Saint-Saëns/Guiraud Frédégonde

[Revilod]

"L' Ancetre" could well be on its way.

http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php?topic=6876.0

Perhaps "Fredegonde" may not be recorded as it's a completion of an opera by Guiraud. Extracts from "Dejanire" are available here:

http://www.operapassion.com/cd10214.html

so we are not far from a full house!

[Christopher]

Is it known how much of Frédégonde was written by Guiraud and how much by Saint-Saens?

I see that the Opéra de Saigon in Vietnam (who knew?!) performed the opera in October 2017 with French mezzo-soprano Sophie Leleu in the title role.  I don't know if a complete recording was made (anyone have good access in Vietnam??) - some scenes here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnW5AX9yEQo - Duet Brunhilda and Mérowig from Act II (so probably Guiraud)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PeNHNBWgrk - Air de Brunhilda from Act I (so probably Guiraud)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9droly0yeRE - Song of Frédégonde from Act IV (so probably Saint-Saens)

[Christopher]

French wikipedia says (google translate):

Frédégonde is an opera in 5 acts by Ernest Guiraud and Camille Saint-Saëns on a libretto by Louis Gallet , created in Paris on December 16 , 1895at the National Academy of Music .

The composition of the opera was completed by Saint-Saëns after the death of Guiraud, which occurred in 1892 . Saint-Saëns is the author of the War Hymn and the Ballet which finishes Act III and acts IV and V. The orchestration of the opera is almost entirely of Paul Dukas , who was a pupil of Guiraud.

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frédégonde_(opéra)

[Christopher]

http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/56491/Why-Fredegonde.html

Why Fredegonde?
Bradley Winterton
Monday,  Oct 9, 2017

Fredegonde is a rarely seen opera by French composer Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921). It's so rare that there›s only evidence of a single previous production anywhere - eight performances in Paris in December of the year it was completed, 1895.

Saigon is not a major opera center. It has seen six opera productions in recent years – Cavalleria Rusticana, Dido and Aeneas, Die Zauberflote, Carmen, La Vie Parisienne and Die Fledermaus, all of them relatively well-known. Why, then, should it embark on a fully-staged rendition of an almost unknown work for only the second time in that opera's entire history?

The reason is that Saint-Saens completed work on Fredegonde here in Vietnam. He took a break from life in Paris to travel to what was then known as Indo-China, where a friend of his was governor of the island prison of Con Son. Once here, after some time in Saigon, he went to Con Son and used the peace and quiet to work on Fredegonde.

"The subject is fascinating," said French conductor Patrick Souillot at a recent rehearsal. "It's essentially Shakespearean – about power, families, war, impossible love and death. There are interesting differences, too, between the two composers who were involved. Saint-Saens, for example, added some oriental touches such as the use of a large gong, or tam-tam. You can hear oriental touches, too, in the woodwind at the opening of Act Five."

There are more than a few little-known French operas from the same period, Souillot added. He has just finished work on another, Le Timbre d'Argent (The Silver Bell), also by Saint-Saens, and given it its first ever recording. Fredegonde has so far never been recorded at all.

Of course, with all the soloists having learnt their roles, many things are possible, but, said Souillot at the moment there was no project to stage Fredegonde anywhere else.

The rehearsal had begun with the male members of the chorus singing under conductor Tran Nhat Minh. The female members then joined them, making for a chorus of some 46 in all. When this work was finished, Patrick Souillot took over the podium and began rehearsing with six soloists, all of them French. Fredegonde is being produced in cooperation with La Fabrique Opera, Grenoble. One important Vietnamese soloist is involved, Dao Mac, as a character called Landeric.

The story of Fredegonde concerns dynastic rivalries in France in the sixth century AD, with Fredegonde herself a scheming and malign influence. Further details will be revealed in this column shortly.


Further articles in the Saigon Times on Frédégonde:

http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/56581/A-huge-achievement-for-Vietnam.html
http://english.thesaigontimes.vn/56599/Vietnamese-and-French-artists-join-hands-to-stage-Frédégonde-opera.html

[mjmosca]

The excerpts posted on Youtube are very impressive, music is excellent. When I think back to when I began to be aware of Saint-Saens music in the 1960's it is hard to believe how far we have come in re-discovery of great music! Never thought that I would live to see this day! I hope a more accessible recording might be forthcoming.

The continuation of the "faint praise" for "Fredegonde" in biographies of Saint-Saens is hard to comprehend; Guiraud also needs to be given more credit.

It seems that earlier opinions of the piece are just repeated.  thank you.

[Christopher]

So, it turns out that this Fredegonde was recorded! I wrote to Sophie Leleu, the mezzo-soprano in the title role, via her website (www.sophieleleu.com), not particularly expecting a reply. But reply she did!  She wrote "I don't have an entire recording unfortunately.  Mr Patrick Souillot , the conductor, has although the quality of the video is not good".  I have tried contacting Patrick Souillot via various profiles that I have guessed must be his, but alas no reply.  Might anyone know of any channels to contact him and ask if he might be willing to make this recording available?

[Ebubu]

Matthieu Lécroart, the other soloist, also might have a complete recording ?
https://www.facebook.com/matthieu.lecroart.7

[Christopher]

Matthieu Lécroart, the other soloist, also might have a complete recording ?
https://www.facebook.com/matthieu.lecroart.7 

Are you in touch with him?

"This page isn't available
The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed."

[Christopher]

So, it turns out that this Fredegonde was recorded! I wrote to Sophie Leleu, the mezzo-soprano in the title role, via her website (www.sophieleleu.com), not particularly expecting a reply. But reply she did!  She wrote "I don't have an entire recording unfortunately.  Mr Patrick Souillot , the conductor, has although the quality of the video is not good".  I have tried contacting Patrick Souillot via various profiles that I have guessed must be his, but alas no reply.  Might anyone know of any channels to contact him and ask if he might be willing to make this recording available?

I wrote to Riccardo Favullo at Premiere Opera Italy (http://www.premiereopera.net) to ask if it's something they might be able to obtain, as they say proudly on their website "if you are looking for a particular recording of an opera performance, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will do our utmost to find it for you".  I received an answer the same day saying simply "I'm sorry this recording is currently not available" - which I'm sure is true, though it did make me question "will do our utmost"... 

[Ebubu]

Are you in touch with him?

I can be.    I've worked with him before and have requested his FB "friendship".
I'll try to ask him whenever I get a chance.

[Christopher]

Are you in touch with him?

I can be.    I've worked with him before and have requested his FB "friendship".
I'll try to ask him whenever I get a chance.

Hello Ebubu!  Did you ever hear back from Patrick Souillot?

[Ebubu]

I sent a new message to Matthieu Lécroart.  We'll see....

[Christopher]

Thank you so much!  Let's hope....

[BerlinExpat]

Frédégonde

Co-production of the Dortmund Opera with Bru Zane - Center de musique romantique française

It is a family feud - which is expanding into a civil war. Brunhilda takes on Hilpéric, her brother-in-law. However, the target of her attack is the woman at his side, Frédégonde, who she believes is the whore of her late sister's husband - and the reason for her premature death. After Hilpéric overpowers his sister-in-law with a surprise attack, he uses his son Mérowig as her watchdog. He is to banish Brunhilda to a screened monastery. But Mérowig is so enchanted by his aunt that he contravenes his father's orders ...
When he died in 1892, Ernest Guiraud had not finished the opera Frédégonde. The first three acts were orchestrated by Paul Dukas. The last two acts were created by the famous student of the late composer, Camille Saint-Saëns. Although Guiraud and Saint-Saëns were sceptical of the work of their German colleague Richard Wagner, Frédégonde's long melodic flows and chromatic runs show an approximation to his style. Combined with the personal style of Saint-Saëns based on romantic harmonies and classic forms, this work becomes a unique testimony to the musical diversity of the late 19th century.
Frédégonde can be seen for the first time in Germany, brought on stage by the young French director Marie-Eve Signeyrole, who draws the attention of the international opera audience with her versatile and at the same time sensual and modern productions. Pene Pati, winner of numerous international competitions, makes his debut as Mérowig in Dortmund on the German opera stage.

The score was published by the Palazzetto Bru Zane - Center de musique romantique française and made available in a friendly manner.

[Mark Thomas]

So, is this an upcoming production (Covid permitting)?