OP0480. DARDANUS (Rameau), Live Performance, w. Marc Minkowski Cond. Musiciens de Louvre Ensemble; Mireille Delunsch; John Mark Ainsley, Laurent Naouri, Russell Smythe, Francoise Masset, Véronique Gens, Jean-Louis Bindi, etc. (Germany) 2-Archiv DG 463 476, w.Elaborate Libretto-Brochure. Very long out-of-print, Final Sealed Copy! - 028946347621

CRITIC REVIEW:

“DARDANUS (1739) was Rameau’s fifth opera. As each one appeared they caused a stir amongst Paris’ musical cognoscenti. Some regarded the composer’s vivid innovations in music-drama as unsettling the conventions established by Lully in preceding generation. This particular work incited comment for its considerable number of purely musical interludes - principally dances. That aspect is one reason for its comparative fame today amongst Rameau’s operas. Also notable was its improbable plot involving a battle with a monster in the last three acts. These things led to a revised revival of the piece in 1744.

Whereas Minkowski recorded the original version, the Musiciens du Louvre’s account as the benchmark. Pichon opts for the revision of 1744 with its fewer dances and instrumental diversions. Even with that, however, his interpretation is not as vivid as Minkowski’s.”

- Curtis Rogers, MusicWebInternational