Jean-Baptiste Lully Atys opera to a libretto by Philippe Quinault. Directed 2011 at the Opéra Comique by Jean-Marie Villégier and associate stage director Christophe Galland. Stars Bernhard Richter (Atys), Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Cybèle), Emmanuelle de Negri (Sangaride), Nicolas Rivenq (Célénus), Marc Mauillon (Idas), Sophie Daneman (Doris), Jaël Azzaretti (Mélisse), Bernard Deletré (Le Temps/le fleuve [river] Sangar), Paul Agnew (Dieu du Sommeil), Cyril Auvity (Morphée), Callum Thorpe (Phobétor), Benjamin Alunni (Phantase), Arnaud Richard (Songe furneste), Jean-Charles di Zazzo (Maître des cérémonies/Alecton), Olivier Collin (L'impresario), Elodie Fonnard (Flore, suite de Sangar), Rachel Redmond (Iris), Anna Reinhold (Melpomène), Francisco Fernández-Rueda (Zéphir, suite de Sangar), and Reinoud Van Mechelen (Zéphir). Also stars the dancers of the Compagnie Fêtes galantes et Gil Isoart de l'Opéra national de Paris. William Christie conducts Les Arts Florissants. Choreography by the late Francine Lancelot and Béatrice Massin; set design by Carlo Tommasi; costumes by Patrice Cauchetier; lighting by Patrick Méeüs; wigs by Daniel Blanc; makeup by Suzanne Pisteur. Directed for TV by François Roussillon; produced by Toni Hajal. Sung in French. Released in 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreCharles Gounod Mireille opera to libretto by Michel Carré. Directed 2009 by Nicolas Joel at the Paris National Opera. Stars Inva Mula (Mireille), Charles Castronovo (Vincent), Franck Ferrari (Ourrias), Alain Vernhes (Ramon), Sylvie Brunet (Taven), Anne-Catherine Gillet (Vincenette), Sébastien Droy (Andreloux), Nicolas Cavallie (Ambroise), Amel-Brahim Djelloul (Clémence), Ugo Rabec (Ferryman), Christian Rodrigue Moungoungou (citizen of Arle), Sophie Claisse (voice from on high), and Alexandre Duhamel (Echo). Marc Minkowski conducts the Orchestre et Choeurs de l'Opera national de Paris (Choir Master Patrick Marie Aubert). Set design by Ezio Frigerio; costumes by Franca Squarciapino; lighting by Vinicio Cheli; choreography by Patrick Ségot. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Sung in French. Released 2010, Blu-ray disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+ with the 💓 designation.
This originally came out in 2010 published by FRAmusica in its distinctive design with the “cut-through” front cover shown above in pale blue. Eventually this went “out of print” and became a collectors’ item. Alas, in 2020 I tried to play my 2010 disc and it would not load (due, I guess to the mysterious “disc rot” illness). Thank Goodness I kept the story up, because now Naxos has
Read MoreReynaldo Hahn Ciboulette operetta to a libretto by Robert de Flers. Directed 2013 by Michel Fau at the Opéra Comique in Paris (with assistant stage director Damien Lefevre). Stars Julie Fuchs (Ciboulette), Jean-François Lapointe (Duparquet), Julien Behr (Antonin), Eva Ganizate (Zenobie), Ronan Debois (Roger), Cécile Achille (Françoise), Jean-Claude Sarragosse (Monsieur Grenu), Guillemette Laurens (Madame Grenu), Patrick Kabongo Mubenga (Auguste/Victor), François Rougier (Le Patron/Le Maire), Safir Behloul (Grisard), Bernadette Lafont (Madame Pingret), Michel Fau (La Comtesse de Castiglione), and Jérôme Deschamps (Le Directeur de l’Opéra). Laurence Equilbey conducts the Orchestre Symphonique de l'Opéra de Toulon (with assistant conductor Chirstophe Grapperon) and the Accentus chorus (Chorus Master Christophe Grapperson). Set design Bernard Fau and Citronelle Dufay; costume design by David Belugou; lighting design by Joël Fabing; movement collaborator was Cécile Rousssat; make-up design by Pascale Fau; vocal coach was Nicolaï Maslenko. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Sung in French. Released in 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Read MoreLeoš Janáček Katia Kabanova opera to libretto by the composer based on The Storm, a play by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky. Directed 2008 by Robert Carsen at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Stars (in order of appearance) Oleg Bryjak (Dikoj), Miroslav Dvorský (Boris), Dalia Schaechter (Kabanicha), Guy De Mey (Tichon), Karita Mattila (Kát'a), Gordon Gietz (Kudrjáš), Natascha Petrinksy (Varvara), Marco Moncloa (Kuligin), Itxaro Mentxaka (Glaša) and María José Suárez (Fekluša). Jiří Bělohlávek conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Real (Chorus Master Peter Burian). Dancers are Ana Aguilar, Magdalena Aizpúrua, Diana Bernedo, Vanesa Calderón, Sandra Cardozo, Leticia Castro, Lorena Díaz, Henar Fuentetaja, Rebeca González Lázaro, María González, Marta Gorriz, Salome Jimenez, Amaia Otcabide, Marta Marcelli, Carmen Mayordomo, Natalia Méndez, Carolina Pastor, Yara Paz, Vanesa Tejedor, Almudena Ramos, Licía Rey Castillo, Diana Samper, Isabel Sánchez, Ainhoa Sarmiento, Beatriz Silva, Izaskun Valmaseda, and Aisha Wizuete. Sets and costumes by Patrick Kinmonth; lighting by Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet; choreography by Philippe Giraudeau; sound supervision by Jean Chatauret; directed for TV by François Roussillon; produced by Tony Hajal). Released 2010, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A-
Read MoreHenry Purcell Dido and Aeneas opera to a libretto by Nahum Tate. Directed 2008 by Deborah Warner at the Paris Opéra Comique. Stars Malena Ernman (Dido), Christopher Maltman (Aeneas), Judith Van Wanroij (Belinda), Hilary Summers (Sorceress), Lina Markeby (Second Woman), Céline Ricci (First Witch), Ana Quintans (Second Witch), Damian Whiteley (Sailor), and Marc Mauilon (Spirit). Fiona Shaw speaks the Prologue. William Christie conducts Les Arts Florissants Orchestra and Choir (Chorus Master François Bazola). Sets and costumes by Chloé Obolensky; lighting by Jean Kalman; directed for TV by François Roussillon; produced by Tony Hajal and David Kulas. Sung in English; subtitles in English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A+
Read MoreJean-Baptiste Lully Armide opera to libretto by Philippe Quinault. Directed 2008 by Robert Carsen at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. Stars Stéphanie d'Oustrac (Armide), Paul Agnew (Renaud), Claire Debono (Glory, Phénice, and Lucinde), Isabelle Druet (Sagacity, Sidone, and Mélisse), Laurent Naouri (Hatred), Nathan Berg (Hidraot), Marc Mauillon (Ubalde and Aronte), Marc Callahan (Artémidore), Andrew Tortise (a Danish knight), Virginie Thomas (the nymph) and Anders J. Dahlin, Francesca Boncompagni, and Violaine Lucas (other demons in disguise). William Christie conducts the orchestra and choir of Les Arts Florissants. Mise en scène and direction by Robert Carsen; set and costumes by Gideon Davey; choreography by Jean-Claude Gallotta; lighting by Robert Carsen and Peter Van Praet; television direction by François Roussillon; produced by Tony Hajal and David Kulas. There is a bonus extra with excellent discussion of the production by Carsen, Christie and others. Released 2010, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A
Read MoreBenjamin Britten The Turn of the Screw chamber opera to a libretto by Myfanwy Piper based on the novella by Henry James. Directed 2011 by Jonathan Kent at Glyndebourne. Stars Miah Persson (Governess), Toby Spence (Quint), Thomas Parfitt (Miles), Joanna Songi (Flora), Susan Bickley (Mrs. Grose), and Giselle Allen (Miss Jessel). Jakub Hrůša conducts members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Leader Pieter Schoeman). Design by Paul Brown; lighting design by Paul Henderson; sound supervision by Jean Chatauret; music produced by Sébastian Chonion. Directed for TV by François Roussillon; produced by George Bruell and Toni Hajal. Sung in English. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A-
Read MoreRavel's two one-act operas are directed as a double feature by Laurent Pelly at Glyndebourne in 2012:
1. The disc begins with L'heure espagnole ("The Spanish Hour", or, better perhaps, "The Spanish Pastime." to a libretto by Franc-Nohain. The stars are téphanie d'Oustrac, Elliot Madore, François Piolino, Alek Shrader, and Paul Gay.
2. Next comes L'enfant et les sortilèges ("The Child and the Spells", or better perhaps, "Spells of a Child") to a libretto by Colette. The stars are Khatouna Gadelia, Elodie Méchain, Elliot Madore, Paul Gay, Julie Pasturaud, François Piolino, Kathleen Kim, Natalia Brzezińska, Hila Fahima, Stéphanie d'Oustrac, and Kirsty Stokes. (Most of the stars sing several roles.)
Kazushi Ono conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Leader Pieter Schoeman) and the Glyndebourne Chorus (Chorus Master Jeremy Bines). Set design for L'heure espagnole by Caroline Ginet and Florence Evrad, adapted for this production by Caroline Ginet; set design for L'enfant et les sortilèges by Barbara de Simburg; lighting by Joël Adam; costume design by Laurent Pelly and Jean-Jacques Delmotte. Directed for TV by François Roussillon; sound supervision by Jean Chatauret; music producer Sébastien Chonion; executive producers George Bruell and Toni Hajal. Plays in all regions. Released 2013, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A for L'heure and Grade: B for L'enfant
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