# Auber: badly neglected



## Almaviva (Aug 13, 2010)

I've just finished watching the only opera from Auber on DVD, _Haydée ou Le Secret_, and loved it.

This composer has some great operas to his name, and it is strange that they don't get more stagings or more DVDs.

Among the most famous ones, we have _La Muette de Portici _with the formidable duet _Amour Sacré de la Patrie _that was powerful enough to inspire the Belgian revolution, and equally good _Fra Diavolo _and _Le Domino Noir. _Lesser known are his version of _Manon Lescault, Le Cheval de Bronze, Les Diamands de La Couronne, _and his _Le Philtre, _which was re-worked by Donizetti and became nothing less than _L'Elisir d'Amore. _His _Gustave III _was re-worked by Verdi as _Un Ballo in Maschera._

Another important Auber fact is that his _La Muette de Portici _inaugurated the genre Grand Opéra.

Yes, his orchestration and vocal melodies are light and not complex, but in terms of light opéra-comique, they are very good. His historical importance is undeniable, both in terms of real history (the Belgian revolution) and the creation of a whole new opera sub-genre (Grand Opéra), not to forget the fact that some of his operas became the bases for other extremely successful reworkings (_Manon Lescault, Le Philtre, Gustave III_).

When I lived in Paris I took several times the train at the RER station Auber, oblivious to the fact that it was named after him.

So, opera houses around the world, please start an Auber revival, and DG, Opus Arte, Dynamic, Sony Classics, etc: please get us some Auber DVD's.


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## BalloinMaschera (Apr 4, 2011)

absoulutely! his version Manon Lescaut is a terrific opera for coloratura sopranos to show case their gifts. There is an extant EMI recording with Mady Mesple- not sure if it's still in the catalogue though- although I suspect EMI France would still have it.


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