Lakme [Limited Edition, Original recording remastered]

Delibes (Artist), Mesple (Artist), Burles (Artist), Soyer (Artist), Lombard (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Limited Edition, Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B000063UM9
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,913 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Lakmé, opera: Prélude

2. Lakmé, opera: À l'heure accoutumé

3. Lakmé, opera: Blanche Dourga, pâle Siva!

4. Lakmé, opera: Lakmé, c'est toi qui nous protèges!

5. Lakmé, opera: Viens, Mallika

6. Lakmé, opera: Dôme épais le jasmin à la rose s'assemble

7. Lakmé, opera: Miss Rose, Miss Ellen, respectez les clôtures!

8. Lakmé, opera: Quand une femme est si jolie

9. Lakmé, opera: Nous commettons un sacrilège

10. Lakmé, opera: Prendre le dessin d'un bijou

See all 31 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Lakmé, opera: Ah! c'est de ta douleur

2. Lakmé, opera: Ah!...Par les dieux inspirée

3. Lakmé, opera: Où va la jeune hindoue

4. Lakmé, opera: Là-bas dans la forêt plus sombre

5. Lakmé, opera: La rage me dévore

6. Lakmé, opera: Au milieu des chants d'allégresse

7. Lakmé, opera: Le maître ne pense qu'à sa vengeance

8. Lakmé, opera: Lakmé! Lakmé! C'est toi!

9. Lakmé, opera: Ah! c'est l'amour endormi

10. Lakmé, opera: Dans la forêt près de nous

See all 26 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding recording, but..., January 13, 2005

By 

A Music Fan (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lakme (Audio CD)

This studio recording of Lakmé certainly deserves inclusion in EMI's Great Recordings of the Century collection, and should be included in any list of great operas to share with those who claim to hate opera.

As noted in the liner notes, this is a very "French" performance, and features many artists who are not as well known as others in the Great Recordings series. Mady Mesple gives a virtuoso performance, with amazing vocal range and control, and great acting as well. But it is her duets with Charles Burles that make this more than a solo outing, and Alain Lombard's youthful exhuberance at the podium fits in well with the subject matter.

With an enjoyable opera, great singing, and wonderful conducting, what's not to like? One thing. The miking for the chorus for this recording is terrible. The chorus is barely audible, and is often drowned out by the orchestra. For a live recording in the '50s in an opera where the chorus is icing on the cake, this could be tolerated. For a 1971 studio recording of Lakmé, this is inexcusable. The chorus sets the scene in both Acts One and Two, and the loss in particular of the beautiful chorus that opens the opera is a real disappointment.

Even with that no so minor quibble, this recording remains the standard for a studio version of this opera.