Search - Hector Berlioz, Gerd Albrecht, Chor und Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper :: Berlioz: Les Troyens

Les Troyens On the Go

Daniel Mitrano | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 12/03/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The good--Albrecht is a wonderful conducter and understands the music surprisingly well (try the grand finale of Act 3 where he blows Davis and Dutiot out of the water). The orchestra plays his intentions well, too bad they weren't recorded in the studio. The cast is outstanding--Dernesch, Ludwig, and Chauvet save the day heroically, well supported by the smaller roles and the chorus. The bad--It is unexplainably cut to shreds. Cassandra's 'immolation scene' at the end of Act I is removed almost entirely, which to me is the one of the best parts of the opera. Surely Dernesch, a Brunnhilde and Isolde voice, could have sung the whole part. Other small nips and tucks become annoying when so freqent. The recorded sound is thin and dry. The ugly--why does this opera have such bad luck? It is wonderful music and deserves a definitive version from the studio (sorry, the Davis recording doesn't do it for me, it doesn't bring the opera to life in terms of singing or conducting in my opinion). If you're a fan of Les Troyens and/or Christa Ludwig, this recording is a must-have."

Hold your breath and listen!

Isnogud-der-Grosswesir | Hamburg, Germany | 09/04/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"EVERYTHING in this recording is superb! Dernesch makes for an absolutely convincing Cassandra, but Ludwig carries the day (as always) as the most convincing Dido I have ever heard. She uses not only her fabulous voice, but also her mind to portray this difficult role.You end up in tears literally FEELING her pain at losing her lover."

Could be better

Daniel Mitrano | 11/24/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone looking at this recording probably already has one of the two complete studio performances available - essential as 'reference' for the work. This is unlikely to appeal to someone looking for a live performance, however, unless they have a particular interest in individual artists. Helga Dernesch produces a beautiful, warm sound, but by the time this recording was made the high notes are obviously an effort, emerging pinched, and often flat. Unfortunately these pitch problems continue quite a long way down the range. She achieves a certain intensity, but this is marred by the sense that she is uncomfortable with the notes. Christa Ludwig is, as you would expect, a moving Dido, but she too is past her best. The voice has lost some of its bloom and there are occasional hints of thinness in the tone. Guy Chauvet is barely adequate as Aeneas, but one has to congratulate him for a valiant effort - nobody else can sing it either. The conducting is unremarkable, the score hacked to pieces - huge chunks are missing, including half the opening chorus and a large part of the Trojan women's suicide. The orchestra is poorly miked, so that much of the grandeur required in this music is missing. Needless to say, Francophone singers are few and far between in what is a highly international cast."