VIVALDI / DONIZETTI / ROSSINI / HANDEL / HASSE
Arias [3 CD set] Vivica Genaux (mezzo soprano) / Europa Galante, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Les Violons du Roy [ Erato / Warner Classics / 3 CD Box Set - released 1/Sep/2015 ] "Mezzo-soprano Vivica Genaux is superb. Her voice is perfectly suited to this type of repertoire, with the ability to tackle the stratospheric scales, arpeggios and trills, while remaining comfortable in the lower registers." (MusicWeb Feb 2010) |
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV
Le Coq d'Or [The Golden Cockerel] (complete opera recorded in 2002) Albert Schagidullin / Olga Trifonova / Yuri Maria Saenz / Ilya Levinsky / Orchestre de Paris / Kent Nagano [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 1/Aug/2011 ] This Châtelet revival of Le Coq d'or brings to the stage once again the great Kabuki actor Ennosuke III's striking staging of Rimsky-Korsakov's opera first mounted in co-production with the San Francisco Opera in 1984. |
CESAR FRANCK
Alfred Cortot - Franck: Symphonic Variations (rec 1934) with concertos by Saint-Saens and Ravel Alfred Cortot (piano) / London Philharmonic Orchestra / Landon Ronald / Paris Conservatoire Orchestra / Charles Munch [ Naxos Historical Great Pianists / CD - released 2/Jul/2001 ] "One of his precious few concerto recordings, this disc shows Cortot at his most beguiling. Mark Obert-Thorn's transfers are exceptional and all lovers of past but ever-present greatness will want this second and final Naxos volume of Cortot's sadly... |
HENRY MADIN
Madin: Te Deum pour les Victoires de Louis XV Anne Magouet, Michiko Takahashi, Robert Getchell, Alban Dufourt, Alain Buet / Stradivaria & Les Cris de Paris, Daniel Cuiller [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 1/Sep/2016 ] [Madin] writes vividly…[and] Daniel Cuiller is well in command of his forces in both pieces; worth investigating" (Gramophone) |
CHARLES LECOCQ
Lecocq: La fille de Madame Angot (complete operetta) Anne-Catherine Gillet; Véronique Gens; Mathias Vidal / Orchestre de chambre de Paris; Sébastien Rouland; Chœur du Concert Spirituel, Sébastien Rouland [ Bru Zane / 2 CD Box Set - released 22/Oct/2021 ] La Fille de Madame Angot, an opéra-comique in three acts, was premiered at the Théâtre des Fantaisies-Parisiennes in Brussels on 4 December 1872 before scoring a similar triumph in France on 21 February 1873. |
SCHNEITZHOEFFER
La Sylphide (complete ballet recorded in 2004) Aurélie Dupont / Mathieu Ganio / Mélanie Hurel / Le Corps De Ballet And Opéra National De Paris / Ermanno Fl [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 12/May/2011 ] Arthaus presents Pierre Lacotte's landmark reconstruction of the Romantic Ballet La Sylphide, long regarded as a classic in its own right. |
STRAVINSKY / FAURE / TCHAIKOVSKY
Jewels (ballet by George Balanchine) Ballet de L'Opera National de Paris / George Balanchine / Christian Lacroix [ Opus Arte DVD / DVD - released 19/Jun/2006 ] G :- 'Jewels', a work first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1967. This alluring, abstract ballet, a triptych in which each piece sparkles with the brilliance of a precious stone, is a lyric tribute to women and to the capital cities of... |
STRAVINSKY / FAURE / TCHAIKOVSKY
Jewels [ballet by George Balanchine] (recorded in 2005) BLU-RAY Ballet de L'Opera National de Paris / Aurelie Dupont, Marie-Agnes Gillot, Agnes Letestu, Clairemarie Osta [ Opus Arte Blu-Ray / Blu-ray Disc - released 1/Dec/2008 ] DVD Blu-Ray - Jewels, a work first performed by the New York City Ballet in 1967. This alluring, abstract ballet, a triptych in which each piece sparkles with the brilliance of a precious stone, is a lyric tribute to women and to the capital cities... |
BEETHOVEN / DEBUSSY / FAURE / SAINT-SAENS / etc
Proust, or How The Heart Skips A Beat (complete ballet recorded in 2007) Choreography by Roland Petit Ballet de l'Opéra National de Paris / Stéphanie Romberg / Eleonora Abbagnato / Manuel Legris / Koen Kessels (cond) [ Bel Air Classiques / Harmonia Mundi Distibution / DVD - released 1/Dec/2008 ] G - In 1974, Roland Petit, probably the greatest and certainly one of the most prolific of 20th century French choreographers he was the first person to create a work based on Proust's novel, A la recherche du temps perdu, completed in 1922, the... |
J. S. BACH
Bach: The Complete Works for Keyboard, Vol. 7 Orgelbüchlein, Bwv 599-644 (with Choir) Benjamin Alard (harpsichord & clavichord), Ensemble Vocal Bergamasque, Marine Fribourg, Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris [ Harmonia Mundi / 2 CD - released 14/Oct/2022 ] 'The effect, both individually and collectively, is stunning.' Gramophone Award Finalist 2023 - Instrumental |
TCHAIKOVSKY / BORODIN / MUSSORGSKY / GLINKA
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 5 & Russian Orchestral Works Berliner Philharmoniker, Paris Conservatoire Orchestra, Sir Georg Solti [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 20/Jul/2016 ] "Solti's hurricane-like Tchaikovsky Serenade has to be heard to be believed - the finale almost flies off with the gale" (Penguin Guide) |
BERG / MOZART / ELGAR / SCHUBERT / RODRIGO / BERLIOZ / etc
Daniel Barenboim: A Retrospective - complete Sony recordings [43 CDs + 3 DVDs] English Chamber Orchestrea, Berliner Philharmoniker [Berlin Philharmonic], Orchestre de Paris, Daniel Barenboim [ Sony Classical / 46 CD/DVD Box Set - released 1/Jul/2017 ] Celebrating Pianist, Conductor and Ambassador of music...Daniel Barenboim. The first ever collection of Daniel Barenboim's complete recordings as conductor and pianist for RCA and Sony Classical in an original-jackets collection. |
Idil Biret (piano), Irina Nikotina (violin, Massenet Concerto) Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Alain Pâris
Massenet and Franck - Music for Piano and Orchestra [ Alpha Classics / CD - released 27/Nov/2006 ] French music of the late 19th and early 20th century abounds in fine symphonies and concertos that are rarely explored. During the symphonic revival initiated by Camille Saint-Saëns and César Franck, several famous virtuosos encouraged composers to... |
Buniatishvili/Orch De Paris/Ja
Chopin [ Sony Classical / CD - released 17/Sep/2012 ] |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Great European Organs No. 65 Charles Matthews (The Cavaille-Coll organ of La Madeleine, Paris) [ Priory / CD - released 9/Sep/2002 ] |
PROKOFIEV
The Love for Three Oranges (recorded live in 2005) Charles Workman / José Van Dam / Philippe Rouillon / Barry Banks / Béatrice Uria-Monzon / Opéra National de Paris / Sylvain Cambreling [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 26/Oct/2011 ] Conducted by 20th century specialist Sylvain Cambreling and sung in the original French version by superb singer-actors, this production presents a stage performance set in perfect harmony with Prokofiev's inventive music. |
DELIBES
Coppelia (complete ballet recorded in 2001) Charline Giezendanner / Mathieu Ganio / Pierre Lacotte / École De Danse And Opéra National De Paris / David Coleman [ Arthaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 1/Jul/2011 ] On the programme this evening is Coppélia, or the girl with the enamel eyes by Léo Delibes. The excitement among the girls is great because today they will be performing in the (reproduced) scenery and costumes which at the premiere on 25 May 1870... |
VARIOUS COMPOSERS
Organ Fireworks Volume 3 Christopher Herrick, organ (St. Eustache organ, Paris) [ Hyperion / CD - released 10/May/2005 ] 'My vote for the best organ record of 1991 ... another Herrick/Hyperion marvel' - Gramophone |
LAVAILLAT
La Petite Danseuse De Degas Clairemarie Osta / Dorothée Gilbert / Mathieu Ganio / Corps De Ballet & Orchestre De L'Opéra National De Paris / Koen Kessels [ ArtHaus Musik DVD / DVD - released 8/Aug/2011 ] "An inspired and visually ravishing creation. This ballet deserves to go from success to success." (Recording of the Month MusicWeb Aug 2011) |
PIOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 6 / Violin Concerto Ruggiero Ricci (violin) / Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire de Paris, Erich Kleiber / New Symphony Orchestra of London, M. Sargent [ Decca Australian Eloquence / 2 CD - released 6/Mar/2020 ] Despite being recorded under 78rpm conditions, in four- or five-minute sections, the Fourth Symphony is marked by a palpable symphonic rigour as well as the edgy brass which lends such intensity to Decca's Paris recordings of Russian music. |