Search - Jerome Pruett :: Louise

Excellent!

caspi | Israel | 05/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There were 2 reasons for me to get this recording. One - to get familiar with the opera, and another - to add one more recording of Rita Gorr to my collection, moreover she appears there together with Ernest Blanc, her partner in many golden era recordings and performances, both of them artists from the top of the top, once I heard, I wanted to hear everything they ever sang. Once the mission was accomplished, I felt content with every cent spent on it.



Considered to be the shining example of the French verismo, "Louise" proposes a listener over 2 and a half hours of post romantic music, having something of common with Massenet and perhaps Debussy, with some echoes of Wagner (yes, leitmotif fans will be satisfied) and even (sometimes) Mahler. Not all of it shines melodically and it does not offer any easily memorable music (except for the repeated leitmotives), and sometimes it even might seem overall monotonous, but it has its musically remarkable moments, not surprisingly among them the more or less popular in soprano repertoire aria "Depuis je lour" (of Louise). The opera interesting and successful structure and dramaturgy frame beautifully its music. Successive listenings will help to discover all its gems, and they are there.



But (for me) the most joy came from the performes: the strong cast of all the 4 protagonists - high vocal class from all of them, all full of expression and all deeply involved.



Still I would praise especially the "La Mere" and "La Pere" of Rita Gorr and Ernest Blanc - both close to the end of their active vocal career, both still posessing supreme beauty of tone and striking as usual with refined intelligence of interpretation - the true Masters.... It's worth to get the recording only for hearing their voices.



I never heard before neither Felicity Lott nor Jerome Pruett, and their discovery was a pleasant experience. Both well suited for their characters and in excellent vocal shape. Most of the comprimario singers (and there are about 20 of them in the middle acts) are excellent as well.



The orchestra led by Sylvain Cambreling complete the integrity of the performance with beautiful expressive playing, always supportive, always alive.



The performance was recorded live in 1983, still with outstanding studio-like sound. Scene noises are heard, but they only contribute for more full perception of the drama.



The set comes with the full libretto of the opera in both English and French (the language it's sung in) and extensive (and interesting) analysis notes again in English and French.



Try it! :-)"