- Performer: Russell Smythe, Véronique Gens, Laurent Naouri, John Mark Ainsley
- Orchestra: Choeur des Musiciens du Louvre, Musiciens du Louvre
- Conductor: Marc Minkowski
- Composer: Jean-Philippe Rameau
- Audio CD (22 May 2000)
- SPARS Code: DDD
- Number of Discs: 2
- Label: Archiv Produktion
- ASIN: B00004R9F6
- Other Editions: MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
103,645 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
- #76 in Music > Opera & Vocal > Song > Tenor
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Listening to this thrilling recording of Rameau's 1739 opera Dardanus (with a few additions from the 1744 version), it is hard to see why it has languished in the backwaters of obscurity for so long. It contains elements guaranteed to get Rameau's juices flowing--a woman torn between love and duty, a generous helping of magic, and a set of finely drawn, rounded characters who transcend the conventional elements of the plot--and the composer responds with heartfelt passion: the music rivals anything in Les Boréades or Platée. In turn, Minkowski responds with direction which is a model of pacing: the drama crackles along in the sinuous recitatives, the climaxes are almost unbearably pulse-quickening (the thunderous and terrifying entracte "Bruits de guerre" is a good example), and the moments of reflection are poignant without being sentimental. (The Act 4 tenor aria "Lieux funestes" is a particular highlight.) Baroque superstars Ainsley and Gens are on excellent form, but are matched in intensity by the rest of the ensemble, and the whole just bursts with energy. --Warwick Thompson
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Rameau, Dardanus.
This superb recording should please both those who consider themselves "Ramistes" and those who simply enjoy pre - 19th century music. Previous recordings of Rameau have always seemed to me to be rather dull, but this one is full of energy and commitment and directed with flair.
The cast is generally a good one, and in the case of the eponymous hero, sublime, and Minkowski obtains playing of real verve from his orchestra; the choral singing is incisive throughout. The part of the heroine, Iphise, is sung by the flavour-of-the-month soprano, Véronique Gens, and she never fails to give pleasure with her lovely tone, although her manner of address does not seem to me quite distinctive enough for a Rameau heroine, and her sense of the words is at times rather generalized. Her would - be lover Antenor is sung by Laurent Naouri, who gives a nobly dramatic account of "Monstre Affreux," and the wizard Ismenor is taken with credible sympathy by Jean-Philippe Courtis. Mireille Delunsch enjoys herself in the soubrette - ish role of Venus, and the much - hyped Magdalena Kozená turns up in a couple of smaller parts.
The finest singing on the recording is, appropriately, by the Dardanus, John Mark Ainsley, who takes himself completely seriously in the role - there is none of the tongue-in-cheek attitude that afflicts some singers in such parts, and he is equally credible as the conquering hero and the forlorn lover. His singing is always lyrical, his French completely idiomatic and his mastery of the complex music absolute, but it is his attention to words which gives the purest delight; at every turn one is startled by some grace in delivery or some nuance of phrasing - the little air "D'un Amant empressé lui parler le langage" is full of these, and his scene with Iphise is heart-rendingly done - "Vous fuyez, inhumaine" is an especially poignant moment.
There were one or two instances in his performance where I found myself wondering if his tone, with its distinctive sweetness, were not hardening a little, and if he is not doing too much of the wrong kind of music for him; his recent Lensky at ENO had wonderful moments but he struggled to rise above the orchestra during the aria. On the evidence of the present recording, he should perhaps be preparing to take on the mantle of the French classical tenor of our time, in such roles as Admetus and Pylades - amazing, really, to be able to say this about an English singer!
This "Dardanus" is fresh, vital and fascinating, combining the best virtues of live performance with an utterly precise sound. Fully deserving of five stars.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
6 reviews
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Vrai Francais...
27 July 2000
Format:Audio CD
Rameau, Dardanus.
This superb recording should please both those who consider themselves "Ramistes" and those who simply enjoy pre - 19th century music. Previous recordings of Rameau have always seemed to me to be rather dull, but this one is full of energy and commitment and directed with flair.
The cast is generally a good one, and in the case of the eponymous hero, sublime, and Minkowski obtains playing of real verve from his orchestra; the choral singing is incisive throughout. The part of the heroine, Iphise, is sung by the flavour-of-the-month soprano, Véronique Gens, and she never fails to give pleasure with her lovely tone, although her manner of address does not seem to me quite distinctive enough for a Rameau heroine, and her sense of the words is at times rather generalized. Her would - be lover Antenor is sung by Laurent Naouri, who gives a nobly dramatic account of "Monstre Affreux," and the wizard Ismenor is taken with credible sympathy by Jean-Philippe Courtis. Mireille Delunsch enjoys herself in the soubrette - ish role of Venus, and the much - hyped Magdalena Kozená turns up in a couple of smaller parts.
The finest singing on the recording is, appropriately, by the Dardanus, John Mark Ainsley, who takes himself completely seriously in the role - there is none of the tongue-in-cheek attitude that afflicts some singers in such parts, and he is equally credible as the conquering hero and the forlorn lover. His singing is always lyrical, his French completely idiomatic and his mastery of the complex music absolute, but it is his attention to words which gives the purest delight; at every turn one is startled by some grace in delivery or some nuance of phrasing - the little air "D'un Amant empressé lui parler le langage" is full of these, and his scene with Iphise is heart-rendingly done - "Vous fuyez, inhumaine" is an especially poignant moment.
There were one or two instances in his performance where I found myself wondering if his tone, with its distinctive sweetness, were not hardening a little, and if he is not doing too much of the wrong kind of music for him; his recent Lensky at ENO had wonderful moments but he struggled to rise above the orchestra during the aria. On the evidence of the present recording, he should perhaps be preparing to take on the mantle of the French classical tenor of our time, in such roles as Admetus and Pylades - amazing, really, to be able to say this about an English singer!
This "Dardanus" is fresh, vital and fascinating, combining the best virtues of live performance with an utterly precise sound. Fully deserving of five stars.
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Best recording of a Rameau opera to date
4 Jan 2001
Format:Audio CD
This certainly is not Rameau's finest opera, but this recording is marvelous. This was on my Amazon "wish list" and when I played it , I was very, very impressed with the excitement Maestro Minkowski generates from his orchestra. All 154 minutes of the 2 CD set are a pleasure to listen to. The Archiv (Deutche Grammophon) engineers have done a superb job in capturing the liveliness of the performance. The soloists are first rate, especially Veronique Gens. Rameau is gaining in prestige ( New York City Opera is staging his works) and this recording certainly will enhance his popularity.
20 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Another Rameau gem
10 May 2000
Format:Audio CD
After listening to DG's new Manon Lescaut, it is obvious that there are no decent Puccini tenors around, but while listening to this new Dardanus it also was obvious that these baroque operas are the real glory of our time. This is not the first recording of Dardanus, there was a 1977 recording in ERATO with a marvelous cast that included Frederica von Stade, Christiane Eda-Pierre and Jose van Dam, but it was incompetently conducted by Raymond Leppard with an inadequate modern-instrument orchestra. Now we are fortunate to have a very good and stylish period-orchestra recording from Radio France. John Mark Ainsley is certainly a better Rameau tenor than Jose Cura is a Puccini one. Veronique Gens is exquisite as usual and the rest of the cast is admirable, even if we miss the great Jose van Dam. If you have never heard a Rameau opera, you are missing a lot to put it mildly. Here is France greatest composer in all his glory.
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