Aben-Hamet by Dubois

[mikehopf]

This is exciting for all opera-tragics out there:

ABEN-HAMET, Théodore Dubois
Festival Classica , Saint-Lambert, juin 2013
L'Orchestre de chambre de la Montérégie et le chœur du Festival Classica sous la direction de Jean-Claude Malgoire.
Chef de chœur : Martin Dagenais.
Avec Nicolas Rivenq, baryton (Aben-Hamet), Julie Fuchs, soprano (Bianca), Pascale Beaudin, soprano (Alfaïma), Nora Sourouzian, mezzo-soprano (Zulema) et Marc Boucher, baryton (Le Duc de Santa Fe).

I hope that some of our North American members will be recording it.

[mikehopf]

Sorry, I forgot to mention broadcast details:

Espace-Musique ( Montreal , Canada) at 13.00 hrs on Saturday, 1st June

[mikehopf]

Does anyone know if Espace Musique will be broadcasting the last two acts of this opera?

Or, did I set my timer to stop recording too early?

[scottevan]

Same here; Espace's intro to the Dubois opera lasted a full hour. they ran over their scheduled time, and I missed the last part as well. Do hope that someone who recorded it will post!

What I did hear was interesting, though a bit on the languorous side. One thing that stood out was a strong identity, in mood and instrumentation, to the eastern subject matter. I'm more familiar with Dubois' organ works, which are far better represented on recordings than his other works.

[mikehopf]

Go to this web address and download all four acts of this most pleasant opera:

http://www.espace.mu/espace-musique/animateurs/lecuyersylvia/5646

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Mike

[scottevan]

Yes, indeed... that felt more complete. Nothing like a good operatic death scene to know when it's time to go home.

[Mark Thomas]

Dubois strikes again! This is a hugely enjoyable example of late 19th century French opera. Absolutely luscious.

If no one else beats me to it, I'll upload a recording in the next few days.

[Alan Howe]

Sounds juicy. Thanks, Mark.

[eschiss1]

By the way, I missed this entirely somehow or other, though I was looking for it - the vocal score of Aben-Hamet (if this interests) can be found at IMSLP here. (According to page, 4 acts and a prologue, first performed 16 Dec. 1884.)

[Mark Thomas]

My tracked recording from the web site is now available in the Downloads section. Although it's some way from being 100% authentic Dubois, it's still a ravishing listen.

[eschiss1]

hrm. I don't know how long act 4 would last complete, but it's only 25 pages of vocal score (out of ... about 324? not counting the appendix afterwards. pp. 300 to 324.)

[Mark Thomas]

There's a chorus and a solo by the Duke of Santa Fe missing from the beginning, and other material later on. There's only about 8 minutes of it in the recording - hardly even a scene, never mind an act.