Bertin
Fausto
Karine Deshayes, Karina Gauvin et al; Les Talens Lyriques; Flemish Radio Choir/Christophe Rousset
Bru Zane BZ1054 119:38 mins (2 discs)
The first recording of a long-lost operatic score by Louise Bertin (1805-77) is an important event. Set to the composer’s own libretto based on Goethe, Bertin’s Fausto went through various versions intended for different casts and theatres – and even in different languages – prior to a brief premiere run at the French capital’s Italian-language house, the Théâtre Italien, in 1831, thereafter disappearing until a Parisian revival in June 2023.
Given other options, what has been recorded here is an Italian opera in the semiseria genre with a mezzo lead. From the sternly dramatic overture onwards, the impact of Bertin’s ambitious orchestral scoring suggests a kinship with Berlioz. A list of stylistic influences might also include Gluck, Mozart, Weber (in passages relating to the supernatural) and, very occasionally, Rossini. Apart from the simple recitatives with piano accompaniment, the result frequently shows astonishing flair: Fausto may not be a masterpiece, but it is well worth encountering.
If it feels odd to have Faust cast as a mezzo-soprano – the role was originally to be sung by Rosmunda Pisaroni, then rewritten for tenor for the premiere – the principals realise their roles with conviction: Karine Deshayes’s philosopher, Karina Gauvin’s Margarita, Ante Jerkunica’s Mefistofele and Nico Darmanin’s Valentin all reach a high standard. There’s strong support from the Flemish Radio Choir and Les Talens Lyriques, with conductor Christophe Rousset revealing the extraordinary qualities of this long-forgotten work. George Hall