ROMANTIC FRENCH ARIAS • Joan Sutherland (sop); Richard Bonynge, cond; O de la Suisse Romande; Grand Théâtre de Genève Ch • DECCA 475 8743 (2 CDs: 90:27 Text and Translation)

Arias from: OFFENBACH Robinson Crusoë. La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein. Les Contes d’Hoffmann. MEYERBEER Dinorah. L’étoile du nord. Robert le Diable. CHARPENTIER Louise. AUBER Manon Lescaut. Fra Diavolo. BIZET Les pêcheurs de perles. Vasco da Gama. MASSENET Cendrillon. GOUNOD Mireille. Le tribut de Zamora. Faust. LECOCQ Le coeur et le main. MASSÉ Les noces de Jeannette

Almost 40 years after its original issue, Joan Sutherland’s “Romantic French Arias” arrives intact on CD, although the contents of the album have already been available on various CD compilations devoted to the soprano. One of the treasurable aspects of the Sutherland/Bonynge legacy is their desire to go beyond the obvious, so that there are some rarities here (nor should one forget that back in 1970 these items were even less familiar than now) that allow us to explore several byways (one of my favorite occupations, as readers undoubtedly know). Sutherland’s vices are considerably less in evidence than on other of her recordings, the diction not too mushy, the tempos brisk, so there is none of the droopiness that she could sometimes affect; in short, a good introduction to one of the great singers of the second half of the 20th century. Sutherland tosses off difficulties in several of these arias with her customary aplomb, but she also allows us to appreciate the long lines of other selections, such as Xaima’s aria from Le tribut de Zamora or Louise’s “Depuis le jour,” though we have heard more sensual accounts of the latter elsewhere. The only questionable selection is a long-forgotten and invariably omitted aria from Faust for Siébel. But who else would give us the opportunity to hear the excerpts from Robert le Diable or Le coeur et le main, both stunning. Richard Bonynge has always been a convincing advocate of French music and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, particularly flutist André Pépin, are also having fun.

FANFARE: Joel Kasow