Maazel: Massenet – Thaïs (2 CD, APE)

Composer: Jules Massenet
Orchestra: Alldis Choir, New Philharmonia Orchestra
Conductor: Lorin Maazel
Audio CD
Number of Discs: 2 CD
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: EMI
Size: 615 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Jules Massenet – Thaïs

Thaïs – Beverly Sills
Crobyle – Ann-Marie Connors
Myrtale – Ann Murray
Albine – Patricia Kern
La charmeuse – Norma Burrowes
Athanaël – Sherrill Milnes
Nicias – Nicolai Gedda
Palémon – Richard Van Allan
Un serviteur – Brian Ethridge

New Philarmonia Orchestra
Lorin Maazel

CD 01
01. I. Voici le pain… Et le sel
02. I. Le voici! Le voici!
03. I. Helas! Enfant encore
04. I. Ne nous melons jamais, mon fils
05. I. Vision
06. I. Toi, qui mis la pitie dans nos ames
07. I. Mon fils, ne nous melons jamais
08. I. Prelude
09. I. Va, mendiant chercher ailleurs ta vie!
10. I. Voila donc la terrible cite
11. I. Ah! Ah! Ah! Athanael, c’est toi!
12. I. Ah! Ah! Ah! Je vais donc te revoir
13. I. Garde-toi bien! Voici ta terrible ennemie!
14. I. C’est Thais, l’idole fragile
15. I. Quel est cet etranger
16. I. Qui te fait si severe
17. I. Non! Non! Je hais vos fausses ivresses
18. II. Ah! Je suis seule, seule enfin!
19. II. Dis moi que je suis belle
20. II. Etranger, te voila comme tu l’avais dit
21. II. Eh bien, fais moi connaitre tout cet amour
22. II. Je suis Athanael, moine d’Antinoe!
23. II. Je n’ai pas plus choisi mon sort que ma nature
24. II. Meditation religieuse – Symphonie

CD 02
01. II. Pere, Dieu m’a parle par ta voix
02. II. Non loin d’ici, vers l’Occident
03. II. Considere, o mon pere
04. II. Suivez-moi tous, amis!
05. II. Divertissement (1)
06. II. Voila l’incomparable!
07. II. Celle qui vient est plus belle
08. II. Divertissement (2)
09. II. Eh! C’est lui!… Athanael!
10. II. Il dit vrai!
11. III. L’ardent soleil m’ecrase
12. III. Ah! Des gouttes de sang coulent de ses pieds
13. III. O messager de Dieu, si bon dans ta rudesse
14. III. Baigne d’eau mes mains et mes levres
15. III. La paix du Seigneur soit avec toi
16. III. Mon oeuvre est accomplie!
17. III. Que le ciel est pesant!
18. III. C’est lui qui vient!
19. III. Qui te fait si severe
20. III. Thais va mourir!
21. III. Seigneur, ayez pitie de moi
22. III. Soit le bienvenu dans nos tabernacles
23. III. C’est toi, mon pere!

incomparabile rendition

i’m only really liking Massenet since last year after I had the chance to listen & Keep Sutherland’s Esclaramonde…. I really was afraid he would sound like Puccini since I had already al his ballets & suites & where a little too strong for a very hardcore Belcanto opera eater… after Esclaramonde I went on a rampage for all Massenet works …. this Thais I got it after the Etcheverry one, which is almost like highlights & really not interesting at all, then I got this one which I really loved, but I still didn’t wanna give my opinion… now after having all his vocal works I think there are less Le Cid…but I ended up getting the Fleming 1999 one… well even so, today I heard the Fleming version first & immediately after the Sills one…. really theres no comparison , the Fleming one was ok, but this Sills Maazel Milnes version is the one, I find Milnes voice much mire attractive than Hampson’s Sills is the screaming mimi’s of the 20th century, Fleming, just can’t …. Maazel’s direction strength & pomposity will be an insult to try to compare with totally unknown Yves Abel… in all, and comparing & knowing about all the possibilities not this one is the best, is that on itself is an impressive recording that totally calls one’s attention & doesn’t let you get out of it from beginning to end…. I will be said that Sills voice is out of control… whatever however you wanna criticize her voice…. I sometimes don’t agree too much with her choices of primmo uomo (or directors choices) but her recordings on her roles are close to perfection….. this is one of them if not the most perfect of all her recordings….