This is a list of audio and video recordings (discography) of Giuseppe Verdi's 1855 French grand opera in five acts, Les vêpres siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers).Unless otherwise noted, information is from Recordings of the opera listed on operadis-opera-discography.org The opera is frequently performed in Italian translation as I vespri siciliani. As is typical of French grand opera, it includes a lengthy ballet in act 3 (Les quatres saisons). Since the ballet is about 30 minutes long and has a scenario unrelated to the plot of the opera, it is usually omitted in live performances.
Audio recordings in French YearCast:(Hélène,Henri,Montfort,Procida)Conductor,Opera House and OrchestraLabel 1969Jacqueline Brumaire,Jean Bonhomme,Neilson Taylor,Mario Rossi,BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC Chorus(Recorded 10 May, Camden Theatre, London; first broadcast 15 February 1970; Ashley Lawrence conducted the music for the ballet)CD: Opera RaraCat: ORCV303Alan Blyth, "A fine and welcome performance of Verdi's original French version", Gramophone, February 2005, pp. 81–82.2003Nelly Miricioiu,Marcello Giordani,Ferruccio FurlanettoJames Conlon,Paris Opera Orchestra & Chorus(Recorded live, 27 June, Opéra Bastille; ballet omitted)CD: Celestial Audio,Cat: CA 452
Video recordings in French YearCast:(Hélène,Henri,Montfort,Procida)Conductor,Opera House and OrchestraLabel2010Barbara Haveman,Burkhard Fritz,Balint SzaboPaolo Carignani,Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Chorus of the Netherlands Opera(Performed on 23 and 29 September; stage direction by Christof Loy; ballet abridgedHugh Canning, Review of 2010 Netherlands opera production of Les Vêpres siciliennes, Opera, February 2011, pp. 193–194: "the ballet music is abbreviated ... [Choreographer Thomas] Wilhelm’s Quattro Staggioni ballet strains to link Verdi’s entertainment music by creating a flashback sequence of acrobatics rather than dance, depicting the childhoods of Hélène, Henri and Montfort. Loy writes in the synopsis: 'Henri dreams of a life in which his mother, father, beloved and friends are capable of living in harmony together, but the dream is shattered'. ... [The cast] are decent singers, though Haveman struggled with her Bolero, but I wouldn't travel far to hear any of them sing Verdi, especially French Verdi, again.")Blu-ray/DVD: Opus ArteNetherlands Opera (2010): Opus Arte, Blu-ray (2011) ; DVD (2011) .Cat: 1060DRichard Lawrence, "A rare outing for French grand opera on DVD", Gramophone, December 2011, p. 102.2013Lianna Haroutounian,Bryan Hymel,Michael Volle,Erwin SchrottAntonio Pappano,Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera(Performed in October; stage direction by Stefan Herheim; ballet omitted)Blu-ray/DVD: Opus ArteRoyal Opera (2013): Opus Arte, Blu-ray (2015) ; DVD (2015) .
Audio recordings in Italian YearCast:(Elena,Arrigo,Monforte,Procida)Conductor,Opera House and OrchestraLabel1951Maria Callas,Enzo Mascherini,Boris ChristoffErich Kleiber,Chorus and Orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino(Recorded live, 26 May; includes the ballet) CD: Warner ClassicsFlorence, 1951, Warner Classics CDs (2017), .Cat: 01902958445161955Anita Cerquetti,Mario Ortica,Carlo Tagliabue,Boris ChristoffMario Rossi,RAI Torino Chorus and Orchestra (Recorded 9 October; broadcast 16 November; ballet omitted)CD: Walhall Eternity SeriesCat: WLCD 01081973Martina Arroyo,Plácido Domingo,Sherrill Milnes,Ruggero RaimondiJames Levine,New Philharmonia Orchestra, John Alldis Choir(includes the ballet)CD: RCA Victor Red sealCat: RCA 63492-21990Cheryl Studer,Chris Merritt,Giorgio Zancanaro,Ferruccio FurlanettoRiccardo Muti,Teatro alla Scala(Recorded live, December 1989 & January 1990; includes the ballet)CD: EMI Cat: CDS 7 54043-2(video below)2004Sondra Radvanovsky,Leo Nucci,Samuel RameyFrédéric Chaslin,Metropolitan Opera Orchestra & Chorus(Recorded live, 11 December; ballet omitted)Apple Music,iTunes Store,"Newly released on iTunes and Apple Music: Verdi’s riveting “I Vespri Siciliani”, The Metropolitan Opera Post on Facebook (5 October 2017).Met Opera on DemandMet Opera, 2004, Met Opera on Demand; CID:351103, Met Opera DB.Anthony Tommasini (11 November 2004), "Forget the Convoluted Plot and Focus on the Music", The New York Times.
Video recordings in Italian YearCast:(Elena,Arrigo,Monforte,Procida)Conductor,Opera House and OrchestraLabel1986Susan Dunn,Veriano Luchetti,Leo Nucci,Bonaldo GiaiottiRiccardo Chailly,Teatro Comunale di Bologna Orchestra & Chorus(Producer: Luca Ronconi; recorded live, 9, 12 & 15 February; ballet omitted)DVD: Kultur Video1989Cheryl Studer,Chris Merritt,Giorgio Zancanaro,Riccardo Muti,Teatro alla Scala Orchestra & Chorus(Stage director: Pier Luigi Pizzi; recorded live by RAI Television, 7 December; includes the ballet, with dancers Carla Fracci and Wayne EaglingLa Scala, 1989, DVD: .)DVD: Opus Arte Cat: OALS3008DAlan Blyth, "Two absorbing Verdi interpretations from 1980s La Scala", Gramophone, January 2005, pp. 101–102. (audio above)2003,Renzo Zulian,Vladimir Stoyanov,Orlin AnastassovStefano Ranzani,Orchestra & Chorus of Fondazione Arturo Toscanini(Production: Pier Luigi Pizzi;Busseto, 2003. . recorded live, February, Teatro Verdi, Busseto; ballet omitted)DVD: DynamicCat:33551John Steane, "One off the budget shelf but musically this production throws up some riches", Gramophone, Awards Issue 2007, p. 129.2010Daniela Dessì,Fabio Armiliato,Leo Nucci,Giacomo PrestiaMassimo Zanetti,Teatro Regio di Parma Orchestra & Chorus(Production: Pier Luigi Pizzi; recorded live, 13 & 17 October; ballet omitted)Blu-ray/DVD: C MajorCat:723904
Audio recording in German YearCast:(Elena,Arrigo,Monforte,Procida)Conductor,Opera House and OrchestraLabel1951,Helge Rosvaenge,Heinrich Schlusnus,Otto von RohrKurt Schröder,Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Chor des Hessischen Rundfunks(Radio recording of 12 February 1951)LP: DGGCat: LPEM 19244/46
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