Credits:

Various Artists

Description:

Literary giant Turgenev and female composer Vialdo team up for the world premiere recording of the chamber opera "The Last Wizard"! The world premiere recording of the opera for which the literary giant Turgenev wrote the libretto. The Last Wizard, a chamber opera with piano accompaniment by Pauline Garcia Viardot (1821-1910). Viardo is the daughter of the acclaimed tenor Manuel Garcia, who sang Count Almaviva in the premiere of Rossini's "The Barber of Seville." Her sister is the legendary prima donna Maria Malibran. She herself was an immensely popular mezzo-soprano, singing solo in the premiere of Brahms' Alto Rhapsody and singing Fidesz, the mother of the hero in the premiere of Meyerbeer's "The Prophet. Turgenev was Viardot's "chaperone" and finally moved to Paris, where he became a close associate of the Viardot family. Vialdo was also an excellent composer (as featured in Midori Kobayashi's book "Biographies of Female Composers"), and she wrote many songs, piano pieces, and chamber music. The Last Wizard" was composed to a French libretto written by Turgenev in 1867, after he retired from the stage.Originally performed privately in Baden-Baden, it was so well received that it was even performed in German with orchestral accompaniment in Germany. The once feared wizard Krakamish is now old and decrepit. He has a daughter named Stella, whom Prince Lelio loves. The story is that after many things, Klakamish allows the prince and his daughter to marry. The music is full, and other than the piano accompaniment and narration between songs, it is a fine opera. The singers are all excellent, except for Camille Zamora as Stella, who is a veteran, and the other singers are all young. Includes detailed English commentary, synopsis, and French-English bilingual translation. Tobu Land System

Tracklisting:

1.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Overture
2.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: In a great forest, in a land far, far away
3.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 1: Introduction (Par ici)
4.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Not far from the forest, in a neighboring kingdom
5.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 2: Chanson de Lelio (Dans le bois frais et sombre
6.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Knowing that Prince Lelio cannot risk being seen
7.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 3: Romance de la Reine (Ramasse cette rose)
8.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Alone and frustrated, Krakamiche laments his lost
9.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 4: Air de Krakamiche (Ah, la sotte existence)
10.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Stella overhears Krakamiche bellowing
11.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 5: Chanson de Stella (Coulez, coulez, gouttes fin
12.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: The Fairy Queen appears again
13.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 6: Romance de la Reine (Sur les yeux de ton pere)
14.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Krakamiche's hapless servant Perlimpinpin sings w
15.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 7: Chanson de Perlimpinpin (Quand j'etais un gean
16.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: A triumphant march announces the arrival of the C
17.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 8: Marche
18.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Krakamiche is eager to try the magic Moly herb th
19.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 9: Ronde des lutins (Tourne, tourne comme un tont
20.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Exhausted and half-dead from his mad dance, Kraka
21.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act I, No. 10: Ronde Finale (Compagnes ailees)
22.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: The following afternoon, Lelio counts the minutes
23.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 1: Stornello de Lelio (Pourrais-je jamais aimer)
24.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Inside the cramped hut, Krakamiche and Stella sit
25.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 2: Melodrame
26.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Stella asks Krakamiche to rest and forget the ins
27.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 3: Duo de Krakamiche et Stella (Si tu ne sais pa
28.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: As Krakamiche continues his search for the missin
29.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 4: Couplets du rouet (Quand vient la saison fleu
30.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Lelio approaches, assuring Stella that she need n
31.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 5: Duo de la rose (C'est moi, ne craignez rien)
32.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Having confessed his feelings, Lelio kneels befor
33.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 6: Exorcisme (Loupprola, Schibbola, Trix)
34.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Narration: Instead of a monster, Krakamiche's spell brings f
35.Le Dernier Sorcier (The Last Sorcerer): Act II, No. 8: Quatuor (Adieu, temoins de ma misere)