Ma Verite [Import]

Track Listings

 
1. J'aurais Pu Dire
2. Les Miens
3. En Feu De DÉTresse
4. Ghetto Super Classe
5. Jusqu'À Quand Et Jusqu'oÙ ?
6. C'est Votre Choix
7. Jusqu'au Bout
8. Je Revendique
9. Universel
10. SincÉRitÉ
11. Hardcore 2005
12. La Vie C'est
13. Nos RÊVes
14. Combien ?

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The Second Studio Album from the French Hip-hop Star. The 15 Tracks Include 'j'aurais Pu Dire', Ghetto Super Classe', 'hardcore 2005' and Others.

Ma Verite,Kery James,Warner,World Music
Ma Verite
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Ma Verite
  • One of the best from the legendary Nana Mouskouri.
  • a slection of mellow to somewhat lively songs in french.
  • Magnificent. Simply Magnificent.
 Ma Verite
Nana Mouskouri
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | International | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
ClassicClassic | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
Traditional PopTraditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Dans le Soleil et Dans le Vent
  2. Vielles Chansons de France
  3. La Dame De Coeur
  4. The Classical Nana
  5. Nuestras Canciones

ASIN: B000001FFL
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Recuerdos
  2. Je Reviens Chez Nous
  3. Toute La Nuit
  4. Ou Va L'Amour
  5. Ma Verite
  6. Berceuse
  7. Mama Leone (Au Bar De L'amitie)
  8. Repondez-Moi
  9. Mon Dieu
  10. Au Jardin Du Temps Qui Passe
  11. L'Amour En Heritage

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Ma Verite.......2001-09-16

Absolutly some of the most beautiful music you'll ever hear. It's all in French, but it doesn't matter. All it will do is make you want to learn how to speak French. I was given a tape of a copied CD and had to buy the CD. If you like this one then also get THE FRENCH ALBUM by Celine Dion. Very similiar voices. The music on both is gorgeous....sticks with you and you wind up humming it to yourself all day.

5 out of 5 stars One of the best from the legendary Nana Mouskouri........1999-07-07

It's all here: style, clarity, feeling, and voice. Mouskouri sings a great variety of songs in her unique style and with her stunningly beautiful voice. Definately an album to buy and to cherish.

5 out of 5 stars a slection of mellow to somewhat lively songs in french........1998-07-15

I ordered this CD recently through Amazon.Com. It has everything a fan of Nana Mouskouri like my self would hope for. Fantastic voice and orchestrations and even the words have much meaning. Pour ceux qui parlent le francais...les paroles des chansons sont inclus!

5 out of 5 stars Magnificent. Simply Magnificent........1998-07-10

Clear, on tone, exciting, "I could swear I've heard that before" (but done not as well). From the first track, I sat enchanted by her voice. Multiple styles are here - even up-beat classical!
Offenbach - Les Contes d'Hoffmann / Alagna, van Dam, Dessay, Vaduva, Jo, Lascarro, Dubosc, Ragon, Sénéchal, Bacquier, Lamprecht, Nagano
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not a flawless version, but one to be REALLY loved
  • The best of a mediocre-to-bad lot
  • Hoffman contines to elude the recording world
  • Excellent but not definitive
  • O Dieu, de quelle ivresse embrasse-tu mon âme?
 Offenbach - Les Contes d'Hoffmann / Alagna, van Dam, Dessay, Vaduva, Jo, Lascarro, Dubosc, Ragon, Sénéchal, Bacquier, Lamprecht, Nagano
Jacques Offenbach , Roberto Alagna , Natalie Dessay , Kent Nagano , Choeur et Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Lyon , Leontina Vaduva , Sumi Jo , José van Dam , Catherine Dubosc , Gilles Ragon , Gabriel Bacquier , Doris Lamprecht , and Juanita Lascarro
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by OffenbachAll Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Alagna, RobertoAlagna, Roberto | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
RomancesRomances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
FrenchFrench | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Donizetti: Lucie de Lammermoor; Natalie Dessay, Roberto Alagna
  2. Russian Album

ASIN: B000005E4D
Release Date: 1996-10-29

Tracks:

  1. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Prelude - Kent Nagano
  2. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Act 1, Scene 1: Glou! Glou! - Kent Nagano
  3. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets de la muse: La verite, dit-on, sortait d'un puits - Kent Nagano
  4. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Elle est sur la scene, un peuple l'acclame - La Muse - Kent Nagano
  5. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 2: Le conseiller Lindorf, morbleu! - Lindorf, Andres - Kent Nagano
  6. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 3: Vayons? Pour Hoffmann! - Kent Nagano
  7. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets: Dans les roles d'amoureux - Kent Nagano
  8. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Deux heures devant moi - Scene 4: Vite, vite, qu'on se remue! - Lindorf, Luther - Kent Nagano
  9. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 5: Choeur des Etudiants - Drig, drig - Kent Nagano
  10. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Vrai Dieu! Mes amis - Kent Nagano
  11. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Eh! Luther! Ma grosse tonne - Lindorf, Luther, Nathanael, Hermann, Wolfram, Wilhelm - Kent Nagano
  12. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 6: Bonjour, amis! - Kent Nagano
  13. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets and Andante: Va pour Kleinzach! - Kent Nagano
  14. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Peuh! Cette biere est detestable! - Kent Nagano
  15. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Duo: Et par ou votre Diablerie - Kent Nagano
  16. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Simple echange de politesse - Kent Nagano
  17. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Je vous dis, moi - Kent Nagano
  18. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ma maitresse? - Kent Nagano
  19. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Final: Messieurs, on va lever le rideau! - Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Lindorf, Luther, Nathanael, Hermann, Wolfram, Wilhelm - Kent Nagano
  20. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Act 2: Entracte - Kent Nagano
  21. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 1: La! Dors en paix - Spalanzani - Scene 2: Ah! Bonjour! Enchacte! - Spalanzani, Hoffmann - Scene 3: Fais allumer partout! - Spalanzani, Cochenille - Kent Nagano
  22. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 4: Allons! Courage et confiance! - Kent Nagano
  23. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Pardieu! J'etais bien sur - Kent Nagano
  24. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Couplets: Une poupee aux yeux d'email - Nicklausse, Hoffmann - Kent Nagano
  25. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 5: C'est moi, Coppelius! - Kent Nagano
  26. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Je me nomme Coppelius - Kent Nagano
  27. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: J'ai deux jeux, de beaux yeux - Kent Nagano
  28. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Serviteur - Kent Nagano
  29. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Ange du ciel, est-ce bien toi? - Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Coppelius - Kent Nagano
  30. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 6: Hein! Vous! - Hoffmann, Coppelius, Spalanzani - Kent Nagano
  31. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 7: Choeur des Invites: Non aucun hote vraiment - Kent Nagano
  32. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Vous serez satisfaits, messieurs - Hoffmann, Spalanzani, Nicklausse - Kent Nagano
  33. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 8: Mesdames et Messieurs - Kent Nagano
  34. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Mesdames et Meisseurs, fiere de vos bravos - Kent Nagano
  35. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Air: Les oiseaux dans la charmille - Kent Nagano
  36. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Mon ami! Quel accent! - Hoffmann, Spalanzani, Nicklausse, Olympia, Cochenille - Kent Nagano
  37. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 9: Ils se sont eloignes! Enfin! - Kent Nagano
  38. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Vivre deux! - Kent Nagano
  39. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Tu me fuis? - Hoffmann, Olympia - Scene 10: Eh! morbleu! modere ton zele! - Hoffmann, Nicklausse - Kent Nagano
  40. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 11: Voleur! Brigand! Quelle deroute! - Coppelius - Kent Nagano
  41. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Scene 12: En place les danseurs - Kent Nagano
  42. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Voila! Assez, assez, ma fille - Kent Nagano
  43. Les Contes D' Hoffmann: Ah! Quoi? L'homme aux lunettes, la! - Spalanzani, Cochenille, Hoffmann, Olympia, Nicklausse, Coppelius - Kent Nagano

Tracks:

  1. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Act 3: Entracte - Jacques Offenbach
  2. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Elle a fui, la tourterelle - Antonia - Jacques Offenbach
  3. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Malheureuse enfant! - Crespel, Antonia - Scene 3: Desespoir! Tout a l'heure, encore! - Crespel - Scene 4: Frantz! n'ouvre a personne! - Crespel, Frantz - Jacques Offenbach
  4. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 5: Jour et nuit je me mets en quatre - Frantz - Jacques Offenbach
  5. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 6: Frantz, c'est ici! - Hoffmann, Frantz - Jacques Offenbach
  6. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 7: Enfin je vais savoir pourquoi - Jacques Offenbach
  7. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Romance: Vois sous l'archet fremissant - Jacques Offenbach
  8. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: C'est une chanson d'amour - Hoffmann, Antonia, Nicklausse - Jacques Offenbach
  9. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 8: Ah! Je le savais bien - Jacques Offenbach
  10. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ah! J'ai le bonheur dans l'ame - Jacques Offenbach
  11. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Pourtant, o ma fiancee - Jacques Offenbach
  12. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Viens la comme autrefois - Jacques Offenbach
  13. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Qu'as-tu donc? - Antonia, Hoffmann - Scene 9: Rien! J'ai cru qu'Hoffmann etait ici! - Hoffmann, Crespel, Frantz, Miracle - Jacques Offenbach
  14. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 10: Pour conjurer la danger - Jacques Offenbach
  15. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Allons, parle! et sois bref! - Jacques Offenbach
  16. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: J'ai la certains flacons - Miracle, Crespel, Hoffmann, Antonia - Jacques Offenbach
  17. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 11: Ne plus chanter - Hoffmann, Antonia - Jacques Offenbach
  18. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 12: Tu ne chanteras plus? - Jacques Offenbach
  19. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ah! Quelle est cette voix? - Jacques Offenbach
  20. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ta mere, oses-tu l'interroger? - Jacques Offenbach
  21. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Non! Assez! - Jacques Offenbach
  22. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ja cede au transport qui m'enivre! - Miracle, Antonia, La Voix - Jacques Offenbach
  23. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 13: Mon enfant, ma fille! - Crespel, Antonia, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Miracle - Jacques Offenbach

Tracks:

  1. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Act IV: Entracte - Jacques Offenbach
  2. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Messieurs, silence! - Jacques Offenbach
  3. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Recit et Chant bachique: Et moi, ce n'est pas la - Jacques Offenbach
  4. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Amis, l'amour tendre et reveur - Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Giulietta - Jacques Offenbach
  5. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Je vois qu'on est en fete! - Schlemil, Giulietta, Pitchinaccio, Hoffmann - Scene 3: Au premier reve je t'enleve - Nicklausse, Hoffmann - Jacques Offenbach
  6. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 4: Tourne, tourne, miroir - Dapertutto - Jacques Offenbach
  7. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 5: Cher ange! - Dapertutto, Giulietta - Jacques Offenbach
  8. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 6: Melodrame: Vivat! J'ai tout gagne! - Giulietta, Schlemil, Dapertutto - Jacques Offenbach
  9. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 7: Giulietta, palsembleu! - Jacques Offenbach
  10. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Air de Giulietta: Vous ne jouez pas? - Jacques Offenbach
  11. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Que dit-elle? - Jacques Offenbach
  12. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Giulietta, je vous jure! - Jacques Offenbach
  13. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Oui, fut-ce au prix de ma vie - Jacques Offenbach
  14. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Sextuor and Choeur: Helas! Je vais encore la suivre - Jacques Offenbach
  15. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Morbleu! - Jacques Offenbach
  16. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Il a ma cle - Jacques Offenbach
  17. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Ton ami dit vrai! - Jacques Offenbach
  18. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Romance: O Dieu, de quelle ivresse - Jacques Offenbach
  19. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Jusque-la, cependant - Jacques Offenbach
  20. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Si ta presence m'est ravie - Jacques Offenbach
  21. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ah! Tu m'as defiee - Giulietta, Hoffmann, Dapertutto, Pitchinaccio - Jacques Offenbach
  22. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Alerte, Hoffmann! - Jacques Offenbach
  23. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Voyez! Il n'a plus le moindre reflet! - Jacques Offenbach
  24. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Je n'aime pas qu'on me defie! - Jacques Offenbach
  25. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ainsi, tu mentais! - Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Dapertutto, Pitchinaccio, Giulietta - Jacques Offenbach
  26. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Act V: Entracte - Jacques Offenbach
  27. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 1: Choeur: Folie! Oublie tes douleurs - Jacques Offenbach
  28. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Voila quelle fut l'histoire - Jacques Offenbach
  29. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Choeur des Esprits et des Etudiants: Glou! Glou! - Hoffmann, Luther, Lindorf, Nathanael, Nicklausse - Jacques Offenbach
  30. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Scene 2: Stella, Stella! - Jacques Offenbach
  31. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Couplet: Pour le coeur de Phrygne - Jacques Offenbach
  32. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Denouement: Hola! Quelqu'un de fort pour emporter Hoffmann! - Jacques Offenbach
  33. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Ingrat! Et moi? - Jacques Offenbach
  34. Les Contes d'Hoffmann: Adieu! Je t'abandonne - Andres, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Stella, La Muse, Lindorf - Jacques Offenbach

Amazon.com

Of all the revisionist Hoffmanns, this one is the best, using the latest (and one trusts) last version of Michael Kaye's edition, based on sketches recently discovered for the unfinished opera. Most of the changes are in the Giulietta act; it now tracks better dramatically, and unlike some restoration attempts, its length is sensible. In the title role, Roberto Alagna is full of imaginative touches of characterization, singing the famous Kleinzach song with an intentional vocal roughness in a worthy effort to convey the Hoffmann's debauched state. As the mechanical doll Olympia, Natalie Dessay proves she's not only a phenomenal singer but a great comedienne. Kent Nagano deploys his Lyon Opera forces with great stylistic authority. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Not a flawless version, but one to be REALLY loved.......2006-05-09

This is a recording with significant highs and lows. But in overall it is an excellent account of this wonderfully tuneful and beloved opera.
First, about the edition. The Kaye edition restores a lot of music including recitatives written by Offenbach and a number of musical numbers. It also goes for the Guiraud recitatives which some versions totally omit and replace by the dialogues which Offenbach likely might have intended. Compared to, say, the historical Sutherland/Domingo/Bonynge version, this version is significantly longer and more substantial, musically speaking. With more than 30 minutes of music compared to the Bonynge edition, it is understandable why the Kaye version needs up to 3 CDs to bear the substantial amount of music.
While fans of Contes d'Hoffmann would likely be grateful at the ressurrection of so much musical material, I personally find this version sometimes just too painfully long. The Guiraud recitatives sometimes simply are bland and cause the opera to just drag along. Yes, Guiraud obviously has a lot of skills and bright ideas in these recitatives, mostly shown by the quoting of music by Offenbach in these recitatives to give the opera a better sense of unison. But compared to the simpler recitatives that Offenbach himself wrote, the Guiraud sometimes just seems aloof. Unless you really have a lot of time, you might want to stick to the more important musical numbers. Also, the new ending, with Hoffmann facing the Muse in the apotheose is a wonderful ensemble, with sounds from the church organ that gives the scene its necessary "holy" feel.
Now to the singers. Alagna has a masculine voice and is dramatically very effective. He also has a perfect French diction-crisp, idiomatic and a real joy to listen to. His instrument naturally is not very beautiful; and I personally find his Hoffmann a bit beefy and hysterical; but his good understanding of the role still helps him come across as a better Hoffmann. The best Hoffmann is in my opinion either Domingo or Schicoff.
The ladies are provided with quite a luxury cast. Natalie Dessay's Olympia is perhaps second only to Sutherland and Sills. To everyone who honors La Stupenda's E flats, listen: Dessay presents the role of the mechanical doll with FOUR Gs, yes 4 full-voiced, stunning, jaw-dropping Gs!!! Musically speaking, Dessay is not as comedic as Sutherland; her tone is a little thin and nasal but her coloratura and lovely portrayal of the role is simply untterly convincing.
Vaduva's Antonia is excellent: excellent diction, girly tone and very successfully portrays the youngsinger's vulnerability and sensibility. She however lacks power in the trio and that C sharp falls flat. Her "Elle a fui la tourterelle" is however wonderfully touching and moving. The best Antonia, in my opinion, is Victoria de Los Angeles. To one of the reviewers here, Vaduva is not a Slavic singer. She is a French singer of Romanian origin. A totally Latin singer!
Sumi Jo portrays a very convincing Giulietta with very believable spinto qualities, which she provides effectively with chaning in tone. The rediscovered coloratura, with a couple of E flats and spellbinding runs, well, brings the wonderful Korean coloratura soprano to her prime best. Her French is surprisingly idiomatic.
Lascarro's got a small role as Stella. I personally don't like her tone; but she is good enough in the beautiful apotheose ensemble.
Jose Van Dam's quartet villain almost matches Bacquier's famous portrayal. His voice is not as dark or evil-sounding as Bacquier's but still gives a top-notch interpretation. His doctor Miracle might have been the best on record if he took some of those melodramatic laughs in the Trio. His reluctance, combined with Vaduva's small voice, creates a flat Trio. This being said, the French bass's quartet of villains stills ranks among the undisputed best. My favorite villain quartet, Gabriel Bacquier has a cameo role here as Crespel, which he does a great job.
Gilles Ragon's a good tenor and his stuttering in the portrayal of Cochenille is very convincing. I however find him a bit too serious and heavy for these tenore buffo roles. The same can be said for Senechal's Spalanzani. Compared to Charon's Spalanzani on the Bonynge recording, he is very unfunny. The "brigand! Bandit!" quarrel after the destruction of the doll is bland and lifeless.
Catherine's Dubosc has a lovely voice and does great job as Nicklausse. There is nothing to criticize about her singing qualities. My only objection is that the casting of this trouser role for a soprano harms the overall balance of the opera: 5 soprano roles and 1 mezzo role (the voice of the mother): this is not a good balance. The Barcarolle duet, in particular, suffers from both a misbalance and a ridiculous fast tempo.
Kent Nagano's conducting does not have the solid tempos of Bonynge and sometimes overwhelms the singers: most notably in that C sharp of the Trio. But he has really interesting ideas and provides invaluable support.
With the exception of a bland Spalanzani, some strange tempos and the unusual length of the edition, this is a very good Hoffmann. Together with the Bonynge version, this is another very good all-around recording. The set is a tad expensive, but given the substantial amount of music and a very informative booklet, this is a recording to really consider. It will provide a lot of listening pleasures. You will not be disappointed.

4 out of 5 stars The best of a mediocre-to-bad lot.......2003-10-30

I have heard six recordings of "Hoffmann," an opera that is particularly dear to me for sentimental reasons. None of them are perfect, all have flaws, but on balance this is the best of the lot.

Now that musicologists have finished playing with the Mahler 10th Symphony (which ended rather well) and the Beethoven 10th (which ended rather badly), they have been taking a whack at "Hoffmann," rushing to revise music the composer never sanctioned and adding music found in buckets and boxes long after his death. My personal feeling was, if it ain't broke, don't fix it: you're not Offenbach, and to speak for him requires a tremendous amount of chutzpah. And a lot of the revisions, to my ear, simply do not work well, such as turning Giulietta into a coloratura soprano, spinning out an aria that ends much like Olympia's doll song as on this recording.

I'm also not fond of switching the Antonia and Giulietta acts from their traditional positions for both dramatic and musical reasons. To begin with, having the "tales" end with Antonia gives Hoffmann's character a certain sense of redemption that simply isn't there the other way. Also, the Giulietta act is musically the weakest: as primiarily an operetta composer, Offenbach simply had a hard time creating music for this act which is darker and more tensely dramatic than anything else in the work. The superp trio that climaxes the Antonia act, on the other hand, is one of the most brilliant and transcendent things he wrote.

That being said, there is much to admire in this set. Kent Nagano conducts briskly, which is his wont, thereby tying together the music in a cohesive and satisfying way where others (particularly Cluytens and Cambreling) sound slow and rambling. On the other hand, his chorus of the spirits, though light and brisk, just misses the rapt, enchanting sound achieved by Bonynge; and though it was probably Offenbach's intent to have only a few strings play the violin motif in the Antonia trio, they sound too thin, not sweeping or driven enough, for the dramatic situation. Nagano also conducts the famed "Barcarolle" at a shade-too-fast tempo, thus robbing the music of its mysterious charm (even Arthur Fiedler made a better recording of the instrumental version). These moments point to a lack of "theatricality" in Nagano's conducting style that Bonynge, Rudel and even Beecham managed to capture.

Alagna is not as suavely beautiful or haunting in the role as Robert Rounseville or Stuart Burrows were. This is something of an abrupt, nervous reading, though if one knows something about E.T.A. Hoffmann and his tales it is perfectly in keeping with his character. (I have yet, however, to see ANY tenor perform the role made up to LOOK like Hoffmann, a scrawny little man with a square jaw, popping eyes and a shock of unruly, frizzy hair. I guess no tenor really wants to look like that!)

This is unquestionably the finest performance Dessay has ever recorded: her voice is brilliant, in focus, on pitch and wonderfully secure. Only Bond in the Beecham performance and Sutherland come close, though I personally feel that Sutherland was funnier in the role. She had a real flair for comedy, whereas she did not possess enough personal warmth for Antonia or Giulietta.

The Sutherland recording also had the best "villains" in Gabriel Bacquier in his prime, but to my ears Van Dam is an excellent second. (Treigle, in the Sills set, was good but not great, his somewhat gruff voice rather overwhelimg the roles with too much histrionics.)

Vaduva has a pretty tone but your typical "Slavic wobble," more noticeable in the early and late parts of her act. For some reason, the voice is better focused in the middle sections, but she does not efface memories of de los Angeles who was the best Antonia ever.

Jo is surprisingly good as Giulietta: though her voice is even smaller than Dessay's, it had a fuller lyric sound in the mid-range which captured well on records. (I have beel told that her "live" career is just about over on stage as the voice is too small to carry in most modern theaters.) I liked Margherita Grandi in the old Beecham film, but a chesty, spinto Giulietta is apparently persona non grata in the new Michael Kaye edition of the work.

Dubosc is a good Nicklausse, though I preferred Tourangeau and the singer (I forget her name) from the Beecham film. Bacquier, with far less voice, is still predictably good as Crespel; the timeless Senechal is a classic Spalanzani; Ragon is an excellent Cochenille, not so memorable as Franz. (I miss Andrea Velis, the old Met comp, who was brilliant in these roles but was never recorded in them.) The other small roles range from excellent (Tezier as Schlemil) to poor (Juanita Lascarre as Stella).

An ideal modern "Hoffmann" would have Elisabeth Vidal as Olympia, Hong as Antonia, Fleming as Giulietta, Alvarez as Hoffmann, Rene Pape as the three villains, and someone like Pappano or Plasson conducting.....but we can dream all we want. The era of complete opera recordings, according to many inside sources, is over as we know it--even the Bobby & Angela act is being shelved--so we must pick from what we have, and this is simply the finest over all "Hoffmann" on record, with Bonynge's being a good second choice, though I do not like Domingo's hard-voiced, beefy Hoffmann.

4 out of 5 stars Hoffman contines to elude the recording world.......2001-10-03

This is a very good Hoffman, with the new edition of the score and a lot more music than in earlier editions. There is MUCH here to be admired and enjoyed as there is in the classic Domingo/Sutherland recording.

I prefer Domingo's more passionate Hoffman to Alagna's workmanlike effort, which is still quite fine.

On the other hand, having different female vocalists, as this recording does is preferable to my ear than having the same throughout as the Domingo/Sutherland recording does. The three female leads here range from good (Dessay) to excellent (Jo). Having heard Sumi Jo sing Olympia on record and in person, I find it hard to enjoy Dessay's quite as much. Jo is here as Antonia however.

No single recording of Hoffman is clearly preferable and listening to each is recommended. In the meanwhile, there is still an opening here for a more fully satisying Hoffman.

4 out of 5 stars Excellent but not definitive.......2001-04-20

This recording has given me many hours of listening pleasure. Pretty much every artist featured in it gives an excellent performance, and the greatness of Offenbach's opera is conveyed more fully than can be done by other performances that contain less of what he composed for "Hoffmann" before his untimely death. However, the recording has several specific faults that result in my giving it only 4 stars, even though it is among my favorite operatic recordings.

First, the good points. Listening to this recording one definitely thinks of the opera's characters rather than the artists portraying them.... I find Alagna's voice quite beautiful on this recording and feel that he portrays the character of Hoffmann with spectacular success....

Van Dam is one of the recording's great assets as the villains. The three main heroines are each memorable(.).......(Jo's) interpretation of Giulietta's long-lost coloratura aria is spectacular and features a spine-chilling moment in her climactic cadenza ...she sings a rising series of notes almost identical to one sung by Dessay as Olympia in Act II, emphasizing the connection of the heroines. ...Lascarro does a very good job in the small role of Stella (....Dubosc is excellent as the Muse and Nicklausse, giving a truly memorable performance of nearly the entire role. Unfortunately, Nicklausse's Antonia-act aria, arguably the artistic and emotional heart of the entire opera ...,seems somehow disappointing on this recording. Dubosc's voice does not cut through the orchestra as it should when she sings in her lower register, and as a result the aria fails to have the cathartic impact on me that it has when I have heard it in Metropolitan Opera broadcasts. .... Ragon gives an excellent, highly memorable performance in the four "grotesque" roles.

Now I may turn to the disappointing features of this recording. ....(T)his recording contains no extra-musical sound effects whatsoever. To a certain extent this is a valid approach to recording an opera. The problem is that "Hoffmann" contains an unusually high number of passages which were composed with the extra-musical sounds that would be heard from the stage in mind and which lack some of their intended impact without sound effects. The effectiveness of the students' drinking song is reduced when we don't hear them banging their glasses together and on the tables, and without the winding-up sound the pauses in Olympia's song when she runs down make less sense. We also should hear Coppelius smashing Olympia, Hoffmann and Schlemil moving around heavily as they duel, the death-gasp of another character who dies in the new ending of the Giulietta act (I won't spoil the unfamiliar twists of plot here), and various other sound effects which would add to the drama of the story. Moreover, Van Dam's villains never laugh except when their laughter is notated in the score, even though the libretto specifies some additional evil laughs, notably the one as Dr. Miracle disappears and Antonia falls dying at the end of the trio for Miracle, Antonia and the voice of Antonia's mother.

One of the main problems with the recording is that Van Dam, Ragon and Dubosc are the only performers to play multiple roles. Not only are the heroines played by four different sopranos, but none of the artists who play Luther and the students reappear in other roles in the acts devoted to Hoffmann's three stories. All of this goes against what are presumed to be Offenbach's wishes for his opera, despite the fact that this is a recording of Kaye's critical edition (in its "grand opera" version). Moreover, this recording was, unfortunately, made before Offenbach's own finished finale for the Giulietta act, written very shortly before his death, became available for inclusion in Kaye's edition. ....

Finally, it seems bizarre that the aria "Scintille, diamant," which has been one of the most popular numbers in the opera for a long time, is not included on this recording. ....

Despite these flaws, this recording is recommended. It is extremely enjoyable and represents the totality of Offenbach's intentions for "Hoffmann" more fully than any other recording currently available. One hopes that a new recording of Kaye's edition, with the definitive ending for the Giulietta act and with a single soprano playing all four heroines, will be made in the not-too-distant future.

5 out of 5 stars O Dieu, de quelle ivresse embrasse-tu mon âme?.......1999-11-21

Comme un concert divin ta voix m'a pénétré!....

This recording is undoubtedly one of the two benchmark recordings of this opera, the other one being the classic Sutherland/Domingo/Bonynge set. It is the most complete set with the "newly-discovered" Giuletta ending, and even includes the terrific but apocryphal sextet that is missing in the Bonynge recording. Alagna is the true star here, reflecting the spirit of Hoffmann throughout the opera, and singing in a very ideomatic French (unlike Domingo). The four heroines are marvellous, even though I prefer a single soprano singing all the four roles. Van Dam is great as the four villians, but he could have been more sinister in the trio in the Antonia act. Nagano is fine, but has some problems with the tempi at times.
Ma Verite
Average customer rating: Not rated
    		Ma Verite
    Johnny Hallyday
    Manufacturer: Ume Imports
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

    FranceFrance | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | International | Styles | Music
    RockRock | International | Styles | Music
    GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
    French PopFrench Pop | Euro Pop | Pop | Styles | Music
    InternationalInternational | Imports | Stores | Music
    RockRock | Imports | Stores | Music
    Similar Items:
    1. Anthologie: 1985-97
    2. A La Vie, a La Mort
    3. Les 100 Plus Belles Chansons
    4. Anthologie: 1966-69

    ASIN: B000BU99O2
    Release Date: 2006-02-21

    Tracks:

    1. S'il N'est Oas Trop Tard
    2. Ma Religion Dans Son Regard
    3. La Paix
    4. Le Temps Passe
    5. Si Tu Pars
    6. Clemence
    7. Ce Qui Ne Tue Pas Naus Rend Plus Fort
    8. Mon Plus Beau Noel
    9. Te Savoir Pres De Moi
    10. Ma Verite
    11. Elle S'en Moque
    12. Affronte-Moi
    13. Apprendre A Aimer

    Album Details

    The 2005 Studio Album from the French Pop Legend is his Final Bow on the Universal Records Label. Following the Path Set by Elvis in the 1970's, These Recordings Are Nothing Like his First Output. In Fact, These Are Remarkably Mellow and Adult in Nature. The Set Dominated the French Pop Charts in the Latter Half of 2005, Marking Many Weeks at the #1 Pole Position.
    Ma Verite
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      		Ma Verite
      Kery James
      Manufacturer: Wea
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      FranceFrance | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | International | Styles | Music
      InternationalInternational | Imports | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B0007QCHSA
      Release Date: 2005-04-12

      Tracks:

      1. J'aurais Pu Dire
      2. Miens
      3. En Feu de Detresse
      4. Ghetto Super Classe [Edit Radio]
      5. Jusqu'a Quand et Jusqu'ou?
      6. C'est Votre Choix
      7. Jusqu'au Bout
      8. Je Revendique
      9. Universel
      10. Ma Sincerite
      11. Hardcore 2005
      12. Vie C'est
      13. Nos Reves - Amel Bent, Kery James
      14. Combien

      Album Details

      The Second Studio Album from the French Hip-hop Star. The 15 Tracks Include 'j'aurais Pu Dire', Ghetto Super Classe', 'hardcore 2005' and Others.
      Offenbach - Les contes d'Hoffmann / Alagna · van Dam · Dessay · Vaduva · Jo · Dubosc · Nagano [Highlights]
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • And you thought Mozart is good
      		 Offenbach - Les contes d'Hoffmann / Alagna · van Dam · Dessay · Vaduva · Jo · Dubosc · Nagano [Highlights]
      Jacques Offenbach , Kent Nagano , Roberto Alagna , José van Dam , Orchestre et choeur de l'Opéra National de Lyon , Natalie Dessay , Catherine Dubosc , Sumi Jo , Leontina Vaduva , Juanita Lascarro , Gilles Ragon , Gabriel Bacquier , Doris Lamprecht , Jean-Marie Frémeau , Jean Delescluse , and Benoît Boutet
      Manufacturer: Elektra / Wea
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      All Works by OffenbachAll Works by Offenbach | Offenbach, Jacques | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      RomancesRomances | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      FrenchFrench | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      OperettasOperettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B000005E56
      Release Date: 1998-01-13

      Tracks:

      1. The Tales Of Hoffman: Prelude
      2. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Dans Les Roles D'Amoureux'
      3. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Va Pour Kleinzach'
      4. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'C'est Moi, Coppelius !'
      5. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille'
      6. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'En Place Les Danseurs'
      7. The Tales Of Hoffman: Entracte
      8. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Jour Et Nuit Je Me Mets En Quatre'
      9. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Pour Conjurer Le Danger'
      10. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Ta Mere, Oses-tu L'Interroger ?'
      11. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Messieurs, Silence !'
      12. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Tourne, Tourne, Miroir'
      13. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Vous Ne Jouez Pas ?'
      14. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Ton Ami Dit Vrai !'
      15. The Tales Of Hoffman: 'Hola ! Quelqu'un De Fort Pour Emporter Hoffman !'

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars And you thought Mozart is good.......2000-07-06

      Okay, it is not Mozart. However, Offenbach's "Les Contes D'Hoffmann" is as innovative as "Der Zauberflotte". This performance is quite good. You will hear some of the more difficult areas a soprano can sing. There is a chorus or an aria for most any type of emotion.
      Ma Verite
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • Exceellent as usual
      • His truth, certainly not mine!
      		 Ma Verite

      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      FranceFrance | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Pop | Styles | Music
      InternationalInternational | Imports | Stores | Music
      ASIN: B000BRFAFC
      Release Date: 2005-11-08

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Exceellent as usual.......2007-04-24

      Johnny Hallyday is the world's one of the most successful singers. As he got older his fame and style has got better. He surfs with the music of the day. That is, though he became popular in 60s every new CD he comes up with reflects the musical tone and genre of its time. And so does this one, there is one songs you might call "rap." And I, who do not like "rap" at all, love this particular song. That's the class of this man. None came like him, none will ever. Those who didn't appreciate this CD perhaps did so, because he belongs to the "old times" therefore wants that Johnny keeps on going as he did before. I will not be surprised if he comes up with something new to satisfy the old timers too. In his concert you not only see the 70 years old ones, but also the 7 years old too. When he sings his voice touches your heart with feelings and you don't need to know French to encounter that.

      2 out of 5 stars His truth, certainly not mine!.......2006-01-10

      This is Johnny's last album for Universal. Then he will record a blues album in the U.S. for his new record company, Warner. It's an album he has been wanting to do for a long time but Universal wouldn't let him do it for commercial reasons. Johnny is the best-selling artist in France, each one of his albums sell at least one million copies. It's a lot for France. No more than five albums a year sell more than one million copies.
      What makes me laugh about this new album is how Johnny has become mellow. He who sang in 1976 a song to Elvis, his idol, about how mellow Elvis had become, that's his turn now, singing a christmas song to his adopted child, Jade. Johnny has turned into a French Paul Anka, just like Elvis turned into a Vegas crooner in the seventies. I don't blame Elvis for what he did but Johnny blamed him thirty years ago and now he's turned into what he criticized.
      I don't particularly like Johnny but now I care even less about him. This new album is just muzak but maybe he will surprise me in 2006 with his blues album.
      Ancient And Monastic Orthodox Chants
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • exploring eastern chant
      		 Ancient And Monastic Orthodox Chants

      Manufacturer: Russian Season
      ProductGroup: Music
      Binding: Audio CD

      Sacred & ReligiousSacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems
      Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems
      GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
      GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ChantsChants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
      ASIN: B00000652V
      Release Date: 1998-02-10

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars exploring eastern chant.......2001-10-27

      A recording for the musically adventurous. Explore little-known roots of ancient Russian Orthodox chant.
      Male choir is impeccable and displays true scholarship under direction of early music historian Anatoly Grindenko.
      Acquire knowledge of indigenous slavic atonal polyphony, echoes of which can be heard in the compositions of modern composers such as John Tavener.
      Ma Verite
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        		Ma Verite

        ProductGroup: Music
        Binding: Audio CD

        FranceFrance | Continental Europe | Europe | International | Styles | Music
        InternationalInternational | Imports | Stores | Music
        ASIN: B000BRP14M
        Release Date: 2005-11-08

        Album Description

        French digipak edition of 2005 album. Mercury.

        World Music:

        1. Maan Mongkhon
        2. Mango [Import]
        3. Marco Masini [Import]
        4. Me Deixe Amar [Import]
        5. Michel Jonasz [Import]
        6. Music from Peru & Ecuador
        7. Music of Serbia and Montenegro
        8. Music of the Fiji Islands
        9. Mutatis Mutandis [Import]
        10. No Coração Do Meu Povo [Import]

        World Music

        world music

        World Music

        Orgone Therapy

        A Dream of Paradise

        Arnaldo Estrella, Vol. 5

        Jukebox Hits, Vol. 1: 1942-1947

        Afro Beats

        Adventures in Paradise [Import]

        African Tribal Drums

        American Music

        15 Exitos

        1588: Music from the Time of the Spanish Armada - The York Waits

        09/6/00 - Rock Am Ring, Eifel/Nurburg, Germany [Live]

        African Drum Beats [Import]

        14 Nortenas de Corazon

        Symphony 7

        Call of the Valley