Boulevard Des Airs Mais Depuis Quand

'It would be difficult to find a simpler and more poignant subject', Massenet remarked during the composition of Ariane, a vast score in five acts premiered at the Paris Opera in October 1906. The libretto by Catulle Mendes is part ancient drama, part symbolist poem, and sets Phaedra and Ariadne, two sisters in love with Theseus, in violent conflict with each other. This epic work does not shrink from relating the combat against the Minotaur, from showing a ship tossed by the raging billows, nor even from transporting the audience to the Underworld where Persephone reigns. Despite its flamboyant orchestration, its grandiose scenography and its triumphant premiere, Ariane remains one of the few Massenet operas never recorded until now. The young Egyptian soprano Amina Edris takes the title role with ardour and passion, surrounded by a cast well versed in the specificities of the French style. The Bavarian Radio Chorus provides dedicated support in the epic scenes, under the baton of Laurent Campellone, a great champion of Massenet.

Derrière son visage impassible, l'homme est discret, presque secret. Et pourtant, depuis cinquante ans, Michel Sardou collectionne les succès sous les feux des projecteurs. En cent millions de disques vendus et plus de 300 chansons, il s'est imposé comme le chanteur populaire par excellence. Au-delà de son exceptionnelle carrière, cette biographie, étayée de nombreux témoignages, lève le voile sur le véritable Sardou. …

On savait, depuis La Violence et le Sacré, que toute société humaine est fondée sur la violence, mais une violence tenue à distance et comme transfigurée dans l’ordre du sacré. Dans ce nouveau livre, René Girard applique cette intuition originaire au grand recueil mythique de la mémoire occidentale, c’est-à-dire à la Bible qui est tout entière, selon lui, le cheminement inouï vers le Dieu non violent de notre civilisation. …

L'histoire militaire est une discipline des sciences humaines qui se concentre sur l'enregistrement des conflits armés de l'histoire humaine et leur impact sur les sociétés, leurs cultures, leurs économies et les changements dans les relations internationales. Elle ne se limite pas à l'étude des batailles et des guerres, mais s'intéresse également à l'évolution des matériaux, des armes, des tactiques et de la stratégie. …

Documenting more than a hundred years of Italian operatic music in France, Benjamin Bernheim’s new album Boulevard des Italiens. Music stretching from Spontini’s La Vestale to Mascagni’s Amica – all sung in French – receives gold-star treatment from Bernheim, a tenor ideally placed to sing this repertoire in his native language. As he explains, “The aim was really to show the history of the French language in opera houses in Paris by way of these Italian composers who brought their pieces there. With the Opéra Garnier at one end, and the Opéra-Comique at the other, the Boulevard des Italiens is where it all happened.”

Alcione's first performance took place at the Theatre du Palais Royal in Paris on February 18, 1706. Alongside Semele, it is the only opera composed by Marin Marais. Shortly after the premiere, Marais gathered together the most beautiful tunes, including the famous Tempest, and composed four instrumental suites. Le Concert des Nations and Jordi Savall revel in the rich colors of these vivid scores. Originally released on the Astree label, Alia Vox has reissued this superb recording as part of its Heritage series. In addition to deluxe packaging and a richly documented booklet, the release has been remastered and now features state-of-the-art multichannel audio.