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68 of 72 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely Fabulous!!, December 12, 2002
This review is from: Gounod: Faust (Complete Opera); Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov, Allen, Pretre (Audio CD)
Why haven't anyone reviewed this set yet?? This is THE Faust of our time. To me, the most imposing figure in Faust is actually Mephistopheles. He is really the driving force of the entire opera, and needs a no-holds-barred, big-voiced treatment to be really impressive. This is exactly what we get here with the magnificent presence of Nicolai Ghiaurov. His huge basso is capable of producing terrifying dark splendor and suave persuasiveness of the devil. You'll feel chills going down your spine when you hear him sing "Vois qui faites l'endormie" or the scene in the cathedral. Ghiaurov's wife, Mirella Freni is the ideal Marguerite, she perfectly captures an innocent soul fallen victim to the dark forces, but regaining her strengh and her faith in the end. Her voice has both the perfect creamy middle and radiant top, her portrayal is very involved and real. Placido Domingo sounds ardent believable as a youthful Faust. While the character is not very sympathetic, he has some of the most beautiful music ever written in a tenor key, and Domingo's powerful dark spinto sound is most welcome for this role, just listen to the famous "Salut! Demeure chaste et pure". Thomas Allen is a superb Valentin, I wish he had more music in the opera, but he makes the best of what's there. Prêtre conducts with vigor, a bit faster than Richard Bonynge on Decca set. By the way, Ghiaurov also sang for Bonynge, alongside Corelli and Sutherland. While I had difficulty choosing a better one, I settled with the current set for Mirella Freni's performance, I just felt that the character of Marguerite needs to have a little more spinto sound than Sutherland to fully realize the final scene. Also, Domingo brings a fascinating tender touch to the role of Faust, whereas Corelli sounds more like a man possessed (no pun intended). Anyway, if you haven't purchased this set yet, don't delay, it just may go out of print like so many great recording did already.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Comparing "Faust" recordings, May 12, 2007
This review is from: Gounod: Faust (Complete Opera); Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov, Allen, Pretre (Audio CD)
This performance demands comparison, of course, with the performance of deLosAngeles, Gedda, and Christoff, recorded in the fifties. The sound quality of this recording is, of course, superior. Another plus is the omission of several (minor) cuts in the earlier performance. The comparison of the singers is less clear. I prefer the Marguerite of deLosAngeles to that of Freni. Freni, at this stage of her career, sounds somewhat too matronly for this girlish role, although she is in excellent voice. Christoff and Ghiaurov were both the pre-eminent bassos of their day. Ghiaurov has perhaps the silkier sound, Christoff the more compelling vocal personality. I rate them a toss-up. I confess to having a preference for Gedda in the title role. At this youthful stage of his career, his voice was thrilling. Domingo's Faust, while excellent, provides another look at Placido's technique, with which we are all familiar. Overall, the listener cannot do wrong with either set.
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21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The "French" Faust : Unsurpassed, November 19, 2005
This review is from: Gounod: Faust (Complete Opera); Domingo, Freni, Ghiaurov, Allen, Pretre (Audio CD)
What I mean by stating this is the most French of Faust recordings is that this recording is blessed by the strengths of 1) a French conductor, George Pretre and the Orchestra of the Paris Opera, 2) Placido Domingo and Mirella Freni are opera singers who are unbeatable in their French diction/phrasing, singing their parts with both lyric grandeur and compelling drama. The only other recording even worth hearing is the old classic from the 50's LP Era starring Victoria De Los Angeles and Nicolai Gedda. While that recording has its own merits for an old recording, this is perhaps the greatest modern recording of Faust, with supreme digital sound transfer and excellent sound quality. Placido Domingo LIVES the role. In the opening scene, employing a voice wrought with anguish and frustration, the aging alchemist makes a deal with the devil (Russian bass Nicolai Ghiurov in a stunning performance) and regains his lost youth in order to attract the beautiful Marguerite. Domingo is allowed enough time to sing lyrically and beautifully, expressing every Gaelic note with bravura, but since the conducting is dramatically potent, much of it is fast. Still, Domingo sings like no other, even eclipsing Franco Corelli, who try as he would, could not master the French repertoire, making it too "Italian". Domingo's love arias are exquisite and they change to dramatic despair in the final scene "Ange Pure, Ange Radieux". His Faust is dramatically gratifying and beautifully sung, with handsomely dark, rich textures. The same applies to Mirella Freni, whose Marguerite is a different animal from Victoria De Los Angeles or Joan Sutherland. Both De Los Angeles and Sutherland sing French without a problem and both lavish the arias/cadenzas with decorative coloratura and lyric pianissimi and other such vocal embellishments, but neither soprano sing it with enough LIFE and with enough dramatic force. Mirella Freni's lyric-spinto voice is wholly suited for the role of Marguerite. Marguerite makes a darker portrayal than the others. She is a woman who is in love and suffers for it, and is haunted by demonic forces which were at play in her falling in love with Faust. In the Church Scene, especially, Freni shines. Her high, but ungrating voice is supremely dramatic, especially when she lets out that scream and faints. She sings the Jewel Song without any of the usual fireworks that most sopranos give it but she is aware that even this song has its dramatic appeal. She sings it as if it were the song of a girl who is just being seduced, so there is a nearly sexual element to her singing. Mirella Freni's voice is sooooo womanly. Her middle voice was the strongest and this is her most feminine voice. She sings the final with a combination of despair and exaltation as she is whisked away to Heaven but can do nothing to save her beloved Faust. As for the Devil, Russian bass Nicolai Ghiurov (who later became Freni's husband and coached her to sing Russian repertoire) his is a powerful performance. He does not sing just to sound beautiful in the bass voice as Samuel Ramey does, who gives the role a bel canto character. Ghiurov sings the role with real fire, with dark edginess and danger. When we hear him sing L'veau d'or, the Calf Song, we are not treated to merely a showpiece but a powerful song of sin. His invocation of other demons is frightening. His voice, though low, is huge. If only George London had sung the Devil ( or did he ?) and recorded it! Ghiurov is quite possibly the worthiest successor to George London's legacy. So without further ado, get this recording and see for yourself why this is the best recording you are likely to find.
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