Yoel L. Arbeitman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Here are the details:
>La Damnation de Faust: Feb.21&22, 1954.
>Susan Danco (s); David Poleri (t); Martial Singher (bar), David Gramm
>(bass); McHenry Boatwright (bass in the "Epilogue on Earth").

Having duly and with pleasure listened to the first of the two Romeo
et Juliette performances, the Damnation de Faust performance, and the
L'Enfance du Christ performance, I can now issue a warning that does
not come unexpected to me.  The orchestral playing and the magisterial
conducting by a man who deeply loved Berlioz are all one would wish for.
The sonics are superb as well.  However the soloists in La Damnation de
Faust range from acceptable to horrid.  Since La Damnation is a quasi-opera
this is not without consequence, to put it mildly.  I find the tenor who
sings Faust repulsive.  I find Suzanne Danco barely adequate in this
role.  Singher as Mephistopheles and Gramm as Brander are not very
interesting.  In sum, I would never listen to this Damnation again.
I know that there are many persons, particularly on non-vocal oriented
lists, to whom the orchestra and conductor account for most of the
performance.  Not to me.  I would strongly recommend 4 recordings, from
abridged to complete in varying degrees.  The one that is non-pareil and
will always be so is the 1930 Coppola with the amazing Faust of Jose De
Trevi and the Mephistopheles of Charles Panzera.  This runs near 80 mins.
on Pearl.  Next best is Fournet's 1942 recording with the Faust of Georges
Jouatte and the Mephistopheles of Paul Cabanel.  I have this on Lys.
Other transfers I have not heard.  If you love French opera comme il
faut, then these are the recordings.  Markevitch's 1958 DG recording
with the Faust of Richard Verreau and other fine singers is also highly
worthwhile.  I believe this is now released on a two-fer with Symphonie
fantastique.  Finally Wolff's 1948 live performance with the incomparable
Marguerite of Suzanne Juyol and the Faust of Georges Jouatte (again) is
something precious.  I know of its commercial release only on Malibran
CD-Rs which I have not heard.  I have a private transfer made by a friend.
In sum, the Munch box is delicious for the two R & J performances, for
L'Enfance du Christ and for all the orchestral only works.  I have not
yet heard La Grande messe des Morts (Requiem) but expect much of it.  To
me the quasi-opera is unacceptable.

Cheers, Yoel