Memories	Gala 100.604	London	Erato 2292-45027-2	.....
Valentine	Anna de Cavalieri	Giulietta Simionato	Martina Arroyo	Francoise Pollet	Kathie Clarke
Marguerite	Antonietta Pastori	Joan Sutherland	Joan Sutherland	Ghylaine Raphanel	Louise Lebrun
Urbain	Jolanta Gardino	Fiorenza Cossotto	Huguette Tourangeau	Danielle Borst	Della Jones
Raoul	Giacomo Lauri-Volpi	Franco Corelli	Anastas Vrenios	Richard Leech	Alain Vanzo
Comte de Nevers	Giuseppe Taddei	Wladimiro Ganzarolli	Dominic Cossa	Gilles Cachemaille	Robert Massard
Marcel	Nicola Zaccaria	Nicolai Ghiaurov	Nicolai Ghiuselev	Nicolai Ghiuselev	Will Roy
Comte de Saint-Bris	Giorgio Tozzi	Giorgio Tozzi	Gabriel Bacquier	Boris Martinovich	Jules Bastin
Conductor	Tullio Serafin	Gianandrea Gavazzeni	Richard Bonynge	Cyril Diederich	Henri Gallois

There are several other recordings of Les Huguenots, including versions with Tony Poncet and Beverly Sills, as well as Nicolai Gedda and Rita Shane, but these have not been included in this listing for the sake of simplicity. Unfortunately, none of the recordings that are currently available can be considered as being satisfactory in all respects. The Corelli, conducted by Gavazzeni is probably the best sung all around, but it is cut--the most important cuts being a big chunk of the Act II duet between Raoul and the queen, which results in the stretta (supposedly sung by both) becoming a solo for Joan Sutherland. Undoubtedly this was done to make her part more important. The other big cut is Raoul's wonderful Act V aria. Still, this would be the set to recommend if completeness is not important. It also can be obtained at a bargain price, and, as a bonus, the version on the Gala label also contains key excerpts from two other recordings (Lauri-Volpi, and Gedda). These are very important, because Gedda and Shane sing the most complete version I know of of the previously mentioned Act II duet (Not surprising, it was intended as their show.) Vanzo also cuts the all-important Act V aria, but the set should still be of great interest to fans of this singer.

The Lauri-Volpi set was recorded far too late in the great tenor's career to be of more than passing interest, and the entire fifth act is omitted. The second Sutherland (this time, a studio recording) is one of the most complete to date--but the tenor, Anastas Vrenios, is totally inadequate. He had sung the role well in a concert performance preceding the recording sessions, but was ill when the recordings took place. Being both a tenor and completeness "freak", my first choice (but only for individuals with the same orientation) is the Leech-Pollet on Erato. While it is not note complete (again, there is a cut in the Act II duet), it comes close, and does include a very well sung version of Raoul's Act V aria. Unfortunately, many of the supporting artists, especially the Marguerite and the Urbain, are miscast. Given today's singers, I doubt if a true "seven star" recording of Huguenots is castable. We do have any number of possibilities for Valentine (Voigt or Fleming, for example), Marguerite (Devia or Gruberova), Urbain, Raoul (Grigorian, Doykov, Neill, even Giordani) for St. Bris (Pertusi), and even for Nevers (Hampson)--but the deep basso profondo needed for Marcel is missing. Still, Sam Ramey would come quite close.

A few excerpts now available on CD which should be of special interest are given in:

Go to excerpts from Les Huguenots

Go back to Discography page

Go back to Meyerbeer page

Go back to main page

---

This page hosted by GeocitiesGet your own Free Home Page