Offenbach: Barbe-bleue
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Jacques Offenbach
Genre:
Opera
Label: Bourg
Magazine Review Date: 10/1985
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Catalogue Number: BG2005-6
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Barbe-Bleue |
Jacques Offenbach, Composer
Aimé Doniat, Poplani, Soprano Bernard Alvy, Prince Saphir Christiane Gayraud, Queen Clementine, Soprano Henri Legay, Barbe-bleue, Tenor Jacques Offenbach, Composer Jacques Pruvost, Alvarez, Tenor Jean Doussard, Conductor Lina Dachary, Boulette Linda Felder, Elénore Monique Stiot, Princess Hermia ORTF Chorus ORTF Lyric Orchestra René Lenoty, King Bobèche René Terrasson, Count Oscar |
Composer or Director: Jacques Offenbach
Genre:
Opera
Label: Bourg
Magazine Review Date: 10/1985
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Catalogue Number: BGK2005-6
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| Barbe-Bleue |
Jacques Offenbach, Composer
Aimé Doniat, Poplani, Soprano Bernard Alvy, Prince Saphir Christiane Gayraud, Queen Clementine, Soprano Henri Legay, Barbe-bleue, Tenor Jacques Offenbach, Composer Jacques Pruvost, Alvarez, Tenor Jean Doussard, Conductor Lina Dachary, Boulette Linda Felder, Elénore Monique Stiot, Princess Hermia ORTF Chorus ORTF Lyric Orchestra René Lenoty, King Bobèche René Terrasson, Count Oscar |
Author: Andrew Lamb
Offenbach's retelling of the Bluebeard legend was one of the big successes of that sequence of masterpieces that he created during the 1860s for the Theatre des Varietes, others being La Belle Helene, La Grande-Duchesse de Gerolstein and La Perichole. What it most obviously lacks compared with those works is the big numbers for Hortense Schneider, for on this Occasion Offenbach put the spotlight more on her co-star Jose Dupuis. He it was who had perhaps the best known number of the score in Bluebeard's recounting of the story of his wives, while another hit number was the Court Chamberlain's ''C'est un metier difficile''. This I recall being memorably interpreted in the 1966 Sadler's Wells production by a wincing Julian Orchard at the start of the absolutely hilarious Second Act, marked by King Bobeche's irresistible urge to conduct military reviews. As a whole the work is somewhat uneven compared with Offenbach's other successes of the time; but it was a disappointment that EMI didn't add it to their series of Sadler's Wells recordings. Indeed, it has done badly altogether on record, which makes this Bourg release especially welcome.
The recording comes from a 1967 French Radio broadcast whose virtues are perhaps rather more extreme reliability than interpretative brilliance. The cast is full of French singers with a wealth of experience in this sort of work, as well as a conductor who has several times on record shown his understanding of the style. However, the interpretative limits may be demonstrated well enough by comparing Lina Dachary's performance here of Boulotte's ''Couplets de la rosiere'' with the much more compelling one in a recital by Jane Rhodes (EMI Pathe Marconi 2C 069 16386, 9/80). Moreover, having been intended purely for domestic French consumption, the recording has rather more French dialogue than non-linguists may wish (and no accompanying libretto), as well as one of those French narrators who tend to appear from time to time in radio recordings such as this and promptly kill the atmospher stone dead. If that merely serves to confirm that this is essentially an issue for confirmed Offenbach lovers, they at least should not hesitate to add it to their collection. Unlike some of these Bourg recordings from radio archives, this one is in stereo, and altogether I would rate it as by far the most worthwhile of this enterprising Bourg series of Offenbach works.'
The recording comes from a 1967 French Radio broadcast whose virtues are perhaps rather more extreme reliability than interpretative brilliance. The cast is full of French singers with a wealth of experience in this sort of work, as well as a conductor who has several times on record shown his understanding of the style. However, the interpretative limits may be demonstrated well enough by comparing Lina Dachary's performance here of Boulotte's ''Couplets de la rosiere'' with the much more compelling one in a recital by Jane Rhodes (EMI Pathe Marconi 2C 069 16386, 9/80). Moreover, having been intended purely for domestic French consumption, the recording has rather more French dialogue than non-linguists may wish (and no accompanying libretto), as well as one of those French narrators who tend to appear from time to time in radio recordings such as this and promptly kill the atmospher stone dead. If that merely serves to confirm that this is essentially an issue for confirmed Offenbach lovers, they at least should not hesitate to add it to their collection. Unlike some of these Bourg recordings from radio archives, this one is in stereo, and altogether I would rate it as by far the most worthwhile of this enterprising Bourg series of Offenbach works.'
Offenbach: Barbe-bleue
Offenbach: Barbe-bleue
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