Rameau - Hippolyte et Aricie / Fouchécourt, Gens, Fink, Feighan, Smythe, Naouri, Massis, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski [Box set]

Les Musiciens du Louvre (Artist, Orchestra), Jean-Philippe Rameau (Composer), Marc Minkowski (Conductor), Jean-Paul Fouchecourt (Performer), Veronique Gens (Performer), Bernarda Fink (Performer), Laurent Naouri (Performer), Annick Massis (Performer), Russell Smythe Thérèse Feighan (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Jean-Paul Fouchecourt, Veronique Gens, Bernarda Fink, Laurent Naouri, Annick Massis, et al.
• Orchestra: Les Musiciens du Louvre
• Conductor: Marc Minkowski
• Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau
• Audio CD (September 19, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 3
• Format: Box set
• Note on Boxed Sets: During shipping, discs in boxed sets occasionally become dislodged without damage. Please examine and play these discs. If you are not completely satisfied, we'll refund or replace your purchase.
• Label: Archiv Produktion
• ASIN: B0000057EU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,464 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

Hippolyte et Aricie was Rameau's first surviving lyric tragedy and is perhaps his most durable, though you wouldn't know it from the decades we had to wait for a modern recording. Now there are two: this one, conducted by Marc Minkowski, and William Christie's version on Erato. Choosing between the two is tough. Minkowski uses a smaller and probably more authentic orchestra, and with the resulting leaner sound, the performance has more of a quicksilver quality accentuated by Minkowski's penchant for swift tempos. His cast is excellent. The central lovers in the title are beautifully sung by two truly French voices, soprano Véronique Gens and especially the light, slightly nasal tenor of Jean-Paul Fourchécourt. In the pivotal role of the jealous Phèdre, Bernarda Fink is perfectly good but not in the exalted league of Christie's Lorraine Hunt. So there's no clear front-runner, but anyone interested in French Baroque opera must have at least one. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Baroque opera you must have - if you're serious about Baroque opera!, November 10, 2005

By 

Steven Guy (Croydon, South Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rameau - Hippolyte et Aricie / Fouchécourt, Gens, Fink, Feighan, Smythe, Naouri, Massis, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski (Audio CD)

I bought this recording of Hippolyte et Aricie some years ago now and it has never failed to capture my imagination with its powerful and daring music. The cast of this recording is superb, particularly Fouchécourt and Gens, and Marc Minkowski's Les Musicians du Louvre are in top form here in this live recording.

Hippolyte et Aricie contains a wealth of music, ideas, tunes and styles. André Campra said of it that there is enough music here for twenty operas by lesser composers. The actual term "Baroque" was first coined to describe this opera - so the work is THAT important.

This is a live recording, but do not be troubled by that. There is no obvious audience noise and the recording doesn't feature stage noises in any obvious way.

It is a great pity that ARCHIV didn't arrange for or bankroll the recording of all Rameau's operas by Minkowski, but the three he did record for ARCHIV are very good.

I eagerly recommend this to all lovers of Baroque music.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Racine, Rameau et Minkowski : le chef d'oeuvre, December 13, 2006

By 

Constantin Declercq "Constantin Declercq" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rameau - Hippolyte et Aricie / Fouchécourt, Gens, Fink, Feighan, Smythe, Naouri, Massis, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski (Audio CD)

Sous un certain angle, tout le monde est là : Véronique Gens, Jean-Paul Fouchécourt et Laurent Naouri sous la houlette de Marc Minkowski. Mais celle qui transforme l'enregistrement est la mezzo-soprano argentine Bernarda Fink qui chante Phèdre avec une conviction et une émotion qui n'ont d'égal que la beauté de son phrasé et la justesse de sa prononciation.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous!, January 5, 2012

By 

JoyfulVeg - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rameau - Hippolyte et Aricie / Fouchécourt, Gens, Fink, Feighan, Smythe, Naouri, Massis, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski (Audio CD)

Extremely high quality performance, best one I've found thus far. Early French opera is not easy to produce, and Les Musiciens du Louvre did an exceptional job. Highly recommended.