Herbert: Eileen [Complete Opera]

Victor Herbert (Composer), James Stuart (Conductor), Ohio Light Opera (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Ohio Light Opera
• Conductor: James Stuart
• Composer: Victor Herbert
• Audio CD (February 17, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Newport Classic
• ASIN: B0000067TH
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408,899 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Overture

2. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Opening / Dialogue. Look alive

3. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Chorus. Free trade

4. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Dialogue. Faith

5. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Air. Blarney

6. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Dialogue. We'll just settle

7. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Air. My little Irish

8. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Dialogue. Ah, ye grow

9. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 1. Finaletto. This is most

10. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Air. Intermezzo

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Dialogue. My lady

2. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Air. Reveries

3. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Dialogue. Miss Eileen

4. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Duet. Life's a Game

5. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Dialogue. You're delightful

6. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Air. Eileen

7. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Dialogue. Well, sir

8. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 2. Finale. I arrest you!

9. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 3. Opening

10. Hearts of Erin (Eileen), operetta in 3 acts: Act 3. Dialogue. Sure'n you

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Victor Herbert at last!, February 17, 1999

By 

F. Behrens "Frank Behrens" (Keene, NH USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Herbert: Eileen [Complete Opera] (Audio CD)

Though not quite a perfect production, this stands at present as the only complete score to any Victor Herbert operetta, and that includes the dialogue to boot. (Vox has "The Red Mill" and "Sweethearts" almost musically complete but will not reissue them.) There is no attempt to camp things up or condescend to the music, but the line readings are typical of "operetta readings": not for one moment believable. The vocalizing, however, is quite acceptable. Newport Classics was wise to put the dialogue on its own tracks so one can program it out after a first hearing; and a complete libretto is supplied. The lyrics are turn-of-the-century horrible, the music ranges from just nice to really memorable...which is more than we say about most recent musicals. Any theater department should have a copy, and local groups should consider doing this as their next production.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WOW Finally a Victor Herbert Operetta, May 18, 1999

By 

John Guidinger (Jackson, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Herbert: Eileen [Complete Opera] (Audio CD)

Not a great performance, but the only complete recording of any Herbert operetta. The singing is very good, but the speaking parts are less than perfect and we hear noise from the cast moving around the stage. Eileen is typical Victor Herbert; beautiful music but not a particularly good play. Still, the Ohio Light Opera gets my thanks for performing this work and I hope they do more of Herberts operettas, but with better recording techniques in the future.

When are we going to get a good production of a Herbert operetta with the best actor-singers, a high quality orchestra, and a director who understands restoration of historical music? Herbert's music sounds the best when his original arrangements are used. Lets have more of him.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Victor Herbert, December 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Herbert: Eileen [Complete Opera] (Audio CD)

I adore Victor Herbert and am sad there have not been more recordings available until now. The Ohio light Opera series
of complete operettas has been most welcome and exposes, of course, both the delicious music and the often-creaky books of what are, after all, century-or-more-old frothy entertainments,
hardly meant to compete with Mozart or Handel (whose lyrics are not always so sophisticated either, if one translates).
The meltingly beautiful voice of soprano Suzanne Woods in the title role is a real plus, and for a live performance--complete with stage noises, audience laughing, coughing and applauding--the distractions are few. Only a curmudgeon would protest. Buy it!