RÉGINE CRESPIN

 

Prima Donna In Paris

 

 

FIRST CD RELEASE OF COMPLETE LP PROGRAMME - A GREAT PARISIAN PRIMA DONNA CELEBRATES HER PREDECESSORS - RÉGINE CRESPIN 80th BIRTHDAY - 23rd March 2007

 

French soprano Régine Crespin was born in Marseilles on 23 March 1927 and established herself as one of the greatest interpreters of French opera and operetta in the post- World War II era. This collection covers 150 years of French opera and operetta and first appeared in 1972. It was conceived as a tribute to a number of distinguished Parisian prima donnas and Crespin brings all her artistry to bear in her performances of music that ranges from arias of great nobility to operetta numbers of sparkling wit and charm.

 

“... singing which is pure delight, whether in the swagger of Offenbach's "Ah! que j'aime les militaires" (a phrase rattled out faster than you would think possible) to the thirties cabaret number from Strauss' Les Trois valses ... Crespin is superb in the Périchole waltz ...I am sure she enjoyed herself enormously, and on any count she stands very high in the list of Parisian prima donnas celebrated in this set ... she has been splendidly served by her accompanists, not to mention the recording engineers.” Gramophone, July 1972

 

Régine Crespin soprano

L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande

Wiener Volksopernorchester* -  Alain Lombardª -  Georges Sebastian

Timing: 86:14

Digital Status: ADD

Recorded: Vienna & Geneva, 1970

 

CD 1:

[1] Cette nuit … O toi qui prolongeas mes joursª Iphigénie en Tauride (Gluck)

[2] D’amour l’ardente flame* (Romance de Marguerite) La Damnation de Faust ( Berlioz)

[3] Où suis-je? … O ma lyre immortelleª Sapho (Gounod)

[4] Tra, la, la, la … “Fiorentinelle!”ª (La Chanson de Scozzone) Ascanio (Saint-Saëns)

[5] Werther! … Werther! … Qui m’aurait ditª (Air des Lettres) Werther (Massenet)

[6] Va! Laisse couler mes larmes* Werther (Massenet)

[7] Ah! mon courage m’abandonne!... Seigneur Dieu* Werther (Massenet)

[8] La voilà! … Quand je vous aimerai? … L’amour est un oiseau rebelleª (Habanera)

[9] Près des remparts de Séville* (Seguidilla) Carmen (Bizet)

 

CD 2:

[1] Portez armes Vous aimez le danger… Ah! que j’aime les militaires!*ª La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (Offenbach)

[2] On me nomme Hélène la blonde … dis-moi Vénusª La Belle Hélène (Offenbach)

[3] Tu n’es pas beau … je t’adore, brigandª

[4] O mon cher amant, je te jureª (air de lettre)

[5] Ah! quel dîner je viens de faireª La Périchole (Offenbach)

[6] Moi je m’appelle...ª

[7] Y’a des arbres … C’est sa banlieue* Ciboulette (Hahn)

[8] Ah! cher monsieur, excusez-moi* Phi-Phi (Christiné)

[9] J’ai deux amants*ª L’Amour masqué (Messager)

[10] Saison d’Amour*ª

[11] Je ne suis pasª

[12] Je t’aime*ª

Les Trois Valses (Oscar Straus)

 

Decca The Originals 2cds 4758243