Search - Jean-Pierre Laffage :: Gounod: Roméo et Juliette [Highlights]

Vanzo and Esposito shine

R. Broadhead | Southwestern USA | 06/03/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is a nice budget recording of highlights from Gounod's Romeo and Juliet. The highlights are taken from a live performance in Nice during 1976. As it is a recording of a live performance, there is applause at the end of several arias and duets and the usual coughing and other audience noise may be heard during the quieter parts of the opera, but the audience noise is never intrusive or distracting. The audience is very polite throughout.



The sound quality of this recording is very good for the most part. The soloists are captured very well although in a few parts their voices tend to break up a bit which is a fault of the recording and not the soloists. The orchestra and chorus of the Nice Opera under the direction of Antonio de Alemeida sound excellent, although perhaps a bit distant in places.



The soloists are marvelous. Alain Vanzo, with his smooth, gentle and restrained tenor is in superb form and makes an excellent Romeo. The big surprise for me was Andree Esposito as Juliet. Her voice is strong, clear, has a wide dynamic range, and stays in good form at the top. Its a shame that she is not better known and that there are not more recordings of her around as she is a delight to listen to. The supporting cast and chorus are all very able.



The opera itself is enjoyable if not great. As usual for Gounod, there are lovely melodies throughout. Most of the sung parts are very sweet and gentle. To this reviewer's ears however, there is not quite enough melodic or rhythmic contrast in the opera, at least for the selections presented on this CD. As such, the different parts tend to run onto each other and at the end no one selection stands out from the others. This is not something that can be said of other Gounod operas with which I am familiar.



If you are looking for a CD of highlights of Gounod's Romeo and Juliet, this is a very good choice, especially for the budget price."