Sullivan: The Beauty Stone (complete opera)
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ARTHUR SULLIVAN
Sullivan: The Beauty Stone (complete opera)
Elin Manahan Thomas, Toby Spence, Rebecca Evans, Alan Opie, Stephen Gadd, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Richard Suart / BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rory
[ Chandos Classics / 2 CD ]
Release Date: Friday 15 November 2013
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Sir Arthur Sullivan is best known for his famous collaboration with W.S. Gilbert, a supreme partnership the fruits of which have tended to overshadow Sullivan's other musical endeavours. The Beauty Stone falls into this category of neglected works. A serious operatic work of epic duration, it was a surprising flop at its premiere in 1898, a time when Sullivan was at the height of his career. The audience was expecting something more in the mould of the composer's fleet and nimble comic operas, and was unprepared for a work of such size and seriousness. Subsequently, Sullivan made dramatic edits to the score, removing some of the work's most delightful music, but in this new recording all of the omitted music has been restored. The strength of the opera is undoubtedly its many fine melodies, superb orchestration, and excellent characterisation, as well as a vivid atmosphere suitably suggestive of the romantic mediaeval setting of the plot. This, the premiere commercial recording of the work is cast with some of the finest singers on the stage today and is conducted by Rory Macdonald, one of Britain's most talented, dynamic young conductors. This release follows the highly regarded recording of Sullivan's Ivanhoe.
"It has never been recorded by professional singers before, and Rory Macdonald seems to have prepared with academic scrupulousness...it's very strongly cast, too, but there's no sense of an important rediscovery here." (Guardian)
"Sullivan's score is charming, if hardly vintage, and is delivered here with brio by Rory McDonald and leading G&S lights" Sunday Times, 17th November 2013
"It seems superfluous to state that the sound quality of this recording is excellent. As with any opera, it can be difficult to balance orchestra, chorus and soloists. Chandos have done a sterling job. The enunciation of the principals and of the chorus is perfectly clear: I hardly needed to follow the libretto in order to understand the plot. The singing is unbeatable, with all the soloists entering into the spirit of the story. What impressed me most was the orchestra: so often G&S performances are marred by a necessarily pared-down band. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales make a major contribution to hearing this opera in ideal conditions." (MusicWeb Jan 2014)
Tracks:
Albéniz:
La Vega from the suite Alhambra (arr. David Roe)
Krouse:
Folías
Rimsky Korsakov:
Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34 (arr. William Kanengiser)
Sor:
Introduction & Allegro (Grand Solo) Op. 14 (arr. Sergio Assad)
