Meyerbeer Robert le Diable

[Alan Howe]

With much the same cast as at Covent Garden, it seems:
http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/classic/detail/-/art/Giacomo-Meyerbeer-1791-1864-Robert-le-Diable/hnum/1896937

[Alan Howe]

It's dirt cheap at Amazon.co.uk:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00A8QBFIC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

[Mark Thomas]

So I saw. It's already on order....

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Struth.....you chaps aren't serious surely?

[Mark Thomas]

Why not, Peter?

[Alan Howe]

To confirmed early nineteenth century unsung opera fanatics this is a must-buy. I'm sure I'll enjoy it immensely - even if it's pure hokum...

[Josh]

My favourite Meyerbeer opera is Le prophète, but Robert le Diable is more than mere hokum, I'd say!  Going by my ears alone, I don't understand why this opera isn't still performed.  I think you'll be fairly impressed.  My recording is on issued discs, but it's of a live performance and the audio quality - while impressive - is far from perfect.  If this recording has both a good performance and good sound quality, I might just go ahead and buy it again.  I do like this opera enough that I would definitely not feel that was money wasted.

[Alan Howe]

This is an enjoyable set. Its main advantage is that it's well sung; however, on the debit side the orchestra is of the provincial Italian variety (totally inadequate strings, for example) and the recording very average, lacking in impact and sonority. I don't find the music to be of very high quality, but I do think it represents a kind of source for all sorts of later operatic developments. So, a historically interesting work, well sung on these (three) very cheap CDs. But not great music, I fear; and certainly a missed opportunity as far as orchestral playing and recording are concerned. Recommended - but only because it's inexpensive.

[Mark Thomas]

I've been listening to my copy today and have thoroughly enjoyed reacquainting myself with the music. The score isn't up to the standard of Les Huguenots, of course, but it's great fun, unfailingly melodic, on the whole doesn't outstay its welcome and, as is often the case with Meyerbeer, entertainingly orchestrated. It is also, as Alan has said, a historically very important score which, along with Auber's La Muette de Portici and Halévy's La Juive, established the form of French grand opera.

Alan's analysis of the set's merits and drawbacks is absolutely spot on, needless to say.

[Alan Howe]

A new recording from Bru Zane is forthcoming (23rd September):
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/9365934--meyerbeer-robert-le-diable

There is, of course, this recording on DVD or Blu-ray from Covent Garden with the superb Brian Hymel:
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8031176--meyerbeer-robert-le-diable#reviews

[Alan Howe]

Listening to the excellent new Bru Zane recording (HIP, but with plenty of 'oomph'), I am struck by the status of the work as a sort of 'clearing house' for later operatic developments. Verdi's grand operas, for example, can clearly trace their ancestry back to Robert le Diable.

This is a fine, though not perfect recording. Not all the singing is of the highest standard, although John Osborn in the (virtually impossible) title role is in superb voice.