The Very Best of Mady Mesplé [Import]

Leo Delibes (Composer), Charles Gounod (Composer), Ambroise Thomas (Composer), Jacques Offenbach (Composer), Gioachino Rossini (Composer), Vincenzo Bellini (Composer), Giuseppe Verdi (Composer), Gaetano Donizetti (Composer), Betsy Jolas (Composer), Antonio Vivaldi (Composer), Francis Poulenc (Composer), Reynaldo Hahn (Composer), Erik Satie (Composer), Andre Messager (Composer), Victor Masse (Composer), Louis Ganne (Composer), Johann II [Junior] Strauss (Composer), Alain Lombard (Conductor), Jean-Pierre Marty (Conductor), Gianfranco Masini (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Conductor: Alain Lombard, Jean-Pierre Marty, Gianfranco Masini
• Composer: Leo Delibes, Charles Gounod, Ambroise Thomas, Jacques Offenbach, Gioachino Rossini, et al.
• Audio CD (April 26, 2005)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B0006VYELY
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #396,178 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Ah!...Ou Va La Jeune Hindoue?

2. Ah! Je Veux Vivre

3. Oui! Pour Ce Soir...Je Suis Titania La Blonde (Polonaise)

4. Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille

5. A Vos Jeux...Partagez-vous Mes Fleurs...Et Maintenant, Ecoutez Ma Chanson!

6. Una Voce Poco Fa

7. Ah! Non Credea Mirarti...Ah! Non Giunge

8. Di Piacer Mi Balza Il Cor

9. Gualtier Malde...Caro Nome

10. Il Dolce Suono...Ardon Gl'Incensi...Spargi D'Amaro Pianto

Disc: 2

1. Quartet No.2 For Soprano, Violin, Viola, & Cello

2. In Furore Giustissimae Irae

3. I. La Dame D'Andre - Gabriel Tacchino

4. II. Dans L'Herbe - Gabriel Tacchino

5. III. Il Vole - Gabriel Tacchino

6. IV. Mon Cadavre Est Doux Comme Un Gant - Gabriel Tacchino

7. VI. Fleurs - Gabriel Tacchino

8. Les Chemins De L'Amour Op.106 (Anouilh) - Gabriel Tacchino

9. A Chloris (Viau) - Dalton Baldwin

10. Si Mes Vers Avaient Des Ailes (Hugo) - Dalton Baldwin

See all 18 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A glorious bit of memorabilia from a sadly forgotten soprano, May 10, 2005

By 

Anthony Burkes Garza - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Very Best of Mady Mesplé (Audio CD)

Mady Mesple is one of the best kept secrets of the music industry today. Of course, when you're singing around the same time as Joan Sutherland you're rather likely to be overshadowed. Still, Mesple offers a wealth of musical goods that even Sutherland never could have given. Not only is her coloratura technique virtually flawless, she (gasp)inflects every word she sings with great sensitivity to the text, never losing grasp of the character she is striving to portray. Of course, she does have a rather controvertial aspect to her voice that many listeners may object to, As a classic french coloratura, her vibrato is VERY fast, fluttering tremulously at all times but never getting in the way of her pitch. Still, her high notes are exceptional (the second CD ends with a glorious high A flat) and the fresh, girlish beauty of her tone is unsurpassed even today (my apologies to Natalie Dessay). Be sure not to miss her Bell Song, by FAR the best I have ever heard! Her voice has a crystaline quality that is PERFECT for that particular aria. Her Doll Song is rather weak, but her mad scene from Hamlet MORE than makes up for it (can we say eight seconds of beautiful high F harp?!!). The second CD offers Mady in a more matura phase of her life, singing sensuously in more traditional art songs before going on to challenging operetta arias. And you won't want to miss the violin, viola, cello, soprano quartet that opens the CD!!! Let's just say you're in for a surprise... this CD is a must-have!

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a long-awaited retrospective, May 9, 2005

By 

cherubino (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Very Best of Mady Mesplé (Audio CD)

Most opera fans know of Mady Mesple via her moderately successful portrayal of Lakme. Her career overlapped that of Joan Sutherland, but she is not nearly as well known. Those with a taste for coloratura singing are urged to buy this recital. Mady Mesple comes from a school of French operatic singing that is diminished today. Sure, we have all heard various sopranos essay the French arias on disc one, but rarely with such clarity of diction, as we get from this native Frenchwoman. It took a long time for another French coloratura to surface, i.e. the incredible Natalie Dessay.

As far as the Bell Song goes, I am not overly fond of Mesple's interpretation. I prefer the ripe fullness of Joan Sutherland, or the pure, limpid quality of Natalie Dessay. In fact, I place Dessay's full-length recording over Sutherland's. Mesple is an old-fashioned coloratura, who "twitters." Still, her other arias are superlative. Juliet's Waltz is exquisite, not just for the pacing and delivery, but for Mady's charming, clear diction. Je Suis Titania le Blonde is capped with a must-hear-to-believe high note. I'm not sure, but I think it's a high F. In any case, it's way, WAY up there!!! She uses that high note again in other arias.

Unlike Joan Sutherland, Mady Mesple sings most of the coloratura "come scritto". The Doll Song is an example of this. Still, in the repeat of the aria, she truly sounds like an emotionless doll, staring straight ahead. On other occasions, she adds her own cadenzas. The Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor is an example. Some of the cadenza with the flute is unlike what I've ever heard before.

As for the other Italian arias, I don't think she is as successful, only because being a French Coloratura specialist, her tone is too bright. Ah, Non Credea Mirarti has none of the tragic, elegaic quality that Callas and Sutherland impart. In addition, since she limited her roles, Mesple's voice never darkened or ripened, as we are witnessing today with Natalie Dessay. Now, the one aria that I wish I could have heard is Norina's aria from Don Pasquale. I think Mesple would have essayed that aria wonderfully in Italian.

Mesple had a rather small voice of limited color and shading. Still, her limpid, crystalline coloratura is a joy. Bravo to EMI for finally giving us a recital of hers to enjoy.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mady Mesplé's wonderful album, August 29, 2005

By 

Paul Kao (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Very Best of Mady Mesplé (Audio CD)

I felt a sense of awe listening to Mady Mesplé's voice. Of the two CD set, I much prefered CD #1 as #2 was a bit too modern for me. #1 has many of my favorite soprano arias, and Mlle. Mesplé did them all justice.