Auber: La Muette de Portici (various soloists) Opernchor des Anhaltischen Theaters,Anhatischen Philharmonie /Antony Hermus Cpo 2 cd's
Wow! :o Suddenly,the opera springs to life! What a difference!! Being a bit of a fan of the old big label studio recordings (late lamented!) I was trying to see (hear!) some good things in the old emi recording,but there is simply no comparison! The playing has so much more energy & vitalty to it. It almost seems like a different opera. The soloists are excellent! No matter if tyou haven't heard heard of any of them (or the opera & the orchestra! I looked it up,now! It's in Saxony,Germany!) they leave the soloists in the emi recording standing! That goes for the chorus,too! To use un-technical language! The whole recording has just got more,"Ow you say it?" (allot more!) oomph! No english translation with the libretto,which is a sad omission,if you want to sell a recording to people who don't speak French;but as I've said before,I don't really bother with libretto's much,anyway! An excellent recording! Drop the old emi one in Vesuvius the next time you visit Italy! (Okay,it's litter! But the next time it erupts,maybe?!!)
As I don't have the EMI set at hand to toss into the fiery maw of Vesuvius, perhaps a deposit of Chandos' Rufinatscha disc into the wheelie bin would compensate.
;)
CPO clearly comes up trumps again! It really is a wonderfully enterprising label: any company that is prepared to take on Cipriani Potter, Joseph Holbrooke, Granville Bantock, Ferdinand Ries, Kurt Atterberg, Felix Draeseke, Emil von Reznicek, etc. commands my highest respect. They have also done sterling work in reviving previously-obscure operettas by Johann Strauss II and Lehar, so all power to their elbow...
:)
