MEYERBEER: Robert le Diable.(Review)

MEYERBEER: Robert le Diable [] Ciofi, Raspagliosi; Mok, Codeluppi, Surian; Orchestra Internazionale d'Italia, Bratislava Chamber Choir, R. Palumbo. Text and translation. Dynamic CDS 368/1-3 (Qualiton, dist.)

Although it is customary these days to dismiss Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864) as the Andrew Lloyd Webber of nineteenth-century Paris, in his own time he was considered a fresh, innovative voice, a genius who blended the best of the French, Italian and German schools to achieve his own signature style. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. With his Robert le Diable (1831), Meyerbeer defined the form of French grand opera of the period, further codifying it with Les Huguenots (1836) and Le Prophete (1849). Robert le Diable has the energy and excitement of a piece that began a tradition.

The story is a sort of Faust-and-the-Devil tale -- but this time the Devil has actually sired his victim. Robert pits good against evil, good winning out with the help of two women allied to Robert: his mortal half-sister, Alice, and his romantic interest, Isabelle. The Devil, posing as a friend called Bertram, has a limited amount of time to take possession of his son's soul before losing his hold on the young man. There is increasing tension as the plot progresses, and the music becomes very effective. Along the way, we are treated to a variety of arias, ensembles and ballets (and showy effects, which sometimes dilute the overall impact of the story). Aside from Isabelle's celebrated Act IV aria, "Robert, toi que j'aime," recorded memorably by Beverly Sills on her fine French aria collection, the good bits include a wonderful a cappella trio in Act III, "Fatal moment, cruel mystere," and another stunning trio in Act V with horn accompaniment, which shows Meyerbeer at his most inspired; here, the choice of accompaniment is both showy and dramatically arresting.

This Robert performance from the Martina Franca Festival in Italy, one of a series being released on the Dynamic label, approaches the piece as an electrifying music drama, rather than as a grand opera with mothballs falling away at the sound of each measure. The vitality of the performance is admirable. The shortcoming, alas, is the singing -- a flaw of which one was doubtless less aware when watching the show than when listening to this CD set.

The women in this performance outclass the men vocally, although no one is less than adequate. As Robert, tenor Warren Mok attempts to wring what he can out of a character who turns sympathetic only ...