The main attraction of the orchestra Les Siècles and its conductor François-Xavier Roth is its use of period instruments from around 1900, the time period in which the group specializes. One could hardly ask for a better demonstration record (as audiophiles used to call them) than this take on Maurice Ravel's L'Heure espagnole, an edgy, rather tawdry but undeniably funny little opera about the extramarital escapades of a clockmaker's wife, complete with excellent satirical characterizations of her two lovers. The opera receives a pitch-perfect performance here from a quintet of younger singers, who deliver the kind of dry, close-to-spoken singing Ravel wanted. Even better, though, is the orchestral sound, where the opera's large contingent of winds, brass, and percussion displays the sound of Les Siècles at its most vivid. The score calls for trios of oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, and these all have a tangier sound than modern instruments provide. The program ends with Boléro, and this, too, stands out from among the hundreds or thousands of other recordings on the market. Ravel had very fixed ideas about how he wanted the work to sound, and he wrangled with Arturo Toscanini, who conducted the premiere in New York, about it: it should be played absolutely straight, with no variation in tempo and little expression. Notwithstanding the connotations that became attached to the work later on, he viewed it as an abstract work, and that is exactly what it becomes in Roth's bracing reading. Listeners who have been wanting to sample Roth's work with this orchestra are enthusiastically encouraged to try this release, which made classical best-seller charts in the summer of 2023.© James Manheim /TiVo

Composed on 1686 as part of the festivities organised by the Duc de Vendôme in honour of the Grand Dauphin, during the latter’s visit to his estate at the Château d’Anet in September of that year, Acis et Galatée is Lully’s last complete opera. His faithful librettist Quinault having retired from writing for the stage, he collaborated this time with the poet Campistron on a work that tells the story of the love between the sea-nymph Galatea and the shepherd Acis – a love threatened by the violence of the jealous cyclops Polyphemus. This opera, an undoubted dramatic success, gives the orchestra an important part, expressively evoking, for example, the giant’s cries of anger, the terror of the chorus, and the lovers’ hasty flight in Act III. It includes some magnificent pieces, including the final Passacaille, as well as inventive treasures, such as duet for hautes-contre (high tenors) “Ah! je succombe au tourment qui m'accable”, or the burlesque march that accompanies the entry of Polyphemus and his fellow cyclopes, conveying their uncouthness. But the loveliest pieces in the score are for Galatea: “Enfin, j’ai dissipé la crainte”, for instance, or “Que ne puis-je expirer après ce coup funeste?”. Lully died in March 1687, a few months after the première, leaving Achille et Polyxène unfinished. © Aparté

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Chief conductor of Les Siècles symphony orchestra, François-Xavier Roth has been revisiting French music from the beginning of the 20th century for several years now, taking care to honour both the original instruments and to find melodies that favour even greater clarity of timbre and attack. After his incredible recordings of Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky’s first work (special mention to the superb complete version of L’Oiseau de feu), everyone naturally expected the conductor to perform Pelléas et Mélisande, the opera he conducted at the very beginning of his career which is particularly close to his heart.This new version of Debussy’s masterpiece was recorded on the 20th and 21st of March 2021 at the Opéra de Lille. As one might expect, the orchestra, which is present throughout the score (it conveys emotion and feeling in the style of Wagner and Mussorgsky) is given pride of place by François-Xavier Roth, who transforms this strange opera into some sort of secular oratorio.As for the singers, it’s a real treat to hear French voices in the two main roles. Vannina Santoni’s portrayal of Mélisande is refreshing, and she makes the character less naïve than previous interpretations have done. She asserts herself in the forest scene at the beginning of the piece and later, in the final scene, she confidently declares to Pelléas "I only lie to your brother!". Pelléas is personified by a tenor voice and not by a light baritone as intended by Debussy (in fact, he sounds much like Eric Tappy in Armin Jordan’s beautiful version of Erato). Thanks to Julien Behr’s stellar performance, the character comes across as fragile and overwhelmed by his ill-fated destiny. Alexandre Duhamel’s touching portrayal of Golaud reveals a gritty character who is undeniably relatable, despite being consumed by an ardent jealousy that ultimately causes him to murder his younger brother and, indirectly, Mélisande. Jean Teitgen is a less dogmatic Arkel than usual. Literally and figuratively blind, it’s as though he has no understanding of what’s happening within the castle and is unable to escape the confines of his own, outdated idealism. Marie-Ange Todorovitch does a good job playing the difficult and often overlooked role of Geneviève, whose appearances, though infrequent, are pivotal.Finally, it should be noted that François-Xavier Roth uses the definitive and complete version of the opera, which includes the few bars that fell victim to censorship in 1902. As such, viewers can rediscover the confronting dialogue between Golaud and his son Yniold, whom he uses to spy on Mélisande when she’s in her bedroom. “What about the bed? Are they close to the bed?” asks Golaud in the height of his jealousy. Thanks to its poetic dimension and fantastic cast, this new version easily rivals those by Désormière, Inghelbrecht, Ansermet, Armin Jordan, Karajan and Abbado. © François Hudry/Qobuz

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Leonard Slatkin is an exceptionally versatile conductor, but it is perhaps in French repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries that he feels most comfortable. The singers in Ravel's exquisitely formed little comic opera L'Heure espagnole, complete with cheating lovers hidden inside grandfather's clocks carried up and down stairs, are all entirely appropriate and admirably clear, but it is really Slatkin who's the star here, right from the "Introduction" that's so artfully linked to what follows. Ravel here cultivates a kind of updated accompanied recitative, well matched to his stated goal of reviving the old tradition of Italian opera buffa. The dialogue seems straightforward, but it is subtly and considerably heightened by the music in ways that may be clear to the listener only in retrospect. Sample the sly "Salut à la belle Horlogère!" (track eight) for a taste of how Slatkin holds the entire scene, orchestra and singing of mezzo-soprano Isabelle Druet, in the palm of his hand, and of the light sexiness in the opera embodied in the afternoon-delight-seeking Concepción. A bonus is the set of three Don Quichotte à Dulcinée songs, the last work Ravel completed. Highly recommended and absolutely delightful.© TiVo

Marc-Antoine Charpentier was neglected for centuries after his death, but by the late 20th century increased frequency of performances and recordings revealed him as one of the geniuses of the Baroque. He had a distinctive, individual voice and a gift for subtle emotional expression capable of evoking the most profound grief, as well as a loopy humor rarely associated with music of his era. Musical directors Paul O'Dette and Stephen Stubbs lead the vocal and chamber ensembles of the Boston Early Music Festival in characteristically expert performances of Charpentier's 40-minute pastoral opera Actéon, the brief cantata Orphée descendant aux enfers, and incidental music for the play La Pierre Philisophale. The musically polished performances shimmer with life and dramatic urgency. The cast of young soloists sings Charpentier's graceful, yearning melodies with naturalness and a sure grasp of the middle Baroque French style. Their ornamentation sounds entirely spontaneous, as expressions of emotion rather than merely the fulfillment of a formulaic stylistic requirement. The singers are so consistently first-rate, singing with sweet tone, flawless intonation, and technical mastery, that it seems almost unfair to single any out for special commendation over the others. Tenors Aaron Sheehan and Jason McStoots and soprano Teresa Wakim shine in the most prominent roles. The sound of CPO's 2009 recording is clean, clear, and nicely present. This is an album that should interest any fans of Baroque vocal music. © TiVo

As soon as you discover this little-known work by Albert Roussel—which was criticised right from its inception—you’ll wonder why it hasn’t received the credit it so deserves. As he neared the end of his life, the composer decided to write an operetta in the style of André Messager, whose work was enjoying great success at the time. Ravel had tried his hand at this style with his Heure Espagnole, as had Jacques Ibert with Angélique and even Arthur Honegger with Les Aventures du Roi Pausole, a pleasant operette, even if he wasn’t considered a comic dramatist.Roussel followed in these footsteps, composing Le testament de la tante Caroline, a libretto rather like Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, but even more risqué. Critics disliked the piece, refusing to afford Roussel the relaxed approach needed to appreciate this light music. Removed from the repertoire before it could even be performed, the operetta fell into oblivion until, at the request of the composer’s widow, Marcel Mihalovici produced a new version in 1964 (this time shortened to just one act). It’s this version that was presented and recorded in 2019 by the Les Frivolités Parisiennes, under the direction of Dylan Corlay, at the Théâtre de l'Athénée in Paris.This world premiere recording sets the record straight, introducing us to a work that no doubt belongs in the repertoire from a time when France liked to laugh at its own depravity. Roussel’s deep understanding of music composition creates a work that is clear, melodic and, to say the very least, absolutely exquisite. This dazzling discovery is to the credit of a sparkling cast of young singer-actors. The protagonist is the larger-than-life character of Béatrice (Marie Lenormand), who is surrounded by her sisters Christine (Marion Gomar) and Noémie (Lucie Komitès). The husbands Ferdinand (Charles Mesrine) and Jobard (Aurélien Gasse) are funny and offbeat. The caricatured role of the notary, here Maître Corbeau, is played by the hilarious Till Fechner. The rest of the cast are equally fantastic, and the whole ensemble is taken to the next level under Dylan Corlay’s cheerful and meticulous direction.This premiere is a real success, and one that has turned Roussel’s reputation as an austere musician completely on its head. Here, it’s been proven that he remains one of the greatest musicians of early 20th century France. It’s simply scandalous to think that he’s been omitted from concert programmes. © François Hudry/Qobu