OP0081. LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN, recorded 1948, w.Cluytens Cond. l’Opéra-Comique Ensemble; Raoul Jobin, Renée Doria, Vina Bovy, Geori Boué, Fanély Revoil, Louis Musy, André Pernet, etc. (Canada) 2-Naxos 8.110214/15. Transfers by Ward Marston. Long out-of-print, final copy! - 636943121429

CRITIC REVIEWS:

"This is a great performance from start to finish, and a document of Offenbach's unique opera as it was performed in the country of the work's origin for nearly a century after the world premiere This is also one of the few ‘Hoffmanns’ employing an all-Francophone cast, with the result that not only is the diction correct and clear, but each characterization is masterful. That begins with Raoul Jobin's open-throated vocalization of the title part and Andre Cluytens' conducting -- every vocal nuance, every tempo exactly right. No less impressive are the four incarnations of the Devil in baritones of which Charles Soix's resonant Dappertutto and Roger Bourdin's genuinely scary Dr. Miracle rarely have been bettered. This is a desert island recording."

- Robert Croan, PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE



“Renée Doria’s official operatic début took place in 1942, in Marseille, as Rosina in IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA. After singing Constance in THE ABDUCTION FROM THE SERAGLIO in Cannes under Reynaldo Hahn, and the three heroines (Olympia, Giulietta, Antonia) in LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN in Strasbourg, opposite baritone Vanni Marcoux, she made her Paris début at the Gaîté-Lyrique in 1943, as Lakmé, and the following year, made her début at the Opéra-Comique, in the same rôle. Her debut at the Paris Opéra in 1947, as the Queen of the Night in THE MAGIC FLUTE, was highly successful. Other rôles at that house included Leila in LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES, the title rôle in MIREILLE, Marguerite in FAUST, Juliette in ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Ophélie in HAMLET, Manon, Thaïs, as well as Fiordiligi in COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Gilda in RIGOLETTO, and Violetta in LA TRAVIATA, etc.

Doria also sang in baroque music such as Rameau's LES INDES GALANTES, and contemporary works, such as Ravel's L'HEURE ESPAGNOLE, and Poulenc's DIALOGUES DES CARMÉLITES. In her thirty year career, Doria sang an estimated sixty rôles.”



“Raoul Jobin made his debut at the Paris Opéra on 3 July, 1930, as Tybalt in ROMÉO ET JULIETTE. He quickly sang principal tenor rôles at both the Opéra and the Opéra-Comique, as well as in many cities throughout France, Lyons, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Marseilles, etc. He sang mainly the French repertoire, with occasional incursions into the Italian repertoire. With the outbreak of the war, he returned to North America. He made his début at the Metropolitan Opera on 19 February, 1940, as des Grieux in MANON. He remained with the company until 1950, where he sang many rôles alongside such singers as Lily Pons, Bidu Sayao, Licia Albanese, Rise Stevens, under conductors such as Wilfrid Pelletier and Thomas Beecham. He made regular appearances in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, etc., also appearing in Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, and Buenos Aires. After WW II, he returned to Paris in 1947, where he successfully sang his first major Wagnerian rôle, Lohengrin, earning him the nickname ‘Monsieur Lohengrin’. He later sang the role of Walther in DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG with equal success. He also created the rôle of Fabrice Del Dongo in LA CHARTREUSE DE PARME by Henri Sauguet. Subsequently, Jobin divided his time largely between Europe and America, maintaining his high standard in his accustomed rôles while adding new ones, until his retirement from the stage in 1958.”