Achim Breiling <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>I just saw the new recording of Messiaens opera by the Halle
>Orchestra and Kent Nagano (DG, 20/21 series) and I was considering
>to buy it (bloody expensive!).  What should I expect from that one?
>A *Transfiguration de Notre Seigneur*-like work, much longer and
>including solo arias? Is this worth to get - assuming one likes
>Messiaen a lot but is not too crazy about operas in general?

I think Saint Francois is a masterpiece, but then, I'm a big Messiaen fan.

It's not really very operatic.  It consists of eight long scenes, each
of which is very static.  There aren't singers stepping over each other
and emoting wildly, as you might expect in opera: one character will sing
a paragraph, then another character will sing a paragraph, etc.

The music itself is quite typical Messiaen, in his more accessible style.
There are many themes which are repeated throughout the opera, so it's
easy to find something to hang on to.

Given what you say about your tastes, I think you will enjoy it very much.

Dan Schmidt -> [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]