Customer Reviews

Gounod - Roméo et Juliette

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Though not as familiar as "Faust", Gounod's "Romeo et Juliette" is almost as dramatic, passionate and melodic, and this 2 CD set has an ideal cast. Placido Domingo (who has also recorded a magnificent "Faust") was 54 at the time, but he sounds extremely youthful and tenderly in love, with a vibrant vigor in his voice that makes him a believable Romeo, and as Juliette, Ruth Ann Swenson is extraordinary, with sweetness in her tone, high notes that seem to float in the air, clear trills, and exquisite pianissimos.

Written eight years after "Faust", "Romeo et Juliette" has some thematic similarities, and as the liner notes explain, Gounod was looking for a composition to be as successful as his earlier opera for the Paris Exposition of 1867; out of the two, I still prefer "Faust", but this is a terrific opera, and Gounod received much acclaim for it in its debut at the Theatre-Lyric, even though it was getting some stiff competition at the nearby Opera, which was premiering Verdi's "Don Carlo".
One cannot imagine a finer performance then the one captured on these 2 discs; Leonard Slatkin keeps the tempos flowing, and rounding out the cast are Susan Graham, marvelous in the "trouser" or "castrato" role of Stephano (a character not part of Shakespeare's play), Sarah Walker as Gertrude, Alastair Miles as Friar Lawrence, and Paul Charles Clarke as Tybalt, among the many wonderful singers.

The insert booklet is in 4 languages (French/English/German/Italian), and along with the liner notes has bios of the stars, synopsis, and libretto.
Recorded in Munich in 1995, the sound is excellent and total playing time is: Disc 1, 76'44, and Disc 2, 79'15.

A very balanced recording, with a superb Swenson performance. Domingo's voice , though understandably more compelling in the past,, provides estimable support with only a few minor breaks. There is little to quibble about regarding the orchestra and conductor - the tone and pace are entireably agreeable . The most recent Plasson recording benefits from of a cleaner, French speaking chorus, and Alagna's youthful lyricism may appeal to those not inclined to the mature drama of Domingo's rendition. On blance, though, the RCA recording has a stellar soprano in fine form, balance, and represents a bargain (condensing the opera onto two disks).

This set has lots of terrific things going for it. Ruth Ann Swenson is a creamy voiced Juliette. She sings with expressive sweetness and is particularly touching in the final scene. Domingo is a bit dark-voiced for the role of young Romeo but he makes up for it in the sheer beauty of his phrasing and in his passionate portrayal. Susan Graham's blithe Stephano is a pure delight. The duets between the ill-fated lovers are meltingly lovely. A gorgeously sung recording of Gounod's masterpiece.

Charles Gounod is best known for his FAUST that is in the repertoire of every major opera house while his equally beautiful and dramatically stirring ROMEO ET JULIETTE finds performances mainly in Europe. Hopefully, with this excellent recording, the public demand will be alerted to another treasure and we will be hearing this work more frequently.

Gounod's adaptation of the Shakespeare play is one of the finest in opera: Bellini's 'I Capuleti et i Montecchi' is a lovely work but is more a showcase for two sopranos than a rendering of the passion of doomed lovers. Yes, there are known arias - especially Juliette's Waltz - but for the most part this opera is drama driven with lyrical writing for both demanding roles of the two lovers. To be credible on stage these artists must have not only agile and bravura vocal powers, but be physically believable as teenage lovers. Yes, thankfully it is possible to have it all, as this season's LA Opera production starring Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko proves: I cannot imagine there being two finer interpreters of this score than those embodied in the physically beautiful and radiantly young Villazon and Netrebko. They are magical and memorable in every way.

Thanks to the recording studio these two teenage lovers have been successfully captured by Placido Domingo and Ruth Ann Swenson. This is consummate singing with a sense of urgency rarely found on a recording. The smaller roles are well sung by Susan Graham (a handsome Stephano), Alastair Miles (a perfect Fr. Lawrence) and the remainder of the cast. The chorus is full-bodied and if they don't sound quintessentially French..well, no bother. Leonard Slatkin has a fine sense of the drama and the doom that inevitably ends this love story. He is able to coax fine playing from the Munich Radio Orchestra, being especially careful to lean into the refrains from the balcony scene that resurface in the tomb scene, passages that show the greatness of the writing of this work.

Hopefully Villazon and Netrebko will record this opera before long: they seem committed to the work. Meanwhile this version serves us well. Recommended. Grady Harp, February 2005

William Shakespeare's plays have long inspired literature and music, and never was this more true than in the Romantic movement of the 19th century. Tchaikovsky composed Hamlet Overture and Romeo and Juliet overture, Ambrose Thomas composed Hamlet as an opera, while Hector Berlioz composed his own version of the tragic "Romeo and Juliet" as an opera. But Charles Gounod did an incredible work of art and did justice to the Bard's most romantic and tragic play. As a French opera, Romeo and Juliet is unbelievably romantic, emotional and deeply moving. The lyrics and the lush voices, particularily in this recording, is the definition of drama, good taste and opera.

Placido Domingo portrays the love-struck Romeo, and with tremendous success. His dark, handsome looks fit the role perfectly, his rich, powerful, but contained, romantic and lyric tenor voice is so convincing and so captivating, we realize that he is not only singing, but acting and doing a really great performance. Placido Domingo was the perfect choice for the lead role of Romeo and the tragic deat at the end is well delivered. Placido's French diction is superb, he sings with grace and style

Ruth Ann Swenson, an American soprano, is beautiful, charismatic, elegant and the perfect Juliet. She sings all her arias and duets with Domingo with magnificent lyricism, control and dramatic flair. This opera, above all others, is truly the best showcase for the tenor/soprano love scenes- a total of four duets together. Even alone, in her first aria "Je Veux Vivre", sung in ecstasy to a waltz-like beat at the party in which she meets Romeo, is striking, melodic and vibrant, a portrait of a young woman at the peak of her romantic power and beholding love at first sight. Ruth Ann Swenson was a great singer and one of the few Americans whose talent has been matched. Of late, only Renee Fleming comes closest to Ruth's legacy.

The all too familiar story is back in opera form, full of rousing choruses, such as the opening chorus expressin the feud between the Capulets and the Montagues, full of funeral chords toward the end in the death of the lovers and full of romantic and inspiring drama in the midsection- Romeo and Juliet in the balcony scene, their secret marriage and the duel between Romeo and Tybalt. Charles Gounod captured audiences in Paris at the time of this opera's production and does so even to this day- for those with ears that appreciate great opera as drama. Leonard Slatkin conducts and a great job by all the cast members.

Look no further for the perfect recording of Romeo and Juliet. This is the one to have by Charles Gounod. For Hector Berlioz' version, which I am yet to hear, I really can't say. Always go for your favorite soprano and tenor, for after all, Romeo and Juliet are the best showcases for the romantic duo.

This is a romantic opera that will make you cry in the end, full of beautiful and dramatic moments, sung to perfection by Placido Domingo and Ruth Ann Swenson, conducted faithfully to the score by Leonard Slatkin guiding the Munich Radio Orchestra/ Bavarian Radio Chorus. The cover alone is precious enough to entice you to buy the album- Domingo's face like a phantom over the beautiful white-clad Juliet at what appears to be a Gothic church or catacomb tombs. Recorded in 1995, Placido Domingo at this time is much older and past his prime but delivers an electrifying performance, and it is as if he is still a young tenor and nothing has changed for him. Surprisingly, Domingo is perhaps the tenor who has held out the longest. Luciano Pavoratti, who never sung Romeo or any of the French repertoire, is retiring after years of singing the mainstream Italian operas. Pavoratti did not hold out as long as Domingo, who is still singing. Current roles for Domingo have been Germann from Tchaikovsky's Russian opera The Queen of Spades and as Mozart's hero Idomeneo, a role which he sang to great acclaim at the Los Angeles Opera.

Romeo fits Placido Domingo like a glove. If anything, Domingo is legendary for one romantic role after another, crossing the language barriers. Ruth Ann Swenson makes a beautiful Juliet, with high and soaring top register, though the coloratura is minimal. The Waltz Song Je Voux Vivre is slowed down from the upbeat, festive waltz it ought to be. Mezzo soprano Susan Graham delivers a funny and lyrical performance as Stephano, a trouser role. The deep and spiritual bass voice of Alastair Miles is right on target for the role of Friar Lawrence, who conveys peace and reason in an opera about passionate, unthinking young love. His greatest moment in the opera comes when he marries Romeo and Juliet in secret at the church. Sarah Walker has a dramatic voice which seems to work for the role of Gertrude, the Nurse. Alain Vernhes as Mercutio, particulary in his Queen Mab aria is hilarious and witty. Paul Charles Clarke as Tybalt makes a nasty villain and David Pittman Jennings as the Duke is a bass role that rings with dignity and majesty. This is a much better recording of the more famous Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu set, which was also televised and is on DVD. Angela Gheorghiu's voice is too heavy for the role of Juliet which is supposed to be lyric-coloratura. Gheorghiu and Alagna, opera's power couple, seems to sing opera only to look sexy on stage or screen and never seem to bring out the emotional, dramatic content at the core of the opera. This is the one to get!!!

A masterpiece? No, the music isn't quite strong enough for that, but Gounod's excellent sense of dramatic pacing, his superb craftsmanship and his ability to vary the moods and color the different scenes ensures that interest and enjoyment never really flags. And Leonard Slatkin is doubtlessly partially responsible for making this high-romantic work come across as stronger than it really it is. His team of singers certainly doesn't let him down either.

I really cannot imagine a more sympathetic, attractively sung and inspiring Juliette than Ruth Ann Swenson; her phrasing is excellent and the warmth and beauty of her voice never fails to impress; technical confidence, brilliant yet delectable coloratura and a sensitive portrayal of the character. I am told that her French isn't quite perfect, but neither is mine so it doesn't really bother this listener, at least. Domingo is surprisingly youthful, confident and vibrant and - as always - marvelously full of character in every single scene, from touching softness, through spiteful mockery, to reflective profundity.

I could hardly imagine a better supporting cast either; Susan Graham is as delightful as you can be allowed to expect, but I cannot really think of anyone here who elicits anything close to disappointment from me. And - as already hinted at - Slatkin leads a superbly paced, vivacious and colorful performance. The sound is good, too. So while my experience with recordings of this opera is limited (I have to admit that the Gounod operas aren't by any distance among my absolute favorites, and this one is weaker than Faust), I cannot earnestly imagine that this one could be much bettered nowadays.

I have no idea why I saved Gounod's late opera, Romeo et Juliette, written eight years after Faust, until late in the game, but I must admit that I've never encountered the work before. It's appalling claptrap. Juliet's early aria, "Je veux vivre" has entered the repertoire of sopranos who want to show off their sparkling coloratura, and Tomeo has an ardent aria to match it. In between we get acres of uninspired, flat music without a hint of inspiration. This must be the single dullest rendition of Shakespeare's tragic love story to gain popular favor. That popularity depends on a pair of glamorous stars -- or stupendous voices -- to blind us. Alagna and Gheorgiu made an early specialty of R et J when they were opera's glamorous young lovers (soon to be divorced), and their recording on EMI, although musically not up to the standards of this one, has some whiff of romance.

Here we get a polished, sometimes dutiful, almost never exciting performance that satisfies those who love the music -- I've never met such a person. Domingo is the star, at 54 sounding fresh and vibrant. But he has no chemistry, really, with Ruth Ann Swenson. She has all the notes easily at her command, but a promising star in the making, as Swenson was in her youth, has settled into a dependable professional. There's a grayness in her timbre that fails to suggest youth, but even more disappointing, she doesn't act with her voice. Juliet is the emotional center of the opera, as she is of the play, and without a sense of aching young love and innocent passion, there's noting to identify with, no matter how well you cover the notes. The supporting cast is fine, and Slatkin is capable, if hardly inspiring.

In short, the five-star reviewers are echoing the general praise that this set first gained in 1996, but I bet if one turned to much older versions with Freni and Corelli or Bjorling and Sayao, real passion would quickly show up the manufactured kind.