Ropartz Le Pays

[Alan Howe]

I have recently bought Ropartz's opera Le Pays on two CDs (on Timpani), but am only just listening properly to it now. It is a stunning piece - clearly in line of descent from Wagner/Tristan and César Franck (and to a certain extent Debussy/Pelléas, although with much more passion and vigour throughout), but with a wonderful celtic tinge of melancholy. If you're in the right twilight mood for this, I guarantee you'll be hooked. It's also very well sung and performed in the Timpani recording. A must for fans of late-Romantic passion and langour, I would have thought.

[Marcus]

Hello Alan,
I have all the Symphonies,and some of the chamber music. of Ropartz. He does speak a unique impressionistic language, so the Opera must be something.
Marcus.

[Mark Thomas]

I do agree, Alan, that Le Pays is beautiful music, although not exactly fast-paced. The last time I listened to it I deliberately split it over two evenings, because I remembered getting a bit tired of the sometimes pastel-shaded melancholy by the end of the piece. That worked. A recommendation though.