Le Villi
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Performer: Ludovic TezierComposer: Giacomo Puccini
Conductor: Marco Guidarini
Orchestra: Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
Performer: Melanie Diener
Performer: Aquiles Machado
Performer: Guy Comentale
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2003-10-21
Music Label: Naive
Free Music Notes for Le Villi
Free Music Review: A must for Puccini lovers
Hit: 5 Stars
This is an enjoyable recording of Puccini's first opera, and a must for any Puccini fan wanting to survey the progress of his work. The CD liner booklet gives the historical context and full libretto in Italian, French, and English.
I am also including Robert Levine's commentary (found on Arkivmusic.com) which I consider very helpful:
"Le Villi was Puccini's first opera, and while it contains some fine music--a soprano romanza that's as lovely as anything he later wrote, a handsome (if predictable) soprano/tenor duet, an exciting ensemble, a big-throated tenor aria--the plot is so poorly laid out that it's unstageworthy. It essentially covers the same ground as the ballet Giselle: a man forsakes his bride-to-be, she dies of grief, her father feels vengeful, her spirit joins the ghostly Willis, and together she and the Willis get the man to dance himself to death. The problem with the opera is that most pivotal moments take place off-stage: we presume that Roberto has been seduced into abandoning Anna; we hear that Anna dies. To fill in the blanks in the music and text Puccini awkwardly supplies a narrator at the start of Act 2.
This performance, taped live in Paris in December, 2002, is excellent. Melanie Diener is a lovely Anna, doing as much with the role as possible, and Aquiles Machado shows himself to be an excellent, full, lyric tenor, singing with expressivity and ringing tone. Baritone Ludovic T?zier uses his somewhat dry voice well as the grief-stricken father; a bit more Italianate juice would have been welcome. Sylvie David tells us the plot's missing bits (Tito Gobbi did the more melodramatic honors for Sony). Marco Guidarini leads the forces of Radio France with true excitement. This is recommended for all Puccini lovers." --Robert Levine
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