Valery Gergiev, Mariinsky Theatre Soloists, Orchestra & Chorus – Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex / Les Noces (2010) {SACD ISO + FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz}

Valery Gergiev brings enormous authority to two of Stravinsky’s pivotal masterworks of the 1920s, Les Noces, the dance-cantata completed in 1923, and the opera-oratorio Oedipus Rex from 1927. Les Noces, the final work from the composer’s “Russian” period, draws heavily on Russian folk material, deployed with the kind of raw rhythmic primitivism of Le Sacre du printemps. Gergiev leads vocal and instrumental forces from the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg in a propulsively energetic account of the score. The use of native Russian speakers in the vocal roles allows for a performance of such exhilarating abandon that it sounds like it is on the brink of flying out of control. One of the composer’s first major works from his neo-classical period, Oedipus Rex, also shows the influence of both Russian music and a cool, forward-looking modernism. The power of Gergiev’s reading lies in his ability to make all those elements clearly audible, and at the same time make them coalesce into a coherent and urgently dramatic performance; he turns the familiar story into a real nail-biter that builds to an overwhelming conclusion. The full forces of the Orchestra and the Men of the Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre perform with unreserved power and focus. The soloists are all very fine, and some are much more than fine. Sergei Semishkur’s Oedipus does not make an especially strong beginning, but he gathers gravitas and force as the opera progresses. Ekaterina Semenchuk, a powerful and moving Jocasta, has a large, expressive voice that is penetrating from top to bottom. Evgeny Nikitin shines as Creon and the Messenger. Gérard Depardieu is an appropriately dramatic and dignified narrator. The monumentality of this terrific performance is perfectly suited to the high seriousness and grandeur of the opera. The sound of the Mariinsky hybrid SACD is vibrant and thrillingly present. Highly recommended.

Tracklist:
01. Les Noces: Part I: Scene 1: The Bride’s Chamber
02. Les Noces: Part I: Scene 2: At the Bridegroom’s
03. Les Noces: Part I: Scene 3: The Bride’s Departure
04. Les Noces: Part II: Scene 4: The Wedding Feast
05. Oedipus Rex: Prologue and Act I: i. “Spectateurs, vous allez entendre…”
06. Oedipus Rex: Prologue and Act I: ii. “Voici Creon, beau-frere d’Oedipe…”
07. Oedipus Rex: Prologue and Act I: iii. “Oedipe interroge la fontaine de verite…”
08. Oedipus Rex: Act II: i. “La dispute des princes attire Jocaste…”
09. Oedipus Rex: Act II: ii. “Le temoin du meurtre sort de l’ombre…”
10. Oedipus Rex: Act II: iii. “Et maintenant, vous allez entendre…”
Produced by James Mallinson

Performers:

Les Noces

Mlada KHUDOLEY – Soprano
Olga SAVOVA – Mezzo-soprano
Alexander TIMCHENKO – Tenor
Andrei SEROV – Bass

Orchestra and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre Musical Director and Conductor – Valery GERGIEV
Piano soloists: Alexander MOGILEVSKY, Svetlana SMOLINA, Yulia ZAICHKINA, Maxim MOGILEVSKY
Principal Chorus Master – Andrei PETRENKO. Principal Vocal Coach – Natalia DOMSKAYA
Recorded 28-31 December 2009 in the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia.

Oedipus Rex

Gerard DEPARDIEU – Narrator
Sergei SEMISHKUR – Oedipus
Ekaterina SEMENCHUK – Jocasta
Evgeny NIKITIN – Creon
Mikhail PETRENKO – Tiresias
Evgeny NIKITIN – Messenger
Alexander TIMCHENKO – Shepherd

Orchestra and Chorus of the Mariinsky Theatre Musical Director and Conductor – Valery GERGIEV
Principal Chorus Master – Andrei PETRENKO. Principal Vocal Coach – Natalia DOMSKAYA. Vocal Coach – Natalia MORDASHOVA
Recorded 28-31 December 2009 and 4-8 February 2010 in the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, Russia.

SACD ISO

mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010SACDIS.part1.rar
mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010SACDIS.part2.rar
mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010SACDIS.part3.rar
mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010SACDIS.part4.rar
mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010SACDIS.part5.rar

FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz

mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010FLACStere248.rar
mqs.link_ValeryGergievMariinskyTheatreSlistsrchestraChrusStravinsky.edipusRexLesNces2010FLACStere248.rar