Notes and Editorial Reviews
Denyce Graves has made the role of Dalila very much her own in recent years and the two arias from Saint-Saens's opera are among the best things on her showcase recital, recorded in 1993. Her voice was already rather too heavy for the waif-like Mignon of 'Connais-tu le pays?' and Charlotte in Massenet's Werther also needs more imaginative characterisation.
Two less familiar items are both winners. The ravishing aria from Bizet's Djamileh seems to suit Graves's voice and style exactly. In more dramatic mood, the extract from Lab's seldom-heard Le roi d'Ys makes one curious to hear the rest. Gounod's Sapho is another part that would seem to be just right for Graves; the often-recorded scena (Bumbry, Verret, Home, Crespin),
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ending with the poetess flinging herself into the sea, is the finale of a work that it would be good to hear, if not in the opera house then at least in concert. The Monte Carlo Philharmonic under Marc Soustrot provide reliable accompaniment.
-- Patrick O'Connor, Gramophone [2/2006]
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Works on This Recording
1.
Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1877; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 6 Minutes 0 Secs.
Language: French
2.
Samson et Dalila, Op. 47: Printemps, qui commence by Camille Saint-Saëns
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1877; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 5 Minutes 19 Secs.
Language: French
3.
Sapho: O ma lyre immortelle by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1851; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 5 Minutes 55 Secs.
Language: French
4.
La damnation de Faust, Op. 24: D'amour, l'ardente flamme by Hector Berlioz
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1845-1846; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 8 Minutes 12 Secs.
Language: French
5.
Werther: Werther! Qui m'aurait dit...Des cris joyeux "Letter scene" by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 7 Minutes 36 Secs.
Language: French
6.
Werther: Va! laisse couler mes larmes! by Jules Massenet
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 2 Minutes 46 Secs.
Language: French
7.
Mignon: Connais-tu le pays? by Ambroise Thomas
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1866; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 5 Minutes 56 Secs.
Language: French
8.
Le Roi d'Ys: Lorsque je t'ai vu by Edouard Lalo
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1875-1888; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 5 Minutes 1 Secs.
Language: French
Notes: This selection is preceded by "De tous côtes j'aperçois..."
9.
Djamileh: Nour Eddin, Roi de Lehore by Georges Bizet
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1871; France
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 4 Minutes 2 Secs.
Language: French
10.
La Favorita: O mio Fernando by Gaetano Donizetti
Performer:
Denyce Graves (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor:
Marc Soustrot
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
Period: Romantic
Written: 1840; Italy
Date of Recording: 06/1993
Venue: Palace of Congress, Monte-Carlo
Length: 6 Minutes 29 Secs.
Language: French
Sound Samples
Samson et Dalila: Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix
Samson et Dalila: Printemps qui commence
Sapho, Opera in 3 Acts: O ma lyre immortelle
La Damnation de Faust Op. 24, PART 1: D'amour l'ardente flamme
Werther, TRIOSIÈME ACTE/ACT THREE/DRETTER AKT: Werther, Werther, qui m'aurait dit ... Ces lettres! Ces lettres! [Air des lettres] (Charlotte)
Werther, TRIOSIÈME ACTE/ACT THREE/DRETTER AKT: Va laisse couleur mes larmes [Air des larmes] (Charlotte)
Mignon: Connais-tu le pays?
Le Roi d'Ys: De tous côtes j'aperçois
Djamileh, Opera in 1 act: Nour Eddim roi de Lahore (Djamileh)
La Favorita: O mio Fernando
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