I approached this new Belle Helene with doubts as to whether Jessye Norman could oust from my affections Jane Rhodes, who sings the title role in the Lombard/Barclay set and who has been the supreme Helen of our time. And, to be sure, jessye Norman does not manage that essentially French way of delivering a phrase that can achieve so much in the parts that Offenbach created for Hortense Schneider. At times, indeed, she is too operatic in her approach. And yet she sings with a vocal clarity and dexterity that was quite beyond Jane Rhodes, and her glorious vocal climb of a ninth on the words ''Quel plaisir trouves tu?'' in the Invocation to Venus is quite overwhelming.
The Paris is John Aler, who attracted such praise for his performance in Rameau's Les Boreades (Erato STU715343, 10/83). He is a little lacking in vocal grace in the Judgement of Paris; but then this is a notoriously difficult number. His particular glory lies in the high notes he brings off so thrillingly well there and in Paris's yodelling at the end of Act 3. The overall effect is certainly way beyond that of Remy Corazza in the Barclay set. The presence of Gabriel Bacquier and Jean-Philippe Lafont ensures strength, too, in the important baritone roles and enables the Patriotic Trio to make its due effect. There is also a most agreeably sprightly Orestes in Colette Alliot-Lugas.
Altogether this new HMV Belle Helene zips along more agreeably than the Barclay set, which at some points I found verging on sluggishness. I would rather, though, that HMV had not achieved this greater sense of movement partly through the device of allowing dialogue to be spoken while the musical numbers are being played and by omitting the Act 3 entr'acte. What really makes this new Belle Helene a joy, however, is the utterly exhilarating sparkle that is generated in such numbers as the March of the Kings and the Act 2 finale. The credit for this must go above all, of course, to Michel Plasson, who has learned to such good effect how to treat Offenbach with a much lighter hand than when he gave us La Vie Parisienne some years ago (HMV SLS5076, 5/77—nla). But this delicious sparkle is also a tribute to a warm, clear digital HMV recording that has a good stereo movement effect and for which the Barclay is again no match. I may treasure the Barclay set as souvenir of Jane Rhodes; but I have no doubt at all that this new set is the one to have.'