Meyerbeer

Margherita d’Anjou was Giacomo Meyerbeer’s fourth opera in Italian and his first real success. After an absence from the stage of about 150 years, it returned at the 43rd Festival della Valle d'Itria in an outstanding production. Director Alessandro Talevi’s ironical setting - where the War of the Roses takes place at the London Fashion Week - is perfectly matched by the elegant direction of Fabio Luisi with the Orchestra Internazionale d’Italia. The opera, which belongs to the semi-serious genre, moves from the warlike tones of Act One to the idyllic ones of Act Two, where both female protagonists appear: the queen, a soprano, and the wife, a contralto; both seek the love of an heroic tenor equally daring in battle and in music.

Richard Leech has sung his Raoul to enthusiastic audiences in Berlin and elsewhere, and it is good to hear a voice which has such a clean ring to it, evenly produced and tastefully directed (even if not invariably observing Meyerbeer's detailed instructions). The Valentine is Francoise Pollet, an exceptional singer (especially among the French) in the sympathetic roundness of her tone, exactly right for a good nine-tenths of the role (the remaining fraction calling for more rejoicing on the high Cs). As Nevers, the excellent Gilles Cachemaille gives a courtly, well-schooled performance. –Gramophone

After dominating the international opera stage for more than 30 years, Dame Joan Sutherland takes a final bow in her stunning farewell performance of Meyerbeer’s grand French opera. Now regarded as one of the most memorable nights in Australia’s musical history, Joan Sutherland’s formidable vocal skill is on full display throughout the demanding score, while conductor Richard Bonynge inspires orchestral brilliance at every turn.

I am new to Meyerbeer having recently seen a poor copy of Robert le Diable and bought L'Africaine - two grand operas that impressed me greatly.
Dinorah, to me, is not a grand opera: it is not a comedy or a fantasy (such as The Magic Flute), but it has touches of all these. What it is, is entertaining. The three lead singers are excellent, the production is traditional and though the short story takes a long time to tell ( a la Wagner ) it is very easy to watch. I will certainly watch it a number of times, and I feel sure will find something new each time… By Perry Sole (New Plymouth)

Rien à voir avec la Semiramide de Rossini puisque le livret s'inspire ici de Metastase et non de la tragédie de Voltaire. Rien à voir non plus musicalement, puisque même si la musique de Meyerbeer est ici italienne, comme celle de Rossini, cette dernière est beaucoup plus développée. Il reste que cet ouvrage est agréable et se laisse facilement écouter et que cette version discographique est supérieure à celle parue chez Naxos.