fyglia

A passionate lover of the human voice, Francis Poulenc composed the Dialogues des Carmélites in 1953, using a libretto he himself had written from a screenplay by Georges Bernanos. The first ever performances in Munich, this production was entrusted to Dmitri Tcherniakov, whose worldwide reputation is underpinned by productions like Eugene Onegin and Macbeth at the Paris Opera and Don Giovanni at Aix-en- Provence. The superb international cast includes a fine Blanche de la Force in Susan Gritton and an excellent Madame de Croissy by Sylvie Brunet, who was favourably compared to Rita Gorr in the press. They are superbly backed up by Soile Isokoski, Susanne Resmark, Hélène Guilmette, Alain Vernhes and the fabulous Bernard Richter. Kent Nagano with the Dialogues literally at his fingertips he recorded a landmark version some years ago is at the helm of the Bavarian State Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

REVIEW

"Poulenc’s tale of the rituals and sacrifices of Carmelite nuns during the French Revolution has an indestructible quality that shines through Tcherniakov’s 2010 Munich staging, set in a soulless authoritarian state but filmed in a way that underlines individual dilemmas and common humanity. It is worth watching for Sylvie Brunet’s doughty Madame de Croissy, Soile Isokoski’s gracious Madame Lidoine and Susan Gritton’s winning Blanche." -- Financial Times

Works on This Recording
Dialogues des carmélites by Francis Poulenc
Performer: Alain Vernhes (Bass), Bernard Richter (Tenor), Susan Gritton (Soprano), Sylvie Brunet (Mezzo Soprano), Soile Isokoski (Soprano), Hélène Guilmette (Soprano), Heike Grötzinger (Mezzo Soprano)
Conductor: Kent Nagano
Orchestra/Ensemble: Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, Bavarian State Opera Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1953-1956; France