Offenbach: Robinson Crusoe
£121.24
Holy pile of poop! - There are few things that bring me greater pleasure than this. To know that nothing but the occasional highlight would be all that would exsist if not for Opera-Rara and the Peter Moores Foundation makes me want to kiss the ground that they walk on for making this magnificent recording! This is forgotten Offenbach at his finest! This is one of the hidden treasures that I thank god someone had the good taste and means to do something about and make sure that it reaches the public! This is genious, this is brilliance, this is a blessing for the artistic and operatic world for those not blind to see it. So many excellent preformers and what a lovely recording. What a plus that they would add long lost music to a long lost opera-comique! It gives me goose bumps to even think about it. Pure pleasure...do not deprave yourself.
Unfairly neglected masterpiece - Robinson Crusoe in this wonderful translation is nothing short of a masterpiece. The translation is witty, the music is more Hoffmann than Orpheus and, at time, extremely moving. The recurring aria Voice Of The Sea is beautiful as is the Friday/Robinson duet. The opera has was fully restored for this recording and it shows that some of the lost numbers were among the best. The only thing that lets this down (and makes it a four-star) is that the remastering for CD is slightly shoddy in places - especilly on the third disc. I have also kept the LP version for this reason. But Opera Rara are an important label and works like this make me want to support them time and time again. Go on, treat yourself!