Search - Richard [1] Strauss, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gustave Cloez :: Richard Strauss: Idoménée; Mozart: La Flûte Enchantée (Highlights)

Odd, but interesting... Magic Flute is a gem.

Timothy R. Carpenter | Philadelphia, PA | 07/11/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Mozart, to a new German libretto, recomposed and rearranged by Richard Strauss and sung in French?! Although Strauss retained Mozart's basic orchestration, he rearranged numbers, eliminated Elettra, composed accompanied recitatives and supplied a quartet for the finale of Act III. It wasn't as strange as I feared (or hoped), but I wish the singers were more up to their tasks. Only Janine Micheau comes close to doing justice to her role as Ilia. The soprano Idamante is a trial to listen to and Remy Corazza cannot sing divisions. In addition, the sound is muddy and full of distortion.

The bonus, however, is much more satisfying: twelve excerpts from The Magic Flute sung in French by a superior cast. In addition to Micheau as a lovely Pamina, we have Jean Giraudeu's sweet-voiced Tamino, Michel Dens' elegantly sung Papageno, a first-rate trio of Ladies, the authoritative Sarastro of Xavier Depraz and the (in)famous stratospheric soprano of Mado Robin as the Queen. Jane Berbie as Papagena is luxury casting. Louis Froment leads a much better orchestra than the one in Idomeneo and the sound here is much better as well. French somehow seems to suit this most German of all Mozart's operas. It changes the character somewhat, but that change affords us the opportunity to see another facet of this masterpiece. If you want to hear this opera sung in elegant French - and at a low cost - here is your opportunity.

Two stars for "Idomenee", but four for "la flute enchantee" for an average of three stars."