Get your own Free Home PageGet your own Free Home PageCOMPLETE AND ABRIDGED OPERAS
A summary of what is available, had been available, or is planned, is provided below.
La muette de Portici A nearly complete version with star singers was issued some years ago by EMI, but is no longer in the catalogue. This opera can be said to have caused two revolutions--one in music (it was the first true French grand opera), and the second in Belgium.
Fra Diavolo Recordings are currently available on CD in both the French and Italian versions. The Italian version is not a translation in the usual sense, but actually a revision by the composer with recitatives and added numbers (especially in the Italian buffo style for the brigands), which was premiered in London at the Lyceum in 1857 by the Royal Italian Opera, at a time when Covent Garden was undergoing reconstruction after a fire.
Gustave III The second of Auber's "grand operas", this is also the first of three major works to deal with the plot of Un ballo in maschera. Of these, the second (Mercadante's Il reggente was also issued on CD, and the third is, of course, by Verdi. There is considerable beautiful music, but, in my opinion, the opera is much less interesting and less striking than contemporary works by Halevy and Meyerbeer. Enjoyable as it is, it suffers when compared to Verdi's version.
Le Cheval de Bronze This charming "opera comique" was broadcast by French radio in the late 1970s, and released by MRF on LP. This performance has now been released on CD.
Le Domino Noir This is another very charming "opera comique, performed some years ago in Compiegne, and recorded at about the same time by London Records with an "all star" cast headed by Sumi Jo and Bruce Ford. It is filled with delightful tunes, and can be enthusiastically recommened to all lovers of French light opera.
Les Diamants de la Couronne was performed in Compiegne in late 1999 and had been briefly available on an import from France.
Haydee was performed in November 2004 and again in 2006 in Compiegne. A DVD had been rumoured, but has not yet been released.
Manon Lescaut While this is actually one of the less successful of Auber's operas, it still has some wonderful scenes, especially Manon's death in Act III, which takes place in the "desert" of Louisiana. Well, librettists have always been famous for taking liberties with history, but this seems to be one of the best examples of this sort of thing. Manon's laughing song (the eclat de rire) has made this opera very well known. The scene of Manon's death, in a long duet with Des Grieux, is one of the best ever penned by the composer.
There also are a fairly large number of individual excerpts, either from operas which have not been recorded complete, or which merit inclusion because of the high levels of the interpretation. These will are listed below. Additional selections will be added in due course as they are released. This list will be limited to vocal selections.
La muette de Portici
Barcarolle: "Amis, la matinee est belle" in Ger.
Hermann Jadlowker, ten.: Marston 62017-2
Slumber song: "Du pauvre seul ami fidele"
Laurence Dale ten. Chant du Monde LDC 278,934
Hermann Jadlowker ten. (in Ger.): Marston 62017-2
Leo Slezak ten. (in Ger.): Preiser 89020
William Matteuzzi ten.: Opera Rara ORR 216
Fra diavolo
Meine Freunde sind hier ganz im Stillen versteckt"
Hermann Jadlowker ten.: Marston 62017-2
"Ah! pour toujours, disait-elle":
Helge Rosswaenge, ten. in Ger. Preiser CD 89018
Laurence Dale, ten. Chant du Monde LDC 278,934
Le cheval de bronze
Ah! pour un jeune coeur...O tourment de veuvage
Huguette Tourangeot, mez.: London LP 26199
Les diamants de la couronne
"Variations"
Lucette Korsoff, sop.: Rubini LP RS 302
Haydee
"Il dit que sa noble patrie":
Odette Carlyle, sop.: Rubini LP RS 302
A la voix seduisante":
Hippolyte Belhomme, bass: Rubini LP SJG 118
Zerline
"O Palerme, O Sicile":
Marilyn Horne, mez. Erato 98501
Manon Lescaut
"L'eclat de rire":
Amelita Galli-Curci, sop. Romophone GBK 81003
Le premier jour de bonheur
Stances de Gaston: "Ce nom qui me rapelle"
Rockwell Blake, ten. EMI 5 55058 2
Frank Carter, ten. LP, ZNOS 2
Melodie de Djelma: Notre Dieu, notre 鰯ux:
Flora Edwards mez. with Gresta Crawley sop,, and Emily Mair, sop. ZNOS 2
Nocturne: O nuit, une heure encore:
Emily Mair, sop. and Flora Edwards, sop. ZNOS 2
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