. I am not saying that this new one supersedes the old set, but given that most people might (I suspect) not want to purchase both the reader should feel confident in choosing this one; performance-wise they have complementary virtues, but this new LSO Live release also has a price advantage.

Among the virtues of this marvelous performance is at least - among other things - the way Davis achieves seamlessness and overall cogency and flow, emphasizing the various atmospheres and details but making the transitions sound almost effortless, and equipping the score with immense cumulative impact on the way - sort of like taming this wild, rugged, multi-headed mythological monster enough to make it do the work it can do without making it toothless or tapping its ferocity or strength. The orchestral and choral details are indeed glittering and brilliant, and the power of the score remains stunning.

What about the singers? Ben Heppner's Aeneas is superb, with a firm and beautiful tone, intelligent and subtle and always gracefully elegant (Vickers on the older set is such a different kind of singer that comparisons are impossible). Michelle DeYoung as Dido is more problematic; a little insecure sounding and frail, but by all means more than satisfactory for the most part - some more power and command would not have gone amiss, however. Petra Lang's Cassandra is scintillating, on the other hand, and so is Peter Mattei. The rest of the cast provides much beautiful singing - perhaps a little too beautiful and lacking in power and depth overall; the exception is the voluptuously-sounding, authoritative and seductively brilliant Sarah Mingardo.

Sound quality is excellent, with little audible evidence that we are listening to a live performance - apart, perhaps, from the power and drive of the music. Now, there are several alternative performances out there of what I think is Berlioz's strongest score overall, but my familiarity with these is admittedly limited (apart from the previous Davis one). Yet I cannot imagine that this set is surpassed by any of them (even if, as Davis's own previous set shows, there are several paths to glory with this music). In short: very strongly recommended.