Customer Reviews

Thomas: Hamlet

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What an exceptional cast for this recording! Hampson, Ramey and Graves are all in fine form. I know this opera is called "Hamlet," but since Ambroise Thomas changed the tragic ending to a happy one, he might has well have changed the title to "Ophelia." For me, it is Anderson's performance in that role that is the true standout. Her Act IV "mad scene" is haunting. She floats notes so pure and yet conveys heartwrenching emotion at the same time. Since this opera is unlikely to ever enter standard repertory, you shouldn't pass up the opportunity to hear this superlative recorded performance.

First I will admit that I do not know much about French opera. I really do like the grand French tradtion though, Meyerbeer and Auber are great. This opera is not quite along those lines though, it is a little more progressive. I would like to compliment the casting though, Hampson is a chilling Hamlet and Anderson makes sparks in the Mad scene. In fact, it is the mad scene with June Anderson's powerful coloratura that steals the show. Graves and Ramey do well in thier roles also. I just give extra marks for soprano June Anderson's fabulous performance here.

Although Thomas wrote several operas, only Mignon and Hamlet have received any recognition in our time. I have always loved Mignon -- a beautifully melodic opera which deserves far more recognition than it receives -- so when Hamlet became available on CDs I decided to give it a try. I was very pleased to find that, like Mignon, Hamlet is a true gem, not just "pretty good" but outstandingly melodic throughout. I simply cannot understand how such a beautiful opera as Hamlet (and also Mignon) can be so thoroughly overlooked when other operas which are less beautiful are far more famous.

This performance of Hamlet is particularly outstanding with a superb cast including Thomas Hampson, June Anderson, Samuel Ramey, and Denyce Graves. If you love opera, I beg you to obtain this overlooked masterpiece while it is still available.

Cast: Thomas Hampson [Hamlet] ** June Anderson [Ophélia ** Samuel Ramey [Claudius) ** Gregory Kunde [Laërte] ** Denyce Graves [Queen Gertrude] ** Jean-Philippe Courtis [The Ghost) ** Gerard Garino [Marcellus] ** François Le Roux [Horatio] ** Michel Trempot [Polonius] Ambrosian Opera Chorus ** London Philharmonic Orchestra ** Antonio de Almeida (conductor)

This recording is the most recent, and perhaps only full-length recording of French composer Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet, and for that reason is definately valuable. Thomas's operas were directly influenced by the trend of "grand operas" after Meyerbeer (another such composer of this type of opera was the more famous Jules Massenet). Hamlet would make a supremely dramatic and dark opera but Thomas' music is too beautiful and the singers in this recording are emphasizing the beauty of the melodic line to the sacrifice of any dramatic effect. If you're a fan of these singers then this opera is just right for you. Baritone Thomas Hampson has refined, lyrical and amazing tenor singing technique. His Hamlet is youthful and strong. Vocal-wise, there's nothing wrong with it. His French diction is flawless. He pulls out all the stops- there are high notes which never cause him any strain, pianissimos, and decent mezzo di voce. But his Hamlet lacks passion and is very distant and cold, and as such his feigned madness and vows of vengeance are not convincing. But even this works in his favor as Ambroise Thomas had the audacity to change the ending and has Hamlet killing Claudius and crowning himself king! This alteration makes the ending happier (and more Lion King-like) as Hamlet does extract revenge and justice by killing his father's murderer and becoming the rightful king of Denmark (something which never seems to dawn on audiences as they watch Hamlet!) While I like Hampson's voice, I don't understand why Thomas composed the part of Hamlet for a baritone instead of a tenor.

June Anderson sings Ophelia but this is an entirely different animal from previous Ophelias (Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills). June Anderson uses stronger voice than usual, making the role more dramatic than lyric-coloratura, though she is fully capable of producing coloratura passages quite well- after all this is the same June Anderson who sang terrific Queen of the Nights in The Magic Flute as seen in the movie Amadeus). But June Anderson is self-consciously dramatic when Ophelia should sound more fragile and delicate, a true tragic Romantic heroine. This is why I prefer lighter voices for Ophelia, but June Anderson is still doing an amazing performance and is committed to the character.

Samuel Ramey sings the part of King Claudius. This is a role tailor-made for him. Not only is it the "villain" part but the role has showcase arias for the bass- baritone voice. Ramey delivers his usual great performance. All his trademark strengths are here: superb diction, baritone bombast and lyric fluidity. However, like the other singers seem to be doing, he wants to focus on the beauty of the music and does not delve too deeply or intensely into the drama, which is there up to the happy finale.

Finally, if you're a fan of Denyce Graves, she's on here as Queen Gertrude. She makes her own mellow, velvety mezzo soprano voice more dramatic than usual, as if trying to outshine June Anderson's Ophelia. This opera has fine moments for Denyce Graves, too. The music is beautiful. The Drinking Song (O Vine Dispesse La Tristesse- O Wine, Vanish my Sorow) and Ophelia's elaborate Mad Scene are all excellent musical pieces. But this recording is self-consciously beautiful and lacks dramatic power.

«Hamlet» est un opéra qui rentre dans la catégorie ambiguë des chefs-d'oeuvre mineurs. Bien qu'il n'ait jamais vraiment quitté le répertoire (il est un des rares opéras qui ait été composé pour un baryton), il a toujours été marginalisé sous prétexte qu'il n'était pas fidèle à Shakespeare. C'est oublier que Shakespeare lui-même s'est servi de sources pré-existantes et que les directeurs de théâtre anglais ont eu tout au long des siècles l'habitude de modifier la pièce sous prétexte d'actualisations. Enfin, les librettistes Carré et Barbier ne sont pas partis directement de Shakespeare mais de deux adaptations françaises (celle de Ducis puis surtout celle de Dumas et Meurice qui modifient substantiellement l'acte V). D'ailleurs, le public de l'époque est peu soucieux de fidélité à Shakespeare et Clément et Larousse dans leur dictionnaire des opéras de 1905 regrettent que le monologue «Être ou ne pas être» et la scène des fossoyeurs soient restés alors qu'ils trouvent ces scènes de mauvais goût (par ailleurs ils encensent l'opéra de Thomas). À une époque friande d'authenticité comme la nôtre, tous ces détours suspects d'affadissement ne sont pas la meilleure publicité pour que les maisons de disques s'intéressent à un opéra (alors que paradoxalement cela affecte peu «Faust» de Gounod et des mêmes Carré et Barbier, coupables pourtant d'errements similaires).

Longtemps le seul enregistrement disponible a été celui de Bonynge des années 80 centré autour de l'Ophélie de Sutherland (excellent chef mais froide Sutherland et reste de la distribution atone). Dix ans plus tard l'association Friends of French Opera et EMI France ont sorti une autre intégrale beaucoup plus équilibrée. Les cinq rôles principaux sont assurés par des chanteurs de tout premier rang. Thomas Hampson chante Hamlet, insistant sur le côté introspectif du personnage, et Samuel Ramey chante le roi du Danemark. June Anderson chante superbement Ophélie, le rôle le plus écrasant de l'oeuvre. La reine Gertrude est la mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves ; peu connue à l'époque, elle a chanté de nombreux rôles d'opéra français, Carmen en particulier, et elle vit même depuis en France. Le spectre est enfin Jean-Philippe Courtis. Ce dernier rôle n'est pas le plus important mais son apparition à la fin du premier acte est sûrement la page la plus belle et la plus impressionnante de la partition. Le chef est Antonio de Almeida, grand défenseur de la musique française (il a par exemple enregistré «La Juive» d'Halévy avec June Anderson, aussi chez EMI et grâce à Friends of French Opera).

Le triple cd fait 3h20 en incluant des appendices (un deuxième finale, un duo supplémentaire entre le roi et la reine ainsi que le ballet). La version de Bonynge propose elle un troisième finale et laisse le ballet à sa place d'origine (au début de l'acte IV). Il est vrai que les 17 minutes de ballet ne sont pas des plus inspirées et ralentissent l'action : le mettre en appendice n'est donc pas si hérétique qu'il y paraît.

Le livret contient une introduction en français, une en anglais et une en allemand, chacune étant originale et non traduite dans les deux autres langues. Celle en français, écrite par Tubeuf, est un florilège des clichés fin XXe siècle sur l'opéra de la fin du XIXe siècle. Caustique et peu éclairante, elle en dit plus long sur l'auteur que sur l'oeuvre. Le texte de l'opéra est en français et dans une traduction anglaise : il est étonnant de voir à quel point l'anglais, qui n'est en aucun cas une langue d'opéra (la première d'«Hamlet» à Covent Garden s'est par exemple faite en italien), est perçu sans broncher comme une évidence allant de soi dans les livrets.

Après la version Bonynge/Sutherland, puis celle-ci, très homogène et équilibrée, une troisième version a été commercialisée il y a quelques années mais uniquement en dvd. Malheureusement, si elle présente un Hamlet hors pair (Simon Keenlyside), le reste de l'affiche est beaucoup plus discutable (Nathalie Dessay se laisse aller à son péché mignon, l'hystérie, et le chef Bertrand de Billy est toujours aussi transparent ; ne parlons pas de la mise en scène, hideuse).

This is definitely one of the most overlooked operas, which should be entered into the standard repertory. Thomas composed rich orchestration to compliment the vocal part and the singer's (Hampson, Anderson, Graves, and Ramey) bring the art of French Opera to life. Hampson, especially, brings out the nuances within the music and is perfectly legato throughout! Although, the Spectre infernale, is a bit slower than I was used to hearing/performing it...I fell that it definitely brings out the mystery of Hamlet speaking to his father's ghost for the first time. Being the only recording of the Complete opera available, I highly recommend this for opera lover's! It also contains the London version, in the appendix where they demanded that the original ending of Shakespeare's play be honored...whereas the original French version, has Hamlet becoming King in the end creating a happy ending, as was common of French Grand Opera at the time.

Hamlet is going through a hard life and he needs help. He helps himself and he ends up being the last one to die. END