Customer Reviews

Offenbach - Bluebeard (Barbe-bleu) / Legay · Gayraud · Doussard

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

 

 

This is billed as a live performance, but this is clearly not a performance in front of a live audience. No applause, no coughs, nothing. More than likely, this is a recording of a live radio broadcast -- in addition to the dialogue, there is a narrator (uncredited) describing the scenes and some of the action. All of this, along with the rest of the libretto, will be a mystery to non-Francophones, as there is no text included, and the notes, although they provide a good synopsis of the plot, provide little information about the singers and the songs. Moreover, there is a profound echo that makes one think that the whole production was recorded in a cave. Nevertherless, the singers are uniformly good, and there is a genuine Offenbach feel to the performance. Furthermore, given the price, this is really a great bargain. For the real operetta fan, who wants to hear this important work in the Offenbach canon that came right after La Belle Helene and right before La Vie Parisienne, you can't go wrong. For those who are new to Offenbach, the EMI recordings of the principal operettas (La Perichole, Orphee aux Enfers, etc) are much preferable.

This is a super rendition of what is (surprisingly given its subject) one of Offenbach's most jolly operettas. Lots of good music and foot tapping tunes. The cast handles their roles well, with very clear diction, though without any voices that are particularly outstanding. It is fortunate that pronunciation is clear, since there is no libretto and the leaflet with an essay by William Parker is pretty useless. Furthermore, the tack index also is not much help about who is singing or which parts are spoken -- and there is a lot of dialogue, some witty, some dull, but none of it particularly rewarding on repeated listening. The sound quality -- probably a radio broadcast since the orchestra and Chorus are ORTF -- is fine -- much better than one would expect knowing the recording is billed as being of a one-off live performance.

Of the 9 works I've heard of his, Barbe-bleue is my absolute favorite. The recording is a bit old, but the tempo and singing and everything are wonderful. "Ma Premiere Femme" , in my opinion, is among Offenbach's greatest character introductions.

I love this recording and the operetta, simply put. Sure, no other version exists, but this is good. Very good.

This good recording of a rare opera bouffe of Offenbach see some music missing : entracte are not here, the Baise-Main waltz which is in the act 2 finale too. I'm french and I understand all te words and all the dialogue and I can say that's a good recording.