Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann - Konya, Mesplé, Harper, Bakocevic, Bacquier, Souza; Maag. Buenos Aires, 1970
$16.95
Description:
This performance of Les Contes d'Hoffmann assembles a brilliant (at times unexpectedly so) cast. In the title role, Sandor Konya sings with elegance, beauty and passion. Mady Mesplé is remarkable as Olimpia both for the accuracy of her coloratura and the fullness of her sound. Heather Harper's rich soprano conveys all of the frailty and abandon of Antonia. Lastly, Gabriel Bacquier not only sings the four villains with black malevolence but displays the upshot of having a great singing actor singing in his native tongue. The sound is very good.
OD 10882-2
Listen to a Sample:
Terrific Hoffmann in Excellent Sound!
Everyone seems to have their own version of Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann and Peter Maag was no exception. Basically he follows the traditional Choudens version of the score, but he (or someone else) has reorchestrated a lot of the score. He keeps the customary (at that time) order of the acts, but the Epilogue is rewritten slightly to include not only the Muse, but more Stella. Mady Mesple is a perfect Olympia. She sounds exactly like a mechanical doll. Some may be disappointed that, except for adding a top E-flat at the end of her song, she adds no ornamentation to the second verse. No matter: her waltz roulades are impeccable complete with the trill on the high D! Bakocevic is that rarity, a soprano Giulietta. She sings well, but isn't given very much to sing. Harper is a beautiful Antonia, rising to the challenge of the trio and nailing the final C#. She also offers an excellent trill and high D in her offstage cadenza. Konya sings a passionate, musical Hoffmann with ringing high notes. Bacquier is a formidable foe with a particularly demonic laugh. The other singers are equally good, especially Falzetti as the four servants and Gebelin as Crespel. The sound is very good and pitched correctly (as it wasn't on another label's release of this performance). If Hoffmann is one of your favorites, you should get this!
