Here are the items that we found.
L'Enfant et les sortilèges
It is no secret that I am a lover of opera sung in English, but even I am not too dogmatic to acknowledge that it works for some operas better than others. Maurice Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges is definitely one opera that benefits from hearing it in the vernacular. Ravel's approach was less to craft a vehicle for beautiful singing, but to create music that would evoke the imagination of a child's mind. The librettist, known only as Colette, also seems to have opted for prose that is focused on assembling the most colorful words rather than conveying plot or character motivation. The English translation used in this performance does a very good job at capturing that flavor, and the cast of students (more on that in a moment) deftly finds the unique sound-world of Ravel's score.
The most notable performance comes from a young Shirley Verrett who does triple-duty singing The Mother, The Dragonfly and The Squirrel. She doesn't get a lot of opportunities to display the full effect of her vocal brilliance, but her English diction is excellent and she creates many memorable moments.
Track List
Part I
1. (opening)
2. (scene)
3. (scene)
4. (scene)
5. (scene)
6. (scene)
7. (scene)
8. (scene)
9. (scene)
10. (scene)
2. (scene)
3. (scene)
4. (scene)
5. (scene)
6. (scene)
7. (scene)
8. (scene)
9. (scene)
10. (scene)
Part II
11. (opening)
12. (scene)
13. (scene)
14. (scene)
12. (scene)
13. (scene)
14. (scene)
BONUS
15. L'amour est un oiseau rebelle
16. Près des ramparts de Séville
17. Tu ne m'aime donc plus?
Carmen — Shirley Verrett
Franco Corelli, Don José
Firenze, 1968
16. Près des ramparts de Séville
17. Tu ne m'aime donc plus?
Carmen — Shirley Verrett
Franco Corelli, Don José
Firenze, 1968
Customer Reviews
Share your experience with fellow collectors
Share Your Experience
A star rating alone is welcome, and reviews may be written in any language.
5.0
Based on 1 review
✓ Top Reviewer
United States
Enchanting Performance in Excellent Sound!
Ravel's delightful fantasy about the consequences of a naughty boy's tantrum is given an excellent performance here. It features a young Shirley Verrett in three roles (her distinctive voice is easily identifiable), Anne Perillo superb as the misbehaving boy, and Helen Strine easily ascending to the Nightingale's high Fs (she sang Alexandra in the recording of Blitztein's Regina with Brenda Lewis in the title role). The other singers not only sing well, but characterize their various roles with humor and affection. Several times the audience bursts into delighted applause. Frederic Waldman keeps the musical magic well in hand. I'd forgotten what a charming, sometimes subversive opera this is!The filler has Verrett in three excerpts from her famous portrayal of Carmen. Two are from the 1973 Covent Garden performance with Domingo under Solti, the final track from the last five minutes of a performance given in Italy with Franco Corelli as Don Jose. Both performances are available complete from Opera Depot and are recommended (the Covent Garden performance is in much better sound and is a true classic).
Report
