Search - Zdenek Fibich, Frantisek Jilek, Prague National Theatre Orchestra :: Zdenek Fibich: The Bride Of Messina

OF ARCHEOLOGICAL INTEREST

Alfredo R. Villanueva | New York, NY United States | 09/11/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"ZDENEK FIBISH IS AN IMPORTANT YET VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN CZECH COMPOSER FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. TWO OF HIS OPERAS HAVE BEEN RECENTLY RECORDED: SARKA AND THE BRIDE OF MESSINA. THIS IS A FINE PERFORMANCE OF THE LATTER WITH FRANTISEK JILEK CONDUCTING A DISTINGUISHED CAST OF THE CREAM OF THE CROP AMONG CZECH OPERA SINGERS. THE SOUND IS FIRST RATE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MUSIC ITSELF FAILS TO CREATE A DISTINCTIVE IMPRESSION: AT TIMES IT IS WAGNER, AT TIMES IT IS WEBER, AT TIMES ALMOST LIKE A TEUTONIC VERDI, BUT IT DOES NOT CAPTURE THE LISTENER'S ATTENTION LIKE JANACEK'S OPERAS DO. I MUCH PREFER THIS COMPOSER'S INSTRUMENTAL WORKS. NEVERTHELESS, A VALUABLE ADDITION TO ANY OPERAPHILE'S COLLECTION."