Rohan pic 
NC 070567-2  ©1997 
2 CDs 
GAETANO DONIZETTI 
Maria di Rohan 

Edita Gruberova (Maria)  
Octavio Arévalo (Riccardo)  
Ettore Kim (Enrico) 
Ulrika Precht (Armando)  
Andrea Papi (De Fiesque)  
Ivan Urbas (De Suze / Un Familiare)  
Mieczyslaw Antoniak (Aubry)  

Radio Symphonieorchester Wien 
Wiener Konzertchor 
Elio Boncompagni  

Sound sign (gif)Excerpt from Act 3 
(in .rm format - you can obtain a free player here)

  In order to reduce file size and thus download time, the quality of the sound sample has been reduced.
 
Reviews: 

"Edita Gruberova, die nicht nur mit ihrer Verdi vorausahnenden Auftrittsarie brilliert, findet in Octavio Arevalo einen stilund höhensicheren Partner. In den entscheidenden Momenten des Schlußaktes, der das Nummernschema fast sprengt, weist Elio Boncompagni dem Melodrama den Weg aus der Tradition in die Zukunft des Musikdramas." 
(U. Schreiber in Stereoplay)

"Nachdem Aufführungsmitschnitte mit Virginia Zeani, Renata Scotto und Mariana Nicolesco wieder aus dem Angebot genommen wurden, hält Gruberova auch bei dieser Oper das Monopol. Doch würde ihre Interpretation auch neben der genannten Konkurrenz glanzvoll bestehen können. Der tragisch umschattete Character dieser Maria kommt ihrem Temperament und ihrem Gesangsstil optimal entgegen, ihre männlichen Partner Octavio Arévalo und Ettore Kim sind ihren Vorgängern an Gesangskultur überlegen, und der Dirigent Elio Boncompagni sichert eine dramatisch durchpulste Interpretation." 
(E. Pluta in Opernwelt)

"That recent useful reference work the Penguin Opera Guide calls Maria di Rohan Donizetti's 'tautest, most melodramatic opera', a judgement I thought exaggerated until listening to the new CD version brought out by NIGHTINGALE (NCO 70567-2). This opera of love and tragedy set in seventeenth-century France requires a soprano adept at the bel-canto style and in Edita Gruberova, the conductor Elio Boncompagni has found the ideal Maria. She is well partnered by Octavio Arevalo. Their voices blend superbly, especially in great set pieces such as the Act Two duet 'Ecco l'ora'. This welcome recording, which has excellent sound quality, is based on a performance given recently in Vienna, the city where the opera had its premiere in 1843." 
(A. Paterson in Contemporary Review)

"...Even in the expanded form--the way it is usually performed and is heard here--[the opera] shows a notable economy of means and moves ahead with an almost Verdi-like swiftness... [Gruberova's] voice is gorgeously luminous... and her work has a bearing that gives credibility to her characterization..." 
(American Record Guide)

Links to online reviews: 
Review in the Rondo magazine 
 
 
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