Manon / Beverly Sills, Gedda, Souzay, Bacquier; Rudel

The cat of this "Manon" is wonderful. It was a role that was perfectly suited to Beverly Sills. She was a tremendous personality and promoter of opera in America, but first of all she was a fabulous soprano. Nicolai Gedda is now departed this life as well. While he may not have been the most famous operatic tenor, he was the greatest musician and linguist of his time and since then as well.

Both the Moffo broadcast from the Met and the Renee Fleming are better. Sills is adequate, Gedda phones it in. My least favorite of many Manons. As a wiseacre NY opera queen once said, " Beverly Sills was a 2nd rate singer with a 3rd rate career and 4th rate fans."

I'm so glad I bought this performance after reading some of the comments here. The gorgeous Massenet music is sung and played wonderfully here. The chorus soars and is downright thrilling to hear. I guess nothing ever pleases everyone so I note some negative criticisms among listeners. As far as I am concerned this is a version I will enjoy again and again. Shine it on Sills, Gedda and Rudel et al delivering a performance that affirms why it's called "grand opera.".

One of Beverly Sills's greatest roles. I have worn three vinyl and one cassette of this opera and now have a new cd. Any fan of Sills and French Repetoire will love this version of a truly great opera.

I was very pleased with the CD of Manon starring Beverly Sills. The quality was good and the voices were brilliant.

I'm surprised this opera is not performed in the US more -- it's fabulous. This recording is the best -- clear and lush -- all the singers are wonderful and the instrumentals and chorals just make you want to 'conduct' and sing along with vigor. Even people who don't like opera will love this.

Despite the remarks of the know-nothing Mr. Anastos, this is a great recording, showcasing the brilliant linguistic and stylistic sensitivity of Sills and Gedda, who knew how to shape and savor the French language and Massenet's music. If only Sutherland and her ilk paid such attention to words.

This studio recording of Jules Massenet's Manon is undoubtedly the ultimate studio recording. The sound quality is excellent, the singers deliver a beautiful as well as dramatic performance and the musis score leaps with life under the baton of Maestro Julius Rudel. This recording is now out of stock but you can get it on Z-shops. I'm quite sure there is a misprint for the price, since I doubt that 120 dollars is the price. If it is the price for the album, that has got to mean the album is truly incredible and worth buying. This recording was made in the late 1970's and originally an LP. Beverly Sills was by this time a singer whose retirement from the opera scene was forthcoming - she retired in 1982 to work as administrator for the New York City Opera and for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. Don't be put off by her age. She is still doing a terrific job here. Manon may be difficult to sing for most sopranos today but for Beverly Sills, the French repertoire in opera was always the easiest to sing.Everything that marked Beverly Sill's talents in French opera are here-the richness of her voice, the legato and incredible control of breath to sing the smooth vocal lines, the stratospheric coloratura high notes. For Manon, Beverly Sills won a Grammy Award. When an opera singer wins a Grammy, that's an indication of how truly talented her performance really is. Swedish tenor Nicolai Gedda sings the romantic lead in this one. As Des Grieux, he is tender yet masculine, his voice is the epitome of lyric tenor de grazie vocal manner. Other than Gedda, Placido Domingo possesses this great singing style. Nicolai Gedda has been paired with Beverly Sills before - namely in Verdi's La Traviata in another 70's recording availble on EMI label as well as the Opera Dog Library book-cd series. Baritone Bacquier is in top form, singing with his usual dark lower register a la Samuel Ramey. Bacquier has been famous for his baritone vocals in opera performances and recordings that feature Joan Sutherland, including Offenbach's Tales Of Hoffman. It is quite evident that Bacquier mastered the French baritone voice. At best, this recording boasts of singers who can really deliver the true essence of French lyric opera, which was Jules Massenet's specialty. I recommend this cd to the lover of French opera, and of course if you're a fan of Beverly Sills or Nicolai Gedda. Prior to this recording, Beverly Sills had sung the role of Manon numerous times on stage in live performances. She sang with Placido Domingo (as Des Grieux) in the New York City Opera and she also sang the role at Wolf Trap. There is a video of this performance circulating somewhere around but it's very hard to find.Jules Massenet based the libretto on a French novel by Abbe Prevost. The heroine Manon is a materialistic, ambitious, glittering lady of leisure who charms the gallant Des Grieux but discards him when a better offer of financial security comes along. The setting is Paris in the 18th century. And from the lack of insecurity in the city's mood it's quite clear it's set in the care-free days before the Revolution when the aristocracy was free to gamble in parlors, dance in ballrooms and take lovers even among the lower classes. The decadence of this time is captured perfectly in Massenet's music. Des Grieux, crushed by Manon's abandon, decides to take up the mantle and become a priest. But Manon enters his life once again and he is still madly in love with her. And this time, Manon has fallen for him. But this opera and not just any opera, romantic, tragic opera so you can only guess how it turns out. That's right. She dies in his arms in much the same vein as Verdi's La Traviata. A great recording. Great singers. Great music.

Excellent

Cet enregistrement intégral du chef d'œuvre de Massenet est en tout point remarquable.Beverly Sills, dont c'était le rôle préféré, est une Manon de rêve. Sa voix est pure, ample, chargée d'émotions. Quelle facilité dans ses aigus chargés de décibels et qui vous mettent dans un état second. Sa diction est bonne et son interprétation sans faille.A ses côtés Nicolaï Gedda est un grand Chevalier des Grieux. Sa voix généreuse fait toujours autant merveille.Gérard Souzay (Lescaut), Gabriel Bacquier (Le Comte des Grieux) et Michel Trempont (De Brétigny) n'ont aucune peine à rejoindre le duo de tête.Julius Rudel dirige le New Philarmonia Orchestra tout à la fois avec force, entrain et légèreté. Du grand art.L'enregistrement qu'il faut absolument se procurer.

Tres abime