Topic: Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortileges

[Maciek]

Could anyone recommend a good recording of Ravel's L'Enfant et les Sortilèges? My funds are running low at the moment, so there's no hurry. But I've been meaning to get to know this for quite a while and I think the time is near, so I'd like to know what to look out for. DVD recs would be greatly appreciated, though I'll probably want to start with a CD recording first.

Thanks.

Maciek

[Brewski]

Last year, Lorin Maazel conducted a concert version of it with the New York Philharmonic in what was easily one of the best concerts of the season.  When I asked friends for a recording, they recommended Maazel's (below) which appears to be out of print.  (Not sure how much you want to spend!)

I have not yet purchased this -- nor another one as yet -- but based on that performance I can imagine it is marvelous.  Maazel is (mostly) pretty great with Ravel, bringing out all the color and detail.  In concert, I have had some minor quibbles with his interpretations of La Valse and Rapsodie Espagnole, but his L'Enfant seemed about as magical as one could ask for.

Maazel conducts L'Enfant

--Bruce

[Wendell_E]

I like that Maazel recording.  It's also available on a two-disc set with L'Heure Espagnole (plus a couple of other "fillers"):

http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Ravel-Stravinsky-Orchestral-Works/dp/B000001GXR/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5423591-3069720?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177966794&sr=1-1

[Maciek]

I like that Maazel recording.  It's also available on a two-disc set with L'Heure Espagnole (plus a couple of other "fillers"):

http://www.amazon.com/Rimsky-Korsakov-Ravel-Stravinsky-Orchestral-Works/dp/B000001GXR/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-5423591-3069720?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177966794&sr=1-1

Nice disc(s)! It is now on my wish list.

[Tsaraslondon]

The Maazel is very fine and definitely worth considering, but I'd urge you to also consider this historic and thoroughly idiomatic recording from 1948. In mono of course, but the sound is remarkable comsidering its age.

[Maciek]

Mono is never a problem. I've added it to my list, thanks.

[MishaK]

Last year, Lorin Maazel conducted a concert version of it with the New York Philharmonic in what was easily one of the best concerts of the season.  When I asked friends for a recording, they recommended Maazel's (below) which appears to be out of print.  (Not sure how much you want to spend!)

I have not yet purchased this -- nor another one as yet -- but based on that performance I can imagine it is marvelous.  Maazel is (mostly) pretty great with Ravel, bringing out all the color and detail.  In concert, I have had some minor quibbles with his interpretations of La Valse and Rapsodie Espagnole, but his L'Enfant seemed about as magical as one could ask for.

Maazel conducts L'Enfant

--Bruce

As Wendell notes, this has been reissued on DG Originals. I second that recommendation.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

For a wonderful one stop that includes both of Ravel's stage works plus Debussy's complete La Martyre de Saint Sébastien, packed with idiomatic flair and at a budget price, there's this gem of a set with Ansermet, et al...

[Maciek]

What about the Previn recording? Any thoughts on that? I'm asking because I have a cheap copy available.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

What about the Previn recording? Any thoughts on that? I'm asking because I have a cheap copy available.

Which one? The earlier EMI or the more recent DG?

I ask because I have the DG and find it a good performance. 

The singing might be more 'earthbound' versus the more idiomatic French flavor of Ansermet's singers (ditto Bour, I would imagine, but I haven't yet heard it), but that's not meant as a put down. Overall Previn's effort is most committed.

Previn's DG is also sumptuously recorded. Another plus in my book.

[Maciek]

Sorry, didn't notice there were two. The one I meant was the EMI, unfortunately...

[Tsaraslondon]

Sorry, didn't notice there were two. The one I meant was the EMI, unfortunately...

I used to have it on Lp. It's actually quite good, but badly let down by the Enfant (I can't remember her name). However there are some marvellous cameos by the likes of Arleen Auger, Philip Langridge and Jane Berbie (if memory serves me rightly)

[king ubu]

Maurice Ravel: L’Heure espagnole / L’Enfant et les sortilèges
Zurich Opera – 26 January 2018
 
 Musikalische Leitung Pavel Baleff
 Inszenierung Jan Eßinger
 Bühnenbild Sonja Füsti
 Kostüme Jeannette Seiler
 Lichtgestaltung Hans-Rudolf Kunz
 Choreinstudierung Ernst Raffelsberger
 Dramaturgie Kathrin Brunner
 
L’Heure espagnole

Conception Paula Murrihy
 Gonzalve Frédéric Antoun
 Torquemada Spencer Lang
 Ramiro Andrei Bondarenko
 Don Inigo Gomez Michael Hauenstein
 
L’Enfant et les sortilèges

L’Enfant Deniz Uzun
 Maman Paula Murrihy
 La Bergère / La Chouette / La Chauve-Souris / Une Pastourelle Hamida Kristoffersen
 Le Feu / La Princesse / Le Rossignol Sen Guo
 La Tasse Chinoise / La Libellule Irène Friedli
 La Chatte / L’Ecureuil / Un Pâtre Gemma Ni Bhriain
 L’Horloge / Le Chat Dmytro Kalmuchyn
 Le Petit Vieillard / La Rainette François Piolino
 La Théière Spencer Lang
 Le Fauteuil / L’Arbre Ildo Song
 
Musikkollegium Winterthur
SoprAlti der Oper Zürich
 Zusatzchor der Oper Zürich
 Chorzuzüger

Saw this double feature at Zurich opera last week, and was astonished by the musical perfection of "L'Heure espagnole" ... and by the whimsicality and surreality of "L'Enfant"! The production was initially run with a different cast in Winterthur, the orchestra was still the Musikkollegium Winterthur (Scherchen led them from 1922 to 1950, later Welser-Möst and Mario Venzago were principal conductors, currently, Thomas Zehetmair is) and they did pretty well (some goofs amongst the woodwinds in "L'Enfant", but I guess the music is challenging indeed) ... the singers were all convincing, a mixture of seasoned ensemble members, new members and opera studio members - in the intial production, it was all or mostly opera studio members, and the review I read said they had some trouble in making the quite static production of "L'Heure" work ... so waiting for the re-run was probably a good idea.

Got to check out some recordings now ... I have the Ansermet stes and the Decca Ravel works box. For "L'Enfant", I have quite a few (Bour, Ansermet, Maazel, Previn 1981, Dutoit and the recent - still unplayed - Franck), for "L'Heure" it's Ansermet and Maazel. Guess that'll be more than I really need 

Either way, all I could find on Ravel's operas was this thread here, not sure there's a general one as well, or one about "L'Heure espagnole".

[Mirror Image]

L'enfant et les sortilèges is one of my favorite operas and I’m so envious you were able to see it live. As for this opera’s own thread, I don’t know of one except for this particular one, although I do recall there being a thread that inquired about if there was a concert suite of this opera available, which, of course, there’s not.

[king ubu]

L'enfant et les sortilèges is one of my favorite operas and I’m so envious you were able to see it live. As for this opera’s own thread, I don’t know of one except for this particular one, although I do recall there being a thread that inquired about if there was a concert suite of this opera available, which, of course, there’s not.

Frankly, after "L'Heure" was so perfect in so many regards - it has the perfect balance of turning spoken language into music that only the French can achieve, and the music to go with it is so precise! ... it took me a moment to adjust to the absurd/surrealist (and psychologically cute/simple - in that, it's not *that* much more interesting than "L'Heure", which is typical opera fare) plot and costumes and stage ... but Deniz Uzun has a lovely mezzo voice (third time I heard her, I think - she did Sonetka in "Lady Macbeth from Msensk" and sang some Russian and Georgian (not GA) songs in a ballet production based on "Anna Karenina", and did excellently both times) and her singing was one of the drawing points for me to attend ... Zurich opera has become a pretty cool place to have in front of my door (and I guess getting rid of Mr. Pereira did help some in that respect ... they also just staged a concert with Currentzis, whom alas I missed conducting opera so far, once I went for the repeat without him, the other time he chickened out or maybe had a real reason, you never know in this business, they're lying all the time, so ...), but the audience was quite sparse for the Ravel night, even though it was one of the "half-price tickets" days (meaning: all tickets not sold previously will be sold on that day only for half the usual price ... I had gotten mine a few weeks ago, but as the first row up on the second balcony was quite empty, I got an upgrade to a seat that even at half price would have been more expensive).

And it was the thread on "L'Heure espagnole" I was asking about, this one is about "L'Enfant", but I guess there's really not much need for two Ravel opera threads, as interest seems to be fairly low.

[North Star]

Frankly, after "L'Heure" was so perfect in so many regards - it has the perfect balance of turning spoken language into music that only the French can achieve, and the music to go with it is so precise! ... it took me a moment to adjust to the absurd/surrealist (and psychologically cute/simple - in that, it's not *that* much more interesting than "L'Heure", which is typical opera fare) plot and costumes and stage ... but Deniz Uzun has a lovely mezzo voice (third time I heard her, I think - she did Sonetka in "Lady Macbeth from Msensk" and sang some Russian and Georgian (not GA) songs in a ballet production based on "Anna Karenina", and did excellently both times) and her singing was one of the drawing points for me to attend ... Zurich opera has become a pretty cool place to have in front of my door (and I guess getting rid of Mr. Pereira did help some in that respect ... they also just staged a concert with Currentzis, whom alas I missed conducting opera so far, once I went for the repeat without him, the other time he chickened out or maybe had a real reason, you never know in this business, they're lying all the time, so ...), but the audience was quite sparse for the Ravel night, even though it was one of the "half-price tickets" days (meaning: all tickets not sold previously will be sold on that day only for half the usual price ... I had gotten mine a few weeks ago, but as the first row up on the second balcony was quite empty, I got an upgrade to a seat that even at half price would have been more expensive).

And it was the thread on "L'Heure espagnole" I was asking about, this one is about "L'Enfant", but I guess there's really not much need for two Ravel opera threads, as interest seems to be fairly low.

What, just because there hasn't been a post in 129 months, we shouldn't jump to such conclusions as interest is low.
These are both wonderful works indeed, though L'Énfant has always been the more moving one for me. I should revisit both though, as it's been a while.

[Mirror Image]

Frankly, after "L'Heure" was so perfect in so many regards - it has the perfect balance of turning spoken language into music that only the French can achieve, and the music to go with it is so precise! ... it took me a moment to adjust to the absurd/surrealist (and psychologically cute/simple - in that, it's not *that* much more interesting than "L'Heure", which is typical opera fare) plot and costumes and stage ... but Deniz Uzun has a lovely mezzo voice (third time I heard her, I think - she did Sonetka in "Lady Macbeth from Msensk" and sang some Russian and Georgian (not GA) songs in a ballet production based on "Anna Karenina", and did excellently both times) and her singing was one of the drawing points for me to attend ... Zurich opera has become a pretty cool place to have in front of my door (and I guess getting rid of Mr. Pereira did help some in that respect ... they also just staged a concert with Currentzis, whom alas I missed conducting opera so far, once I went for the repeat without him, the other time he chickened out or maybe had a real reason, you never know in this business, they're lying all the time, so ...), but the audience was quite sparse for the Ravel night, even though it was one of the "half-price tickets" days (meaning: all tickets not sold previously will be sold on that day only for half the usual price ... I had gotten mine a few weeks ago, but as the first row up on the second balcony was quite empty, I got an upgrade to a seat that even at half price would have been more expensive).

And it was the thread on "L'Heure espagnole" I was asking about, this one is about "L'Enfant", but I guess there's really not much need for two Ravel opera threads, as interest seems to be fairly low.

Well, don’t let anyone stop you from creating a L'heure espagnole thread, king ubu. You’re free to create one. I’m not sure who’s interested in that opera or really if there’s much interest in L’enfant for that matter. It would probably do me some good to revisit L’heure espagnole as it’s been years since I’ve heard it.

Speaking of both of Ravel’s operas, this is a rather nice concert: