Search - Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber, Marc Soustrot, Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra :: Auber: Fra Diavolo

Black comedy rossinian style

Michel | Montreal, Quebec | 03/29/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Fra Diavolo is based on a true character although the plot of
this opera is totally ficticious - it is a black comedy about
a highway robber - the music is rossinian in style with florid
arias and many group ensembles with every singer pattering at
the same time but recitatives are replaced by spoken-dialogues
as is the custom in french opéra-comique. It takes a first-class
cast to pull it off and that is what we get here although most
soloists are in their twillight years. Nicolai Gedda at 58 re-
mains amazingly suave and dexterous as Diavolo - Mady Mesplé
(52) is charmingly girlish and very agile - Jane Berbié (52)
and Rémy Corazza (50) are delighfully funny as an english cou-
ple recently robbed - the rest of the cast is excellent. It is
well conducted and recorded - it comes on two super-bargain CDs
with a synopsis but no libretto which may be a drawback for non
french-speaking people - otherwise it is highly recommandable."