Ravel L'Enfant et les sortilèges
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Maurice Ravel
Genre:
Opera
Label: Valois
Magazine Review Date: 9/1993
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 44
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: V4670
Tracks:
| Composition | Artist Credit |
|---|---|
| (L')Enfant et les sortilèges, 'Bewitched Child' |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Alain Lombard, Conductor Arlette Chedel, Mother; Chinese Cup; Dragonfly, Contralto (Female alto) Bordeaux Theatre Chorus Bordeaux-Aquitaine National Orchestra Elisabeth Vidal, Fire; Princess; Nightingale, Soprano Léonardo Pezzino, Teapot; Old Man; Frog, Baritone Magali Damonte, She-cat; Squirrel; Shepherd Marc Barrard, Clock; Tom-cat, Bass-baritone Martine Mahé, Child, Soprano Maurice Ravel, Composer Michèle Lagrange, Shepherdess; Owl; Sofa; Bat, Soprano Vincent le Texier, Armchair; Tree, Baritone |
Author: Lionel Salter
Whether or not—as the interestingly provocative (and well translated) note here maintains—beneath the surface fantasy and charm of L'enfant et les sortileges there lies a stratum of Ravel's bitterness and disillusion after the First World War and his political convictions (which found expression in the Chansons madecasses), this superbly scored one-act opera never fails to cast its spell, from the oboes' initial plaint to the touching unaccompanied chorus and the Child's heartfelt cry of ''Maman!'' at the end. Never? Well, hardly ever: sad to say, this is one time when it does. This performance is fatally flawed by conspicuously ill-judged balance, with the voices not only placed too distantly (though it is essential to hear every word of the witty text) but overwhelmed throughout by the orchestra. Its outbursts are disproportionately huge—at the Child's opening tantrum, or after the Teapot's ''I box you, I marmalade you'', for example—but also the trombone solo after the Chinese cup is far too hefty, and even the Princess's lament has to contend with an over-loud flute.
As for the cast, there is not much attempt at characterization: Martine Mahe never for a moment suggests a seven-year-old child, Arlette Chedel makes nothing of the comic cod-Chinese and Leonard Pezzino is insufficiently manic as Mr Arithmetic. The cats' duet, of course, always comes off well, here largely due to Magali Damonte, who also contributes an excellent Squirrel; but the heroine of the occasion is Elisabeth Vidal, whose Princess is enchanting and whose stratospheric coloratura as the Fire and the Nightingale is beautifully placed. In general, however, this issue is a disappointment, and doesn't even begin to challenge Maazel's performance on DG, despite its age.'
As for the cast, there is not much attempt at characterization: Martine Mahe never for a moment suggests a seven-year-old child, Arlette Chedel makes nothing of the comic cod-Chinese and Leonard Pezzino is insufficiently manic as Mr Arithmetic. The cats' duet, of course, always comes off well, here largely due to Magali Damonte, who also contributes an excellent Squirrel; but the heroine of the occasion is Elisabeth Vidal, whose Princess is enchanting and whose stratospheric coloratura as the Fire and the Nightingale is beautifully placed. In general, however, this issue is a disappointment, and doesn't even begin to challenge Maazel's performance on DG, despite its age.'
Ravel L'Enfant et les sortilèges
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