Don Carlos - in French (at last)

Forum members may recall this thread (if you don't, or even if you do, it should probably be read first otherwise what is to follow may not make that much sense.

I noted in that thread two more French sets that the BBC's building a library segment had pointed me towards. However, it is a mark or just how inept the slot was that I didn't rush out to by either (and one in particular) as it suggested to me that neither was complete (i.e. the original version with the sections Verdi cut before the first performance in 1867).

However, fortunatley, Alan Blyth has reviewed both in the Gramophone recently (his stuff is about all that is left worth reading therein, but that is another topic). The first, reviewed in the new year was De Billy and the Vienna State Opera. However, after reading Blyth's review, I was in no hurry to pick it up (partly because the conducted sounded to be unimpressive, but more so, that it suffered from the same problem as Abbado - namely the lack of French singers (and at least Abbado's set has the bonus of being from the batton of one of today's great Verdians).

I thus, did nothing, until a few weeks ago when the latest edition of Gramophone landed on my door mat. This time Blyth was reviewing a new Opera Rara issue. It seems that shortly after the work was discovered and the original score reconstructed, the BBC put on a concert performance before an invited audience and taped it for broadcast. The BBC Concert Orchestra was on duty and John Matheson the conductor. They had the sense to hire French singers for the key roles (with the exception of Richard van Allen as the inquisitor).

The review isn't on the Gramophone website yet, but is well summed up by the headline: "A masterpiece in its entirity at last - and in faultless French too."

Given that I had been held back by the twin beliefs that this was not complete, and more the worry that I did not really want another set that was marred by poor French singing, I rushed out to buy it. So, how does it rate? Well, right from the start, it outclasses Abbado. It is true that Matheson is perhaps not quite such a fine conductor of Verdi, and also fair to say that the BBC Concert is not the equal of La Scala, but the difference between them is not large enough to cause any worries. Certainly, Matheson never really (with, perhaps, the exception of the act III ballet, which could use more oomph) allows the score to drag, which, at 4 hours, could easily happen.

However, the real treat here is the singing. In just the same way that Abbado was wrong in a way that was very difficult to describe, Matheson's cast just sound right. The stars are probably the Carlos of Andre Turp and the wonderful Elizabeth of Edith Tremblay. Michele Vilma is a fine Eboli and Richard van Allen devastating as the Inquisitor (and in faultless French). Philippe of Joseph Rouleau is in many ways fine - he voice has great power and emotion but I felt his diction could be better. That said the scenes between him and van Allan are as chilling as they ought to be. My only reservation concerns the Rodrigue of Robert Savoie. At times he is perfectly fine (especially in act IV) but earlier on he lacks quite the power.

The BBC Singers are particularly fine and, again, the French is good. They set the scene wonderfully in the choral opening in a way that puts Abbado's Scala forces to shame.

The recording is very good and seems to have been semi staged so that there is the occasional off stage, or exiting voice when there ought to be. The balance between singers and orchestra isn't always perfect - though oddly I only noticed the orchestra dominating when the singers were at the very quietest.

One final note, not that is all that important, but this is the first Opera Rara issue I have bought and the packaging is wonderful. A nice full libretto on decent quality paper (not the thin stuff one gets in most) nice illustrations and notes (the only reservation being a lack of biographies).


In short - if you want to sample Don Carlos in French, in full, look no further, you will struggle to be disappointed.

I suspect that Giulini still represents a first choice in Italian and overall but I love so many things about the original version that in many ways I prefer it.


Blyth closed with "Would that Radio 3 did things like this today."


regards,
Tam