Album

Though less popular than the Italian version, the French version of Gluck's Orphée has been recorded many times. But most of those recordings are hybrid versions using the original Italianate vocal casting, with the character of Orphée sung by a female voice or countertenor. But that isn't the case here. Marc Minkowski has chosen the 1774 Paris version, in which Orphée was rewritten for an haute-contre, or very high tenor. Hearing a male voice, in this case the capable Richard Croft, in the part gives the opera an entirely different feel, and the result rivals the more familiar Italianate version for effectiveness and beauty. Although cobbled together from live recordings from June 2002, the dramatic flow of the recording is excellent, and the sound quality, musical polish, and performances are near studio-perfect.

Croft handles the high tessitura of Orphée respectably, and his "L'espoir renaît dans mon âme" from the end of Act I—full of furious running notes and ornamentation—is full-on exciting. It might be hard for some to adjust to the sound of a tenor in the famous "J'ai perdu mon Eurydice" (known in the Italian version as "Che faro senza Euridice") since it has been sung so beautifully by contraltos over the years, but Croft captures a touching sadness in the piece. In an inspired move, Minkowski cast the teenaged Marion Harousseau in the role of L'amour. A capable young singer who handles the role commendably, she nevertheless still sounds very young, and the effect is charming. Mireille Delunsch makes the most of Eurydice, bringing a dramatic immediacy and clear voice to Act III. Minkowski leads a rhythmically propulsive, beautifully textured, and colorful performance from Les Musiciens du Louvre.

© Allen Schrott, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 2
Christoph Willibald von Gluck Composer Orphée et Eurydice, Wq.41 (opera in 3 acts, French version)...Act 1 Work 28:38 Choeurs des Musiciens du Louvre Chorus/Choir, Les Musiciens du Louvre Orchestra, Mireille Delunsch Voice, Marc Minkowski Conductor, Claire Delgado-Boge Voice, Richard Croft Tenor, Marion Harousseau Soprano
1	1.Ouverture	2:58			$0.99
2	2.Sc.1, Chorus: Ah! dans ce bois tranquille et sombre 1	3:04			$0.99
3	3.Sc.1, Recitative: Vos plaintes, vos regrets, augmentent	0:34			$0.49
4	4.Sc. 1, Pantomime des Nymphes et des Bergers	2:31			$0.99
5	5.Sc.1, Chorus: Ah! dans ce bois tranquille et sombre 2	1:44			$0.49
6	6.Sc.1, Recitative: Eloignez-vous: ce lieu convient à mes malheurs	0:19			$0.49
7	7.Sc.1: Ritournelle	0:54			$0.49
8	8.Sc.2, Aria: Objet de mon amour!	1:13			$0.49
9	9.Sc.2, Recitative: Eurydice! ombre chère!	1:14			$0.49
10	10.Sc.2, Aria: Accablé de regrets	1:05			$0.49
11	11.Sc.2, Recitative: Eurydice! Eurydice! De ce doux nom	1:24			$0.49
12	12.Sc.2, Aria: Plein de trouble et d'effroi	1:20			$0.49
13	13.Sc.2, Recitative: Divinités de l'Achéron	0:53			$0.49
14	14.Sc.3, Recitative: L'Amour vient au secours de l'amant le plus tendre	0:21			$0.49
15	15.Sc.3, Aria: Si les doux accords de ta lyre	1:59			$0.49
16	17.Sc.3, Aria: Soumis au silence	1:53			$0.49
17	18.Sc.4, Recitative: Impitoyables Dieux!	0:47			$0.49
18	19.Sc.4, Arietta: L'espoir renaît dans mon âme	4:25			$0.99
Christoph Willibald von Gluck Composer Orphée et Eurydice, Wq.41 (opera in 3 acts, French version)...Act 2 Work 36:14 Choeurs des Musiciens du Louvre Chorus/Choir, Les Musiciens du Louvre Orchestra, Mireille Delunsch Voice, Marc Minkowski Conductor, Claire Delgado-Boge Voice, Richard Croft Tenor, Marion Harousseau Soprano
19	1.Sc.1, Ballet: Maestoso ('Dance of the Furies')	1:09			$0.49
20	2.Sc.1, Prelude and Chorus: Quel est l'audacieux	0:30			$0.49
21	3.Sc.1, Ballet: Vivace 1 ('Dance of the Furies')	0:34			$0.49
22	4.Sc.1, Chorus: Quel est l'audacieux	1:08			$0.49
23	5.Sc.1, Solo and Chorus: Laissez-vous toucher par mes pleurs	2:51			$0.99
24	6.Sc.1, Chorus: Qui t'amène en ces lieux	0:58			$0.49
25	7.Sc.1, Aria: Ah! la flamme qui me dévore	0:39			$0.49
26	8.Sc.1, Chorus: Par quels puissants accords	1:03			$0.49
27	9.Sc.1, Aria: La tendresse qui me presse	0:52			$0.49
28	10.Sc.1, Chorus: Quels chants doux et touchants!	1:37			$0.49
29	11.Sc.1, Ballet: Vivace 2 (Dance of the Furies)	4:00			$0.99
30	12.Sc.2: Ballet des Ombres heureuses ('Dance of the Blessed Spirits')	6:24			$0.99
31	14.Sc.2, Aria: Cet asile aimable et tranquille. Dance des Héros et Héroïnes	3:06			$0.99
32	15.Sc.3, Recitative: Quel nouveau ciel pare ces lieux?	3:37			$0.99
33	16.Sc.3, Chorus: Viens dans ce séjour paisible	1:53			$0.49
34	17.Sc.3, Lent ('Dance of the Blessed Spirits')	2:20			$0.99
35	19.Sc.3, Recitative: Ô vous, Ombres que j'implore	0:36			$0.49
36	20.Sc.4, Chorus: Près du tendre objet qu'on aime	2:57			$0.99
CD 2 of 2
Christoph Willibald von Gluck Composer Orphée et Eurydice, Wq.41 (opera in 3 acts, French version)...Act 3 Work 43:53 Choeurs des Musiciens du Louvre Chorus/Choir, Les Musiciens du Louvre Orchestra, Mireille Delunsch Voice, Marc Minkowski Conductor, Claire Delgado-Boge Voice, Richard Croft Tenor, Marion Harousseau Soprano
1	1.Sc.1, Recitative: Viens, viens, Eurydice, suis-moi	3:32			$0.99
2	2.Sc.1, Duet: Viens, suis un époux qui t'adore	2:53			$0.99
3	3.Sc.1, Recitative: Mais d'où vient qu'il persiste à garder le silence	1:29			$0.49
4	4.Sc.1, Aria: Fortune ennemie!; Duet: Je goûtais les charme	2:56			$0.99
5	5.Sc.1, Recitative: Quelle épreuve cruelle!	3:00			$0.99
6	6.Sc.1, Aria: J'ai perdu mon Eurydice	4:19			$0.99
7	7.Sc.1, Recitative: Ah! puisse ma douleur finir avec ma vie!	1:07			$0.49
8	8.Sc.2, Recitative: Arrête, Orphée!	1:19			$0.49
9	9.Sc.2, Trio: Tendre amour, que tes chaînes	2:51			$0.99
10	10.Sc.3, Solo and Chorus: L'Amour triomphe	3:31			$0.99
11	11.Sc.3, Ballet 1: Gracieux	1:01			$0.49
12	12.Sc.3, Ballet 2: Gavotte	1:36			$0.49
13	13.Sc.3, Ballet 3: Vivace	3:08			$0.99
14	14.Sc.3, Ballet 4: Menuet	1:27			$0.49
15	15.Sc.3, Ballet 5: Maestoso	0:34			$0.49
16	16.Sc.3, Ballet 6: Très lentement	2:25			$0.99
17	17.Sc.3, Ballet 7: Chaconne	6:45			$0.99