Les Musiciens du Louvre-Grenoble/Marc Minkowski
Naïve CD F V5130 ()

Marc Minkowski’s partnership with the Naïve label has got off to a rousing start with this magnificent Bizet album. When faced with performances as utterly persuasive as this, it does get one hankering yet again for more first-class Bizet works than we actually have, but grateful that we do at least have these and the few others.

The conductor is a great admirer of Sir Thomas Beecham in this repertoire and, separated as they are by era and nationality, the Englishman’s spirit is alive and well here. Minkowski has a ball with these suites, relishing their rich sonorities and glorious melodies, while at the same time investing them with a serious-minded sensitivity. The L’Arlésienne suites have rarely sounded so genuinely moving. Les Musiciens du Louvre are alert to Minkowski’s every nuance and the Lyon Opera Chorus’s contribution comes as an exuberant climax.

In the Carmen suite, as elsewhere, Minkowski fully indulges the great melodic sweeps without overdoing things. So one feels satisfed but never bloated.

The whole album is a real treat. And it arrives in a quite lovely and luxurious booklet. A thing of rare beauty in every sense.