For all its exotically tinged, trademark Orientalism, so fashionable in late-19th-century France, Delibe's opera Lakmé is at heart a simple story of tragically misplaced love. This marvelous

Delibes Lakmé
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For all its exotically tinged, trademark Orientalism, so fashionable in late-19th-century France, Delibe's opera Lakmé is at heart a simple story of tragically misplaced love. This marvelous and sensitively wrought interpretation renders the intensity of that love story with a surprising emotional credibility. Conductor Michel Plasson allows the music's arching melodies to breathe and unfold leisurely, like a lovingly cultivated floral display; he even discovers hidden nuances within the formulaic fluff that pads Delibe's score. And his vision is shared by the outstanding principals here. As the titular Hindu princess, Natalie Dessay gives a jewel-like performance, full of stunningly shaped phrases and tapered notes that sound like spun silk (and one that can favorably compare with Joan Sutherland's account on London). Yet she also offers substance where others are satisfied with mere vocal beauty, conveying both the fatal innocence of her character and an intense capacity to suffer. Gregory Kunde portrays the English interloper Gerald with moving tenderness, while he manages the high tessitura of the part with elegance and flexibility. There's a sense of shared vulnerability that the pair bring to their first duet, one of several unforgettable touches on this recording. The cast is filled out with rich characterizations, most notably José Van Dam's imposingly authoritarian Nilakantha. The subtle intimacy of detail Plasson inspires throughout as well as the fine engineering makes this recording a winner. --Thomas May
Country USA
Brand Warner Classics
Manufacturer Warner Classics
Binding Audio CD
ItemPartNumber 724355656926
Model 724355656926
ReleaseDate 1998-08-31
UnitCount 2
UPCs 791305021615
EANs 0791305021615

Country	USA
Brand	Warner Classics
Manufacturer	Warner Classics
Binding	Audio CD
ItemPartNumber	724355656926
Model	724355656926
ReleaseDate	1998-08-31
UnitCount	2
UPCs	791305021615
EANs	0791305021615

Delibes Lakmé

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