Bizet L'Arlésienne

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Georges Bizet

Label: Valois

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 110

Mastering:

DDD

Catalogue Number: V4839

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
(L')Arlésienne Georges Bizet, Composer
(Jean) Sourisse Vocal Ensemble
Daniel Mesguich, Wheel of Fortune Woman
Georges Bizet, Composer
Ianne Rouleau, Soprano
Jean-Claude Malgoire, Conductor
Toulouse National Chamber Orchestra
In his introductory essay in the booklet, Jean-Claude Malgoire states that his intention in this recording is to try to rediscover ‘the subtle, intimate blend of words and music’ in Bizet’s original version of the music for Daudet’s play L’Arlesienne. A few months ago I reviewed a German-language version of this, in which a narrator told the story in between the musical sequences (Capriccio, A/98). This new two-CD recording goes further. The play is read by an actor, Daniel Mesguich, who acts out all the parts, including the unhappy hero’s mother, Rose Mamai. He also reads out the stage directions and announces the name of each character before they speak. This makes for clarity, I suppose, but it is rather irritating.
The ‘intimate blend’ is achieved at some key moments, and several of the familiar tunes are heard in context sounding quite different from the way Bizet used them in his suite of themes, first played ten days after the premiere of the play in October 1872. It is instructive to hear the music in sequence but what would be really satisfying would be a full-scale recording with actors and stage effects.'

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