Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magnifique!, 16 Jan 2009
Proserpine is what I would consider to be an 'obscure' Lully opera. Much has been written about works such as Roland, Armide, Atys and Alceste, but Proserpine has very had little press. Books about Baroque music barely mention it and even the excellent New Grove book about French Baroque masters gives it barely a mention.
This first recording is very welcome then and all the more so because it is so well performed.
Niquet has a fluent, instinctive grasp of this repertoire.
The "Frenchness" that I felt was lacking from the recently released Naxos recording of Armide is present in spade-loads here! In particular I love the subtle variation of pace within phrases and the natural and expansive response of the continuo group.
Therefore, while I cannot pretend to know what Lully really intended, this just sounds 'right' in every respect.
Niquet paces everything well, capturing both tenderness and urgency with aplomb. There is a contrast between the delicate and the vigorous that is utterly compelling. An acute sense of theatre underpins everything.
The recorded sound, while not demonstration-class (were these live recordings?), is perfectly acceptable.
The cast contains no stand-out performances but no weak links either. In other words the opera is strongly sung throughout and has a real sense of ensemble.
The orchestra accompanies admirably, assisted by a first-rate continuo group.
I should include a word about the recorded material. I must confess to being unsure if there are any cuts here. Some of the acts do seem rather short, but then not all of Lully's operas are lengthy affairs.
In particular, I'm pleased to see that the recent trend towards omitting French baroque opera prologues from recordings has not been perpetuated here; all the better, given the quality of the music on display here.
One unusual editorial feature is the end of the first CD. In a presumed effort to cram as much music onto the two CDs as possible, the chorus at the end of the CD fades out. The second CD then starts just before the start of that chorus, thus creating an unusual overlap effect. It doesn't bother me in the slightest, but it was a little disconcerting at first!
In short, this is a tour de force and, while I concede it will probably only be of interest to hardcore fans of this repertoire, I can recommend it without reservation - and with considerable enthusiasm.
Whether Proserpine will prove to be one of Lully's masterpieces is perhaps debatable. However, when it is as stylishly performed as it is here, its relative merits become an irrelevance and Glossa should be congratulated for plugging a further gap in the Lully opera discography.
Indeed, with the recent release of a DVD of Cadmus et Hermione, I think there is only one opera by Lully still to be recorded - aside from Achille et Polyxene which Lully left incomplete after inadvertently killing himself by banging his toe with a large stick (I kid you not).
Roll on Bellerophon!
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Lully at his sexiest..., 27 Nov 2008
To be honest, I was surprised by this relatively unknown Tragédie Lyrique (Opera) by Lully, composer for the Sun King. If you, like I do, know Lully and have heard a lot of his works you know that his compositions are playful, rhythmic and often erotic and enticing.
The music of Proserpine oozes of unfulfilled desires and erotic playfulness. The performance is excellent. I can only commend the strong rhythm, tight orchestral performance as well as the singers who perform wonderful and authentic. The mix is great, with well-defined harpsichord and lute when those are prominent. The trumpets deserve special mention for their clarity, purity and how they emotionally support the chorus in the most beautiful way. The singers are flawless in every respect and so is the orchestra and this all comes down to the brilliant direction.
Truly this album is a landmark in reviving the long forgotten and too often scoffed-at french baroque. Hervé Niquet and Le Concert Spirituel have outdone themselves with this album; by recording this album they have unveiled a rich gold ore of beautiful creativity, eroticism and playfulness that will endure forever.
If you have the slightest interest in french baroque of the 17th century I recommend this recording wholeheartedly. This belongs in your collection and I assure you that the playful Premier Air will slowly but surely wind you in and you will want to listen to it just one more time (as so many other tracks on this album).
I normally have more reserve, but not for this one. Please read my other reviews. This is really special and it is a must in your Lully collection.
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~ Aaron Engebreth
~ Jean-Baptiste Lully
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DVD ~ Vincent Dumestre
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DVD ~ Anna Netrebko
