Customer Reviews

Massenet: Le Cid

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

 

 

I've owned it in the seventies in vinyl recording (analog); no matter, the sound is superb. It was my first Domingo's recording; since then I'm a Domingo's fan. This Massenet's Opera is best known by the ballet, but you'll find that it deserves a better place in his production. This one has other merit, it's a live recording at the Carneghie Hall, so you can hear live voices, no edited one's. It is the best way to judge who is who, and Domingo is great.

This recording has been around for thirty years and now that I've acquired it I wonder why I didn't do so earlier. (However, this is now available in a bargain "twofer" format with Sony Classical - though you have to do without a libretto. Still, the plot is uncomplicated, the synopsis adequate, and the cues clear - so if you have a bit of French to boot you won't be lost.) There isn't, to my knowledge, an alternative version, but with a performance and recording of this quality you won't need one: the three principals are in magnificent voce - especially Bumbry - and the opera is packed with stirring emotion, lovely melodies and dramatic confrontations. Some of the triumphal music is redolent of "Aida" and Massenet once again manages to do what so many French composers seem to be capable of, and inject an authentic Spanish atmosphere into his score - as he does in "Cherubin" and "Don Quichotte", for example. You would hardly guess that it was a live, concert performance - the Carnegie Hall audience is very well behaved and the soloists sing faultlessly. Both the second soprano, Eleanor Berquist, and the baritone, Arnold Voketaitis, are singers unknown to me but they are estimable artists; she, in particular, has some beautiful music and sings both powerfully and sweetly. If you love Massenet, as I do, don't hesitate - or if you simply want to hear some great singing in an unaccountably neglected opera, go for it.

«Le Cid» a été peu enregistré ; cette version de 1976 est donc une des rares disponibles, si ce n'est la seule. Malgré ses quelques 2 heures 20, ce n'est cependant pas une intégrale : les coupures les plus marquantes sont des danses de l'acte II (quatre danses au lieu des sept) et d'autres à l'acte IV. C'est bien sûr dommage, mais on peut retrouver les danses ailleurs sur des disques de musique de ballet. Les chanteurs viennent de plusieurs pays mais aucun n'est français, ce qui pose l'habituel problème de l'intelligibilité de ce que l'on entend. Grace Bumbry était au faîte de sa gloire et elle porte l'opéra dans le rôle de Chimène qui lui va très bien. Plácido Domingo est habituel à lui-même : une voix certes belle mais aucune nuance. La partition n'est pas la meilleure de Massenet et on le sent parfois à court d'idées même si on reste dans la lignée des opéras grandioses comme «Le Roi de Lahore» et «Esclarmonde», après lesquels «Le Cid» vient d'ailleurs chronologiquement. Le vinyl a été réédité deux fois en cd, en coffret avec la pochette d'origine (une gravure) et en 2004 avec une photo («La France renaissante», étonnant monument sur le pont de Bir-Hakeim face à la Tour Eiffel). La seconde réédition, moins chère, propose cette surprenante pochette mais pas de livret -et il faut absolument se le procurer pour ne pas perdre ce que disent les chanteurs ; on a juste droit à un résumé de l'action en allemand et en anglais.

There are few choices when it comes to a recording of Massenet's Le Cid. There are two options to my knowledge, one that is overpriced and this one which is moderately priced. I opted for the moderate price and am very pleased with the caliber of this performance. A big thumbs up.

Massenet's Le Cid was apparently a huge success in its day, but for some reason or other it has more or less slipped from view since then. True, the music might not be quite as stirring as its predecessor Manon, but there are many memorable, colorful moments here and the work hangs well together dramatically (with respect to the music, at least). Compared to the other Massenet operas I know, this one seems to be the one where the influences of Meyerbeer and even Verdi seem to be the strongest, and there are several spectacularly dazzling passages and the kind of surging, propulsively rhythmic dramatic writing one associates with e.g. the Huguenots. But there are several lyrical, almost tender passages as well, where Massenet is undeniably able to come up some evocatively atmospheric music. Queler leads the Opera Orchestra of New York in a performance that is mostly very satisfying and able to conjure up real drama when necessary. The more lyrical passages are lacking something in finesse, though, sounding sometimes a little rough and not ideally full-blooded. And - this being a live recording - there are a few rather glaring errors in the orchestral performances. Among the soloists, the main roles are given to Domingo and Bumbry who acquit themselves more than well; indeed, both soloist are at the peaks of their power here, and the urgency and drama they bring to the roles is the kind that - at least intermittingly - take your breath away. The other roles are filled with less well-known singers, and most of them perform at least OK. Sound quality is good for a live recording without being outstanding. Overall, this set deserves a firm recommendation.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF EVE QUELER'S RECORDINGS ABOUT WHICH I CAN BOAST OF HAVING ACTUALLY BEEN THERE. "LA FAVORITA" IS ONE AND THIS IS THE OTHER. FOR 40 YEARS QUELER SINGLEHANDEDLY HAS SAVED THE OPERA SCENE IN NEW YORK FROM TERMINAL BOREDOM AFTER ENDLESS TRAVIATAS, BOHEMES AND BUTTERFLIES THROUGH HER PERFORMANCES OF LESSER KNOWN WORKS THAT NEVER GET TO THE MET OR NYCO (AND SOMETIMES THEY DO, AFTER SHE HAS SHOWCASED THEM--LIKE LA FAVORITA). I WILL NOT ADD TO THE COMMENTS OF OTHER REVIEWERS ABOUT THE GLORIOUS SINGING BY ALL PRINCIPALS. I WANT TO COMMENT ON THESE BARGAIN TWOFERS WITH CHEAP, EXTREMELY BREAKABLE AND UNREPLACEABLE PLASTIC CASES (ACADEMY RECORDS IN NEW YORK RECENTLY TOLD ME THEY WERE NOT SELLING CASES ANYMORE), AND SCANT LINER NOTES. SO THE ORIGINAL GOES FOR $10+ MORE. BUT IT DOES BRING THE LIBRETTO AND DURABLE PACKAGING. I'D GO FOR THE HIGHER PRICED!

"Le Cid" is another masterpiece from Jules Massenet. Its audition is quite enjoyable. This Sony classical version has included outstanding opera singers like Domingo (Placido), Bumbry (Grace) and Plishka (Paul). I think this version is quite laudable and plenty of beautiful music like almost all Massenet's contributions to Lyric art and market.

Massenet: Le Cid is a recording under the direction of Eve Queler who leads the Opera Orchestra of New York on CBS Records Inc recording from 1976. The booklet contains 110 pages. Martin L. Sokol has written the synopsis, introduction and the background of the opera. I find the pace of the opera a bit fast and prefere Von Karajans style of conducting compared to Eve Queler. Von Karajan was a much accomplished conductor then Queler could ever dream of becoming. This being said the opera in itself sounds many times like a copy of Wagner and whilst not being as good it is quite accomplished in many ways and can hold its own. The lyrics are avaialble in English, French and German. Recommended. 4/5.

I have to do this for myself when these turn up, so why not share the effort. This translation almost makes sense! I like "ridge of its glory."



"Cid" was recorded little; this version of 1976 is thus one of rare available, if it is not only. In spite of its a few 2 hours 20, it is however not an integral: the most outstanding cuts are dances of act II (four dances instead of the seven) and others with act IV. It is of course damage, but one can find the dances elsewhere on discs of ballet music. The singers come from several countries but none is French, which poses the usual problem of the intelligibility of what one hears. Grace Bumbry was with the ridge of its glory and it carries the opera in the role of Chimène which suits him very well. Plácido Domingo is usual with itself: a voice certainly beautiful but no nuance. The partition is not the best of Massenet and sometimes one smells it with court of ideas even if one remains in the line of the imposing operas like "King de Lahore" and "Esclarmonde", after which "Cid" comes besides chronologically. The vinyl was republished twice out of Cd, with the small pocket of origin (an engraving) and in 2004 with a photograph ("France reappearing", astonishing monument on the bridge of Bir-Hakeim vis-a-vis to the Eiffel Tower). The second republication, less expensive, proposes this surprising small pocket but not booklet - and it should absolutely be gotten not to lose what the singers say; there is right right to a summary of the English and German action.