MRF LP	Marco Polo 8.2238-29-31
Catherine	Janet Price	Elizabeth Futral
Prascovia	Deborah Cook	Darina Takova
Danilowitz	Alexander Oliver	Aled Hall
Peter the Great	Malcolm King	Vladimir Ognev
Gritzenko	Alan Watt	Christopher Maltman
Conductor	Roderick Brydon	Wladimir Jurowski
Recorded in	London	Wexford
Date	Feb. 25, 1975	Oct. 1996

L'Etoile du Nord is one of Meyerbeer's two "opera comiques", the other being Dinorah. The work has had two "revivals" in receent years--one by Opera rara in 1975, and the other at Wexford in 1996. The first is rather significantly cut, while the second has been described as being "note complete". Alas, that is not the case. What I would consider as one of the most striking pieces of music in the Opera Rara version, the triple march in the finale to the second act, has been torn to shreds at Wexford. In the original version, there is a rebellion against the Tsar, which he deflects as the "sacred march" is heard. The troops are then joined by a regiment of greandiers from Tobolsk, to the music of a different march, followed by a regiment of Tatar cavalry to the music of a third march. The effect is stupendous. But the omission of the last two marches at Wexford turn this finale into a routine affair. While it is true that Wexford reinstated quite a few other number, I do not regard these as making up for the truncated march.

The rest of the music of Etoile du Nord is strikingly charming. The best two numbers of the score are, of course, the air and barcarolle for Catherine in Act I, and the air with two flutes for her at the end. But the other characters also have a considerable amount of fine music. Typically of French opera, this also holds for many of the secondary roles.

As for the performance, I would prefer the old Opera Rara LP. Both prima donnas--Elizabeth Futral and Janet Price are fine, and a pleasure to listen to. But Malcolm King (Peter the Great) in the Opera Rara is considerably better than Vladimir Ognev, while MRF also has the better Danilowitz and, with one exception, better singers for the lesser roles. The exception is the George, luxurious casting at Wexford for such a small role in the person of the new Peruvian tenor sensation, Juan Diego Flórez.

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