“…Thanks to superb sound engineering that never dilutes the dramatic element, a great cast of musicians this enthralling recording, along with its excellent booklet and overall presentation, is a more than welcome addition to the catalogues.”

“… the performance is in the highly experienced hands of Mark Elder... Here he conducts one of the world’s great orchestras, the London Symphony, whose wind players, in particular, demonstrate conspicuous mastery and sensitivity in solo passages strewn throughout the work… The main singers here put the work across fluently and convincingly. Elizabeth DeShong … a firmly voiced and persuasive Fidès, the single most distinctive role in the opera… Armenian-born and -trained lyric soprano Mané Galoyan (the Berthe here) is a new name to me: she and John Osborn both show a natural grasp of French style and an ability to shift smoothly from delicate to stentorian singing and back, touching all kinds of gradations along the way. Galoyan’s brief passages of coloratura, I should add, are tossed off with exquisite ease (as are DeShong’s!)…”

“…Mark Elder and the London Symphony Orchestra bring great panache to a pick-and-mix score — Elder finding bel canto delicacy in more intimate passages while having a rock-solid grip of the set pieces. The highlight is a coronation scene …” ****

“… it’s hard to imagine the piece being better performed. Recorded live in concert at Festival d’Aix-en-Provence in 2023, this set has London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Sir Mark Elder and a forceful cast of soloists energising Meyerbeer’s visionary historical drama.”

Opera & Stage Choice

Performance *****      Recording *****

“… Elder and the LSO bring Unerring musical conviction to a performance recorded at the Aix Festival in 2023…”

 “… The music is opulent and pleasing and is shown to its best advantage in this performance. The American tenor John Osborn impresses with a much differentiated portrayal of the title role. His Jean de Leyde shines not only with vocal splendor, but also with fine mezza voce singing … The American mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong has a powerful voice, a present depth and a radiant timbre in the upper ranges. Her portrayal of the prophet’s mother Fidès is full of character and intensity… Mané Galoyan is an excellent Berthe … The choir of the Opéra de Lyon impresses with its committed and voluminous singing … The opulent London Symphony Orchestra under Mark Elder also makes a significant contribution to the success of this performance…” *****

Recording of the Week

“…  this surely must be the new reference recording for this strange and mesmerising work: set aside three hours when the neighbours are out, crank the stereo up to max and revel in its glories.”