Lully: Persee (Les Talens Lyriques)

Editorial Reviews
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This opera concerns Perseus, his love for Andromeda, and his killing of the snake-headed gorgon Medusa. Jean-Baptiste Lully clearly meant the heroic Perseus to stand for Louis XIV, who commissioned the work. Indeed, while Persee is not on stage all the time, he is the central character of this lengthy, ceremonial, beautifully scored work. Those who love the peculiar formalities of French Baroque opera will need no coaxing. For others, the lovely dance interludes, the grand gestures of Andromeda (who loves Persee but is promised to Phinee, a role gorgeously sung by Anna Maria Panzarella), the big choral sections, the fearless deeds of Persee (he battles a sea monster in Act IV), and the overall strength of this live, lively performance should win new fans. Yes, there's definitely the whiff of powdered wigs abounding, but the splendor of Lully's music--here conducted by the redoubtable Christophe Rousset leading Les Talens Lyriques--makes it all seem far more urgent. Recommended. --Robert Levine

Lully: Persee (Les Talens Lyriques), Music, Jean-Baptiste Lully, Paul Agnew, Anna Maria Panzarella, Salome Haller, Jerome Correas, Vincent Billier, Monique Simon, Christophe Rousset, Les Talens Lyriques, Laurent Slaars, Robert Getchell, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, French Baroque Opera, Opera, Opera / Operetta / Oratorio

Average customer rating:

Rockwell Blake ~ French Opera Arias Adolphe Adam , Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber , Georges Bizet , Francois-Adrien Boieldieu , Leo Delibes , Gaetano Donizetti , Christoph Willibald Gluck , Jean-Baptiste Lully , Niccolo Piccinni , Gioachino Rossini , Patrick Fournillier , Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo , and Rockwell Blake Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Delibes, Léo | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Donizetti | Donizetti, Gaetano | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Lully | Lully, Jean-Baptiste | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Piccinni, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rossini | Rossini, Gioacchino | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Romances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000009KXP Release Date: 1995-01-17

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Roi Danse Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Lully | Lully, Jean-Baptiste | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Marches | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Ballets & Dances | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Antiqua Musica | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Cologne Musica Antiqua | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Sonaten aus Dresden Bachiana ~ Music by the Bach Family / Musica Antiqua Köln · Goebel Rameau - Les Indes Galantes / Petibon, Croft, Hartelius, Agnew, Rivenq, Berg, Strehl, Christie, Les Arts Florissants, Paris Opera ASIN: B000207LZU Release Date: 2004-08-10

Tracks:

1. Te Deum: Symphonie
2. Bocanne Primitive
3. Bocanne Compliqu
4. Phan: Troupe d'AstrDansante (Prologue)
5. Ballet de la Nuit: Ouverture
6. Ballet des Plaisirs: Sarabande
7. Ballet de la Nuit: Le Roi Reprntant le Soleil Levant
8. Xerx Air Pour Les Matelots Jouant des Trompettes Marines
9. Xerx Air Pour Les Esclaves et Singes Dansants
10. Xerx Air Pour Les Postures de Scaramouche
11. Xerx Air Pour Les Docteurs, Frivelins et Polichinelles
12. Xerx Air Pour Les Esclaves Dansants
13. Idylle Sur la Paix: Air Pour Madame la Dauphine
14. Ballet d'Alcidiane: Ritournelle et Air de Mademoiselle Hilaire
15. Ballet d'Alcidiane: Ouverture
16. Triomphe de l'Amour: Ouverture
17. Pers Entrdes DivinitInfernales (Acte III, Sc 10)
18. Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Marche Pour la Cmonie des Turcs
19. Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Giourdina
20. Bourgeois Gentilhomme: Chaconne des Scaramouches, Frivelins et ...
21. Ombre de Mon Amant (Air de Cour)

Tracks:

1. Triomphe de l'Amour: Prde de la Nuit
2. Pomone: Passons Nos Jours Dans Ces Vergers (Acte I, Sc 1)
3. Pomone: Que Voyez-Vous, Mes Yeux? (Acte II, Sc 1)
4. Armide: Plus J'Observe Ces Lieux (Acte II, Sc 3) [Instrumental]
5. Atys, Le Sommeil: Dormons, Dormons Tous (Acte III, Sc 4)
6. Armide: Passacaille (Acte V)
7. Armide: Prde (Acte II, Sc 5)
8. Folies d'Espagne
9. Amants Magnifiques: Entrd'Apollon
10. Triomphe de l'Amour: Entrd'Apollon
11. Triomphe de l'Amour: Deuxi Air (Acte IV, Sc 2)
12. Isis: C'est Lui Dont Les Dieux Ont Fait Choix - Publions en Tous Lieux
13. Armide: Que l'lat de Son Nom (Prologue)
14. Amadis: Esprits EmpressNous Plaire - Que le Ciel Annonce la ...

Average customer rating:

Gérard Souzay sings Classical Airs and Songs Manufacturer: Preiser Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Gluck | Gluck, Christoph W. | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Lully | Lully, Jean-Baptiste | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Monteverdi | Monteverdi, Claudio | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rameau | Rameau, Jean Philippe | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Alessandro Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Alessandro | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0006OSAOS Release Date: 2005-02-22

Average customer rating:

Music at the Hanoverian Court / Capella Agostino Steffani · Lajos Ravatkay Agostino Steffani , Jean-Baptiste Lully , Marin Marais , Anonymous , Francesco Venturini , Andre Danican Philidor , Jean-Baptiste Farinel , Lajos Ravatkay , and Capella Agostino Steffani Manufacturer: EMI Records [All429] ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Lully | Lully, Jean-Baptiste | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Marais | Marais, Marin | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B000005GH7 Release Date: 2000-05-24

Average customer rating: gerard souzay is amazing

Schubert, Fauré, Debussy, Ravel: Cansons, Lieder & Opera Manufacturer: Pearl ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Fauré, Gabriel | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Lully | Lully, Jean-Baptiste | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Monteverdi | Monteverdi, Claudio | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Vocal & Song | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B00005RKQU Release Date: 2002-02-26

Tracks:

1. Si, Tra I Ceppi-Demetrio's Air - Gerard Souzay
2. In Questa Tomba Oscura - Gerard Souzay
3. Elle Est Morte. (Orfeo) - Gerard Souzay
4. Air Des Songes (Persee) - Gerard Souzay
5. Tristesse, Op.6, No.2 - Jacqueline Bonneau
6. Au Bord De L'eau, Op.8, No.1 - Jacqueline Bonneau
7. Apres Un Reve, Op.7, No.1 - Jacqueline Bonneau
8. Clair De Lune, Op.46, No.2 - Jacqueline Bonneau
9. Arpege, Op.76, No.2 - Jacqueline Bonneau
10. En Sourdine, Op.58, No.2 - Jacqueline Bonneau
11. L'Horizon Chimerique, Op. 118: A) La Mer Est Infinie/B) Je Me Suis Embarque/C) Diane, Selene/D)Vaisseaux, Nous Vous Aurons Aimes - Jacqueline Bonneau
12. Trois Ballades De Francois Villon: Ballade Que Feit Villon A La Requeste De Sa Mere Pour Prier Notre Dame - Gerard Souzay
13. Trois Chansons De France: La Grotte - Gerard Souzay
14. Mandoline - Gerard Souzay
15. Don Quichotte A Dulcinee: Chanson Romantique - Gerard Souzay
16. Don Quichotte A Dulcinee: Chanson Epique - Gerard Souzay
17. Don Quichotte A Dulcinee: Chanson A Boire - Gerard Souzay
18. Harfenspieler I (Gesange Des Harfners, No.1) D.478 - Jacqueline Bonneau
19. Fischerweise, Op.96, No.4, D881 - Jacqueline Bonneau
20. Der Wanderer, Op.4, No.1, D.489 - Jacqueline Bonneau
21. Der Doppelganger (Schwanengesang, D.957) - Jacqueline Bonneau
22. Heidenroslein, Op.3, No.3, D.257 - Jacqueline Bonneau
23. Erlkonig, Op.1, D.328 - Jacqueline Bonneau

Customer Reviews:

gerard souzay is amazing.......2004-03-28

Average customer rating: One of Best Lully recording Lully's Masterpiece

Lully: Persee (Les Talens Lyriques) Vincent Billier , Monique Simon , Christophe Rousset , Les Talens Lyriques , Laurent Slaars , and Robert Getchell Manufacturer: Astree ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Lully | Lully, Jean-Baptiste | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lully - Acis & Galatee / Fouchecourt, Gens, Naouri, Crook, Delunsch, Felix, Masset, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski Lully: Roland /Teste · Panzarella · Dumait · Zanetti · Les Talens Lyriques · Rousset Lully - Phaëton / Crook, Smith, Yakar, Gens, Théruel, Fouchécourt, Naouri, Huttenlocher, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski Rameau - Les Fetes d'Hebe / Daneman, Connolly, Fouchecourt, Agnew, Felix, Les Arts Florissants, Christie Lully - Atys ASIN: B00005S7XP Release Date: 2002-06-11

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

One of Best Lully recording.......2002-10-21

Lully's Masterpiece.......2002-06-13

This is not quite the best recording ever of a Lullian opera: in my opinion, Christie's Atys is still the best. However, Rousset's Persée is every bit as good as Herreweghe's Armide, or Minkowski's recent Acis et Galatée. The score is rich and diverse, with less recitative and more choruses and divertissements than usual. The orchestra takes an unusually active part. Quinault's libretto is quite good, and almost worth reading on its own.

The performance is top-notch. There are no big names among the soloists-at least, none that I recognize-but they are all excellent. Paul Agnew is appropriately regal, making the most of his surprisingly small role as Perseus. The best parts go to the villains: Salomé Haller and Jéròme Correas are memorable as the wretched Merope and the evil Phineus. The big star here is the choir (Les Chantres de la Chapelle, conducted by Olivier Schneebeli), especially in Act IV, when it moves effortlessly from the despondent "Descondons sous les ondes" to the triumphant "Le monstre est mort, Persée en est vainqueur!" Les Talens Lyriques play very well under the direction of Christophe Rousset.

There are only three problems with these discs:

First, the English translation of Quinault's lyrics is sometimes poor, and may confuse listeners who do not speak French. For example, in Act IV, Scene 3, Phineus sings: `L'amour meurt dans mon coeur, la rage luy succède.' Roughly, this means: `Love dies in my heart, rage takes its place.' The insert booklet translates these words as `Love has been extinguished in his heart, and anger has taken its place.' This is quite wrong: to who is Phineus referring? A bad translation is better than no translation at all, but the libretto is very important in French Baroque opera, and I wish the producers had taken the time and trouble to produce a better English version of Quinault's poetry.

Second, this is a live recording. This is not necessarily a problem: Minkowski's recent live recording of Rameau's Dardanus was studio-quality. However, there is so much dancing in Persée that a `dirty' recording with lots of stage noise was probably unavoidable. (You can even hear the swords clashing during the battle between Perseus and Phineus in Act V). This doesn't bother me-this is still a good recording for a live performance-but it might bother some people.

Third, I've heard a better version of Persée. A year before this recording, Persée was revived in Toronto, Canada. These performances were collaborations between Opera Atelier and Tafelmusik, conducted by Herve Niquet. Maybe I'm biased, but I prefer Niquet's version to Rousset's. Niquet's Persée was undoubtedly less authentic than Rousset's, but it was more colourful, energetic, and dramatic. The difference is clearest in Act IV, Scene 7-- the climax of the opera. After Perseus kills the sea monster and rescues Andromeda, the Ethiopians celebrate with the above-mentioned chorus: "The monster is dead, and Perseus is victorious! Perseus is invincible!" In Niquet's version, this was the end of the scene. In Rousset's version, the chorus is followed by a lengthy divertissement, which slows down the story and takes away from the drama. Niquet's version of the chorus was also quicker and livelier than Rousset's.

Despite these complaints, I recommend this recording highly. If you're a Lulliste like me, or a fan of French Baroque music in general, then Persée is de rigueur. If you're an opera fan, but don't know much about Lully and the French Baroque, then this is a good place to start. (And if you like this, then you owe it to yourself to purchase Atys, performed by Les Arts Florissants conducted by William Christie)

Average customer rating: Dynamic, beautiful, riveting

Music From The Court Chapel Of Frederik IV Manufacturer: Danacord Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Passacaglias | Variations | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000264UA Release Date: 1997-01-28

Customer Reviews:

Dynamic, beautiful, riveting.......2004-12-24

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