Orphée aux enfers (Wernicke ; Davin) (1997)

Heruitgave uit 2014 van opname in De Munt, Brussel. "This energetic 1997 performance conveys the vitality of Orphée aux Enfers as theater piece and, most of the time, does justice to Offenbachs fizzy score. Herbert Wernickes modern-dress production, impressively using the full height and depth of the La Monnaie stage in the second and fourth scenes, features some nice touches. Mercure regularly makes flying entrances like Peter Pan. The staging of the fly duet is suggestive rather than literal and plays convincingly. Most of the singing is superior. The Eurydice, Elizabeth Vidal, has a round, full-bodied tone and good legato, and her excursions in alt are utterly secure. Both principal tenors, Alexandru Badea (Orphée) and Reinaldo Macias (Pluton), have forward, ringy voices, with depth and weight. Dale Duesings baritone sounds lighter, more French than the tenors do, but his tapered tones are clear. The female deities, soprano and mezzo alike, all sing with warm, luscious tones." (S.T. Vasta, Operanews)