Description
Massenet: Hérodiade (Herodias) – Plácido Domingo · Renée Fleming · Dolora Zajick · Juan Pons · Valery Gergiev 2xCD
UPC: 8718247712021
MPN: 8802202
Brand Name: Newton Classics
Overview
This magnificent 2-CD Newton Classics release features Jules Massenet’s grand opera Hérodiade in a spectacular production from the San Francisco Opera, conducted by Valery Gergiev.
Recorded live in November 1994 at the War Memorial Opera House, this acclaimed performance stars an all-star cast: Plácido Domingo as Jean (John the Baptist), Renée Fleming as Salome, Dolora Zajick as Herodias, and Juan Pons as Herod. Supported by the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus, this version reveals the opera’s sensual blend of biblical passion, political intrigue, and Massenet’s soaring French romanticism.
Product Features
- Format: 2 Compact Discs (DDD Stereo)
- Total Duration: 153′31″
- Recording Dates: 5, 8, 12, and 15 November 1994
- Recording Location: War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco, California
- Producer: Michel Glotz
- Recording Engineer: Christian Constantinov
- Genre: Opera / Romantic
- Style: French Grand Opera / Biblical Drama
- Label: Newton Classics B.V. (licensed from Sony Music Entertainment)
- Country of Manufacture: European Union
- Art Direction & Design: Jan Martin Wilschut, Amsterdam Hotsprings
- Cover Image: Queen Herodias (1881) by Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant (1845–1902) – Courtesy of P. International
Interesting Facts
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A Rare French Masterpiece First premiered in 1881 in Brussels, Hérodiade remains one of Massenet’s most dramatic and richly orchestrated operas, blending sacred themes with passionate human emotion.
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A Stellar Cast at Its Peak With Domingo’s heroic Jean, Fleming’s radiant Salome, and Zajick’s fiery Herodias, this recording represents a golden moment in late 20th-century opera performance.
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Gergiev’s Dramatic Touch Under Valery Gergiev’s masterful direction, the score’s sweeping climaxes and tender lyricism unfold with electrifying precision and emotional depth.
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Historical Context Though often overshadowed by Thaïs and Manon, Hérodiade is a cornerstone of Massenet’s biblical operas, offering a deeply human portrayal of faith, love, and sacrifice.
Principal Cast & Roles
- Jean (John the Baptist): Plácido Domingo
- Salome: Renée Fleming
- Hérodiade (Herodias): Dolora Zajick
- Hérode (Herod): Juan Pons
- Phanuel: Kenneth Cox
- A Babylonian Maiden: Kristin Clayton
- Vitellius: Hector Vásquez
- A Voice in the Temple: Alfredo Portilla
- The High Priest: Eduardo del Campo
Chorus: San Francisco Opera Chorus (Chorus Master: Ian Robertson) Orchestra: San Francisco Opera Orchestra Conductor: Valery Gergiev
Publishers
© 1995 Sony Music Entertainment © 2013 Newton Classics B.V. under license to STEMRA. Manufactured and printed in the EU. All rights reserved.
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