Jésus Etcheverry Gounod Mireille, Opera in Five Acts by Jésus Etcheverry

I can´t believe this recording isn´t in the catalogue anymore ,Montserrat Caballé , Giacomo Aragall and Paul Plishka , et al are fantastic . Anyone who owns this recording surely understands my enthusiasm about it .

This is one of the best opera recordings, period! I think Sita has got to be the most vocally demanding role in French opera, hands down. I don't know if there's another soprano who would have pleased me more – maybe Sills (or Caballé if she had the high notes). Another thing, this opera needs a dramatic sound and dramatic acting in general. Sutherland is absolutely superb in this aspect. She really understood Sita. I just love this opera. I can't stop listening to it. Thank you, Massenet! And the guy that plays the Roi de Lahore is a superb dramatic tenor. I'm surprised he isn't more famous than he is.

Although the great historical opera in five acts by the composer Daniel Francois Esprit Auber was able to experience its 500th performance in 1880, the opera is almost forgotten today and is rarely performed. In April 2010 the work premiered in the original language at the Anhaltisches Theater Dessau under the direction of GMD Antony Hermus and is finally available on cpo.

This is in short a really good recording. Gerdes' handling of the opera is very good (though his tempo in the Pilgrims' Chorus theme of the Overture is almost disturbingly fast), the orchestra is well controlled and very expressive. Birgit Nilsson, one of the greatest Wagnerian sopranos of the 20th Century, sings the two principle female roles - Venus and Elisabeth; Wolfgang Windgassen, who sings the role of Tannhauser, is one of the greatest Wagnerian tenors of the century. And Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who sings Wolfram, is virtually undisputed as THE baritone of the century.Highly recommend this recording.
-Amazon Review-