Customer Reviews

Massenet - Thaïs / Fleming, Hampson, Sabbatini, Shkosa, Vidal, Devellereau, Cals, Yves Abel

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

 

 

This new recording of "Thais" fills a huge hole in the catalogue of recorded opera. This opera, while never enjoying the popularity of "Manon" or "Werther", still contains some beautiful music, and it has only now finally received a recording of real value. True, it has been recorded twice over the last thirty years (on RCA in 1974 with Anna Moffo, Jose Carreras and Gabriel Bacquier and again in 1976 on EMI with Beverly Sills, Nicolai Gedda, and Sherrill Milnes), but neither recording proved very satisfying due in great part to the fact that each of the respective sopranos in the title role (Moffo and Sills, respectively) were already past their best singing days. This is certainly no issue in the case of Renee Fleming, whose gorgeous voice is ideal for the role of the courtesan-turned nun. Fleming sounds wonderfully youthful and she sings with an all-encompassing freedom ---- especially in her pivotal Mirror Aria. Equally importantly, she is deeply involved in the drama. Fleming is supported beautifully by the liquid and beautiful singing of Thomas Hampson, whose Athanael easily surpasses any of the roles previous recorded interpreters. Hampson's beautiful rendition of "O Seigneur, je remets mon ame entre tes mains" is one of the highlights of this recording, and it shouldn't be missed. Plainly, it is Hampson's work that forms the backbone of the entire production. Giuseppe Sabbatini provides a lyrical and very well sung Nicias, a great improvement over Nicolai Gedda's aged sound on the EMI recording, but still not quite on the level of Jose Carreras on the no-longer available RCA set. The conducting of Yves Abel is atmospheric and compelling. For those who have waited for years for a really fine recording of this beautiful Massenet opera, this recording will be the answer to their prayers. For those who want to experience this opera for the first time, this is the recording to do it with. Very highly recommended.

Massenet's 'Thais' has a reputation for being tawdry, glitzy, a piece of French patisserie that relies on the prima donna taking her clothes off to work - well all this is very fully and wittily refuted in Rodney Milnes excellent essay in the booklet that accompanies these CD's. The music is gorgeous, and along with the very different 'Werther' this must be Massenet's most tightly wrought score, and I'm sure this recording will make it many new friends.

In the mid 1970's, when the Massenet revival got going, 2 new recordings of 'Thais' appeared, both with leading ladies from the US - Beverly Sills and Anna Moffo - both of which were compromised, the Sills recorded a little late in her career, with very matter of fact, charmless conducting from Maazel (available on an EMI set), and Moffo, very characterful but in a parlous vocal state - with a wonderful Athanael from Gabriel Bacquier and extremely accomplished orchestra playing and conducting from Julius Rudel. This latter version never made it onto CD. It's taken a whole generation to get a new recording, so, how does it stand up?

By and large very well indeed. Thomas Hampson portrays Athanael, the monk who sets out to take Thais the courtesan away from the sins of the flesh only to discover them himself. It is a restrained performance, lacking the last ounce of anguish in the latter stages, he is not inside the character in the way that Bacquier was, but it is well sung with austere authority. Giuseppe Sabbatini is a fresh voiced eager Nicias. Supporting roles are well taken, with a delightful cameo from Elizabeth Vidal (a lemony French voice of the old school) as La Charmeuse in the ballet sequence. The orchestra, from Bordeaux, under recording newcomer Yves Abel acquits itself well, though it is not the equal of Rudel's forces - and occasionally tempi are slightly rushed, and the odd nuance rode rough-shod over, but in general the fin-de-siecle glow of Massenet's orchestration is revealed in all its glory. The recording quality is a little inconsistent, the perspective changes, noticeably the relation between voice and orchestra - the opera was recorded in two sessions over a year apart - a little odd. Did some singers phone their parts in!

But you're not going to buy this set for the above: it really all rides on La Fleming - yet another American soprano (mind you, Massenet wrote the piece for his favourite, Sybil Sanderson, also from the US). Well, it's a triumph - she sounds totally inside the role. The great second act aria 'Dis-moi que je suis belle', is a virtuoso showcase for pointing the text, Massenet's very detailed word setting is delivered, pointed, and relished - and her tone is refulgent, simply sumptuous, over a range of more than two octaves. The Oasis scene, heart of the work brings out the best from both protagonists. And if you've never heard the final duet from this opera, as Thais lies on her deathbed having visions of angels, and Athanael desperately tries to tell her its all untrue and only sex matters - all this to the melody of the famous 'Meditation' (how good a piece it is in context), then click and buy this set now! And if you do know it you'll need no persuading from me: it's one of the glories of French opera.

This account of "Thais" has a lot going for it: Fleming's full-voiced soprano in the title role, Hampton's competent if slightly one-dimensional baritone, and generally excellent recorded sound. So if you are looking for a good recording of Massenet's under-rated exotic masterpiece, this one strikes me as the best version currently on the market.

But there is another "Thais," sadly out of print, that I prefer to this one. It has an all-French cast that, to my ears, is more sensitive to the sensuality of the French language. Recorded in 1961, it was one of the last French opera recordings to feature an "old fashioned" French orchestra (now an extinct species) whose sound - wooden flutes, French bassoons, billowing winds - was probably what Massenet had in mind when he was composing. The conducting by seasoned opera veteran Jesus Etcheverry (born 1915) has more panache and variety than any other version I've heard. The title role is sung by Renee Doria, one of the great French bel canto sopranos. She does not match Fleming's freedom in the high notes but, to my ears, her characterization is more subtle and sympathetic. Robert Massard's Athanael has a darker and deeper baritone voice than Hampton's, and I think it's better suited to the role. Other members of the supporting cast - Janine Collard (Albine & Myrtale), Francoise Louvay (Crobyle), and Michel Senechal (Nicias) - are wonderfully idiomatic and stylish. This set was last available as a 2-disc offering on the Accord CD label (it lasts exactly two hours and is reasonably complete). I was lucky to find a copy second-hand a few years ago and, while not perfect (it lacks the important Act III, scene 2 that portrays Athanael's vision), I think it's over-all this opera's finest recorded account.

To summarize: this "Thais" from Fleming & Co. is the best available recording. But if the 1961 Doria/Massard account ever gets re-issued, don't hesitate: it's the most idiomatically-French version of all.

In ancient Greece, courtesans would wear sandals that had the words "Follow me" carved upon their soles, so that wherever they trod, an admiring male would know the woman he was watching had her services for hire. This air of availability clarified matters considerably for the wealthy man out for a stroll.

Doubtless the Egyptian Thaïs, one of the most (in)famous of courtesans during the 4th century (as set in the opera), practised this also, and equally doubtless, there were many who took up the invitation to follow her.

Seductiveness and intelligent beauty are hallmarks of Thaïs, and her opening scene with Nicias (a young ariostcrat who sold his wealth in order to afford a week of voluptuous delight with the famous courtesan) is a model of irony and sensuality. Left alone, however, Thaïs reveals she is not as happy in her life as she seems. She fears the passing of her beauty, which has been her definition of self-worth since she was a child (interestingly, as a child the historical Thaïs had been baptised into Christianity but forced into child prostitution). She fears eternity; she questions the worth and value of life - she is clearly no mindless bimbo, but a woman whose path in life has not been entirely of her own choosing and who longs for clarification of the questionings within her heart.

The interplay between the monk Athanaël and the beautiful Thaïs is one of diverging definitions of self-worth, love, and eternity. While Thaïs turns (re-converts, although the operatic plot does not state this) to Christianity and the spiritual "eternellement", Athanaël finds himself more and more succumbing to the now-ex-courtesan's physical beauty and unconscious promise of Aphroditic pleasures. As he struggles with his erotic fantasies, Thaïs discards eroticism and moves towards a pure understanding of love, culminating in a finale where she is so ecstatic at the thought of the glories to come in heaven that she fails to hear Athanaël's tormented pleadings and denunciations of spiritual love. He is lost in the moments of her dying - she has found peace in those same moments.

Clearly this is a powerful and tear-wrenching opera of great beauty - but more, it's an opera of incredible character play. To truly capture the role of Thaïs requires subtlety, sensuality, an almost bewildering innocence, and great purity, as well as a truly beautiful voice capable of gorgeous top notes.

To capture the role of Athanaël is required an intelligent baritone with vocal beauty and an ability to portray anguish, confusion, loss, misunderstood passion, and zeal.

It is with these two roles that the opera Thaïs stands or falls.

Renee Fleming possesses a truly sumptuous and very beautiful voice, perhaps one of the most beautiful of our time. What she does not possess is subtlety, nor has she demonstrated her capability to portray a character as complex as Thaïs. Further, Ms Fleming has long fallen prey to mannerisms that are tiresome, particularly in a voice as beautiful as hers. Dips, scoops, breathy sighs that are ill-applied and over-applied... these things formulate the lovely soprano's concept of vocal acting. It marrs this performance so that I cannot fully enjoy it, but of course one is always conscious of the great beauty of the voice itself.

Because the role of Thaïs is so very pivotal to this opera, let me spend a little more time on why I fail to find Ms Fleming convincing. She cannot, she simply cannot, convey innocence and sweetness without coming over all coy. There is an indulgence in a sort of skittishness that is mannered and self-conscious rather than sublimely unaware of its effect, and there is certainly no sense of purity conveyed in the character. The "conversion" has never been less convincing, although I'm bound to say the opening scene with Thaïs and her week-long lover is portrayed much more effectively - here Ms Fleming's voice flowers with suitable voluptuousness, although I still feel she misses the central kernel of the character.

By contrast, Thomas Hampson as Athanaël strikes exactly the right note. He is exactly the sort of intelligent and impassioned singer who knows how to use his voice to the best advantage. It's also such a beautiful baritonal voice. One is convinced by his anguish; one feels the heat and pressure of his zealous words designed to convert the audacious courtesan; one feels, too, his rising struggle with the largely unacknowledged sexual desires he feels for Thaïs. It is as though Hampson distilled the essence of the initially ascetic Athanaël, and poured it into his voice, so that we hear him as a man who has perhaps confined himself too rigidly within a framework of spiritual asceticism without acknowledging the need for human happiness and the force of sensuality.

While Hampson pours out his grief and barren pleading in the death scene, Fleming merely sings with lovely tone and laboured interpretation, so that I am able to refrain from weeping in that final scene. This was unexpected - I admit it. I have never been able to listen to that final scene in the Sills recording or even the Esposito recording without weeping copiously and enjoying (well, in a way!) to the nth degree the tragedy playing out...

For the beauty of the singing, yes, purchase this recording. For a true reading of the characters, you will do better with the slightly truncated version with Sills (who, even though she was a little wobbly by that stage, still possessed a very lovely shimmery quality, perfect and idiomatic French, and an intelligent and intuitive portrayal that cannot fail to move the listener who looks for more than the obviously sumptuous).

The central character of this opera is not Thais. Instead, it is Athanael, sung here by Thomas Hampson. His is a restrained interpretation producing much lovely singing but little pounding drama. This treatment is suitable for both the character portrayed and his music. Furthermore, Hampson gives a subtle performance - just hear the many different ways in which he sings the name Thais as the opera proceeds.

The other major character in the opera is Thais herself. Renee Fleming's assumption of the role is stunning. She has an amazing ability to float notes clearly into the desert air that has to be heard to be believed, and she matches this with some fine, clear, ringing tones when called for. At times the uppermost register sounds strained. Some things even turn into unmusical shrieks, but this may be deliberate - it certainly suits the drama. Any weakness coming from this aspect of her portrayal is more than balanced by her singing in the middle and lower registers where she comes into her own, both distinctinve and moving.

The third major element in the opera is the orchestra, for it has a huge part to play in setting the scene and tracking the development of the opera. Some of this writing is uninspired, but more is both imaginative and important. To give it meaning requires a firm and coherent approach from the conductor. Otherwise, it tuns into an amorphous melange of notes. At times, Abel does lose the thread, but usually he brings it all together very well, even though he is conducting a far from distinguished orchestra. Furthermore, I found that his approach grew on me on subsequent listening to the work.

The other noteworthy feature of this set is the singing of Enkelejda Shkosa in the cameo role of Albine. When she is on, she steals the show.

Overall, this is a stunning performance, which has the great strength of growing on one with repeated hearings.

I have listened to this recording of Thais for a long while, and it is a performance that grows better each time I heard it. As a subscriber to Lyric Opera, I am anxiously waiting to see the opera performed next season with Renee Fleming and Thomas Hampson reprising their roles.

I find it difficult to understand the negative reviews posted here, particularly those in favor of the Beverly Sills recording. Until this recording appeared, reviewers were trying to decide between the detached singing of Anna Moffo (on RCA) or the wobbly and shrill voice of Beverly Sills (on EMI). Although I like Ms. Sills very much as a singer, I think she would not be well suited for this role. Renee Fleming has the voice to sing the role of Thais and she is commanding in the role. She is seductive and passionate in her singing and successfully brings Thais to life.

Thomas Hampson is excellent as Athanael and sings with great sensitivity. I have read a remark by a critic that Mr. Hampson is less engaged when it comes to his characters darker side. Perhaps so, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of his performance. Giuseppe Sabbatini was good in the role of Nicas. Short as it is, he created a perfect playboy unconcerned with his own ruin.

The Bordeaux-Aquitane National Orchestra under Yves Abel gives a fabulous performance. This set was nominated for a Gramophone Award last year and was edged out by another Massenet opera - Manon. This set is a great introduction to the operas of Jules Massenet for those who don't know him, and an absolute must for someone interested in Thais.

It has been a long while that a new recording of "Thais" has been produced, and this Fleming, Hampson recording done in Bordeaux is flawless. Renee Fleming's vocal interpretation of "Thais" is both authentic and audibly beautiful, as is Hampson as Athaniel. Massenet's lucious sensual music is given full justice by the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine which notices all the nuances that were intended to heighten the opera and brings them forth. Not since Anna Moffo's version of "Thais" has a recording come close to being perfect. I would recommend this exceptionally good performance to all opera buffs, particularly those inclined to the French works.

Very rarely do I listen to an opera CD set all the way through with out skipping recitives and arias just to get to a favorite part of mine. This CD is one of the few sets in my opera collection that I can listen to all the way through and enjoy every minuite of. As said before, this does not happen very often.

I even have some operas on CD format that are said to have been recorded by some of the best singers of our day, and I rarely even listen to them! The several ways that this CD earned my attention is the quality of the singing, wich, comming from me, would be a big compliment because I am a huge believer in excellent vocal technique. I believe very strongly in technique, and with out it, I would feel that some CDs are not worth buying.

Renée Fleming, an operatic soprano who is known for her amazing voice, expression of song, vocal technique and smoothness, floats through the difficult role of Thaïs with vocal ease and beauty.

For example, Renée's voice in Thaïs' "Mirror Aria" shines in every way possible. Her vocal control and coloratura technique are all handeled surpurbly.

Thomas Hampson's wonderful baritone voice beautifuly flows through his dramatic phrases, duets, and duets with Thaïs, and stunning arias, all woven together in a very lovely way to tell a story of love and, how it can be sad at times.

No opera buff's collection is complete with out this two CD set complete with a libretto booklet to help you understand what is being said.

Buy this, and it will become the jewel of your CD collection.

No, Sills was not at her best when she recorded Thais; but she deserves to be treated with a D@MN sight more respect than to be dismissed as "ageing" and "incompetent". Many of us can be referred to as "ageing" but Ms. Sills can NEVER be accurately called "incompetent". Even if you worship Ms. Flemming, even if you don't care for Ms. Sills- get your facts straight, or at least have some class. Like all of us, they both have their warts-- but their warts are much prettier than average warts. That goes for BOTH of them.

I don't know why everyone thinks the music in this opera is tacky and trite. I am very moved by this score, much more so than Massenet's Don Quixote, which disappointed me greatly. I have been nothing but mesmerized by this work in the two days I have owned it now. I think that Renee Fleming is one of the finest musicians I have ever seen, and I say that not just because her sound is gorgeous, her acting inspired, or her technique flawless. I say that because she is a risk taker who is fabulous enough to win every time. From her recording of Handel's "Alcina" to her championing of new music like Previn's "A Streetcar Named Desire" and Corgliano's "Ghosts of Versailles", she shows that she cares about music, all of music, not just the works everyone wants to hear, but the works everyone needs to hear, if not for the first time, then again for the first time. In this spirit we now have a new and notable recording of Thais, which deserves much more than even a second look. She and her impressive cohorts have caused me to give Massenet a second look, which after my disappointment with Don Quixote is saying a lot. This is a great opera, performed here magnificently, and now we who would like to further explore French opera have another place to start. I will admit that sometimes the orchestra is a little over the top and that the degenerate monk doesn't sound like he really degenerates a whole lot as the work proceeds. But the whole thing is really so gorgeous that one has to think real hard and be more concerned with being critical than enjoying the music to find those faults. The rest of its virtues, such as impeccable pacing, great acting, fabulous singing and Massenet's tear-jerking melodies will lead one to tell your friendly, local (and my fellow) Wagnerians that you don't care if Thais is a little tacky, and that tacky is all part of the fun. You also tell them this recording proves that underneath all the glitz and show and jangling bells is a touching and tragic work of real depth and inspiration. Bravo, Massenet, Bravo Ms. Fleming, Bravo Maestro Abel, and Bravo to the folks at Decca for their continuing faith in good music.