Track Listing

CD 1 (78:29)

L’ÉTOILE DU NORD

Act 1

1.Enfants de l’Ukraine 2:01
 Hector Dufranne as Gritzenko; 1907; G&T (6569o) 3-32688
2.Veille sur eux toujours [Prière et barcarolle] 3:26
 Lise Landouzy as Catherine; 1911; ODEON (Xp 5531-2) 56230

Act 2

 (No recordings from this act exist)

Act 3

3.Pour fuir son souvenir … Ô jours heureux 4:45
 Paul Payan as Pierre; ca. 1910; EDISON FOUR-MINUTE CYLINDER (17083) 17083
4.La, la, la, air chéri! (La, la, la, aria cara!)4:16
 No extant recording of the aria sung in French.
Luisa Tetrazzini as Catherine; 26 September 1913; HMV (Ho522af) 2-053094
5.La, la, la, air chéri! [Cadenza only]2:08
 Ellen Beach Yaw as Catherine; 18 March 1899; BERLINER (1657) 33105

LE PARDON DE PLOËRMEL (also known as DINORAH)

Act 1

6.Bellah! ma chèvre chérie! ... Dors, petite, dors tranquille (Bellah, capretta adorata … Sì carina, caprettina) 3:35
 No extant recording sung in French.
Giuseppina Huguet as Dinorah; 1906; G&T (627c) 053082
7.Je suis chez moi … Dieu nous donne à chacun en partage (Sto in casa alfin … Dava il cielo a ciascuno in retaggio)5:43
 No extant recording sung in French.
Gaetano Pini-Corsi as Corentin (Corentino);1906; ODEON (Xm 744/5) 37407/8
8.Ô puissante magie2:53
 Gabriel Soulacroix as Hoël; July 1900; G&T (1097G) 32674
9.Ô puissante magie … Enfin l’heure est venue … De l’or, de l’or6:01
 Henri Albers as Hoël; mid-1912; PATHÉ (0792/0792 bis) 29 cm paper label disc 022

Act 2

10.Dites-moi, dites vite … Depuis lors, quand la nuit gagne (Ditemi, buona gente ... Da quel di che a lei narrata)4:15
 No extant recording sung in French.
Carolina Lazzari as the Goatherd; 1917; EDISON DIAMOND DISC (6646-B) 82567
11.Ombre légère qui suis mes pas [Valse de l’ombre]4:34
 Jane Mérey as Dinorah; December 1904; PATHÉ (2002/2002 bis,
transfer number 22841R and 19121BC) 29 cm etched label disc 2002/2002 bis
12.Ombre légère qui suis mes pas [Valse de l’ombre]2:04
 Cécile Merguillier as Dinorah; early 1905; PATHÉ (3640,
transfer number 16577BC) 29 cm etched label disc 3640
13.Ombre légère qui suis mes pas [Valse de l’ombre]3:33
 Gabrielle Ritter-Ciampi as Dinorah; late 1924; PATHÉ (0077) 29 cm paper label disc 0453
14.Ah! que j’ai froid! Ah! que j’ai peur! (Ah! che tremor! Ah! che terror!)2:27
 No extant recording sung in French.
Gaetano Pini-Corsi as Corentin (Corentino); 1906; ODEON (Xm740) 37401

Act 3

15.En chasse, en chasse, piqueurs adroits! [Chant du chasseur]3:07
 Hippolyte Belhomme as Le chasseur; early 1908;
PATHÉ (0383, transfer number 28109G) 29 cm etched label disc 0383
16.Les blés sont bons à faucher [Chant du faucheur]2:54
 César Vezzani as Le faucheur; ca. 1912-1913; ODEON (XP 5971) X.111482
17.Ah! mon remords te venge2:12
 Max Bouvet as Hoël; March 1903; PATHÉ (2593,
transfer number 10534) black wax cylinder 2593
18.Ah! mon remords te venge3:15
 Daniel Vigneau as Hoël; 1907; G&T (7281o) 2-32707

L’AFRICAINE

Act 1

19.Adieu, mon doux rivage 3:51
 Berthe Auguez de Montalant as Inès; 24 March 1909; GRAMOPHONE (0930v) 033105
20.Dieu, que le monde révère3:18
 Paul Payan as Don Pédro, Eugène Fréville as Don Diégo,
Bernard Boussagol as the Grand Inquisitor, and chorus as Évêques;
23 December 1910; GRAMOPHONE (16193u) 34707
21.J’ai vu, nobles seigneurs (Ho veduto, o signori)2:48
 No extant recording sung in French.
Antonio Aramburo as Vasco; 1901; ARAMBURO CONCERT CYLINDER 1
22.Oui, fallût-il perdre la vie … D’impie et de rebelle [Act 1 Finale]5:24
 Agustarello Affre as Vasco, Eugène Fréville as Don Alvar, Lucien Rigaux as Don Pédro,
Henri Lequien as Don Diégo, and Armand Narçon as the Grand Inquisitor;
1908; ODEON (xP 4355/4455) 97061/97141

CD 2 (70:58)

L’AFRICAINE (continued)

Act 2

1.Sur mes genoux [Air du sommeil]2:42
 Félia Litvinne as Sélika; 1912; ODEON (XP5161) X.56226
2.Sur mes genoux … Ah! je succombe, hélas! (Wie immer voll Unruh sein Schlaf … Er schlummert fest. Weh mir!) [Schlummerlied]7:09
 Sabine Kalter as Sélika; 13 April 1923;
ODEON (XXB 6854-II/XXB 6855) Rxx 80151/80152
3.Fille des rois … Quand l’amour m’entraîne4:19
 Louis Lestelly as Nélusko; 14 January 1914; HMV (02890 1/2v) 032305
4.En vain leur impuissante rage … Combien tu m’es chère7:19
 Marie Lafargue as Sélika and Léon Beyle as Vasco; 5 December 1912;
HMV (02612v/02613v) 034179/80
5.Moi seule il m’aime … Dans les soupirs de la ramure [Septet]5:32
 Lise Landouzy as Inès, Amélie Talexis as Sélika, Gaston Dubois as Vasco,
with Tina Dubois-Lauger as Anna, Georges Régis as Don Alvar, Lucien Rigaux as Nélusko,
and Étienne Billot as Don Pédro; 1907; ODEON (XP 3642/43) 56132/56148

Act 3

6.Debout, matelots! [Quatuor des matelots]2:49
 Gaston de Poumayrac, Louis Nansen, Henri Dangès, and Hippolyte Belhomme;
mid-1909; PATHÉ (0838, transfer number 43738GR) 29 cm etched label disc 0838
7.Ô grand saint Dominique4:26
 Berthe Auguez de Montalant as Inès with chorus; 2 December 1908; HMV (0867v) 033078
8.Hola, matelots1:31
 Pierre Gailhard as Nélusko; December 1904; FONOTIPIA (XPh 517) 39093
9.Adamastor, roi des vagues profondes3:15
 Léon Melchissédec as Nélusko; 1907; APGA (1625) 1625
10.Adamastor, roi des vagues profondes3:43
 Hector Dufranne as Nélusko and chorus; 1907 G&T (6611p) 032056
11.Je viens à vous malgré ma haine (Io vengo a voi, malgrado l’odio)3:39
 No extant recording sung in French.
Gino Martinez-Patti as Vasco and Cesare Preve as Don Pédro; 1905; G&T (552c) 054066

Act 4

12.Pays merveilleux … Ô paradis!3:25
 Léon Escalaïs as Vasco; 1905; FONOTOPIA (XPh 491) 39426
13.Conduisez-moi vers ce navire3:09
 Agustarello Affre as Vasco; 1906; ODEON (XP 2475) 36672
14.L’avoir tant adorée … Écrase-moi, tonnerre!4:07
 Louis Lestelly as Nélusko; 18 April 1916; GRAMOPHONE (393af) 032325
15.Brama! Wichnou! Shiva! [Invocation du Grand Brahmine]3:25
 Pierre d’Assy as Le Grand Brahmine and chorus;
1909; GRAMOPHONE (0926v) 032153
16.Jamais nulle mortelle … Ô transports, ô douce extase … Ô ma Sélika7:43
 Marie Lafargue as Sélika and Léon Beyle as Vasco;
18 December 1912; GRAMOPHONE (02614v/02633v) 034181/82
17.Remparts de gaze [Chœur dansé]2:47
 Antoinette Laute-Brun as Inès and chorus as maidens; 1905; G&T (4564o) 34681

CD 3 (79:46)

L’AFRICAINE (continued)

Act 5

1.D’ici je vois la mer … Ô temple magnifique … La haine m’abandonne8:22
 Odette Carlyle as Sélika; 3 July 1911; HMV (01962v/01963v) 033123/24

Appendix

Supplementary Meyerbeer recordings of particular interest

L’ÉTOILE DU NORD

Act 1

2.Veille sur eux toujours (Ognor sovr’essi vigile ... Vascel sulla tua sponda) [Prière et barcarolle]2:11
 Rosalia Chalia as Catherine; 1900; U.S. ZONOPHONE (9136) 9136

Act 3

3.Pour fuir son souvenir … Ô jours heureux3:45
 Pol Plançon as Pierre; 14 April 1908; VICTOR (C-6111-2) 85124
4.La, la, la, air chéri! [La, la, la, aria cara!]4:24
 Yvonne de Tréville as Catherine; 1916; EDISON TONE TEST (4717-A) 80374

LE PARDON DE PLOËRMEL (also known as DINORAH)

Act 2

5.Ombre légère qui suis mes pas (Ombra  leggiera non te n’andar) [Valse de l’ombre]5:36
 Elvira de Hidalgo as Dinorah; 20 and 22 March 1924; COLUMBIA (AX 378/386) L 1580
6.Ombre légère qui suis mes pas (Du leichter Schatten) [Schattentanz]4:28
 Margarethe Siems as Dinorah; 1903 G&T (238y) 043029

Act 3

7.En chasse, en chasse, piqueurs adroits! [Chant du chasseur]3:20
 Juste Nivette as Le chasseur; 1908; ODEON (XP 3884) 60645
8.Ah! mon remords te venge (Sei vendicata assai)4:31
 Mario Ancona as Hoël; 20 March 1908; VICTOR (C-6044) 88169

L’AFRICAINE

Act 2

9.Sur mes genoux … Ah! je succombe, hélas!3:42
 Rosa Ponselle as Sélika; 14 January 1925; VICTOR (C-31710-2) unissued on 78 r.p.m. format
10.Fille des rois1:56
 Gabriel Soulacroix as Nélusko; 1904; Dutreih (150002) 21 cm etched label disc D-002
11.Combien tu m’es chère2:45
 Amélie Talexis as Sélika and Gaston Dubois as Vasco; 1907; ODEON (XP 3711) 60493

Act 3

12.Ô grand saint Dominique3:44
 Antoinette Laute-Brun as Inès; 1905; G&T (4505 o) 34675
13.Hola, matelots ... Adamastor, roi des vagues profondes (All’erta marinar ... Adamastor, re dell’acqua profonde)3:10
 Ricardo Stracciari as Nélusko; 23 March 1925; ENGLISH COLUMBIA (AX962) D 14651

Act 4

14.Pays merveilleux … Ô paradis … Conduisez-moi vers ce navire4:23
 Paul Dangély as Vasco; 1910; EDISON CYLINDER 27097
15.Pays merveilleux … Ô paradis … Conduisez-moi vers ce navire4:47
 Léon Beyle as Vasco; 1905; G&T (4500o) 34673
16.Two fragments from Ô paradis!2:46
 a. Ô paradis, sorti de l’onde …
 b. Salut! Monde nouveau …
 Jean de Reszke as Vasco; 15 March 1901;
MAPLESON CYLINDER originally issued on IRCC 183-B
17.Two fragments from Sélika/Vasco Duet3:32
 a. Vasco: Ô transports
 b. Sélika: Sois ma femme!
 Lucienne Bréval as Sélika and Jean de Reszke as Vasco; 15 March 1901;
MAPLESON CYLINDER originally issued on IRCC 183-B
18.Ô transports, ô douce extase2:25
 Amélie Talexis as Sélika and Gaston Dubois as Vasco; 1907; ODEON (XP 3713) 60496

Act 5

19.D’ici je vois la mer … Ô temple magnifique … La haine m’abandonne7:00
 Barbara Kemp as Sélika; 1917; ODEON (xxb 6348/6349) XX76598/99
20.Ô riante couleur … Quels célestes accords! (O ridente color … Quai celesti concenti!)3:00
 Celestina Boninsegna as Sélika; 1905; G&T (7324 1/2b) 53418
 

CD 1:

Accompaniment: Tracks [1-4, 6-7, 9-10, 13-16, 18-20, 22] accompanied by orchestra; Tracks [5, 8, 11-12, 17, 21] accompanied by piano
Language: Tracks [1-3, 5, 8-9, 11-13, 15-20, 22] sung in French; Tracks [4, 6-7, 10, 14, 21] sung in Italian
Recording location: Tracks [1-2, 8-9, 11-13, 15-20, 22] recorded in Paris; Tracks [3, 10] recorded in New York; Tracks [4-5] recorded in London; Tracks [6-7, 14] recorded in Milan; Track [21] recorded in Montevideo

CD 2:

Accompaniment: Tracks [1-7, 9-11, 13-17] accompanied by orchestra; Track [8] unaccompanied; Track [12] accompanied by piano
Language: Tracks [1, 3-10, 12-17] sung in French; Track [2] sung in German; Track [11] sung in Italian
Recording location: Tracks [1, 3-10, 13-17] recorded in Paris; Track [2] recorded in Berlin; Tracks [11-12] recorded in Milan

CD 3:

Accompaniment: Tracks [1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-19] accompanied by orchestra; Tracks [2, 6, 10, 20] accompanied by piano
Language: Tracks [1, 3, 7, 10-12, 14-18] sung in French; Tracks [2, 4-5, 8-9, 13. 20] sung in Italian; Tracks [6, 19] sung in German
Recording location: Tracks [1, 7, 10-12, 14-15, 18] recorded in Paris; Tracks [2-4, 8, 16-17] recorded in New York; Tracks [5, 13] recorded in London; Tracks [6, 19] recorded in Berlin; Track [9] recorded in Camden, New Jersey; Track [20] recorded in Milan

 

Producers: Ward Marston and Scott Kessler

Audio conservation: Ward Marston

Audio assistance: J. Richard Harris, Aaron Z Snyder, and Christian Zwarg

Booklet Design: Takeshi Takahashi

 

This set is dedicated to the memory of Richard Arsenty, whose discographic research was invaluable in selecting the recordings chosen for this set.

The scope of Meyerbeer in Paris is such that it not only required the assistance of many specialized collectors and scholars, it also required substantial funding. Therefore, Marston would like to thank the Pauls Foundation and the estate of John Stratton, under the guidance of its Trustee, Stephen Clarke for their substantial contributions, which have subsidized the cost of this set.

Photographs: Marston would like to thank Girvice Archer, Gregor Benko, Luc Bourrousse, Harold Bruder, Rudi van den Bulck, Ramonia Fasio, the estate of Roger Gross, Lewis M. Hall, R. W. Hornbeck, Charles Mintzer, John Pennino, André Tubeuf, Robert Tuggle, Peter van der Waal, and Richard A. Williams for their help in providing photos for our booklet. Marston would also like to thank and recognize the Metropolitan Opera Archives for providing the photo of Pol Plançon on page 39 and for the photo of Rosa Ponselle on page 40.

Original recordings: Marston would like to thank the following for making their record collections available for the production of this CD release: Alain Bacquet, The Estate of Richard Bebb with help from Alan Bilgora and Owen Williams; Gregor Benko; William Breslin; Lewis Hall; Lawrence F. Holdridge; John Humbley; Peter Lack; and Larry Lustig.

The following selections are re-recorded from copies in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Laurence C. Witten II in the Yale Collection of Historical Sound Recordings, Yale University Library:
CD 1: Track 21
CD 2: Track 10
CD 3: Tracks 12 and 14

Research: Marston would like to extend special thanks to Luc Bourrousse, Vincent Giroud, and Robert Letellier, for sharing their knowledge, research, and time.

Marston would like to thank Christian Zwarg for providing discographic help with Odeon and Pathé recordings and Rudi van den Bulck.