It may have become obscure, but, as Ethan Mordden writes in his book "Opera in the Twentieth Century", this was "the only post-War Two French opera to have a commercial success". 100 performances in Paris 1962-1963. The tenor in this cast has a great voice that really cuts through Bécaud's heavy orchestration-the best vocal performance I've heard of this. Same for the soprano. These are VERY taxing roles. I just wish the conductor had given Old Man Mac Creagh a little more breathing room in his wonderful pop aria. It's hard enough even at the tempo on the original recording. Some of the staging is quite inventive, too.
Terrific, dramatic and the end a tier jerker finale
the most under received and performed opera, this is a very dramatic and the music is very much to the mood of the scene.
Bravo Gilbert Becaud.
It may have become obscure, but, as Ethan Mordden writes in his book "Opera in the Twentieth Century", this was "the only post-War Two French opera to have a commercial success". 100 performances in Paris 1962-1963. The tenor in this cast has a great voice that really cuts through Bécaud's heavy orchestration-the best vocal performance I've heard of this. Same for the soprano. These are VERY taxing roles. I just wish the conductor had given Old Man Mac Creagh a little more breathing room in his wonderful pop aria. It's hard enough even at the tempo on the original recording. Some of the staging is quite inventive, too.