Un bal masqué

Description

We must agree that the argument of a Bal masqué, composed in the years that also saw the emergence of Tristan as well as Orphée aux enfers, is not the most penetrating, not least due to the weight of censorship on the libretto. However, let’s take it for what it is, primarily in the spirit of the composer, namely a pretext for music and particularly for singing, necessarily navigating between genres. In this regard, the music lover will be well served by this beautiful live recording at the Vienna Opera in April 2016, under the baton of Jesus Lopez Cobos. It is indeed a musical celebration that he will be invited to, thanks to a stellar cast featuring the obvious brilliance of Piotr Beczala and Krassimira Stoyanova, but also a joy to see the great Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who was finally able to return to the stage for a brief respite before illness took its toll. One will also be equally impressed by Nadia Krasteva's Ulrica, haunting as desired, and enchanted by Hila Fahima's Oscar. The audience obviously participates in this celebration with increasingly enthusiastic and well-deserved applause.