Charles Gounod (1818-1893)
Faust
Grand Opera in five acts
Libretto: Jules Barbier and Michel Carré from Carré's play Faust et Marguerite
Premiered at the Théâtre Lyrique, Boulevard du Temple in Paris,19 March 1859
Nicolai Gedda
Heather Harper
Nicolai Ghiaurov
René Massard
Africa de Retes
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Jorge Alcorta
Coro y Orquesta Estables del Teatro Colón,
Buenos Aires
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Jorge AlcortaLuisa Bartoletti
Coro y Orquesta Estables del Teatro Colón,
Buenos Aires
Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Recorded live, Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires, Argentina, April 30, 1971
Memoria Sonora del Teatro Colón No. 1
3 Cds
Published 2007
3 Cds
Published 2007
(Out of print. This is not even in the freedb data base)
Manually tagged
flac, cue, logs & full scans
Manually tagged
flac, cue, logs & full scans
Fifteen years had elapsed since the last Faust at the Teatro Colon. On that ocasion (1954) Gianni Poggi, Boris Christoff and Nilda Hoffmann (alternating with Irma Gónzalez) where in charge of the main roles. But the history of Faust at the Teatro Colon was a rich and varied one. As it happens, it was a performance of Gounod´s opera at the old Teatro Colon, in 1866, that inspired poet Estanislao del Campo´s famous drama "El Fausto Criollo". At the new Teatro Colon, the first perfomance took place in 1914, conducted by Tullio Serafin. It was starred by Alessandro Bonci, Nazareno de Angelis and Linda Canetti. Two years later Ninon Vallin was in charge of the role of Marguerite, a role she sang again in 1921. The role of Faust was sang by great tenors such as Giovanni Martinelli (1921), Georges Thill (1929) and Mario Fillipeschi (1949). As for Mephistopheles, the list is no less spectacular: Marcel Journet (1916, 1918 and 1929), Vanni Marcoux (1919), Adam Didur (1921), Ezio Pinza (1927) and Nicola Rossi-Lemeni (1956), besides the aforementioned Boris Christoff. The 1971 season was the 12th season in which Gounod´s opera was included.
Up until then, one of the most acclaimed version of Faust had been the one performed in 1949: Tullio Serafin conducted an all-star cast, which included the italian singers Mario Fillipeschi and Nicola Rossi-Lemeni and the argentinian ones Helena Arizmendi and Nilda Hoffmann, plus a young Carlos Guichandut, who was still singing baritone roles (he later became one of greatest Otello of his time) as Valentin.
The 1971 performance, however, was simply breathtaking. In a way it could even be said that this very performance changed the way Gounod´s opera was perceived, at last if one is to believe what was said at the time. Even if Faust is still one of the top-30 most performed operas at the Teatro Colon, it was always considered something of a minor work. beautiful, yes, but a bit superficial too. A point of view shared by audiences around the world, specially in Germany, where the opera is still refered to as "Margherite", to keep it as far away as possible from Goethe´s masterwork.
Gavazzeni´s crowing achievement in Buenos Aires, then, was his abitlity to reveal in Gound´s work a greatness that other, more condescending readings, had denied it. Gounod´s Faust is certainly not Tristan,it is not Otello, and least of all Don Giovanni. But artist such as Nicolai Ghiaurov, Heather Harper and most of all Nicolai Gedda - his Faust here is absolutely unique - may turn this into an extrordinary musical experience. As one reporter expresed it: Even though there were on stage a group of singers of rare quality, this was not a night of stars or divi, but a display of remarkable teamwork.
No other is the secret of a true great opera performance. And that seems to be in any case the secret of this very performance which you are about to enjoy in this album. (From the line notes)
No other is the secret of a true great opera performance. And that seems to be in any case the secret of this very performance which you are about to enjoy in this album. (From the line notes)
Review:
“Faust” at the Teatro Colón 1971: Dazzling voices, discreet baton.
Gounod´s Faust has been the object of strong criticism throughout its existence, the most frequent being its lack of fidelity with Goethe's work, although it has also been branded as inconsistent, lacking unity, etc. However, it remains a favorite title in the programming of opera houses and has a profuse discography (114 recordings between pirates and commercials) to which this 1971 shot is added at the Teatro Colón.
The highlight of this recording is the voice of Nicolai Gedda in the leading role, a Swedish tenor who was then 46 years old. Their sensitivity, versatility and vocal longevity are proverbial, coming to be presented in 2003 in a minor role of the Mozart Idomeneo. His bright and eternally youthful timbre, his refinement and subtlety make him the ideal performer for this role with which he had debuted eighteen years before this recording and that he would continue singing until the end of the seventies. He brings here the lyricism and the richness of nuances although his approach to the aria "Salut demeure" is inferior to other recordings.
The Irish soprano Heather Harper fulfills only correctly as Marguerite, a great role for lyric soprano, in which Victoria de los Ángeles is still the ideal interpreter. The trio completes the Nicolai Ghiaurov bass, in possession of an insurmountable instrument and technical mastery, outlining one of the best Mephistopheles on disc. René Massard as Valentin does justice to his aria and Luisa Bartoletti dignifies as Marta.
The lowest point of this recording is, without a doubt, the erratic direction of Gianandrea Gavazzeni, outside its element and far from the French style. Tempi too slow, timid contrasts more typical of Verdi's music than from this exemplary piece of French romanticism, make one wonder why the theater will have called to direct a French opera to a director of sensitivity so far from this music. The stable orchestra has a good performance, although at times it seems to fall asleep under the leaden baton of Gavazzeni, and the choir conducted by Tulio Boni brings moments of great sound effect, especially in the students' scene.
The sound reconstruction is acceptable for a live take although at times the sound of the orchestra is pasted. The presentation does not include the libretto but a plot synthesis, photos of the production and an interesting comment by Gustavo Fernández Walker.
In short, a great version of this opera, which allows us to follow the evolution of Gedda in an ideal character for his lyrical and crystalline voice and enjoy a Ghiaurov in the fullness of his faculties, although the André Cluytens versions of 1953 and 1958 both of the EMI label with Nicolai Gedda, Victoria de los Ángeles and Boris Christoff continue to be the greatest testimony on this masterpiece of French romanticism.
Ernesto Castagnino
Abril 2008