The two leading operatic composers of their time were Rossini and Auber, one now fÃªted, the other largely overlooked. In 1831 Auber and his long-standing librettist EugÃ¨ne Scribe produced Le Philtre, which took the concept of petit opÃ©ra to the extreme, even outdoing Rossini's Le Comte Ory in depicting a rural setting peopled not with Arcadian shepherds but with ordinary country folk. Auber's Franco-Italian style can be heard in the work's ensembles, while elsewhere the opera shimmers with rich arias, buffo elements and delightful cavatinas. Le Philtre was an unalloyed success receiving 243 performances and inspired Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.

Tracklist:

Philtre~Ouverture
Philtre~Act I. No. 2 Marche et Air Joli-Coeur. Marche
Philtre~Act I. No. 2 Marche et Air Joli-Coeur. Je suis sergent
Philtre~Act I. No.
Choeur. Est-il possible d'Ãªtre insensible
Philtre~Act I. No. 6 Air Guillaume. Philtre divin!
Philtre~Act I. No. 8 Trio et Finale. Dedans le cours de mes conquÃªtes
Philtre~Act I. No. 8 Trio et Finale. C'est un ordre du capitaine
Philtre~Act II. No. 9 Entr'acte et Choeur: Couplets et Barcarolle. Chantons ce mariage
Philtre~Act II. No. 9 Entr'acte et Choeur: Couplets et Barcarolle. Habitants du bord de l'Adour
Philtre~Act II. No. 9 Entr'acte et Choeur: Couplets et Barcarolle. Je suis riche, vous Ãªtes belle
Philtre~Act II. No. 12 Morceau d'Ensemble. Grands dieux! quelle nouvelle!
Philtre~Act II. No. 14 Finale. Je lui dois ma maÃ®tresse

UPC: 730099051477
Label: Naxos
Release Date: 1.13.23
Format: CD

Auber / Kabongo / Franco - Le Philtre (CD)