A DATE WITH THE DEVIL

 

Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust: Marche de Rakoczi  (‘Hungarian March’); Une puce gentille; Devant  la maison; Meyerbeer: Robert le diable: Nonnes qui reposez; Liszt: Mephisto Waltz; Boito: Mefistofele: Ave, Signor; Son lo Spirito che hega sempre tutto; Ecco il mondo; Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann: Scintille, diamant!; Gounod: Faust: Le veau d’or est toujours debout!; Vous qui faites l’endormie (‘Serenade’); Stravinsky: The Rake’s Progress: I was never saner. Come, master. In youth the panting slave pursues; I burn! I freeze!

 

Samuel Ramey (bass), Munich Radio Orchestra, Julius Rudel

 

 

Naxos is proud to present one of the world’s leading basses, Samuel Ramey, in a brilliant recital of arias from the Faustian roles that have earned him international acclaim.

 

“There is a formidable dignity, an implacable authority about this Mephistopheles” Gramophone

 

“Ramey sings very well in all four villainous roles [from Les Contes d’Hoffmann], with satisfyingly firm, dark tone” Gramophone

 

In the nineteenth century operatic repertoire the bass voice was frequently cast in the role of the devil or used to represent a character endowed with supernatural powers. It has been said that “the devil has all the best tunes”, and this programme does more than confirm this truth. Berlioz, Gounod, Meyerbeer, Offenbach, Boito and Stravinsky rub shoulders in a fascinating display of villainous virtuosity, performed with dark bravura by the most recorded bass in history.

 

Samuel Ramey, described by Time Magazine as “a basso of extraordinary dramatic and lyric gifts” can be found regularly on the stages of the world's great opera houses, including La Scala, Milan; the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; the Vienna State Opera; the Paris Opera; the San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan Opera, New York.

 

Naxos 8555355