Lalo : Le roi d'Ys

[T-C]

For many music lovers the name Edward Lalo represents almost only one piece of music – the Symphonie espagnole for violin and orchestra and to a lesser degree the Cello concerto. But hundred years ago, Lalo was known primarily because of a very successful opera: Le roi d'Ys (The King of Ys). This opera that was very popular in the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, but like many other music creations, almost disappears from the repertoire later. It was again the role of Italian label Dynamic to provide a DVD version for this rare opera.

Lalo composed the opera during the years 1875 - 1878 but in the original version he was not able to stage it. In 1886 he made significant changes in the score, and it was finally premiered at the Opéra-Comique in 1888 to great success. The opera was presented there 100 times and then moved to the Paris opera. Until 1940 it was performed close to 500 times! It was successful in other places too. At the Met it was performed in 1922 with a cast that included soprano Rosa Ponselle and tenor Beniamino Gigli.

The opera is based on an old Breton legend and deals with the king and his two daughters (Margared and Rozenn) of the drowned city of Ys. Lalo's choice of subject exemplifies Wagner's influence on him. He made use with elements of Breton folklore that give the entire score a special flavor. Additional links to Wagner is the use of leitmotifs to identify the main figures but Lalo is using these motives mildly and the opera has a noticed French character.

There are quite a few similarities with Wagner's Lohengrin. Rozenn and Mylio wedding scene reminds the conclusion of the second act of Lohengrin, when the "good" couple and their guests enter the church with an organ sound while the "bad" couple - Margared and Karnac - remains outside making intrigues. Like Ortrud in Lohengrin, Margared redeems herself in the end of the opera by means of self-sacrifice.

The production in the new Dynamic DVD is from Liège : The 2008 performance at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie. Stage director is Jean-Louis Pichon. It is a traditional production with impressive realistic decor of a city built between huge rocks that emphasize the ancient side of the myth in addition of other elements of the middle ages. The costumes are colorfulness and periodical.

The conductor is Patrick Davin. The orchestra plays extremely well for him and one should mention the cello players that play beautifully the haunting cello theme in the overture.

The two sisters that are competing for Mylio (the tenor...) love: The "good" sister Rozenn is sung by Canadian soprano Guylaine Girard. She has a beautiful light and lyric voice and impressive high notes. The "bad" sister Margared is sung by Italian soprano Giuseppina Piunti. She is an outstanding dramatic soprano with a very impressive and dark voice. 

As Mylio, sings the young French tenor Sébastien Guèze. He has a beautiful lyric voice that he uses efficiently. His high notes are impressive when sung powerfully but also when he is using them softly. Belgian baritone Werner Van Mechelen sings his opponent, prince Karnak. This is not in particular a pretty voice but it is suitable to this somber and wily figure. The singers in the secondary roles are all OK and everyone in this production sings with excellent French pronunciation.

To sum up: A successful production for a rare opera, which is for my taste beautiful and interesting. This new DVD can be safely recommended for those who are interested in 19th centaury romantic French opera (Gounod, Thomas, Saint-Seans, Bizet etc.)




The singers in the leading roles:
Upper picture : Guylaine Girard as ROZENN and Sébastien Guèze as MYLIO
Lower picture : Giuseppina Piunti as MARGARED and W. Van Mechelen as KARNAC





More pictures:

[Brünnhilde forever]

T-C, I have seen the listing for this opera for some time but never knew what to make of it, what it was all about, and should I get it. Now you explained it all to me and I am grateful. Yes, I shall order it and look forward to exploring Edward Lalo, the opera composer!

Thank you, 

[T-C]

Lis, take notice that the DVD is cheaper in Europe.

MDT price is £15.32, which is about $22. Amazon price is about $40 ...

Here is a link at MDT: Le Roi d'Ys

[knight66]

I have a version on CD with Rita Gorr as the 'dark side' sister and conducted by Cluytens. One aria has remained somewhat in the recital repertoire, 'Vainement, ma bien-aimee.' There is also a superb duet for the two sisters.

Seemingly, the lead-up to the premier was fraught, with just about everyone convinced that it would be a flop. It is another of those French pieces that requires a kind of tenor we don't really breed any more.

There are passages, especially those for the chorus that remind me of Glinka's Life for the Tsar.

The old EMI CDs have a filler from Rita Gorr by way of a recital of French arias; worth the price, even if you did not enjoy the opera.

Out of a two CD set, the opera lasts roughly 110 minutes. TC, what is the timing like for the DVD? Are EMI using a cut version of the score? 110 minutes sounds quite short for a French opera from the 1880s, though Carmen is probably a similar length and neither was written with the Paris Opera in mind, where perhaps the more epic French Operas were normally performed.

Mike

[T-C]

Mike, On the new DVD the opera lasts around 105 minutes.

I have an Erato 1988 studio recording that is conducted by Armin Jordan (with Barbara Hendricks in the cast). The timing here is 111 minutes. So maybe the opera in the DVD version is a bit shortened. But anyhow, the DVD price is not high...

Two segments from the opera are relatively famous:

1. The beautiful orchestral overture, which lasts over ten minutes. It is being played from time to time in concert and there are a few recording of it. It includes quotations of themes from the opera masterfully orchestrated. It has another homage to Wagner: a tiny quotation from Tannhauser.

2. The tenor Aubade - Vainement ma bien aimee. This is a charming aria and it was recorded quite a few times by various great tenors from Gigli to Alagna. My preference for a rendition of this aria is French tenor Alan Vanzo, which maybe was the last great lyric French tenor. Today tenors are singing French music in the same way they sing Italian, Russian or whatever music...

[knight66]

Yes, I agree, there is no inheritor to Georges Thill, a clarion sweetness, declamatory yet with legato, clean and clear without strain at the top and no pushing of the sound.

Thanks, I think probably the music is all there on both the CDs and the DVDs. I have just been listening to the last act, which though well received initially sounds rather rum-ti-tum for the last 10 minutes or so.

Mike

[T-C]

One has to mention that Debussy's piano prelude La Cathédrale engloutie (The Sunken Cathedral) is based on the same legend about the drowned city of Ys.