Luigi CHERUBINI (1760-1842)
Lodoïska - Comédie héroique en trois actes
(1791) [109:33]
Lodoïska - Natalie Manfrino (soprano); Lysinka - Hjördis Thébault
(soprano); Floreski - Sébastien Guèze (tenor); Titzikan
- Philippe Do (tenor); Varbel - Armando Noguera (baritone); Dourlinski
- Pierre-Yves Pruvot (baritone); Altamoras - Alain Buet (bass-baritone)
Les Éléments; Le Cercle de l’Harmonie/Jérémie
Rhorer
rec. Teatro la Fenice, Venice, 13 October 2010; Auditorium of Parco
della Music, Rome, 15-16 October 2010
French text and English and Italian translations included
AMBROISIE AM209 [49:33 + 60:00]
Lodoïska is a classic example of the “rescue opera”
genre of which Fidelio is the pinnacle. It is based on an episode
from a popular novel of the time, Les Amours du chevalier de Faublas
by Jean-Baptiste Louvet de Couvray. The hero, Count Floreski, is attempting
to rescue Lodoïska from the clutches of the wicked Baron Dourlinski
who has her imprisoned in his castle at the start. Floreski achieves
this with the help of Titzikan, a Tartar chieftain who is another enemy
of the Barons. In synopsis the plot seems bald and improbable, and lacking
in theatrical incident but I can readily imagine how effective it might
be on stage in a sympathetic production. For instance much of the first
Act consists of the meeting of Floreski and Titzikan and the Tartars
so that the eventual sound of the heroine’s voice from the castle
tower gains considerably in dramatic power.
The present recording derives from live performances and includes some,
but by no means all, of the spoken dialogue of the original. It is not
the first recording of the opera. An earlier version which I have not
heard was conducted by Riccardo Muti with a more starry cast but lacked
the main attraction of the present version - a particularly pungent-sounding
period orchestra. When Cherubini’s scoring is so imaginative and
so closely linked to the drama this counts for much, especially when
the singing, by a largely French cast, can best be described as “committed”.
That term covers both occasional weaknesses, the merits of clear diction
and a clear understanding of the dramatic situation. Nonetheless for
any listener prepared at times to take the intention for the deed and
to use some creative imagination as to how it could sound there is much
to enjoy here. The music is always interesting and imaginative, even
if there are few moments which I find stick in the memory. Only occasionally
did I feel any real emotional involvement in the drama. It still makes
considerable impact and anyone with an interest in opera of this period
should hear this set. The presentation is worthy of the project with
admirable essays on Cherubini and this opera as well as the full text
and translation.
Overall the merits and interest of the opera and the quality of its
presentation here easily outweigh any shortcomings in the performance.
John Sheppard
