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Jean-Philippe
RAMEAU (1683-1764) Dardanus (1739) [128:07]
Paul Agnew
(tenor) - Dardanus
Paul Whelan (baritone) - Anténor
Kathryn McCusker (soprano) - Iphise
Stephen Bennett (bass) - Teucer
Damian Whiteley (bass) - Isménor
Penelope Mills (soprano) - Vénus
Miriam Allan (soprano) - Une Phrygienne; Un Songe
Anna Fraser (soprano) - Une Phrygienne
David Greco; Dan Walker; Corin Bone
Pinchgut Opera/Justin Way
Orchestra of the Antipodes (on period instruments)/Antony Walker
Artistic Directors: Erin Helyard and Antony Walker
rec. live, 30 November, 3-5 December 2005, City Recital Hall,
Angel Place, Sydney ABC CLASSICS
476 5844 [54:35 + 73:32]
Dardanus is a five-act opera with a libretto by
Charles-Antoine Le Clerc de la Bruère (1714-1754). First performed on 19 November 1739,
the performers were the Académie Royale de Musique in the
Théâtre du Palais Royal. It immediately created controversy
in its diversion from the style and traditions which had
been established by Lully as far back as 1672 when that composer
was granted exclusive rights to produce sung drama in the
French capital.
The
original story is loosely based on that of Dardanus, son
of Jupiter. However, in the opera, Dardanus, in love with
Iphise, is at war with her father King Teucer, who has promised
to marry his daughter to his ally King Antenor. Dardanus
and Iphise meet through the intervention of the magician
Isménor. Dardanus attacks a monster ravaging Teucer’s kingdom,
saving the life of Anténor who is attempting, unsuccessfully,
to kill it. Teucer and Dardanus make peace, the latter marrying
Iphise.
The
original criticisms of the opera included one contemporary
comment which stated that “people were struck by the harmonic
richness but there is so much music that in three whole hours
the orchestra didn’t have time to as much as sneeze.” Rameau
indeed omitted or reduced chunks of the original music in
the later 1744 version, so the choice for performances has
tended towards the original 1739 version, Here some of the
1744 additions have been included, such as the ‘Lieux
funestes’ prison scene in Act IV scene I. The only significant
omission in this version is that of the original Prologue,
which is largely irrelevant to the main plot. Most
of these choices put this recording into direct competition
with the 2000 Archiv production with Marc Minkowski and his
ensemble, Les Musiciens du Louvre, which is generally accepted
to be the best available in a field of not very many.
The
Orchestra of the Antipodes employ period instruments and
have the kind of crisp, authentic sound we have come to expect
from these kinds of revivals, something which is contradicted
by the modern-dress staging depicted in photos in the booklet.
It all looks and sounds very good, set in a fairly cavernous
sounding hall. This is a live recording, and there is a certain
amount of moving about and the pattering of not so tiny feet
in some of the more mobile chorus scenes. None of this is
very distracting, and in fact has its own kind of charm.
My only worry is the sense of compression one gets at moments
of high vocal drama, or in, say, the drum thwacks in ‘Mars
bellone…’ in Act I scene III. Such things take away the
sense of bottomless detail we have come to expect from modern
recordings, but in general the soundstage is nice and wide
and the balance good.
Kathryn
MacCusker is a dramatic and impassioned Iphise. Paul Whelan’s
deep and resonant voice makes for an impressive Aténor, as
does that, in slightly lesser doses, of Stephen Bennett as
King Teucer. The part of Dardanus himself is taken by Paul
Agnew, who has plenty of range, from lovelorn youth to defiant
champion. All are supported by a cracking choir, and there
are many incredible harmonic moments from the orchestra which
will satisfy Rameau fans or create new ones.
Which
version you should choose – Anthony Walker or Marc Minkowski?
Such opinions are always subjective and I’m basing my opinion
on memory, but this ABC version is certainly good enough
to justify attempting a comparison before purchasing. Archiv’s
recording seems more reliable, but I get more of a sense
of characterisation from some of the cast on ABC. It’s hard
enough, bringing mythical characters to life through the
tortuous twists and turns of French Baroque opera. This recording
has the advantage of live stagecraft and excitement to carry
us through the drama from beginning to end, rather than presenting
a sequence of set-pieces connected by somewhat lacklustre
recitatives. A final tambourin played through the
wild applause of the audience is a nice touch as well. With
recordings of this opera being thin enough on the ground
this has to be a welcome addition to the catalogue, and is
certainly worth seeking out.
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