Charles Gounod - Romeo & Juliette (Plasson) [2001]

Disc: 1
1. Ov: Prologue: Verone Vit Jadis Deux Familles Rivales... - Chor Regional Midi-Pyrenees/Jose Aquino/Chor Du Capitole De Toulouse/Guy Lhomme
2. Act One, No.1. Intro: L'Heure S'envole... - Charles Burles/Kurt Ollmann/Gabriel Bacquier/Catherine Malfitano/Gino Quilico/Alfredo Kraus/Chor...
3. Act One, No.2. Ballade De La Reine Mab: Mab, La Reine Des Mensonges... - Gino Quilico
4. Act One, No.2a. Recitatif & Scene: Eh Bien!...Que L'avertissement Me Vienne De Mab... - Alfredo Kraus/Gino Quilico
5. Act One, No.3. Ariette: Ah! Je Veux Vivre Dans Le Reve... - Catherine Malfitano
6. Act One, No.3a. Recitatif: Le Nom De Cette Belle Enfant? - Alfredo Kraus/Jean-Marie Fremeau/Jocelyne Taillon/Catherine Malfitano
7. Act One, No.4. Madrigal: Ange Adorable - Alfredo Kraus/Catherine Malfitano
8. Act One, No.5. Finale: Quelqu'un! - Alfredo Kraus/Catherine Malfitano/Charles Burles/Kurt Ollmann
9. Act Two, No.6. Entracte & Chor: O Nuit! Sou Tes Ailes Obscures... - Alfredo Kraus/Gino Quilico/Chor Regional Midi-Pyrenees/Jose Aquino/Chor Du Capitole De Toulouse...
10. Act Two, No.7. Cavatine: L'amour, L'amour! Oui, Son Ardeur A Trouble... - Alfredo Kraus
11. Act Two, No.8. Scene & Chors: Helas: Moi, Le Hair!... - Catherine Malfitano/Alfredo Kraus/Jean-Marie Fremeau/Chor Regional Midi-Pyrenees/Jose Aquino...

Disc: 2
1. Act Two, No.9. Duo: O Nuit Divine! Je T'implore!... - Alfredo Kraus/Catherine Malfitano/Jocelyne Taillon
2. Act Three, Scene One. No.10 Entracte & Scene: Mon Pere! Dieu Vous Garde!... - Alfredo Kraus/Jose Van Dam/Catherine Malfitano
3. Act Three, Scene One. No.11 Trio & Quatuor: Dieu Qui Fit L'homme A Ton Image! - Jose Van Dam/Catherine Malfitano/Alfredo Kraus/Jocelyne Taillon
4. Act Three, Scene Two. No.12 Chanson: Depuis Hier Je Cherche En Vain Mon Maitre! - Ann Murray
5. Act Three, Scene Two. No.13 Finale: Ah! Ah! Voici Nos Gens! - Jean-Marie Fremeau/Ann Murray/Chor Regional Midi-Pyrenees/Jose Aquino/Chor Du Capitole De...
6. Act Four, Scene One. No.14 Duo: Va! Je T'ai Pardonne... - Catherine Malfitano/Alfredo Kraus

Disc: 3
1. Act Four, Scene One. No.15 Quatuor: Ah! Le Ciel Soit Toue!... - Jocelyne Taillon/Catherine Malfitano/Gabriel Bacquier/Jose Van Dam
2. Act Four, Scene One. No.16 Scene: Mon Pere! Tout M'accable! - Catherine Malfitano/Jose Van Dam
3. Act Four, Scene One. No.17 Scene Air: Dieu! Quel Frisson Court Dans Mes Veines! - Catherine Malfitano
4. Act Four, Scene Two. No.18 Cortege Nuptial - Orch Du Capitole De Toulouse/Michel Plasson
5. Act Four, Scene Two. No.18 bis Epithalame: Loi Rigoureuse! Ah! Je Tremble! Malheureuse! - Catherine Malfitano/Jocelyne Taillon/Kurt Ollmann/Gabriel Bacquier/Marie-Christine Bruneau...
6. Act Four, Scene Two. No.19 Finale: Ma Fille, Cede Aux Voeux... - Gabriel Bacquier/Catherine Malfitano/Jocelyne Taillon/Kurt Ollmann/Chor Regional Midi-Pyrenees...
7. Act Five, No.20. Entracte - Orch Du Capitole De Toulouse/Michel Plasson
8. Act Five, No.20 bis. Scene: Eh! Bien! Ma Lettre A Romeo? - Jose Van Dam/Gerard Blatt
9. Act Five, No.21. Le Sommeil De Juliette - Orch Du Capitole De Toulouse/Michel Plasson
10. Act Five, No.22. Scene & Duo: C'est La...Salut! Tombeau Sombre Et Silencieux! - Alfredo Kraus/Catherine Malfitano 

ROMÈO Alfredo Kraus
JULIETTE Catherine Malfitano
FRÈRE LAURENT Josè Van Dam
STÈPHANO Ann Murray
LE COMTE CAPULET Gabriel Bacquier
MERCUTIO Gino Quilico
GERTRUDE Jocelyn Taillon
TYBAIT Charles Burles
LE COMTE PÀRIS Kurt Ollmann
GREGORIO Jean-Marie Fremeau
BENVOLIO Roger Trenien
LE DUC DE VÈRONE Jean-Jacques Doumenè

Régional Midi-Pyrénées Choeur 
Orchestre du Capitole de Toulouse
Michel Plasson - conductor

This particular recording of Charles Gounod's Romeo et Julette, finds the principal cast members sounding much more the age of Shakespeare's young lovers than any of the other major recordings of this opera including Corelli and Freni, Domingo and Swenson, and even Alagna and Gheorghiu. The genuine sound also benefits from exemplary French diction and style lacking in the Corelli/Freni recording, in particular. Catherine Malfitano has a sweet, youthful sounding ring to her soprano that blends well with Alfredo Kraus' lighter tenor in the many duets they share. One may be disappointed that Kraus for some reason chose not to diminuendo the last high B flat of his "Ah! Leve-Toi, Soliel." Kraus had beautiful pianissimo top notes and if Franco Corelli, a truly dramatic, attack the top notes tenor could do it, Kraus most cecertainly should have too! The singing of Jose van Dam and Ann Murray on this recording are also noteworthy, and as always Michel Plasson leads his Toulouse forces with his signature attention to detail. Overall, perhaps the most enjoyable recording of this opera available. ---RAWoFFtheWaLL, amazon.com

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