# Are there any fans of Massenet's Esclarmonde?



## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I was given a pristine lp set of Esclarmonde with Sutherland and Aragall. I had only heard the spectacular Spirits of the Air aria, but from start to finish it is all glorious music and all flows as one piece. I can't stop listening to it. I sounds like the beginnings of Impressionism at times. He had the Opera News for the performance at The Met in the set and I can't imagine how beautiful that performance must have been with the opulent Byzantine costumes. The bass in this production was Clifford Grant and his voice was so beautiful. I can see why it very rarely done as it requires a singer of Sutherland's caliber to sing the title role, and well Maria and Joan are not around any more.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Joan Sutherland 'Les Huguenots' Compilation

Count me in :angel:


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Joining the chorus, Esclarmonde is so deliciously over the top I can't resist. I own the same Bonynge set but on the CD.


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## TatyanaTaos (Oct 31, 2020)

Got it up on Spotify. Lovely. Thanks for the pointer.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I've only heard the Sutherland recording once and I wasn't taken with the opera itself (however I'm not a huge Massenet fan). It struck me as little more than a vehicle for a soprano to trill the audience into submission! That said, it doesn't seem fair to issue such a harsh judgement after only one listen, so I will give those CDs a spin again soon.

N.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

The Conte said:


> I've only heard the Sutherland recording once and I wasn't taken with the opera itself (however I'm not a huge Massenet fan). It struck me as little more than a vehicle for a soprano to trill the audience into submission! That said, it doesn't seem fair to issue such a harsh judgement after only one listen, so I will give those CDs a spin again soon.
> 
> N.


Mr. Conte, we all hear differently. It is lush and wonderfully over the top to my ear, but except for the Spirits of the Air aria there isn't much coloratura. But 3 FF D6... no wonder so few singers sing the title role. Just a lot of gorgeous singing by all the singers. If nothing else, listen to the opening.


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## Revitalized Classics (Oct 31, 2018)

One of my favourite bits is the end of Act 2 starting with Aragall "O glaive, à ton aspect..."


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Seattleoperafan said:


> Mr. Conte, we all hear differently. It is lush and wonderfully over the top to my ear, but except for the Spirits of the Air aria there isn't much coloratura. But 3 FF D6... no wonder so few singers sing the title role. Just a lot of gorgeous singing by all the singers. If nothing else, listen to the opening.


Perhaps I'm getting it confused with Le roi de Lahore?

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Sutherland, Aragall, Hughette and Grant did it at the San Francisco Opera in 1974 (some of the photos may have been from there); I don't really recall the music, but there were a lot of high notes, the costumes were made more sumptuous by the lighting design (lots of gold and other warm colors). Most of the cast listed in the program had an asterisk besides their name (* role debut)! 
The costume were executed in Milan, except for Miss Sutherland's, which we're made especially for her in New York. 
Since I was not a particular fan of Sutherland, I never acquired the recording, so my memory of the opera and its music have faded rapidly.

The opera was written, as I recall, for Sibyl Sanderson, soprano from Sacramento, California who had a wide range and great high notes. Besides *Esclarmonde* Massenet also wrote *Thais* for her.


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## Faramundo (Jul 16, 2016)

I'm a huge fan of Jules too (though it's recent). Esclarmonde and Sapho are not too high on my ranking but
I love Manon, Werther, Herodiade (pure marvel), Le Jongleur de Notre Dame and I relish Thais and Dom Quichotte
(though in the latter, the music is too far in the background to my taste)
What is recommend is the 16CD box by Erato.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

I finished listening to Esclarmonde today. As neither the world's hugest Massenet or Sutherland fan, whilst I enjoyed the listen and the singing, I was less than taken other than at the odd moment here and there. If I were being unkind I would call it a 'poor man's Le Cid'. I find the prologue and act one to be wispy doggerel and the opera doesn't quite get off the ground until the excellent act two where Massenet's exotic colouring conjures up Esclarmonde's magic island perfectly. The final two acts don't quite rise to those heights, but are better than the first. Of the Massenet operas I know it most reminded me of Le Cid (which I think is melodically and generally musically superior to this one).

However, it's down to taste to a certain degree. I adore bel canto and so would much rather listen to minor Donizetti or Rossini. For those who are Esclarmonde fans and would like more of the same, then I suggest searching out Le Cid if you don't know it already. (There is a decent recording with Domingo and Bumbry.) Alternatively there is another Sutherland Massenet recording, Le Roi de Lahore.

N.


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## mparta (Sep 29, 2020)

Esprit de feu!!! Great, over the top piece, Sutherland and Aragall. Aragall, even when he's flat.
I don't understand not being taken by the sweep and grandeur of this opera.
And le Roi de Lahore not quite up to that standard but still worth a hear
Love Massenet, Manon (expect a new recording of performances by Minkowski and Petibon and a good tenor I heard in Paris last year), Cendrillon, Esclarmonde, Werther, almost everything I hear, although I am a little deaf to the charms of Thais. I've never made much of an effort with Le Cid, so perhaps that can be repaired. Don Quichotte has a couple of great tunes and Jose Van Dam sings it, so what could go wrong? Herodiade I also didn't go back for a second listen, things to be done.
I do remember not returing to Cherubin despite the presence of Von Stade. Hmmmm.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

It’s a lovely opera. I’ve only listened to it twice and not recently , so I’ll queue it up and have another listen soon to see how it compares to the other Massenet operas I enjoy


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## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

Massenet may not scale the heights of other composers, but given a decent cast you won't feel cheated by any of his operas, I pulled out my copy of Esclarmonde (thank you Seattleoperafan) and had a great time. What a pleasure to hear Tourangeau again and I forgot how much fun it is to try and follow Sutherland in the Libretto.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Rangstrom said:


> Massenet may not scale the heights of other composers, but given a decent cast you won't feel cheated by any of his operas, I pulled out my copy of Esclarmonde (thank you Seattleoperafan) and had a great time. What a pleasure to hear Tourangeau again and I forgot how much fun it is to try and follow Sutherland in the Libretto.


You call it fun. I called it frustrating. Sometimes the sounds she emits appear to have no relation whatsoever to what's on the printed page! :devil:

*Esclarmonde* is one of those operas I had in my LP days and never replaced on CD (*Le roi de Lahore* is another). Quite aside from finding the music flashy but empty, I found it really annoying that if I looked up from the libretto it would take me ages to find my place again whenever Sutherland was singing.

I do like some of Massenet's operas, but I'm not much into these big, spectacular pieces or the sentmentally religioso ones. My favourites are *Manon*, *Werther*, *Cendrillon* and *Chérubin*. I seem to remember quite enjoying *Don Quichotte* too. Mind you, he was very prolific. Most of his operas I've never seen or heard.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> I found it really annoying that if I looked up from the libretto it would take me ages to find my place again whenever Sutherland was singing.


Blame is on Bonynge, methinks. He is famous for meddling with the scores but we wouldn't be able to judge for ourselves had he never tried to make these (legendary and rightfully so) recordings. I keep both (Esclarmonde and Le Roi de Lahore) and it's very satisfying to whip out a CD and enjoy some of the delightful excesses of these Massenet works. Not an everyday listen though, on this we can agree at least


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> You call it fun. I called it frustrating. Sometimes the sounds she emits appear to have no relation whatsoever to what's on the printed page! :devil:
> 
> *Esclarmonde* is one of those operas I had in my LP days and never replaced on CD (*Le roi de Lahore* is another). Quite aside from finding the music flashy but empty, I found it really annoying that if I looked up from the libretto it would take me ages to find my place again whenever Sutherland was singing.
> 
> I do like some of Massenet's operas, but I'm not much into these big, spectacular pieces or the sentmentally religioso ones. My favourites are *Manon*, *Werther*, *Cendrillon* and *Chérubin*. I seem to remember quite enjoying *Don Quichotte* too. Mind you, he was very prolific. Most of his operas I've never seen or heard.


"flashy but empty", that's my feeling too. I don't know Don Quichotte or Cherubin (aside from one aria). I will give them a listen since they have been recommended by others with similar tastes to me.

I like Thais more than you do, but agree with you about Fleming's undertaking of the role (a singer I normally do not like). Do you know Le Cid?

N.

P.S. I also like Cendrillon, but not as an audio only experience. The DiDonato DVD is superb!


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

The Conte said:


> "flashy but empty", that's my feeling too. I don't know Don Quichotte or Cherubin (aside from one aria). I will give them a listen since they have been recommended by others with similar tastes to me.
> 
> I like Thais more than you do, but agree with you about Fleming's undertaking of the role (a singer I normally do not like). Do you know Le Cid?
> 
> ...


The only bit I know of *Le Cid* is Callas's glorious rendering of Chimène's _Pleurez mes yeux_. There's a recording with Domingo and Bumbry, isn't there?

I like the audio recording of *Cendrillon*, but mainly for Von Stade's lovely Cendrillon. I have no idea why Rudel elected to cast a tenor as the Prince, even if it is Nicolai Gedda.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Tsaraslondon said:


> The only bit I know of *Le Cid* is Callas's glorious rendering of Chimène's _Pleurez mes yeux_. There's a recording with Domingo and Bumbry, isn't there?
> 
> I like the audio recording of *Cendrillon*, but mainly for Von Stade's lovely Cendrillon. I have no idea why Rudel elected to cast a tenor as the Prince, even if it is Nicolai Gedda.


Both Sutherland and Callas sing it well and it needs a really big voice. It is one of the most beautiful arias I have ever heard. Very emotional and thrilling by both prima donnas.




 This is the version of the Le Cid aria by Sutherland and one of the best arias for showing how gargantuan her voice could be. It is one of my favorite arias by her.


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

Tsaraslondon said:


> The only bit I know of *Le Cid* is Callas's glorious rendering of Chimène's _Pleurez mes yeux_. There's a recording with Domingo and Bumbry, isn't there?
> 
> I like the audio recording of *Cendrillon*, but mainly for Von Stade's lovely Cendrillon. I have no idea why Rudel elected to cast a tenor as the Prince, even if it is Nicolai Gedda.


Yes and I like the opera on the whole, there is a certain amount of generic filler there, but the ballet music is very fine and there is also the tenor aria 'O souverain' as well as Chimene's splendid one.

I listened to the Plasson don Quichotte and greatly enjoyed it, however after listening to excerpts of the Decca recording it sounds the better performance. That's going on my wishlist! Cherubin next.

N.


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## MAS (Apr 15, 2015)

Here's San Francisco Opera's *Esclarmonde*, everyone in the cast's debut in their roles. The production traveled to the Metropolitan Opera in 1976, and to Covent Garden in 1983, all with Sutherland.


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## damianjb1 (Jan 1, 2016)

I had a listen to it following your suggestion. I've enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. Lots of great tunes, glorious singing. I love the organ. It's great fun.


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