GOUNOD Cinq-Mars
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Charles-François Gounod
Genre:
Opera
Label: Ediciones Singulares
Magazine Review Date: 08/2016
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 138
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: ES1024
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Cinq Mars |
Charles-François Gounod, Composer
André Heyboer, Le Vicomte de Fontrailles, Baritone Andrew Foster-Williams, Le Père Joseph, Bass-baritone Andrew Lepri Meyer, De Montmort; L’Ambassadeur, Tenor Bavarian Radio Chorus Charles-François Gounod, Composer Jacques-Greg Belobo, Le Roi; Le Chancelier, Bass Marie Lenormand, Ninon de L’Enclos; Un Berger, Mezzo soprano Mathias Vidal, Le Marquis de Cinq-Mars, Tenor Matthias Ettmayr, De Montrésor; Eustache, Bass Munich Radio Orchestra Norma Nahoun, Marion Delorme, Soprano Tassis Christoyannis, Le Conseiller de Thou, Baritone Ulf Schirmer, Conductor Véronique Gens, La Princesse Marie de Gonzague, Soprano Wolfgang Klose, Die Brienne, Tenor |
Author: Richard Lawrence
The story of the opera revolves round the Marquis de Cinq-Mars and his fellow conspirators, who plot to rid France of the over-powerful Richelieu. Cinq-Mars is spurred on to rebellion when he is informed by Père Joseph that, despite having the king’s blessing on his proposed marriage, he is to yield the princess Marie de Gonzague to the king of Poland. Ignoring the warning of his friend de Thou, Cinq-Mars organises an alliance with Spain and is condemned to death for treason. Père Joseph tricks Marie into accepting the king of Poland in order to obtain a pardon; but Cinq-Mars and de Thou are executed anyway, Marie’s rescue attempt coming too late.
When Léon Carvalho took over the direction of the Opéra-Comique, he lost no time in commissioning an opera from Gounod. Cinq-Mars was premiered on April 5, 1877, fully 10 years after the composer’s previous opera, Roméo et Juliette. The staging was lavish, the reception respectful, but despite clocking up around 60 performances in 10 months the opera soon disappeared. The judgement of the critics of the day was that, partaking of both genres, the piece fell between the stools of grand opéra and opéra comique.
The critics were right; to which one might add, adapting Boulez on Shostakovich vis-à-vis Mahler, that some of the music is ‘a second, or even third pressing’ of Faust and Roméo et Juliette and that there’s more than a touch of Verdi’s Carlos and Rodrigue in the friendship between Cinq-Mars and de Thou. But there are vigorous choruses, including a Weberish hunting number, a charming divertissement and a fine, chromatically inflected air for the implacable Père Joseph. And it’s extremely well performed by Ulf Schirmer and his Bavarian forces. The Cinq-Mars and Marie are both French. Mathias Vidal has an ideal voice for this repertoire: slightly reedy, with a pleasing fast vibrato. Véronique Gens finds all the gentleness and anxiety in her cantilène, ‘Nuit resplendissante’, and is splendidly spirited later on. Tassis Christoyannis and Andrew Foster-Williams are perfect as devoted friend and scheming priest respectively, and Norma Nahoun makes an enchanting courtesan. Full texts and translations in the familiar book-cum-disc format.
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