Meyerbeer: Le Prophète

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Recorded live in concert at Festival d'Aix-en-Provence in 2023, this album sees the London Symphony Orchestra and conductor Sir Mark Elder join forces with Lyon Opera Chorus, Maîtrise des Bouches-du-Rhône, the Mediterranean Youth Orchestra, and an incredible cast of soloists to bring to life Meyerbeer's visionary historical drama, "Le Prophète".

The opera is loosely based on a true story. In the 1500s, a charismatic innkeeper is converted to Anabaptism by itinerant preachers. After becoming a preacher himself, John of Leiden came to Münster and established a tyrannical rule, renaming it Jerusalem and proclaiming himself king, before later being killed.

Add to this a bride who is a fighter, and the most formidable mother figure ever shown on an operatic stage, and "Le Prophète" is the quintessential grand opera—a spectacular large-scale work that made the Paris Opera the leading stage in Europe, and Meyerbeer a composer admired and envied by the greatest. The first performances at Paris Opera were also notable for being the first time that electrical lighting was used at that theatre, to suggest a sunrise – a process specially created by the French physicist Léon Foucault and photographer Jules Duboscq.

"An indisputable highlight of the festival was July 15's concert performance of "Le Prophète". […] The evening was broadcast live on Radio France, but the achievement of Elder and everyone else here deserves wider currency and it would be tragic if a recording was not forthcoming" – Opera Magazine

"This was certainly a night to remember" – OperaWire

Composer Giacomo Meyerbeer
Conductor Sir Mark Elder
Performers London Symphony Orchestra, John Osborn (Jean de Leyde), Elizabeth DeShong (Fidès), Mané Galoyan (Berthe), James Platt (Zacharie), Edwin Crossley-Mercer (Count Oberthal), Guilhem Worms (Mathisen), Valerio Contaldo (Jonas), Maxime Melnik (First Anabaptist), David Sánchez (Second Anabaptist), Hugo Santos (Peasant), Lyon Opera Chorus, Maîtrise des Bouches-du-Rhône (Children's Choir), Mediterranean Youth Orchestra

Le Prophète - Volume 1

  1. Acte I - No. 1a, Prélude et chœur pastoral. "La brise est muette"
  2. Acte I - No. 1 bis (A), Cavatine. "Voici l'heure où sans alarmes"
  3. Acte I - No. 2, Scène (après la Cavatine). "Fidès, ma bonne mère"
  4. Acte I - No. 3a, Récitatif. "Quels sont ces hommes noirs"
  5. Acte I - No. 3b, Le Prêche anabaptiste. "Ad nos, ad salutarem undam"
  6. Acte I - No. 3b, Le Prêche anabaptiste. "Ainsi ces beaux châteaux?"
  7. Acte I - No. 4a, Récitatif. "Le comte d'Oberthal, le seigneur châtelain!"
  8. Acte I - No. 4b, Romance. "Un jour dans les flots de la Meuse"
  9. Acte I - No. 5, Récitatif et Final. "Eh quoi"
  10. Acte II - No. 6, Valse villageoise. "Valsons toujours"
  11. Acte II - No. 7, Le Récit du songe. "Ami, quel nuage obscurcit ta pensée?"
  12. Acte II - No. 8, Pastorale. "Pour Berthe moi je soupire"
  13. Acte II - No. 9, Scène. "Il partent!"
  14. Acte II - No. 10, Arioso. "Ah! Mon fils"
  15. Acte II - No. 11a, Scène. "Ô fureur!"
  16. Acte II - No. 11b, Quatuor. "Gémissant sous le joug"
  17. Acte II - No. 11b, Quatuor. "Et la couronne"

Le Prophète - Volume 2

  1. Acte III - No. 12a, Entracte.
  2. Acte III - No. 12b, Chœur des anabaptistes. "Du sang!"
  3. Acte III - No. 13a, Couplets de Zacharie. "Aussi nombreux"
  4. Acte III - No. 13b, Scène. "Voici la fin du jour!"
  5. Acte III - No. 14a, L'Arrivée des patineurs. "Voici les fermières"
  6. Acte III - No. 14b, Pantomime.
  7. Acte III - No. 15a, Premier Air de ballet. Valse.
  8. Acte III - No. 15b, Deuxième Air de ballet. Pas de la Redowa.
  9. Acte III - No. 15c, Troisième Air de ballet. Quadrille des patineurs.
  10. Acte III - No. 15d, Quatrième Air de ballet. Galop.
  11. Acte III - No. 15e, Scène (après la danse). "Livrez vous au repos, frères"
  12. Acte III - No. 16b, Scène. "Quel air pensif et soucieux"
  13. Acte III - No. 17, Chœur des soldats révoltés. "Par toi Münster, nous fut promis"
  14. Acte III - No. 18a, Scène. "Qui vous a, sans mon ordre"
  15. Acte III - No. 18b, Prière. "Dieu puissant!"
  16. Acte III - No. 18c, Récitatif. "Grand Prophète, ton peuple se relève et tu règnes!"
  17. Acte III - No. 19, Hymne triomphal. "À Münster! Roi du ciel et des anges"
  18. Acte IV - No. 21, Complainte de la mendiante. "Donnez pour une pauvre âme"
  19. Acte IV - No. 22a, Scène. "Un pauvre pèlerin!"
  20. Acte IV - No. 22b, Duo. "Pour garder à ton fils"
  21. Acte IV - No. 22b, Duo. "Un matin"


Le Prophète - Volume 3

  1. Acte IV - No. 23, Marche du sacre.
  2. Acte IV - No. 24a, Finale. Prière et imprécation. "Domine, salvum fac"
  3. Acte IV - No. 24b, Chœur d'enfants et chœur général. "Le voilà, le Roi Prophète!"
  4. Acte IV - No. 24c, Couplets et morceau d'ensemble. "Je suis, hélas"
  5. Acte IV - No. 24d, L'Exorcisme. "Arrêtez!"
  6. Acte V - No. 25, Entracte et Scène. "Ainsi vous l'attestez?"
  7. Acte V - No. 26a, Scène. "Ô prêtres de Baal"
  8. Acte V - No. 26b, Cavatine. "Ô toi qui n'abandonnes"
  9. Acte V - No. 26c, Air. "Femme, prosterne-toi"
  10. Acte V - No. 27, Scène et Grand Duo. "Ma mère!"
  11. Acte V - No. 27, Scène et Grand Duo. "Eh bien!"
  12. Acte V - No. 28a, Scène. "Voici le souterrain!"
  13. Acte V - No. 28b, Trio. "Ah! Combien ma douleur fut amère"
  14. Acte V - No. 28b, Trio. "Ô spectre épouvantable!"
  15. Acte V - No. 28c, Récitatif. "Morte! Partez!"
  16. Acte V - No. 29a, Finale. Bacchanale. Chœur dansé. "Hourra!"
  17. Acte V No. 29b, Couplets bachiques. "Versez! Que tout respire"

Release Date 28 June 2024
LSO0894 | 0822231189428

Producer Stephen Johns
Engineers Jonathan Stokes (balance engineer); Neil Hutchinson and Josh Whittaker (recording engineers) for Classic Sound Ltd
Recorded 15 July 2023, live at the Grand Théâtre de Provence, for the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, France

Booklet in English, French & German

ALAC - Stereo 24bit 96kHz - Compatible with Apple devices (MacOS and iOS)
FLAC - Stereo 24bit 96kHz - Compatible with Windows and Android devices
MP3 - Stereo 320kbps - Universal compatibility
SACD - Stereo & 5.1 multi-channel - Compatible with all CD players

Available on streaming services

Reviews

“

‘On every count, it’s difficult to imagine this weird and wonderful score sounding better.’

- Presto Music, Recording of the Week
“

‘[Sir Mark Elder’s] nuanced approach to the music allows the London Symphony Orchestra to convey the work’s moments of exquisite beauty and emotional depth, resulting in a performance that is as impressive in its scope as it is captivating in its subtlety. Equally as commanding are Elder’s vocal soloists, who capably rise to Meyerbeer’s myriad technical and theatrical challenges.’

- Parterre Box
“

Performance ★★★★★ Recording ★★★★★
‘Elder and the LSO bring unerring musical conviction to a performance recorded at the Aix Festival in 2023… All credit to the Lyon Opéra chorus who have much to sing, but it’s the soloists who make Meyerbeer and the leading trio are cast from strength. [Elizabeth DeShong’s] is a voice that without the libretto’s promise of high explosives could destroy Münster Palace in the final scene singlehandedly!’

- BBC Music Mag, Opera & Stage Choice