Gretry / Toro / Opera Lafayette Orch / Brown Le Magnifique CD

Andre Ernest-Modeste Gretry was the greatest French composer of opera-comique in the eighteenth century. His librettist for Le Magnifique Jean-Michel Sedaine took a tale by La Fontaine and fashioned it into a compelling libretto. Gretry responded with an outstanding score including one of the first programmatic overtures in musical history. His expressive love music and extended preludes and postludes add to the theatrical variety of this important and varied opera.

1. Ouverture 2. Marche: Andante 3. Tempo Giusto 4. Marche 5. C'est Lui 6. Pourquoi Donc Ce Magnifique 7. Ma Chere Enfant 8. Ah, C'est Un Superbe Cheval 9. Vous M'etonnez, Vous Badinez 10. Ah! Si Jamais Je Cours Les Mers 11. Je Ne Sais Pourquoi Je Pleure 12. Quelle Contrainte! 13. Clementine, Mettez - Vous la 14. Entracte 15. Ah! Que Je Me Sens Coupable! 16. Te Voila Donc 17. O Ciel! Quel Air de Courroux! 18. Jour Heureux! 19. Ne Me Bats Pas